Fairy party-Giant paper flower how to

As part of T's fairy party, mum and I put together a load of paper flower of varying sizes and colours. They are fairly time consuming, but one or two a night didn't take up the evening and meant we had a decent supply by the party-to be honest, I only made 3 of them and then mum took the rest on!

You will need:

Tissue paper (absolutely loads of it!)
Thick paper/card plates (we used very think plastic plates which we cut down but that's just because we had them lying around the house)
Kirby grips or floristry wire
PVA glue (or stronger)

1. Gather together piles of 6 sheets of tissue paper (you need 4 piles of 6 for each flower-for smaller flowers, cut down the size of the sheets)
2. Start to fold each pile of 6 sheets as a whole into a concertina fold all the way across, so you end up with 4 folded strips.

3. Place the Kirby grip or wrap floristry wire around the strip about 2/3-3/4 of the way along.  You will have a short section and a long section.

4. Cut each end into a curved/slightly pointed shape (this will make the ends of the petals)
5. Start at one of the ends and open out like a fan.

6. Start to very gently peel up each layer of tissue paper towards the centre.

7. Repeat with the other section.  This will have created one quarter section of your flower.
8. Repeat with each of your 4 strips.
9. Place a fair amount of glue onto the top of the paper plate
10. Place the smaller section of each petal onto the glue to make the four quarters of the flower. The larger sections should be fluffed up to make the petals.

11.  If you would like to make a different coloured centre for the flowers, repeat the above steps With just one folded and cut piece of tissue paper.  I cut it into 6 small sheets and repeated the above except place the grip/wire at the halfway point so that each side is equal.  This can then be glued into the centre.

12. Once you get the hang of it, you can change the sizing/number of layers/shapes of cuts on the ends etc to give different effects.
13. We made stems for the flowers by covering bamboo canes and large sticks/branches with green tissue paper and then just taping the flowers on (the tape can always be hidden with tissue paper afterwards)

The Chagford Show

A day at the Chagford Show

Having to work in the morning, we didn't arrive until lunchtime, by which time the forecasted wind, rain and cloud has disappeared and we were left with a hot, sticky afternoon and two children inappropriately dressed.  So, first fail of the day, two children in proper trousers and a buggy full of coats, jumpers and raincovers. Gotta love the great British weather, although shouldn't complain about a sunny afternoon! 

We came to the show last year and I've gotta say, I just love it. So local and a really nice size.  I know that's a bit of a strange description, but we've ventured to the Devon County Show many times in my life and, although it's a good day, it seems to have lost a bit of its local charm and it is so big and busy, it is exhausting! Chagford is just big enough; easy to see everything with the babies and lots of local farms showing, and bands etc.

A quick stomp across the parking field and we were greeted by the dog show.  I just love this.  Less formal than the other shows I've seen, you just sort of rock up with your dog and register, although I'm sure some of those taking part take it very seriously but the kids love watching it. As my little one said in awe "ah, I've never SEEN so many dogs!"

Then it's the animals.  Family friends of ours show their gorgeous sheep, so we popped over to say hello and the kids could see all the different sheep and cows. This is always their favourite bit! T then spies the dreaded bouncy castle and spinning chairs.  Last year she was just a bit too small for the chairs, but this year was perfect (despite the man running them being rather odd and aggressive).  T loved it, our smallest (16 months) not impressed at not being allowed on that or the bouncy castle and that was the beginning of a rather stroppy toddler.  I tried walking away, distraction, snacks, every trick in the book but he's persistent, I'll give him that! He did go on the huge blow up slide though with me (this nearly destroyed me as I was also inappropriately dressed for the weather or any physical exercise for that matter!) The only thing I'd say is £2 per "ride" was massively excessive, although I think this is just what they charge now, seems ridiculously steep to me, and we left the area a good £14 lighter! At least the kids loved it! 

This was pretty much the beginning of the end. We attempted to stroll around the rest of the stalls etc but T was hugely overtired and the boy just didn't know what he wanted.  A whistle-stop-tour of the stalls and we were back in the first field. By this time, the local marching band was in full swing and the kids were engrossed! I seized the opportunity to grab a bag of those revolting but absolutely gorgeous mini warm donuts!! Always taste so good warm! Out went the diet as I devoured most of the bag! (They're just not the same cold!) 

En route to the car, the sheep show was just starting which was brilliant. T (just 3) was transfixed as the fantastic presenter brought out various different breeds to funny music and demonstrated shearing. Really well done.

To quote Topsy and Tim, "and that, said mummy, was that!" Lovely afternoon, even with two fractious little people in tow, (thank goodness for grandparents and additional hands!) just wish we'd assessed the weather a little better! 

The Fairy Party and the start of the business

This year my daughter, totally against my initial ice cream idea, decided on a fairy theme for her birthday.  To be perfectly honest, I was hoping we could save that one until she was a bit older, but that was mainly because I thought she'd enjoy it more.  It was 3 months before her party and that is where the prep began.  I did some Pinterest and image trawling and came up with my general plan.  It was a smidge ambitious given the budget of, um, well zero actually, but with the length of time it was doable.

Job no 1: rope in husband to make daughter a house bed (technically not anything to do with the party, but it kept him in the workshop and busy and therefore I didn't feel too guilty about spending my evenings making wands and fairy headdresses!

Jobs no 2-400: prep prep prep!  Items on the agenda: toadstool cushions, flower wall, backdrop, paper flowers, tutus, headdresses, wand craft prep, pass the parcel, invitations and cake topper.  I enlisted my husband to make a top for the kid's play table so it could be used as their table for the party, I also got him to make a frame for the backdrop.

It seems like a lot, and to be honest it was quite a bit of prep, but in realistic terms it was done in the evenings, an hour or so at a time and certainly not every night. We are still battling a sleep adverse toddler so I only really get an hour in the evenings before he wants me to go up to him!

I've put a separate post with the how tos for this party as there are many!

Fast forward to the party and after weeks of pretty awful weather, we woke to the hottest morning of the year.  We relayed seemingly endless car loads up to the community orchard in our village (the one huge downside of not having a party at home, and one I'll admit, I was completely unprepared for!) flatly refusing this year to have the party at our house again! A combination of a tiny garden and a ridiculous amount of people meant our carpet was virtually ruined and I ended up with a houseful.  I do love having people over but not when you plan for everyone to be outside!

To be honest, the initial part of the prep was horrendous. Imagine being dressed inappropriately for the weather, roasting in a party tent, refereeing two children and attempting to drape and decorate at lightning speed. I was saved by family reinforcements mid morning, and in reality, there is no way it would've got done without them.

I collected the cake at the last minute, i.e when people were arriving and I was still cutting fruit for the wands when the kids were here.  Even though I left the cake to the last second, my marshmallow and white chocolate flowers melted within seconds, drooping and losing their petals and looking rather sorry for themselves!  I could barely grab a picture of them before they dismantled! The weather is just the one thing you can't really prepare for.

I have found a fantastic artist in Australia who has designed a "pin the wand on the fairy" game which seemed to go down well plus the obligatory pass the parcel.  The kids decorated wands, fairy houses and elf hats with paint, leaves, gems and feathers and seemed to love it despite the ridiculous heat. Simple wand prep how to on separate blog.

The party looked lovely and the kids had a brilliant time despite the ridiculous heat. It was at this point, standing in the tent, watching the adults sitting, chatting and drinking pimms and the kids running around in their tutus and elf costumes that I realised that this is what I love doing.  I'm definitely not a matching plate/food in perfect rows kind of party planner, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of the rustic, country style affair. So that's when it came to me, to start a business helping other parents throw parties that the children will love, and that more importantly means that the parents aren't stuck in a sweaty soft play centre for two hours on a sunny day or are left filled with dread at attending another children's party!  Yes, I know the thought of the prep is enough to bring most people out in hives, but that is where I hope I can help. I am championing the old school party games and am bringing back the children's party of our youth.

You can find me on Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/GreatLittlePar1 Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/greatlittlepartyco/  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/greatlittlepartycompany/ and I now have an Etsy page https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GreatLittlePartyCo?ref=hdr_shop_menu .  It's all a bit daunting, but this is what I love doing so I hope I can help you out! I supply themed party boxes which contain party essentials (plates, cups, napkins, straws etc) plus at least one craft and everything needed to complete the craft, party games and ideas, decorations and filled party bags with gorgeous handmade and unique items the kids will love.