sunday our backyard was transformed into the high seas full of pint sized pirates. i think it worked out really well... the sun was out, all the crafty preparations came together and the kids really had a good time. let's set sail on a little post-party re-cap...
flags: oh yes there were pirate flags and banners, hoisted all around the yard. some were sewn, some were silkscreened, some were roughly cut out with scissors and painted free-hand. this was a great chance to use up some large pieces of fabric purchased a while ago at a thrift store. it felt great to know we would be using something old to make something new...
birthday girl outfit: to go along with her bandana and black hat there was a dress. since the silkscreen was all set and ready to go for some other projects, i decided to print our skull and crossbones onto a piece of linen. using the same quick and reliable dress pattern that i always use, i made margaret this party dress. in lieu of a torn bottom (like real pirate attire) we used a nice strand of red pompoms. i'm hoping since she is truly into playing pirates and dressing up that this dress will get a little extra wear throughout the summer.
pirate gear: using more of my thrift store fabric stash, we created little drawstring lootbags for each child (a little more silkscreening here). inside were eyepatches, bandanas and telescopes (yup. painted paper towel rolls. margaret was a big help on this painting project). these bags were given out at the beginning of the party so the wee guests could get dressed up and then use the bags to collect loot from the treasure hunt. we hope they like these little bags enough to keep on using them at home.
games: we had the fantastic fortune of having neighbors who were getting a new roof. really. from their debris we were able to find enough extra boards to create some simple games for the kids. very fun and very cool. we made a beanbag toss (looking like a pirate map) and a "get-your-picture-taken-like-a-pirate" board. simple ideas that the kids (and some adults) totally got into. i think every party from now on should have a "get-your-picture-taken-like-a-____" board! (and we pilfered enough lumber for that to be possible)
alright. this recap is getting quite lenghty. i've got more ideas to share, like the food, the cake, the treasure hunt and best of all the loot. that will need to be in a second post, possibly later or tomorrow. i hope you've enjoyed the adventure so far.