If 18th-century French Queen Marie Antoinette actually uttered, “Let them eat cake,” she certainly wasn’t thinking in terms of her royal offsprings’ birthday celebrations.
Though cake can certainly be a part of the commemoration, why stop there? Even though you’ve secured the perfect locale and theme, your little guests (and their mommies) will be most impressed with the finer details that take a party from fun to fabulous.
To get us started on the quest for the best, we tapped Tara Wilson, party-planner to the mini-glitterati set of the Metroplex. The queen of merrymaking offered the equation to happy party campers: let them make a mess without getting messy. And, she shared some of the charming and refreshing facets that make a soiree sing: cake walk, confectionary activity station (replete with personalized embroidered aprons), mini gourmand treats, popcorn bar (we bet you didn’t think of that!), and even a faux lemonade stand (using de rigueur Gatorade and gummy bear encased cubes to keep busy revelers hydrated).
To hone your little one’s much-anticipated celebration with unique touches, all it takes is child-like imagination and type-A planning. From sensational confections and engaging games to oh-my-gosh favors and I-wish-I-had-thought-of-that invitations, we’ve got just the ideas to get you started (and if you think you can trump these ideas, send us your secrets and we’ll post them in a future story on fortworthchild.com)!
the goodies . . .
Let Them Eat … Cupcakes!
Well, these aren’t exactly out-of-the-box treats. We’re talking just-like-Grandma-made-them numbers baked with preservative-free ingredients that even pint-size palates will recognize as rising from scratch. Nestled in a cozy Camp Bowie bungalow, former teacher Sandra Bradshaw and husband Juaquin (she bakes and doesn’t believe in freezing; he ices using buttercream instead of the less-tasty fondant) lovingly hand create several hundred cupcakes a day in flavors like key lime, pink lemonade and peanut butter chip. And, for mommies watching their waistlines, pick up the babycakes that are just as luscious with half the guilt. Standard size cupcakes are $2.45; babycakes 95 cents each.
The Cupcake Cottage
5015 El Campo Avenue, Fort Worth
817/732-5670
www.thecupcakecottage.com
Sweet, Sour, or Better Yet — Sublime
What’s an extravagant celebratory confection made from only natural and organic ingredients? Sublime. That’s why you should head to this Cowtown bakery of the same name where your child’s wildest dreams can be whipped up into jaw-dropping reality. Bring to sugary life your child’s passion, from planes and trains to castles and sleeping beauties. Or, go the uber hot cupcake route — either the baking masters will design it for you or take a kit home and let the little ones make their own. And, feel good about them eating it. Sublime Bakery boasts top quality ingredients that include European style butter, organic cane sugar, pure vanilla, unbleached flour, aluminum-free baking powder and Swiss chocolate. Custom cake prices start at $3 per serving for buttercream icing and $5 per serving for fondant. $150 minimum per cake.
Sublime Bakery
5512 S. Bellaire Dr. at Bryant Irvin, Fort Worth
817/570-9630
www.sublimebakery.com
Design Their Own Dessert
DIY Get creative and set out bowls of crushed hard candies, butterscotch chips, sour bears, organic dried fruits — and even broken pieces of Cheetos (cultivate the salty/sweet craving early); then let the kids decorate their own cakes. Have a contest – most artsy wins a week at a local kids’ cooking class (try one of the Fort Worth-area Young Chefs Academy locations). Of course you don’t want orange stains on their pristine party attire, so provide pint-sized chef’s aprons (available at www.williams-sonoma.com for customizing with each child’s name, starting at $22). It’s a parting gift, to boot!
the games . . .
Let’s Get This Party Popping
DIY We know, you associate this buttery indiscretion to the dark-and-freezing-cold confines of the Cineplex. Well, it’s time to let this crunchy crowd-pleaser out into the light. But, don’t fall back on an uninspired popcorn maker. Turn it into a gourmet bar where kids can get crazy with flavors (think watermelon and chipotle caramel; try Whole Foods for selections). And, let bags or boxes steal the scene — future Jackson Pollocks can go wild with paint, crayons or stickers to make theirs stand out from the rest (and mom will get an original piece of art to take home).
It’s a Cakewalk
DIY You’re not still playing pin-the-tail-on-the-longhorn, are you? Try to engage their sugar-primed bodies with a fresh twist on an old fave (musical chairs) — one that will earn them their dinner, er, cake. With chalk, draw a circle of numbered squares around the drive or patio. Crank up the kid-friendly tunes as the partygoers trot around the circle. When the music stops, the birthday child pulls a number and whoever is standing on the lucky spot, walks away with a cake!
Paint Your Own Polo
We’re pretty sure Ralph Lauren knows how to throw a killer party (and he’s probably an entertaining guest, too). You can invite him — or at least the essence of him — to your next shindig. Snag the fashion phenom’s Paint Your Own Polo kit and let the kids go all “Project Runway.” They can try out their couture skills with paint, sponges and stamps on their own take-home polo shirt. And, it’s got feel-good vibes: 100 percent of net proceeds from kit sales will be donated to the Pink Pony Fund for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Pediatric Art Therapy Program. $45 per kit.
the gratitude . . .
Put It In Writing
Your child is one-of-a-kind; so why settle for a cookie-cutter invitation to celebrate his life? Go old school with custom printing using gorgeous fonts, colors and diecuts. Let the stationary masters at The Magic Pen and Party ignite your creativity with well-known lines of whimsical and classic cards printed to your perfection. For busy moms on the go, you can even design your child’s special cards online. Invitations start at $1.20 each; printing and envelopes available at additional cost.
The Magic Pen and Party
422 S. Main St., Grapevine
817/424-4207
www.magicpenandparty.com
A Thanks to Remember
Once they can write, teach little hostesses to send their own notes of gratitude — and let them create these oh-so-important expressions themselves with lavish custom cards. And, if your little darling already has a matching set of Louis Vuitton luggage, she’ll probably want to design a line of custom stationary, favors, and nametags — all coordinated to match her intrinsic style. Cards are $2.50-$8 and include envelopes with return address.
Planet Paper
6511 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth
817/451-8898
www.paperplanetdesigns.com
