my crazy party-planning friend
January 17th, 2009
My friend Brenda is certifiably nuts. She loves to plan parties. Like, she REALLY loves it—the more elaborate and detailed the party, the better. She has said more than once that she’d love to be a party-planner for a living someday.
She’s planned a lot of parties in her day. There was her daughter’s Pinkkkkity First Birthday Party, which was quite the extravaganza. I know she’s planned a bunch of other themed parties over the years that had names and everything, but that was mostly before I knew her. So this year was the first time I really got to see her in action.
And now I can say with complete confidence that if she ever wants to make a living as an event planner, she could do it without breaking a sweat. Okay, she would probably sweat a lot, because running around getting ready for a party is hard work!
Today was Bug’s 3rd birthday, and to mark the occasion Brenda threw a Great Big Green Puppet Show Birthday Party. There were mini puppet-show boxes complete with curtains and finger puppets for all the kids to take home as party favors, and green flag bunting sewed by Brenda’s mom.
There were all kinds of green foods, arranged carefully in their white containers on the green tablecloth. There was a craft table set up with scissors, green glitter glue, tape, crayons, pompoms, and brown paper bags so the kids could make their own puppets. There were green balloons and green paper plates and cups and green limeade punch.
Oh, and the invitations mentioned that anyone who wore green would get a prize, so most of the guests were wearing at least some green. It was a greeeeeeen party.
I have not even mentioned the puppet show! Brenda constructed a green puppet-show theater out of some big cardboard boxes, paint, dowels, and fabric. She and her 10-year-old niece Rapunzel wrote a script and put on a puppet show at the party. They worked really hard on it, and it was a hit! The kids all loved it, and the grown-ups chuckled at a few of the funnier lines too.
I actually helped Brenda with the puppet-show theater. She mentioned that she needed boxes for her puppet show to me, and since we had a few big boxes leftover from the move, I offered to bring them up and help her out for an afternoon. (Hmm, that sounds a lot like the way I just happened to mention to Brenda-the-Graphic-Illustrator that I needed labels for my vanilla bottles.)
As she wrestled with taping the boxes together and cutting the cardboard, I said I thought it was funny how much more trouble she’s willing to go through for a party than I am. For example, if it were me and I wanted to do a puppet show, I’d probably just hang a sheet in a doorway a foot or two from the top and save myself the trouble. She gave me a pitying look as she patiently explained, “But then the big puppet show wouldn’t match the little mini puppet-show boxes.” She had me there.
When it comes to parties, I couldn’t care less about most of the details that she lives for. And while Brenda is pretty laid-back when it comes to party food, only wanting it to fit in with her theme, that is the thing I obsess about the most. I want the food at my parties to be delicious. I guess that’s why I volunteered to make the birthday cake! Because that part mattered to me.
In the end, though, I have to admit that all the details added up to a fantastic party. The flags that Sue sewed really gave the house a party atmosphere. All the green food laid out on the table according to Brenda’s vision did look fantastic. Even having all the guests wear green was a fun touch. I’ve already placed my order with Sue for some flags for Annalie’s birthday in May, and I’m thinking about theme ideas…
But I’ve got some time to figure that out. By then Brenda will probably have me converted to her crazy party-planning ways.
More photos are in my flickr, in the photoset Bug’s Great Big Green Puppet Show 3rd Birthday Party
UPDATE: Brenda has posted her photos from the party on her Flickr, in the photoset THE GREAT BIG GREEN BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!
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I’m so glad you posted this so quickly! I was dying to see some pictures from the party!
I’m hoping that she won’t get all famous for her parties and be busy with Hollywood babies this Summer, so I can still afford her services for Noah’s first. After that, she has my permission to rise to party-planning stardom. :)
It all looks like such a wonderful green dream – and that final shot of Bug and Brenda is perfect.
Bug looks like she really enjoyed it!
What a rocking party! You know, if SAJ does the non-food and you do the food, the two of you will have a killer party planning business…
Looks like great fun. Wish we lived closer.
OOOHHH, I think Karen is on to something with you and SAJ teaming up. Your food contributions were delicious. Brenda’s attention to detail was amazing. The girls and I had such a great time.
I so wish that I could hang with you ladies. lol
Awesome, I am so glad that party went well. It sure looks like everyone had a fabulous time. I dream of pulling together parties like that. And I even wanted to do the flags last year for J’s birthday, but since we had to go away I couldn’t do it. I will this year for sure though :).
Your cake looks fabulous, I am sure it tasted good too.
Glad you had fun, I look forward to Brenda’s debriefing and long for the day I could afford to pay her to come and plan a party here, it would have to include airfare too ;).
Bethany, Brenda is great!
A green party for kids with vegetables! And find the way to make it fun? Just amazing!
lol…
Looks like so much fun. And your cake looks yummy, wish I could have tasted it.
You know what I just noticed as I was writing this comment? Your who’s amung us. I’m not usually on your blog at normal hours, instead it’s at crazy midnight/morning hours. I’m usually like the only one at 3 in the morning. But oh my gawd who’s amoung us says there are 75 people on right now. From all over the world.
Sorry, totally off subject, back to what I was saying. You know, I forgot what I was saying. :-D
It looks like you all had a wonderful time :-) The cake looks lovely, Bethany!
AWESOME. Thanks for sharing the pics of the party. I think I’ll gather some inspiration from SAJ’s dedication and motivation to make a kickin’ party.
Everything looks wonderful and I bet it was a ton of fun. The cake looks YUMMY. Wish I had a piece right now.
Your cakes are dangerous. They make you craving more and more.
Given a choice i would’ve eaten until I was sick it was so good.
That looks like the coolest party ever! I love the little cups with green foods! Fabulous cake!
You’re a great friend! It looks like an amazing party. Yummy too ;)
Looks like a fantabulous party! Brenda truly does have a gift, she should totally start a party business. I wish that I enjoyed the planning and execution of a party, but Thomas’s first birthday party had me desperately reaching for a drink! It’s stressful to me. I’ve got to work on it, so I can find a happy medium! Bug’s green birthday cake looks yummy delicious and I am jealous of those who got to taste it!
Brenda is AMAZING. I’d hire her in a heartbeat!
The cake was to die for. Super yummy!
Brenda, I’m really late in responding, but wow…this is just fabulous in so many ways. Kenny’s birthday was this weekend too and it wasn’t *ahem* even close.
i love the idea of the ‘green food bar’!
What fun! I think I’m going to have to order some flags for the party I’m planning for my husband’s MBA graduation. They make everything so bright and festive!
[...] been meaning to blog, including this Fribbit mug. I started painting it, just for fun right after Bug’s 3rd birthday party, took it home, and finished it several weeks later. When I posted a photo of the unfired mug on [...]