(Click on collage to enlarge)
I spent a month putting Ainsley's Strawberry Shortcake 4th Birthday party together in between doing and still doing a big project for a lady in my mom's ward (color booklets that I've talked about before). I think I had more fun doing and attending the party than Ainsley did. I got too carried away doing crafts, dressing up and baking, but it was fun and here's what I did:
I was Blueberry Muffin, Arabella was Lemon Merigue (she had to wear that ugly white wig because Ainsley had one- good thing I had another one from my HS spirit days) and Ainsley was of course Strawberry Shortcake! I made all with what I had except I bought my blue skirt, Ainsley's tights which was a shirt, and Ainsley's pink shoes from the DI. I had to go to a costume shop for my green striped tights and had to buy Ainsley's wig from Amazon.com and her foam green hat bill from Micheal's. All totaling maybe $25 when a child's size Strawberry Shortcake costume would cost $20-33 + $10-15 for the wig alone.
I made the cake which is the best cake I've ever attempted to make. I used a Giant Cupcake pan for the bottom which I bought on Amazon.com for $25 a year ago and I used a large cupcake pan for the top. I bought a $7 Wilton cupcake decorating kit at Walmart, OH! and I bought pink sprinkles of course and a candle. I used Ainsley's Strawberry Shortcake doll from MacDonald's.
I made the cupcake stands from items at DI and bought the polka dot cardboard one at Walmart for $2 after Valentine's Day.
I didn't have time to finish the other stands, but I would like them to look like the blue ones below.
Inspirtation craft pic.
I made a "Happy 4th Birthday Ainsley" banner from scrapbook paper I had.
I made this pinata out of cereal boxes, pink streamer $1, scrapbook paper, package tape $3, string, and print outs from www.Strawberryshortcake.com which is where I got invitations, coloring pages, games and other decor. I filled the pinata with gummy treats, skittles and starburts. Beats the $20 castle pinata I saw at Walmart, plus I could customize it Strawberry Shortcake Style!
