I began decorating for children's parties 5 years ago. It was a business born partly from necessity, mostly from passion. I was lucky to be able to combine several of my loves ... parties, decorating, theming and the sourcing of secondhand treasures.
I have always created rather elaborately themed and decorated parties for my children. Having 2 girls, it was only natural for things to begin with flowers and frills.
It all began with fairies...
Fairy Parties
Hosting a party for your little fairy does not have to be of great expense. To make a fairy garden, I began by sourcing artificial flowers and foliage and a rainbow of coloured organza curtains from opportunity-shops and garage sales.
An old oval mirror in a wooden frame, painted green and surrounded by foliage, became a pond.
Off cuts of fabric were made into lily pads and toadstool cushions - upon which sat pre-loved fairy ornaments, sprinkled with fairy dust ...
... and also hidden among water lilies.
In planning a themed party, you need to begin sourcing your decorations well in advance. You can never be sure what you will find in an op-shop. I have come across so many amazing and wonderful items in building my party themes. My finds have not been limited to pre-loved items. Cheap gift shops are a great place to find multiples of gorgeous flowers, windmills, lanterns and vines to name just a few.
You can never have too many butterflies. ...
When hosting children's parties, safety is always a priority. Children cannot help but interact with their surroundings so with this in mind, I always use items that are lightweight and will not harm if a breakage occurs or items fall over. Movable decorations are mostly items that are made of fabric, hard cardboard or plastic.
The simplest of things can be made beautiful with a coat of paint, a sprinkle of glitter and a rainbow of ribbons.
You do not need to be limited to the outdoors to create a fairy garden. You can create an enchanted space anywhere.
Most of all, when putting things together remember that in the eyes of a child, everything is magical, so things don't need to be perfect.
