7906

50s Party 4yr - Ain't Nother but a Hotdog

Jan. 2004

Heather in Cedar Park, TX USA

Runner-up

50's Party

INVITES: I bought invites with a jukebox on the front w/ a little cellophane window that had music note confetti in it.  I printed the words, "Hey, all you  T-Birds and Pink Ladies. Kendall's turning 4 and she's hopelessly devoted to you being there.  So, grease back your hair guys and grab your saddle shoes girls because it's time to Rock n' Roll!"  And, of course, the date and time, location, and RSVP info were included.

DECORATIONS: Front door:  I made a sign that said "Kendall's Diner".  First I took black poster board and glued a sheet of pink felt on it leaving a border of black.  Then I traced silhouettes of a 50's couple dancing on black poster board, cut it out and glued it to the felt.  Then I printed "Kendall's Diner" in black and cut each letter out and glued it to the pink felt.  I even made a tiny pink ribbon bow and glued to the girl's ponytail.  

Dining table:  I made a table runner from pink fabric and cut black felt music notes out and glued them randomly to the runner.  I found a pink poodle purse from Oriental Trading and used it as a centerpiece.  I lined all the party favors up on the table.  Half wall and column:  We have a half wall separating our living and dining rooms and there is a column there.  I wrapped ice cream cone lights (Target) and mint green, pink and black crepe streamers around the column.  I set a porcelain doll wearing a pink poodle skirt (Oriental Trading) on the half wall.  My husband saved old cd's for me and I used Krylon to spray them black.  I then cut pink felt circles and glued them to the cd's as labels.  I hung these by fishing line from the ceiling along w/ more mint green, pink, and black streamers. 

I also cut black music notes from poster board and hung these from fishing line as well.  Kitchen table: I used a pink tablecloth and glued more black felt music notes to it.  I decorated the light fixture above the tale with more cd/records, music notes, streamers, and a big record I cut from black poster board.  I made a label saying, "Let's Rock n' Roll!  Kendalls' Birthday Party!"  I made a huge balloon arch from black and pink balloons that went over the back of the table. 

I had the cakes on this table along with a large Hemmingway Hurricane filled with gumballs.   Outside:  I set up a table for drinks using a black tablecloth.  I used an authentic Coca-Cola crate and filled it with real glass Coke bottles.  I had another Coke crate with a metal pan inside that I filled with ice.  I had a red tub for more sodas and I had a large, red enamelware cooler filled with fruit punch.  I set a metal Coca-Cola tray with green glass Coke mugs for grown-ups out and paper cups for the kids. Tent:  We set up a large white tent over our patio and hung more cd/records, music notes, and streamers. I hung another pink felt sign that said "Kendall's Diner".  

Tables:  My DH cut the legs down on 6 small round tables (you typically see people using them as night stands covered with a table cloth) to kid height and I sewed pink table clothes for each.  I taped large records cut from black poster board to the top of each table.  We then set 4 kid-sized white plastic chairs at each table.

FOOD: Cakes:  I made a "Barbie" cake using the Wilton doll cake pan.  I put a shirt on the doll that had little jukeboxes on it and I tied her hair in a ponytail with pink ribbon.  I then frosted her skirt with pink icing and piped black music notes on it.  I made 3 other small "record" cakes using one-layer cake pans.  I frosted them black with a pink icing label.  The best way to make the labels is to cut a circle in waxed paper and place it onto of the cake for a template.  In the center of each record I placed items; a 50's Barbie limoge-type box (eBay), a plastic 50's car (Target), and a mini record player (Restoration Hardware).

Menu:  I served "Ain't Nothing But a Hot Dog", "Bee-Bop Baked Beans", "Nat King Cole Slaw", "Car Hop Crispy Chips" and root beer floats.  I brought the root beer floats out on a tray in pretty plastic float glasses with bright straws.  The kids (and parents!) got really excited about this!  I set up a buffet on our kitchen island with chafing dishes for the hot dogs and beans and a large stainless steel pedestal bowl lined with black napkins for the chips.  I put the cole slaw in a glass trifle bowl (it looked very pretty). I even made a menu using the same principal as the Diner signs; only I used a carhop silhouette cutout instead of the dancing couple.  

GAMES:   We had a hula-hoop contest, drag racing, twist contest, and pin the bow on Kendall.  For the last game I cut a black poster board silhouette of Kendall with her hair in a ponytail and glued it to pink felt which was in turn glued to black poster board.  The bows were cut from more pink felt.  We also had a guitar pi±ata. Prizes:  I bought record ornaments from Restoration Hardware and put them in cellophane bags with old-fashioned candy (Tootsie Rolls, Mary Janes…) and tied them with pink ribbon and a cut out music note that said "Hey, cool cat, you're a winner!" in pink gel pen.

Party favors:  I used black plastic take-out containers and put mint green (opaque) Easter grass in them.  Then I put a child-sized green glass coke cup, a hamburger yo-yo, ice cream cone shooter, and a few wax soda bottles wrapped in pink or blue cellophane and tied with silver ribbon.  In the boy's favors there was a fuzzy dice and the girls had little stuffed pink poodles.  I bought all of the favors from Oriental Trading except the Coke glasses (Walmart), the take-out boxes (free, FIL has source) and green grass (after Easter clearance). Most of the kids dressed up in 50's attire.  The moms had fun making little poodle skirts.  Oriental Trading has cute, inexpensive poodle skirts so I bought a few in case a little girl didn't have one. 

The highlight of the party, I would have to say, was the jukebox.  Our friend services machines and he brought us a real jukebox to use and loaded 50's cd's in it and everything.  The kids thought they were so big because they were able to push the buttons.

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