PartyPail.com Blog: Party Planning Tips, News, and More!

If you’re looking for a great selection of zebra animal print inspired party decorations, we’ve got you covered! Enjoy the fun black and white design of zebra print party supplies, including some zebra party themes with a pop of color, like our brand new hot pink zebra party supplies. These themes are ideal for any age and a variety of occasions making them a great choice for baby showers, Sweet Sixteen celebrations, adult milestone birthdays and more!

Zebra Animal Print Decorations and Tableware:

Trendy, fashionable and easy to accessorize, this theme features all of the tableware you need to make your zebra event a success. The classic black and white zebra stripes cover the cups, plates, napkins, invitations and more! This theme also features fun decorating accents including a zebra paper lantern, favor box, novelty tissue and streamers. Supplement the zebra stripes with solid black or white party supplies or choose your favorite accent color to add the perfect finishing touches.

Zebra Party Hot Pink Decorations & Tableware:

Featuring a bold and vibrant pink, this design really makes the zebra stripes “pop’! This theme also has a complete collection of tableware including plates, napkins, cups, and more! The Zebra Party theme will really allow you to wow your guests with all of the unique accessories and decorations that make this a great addition to our Zebra Print Party Supplies family. Imprintable invitations, three customizable banner options, and a customizable balloon bouquet make the Zebra Party stand out in a crowd. Pair this theme with solid color party supplies in black, white or bright pink.

Zebra Themes for Any Occasion:

In addition to the themes featured above, check out our sweet 16 zebra print decorations, our two women’s birthday party themes – Oh So Fabulous and Another Year of Fabulous – and our four baby shower patterns featuring zebra and other animal prints – Wild Safari Pink, Wild Safari Blue, Sweet Safari Pink, and Sweet Safari Blue.

Tips on Throwing A Zebra Themed Party:

• Make zebra hoof tracks that lead from the street to the party area.
• Cover party tables with your solid accent color and then use zebra print tableware.
• Fill a zebra print vase with bright pink roses and tie a hot pink ribbon around the center of the vase.
• Tie a pink ribbon around the neck of a zebra pinata for a cute and easy centerpiece.
• Wrap small white or pink lights around the party table.
• Serve strawberry lemonade, strawberry milk or strawberry smoothies.
• Provide snacks like Good & Plenty candy (pink and white), oreos, strawberries and pretzels dipped in white and milk chocolate, black licorice, black and white jelly beans and more!
• Make marble cupcakes by layering chocolate and vanilla cake batter in zebra cupcake liners.

The fun doesn’t stop here! Visit our zebra print party supplies page to view our complete collection of zebra themes including Sweet Sixteen and Baby Shower designs.

Have you thrown or are you planning a zebra themed party? We’d love to hear your tips and great ideas!

These construction paper flowers look great in glass vases wrapped with bright, matching colored yarn.

Do-It-Yourself projects are a big trend lately; people are creating their own furniture, home décor, and party decorations. DIY party decorations can add something special to any event, and if you focus on a particular project or two, and combine them with matching ready-made decorations, you can throw a party with a nice personal touch to it, but still save some time!

While many of our themes have centerpieces to match, in some cases you may just feel a little crafty and want to add a homemade touch to your bridal shower decorations. When Katie, one of our employees, made these fun flowers for her sister’s bridal shower, we asked her to share how she made them.

My sister, Shannon, is a very crafty person, and so it only made sense to incorporate some of that into her bridal shower. When we were hunting for scrap booking supplies one day, we came across these paper roses, and I thought those would be the perfect way to do bring her crafting skills into her shower! So my mom, sister, aunt, and I got a bunch of construction paper in various bright colors and sat down for a few hours putting a bunch of these together to be used as centerpieces. Here are the instructions we followed, with some of my own tips included:

1) Pick out your paper in whatever colors the event is. In our case, we wanted to use a bunch of different colors; anything was fine as long as it was bright! We chose to use card stock, but this can also be done using coffee filters for more delicate flowers, or really any paper you like. If you are using card stock though, make sure you consider whether the card stock is colored on both sides, and you should also know that white-core card stock will be very visible on the “petal” edges – especially with darker colored flowers – so you may want to avoid it. You should also pick up paper that can be used for the flowers’ leaves. We used green card stock (and also green florists wire) but if you aren’t striving for realism, you can get very creative with colors and patterns for the leaves.

2) Cut the paper into circles. The size you want the flowers to be will dictate how big to cut the circles. We made most of our circles around 5″ or 6″ in diameter. You may want to trace the circles first. We didn’t do that, but we also wanted our flowers to have a lot of “character” and not be perfectly shaped little roses. We were going for a fun look, so we just free-handed everything! Also, at this point you should cut leaves out of the paper you bought. Size should be proportional to the flower size.

3) Cut the circle into a spiral shape, stopping when the center is a small circle about the size of a nickel or so. Again, you may want to trace the spiral first, but we didn’t. What I did notice, though, is that if you fluctuate the width of the spiral too much, the finished rose can look a bit strange. So it doesn’t need to be perfect, but some effort should be made to be a little consistent with the spiral width.

4) From the outside end (which is now a sharp point), start rolling up the spiral. You want to roll it up really tightly and keep it gripped pretty tightly too, as it will unravel some before being glued. This part was the hardest for me, but once the roll was well started, finishing it off was much simpler.

5) When it’s rolled all the way up to the small, nickel-sized circle that was once the center, stop rolling, and slightly loosen your grip on the rose so that it will begin to unravel a bit. It will unravel enough so that the top part will spread out and it will start to resemble a rose. Be sure to keep a gentle grip on it, as letting it loose too much can cause it to unravel too much, and you’ll have to start rolling it up all over again! If it’s done properly, once it has unraveled to the point where it resembles a flower, the bottom part of the spiral can be glued to the nickel-sized circle with the hot glue gun.

6) Take a piece of the florists wire, cut to the length that you want the stems to be, and bend a small piece of one end 90 degrees. Glue the bent portion to the flower. Hold on to the stem until the glue dries.

One of the bouquets used as a table centerpiece at the restaurant.

7) Glue a leaf onto the bottom of the flower, covering up the small bent portion of the stem. We experimented a bit with how to make the leaves look a little more realistic, and here are a few of the things we tried:

• Accordion fold: folding the base of the leaf into 3 sections and gluing them together to give it more shape. The original source we used as a guide did this expertly, but I just could make this technique look very good for some reason.
  
• Simple bend and fold: as a substitute for the above tip, I simply bend the base around my thumb until it stayed a little bit curved, and then lightly folded the center. It didn’t look as good as the accordion, but it was better than just flat leaves! They tended to flatten out when glued, so I tried to hold onto the lightly folded part for a moment after gluing it on, to give the glue a chance to dry.
  
• Curling the tip: one of my favorite things we tried was curling down the tip of the leaves. They tended to uncurl as time wore on though, so looking back, I would curl them past the point where I really thought they looked right.

8) For the yarn-wrapped vases: Simply pick up a bunch of clear vases in various shapes and sizes, and some yarn in colors that match the flowers you’ve just created. Secure one end of the yarn to the glass vase toward the bottom with a line of glue (many different kinds will work, so just use what’s handy). Wrap the yarn around the vase, making sure to keep each new layer tightly next to the previous one. Secure with a new line of glue once you’ve reached the top.

Overall, this project turned into a really fun evening spent crafting with my family, and brought a fun, DIY element to the bridal shower. Everyone at the shower loved them, and by sheer luck, they matched the walls, tablecovers, napkins, and décor of the restaurant where I held the shower. So overall, these were a big success!

If you’re throwing a shower using these DIY flowery centerpieces, some of our garden bridal shower favors would be great as little thank-yous to your guests.

What’s your best party planning craft tip? Let us know in the comments, and we may feature some of your photos and crafting tips in a future blog post!

Happi Tree Owl Baby Shower Supplies

Planning an owl themed baby shower is an excellent way to capture the excitement and trend of nature-themed baby showers. Using shades of yellow, brown and green this idea is a wonderful option for any mother-to-be who is looking for a gender-neutral theme or who just loves owls! These themes can be easily accented with shades of blue and pink. An owl theme also lends itself to fun opportunities for a play on words on banners, invitiations and more!

Tips on Throwing An Owl Themed Baby Shower:

• Choose decorations in natural colors, or solid color party supplies that coordinate with your owl themed pieces.
• Hang a banner at the entrance that says, Baby Whooo?
• Owl diaper cakes make great centerpieces or you can create your own centerpieces. Place some tree branches in a vase with some flowers for a woodsy feel. You could also create “nests” with streamers and place an owl mylar balloon in the center.
• Gather owl cookie jars, vases or buckets from family and friends and place them around the party area as decoration.
• Accent your tables or chairs with burlap
• Use small wood stumps on the tables as stands to place the food platters and bowls on.
• Serve owl shaped cookies or cake pops for dessert.
• Make your own owl cupcakes- First, bake chocolate cupcakes. Place half an Oreo with the cream side up on the cupcake for eyes. Apply Junior Mints for pupils and a Runts banana makes the perfect nose. Add some icing to the top to create the ears and feathers and you have one yummy creation!
  

  The Adorable Owl Candle Favor Comes in Pink Too

  

  Brand New Blue Owl Candle Favors

  
  Looking For Owl Baby Shower Favors? Our NEW adorable mini owl candles are cute as can be and coordinate perfectly with our Whoo Loves You Baby and  Happi Tree owl-themed baby shower patterns! The lightly scented candles measure 1.75 inches tall by 1.25 inches wide and come upright on decorated staging inside a clear plastic acetate box.  A matching blue or pink satin ribbon attaches a cheerful owl shaped “For You” gift tag making these favors ready to present!

Have you thrown or are you planning an owl themed baby shower? We’d love to hear your creative ideas!

Spring is definitely in the air and that means it’s time for gardening! With Mother’s Day right around the corner, we found a fun gardening project for mom to do with her kids! This project is simple enough for even the most novice gardener, just make sure to use quality potting soil and easy-to-grow plants, like Alyssum, Lobelia, Marigolds, Zinnia, Nasturtiums, Snapdragons and Geraniums. This idea is also ideal for a vertical herb garden that you could place near your kitchen door! A wooden pallet becomes a mini garden! Perfect for those who live in an apartment or don’t have a large yard but still want a garden to call their own!

The Perfect Pallet: Typically the easiest place to find pallets is at your local grocery store. You’ll need to find a pallet that is in good condition. Avoid rotting wood or exposed nails and if your garden will be edible you’ll also want to avoid pesticide treated pallets, opt for the heat treated pallets instead. Chemical treated pallets are stamped with an MB, so look for ones stamped with HT instead, which is heat treated. Even if it says HT on it, you still want to avoid pressure treated pallet wood, as pressure treatment is a heat treatment that also uses chemicals. So look for an HT stamp and no pressure-treated wood.

Materials Needed: Now that you have your pallet, you’ll also need 2 large bags of potting soil, sixteen six packs of annual flowers (you’ll use one six pack per opening  on the front of the pallet, and two six packs per opening to top off the completed pallet garden) or you can use herbs if you prefer, one small roll of landscape fabric, staple gun, staples, and sand paper.

Get Your Pallet into Shape: Take some time and make any minor adjustments necessary. Secure any loose boards and nail down any nails that might be sticking up. The sand paper can be used to smooth out any rough spots.

Staple, Staple Staple: When the pallet is complete it will be leaning or hanging against a wall. Decide which side of the pallet will be the front and cover the sides, back and bottom with the landscape fabric. Be sure to leave spaces between the slats and the top uncovered, that’s prime planting space!

It is Planting Time: Position the pallet close to its final position and begin to plant the top section first. Plant everything close together so it is  extremely tight and compact. Once the top is planted, empty the contents of one bag of potting soil over the pallet and push the soil into the space between the slats. You’ll repeat this process with the second bag of potting soil and then make sure the soil is level. Plant everything you’d like in the open spaces between slats (probably about six plants per row). Repeat this process until all the remaining openings are covered with plants. There shouldn’t be any room for soil to fall out at this point but also be sure to pack soil tightly into all areas of the pallet, even where there are no plants.

Caring For Your New Garden: To establish the root systems, it is a good idea to leave the pallet laying down for a couple of weeks and water as needed. After that, you can either hang it or just lean it against a wall. Your pallet garden might dry out quickly so be sure to water it regularly, paying particular attention to the bottom two rows as they may dry out more quickly. You can also add a water soluble fertilizer to your water for added nutrients.

For more details and to see complete instructions on the pallet garden click here.

Would you plant flowers or herbs in your pallet garden?

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate birthdays? A birthday commemorates the day of the year when you were born and in most cultures around the world it is celebrated with birthday cakes, parties, and feasts with friends and family. It is a happy occasion to celebrate the joy of life itself and to reflect on personal goals and accomplishments. The social custom of birthday celebrations is something that we partake in without a second thought. Interestingly, this little piece of conventional wisdom is actually an astrological event. In fact, from an astrological point of view it is unwise to not take this day seriously. Every year on your birthday (sometimes a day earlier or later) the Sun is in the same position it was in the day you were born. This is significant because it represents your astrological New Year, and the position of the planets are said to play a key role in your life events of the coming year. Over the course of the year, the Sun’s path across the celestial sphere passes through twelve divisions of celestial longitude that we call the Zodiac. However, other cultures have a different interpretation of the cosmos. Let’s take a look at the Eastern vs. Western approach to the astrological birthday calendar.

Chinese vs. Western Astrology:

Period of Time: Western astrology is broken down on a month-by-month scale. It is believed that people within the same month, or zodiac sign, will have the same traits. Chinese astrology on the other hand depicts signs by years and indicates that people born in the same year will share the same traits.

Calendars of the Moon and Sun: Chinese astrology bases beliefs arranged by the phases of the moon, or a lunar calendar. Each month begins with a new moon and lasts for an approximate time.  However, the western calendar is derived from the Earth’s orbit around the Sun and therefore each month begins on a a set date and can last between 28 to 31 days.

Zodiac Signs: Western astrology ascribes to a season-based zodiac that is represented by constellations. On the contrary, Chinese astrology signs were derived from myth. The story goes that during the creation of the calendar, God had all of his creatures run a race. The first twelve species to finish the race became the signs of the Chinese zodiac.

Phases vs. Modes of the Moon: The phase of the Moon at the time of birth is what Chinese astrology believes impacts a person’s demeanor. New moon, Waxing Moon, Full Moon and Waning Moon are the four lunar phases. New Moon types are adventure seekers, Waxing Moon types are hard-working, Full Moon people appreciate protocol and are very diplomatic while Waning Moon personalities value a peaceful environment. Three modes, Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable make up western astrology. Each mode is linked to four signs and is said to determine an individual’s temperament. Cardinal signs are born leaders, Fixed types are hard-working, and Mutable signs value deep interpersonal connections.

The Elements: Five elements make up the world for Chinese astrology: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. In their lunar calendar, each element has a 2-year period to influence life events based on their key characteristics. Fire means excitement, Earth creates a secure foundation, Metal creates order, Water forms emotional bonds and Wood inspires exploration. Only four elements are identified in western astrology: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Each element in this case is associated with threes signs and influences the psychological characteristics of individuals. Those associated with Fire are impulsive, Earth signs are practical, Air signs value intellect and Water signs are ruled by their emotions.

From China to North America, birthdays are celebrated everyday and everywhere. Birthdays symbolize milestones that are important celebrations in everyone’s life. The traditions, beliefs, and festivities may be different but the events and reasons to celebrate them are the same. We only have a limited number of birthdays so it is important to celebrate each one to the fullest!

What is something you hope to accomplish before your next birthday?

There are always so many details that go into planning a child’s birthday party. Of course, you want all of the details and logistics to go according to plan as you create the perfect party environment with a theme-inspired menu, decorations and so on. However, most importantly you want all of the children to have a good time as they share in the fun! A great way to engage party guests is to inspire their creativity with a craft. Since some kids may be more experienced with arts and crafts than others it is a good idea to pick a craft that is simple with fewer steps than a more intricate craft idea. Give these great craft ideas a try!

Paper Bowl Turtle:
Materials needed: Green Construction paper, large paper bowl, poster paint, crayons, string, wiggle eyes or flat beads, paintbrush, white glue, scissors and a pencil.

1. Take a paper bowl and trace the outline of the rim on green construction paper.
2. The Circle with represent the turtle’s body. Next, you’ll need to draw the turtle’s head, a tail,  and two pairs of legs.
3. Once you’ve drawn the entire body it is time to cut out the turtle outline.
4. About an inch from the rim of the paper bow create a small hole.
5. With a little paint, the transformation from paper bowl to a turtle’s shell is complete! You can paint the turtle any color you choose.
6. Deocrate your turtle’s shell with any design you’d like using a variety of colors applied by a paintbrush or your fingers. Once you’re finished, you’ll need to let your turtle dry.
7. Your turtle’s eyes can be a pair of wiggle eyes or beads that you glue on. The nose and mouth can be drawn on with markers or crayons.
8. Wrap the head, legs and tail around a marker to curl them slightly.
9.  Insert one end of a 2 to 3 feet length of string through the hole on the paper bowl and make a knot.
10. Attach the shell on top of the body by gluing it in place. Note that the string is in front when you are positioning the shell.
11. Once your glue is set and dry you can take your turtle out for a stroll!
Click here for pictures of this step by step process or for other great craft ideas.

Cardboard Tube Octopus:

Materials needed: Kleenex, cardboard tube, paint, paintbrush, scissors (scalloped scissors make it more fun!), construction paper, glue and buttons or wiggly eyes.

1. Form 3 sheets of Kleenex into a ball and then wrap the ball with 1 more Kleenex sheet. Place it at the top of the cardboard tube to create the domed head for the octopus.
2. Pick out your favorite color and paint the whole octopus and then let it dry.
3. Create tentacles with scissors that have decorative blades by cutting eight equal vertical cuts halfway up the tube.
4. Roll each tentacle upwards on a marker or highlighter to curl them slightly.
5. You will then need to paint the underside of each tentacle to match the rest of the body.
6. Use buttons for eyes or you can use a pair of wiggly eyes. Draw on the perfect smile with red marker or crayon.
7. Cut a variety of cardstock circles measuring about 1/4 inch in colors  that compliment the color you choose for the body. Scatter the dots all over the octopus’ body and glue them in place. Also, glue a colored band around its head for the perfect finishing touch!
Complete instructions for this craft and other fun craft ideas can be found here.

These crafts would be a perfect fit for a Mr. Turtle birthday party , blue whale birthday party or pink whale birthday party!

There are so many exciting craft ideas out there for a children’s birthday party and we’d love for you to comment and share your favorites!

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day. Rather, it is a holiday celebrating the surprising victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.  This battle was significant because the French army had not been defeated in fifty years and was twice the size of the Mexican army. The Battle of Puebla also marks the last time any country in the Americas was invaded by a European military force. Presently in the US and Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday commemorating the Mexican culture with festivities showcasing music, dancing, food, drinks and other traditions.

How to Get Your Fiesta Started!

Food and Beverages:

• Create a taco bar! Let the guests indulge in some Mexican favorites. You won’t have to worry about any special orders since they can choose their favorite toppings, and avoid the ones they don’t care for.
• Chips and salsa are colorful foods that can be used as centerpieces to brighten up the tables.
• Margaritas are a common drink on Cinco de Mayo. Add a little twist by trying new flavors like a Pomegranate Margarita or a Blackberry Mint Margarita. Serve them up in neon Margarita glasses.
• For people under 21 serve alcohol free daiquiris, that way they can enjoy the festivities as much as the older folks!
• Additional recipes from MSN.com: http://kitchencookoff.msn.com/articles/en-us/detail/all/31903753?WT.mc_id=msnhp

 Decorations:

• Hang up decorations such as maracas, sombreros, cacti and fiesta signs.
• Use bold colors to accent, such as the balloons, streamers and table cloths. It can be fun without going over the top!
  
  How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Your child’s birthday celebration is a special moment you undoubtedly want to preserve for years to come. There is something to be said about capturing those occasions in a photograph and being able to gaze at an image and having it evoke memories and emotions in you, feelings that may fade over time. With a picture, you will never forget something that you want to remember, and you will always be able to remind yourself of that memory. These moments only happen once, so capture the magic of your child’s birthday by taking the best photographs possible.

Evelyn captured this sweet moment of her daughter Eva enjoying her birthday cake!

Tips on Taking Great Birthday Photos:

• Keep it close – Stand close enough to the birthday child so they fill the frame of your camera. This will help to eliminate many visual distractions created by party guests and will truly capture the joy on their face.
• Adopt a child’s perspective – It is important to get low when taking photos of children and to not take them from a standing position looking down. Take photos from the eye level of your subject.
• Add variety – Take shots from a variety of focal lengths and angles to create interesting photographs. These small adjustments will ensure you have a more playful and dynamic group of party photos.
• Capture the little things – Take photos of the cake, party decorations, table decor, etc. Again, be sure to fill the frame with them on some shots and they will look great in the birthday album dispersed among images of people. Also, you might find this easier to do before the chaos of the party begins.
• Shoot candidly to capture moments of children interacting and laughing.
• During the gift opening have the birthday boy or girl take a picture with each of their friends and the gift they received. This is a great way to keep track of who gave what gifts for the thank you cards, so nobody has to be in charge of keeping a list. Also, send out the thank you notes with the photo of your child and his/her friend included as a memento of a wonderful birthday celebration!
• Most importantly, keep your camera handy at all times and snap away freely! You want to be able to capture special moments with seconds notice. Also, you can’t have too many photos of the event, but it’s easy to end up with too few!

Jaclyn made sure to get pictures of the cake she had made for her son Max's first birthday before the guests arrived.

We’d love to see your favorite birthday photos or hear about your favorite birthday moments!

A May Day basket on display

Happy May Day!!

The 1st of May, or May Day,  is a historically joyful day and true celebration of spring that dates back centuries. In medieval England, people would celebrate the start of spring by going out into the woods and gathering greenery or flowers, this became known as ‘bringing  in the may’. May Day celebrations were also accompanied by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbon. Although we don’t see many maypoles now, people continue to observe this holiday with flowers and smiles. Heather, one of our employees, recalls her fondness of May Day:

         One of my very favorite memories from my childhood is May Day, celebrated every spring on May 1st. As a child every spring we would make our paper baskets and fill them with flowers. Our mission was to brighten someone’s day on May 1st. I looked forward to this day every year! My mission was to make that one day special for my elderly neighbor Mrs. Myers, who lived on the farm next to us. On my way home from school I would plan how I would sneak up to her front door and hang my basket of flowers that I picked from her garden. Thinking of  this makes me smile and giggle just like it did back then. It was not until years later after Mrs. Myers passed away, that her son gave me a photo album filled with pressed flowers. 

Check out these instructions for making a May Day basket!

With a simple act of kindness, whose day will you make special today?

Not only is April National Poetry month, but today, April 26th, is Poem in Your Pocket Day! In 2002 Poem in Your Pocket Day was first celebrated in New York when the Office of the Mayor partnered with Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education. The purpose was to encourage New Yorkers to embrace literacy and poetry, and the Academy of American Poets took Poem in Your Pocket Day national in 2009. Participating is easy: simply carry around a poem that you love and share it with family, friends, and co-workers. If you’re looking for a poem for today, downloadable poems are available online. We encourage you to take it one step further and use Poem in Your Pocket Day as inspiration for an upcoming celebration of a baby shower. Share some thoughtful words on customized invitations to get your guests excited for the special day.  An invitation poem can be gender-neutral or it can be used to announce the arrival of a new little boy or girl. We have several imprintable invitations that are the perfect fit.

Tiny Toes Blue and Tiny Toes Pink Imprintable Invitations

Custom Invitation Ideas for a Baby Shower:

• Bottles and booties, diapers and pins
  this is where love begins!
  (Mom and dad’s names) have a baby on the way
  so we are celebrating with a special day!

• Little hands, little feet
  simply precious and oh so sweet!
  Please join us for a baby shower in honor of (name).

• Soft and sweet, a bundle of joy.
  Our mommy to be is expecting a boy!
  Please join us as we shower (name)

• We’re tickled pink and proud to say
  Baby (name) is on her way!
  Please join us for a baby shower
  honoring her mommy (name)

You can also use fun and creative language on gift tags for favor items like our customer Jessica did for her friend Amber’s baby shower.

Jessica made these gift tags for her friend Amber's baby shower to add a personal touch to the favor items.

Comment and share with us how you used poems or a play on words for your special event! Or share the poem you’re carrying around in your pocket today!