Summer Backyard Birthday

Every July we face the same dilemma – what to do for our daughter’s birthday?  It’s pretty miserable outside in July in Oklahoma, so really it’s ideal to have a party in a pool or somewhere inside.  This summer, partly because we were out of ideas and partly because we planned so last minute, we decided to brave the heat and have a backyard birthday.  So then…what to do in the backyard?  The kids were happy to see each other again (as with every summer, we have good intentions to see friends, but where do the days go?!), so they just played in the yard.  We cooked out hamburgers and later we made S’mores around the fire pit.  We had a piñata (always a hit, pardon the pun) and before we knew it, it was already time for everyone to go home!

Because we were having a party in our regular ol’ backyard, I wanted to make it a little bit more special.  But because I was under a time crunch, I had to use materials I already had or could find easily.  I picked up the paper tablecloths, plates and napkins at Target.  I had found (and mailed) easy fill-in-the-blank invitations also at Target, so I used them as my color guide.

I set each place with galvanized pails customized with labels from Staples.  In them I placed the plasticware for dinner, and orange and white straws that I found at The Inviting Place here in Tulsa.  Later, the pails were used for gathering candy from the piñata.  Also at each place was colorful soda.  I chose the soda for its color, but I’m sure it was tasty too!

The buckets down the center of the table came from the dollar bin at Target (I know, big surprise).  In the summer with three kids at home, I’m a one-stop-shop kind of girl.  I’d thought about using chip board for the letters, but that would have cost more and been more work to paint them.  So, I decided to cut card stock with the Cricut and glue the letters to bamboo skewers.  So easy!  Styrofoam at the bottom of the buckets held the letters in place.  Lanterns in the trees finished the birthday table.

It was a fun party!  Easy, colorful, inexpensive (as far as home parties go) and a little more special than a normal backyard get-together.  Have fun planning your own summer birthdays!

LisaW

Lisa is a mother of three who works as a fashion and wardrobe consultant. As a former French and Latin teacher, the time she spent living in France has an ongoing influence on her style, both in fashion and interiors (she has the most comprehensive collection of plain white shirts you’ve ever seen!). She considers shopping a true hobby, a skill which was put to good use as she recently completed an addition and remodel of her family’s 1958 home in Midtown Tulsa. Throughout her home, you can recognize her emphasis on comfort with a few quirky touches that make it a true reflection of her family and their collective style. Lisa is old school and has yet to latch on to this whole “social media” phenomena

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