10.13.2015

Art Camp Birthday Party

Or, the great party switch of 2015. What do you do when you have less than 48 hrs in between parties?

Here is my great party transformation.

The birthday girl wanted and Art + Camping theme and deemed it "Art Camp Party" herself. I chose to keep all of the greenery and "outside" stuff from the Wild Things Party. We added more color, art and some "camp" elements.

Party Details:

Decorations:
We start off by adding some color to the entrance
 A small "tent" and "Welcome to camp" sign

Inside the foyer and throughout the other main party areas I created an "art gallery" using the birthday girl's own artwork. Grouping them much like a museum would, by subject or time period. I also mounted many of the smaller works on black cardstock to create the look of frames. 
First, directly to the right at the entrance--animal series
 to the left--still life, poetry and nature series (flowers)


Further into the foyer--portrait series

The gift area.


Body series (this has an up-close of a tongue, brain, human fetus in the womb and a mouth)

On the opposite side of the room, her Bird series

The main activities area, the pictures in this area were abstract series and a lone bunny (seen on the far wall)

I placed almost everything we would need for each activity on the table and had most items prepared in individual portions.



The Food Display. 
Little faux fire action

Food Details:
 We kept food light since it was a mid-afternoon party


 The birthday girl decorated her own cake. I created the "palette" and she added the colors, wording and drawings (of a campsite, trees, etc) on the sides--8" 2-layer vanilla bean cake with chocolate buttercream frosting


The pinata (which, again served dual purpose)

sorry for the TERRIBLE lighting in this picture! It was such an odd lighting situation all afternoon

Activities:
1. Painting 8x10 canvases with acrylic paint


2. Since we were already in our smocks and in messy mode, we made GAK. The girls LOVED this!
I only have a few pictures from this because it did require a fair amount of adult supervision to prevent crazy-crazy messes.


After the GAK was bagged up, girls washed up, removed smocks and I cleaned and re-set the table.
During the "intermission", we had a Story!

3. Bridget's Beret reading (which was a large part of the inspiration for the party)
Also notice we added their completed canvases to the "gallery" while they dried (right side)

4. The girls came back to the table for a quick craft; making sticker bracelets using these kits



 5. Snack Time and then Singing and Cake Time, followed by PINATA! 


6. Pipe Cleaner Scupltures (I don't have a picture)

7. Open Gifts

8. Thank you Gifts
Each girl took home her 8x10 canvas, GAK, candy bag from pinata and a thank you gift bag (which contained a box of crayons and an "Edible Art Kit" which the birthday girl helped me assemble)