Grether =: Shoe Party!

I think I did a better job of not going over the top for the second birthday of Miss Annalee. Just slightly over-the-top.

I will say the theme was oh-so-appropriate for her. She still loves shoes! I went with pinks and black/white damsk-like pattern because I had some plates and napkins like that I thought would work. I used many items we already owned and I commissioned friends to be on the lookout for cheap shoes.

The birthday girl eating a snack pre-party (she was really cranky after her nap).
The tablecloth is just fabric I got for crazy cheap (I didn't even sew the edges! Gasp!)
And the shoes in the middle I spray-glued and glittered BUT were messy so I only did one pair.

Decorations:
I used photos of Annalee from this last year on our other table with little plastic shoes I found at Hobby Lobby (also used with favors). Had a sign to keep shoes on for the guests! The favors were shoes for the little ones (Old Navy clearance) and scarves for the older kids (gift box, clearance I had bought two years ago) and shoe-shaped rubber bands (ebay). Thanks for coming print (shutterfly) with her newborn, one year, and recent photos (oh my how she keeps getting cuter)!

Decor

The "shrine" china cupboard (I try not make it shrine-like but always seems to become so) - printed photos of Annalee framed. Pendant banner TWO in the same fabric as the tablecloths. I cut out pink fabric to line all the shoes so they'd look nicer. I did circle cut her name out. I used the same font from her invitations for everything else needing printing because y'all, that is how I roll.

I used vases we already had... and you know what? Most every one of those pink vases were from flowers we received after Maelee died. Plus her tulips and birdie are there, too. Because she... she is not here to celebrate her little sister but I choose to have specs of her around us always.

Had this photo printed and framed at the party. So cute.

You can see the three shades of pink nail polish bottles I was going to use for the game winners. But, party planner fail, I forgot to actually play the games. I was going to have the kiddos walk in high heels holding a spoon and egg (well, not a real egg but something similar) and walk from point A to point B. Eli also came up with a game (YES, he did! my son! theme games!): hide one shoe and they have to find all the pairs (seriously, how great is that kid?!). We weren't going to open gifts but cousin Lilli brought over a gift excitedly and we ended up doing that so I'm guessing that's why I forgot.

She ate a little frosting and then stopped. Not into the cupcake.

Food
I made cupcakes, white with homemade frosting, pink on pink. Found damsk print cupcake holders at JoAnns (used coupon, of course). I was going to make high heels with them (there is a way with milanos and wafer sticks) but refrained from that work. Made lots of mini cupcakes instead - I'm loving bitesize goodies. Also I made creme wafers... recipe from the old Betty Crocker cookbook. My mom made these at our wedding. CRAZY AMOUNT OF WORK. Rolling out dough, cutting, dipping in sugar, poking with fork, filling, etc. But so damn good. And cute. Worth it.

Oreo balls, cute with pink dots. Krista shared a nail polish recipe on her wall so I made her make them (marshmallow, frosting, tootsie roll) - gross but cute. Also made a lemon pound cake from Krusteaz that was very good.

The main food was chicken salad crossiants - though I wish I would have added bacon to my chicken salad recipe. Chips, pistashio salad (so North Dakotan), shrimp salad and crackers, cheese, fruit. I bought little pink cups at HL and we filled with veggies (I was going to add the ranch on the bottom but Greg thought that was a bad idea). Also we had a bunch of pink/red drink options and water in my new water server thing (86 cents after my Kohls cash) but the thing leaks (fail).

Yum.

Those hot pink shoes are my size. They are terrible to walk in but so worth the $2.50 I paid for them at the thrift store. The white serving platter I just was gifted from my mom's aunt that passed away in July four-days shy of 101. My moms two cousins were going through their mom's house and I was given some gems. I love that platter. I also used my mom's wedding gift silver platter and other silver platters she gifted me. And one of her delicate, Rosenthal china bowls too. It's right next to my plastic IKEA bowl though so the amazingness of that china isn't displayed in all it's glory. Sorry mom.

I had a SHOE coloring book (bought on Amazon) but didn't take a photo of that table and cute sign. Here's Lilli enjoying it though (like I knew she would).

The photo booth was my favorite (photos below). All and all, the details were there but not too much work. I also now have a crazy amount of dress-up shoes for our costume box.

I am most happy about our family and friends that came. A few folks were sick or couldn't make it. The invite stated: "Fancy attire requested. Spectacular shoes required."

Clearly Birthday Girl is the only one not on board with her party.

Three of us married Kasowski's - great choices! A great lineage for Annalee. So glad Great Grandma came from Buffalo and also that Grandma was back from China in time for this party. Annalee is holding the baby doll from her Great Barb and it was a big hit. Also notice my zebra SHOES. A $5 splurge, purely impractical because I could wear them for five minutes.