Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Party

My middle daughter turned four recently, and her heart's desire was a Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Party.  Because I was also planning her big sister's Aloha/Summer Splash Party for the same weekend, I needed to keep things simple but berry sweet.

We quickly settled on a kids' cooking party at Foodie Kids, one of our regular haunts.  The Foodie Kids proprietors are so lovely and personalize every child's experience there.  And we were lucky enough to host our party in their new store, which is charming and beautiful:

These cute vintage strawberry printable invitations from hellolovedesigns set the tone for the party:

I ordered personalized aprons for each party guest from Lisa at The Stitch Boutique.  Lisa happens to be a local Austin mama and provided super-fast turnaround and fabulous customer service.  The girls loved their aprons!

I also drew inspiration from the sophisticated Strawberry Shortcake party styled by Kiki's List.  Based on her vendor recommendations, I ordered favor boxes from Simple Tastes and wooden bead strawberry necklaces from UK Sparkle.

The birthday girl donned a strawberry print dress from Gymboree and a darling Strawberry Shortcake necklace from Queeny Belle Frills:

Little sister wore a strawberry dress, too: 

The party commenced with each child decorating her own chef's hat.

Each girl then made a strawberry and pink marshmallow wand, strawberry lemonade, a pink pizza, and a cupcake with a Strawberry Shortcake fondant topper.

After eating, clean-up, and a sweet happy birthday song, the party was done!  Sweet, simple, and super easy!

(Planning a child's birthday party? Check out our Woodland Fairy, Sugar Plum Fairy, Winter Wonderland, Luau, Silhouettes, Butterflies, and Bubbles Balls and Balloons parties for inspiration and vendor recommendations!)

Sharing with Celebrations at Home, Serenity Now, Six Sisters Stuff, Under the Table and Dreaming, Tatertots and Jello, I Heart Naptime, and Seven Thirty Three.

Aloha ~ A Summer Birthday Party

My oldest two daughters share a birthday.  For the past three years, they've humored me with joint birthday parties involving butterflies, silhouettes, and woodland fairies.  Not this year. At 7 and 4, they wanted parties to reflect their individual interests. And since May is only my busiest month of the year at work, it seemed totally sane to plan back-to-back birthday parties for the same weekend.

Luckily, they chose simple themes that were fun to execute.  My oldest wanted to host her friends at our private neighborhood park on the lake for a Luau / Summer Splash extravaganza.   We rented an inflatable waterslide and ordered fabulous Aloha printables from Stefanie Richter at Anna and Blue Paperie.  Stefanie happens to live in my city, and I was super happy to support a local mom's business.  She's also incredibly talented --- go, check out her blog as soon as you finish reading this post ;) -- and her work provided the basis for our party.

Here is the invitation, which I backed with yellow cardstock and mailed in bright pink envelopes:

The birthday girl chose a pink and purple lei to match her swimsuit:

We kept food simple for this mid-afternoon gathering: Hawaiian pizza, a tropical fruit display (including chocolate-dipped pineapple) from Edible Arrangements, cupcakes, madeleines, and Kona Ice served in coconut cups with umbrella straws.

 

With some inspiration from Cookies Are My Canvas, my friend Chari at One Classy Cookie once again came through with beautiful cookie favors (She also made the cookies for our Woodland Fairy and Winter Wonderland parties).  Each child also chose a lei to wear and take home.

In addition to the waterslide, which was a hit, we provided hula hoops and beach balls, and the kids also had full use of our park, including playscapes, tennis, and basketball courts.  The girls also crafted shell bracelets.  There was plenty of activity, and I think everyone slept well that night!

Next up, my middle daughter's Strawberry Shortcake baking party!

(Sharing with Savvy Southern Style, Celebrations at Home, Real Family Fun, and Seven Thirty Three)

Wedding Flowers

I was blessed to attend the wedding of a dear friend last weekend; after the ceremony, we celebrated with a beautiful luncheon reception.  I snapped a quick photo of one of the gorgeous purple and green floral centerpieces:

The arrangements were so spring-like and fresh, thanks to the brightness of the hydrangea. The lavender roses, however, reminded me of the centerpieces from my youngest daughter's amethyst-inspired christening party, which was held in autumn:

I love how the same rose can be used to evoke both the new beginnings of spring, and the rich jewel tones of fall.  Celebration in all, and of all, seasons.  

The Amalfi Coast and Capri, Part II

Yesterday, I shared the Highlights #1-5 from my tenth anniversary trip to Italy's Amalfi Coast and Capri.  Today, I share # 6-10.

6.  An Evening at Le Sirenuse

In Positano, were content with our choice of the quiet Il San Pietro for accommodations, but it was fun to explore the legendary Le Sirenuse for cocktails and dinner.  We spent a leisurely two hours at the Champagne and Oyster Bar, where the coastline views and people-watching are both fabulous.  We even met the aforementioned author Amanda Tabberer, who just happened to be in town and having drinks with friends.  What fun to tell her that her book had inspired our trip!

Later, we dined al fresco at Le Sirenuse's famed restaurant, La Sponda.  This was my husband's favorite meal, and a close second to Rossellini's for me.  Each course was perfectly executed.

7.  The Flowers.  

I took exactly 541 pictures of flowers on the Amalfi Coast.  Coming from drought-ridden Central Texas, where I struggle to keep anything green alive, I was amazed by the vibrant colors and bountiful blossoms.  Beauty is everywhere, and you don't have to spend a penny to enjoy it:

8.  Anacapri

via

After leaving Positano, we stayed at the Caesar Augustus in Anacapri.  We liked the secluded cliff-top location, and the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle into Capri, or you can take the local bus, which we found very convenient.  We hiked Mount Solaro, shopped for handmade linen dresses for our daughters, and ate the best caprese salads ever.

The Caesar Augustus also encourages languid downtime.  Isn't this reading room, with its crisp red and white upholstery, charming?

I took this picture while swimming in the hotel infinity pool, which seemingly spilled into the sea 1000 feet below:

The bartender at the Caesar Augustus claims he makes the best bellinis in Italy.  His claim is legit; the peaches were fresh off a nearby tree.  With terrace views overlooking the entire Bay of Naples, this was happy hour at its finest:

9.  Capri

The town of Capri is bustling with very high-end retail boutiques, people who like to see and be seen, and dozens of cafes which are perfect for watching such people.  It's a busy place, too busy when the cruise ships dock, but full of charm when the sun sets and the day tourists leave. 

Capri is also home to the Blue Grotto, which is justifiably famous for its stunning waters.  It may be touristy, but it is still a must-do. The water is spectacular in color.

We also spent an entire day getting happily lost in "the real Capri," away from the crowds.  We hiked coastline trails and navigated narrow cobblestone streets.  At one point, we stumbled upon an old monastery that still houses an amazing art collection:

10. Pompeii

We saved a visit to the archaeological site for our last full day in Italy. A quick ferry from Capri to Naples and an efficient taxi ride from Naples to Pompeii brought us to the gates of the old city.  We spent hours perusing the ruins and marveling at the sophistication of the people who lived there.  It is not a "fun" excursion --- the ghosts of the lost Pompeii souls still linger --- but it is a humbling and important one.  

After our day in Pompeii, we checked into the Grand Hotel Vesuvio in Naples, which had a stunning waterfront location.  We ate fabulous pizza nearby, cursorily toured almost a dozen churches and cathedrals, and got a taste of Napoli before turning in to prepare for our early morning flight back to Texas and our kids. 

What a trip.  Luxurious.  Delicious.  Inspiring.  Rejuvenating.  And forever memorable.

(And once again, many thanks to Moonrings for the expert itinerary!)