The ragged wren : Circus Birthday

Party, party, party!

The summer is always the best time for a party. The plus side of living in Texas, is it feels like summer well into fall. This leaves LOTS of extra party time, so we are utilizing our time well.

Late this summer, I was asked to help with the decorations for a circus birthday party. Given by a good friend of mine, for her husband and son's birthday. Laura is pretty fabulous at throwing parties, so she didn't need a ton of help. We brainstormed on things together, and came up with some fun signs, and decorations.

The guests of honor

By the time the party started I think it was actually 104 degrees, luckily the entertainment and food, kept people going. The spiked snow cones did hurt either!

Here is the fabulous invite from one of my favorite shops on Etsy, Artist In La La Land. She custom made this just for the party. This tattooed couple is so cute!

The party entrance was up the driveway, through a covered carport. To decorated this, she used thin plastic rolls of tablecloth material. The rolls were laid out, gathered, twisted, and draped. They pooled on the ground, it looked very circusy ( a new word, FYI) . Cocktail tables were set up underneath.

Pinwheels made by Aubabi78, from Etsy, were placed in mason jars, filled with tickets.

Photo props were put in jars, where guests could grab them and snap a shot.

From, The Manic Moose.

Next to the carport, a snow cone truck set up shop. For the kids, he would pack a cup full of ice, and they would pick a syrup, and pull the lever. How great to be a kid!

For the adults, he poured your flavor, plus a little vodka...to make dealing with your kids spilling syrup all over their clothes, more bearable. Not a bad day to be over 21!

On the fence as you enter the backyard, was my gigantic canvas sign. This was a real task to paint, as it was about 152" long. I painted a ringmaster, and an elephant, draped with a blanket bearing the family's name. The whole time, thinking about how circus animals seem to be on there way out of the circus, because of animal cruelty. So I tried to give the guy a smile, so for all you animal rights activists out there, this is completely humane, I promise.

Originally this was going to hang on the front of the carport, so you would walk underneath it. I attached large plastic grommets, and used heavy rope to attach it. Before the second rope was attached, the large gusts of wind we were having ripped it down.

Live and learn.

So instead, it was hung on the fence. The wind sucked this sign right to the fence, making it easy to attach. Looking for the good here.

I also painted a kissing booth sign that was place over the gate opening, so you walked right underneath it. Not a bad spot to wait until you found a good looking fella.

Here comes some of the entertainment...

Inside the backyard there were two tents set up. One close by the food and bar, the other out in the grass, were the children's entertainment was.

The pennants on the tent were found at, Starlit Nest on Etsy.

For the inside of the tent, Laura made this very elaborate ribbon garland. After MANY rolls of ribbon, LOTS of hours, and VERY numb fingers, here is the amazing outcome.

In the kids tent, the ribbon hung down very low. Low enough, to run back and forth brushing your hands on the ends. Oh wait that was me :)

For the entertainment, she had two clowns, a face painter, a magician, a band, and a funnel cake lady. I know, the funnel cake lady technically isn't the entertainment, but she did draw a big crowd.

On one of the fences, Laura put up this awesome "party" sign, it even lights up.

Found here, at Junk Art Gypsyz

The always fabulous Laura, in her great little party hat, from Doo's Oddistuffies.

The food table was another area, I helped plan, make, and set up. The tables were draped in a red and white striped, plastic table cloth. .

I made a canvas sign for above the table, that said "Step Right Up" which you can find here. On the sides of the sign, and around the tables, we added large rosettes from, The Papier Studio on Etsy

The chalkboard was a lucky find at Hobby Lobby. I dressed it up with a hot dog, and popcorn sign. I painted these on canvas, for that old school carnival look. How could you not want a hot dog when he can dance like that.