AboutGeorgia Blair Expertise Are you planning a child's birthday party at home? Want to make it more exciting than exhausting? A little expert advice can help make it a more memorable event. The Party Fairy's strategies for successful parties can help parents turn down the chaos level and turn up the fun. We specialize in fantasy tea parties - but whether you're planning a sweet and nostalgic tea party or a rough-and-rowdy treasure hunt for boisterous little pirates, we have plenty of tips, tools and techniques to share. Need an idea for a centerpiece? A party game? Wondering whether the activities you have selected are age-appropriate for your guests? Not sure what to do with the two little boy cousins invited to a very girlie-girlie tea party? We can answer a variety of questions on many topics. Chances are good that we've heard your question before - but if not, we've created an entire business from the ability to create and imagine workable programs for children!
Experience As the owner of The Party Fairy, I have personally conducted more than 600 birthday parties for children on a paid basis - and did this free of charge for years before I decided to trun it into a business. All told, I have probably conducted more than 750 parties.
Organizations None are relevant.:) And don't worry; nothing odd. Just church and school organizations.
Publications New York Times regional newspapers chain (I was an employee for several years and worked at various newspapers during my 20-year journalism career) I also worked at many smaller newspapers throughout Alabama
Education/Credentials I was a journalism major many, many years ago - shortly after the world was created. :) Although a journalistic background is not particularly relevant to the business of children's party planning, a communications background could prove useful in answering questions from the public.
Awards and Honors Hmmm....
The only ones possibly relevant here are several Associated Press newswriting awards
Past/Present Clients No one of national note or significance (yet!) because my clients are all pretty much under 9 years old! But to their parents, of course, my little clients are all shining stars! :)
Question We are planning our son's 2nd birthday party and he loves music. Any ideas would be appreciated. Centerpieces in particular. Party punch? We visisted the local party supply store and bought everything from the rock and roll section, lots of music note decor. We were hoping for some crafty, original, perhaps semi homemade ideas. Thank you for your time!
Answer Hi!
Sounds like you have a great start for a fun celebration for your little music lover. Here are a couple of ideas for your centerpieces...
Are you good at creating flower arrangements? You can create a fun and inexpensive musical instrument arrangement using the same aesthetic principles required for flower arranging...
Visit your local dollar store to pick up a handful of plastic recorders ("flutes") in bright, fun colors. They're almost always stocked in the toy section at my local dollar store, and I hope you'll be able to find them, too. From time to time, I also see harmonicas and maracas there. Once you've collected a nice assortment of these instruments, head over to the home decor section to pick up a large, clear plastic vase. Finish off with a stop in party goods to pick up some colorful shredded mylar.
To create a fun and festive centerpiece, start by filling the vase with shredded mylar, but save some to go around the base of the centerpiece, too. Next, insert the recorders to create festive, angled upright cylinders of color in each vase. Tuck the the smaller items such as maracas and harmonicas in and among the upright recorders. You may have to play around with it awhile to get a pleasing look. Carefully lay the remaining small instruments on the shredded mylar around the base of your container. If you have any small colorful paper or mylar music notes from your party supply store, place a few of them on and around the small harmonicas or maracas, too.
At the end of the party, remove the centerpieces from the tables and allow each child to pull out his or her own recorder or maraca as a party favor. They're too young at 2 to really use the recorders or harmonicas, but they can certainly shake those maracas, and will have a great time with them!
If your dollar store does not have any maracas in stock right now, you can usually order them from Oriental Trading Company. They won't cost much. Take a look at www.orientaltrader.com
Another simple idea for centerpieces is to use drums.... Instead of buying real drums for the children, you might make them out of round oatmeal boxes or hatboxes. Use craft paint to turn the little box into a drum. Create a tiered centerpiece out of your homemade drums by making them two or three different heights, and add a few touches such a harmonica and other musical instruments. Set the entire drum centerpiece on a bed of shredded mylar for festive, colorful appeal.
Here's an idea for finding a nice assortment of small-scale, inexpensive musical instruments such as French horns and violins to decorate your homemade drum centerpiece...Use Christmas ornaments! I usually see gold or silver musical instruments among the selection of Christmas ornaments at Wal-mart, Target and Michael's or Ben Franklin Craft Stores each year. Hobby Lobby stores are another good place to check. As we move toward the end of October, retail stores will begin to replace Halloween merchandise with Christmas ornaments, so it's a good time of year to look.
I hope these ideas help you! Have a wonderful musical party....
