by Jacqui Miyabayashi of Mee A Bee
You’ve heard of Bridezilla? Ever wondered where she goes when she has kids? Once a year, at least, she resurfaces, at her kids’ parties! I did once aspire to be that mom who threw parties that would be photographed for glossy magazines and talked about for years to come. I soon realized that my budget and lifestyle wouldn’t allow for that. I love making things myself and I really enjoy the party planning process. This month our family will celebrate my youngest son’s fifth birthday. I thought I’d share some of my plans – it’s a work in progress being still three weeks away. It’s a low-budget, homemade kind of affair.
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I’m using Pinterest to keep my ideas together and I just love how it’s shaping up:
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Summer in Japan is hot and humid which lends itself to a pool party. Except we don’t have a pool. We make do with a large paddling pool in our backyard. This year I am adding a variation to the theme making it a Polar Bear Pool Party. My fella loves bears and I happen to know that Polar Bears love to swim. In the lead-up to the big event we’ve been reading about Arctic animals both online and in books from our own shelves and the library.
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Our party will be very simple, at home, with just the immediate family. We’ll have a cake, maybe even an ice cream cake, which I will decorate with polar bears, like the ones pictured. There will be lots of cold drinks and for a special treat I will buy the popular ramune Japanese soft drink for the kids. It comes in a blue bottle which suits our arctic theme. We have a few handmade fabric buntings that also suit the icy blue color theme. We’re also spending the month making white and blue tissue-paper poms-poms and crepe-paper streamers. I expect we’ll have a lot of fun splashing in the pool but for games I love the tutorial for [ice]-fishing which I found on minieco.co.uk
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Our party last year was very similar, just the family, the pool and a barbecue. My son still talks about it and it ranks as one of his top childhood memories. He actually doesn’t believe it’s already time to celebrate again. For me it was all about spending time together. Low-budget, minimal preparation and maximum enjoyment. Visit my Pinterest page to see what other gorgeous homemade finds inspire me over the next few weeks.
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Have any ideas for the party? Share them in the comments!
So cute Jacqui! I love the simple cake with the polar bears and blue cake buntings.
Japanese summers are brutal (and I would think even more so with energy restraints this year) – a polar party sounds lovely and cool.
I think “blue” kakigori (shaved ice) would be a great addition. Icy, refreshing & a treat!
Thanks Marisa, that’s a great idea. I’ve seen the shaved ice makers in the shops. My kids would die of happiness I think!
I got the polar bears in the mail today and they are SO CUTE. I can’t wait to make that cake.
We picked up a shaved ice machine at the Loft (I think) our last summer in Japan and it’s still going strong. We love it! Strawberry syrup with condensed milk is the best.
Stop it you two! Now I totally have to have a pool party & buy a shaved ice making machine-sounds just wonderful!
I just started sewing and this looks like a great book for me! Thanks for reviewing it.