my happy camper’s one year bash.
No, I have not totally abandoned this blog….
This weekend we celebrated Luke’s one year birthday with a camping-themed bash. I want you to know I was only following orders from my husband when he requested that this party be at least as big as Emma’s first birthday was (no second-child syndrome here!). We had about 50 at Emma’s…so I was just going above and beyond to show Andrew I was listening to his request when we had 80+ at Luke’s.
These one year old birthday parties are SO about us, right?
Well here was ours….and it was so much fun to throw. Recipes to follow this week.
You’ll be so impressed at how frugal we were when it came to this party. Andrew found a pallet of wood behind our local grocery store and broke it up to make these signs which we placed around the park.
And the Happy Camper sign below was made from burlap and felt. Probably cost about $5 to make.
Our “Grub” menu included a gourmet sausage and burger bar (including homemade chipotle aioli sauce and a honey beer mustard), salad with raspberries, feta and caramelized walnuts, chips and watermelon.
Oh, and I almost forgot the “pigs in a sleeping bag.”
And the desserts.
I made about 250 of them total, with the help of Emma’s neighborhood friends who measured and stirred but mostly just were my quality assurance experts.
Our “Post-hike dessert bar” included:
Candy Bar Trifles.
Mini S’mores Tarts.
Banana Peanut Butter “Mud Pies”, and more…including Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Caramel Apple Hand Pies.
Part of what was so fun about planning this party was finding all sorts of camping props, including my grandmother’s old camping gear from the 50′s as well as a dear friend’s trailer, which is one of a gazillion adorable props she has for parties.
And of course here’s the reason we do these parties in the first place…for photo ops like this.
Tables were topped with lots of pinecones, rocks, burlap, mason jars and camping-esque fabrics. Many thanks to my mom, the diva of table design, for making it all come together!
I’d love to hear from you…any recipe you’d like to see featured so you can give it a go for your next party?
Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing this special day!
Ohhhhh Kelly! I’ve been stalking your blog and facebook the past two days waiting for you to post pictures! JOB WELL DONE FRIEND! It looks amazing and I sooo– wish we could have been there to celebrate. Keep up the creative and yummy work, my friend!
Your Happy Camper party is darling. Would you mind if I post it on Modern Posh’s website as a party idea. My daughter, Jami, and I run a social media company, The Savvy Socialista, and Modern Posh out of North Carolina is one of her clients.
Hi Nancy! I’d be honored, and can send you more pics if needed. Thanks!
Candy Bar Trifle recipe please! I’d pay for that dessert…it was AMAZING!
Kel – I am so impressed! What an amazing job! Jealous I couldn’t be there! I miss you! I want the recipe for the mini smore tarts!
You are crazy! Way to make the day special for your little man. He is adorable.
FANTASTIC!! Super Duper and SPECTACULAR!! Great job and awesome pics.
What a face on that liitle guy…too cute and squeezeable. Got a luncheon to plan(about 50-60 ladies), and would love to get some ideas.
I know I’m your mother and everything, but you knocked the ball out of the field this time! So much fun, and so different from anything I’ve ever seen before! Love you!
OMG OMG OMG!!! I just found your blog and I love IT!!!! I wish I could have a party this fun. The food displays look awsome! Good job. I’ll be making the peanutbutter and banana pies this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Tony! I had a lot of fun putting it together. Let me know how the whoopie pies turn out!
K