Parties Ideas I Used and So Can YOU

It was a party indeed! My daughter-in-love, Christi, is one of the funnest, happiest, joyful people anyone will ever meet. She turned 50 in January and I wanted to celebrate and honor her, but covid restrictions were still looming large. So, instead of the huge family gathering we often have, we opted for a “ladies only” family luncheon with a “fifties” theme. 

Putting a theme on any party immediately ups the party game, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. If you’re nervous about your guests feeling like they “have” to dress up, do what I did and tell them to be “fifties inspired.” That way they didn’t feel too much pressure to dress up wild and crazy on a Wednesday afternoon, just have a touch of fifties. You can do this with any theme, even a Superhero themed party. Tell them to just be superhero inspired. It makes a difference and doesn’t scare people away from doings something fun. 

Actually, it was amazing to see how “fifties inspired” the clothes we wear today are. My granddaughter, Sadie, just added a cute neck scarf to her outfit and granddaughter, Bella, choose a two piece suit with very clear lines, perfect for the fifties. I got lucky because I had a shirtwaist dress that was very “fifties.” I did make a quick trip to our local Goodwill for some shoes (a little pump) and a black leather belt. My mom got out her mother’s clip-on earrings, straight from the fifties, and teased her hair into fifties curls. So cute! My aunt went the tradition “teenage” route and rolled up her jeans and duck-tailed her short hair. To be sure everyone was included in some sort of “fifties” attire, I purchased fake pearls from our local party store and had them at the place setting of each guest. A string of pearls, like rolled up jeans and your daddy’s shirt, turns any outfit into a fifties outfit. 

Another thing I did is apparently “all the rage” on college campuses today, but is used when someone turns 21, not 50. But, here’s my philosophy, why let the kids have all the fun? So I did a little research this new “rage” and called my granddaughter, Ally, to get the details. She goes to Auburn and knew all about it. In fact, she is going into the business of doing “21” signs for other people—for MONEY. (Trust me, I am not looking for another job, so I will not be doing that.) But, I did it for Christi! I made my first ever three-D birthday number sign, of course, in the shape of 50. Ally had told me the numbers are made to represent the person being celebrated. Okay—I can do that. So, I went to work creating the “old person” version of this new party rage. 

First, I found the number 5 and made it as big as a sheet of typing paper—8 ½ X 11. (The ones the kids do are much bigger, but I didn’t want to embarrass Christi too much. Lol) Then I found a 0 and did the same. Before I printed them off, I copied and pasted pics from my computer that represent Christi.  One with Christi’s family, one with her husband and one with her dogs. After the pictures were placed where I wanted them to be, I printed the 5 and the 0 off. Then, I used rubber cement and glued them to a sheet of thick foam board. Rubber cement works the best as it doesn’t make the paper too soft. (The ones the kids do are sent to a printer who laser cuts it out, but I was doing the quick, old person, cheaper version.) I used an exacto knife to cut the big numbers out. Next, I printed off several other words and things that are significant to my sweet Christi. (This step could be done on the computer, but I didn’t think of all of them until I had already printed the big numbers off.) Nexi, I also used rubber cement to add these pictures and words to the big number 50. 

Now I was ready for the part that makes it the most fun—the glitter!!! But, not just any glitter, it’s a new teeny, tiny version of glitter. Not the big flakes we’ve seen all of our lives, this glitter is very refined, almost powdery, which fives the softest sparkle. I found mine at Hobby Lobby. There was actually a kit that had several colors in it, so perfect. Here’s the deal on applying the glitter. I used a small paintbrush to put a thin layer of glue on anything I wanted to glitter-fy. Then I sprinkled the tiny glitter over the glue, let it dry a few seconds then poured the excess off on a paper plate. This part was really pretty fun to do and came out looking so cute. In fact, I had a hard time stopping, it was so fun. 

After the objects I chose to glitter-fy were done and the sign was as gorgeous as I wanted it to be, I attached a boa to the back with tape. It was now ready to hang around Christi’s neck, as the college kids to it. But, in actuality, I let Christi off the hook and hung it beside her for most of the party, except the picture taking part.

It really was a fun party. The theme was fun to pull off and the birthday sign was a hit. You could do this on any for your grands when they have a birthday party. I’m pretty sure you would jump to the top of the list of favorite grandmas if you did! Or you can throw a party for a friend and impress her with your new skills. In any case, life is so much better when we remember to celebrate those we love. Have a great week!