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Farm Party (3-6yr) Bandana Sack Favor Bag

October 2006

marieka in philadelphia, pa u.s.a.

Special Mention

WE HAD THE GREATEST FARM PARTY FOR OUR 2 BOYS (who just turned age 3 & 6!)

For invites I hunted & found online fill-in style dye-cut pony invitations.  I added and tied red bandana around their necks and used real pieces of cloth/yarn MOP adhered for tails!  In each envelope I put a small bit of straw (craft store) and a Mini CowTail Candy!  They were a HUGE hit!  The party was outside and we hired a traveling petting farm which I located online, pricey, but worth every penny!  They only stayed for an hour so it was important that guests weren't late and that they also knew that food, for obvious reasons, would not be served until they left.  On the back of each invite I glued a little message I did on the computer saying, "YE ALL COME ROUND TO THE BACK GATE.  PONYS HERE TIL TWO SO DON'T BE LATE.  FUN TO BE HAD, ANIMALS TO FEED, HUMAN CHOW ONCE THEY LEAVE"  On the front of the invite I added, "NEIGHS ONLY" for the RSVP. 

Since I did not have to worry as much about entertainment, I concentrated on other things to get the yard to feel down home!  Hay bales were great and I stacked and placed them around the yard.  I added scarecrows, potted flowers (already had) and blankets for effect and to use as seating, plus, one for the giant galvanized pail for the APPLE BOB. 

I mixed plain Red helium baloons with White and using a permanent magic marker made cow spots on the white ones.  I bunched them in groups around the yard and tied some of the bunches with torn strips of bandana.  The main food table (which I grouped 2) was decorated with Red/White gingham tablecloths. 

To make space for the tons of food, I used real milk crates and they were perfect for stacking food.  On their side you can place food inside and above.  I even used one on its side, lined it with brown paper grocery bag & filled with rolls, to have the rolls tumble out of the table!  Good old (very cheap) bushel baskets came in handy too.  Since I had the apples for the bob, I put them in a large bushel basket (on the ground in front of the food table) with then used a smaller one for ears of corn (décor only). 

I found on-line paper farm themed activity placemats (like the ones at restaurants) which I rolled and tied with rattan.  I put these in an old metal bucket and used washed and cut down pint milk cartons to hold the crayons.  I set these up with the kids food to make sure they all saw and received them. 

For the kids we served PIGS IN BLANKETS, "STRAW" (potato chip sticks, in a rustic basket) HARD BOILED EGGS (in a wire rooster holder) and PB&Js cut out with a COW cookie cutter!  The adults had BBQ BEEF SHREDDED BRISKET SANDWICHES, DEVILED EGGS, CORN ON THE COB, SALAD & FRIED CHICKEN. 

For extra touches I added cow Salt & Pepper Shakers, farm animal corn cob piercers and made little rustic signs (from corragated cardboard and the computer to name the "STRAW" and "STICK TO YOUR RIBS BEEF" which I tied to the basket and crock pot with rope).  Plus, Mini Hay Bales on the table and flower pots to hold various untensils.  Sounds like a ton of stuff but it all blended really well and looked super FARMY!   We rented tables and chairs and used plain Red vinyl tablecloths. 

The centerpieces were super cheap and easy.  I purchased terracotta flower pots from the Home Depot ($1 each) and lined each with a red bandana.  Then I tied real ROPE and knotted around each on top of the overflow of the bandana.  I placed one on each table with a dusting of STRAW under each pot and filled with either potato chips or pretzles.   The animals that came were totally awesome and not only the kids, but the adults just loved them!  The apple bob was totally hystercal and then we ended with a COW PINATA, for pinata bags, I markered cow spots on White paper lunch style bags (so cute in all the photos!) 

Favors were super easy - each kid received a bandana sack tied closed with rattan.  Inside was a cow pen (with light up eyes) mini horse pad of paper, stretchy farm animal, cow pie candy and stickers, I had them all piled in an old wood crate.  I bought a huge roll of farm stickers and also used them for the apple bob and a couple in each thank you card.  My two boys had the best time and each wore a John Deere Tee Shirt with cut off jeans and yes, ropes for belts!  My younger one wore a straw hat (the older one looked at me like I was crazy!)  I am not much of a baker so I ordered the cake from the wholesale place.  I gave them a John Deere cake topper set to put on (had some trees, tractor and fencing so they made the icing look like a field) 

With the cake I created a WATERMELON BASKET OF FRUIT made to look like a PIG (found directions on internet and it was really cute!)  All the items I purchased were from E-bay, Oriental Trading, Pinatas.com, Home Depot and Flea Markets, but a lot of it I already had in my own house!  I am SO into parties and this was my favorite one ever and much easier than the bug theme and carnival that I did in the last two years.  It was actually less expensive than the two as well, the only thing that was costly was the farm animals (but seeing the little ones on the pony rides was the best!) 

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FARM PARTY!

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