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Planning A Worm Themed Birthday Party

As we mentioned for a hot minute back in this post, Clara picked her party theme this year. What does she love more than monkeys, ice cream, firetrucks, and the mailman? Worms.

So the first thing on the party agenda was settling on a date (this Saturday the 12th, two days before her actual b-day on the 14th) and figuring out the guest list (our closest family and friends totaling about 30 people, ten who are kiddos under the age of four). Then it was the fun part. Invitations! We made three versions of them before picking our favorite (yes, making invitations is our idea of a good time). For the first one we used some shots from her 22 month photoshoot and although we loved the shapes and the fabric and that cute smile, it just didn’t have any worminess.

Clara Invite Alternative 1

So we played around some more and came up with this guy, who runneth over with worminess:

Clara Invite Alternative 2

As cute (and worm-ish) as we thought it was, we just kept playing around (yes, we’re nerds, and we only get to do it once a year) and came up with this more graphic – and just as wormy – alternative:

Clara Invite Final

Third time was the charm. Yes, we made chevron worms (maybe worms are the new chevron?). Of course we thought any of the options above would be great (and some folks might prefer #1 or #2 more), but we just loved those three little worms inching their way onto the number two with our smily girl in the middle of the number and the promise that “there will be worms.”

So we ordered just enough to send out to our crew, and even saved $15.77 thanks to googling around for a Winkflash coupon code:

Invite Coupon Code

It ended up being $1.58 per invite including an envelope ($28.54 for eighteen 5 x 7″ invites on matte card stock – not photo paper). Which isn’t  pennies, but definitely was a nice discount from the original price of $2.19 per invite. As for why we went with Winkflash, we used them for last year’s invite and were really happy with them. A lot of services offer templates for folded cards but it’s hard to find postcard-ish offerings that are completely blank (so you can upload your entire design without them putting a frame or some type around it).

And when they arrived? Love! They do such a good job- no weird printing lines or cheap-o feeling – we liked going with the larger size (5 x 7″) and the thick matte card stock paper. So that’s probably more than you’ve ever wanted to know about a two year old’s party invitation, huh? Haha.

Invite Here

But now for the party deets. Of course we’ll be back with a post after this weekend’s festivities, but just like last year, we thought a little sneak peek of our supplies might be fun (here’s last year’s). This is our table o’ stuff, some of which we had around already, like the yellow napkin dish ($2 from a thrift store a few years back!) and the fabric banner I sewed for Clara’s first birthday (we’ll re-use the runner I sewed too) along with a paper one I made for that party as well and some cute bird napkins we grabbed from Ikea about a month ago (birds like worms, right?). Some of the stuff is new of course, like the plates, worm-ish candles, some balloons and streamers, some paper lanterns, etc (all hailing from Party City or Target).

Invite All Stuff

Oh and see that pink arrow in the top left corner of the picture above? It’s pointing to this ice tray that we picked up at Ikea last month, because we thought we could even make some worm-ish ice. Or fill it with jello and make little jello worms.

Invite Ice Cube

So that’s on the agenda along with blowing up some polka dot balloons and some worm ones too (there is close to zero actual worm paraphernalia at Target and Party City, so when we saw worm balloons we couldn’t believe it).

As for all of the worm-related ideas, here’s what’s on our crazy brain dump list:

  • Make pipe cleaner worms to hide outside for a worm hunt
  • Make a grass runner with gummy worms (or plastic worms) on it
  • Collect paper towel rolls for some sort of worm craft…
  • Use streamers taped in little swags to look like worms (maybe across the beams in the living room and out on the patio somehow)
  • Serve apples with a gummy worm coming out and other worm-ish snacks
  • Cut peppers, cucumbers, and cheese into worm-like sticks and serve with dressing (worm crudité? how fancy)
  • Skewer grapes or other sliced fruit onto straws (less pokey for the kiddos than skewers)
  • Worm pizza (we’ll serve regular pizza for adults but put some cooked spaghetti on the slices for the kids)
  • Worm dogs (these are just hot dogs, haha, but we could make ketchup or mustard eyes and a smile)
  • Make white frosted cupcakes with oreo “dirt” sprinkled on top with a gummy worm (we thought about “dirt cake” or “dirt pudding” in a mason jar but it’s just too messy and hard to eat for all the 2-3 year olds)
  • Worm jello (we could just toss some gummy worms into jello sort of like a jello mold but instead of fruit it’s worms…)

Who knows what we’ll end up doing (definitely not everything!) but it’s fun to write down a bunch of things to see which ones stick. Oh and check out the favors I love so much that I assembled them a full week before the party. Nerd alert.

Invites Favors1

One of Clara’s favorite things to play with outside is our watering can (filling it with leaves, rocks, sticks, you name it) so when we saw cute green ones at Ikea for 99 cents we grabbed one for each kid (hoping they’ll like them just as much as our girl does). Then in the toy aisle we came across tiny stuffed worms for 49 cents each! Just kidding, they were snakes, but we cut off the pointy red tongues and voila: happy little worms. We also tossed a bottle of bubbles in each watering can along with an orange or pink scoop from Target (50 cents each). Brown tissue paper (aka: dirt) finished things off and gave us a spot to stick our scoops full of worms. We’re so excited for Clara to see hers. We’ve been hiding them all (I made them during a nap and stashed them all in the guest room) so it should be a pretty good time when she realizes that everyone gets a watering can, bubbles, a scoop, and a worm of their own at her party.

Oh and look at these candles we found at Tar-jay. Wormy, right?

Invite Napkins

This = a typical trip to Target. We thought grabbing two outside balls for kids to play with on the patio might be a good idea. And of course Clara picked her two favorite colors (orange and pink – which are one of the reasons we picked those colors for things like her invitations and her streamers).

Invite Target Balls

So that’s the deal with party planning. The basic gist is that I’m wishing we bought one more watering can, scoop, and stuffed snake worm so I’d get one of my own. I’m totally 30 going on 2.

Invites Favors2

Any party prep going on for you guys? Do you have any tips for keeping it simple and fun? We generally like to order food (something inexpensive but crowd-pleaser-ish, like pizza) so we’re not slaving over the stove all day. But cooking is my mom’s favorite thing, so she’d rather cook for thirty people and just grab ready-made invites. So there’s definitely more than one way to get your par-tay on. Can’t wait to share pics from this Saturday! And we’re building Clara something for her b-day. Something big. Ok, I’ll just tell you – it’s a dollhouse!!!!!!

Dollhouse Started

So excited to share the breakdown with you guys when it’s done (as expected, we’re just getting started so we’ll be working overtime!). And now for the general trite mom statement (but it’s painfully true). Oh my gosh,  how is my baby two already??? Dude, she was just turning one like three months ago.

Psst – You know $herdog loves her some Eminem, Snoop, Dre, and Biggie, but the new Karmin CD is uh.mazing. Seriously. Anyone else in love? I’ve been “YouTube in love with them” for a while (since this) and adored when they were on Ellen. Their new songs make me want to finish that dollhouse double-time (while pausing for a few obligatory dance breaks).

Comments

  2. Jennifer says

    That is so adorable! Love the chevron worms – who would have thought you could make worms look so cute! It is so great that you took what she likes and really made it into the theme!

    Reply

  3. Jessica says

    Cut your hot dogs and use uncooked spaghetti to spear the hot dogs. Then you cook your hot dogs and spaghetti and you get wiggly wormmy spaghetti crawling through hotdogs. My son (who is 3 days younger than Clara) loves them this way.

    Reply

  5. Allison H says

    Have you seen the Jello Worms on Pinterest? just search- you will find them. Submerge straws in a pan of liquid yellow! The ridges of the bendy straw make them look like worms! You could make them in fun colors instead of red or brown. Looks like such a fun party! We will be doing our 2nd party in December.

    Reply

  7. April says

    Clara is going to love her party! I love all the bright colors and I don’t think you are a nerd at all. Just a Mommy that loves planning her girl’s special day! Just remember we still get a lot of say in their b-days while they are little. I dread the character-themed birthdays once they get a vote.

    Reply

  9. Darci says

    We just had my son’s 2nd birthday party a few weeks ago–check out the fish cake I made–www.veggieschnitzel.blogspot.com. By no means professional but super fun!

    Reply

  10. margaret says

    How did you make the worm chevron on the invitations? Did you design those little wormies yourself and then just copy-paste/duplicate them into a repeating pattern? I would have no idea how to start making a design from scratch!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, we used photoshop to draw one worm and duplicate it and make each one a different color and sort of tiled them that way. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  12. heather says

    Karmin is amazing! A couple of my friends know the guy she’s with since he grew up in the same area as them and is from the next town over from where I went to college (which a lot of college kids live in). They’ve told me he is just as nice as he seems (I think a few of them know her too, not sure). Her rapping/singing is ridiculously awesome.

    Oh, and the wormyness is wicked cute. I also expected you to say “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” and then you said par-tay! Haha. You got me.

    Reply

  13. Spring says

    Our youngest turns 2 this Friday, but we aren’t doing anything huge for her party. That’s what happens when you’re the youngest of four (and there’s another on the way) and we just had two birthdays the week before.

    But there will be cake. And there will be presents. Possibly even bubbles. :)

    Reply

  14. Claire says

    Love the ideas! Can’t wait to see pics on Monday.

    Surely you didn’t go to Ikea, which is two hours away from you, just for party favors, right? Is there something else going on behind the scenes with other Ikea purchases? And is that a lamp in the Target cart behind Clara?

    We’re on to you! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, we actually had a birtdhay party for our nephew (he’s one already!) who lives in Arlington, so we hit it up on the way! As for the lamp I had second thoughts and put it back but now I’m having third thoughts and might go back for it. Haha. Will blog about it if I do!

      xo,
      s

  15. Jessica J says

    I know you guys say you aren’t Photoshop pros but whipping up invites like those begs to differ! Any chance you’ll post a template or instructions for the less PS savvy of us? I’ve broken the bank every year getting invites from Shutterfly/Tinyprints. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I explained the process a bit back in the comments. We just made one worm and duplicated it (just copy the layer over and over) and then used the paint dump tool to make them different colors and moved them around to tile them like that. It’s really not that bad! We’d love to share a template – just didn’t think anyone else would want a worm party! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  16. Rebecca in NC says

    Thanks for posting this! We are planning a bug party for our son’s 4th birthday party and I am stumped with what to do. I do know I’ll be making a caterpillar cake — a bundt cake cut into sections and then arranged in a worm-y shape, then covered in frosting (maybe?) with eyes and antennaes (with what, I have no idea). You’ve given me a great idea for the party favors. Good luck with with the party!!

    Reply

  17. Kitty says

    That video is so adorable. Wow she is going to have the best time at her party. It looks like a tonne of fun and you have done a great job of pulling so many worm-themed things together.

    I can’t wait to see what you do with the dolls house, especially after the amazing play kitchen you made for her.

    Reply

  18. Erin says

    Ohmigosh, dirt and worms (chocolate pudding with rolling pinned chocolate cookie dust and gummy worms) was my favorite dessert as a kid. I wanted it in lieu of cake at all my birthday parties. It never occurred to me to have a worm-themed party, but I would have loved that. I was really into insects and I remember wanting a beetle party, but creativity isn’t really my mom’s thing and she gave up and I think it became an Aladdin party. Maybe for my 33nd I can finally have that beetle party…

    Reply

  19. laura says

    I find it totally adorable that Clara has a thing for worms!! It’s so funny what kids take a liking too! It’s also pretty cool that you are embracing it and letting her like whatever she wants to like. Also, the kid party favors are so awesome!!! And….I am so glad that you like rap/hip hop because sometimes I feel like now that I am almost 30 and a mom..that I shouldn’t be listening to that stuff anymore, even though I still do, haha. :)

    Reply

  22. Michelle says

    AWESOME! I LOVE all you’ve done.

    I’m right there with you… I LOVE planning parties for my kids. I also love doing the invitation and creative goody bags.

    My 3-year-old selected owls as a theme for her last party. That was a fun one!

    Reply

  23. Ashley says

    It would be super cute to cut hot dogs length wise into fourths. Then when you boiled them they would curl up like a big pile of worms!!

    Reply

  25. Cheri says

    I’ve been a blog follower for nearly a year.. but didn’t realize, until today, that our daughters share a birthday!

    My oldest, Mariah, turns 4-years-old on Monday. And when I asked her for her party theme, she replied, “Chicken and lemons.” (Try working with that?!)

    We’ll be having chicken wings, chicken wraps, lemonade and lemon meringue pie. She can’t wait!

    Hope your party is a success!

    Reply

  27. Kim says

    ohh, worm-ish ice! Do gummy worms freeze well? If so you could stick them in your ikea ice tray. It would look like those bug-filled resin paper weights.

    Reply

  29. Kristi says

    Forgive me if someone already suggested this but I remember making worms with egg cartons when I was little. You cut the carton in half long way and then cut each section in half horizontally so you end up with 4 “worms”. Then they can be decorated with all kinds of materials.

    I love this party idea! Such a creative little girl!

    Reply

  31. Nichole says

    Hey guys! Happy birthday to Clara! She is so funny… The girl knows what she likes, so worms it is! I love it! So just before Halloween last year, I was Pintersting like mad trying to get ideas for our own little shindig and came across Jell-O worms. Basically they’re Jell-O (any color/flavor), whipped cream (I think?), bendy straws (imagine the crinkle part as that sticky out part of the worm), and a tall container to hold the Jell-O filled straws and let them set (and maybe one or two more ingredients). Anywho, thought you might want to take a peak… I just put Jell-O (or just ‘Jello’) worms in the search. Anyway, it might be fun for the party… Or next Halloween… Or a too sunny day with no worms for admiring :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha- no worries! Worms are such a weird theme I think there are only a few things out there that lots of people are referencing. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  33. MBG says

    LOVE the party theme! We just had a party a couple weekends ago for our Lil C. She also turned 2. She wanted pancakes, so we had a brunch with a breakfasty buffet. The decor was rooster-y (morning and all). The kids colored in rooster placemats as an activity and took it home as a favor. The kids played a game of upside-down bobbing for donuts. It was all super fun :)

    Reply

  34. Cynthia says

    I saw this recipe for making realistic-looking edible worms on OnePrettyThing.

    Here’s the link:
    http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/09/jell-o-blood-worms.html

    Incase you are afraid to click the link, it basically involved mixing gelatin with heavy cream, and pouring it over straws. After it has congealed in the fridge, you basically push the “worm” out of the straw. The worms actually do look real.

    Having made these, they actually taste pretty good too.

    Reply

  35. Jesette says

    I love it!!! haha You guys are so creative!!! Hope everything turns out great! Happy early birthday Clara! (:

    Reply

  37. Page says

    I just realized that G is the same giraffe as my son’s! Except Jack’s giraffe is named Josie G. Raffe. You can thank my husband for that one :) We got her at a little shop when we lived in Charleston, SC the weekend we found out we were having a boy. And at 6 months, Jack is already so attached. I blame it on the softness. And the cuteness, of course…

    Reply

  38. Renee says

    Somewhere I saw a video or a recipe for a Russian kids specialty. They take sausages or hot dogs, poke about 10 sticks of dry spaghetti through them and then cook. When they’re ‘done’ you have a sausage with what ‘looks’ like worms coming out of it. Totally gross and disgusting, but kids might like it. LOL!!

    Reply

  39. nicola says

    Love the worms theme, but just an overly protective parent warning. My only just two year old injured his eye quite badly when he tripped and fell while carrying a watering can the same as the ones you have shown. Yes it was probably a once in a lifetime freak never happen again kind of accident and his eye (thankfully) suffered no lasting damage. But I tossed the offending can and would NEVER use again!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks so much for the warning Nicola! We’ll hand them out at the end of the party as kids leave so there won’t be ten kiddos running around outside with them!

      xo,
      s

  42. Jesette says

    Ohh…And I love the party invite you chose!! The second one was really funny but the third one tops the cake (at least I think that’s how the expression goes!- I tend to always get them mixed up hehe). Your photoshop skills rock! I’m thinking of taking a class to expand my skills! (:

    Reply

  43. Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

    I love it all!!! Can I reschedule Ruby’s 2nd birthday party (her bday was in December)so I can do something this cool?? I like that your cupcake idea sounds different and not near as messy as the standard dirt cake.

    Reply

  44. Sue says

    If you Google ‘toilet paper tube snake” you’ll find lots of instructions to make something that I’m sure will resemble a worm in a 2 year old’s mind.

    Reply

  45. Erika says

    I love that you’re building her a doll house! The one that my grandfather built for my mom 50 years ago has been loved by 3 generations (my mom and her sister, me and my cousins, and now my cousin’s daughter is getting old enough to enjoy it!). Clara is a lucky girl!

    ps: my 21st birthday is today and I want a stuffed “worm,” too!

    Reply

  46. Christa @ a*typicaljourney says

    Dangit – Jen got to the Jell-O Blood Worms tutorial before me… it’s still an awesome wormy snack *better than the typical worms ‘n’ dirt, which is pretty over-done* I made them for a Halloween party last year, and they went over really well! Just make sure you have something to help squeeze the worms out of the straws because I’m pretty sure I ended up with a condition similar to your stenciling injury, Sherry!

    Also, I’m basically obsessed with Karmin. I have a friend who is a fashion designer, and Amy actually ordered one of her dresses and wore it in a YouTube video! Kinda gotta love her based on that instance alone!

    Have fun at Clara’s party! The invitations are completely adorable!

    Reply

  47. linda says

    i was going to say you need a dirt cake w/worms… but i see you’ve already addressed it… ya… it would be pretty messy… but it’s oh so yummy and right on theme! can’t wait to see the party pics next week!

    Reply

  49. Jenny says

    At the moment I’m working on my son’s high school graduation party. I’m keeping the food simple with pizza, chicken fingers, cupcakes, and homemade cherry limeade. Total teenage boy food.

    My dad made me a dollhouse when I was eight. I still have it some 30+ years later. It’s 4 floors and stands about 6 foot. Dad used a string of Christmas lights to create overhead lighting in each room as well as made several pieces of furniture (beds, picnic table, etc). Mom made curtains for each of the windows (which Dad added plexiglass to) and used small cuphooks and dowel rods as curtain rods. She also wall papered each floor and used free carpet and vinyl samples in each room. The outside even had shutters! Best Christmas present ever!!

    Not certain if yours would need this based on size but while building Clara’s you could consider one thing my Dad did – he built a seperate platform the same size as the dollhouse and added wheels. This made moving the dollhouse a breeze.

    Enjoy your party this weekend!

    Reply

  50. Maggie Rose says

    I’ve been reading for years, so to me it also feels like Clara JUST turned one! Hmm, then again I can’t believe I’m about to turn 27! My birthday is the 15th so we’re also doing a little party (not worm related, haha) on the 12th. Although I DID start a worm club in elementary school (later changed to the Slug Club due to more slugs in Washington state). We measured worms we found and recorded their length… but the Slug Club was more of a communal dare to touch a slug, haha.

    Reply

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