Under The Sea: DIY Mermaid Birthday Party

I LOVE THEME PARTIES!! I love to throw them, attend them and plan them. My daughter recently turned 5 and requested a "Mermaid Theme" party. I could not wait to start planning. The cake is always the focal point of a great birthday party and I'm obsessed with details. I even used the Hair Wave tool to create perfect mermaid hair for myself, my daughter and step-daughter! Every detail counts with a theme party.

DECOR: 

I started with the hearth surrounding our fireplace. I wanted a place that the guests could get photos taken with a themed backdrop. I covered the fireplace with tin foil. I used neon bristol board (paperboard) and sequins to create the kelp and sea life.

I used white and blue streamers to create a "water fall" effect over my Beethoven shadow box. If you don't have a photo or art to hand it from start from the ceiling. I twisted the paper to trim around the foiled fireplace around the top I stuck 3 neon "jelly" toys. 

I cut out "bubbles" using blue bristol board and pink iridescent bags from the dollar store in a range of circle sizes. I placed them around the sea creatures and beside the waterfall. I added a blue table cloth to cover the bottom of the hearth as "water".

The finished product was an amazing backdrop that combined a cool aquarium and under the sea atmosphere with a prom-tastic photo station.

I purchased pieces of real fisherman nets to hang across the windows decorated with colored sea stars.

The Treat Table was covered with a black table cloth. I used the "net" that hangs in your child's rooms for stuffed toys. I draped it across the table and scattered shells my husband brought home from an Indonesian surf trip.  The candy bowls are little "fish bowls" and the chips were housed in a giant plastic "half shell bowl" (Full details in FOOD Section).

The Table was decorated with a variety of sea shells of various sizes and colors, the pearl centerpiece I created for Christmas and fresh flowers.

Shell embossed napkins were the perfect edition to the party table! The blue table cloth was covered with iridescent paper I pulled off of dollar store gift bags (the same bags I used for the bubbles).

The FOOD: 

Snacks: For the most part I opted for "themed" snacks. I presented an assortment of Sweedish Fish, Gummy Sharks and Candy Clown Fish. 

 Goldfish crackers were an obvious choice for a themed snack. The birthday girl also asked for Doritos which I served in a large plastic "half shell" bowl.

I made a fruit "beach bucket" full of fruit out of a watermelon and included pineapple, strawberries, watermelon and honeydew on skewers.

Main Course:

Pasta sea shells with olive oil, a pinch of garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. The birthday girl also requested  Kashi thin crust margherita pizza be served to her guests, I cut them into lady fingers.

The CAKE:

Kaleigh asked for a mermaid cake and she got one, home made, hand decorated and constructed. I ended up using 3 cake mixes, 2 icings and literally pounds of candy for this bad girl.

I made 2 cakes in a traditional pan and a set of cupcakes which I used for "hair". I cut the cakes by hand trying to imagine the body (and working with the constraints of my foil wrapped cardboard which just fit into my fridge).

EVERYTHING on this cake the kids could eat.

Eyes: Candy covered almonds, frosting, small black cookie  decorating candy for pupil.

Nose: Chocolate sea shell

Mouth: Foil wrapped chocolate lips

Bra: Gunny Sharks

Necklace: Chocolate Covered Shells

Tail: Fuzzy Peaches for tail scales

Fins: Gummy Clown Fish Candy trimmed in Chocolate Shells

The Activity:

Under The sea themed jewelry! The girls spent some of the party designing and constructing amazing necklaces and bracelets using shells, beads, crystals and mini-mermaids seated on pearls were all available for their designs.

They got to model their creations in front of my DIY backdrop!

 STRIKE A POSE!

Guest Gift:

Each little mermaid got to take home a fabulous "Sea Themed Basket". The baskets were plastic and intended to go into the tub, for water play or hold crating materials (the intention was that mom could re-use it a million ways). Inside there were amazing braided shell belts, which we re-styled as headbands, sea life bath loofahs, mermaid puzzle, Purana pencil sharpener, sea coloring/doodle book, sea stickers, and a large Ariel button from Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure Park!

 

Everyone had a great time! The birthday girl was SO HAPPY and so was I! I loved designing, procuring, decorating and DIY-ing this Under The Sea Party! 

Special THANKS to Jensine & Miss Kaia for Kaleighs Fabulous Mermaid dress with DIY details!

What is your next theme party?

Do You like to DIY? 

Let me know in the comments below!