Yes, it’s true!! I am beyond excited to announce the 2014 Kara’s Party Ideas Australian Tour + Conference!!
I will be headed to the beautiful Australian shores in February & March of 2014. I will be part of Confetti Fair (touring all over AU) and will also be holding exclusive Kara’s Party Ideas workshops + conferences in the same cities! Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney are already in the works….and a few surprise cities will be announced soon!
A HUGE thank you to Sugar Coated Mama & Confetti Fair for hosting the Kara’s Party Ideas Australian Tour!! You two are beyond fabulous…I just love you and can’t wait to be in Australia together!!
I was so excited for the April issue of Parenting Magazine! I had the honor of styling a Harry Potter themed birthday party for both the Early Year and School Year April issues!
Being a part of the editorial advisory board for Parenting has been fabulous! When Sabrina James (Style & Fashion Director) asked me if I would like to work on another fun project for them I just couldn’t resist! I will admit, when she asked if I would do a Harry Potter party my first thoughts weren’t all warm and fuzzy. It was a party theme outside of my comfort zone, and a theme I had never done. But now, it’s one of my most favorite parties to date!
If you haven’t yet, be sure and grab a copy of the April Parenting Magazine to see the full spread along with other fabulous parties styled by The Tomkat Studio & Oh Happy Day!
Photography by Valerie Hart.
Decor
The party was set out on Harry Potter inspired items like an old steamer trunk, some vintage suitcases, a british inspired telephone booth shelf and a book themed end table.
Candles were hung from the ceiling with fishing line to create a floating candle effect.
Old books are an easy way to stage a lot of the party food/decor. They go along perfectly with the Harry Potter theme, too.
The printable lightning banner, paper ties, argyle cupcake wrappers, invitation, Hogwarts Express sign and food labels/place cards are all part of the Harry Potter printable collection in the Kara’s Party Ideas Shop.
Invitation
This Harry Potter fill-in-the-blank invitation is a simple download from Kara’s Party Ideas shop. Roll it up and attach it to a white balloon, acting as the “delivery owl” from Harry Potter. Use a black permanent marker to draw an owl face onto the balloon. I weighed down the invitation with a vintage key.
Popcorn Bar
Since children will be watching Harry Potter at the party, provide a fun popcorn bar! This one included caramel corn, original corn & kettle corn. Parmesan seasoning and salt were set out for added flavor. Find the wooden scoops, signs & popcorn baskets in the Kara’s Party Ideas Shop- www.KarasPartyIdeas.com/shop
Butter Beer
Cream Soda acted as “Butter Beer” at the party. To create the foaming effect simply add vanilla ice cream to each drink.
Hogwarts Express Sign
Bring the feel of the Hogwarts Express Train Station into your party with this printable sign available in the KPI shop.
Butter Beer Candy Favors
Small glass salt and pepper shakers perfectly resemble mugs, so they were filled with butterscotch candies and labeled as “Butter Beer Candy Favors”. A vintage key was attached to the top of each jar with twine.
Owl Glasses
If a few simple steps, make these darling owl glasses for the kids to wear at the party.
- Pop out the center eye pieces of inexpensive glasses or sunglasses (available at the dollar store).
Attach white and brown feathers to each side of the pair of glasses with hot glue.
For the nose, cut a diamond shape piece out of orange card stock and make a crease down the middle. Glue the piece in-between the eyes of the glasses with hot glue.
Hanging Key Activity
These darling chocolate keys were made with a key candy mold from the KPI shop & melted chocolate. The keys were hung from a broom with twine. A child held up the broom as children tried to eat the keys with their hands behind their backs or at their side.
Party Activity- Magic Potion Station
Clear plastic gumball tubes from the KPI shop were filled with lemon lime soda. Three small honey jars, also from the shop, were filled with different flavored Koolaid drink mix. Koolaid is perfect because it’s a very light color, so the children can’t tell what flavor it actually is. The kids spooned the Koolaid into their tube of soda & watched in amazement as their color was revealed!
Paper Ties
These darling HP inspired printable ties are available in the KPI shop and are simple to print and cut out. Attach the ties to inexpensive elastic headbands and put the ties on guest as they arrive at the party.
Candy Stick Wands
Rock candy sticks from the KPI shop were placed in an owl vase as “Candy Wizard Wands”.
Honey Dukes Candy Shop
Small burlap bags from Kara’s Party Ideas shop were set out for the kids to fill with various types of candy from “Honey Dukes Candy Shop”, including actual Bertie Bott’s Every Falvour Beans, also available in the KPI shop here.
Owl Cake
Make this cake with fondant or gum paste pieces, cut to resemble leaves or feathers, and layer the pieces up the side of the cake. This cake was made by the talented Marcee, owner of Dippidee.
Owl Cupcakes
Easily make these cute owl cupcakes with vanilla icing, mini vanilla wafers, chocolate chips, almond slices and cashews. The argyle cupcake wrappers are from the Kara’s Party Ideas Shop here.
Golden Snitch Gumballs
Gold gumballs from the KPI shop were put in a jar and labeled as “Golden Snitch Gumballs”.
Golden Snitch Cookies
These were made with store bought banana cream cookies and yellow card stock. Simply cut the card stock into wing shaped pieces and insert the ends of the “wings” into each side of the cookies.
Chocolate Frogs
Simply make these with a frog candy mold from the KPI shop and melted chocolate. The frogs were set a top of an open book for added HP charm.
Party Favor- Truth Serum
Cute miniature glasses with cork lids from the KPI shop here were filled with water, mimicking “truth serum”. What mother wouldn’t love her child to come home from a party with this! The tags are part of the HP printable collection in the KPI shop.
Gowns
Inexpensive children’s graduation gowns look just like Hogwarts gowns! A gown was given to each child as they arrived at the party. The gowns are available in the Kara’s Party Ideas online shop here.
You want to plan the perfect party with as little stress as possible, right? In my segment on Studio 5 today I took viewers behind the scenes and shared my party planning timeline! And now, I’m sharing it with you! These key tips can be used for prepping any party!
Download the above party planning timeline pdf HERE.
One to two months before
Set the date, time and place of the party
Decide on a party theme or color scheme
Determine your budget and estimate the cost of your party
Start to brainstorm ideas
Start to purchase non-perishable supplies
Contact and hire outside party vendors if applicable (face painter, bounce house rental, princess, etc.)
One month before
Chose an invitation
Start on party decor (things that require assembly before hand, etc.)
Continue to purchase non-perishable party supplies needed
Order cake/desserts if applicable
Three weeks before
Mail or deliver invitations
Make sure you have all non-perishable items that you need for the party
Start on party favors
Continue to work on party decor, etc.
Two weeks before
Create a master grocery shopping list for all tangible items needed for the party
Prepare any food items/treats that can be frozen
Make sure you have enough seating/tables, etc.
One week before
Set up a“mock party”or sketch out your party set up so you can get a visual
Follow up with guests who have not sent an RSVP
Create a music playlist on iPod, etc.
Write names of guest on party favors
Two days before
Purchase groceries and perishable items on your list
Wash cake stands, glassware & serving pieces, etc.
Start putting up party decor
Day before
Iron table cloths or linens needed
Start setting up actual party
Set out cake stands, food trays, etc. in proper places
Morning of
Chill drinks
Finish setting everything up
Prepare your guest bathroom
Set out garbages, etc.
Two hours before
Finish all food preparation
One hour before
Put out all food/dessert
Turn on iPod playlist
Sit down and relax/rejuvenate before guests arrive!
And, as promised, download the free HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINI PENNANT BANNER HERE! Want your banner to say something besides ‘Happy Birthday’? Mini alphabet pennants also available HERE!
AND, download this MASTER PARTY TEMPLATE via Studio 5 HERE!
So, I’ve been super excited to announce something! The next issue of Parenting Magazine just came in the mail, and look who is a member of the new editorial advisory board! So stoked about this upcoming year!!
If you don’t have a subscription to Parenting Magazine I would highly recommend it. It’s the greatest magazine all about modern families, fresh ideas, moms, dads, kids, toddlers, babies, pregnancy & much more! You can even subscribe via your iPad, nook, kindle, or other tablet. Subscribe to it all at Parenting.com!
So, here’s to an awesome 2013 with Parenting Magazine!
I’m so excited to be a finalist in the 2012 RED TRICYCLE AWARDS, presented by giggle and Family Fun Magazine!
Now it’s up to ALL OF YOU, my fabulous fans & readers, to make Kara’s Party Ideas a winner….I need your vote!
Please, oh please vote for Kara’s Party Ideas :). It really takes just two seconds. You can vote for me HERE!
YOU, my lovely fans and readers, are the reason why I’m where I’m at. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
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