High-End Children's Party and Costume Ideas

Great Recipes

2008-09-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

RECIPES

As we promised - we are listing our formerly posted recipes and where they were found so you still have access to wonderful recipes for special "boutique quality" or "high end" parties. You can find the new ones all the time at www.itsapartyletswearhats.com. Under this link - you can list your own ideas or your thoughts about the success you had with them (or problems and suggestions)

Thanks

Apple and Cinnamon Madeleines
makes 24 madeleines

150g plain all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g unsalted butter, softened (plus more for greasing)
50g light muscovado sugar
75g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup pureed apples
granulated sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Brush madeleine molds with butter.
In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder and ground cinnamon, set aside.
Cream butter and sugars in another bowl until light and creamy.
Add eggs and apple puree and beat until combined.
Sift in flour mixture and fold until the flour has been incorporated into the wet mixture.
Place a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture in each mould and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are golden.
Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in tray.
Unmold and lightly coat madeleines with granulated sugar.

Recipes

Updated Often - view our blog or affiliate links for older recipes

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How to Pick a Children's Event or Party Planner or Company for Supplies & Costumes

2008-07-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

I know this sounds like it would be simple, but it's not.

Are you tired of shopping around town and finding things that everyone else has, or items that will break. How about running out of ideas. We've all been there.So, you want a new idea, truly quality items that are unique...you search the web and still can't find it. You might want to visit and try It's a Party...LET'S WEAR HATS!!!. We actually give you all the ideas for free, and can provide most of it or give you references to those who can.

What have I found are keys to purchasing or selecting a company?

Someone with a contact phone number not just an email address. If you need something you want to talk to someone not wait for an email back.
Someone with a return policy. If you are unhappy, they should still do everything they can to help you out.
Flexibility for the party you want. If they have all cookie-cutter parties how can you account for a joint boy/girl party? What if your child wants an event that is for Pigs Flying? If they can't customize it for you - then what will you do?
Good reputation. How will you find this? The best is to ask others. Often you won't find too much feedback online (just because there are a lot of posts about a company doesn't mean they are good). However, if they offer PayPal or credit card payment you will be in better shape. They might even provide testimonials.
Comprehensive service. Do they provide menus, activities, ideas, planning guides, costumes?
Variations on paying. Do they accept PayPal? That will cover both you and the company but it also means that they have gone through a check on banking.
Someone with experience. How do you find this out? Well, if they are comprehensive, have unique ideas, and flexibility and you can talk to them on the phone - you can find out if you are talking to a teenager with a job or a professional planner.

When is a party a themed party and when is it just a party?

2008-07-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

I know this sounds horrible, but there is a big difference. There is a party with cake, streamers, invitations and favors and then there is a theme party which can be anything from:

Pirate hats
Pirate favor bags/treasure chests (doubloons, eye patches, pirate bandannas, pirate stickers)
Pirate decorations (pirate balloons, colored balloons)
Custom pirate invitations
Pirate crafts (building a pirate treasure box or pirate ship)
Plates/flatware in the same colors and more in the theme.

Then you can go even further and make all the activities about pirates, have a story about pirates, have a pirate ship built and a true pirate show up to your house to tell stories and entertain the children. Your cake could be Blackbeard's Blackberry Cake and have a theme like Pirate Bryan's Raiding Ship.This may sound like overkill to an adult, but children won't forget it and other parents will wonder how you found the time.

I used to do all of this for families so that they didn't have to worry about it, but now there is another source for free comprehensive party planning including recipes, a whole day's activities, etc. Who is it?

It's A Party...LETS WEAR HATS!!! at www.It'sAPartyLetsWearHats.com.

You can just email this blog or list questions or themes and we will help you arrive with great suggestions. If you want any costumes - you need to check out www.itsapartyletswearhats.com for boutique quality costumes that are washable.

Themes on a Budget

2008-07-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

One thing that causes great distress for parents is the whole idea of what to do for their child's party. Everyone wants something different and special. No one wants their child to give the same favors, provide the same foods, and the same paper plates as everyone else. However, no one wants to spend several hundred or thousand dollars for a single day.

There are a few things to think about:

YOUR PART?

Not everyone is a creative genius or has the time in the world - how much can you do - realistically. Here are some tips:

You can make the cake or buy one
You can create a craft, find one, or buy one
You can create each gift bag or find one online that is made for you

THEME - what does your child like?

Is it practical?

If he chooses "It's a Big World" -

You may be limited to what everyone else buys because there are not as many options

You can choose to make your own It's a Big World themed party.

Buy green colored plates (or ones with leaves on them), brown colored napkins (or ones that look like trees/leaves) and choose cups that have frogs or bugs.
Select a real bonzai tree for the centerpiece and black plastic silverware.
Tape the show to show later.
Make games that are related to the show (I will list some if someone wants them)
Have everyone do an outdoor environmental type craft.

This will take you way beyond the time that the kids will be there - and it doesn't cost much at all. I
***If you want one thing that is special - go on PBS.com and perhaps you can order a doll of one of your child's favorite characters.
Also, the goodie bags - include:

Marbles with bugs in them (available at Joanne's Fabrics),
Candy
Themed stickers (available usually at Michaels), and
Confetti (the other parents will never forget you).

This should cost about 35-50.00.

If you choose to make the cake and you don't have the best decorating ability - don't worry - you can make the top blue like the lake, buy a big plastic tree (from Michaels or Toys R US) make the sides green and top it with all kinds of creatures from the show (available at Michaels if you are willing to be creative). In fact, there are even some places that if you give them a photo they will creat a top for you out of sugar. Don't forget- you can also go to a local bakery or grocery store and have them do it.

SPACE: Is it going to be outdoors, indoors, or both?
If your home is small and you want an outdoor party - what will the weather be like - is it more practical to go to a facility? I have some great ideas for you if you want to post your query.
If you want a party that is indoors but it is too buggy - what can you do? You can rent or buy an inexpensive gazebo (available at Home Depot, Roses, sometimes Goodwill, or the Dollar Store). If they are pretty beaten up - spray paint it. You can get the netting inexpensively or something similar at Linens and Things if you buy curtains and just stream them - this is great for fairy parties or royal courts.
TIME LINE:
Personal: So you forgot to get organized or you are a full-time working parent and do what I do - hope it gets organized without you - yeah right!!!
Go to www.itsapartyletswearhats.com and download the party planning guide - it gives you the timeline and it should help.
Party: Can't dream of having 15 6-year-olds in your home for 5 hours, what do you do? PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!
Make sure you have an activity for when they come in, an activity for while they are there, and activity for any boredom, and activity ongoing, and an activity when they leave.
For instance - have the children come in and go on a scavenger hunt (you place stickers or something related to the theme throughout the rooms they are allowed to go and the one that identifies the most - wins a prize by the end of the party. This will allow for children to be preoccupied while you greet more children.
Have a craft planned (paint t-shirt, make dinosaur eggs, decorate cupcakes, etc) for the main activity.
Clean up!
Give free time - let them play on your slide or watch a video
Give the prize at the end for whoever did the best scavenger hunt.
STUFF: Do you have everything you need or will it cost a fortune to get it?
If your child wants a camp out - what do you do? Do you have that many tents?
You can have the children make teepees or make lean-to's like in the real outdoors. I can email you or post some examples and directions. This way you can have them use your current sheets - or you can buy really cheap ones from WalMart or Goodwill and have them dye them dark green or cammo. Then they can collect sticks (or you can have them pre-collected) and then build the lean-to. You can then have them make small traps, learn about edible plants in your area (this might be dangerous though), and have a great cookout. A goodbye gift can be bandannas (available at www.itsapartyletswearhats.com under accessories), or hats and embroidered t-shirts that can say "Sammy's Summer Sleepover" (available at www.itsapartyletswearhats.com).

Some other great ways to minimize a budget but maximize your party. For instance:

Go to a party supply online store (parties can range from 60-250 for 6 children). These will typically include plates, centerpiece, cups and a few balloons and streamers.

Go to a website like www.itsapartyletswearhats.com to get free ideas and you can use your own silverware, plates, cups, etc. This site includes themes, ideas for activities, recipes, costumes (profits go to children with terminal illnesses), and even a great party planner guide you can download.
Peruse magazines like Cookie (www.cookiemag.com) for some really great ideas. Each month they have new party ideas and great neat child-safe toys that can be favors.
Do your own hunt to places like recipes.com or allrecipes.com, celebrate express, partyoz, and more to find your own ideas.

The way you save the money is by doing the research yourself and doing a lot of the yourself. I have found though, that I actually enjoy the party more when I have done it - it makes me feel more invested and that I had control over it. It can also make me more neurotic (or as my husband calls it - kitchen rage)

Tell me your ideas? What has been successful for you?