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 im planning a party for a girl turning 12. please give me some creative ideas, because i am running out. not too big of a thing, she wants to keep it more private. i thought of a runway show, but shes done that before. and a backyard campout would have been fun, but her bdays in november. help please!
Answer Girls this age generally love taking a small group on an outing, then returning home for a sleepover. Ice skating, roller skating, visiting a rock climbing wall, or even seeing a movie would work.
If your daughter wants something a bit more out-of-the-ordinary than roller skating and a sleepover for a group of only 4 or 5 girls, you might consider renting a limousine for the evening. Girls adore a limo ride --and the ride itself will be great entertainment. The limo could take girls to a posh restaurant downtown for a pricey evening -- or to a simple pizzeria or ice cream parlor for far less expensive treats. It doesn't even have to take them for a meal; it could take them to a local salon for manicures or pedicures. The destination is not nearly so important as the ride, and girls this age would be just as happy to have a limo ride to an ice cream cone as a imo ride to a five-star restaurant!
Onel of the best girl parties we ever staged for my daughter was a mall party. We scouted stores at the mall, choosing very inexpensive items in many different stores, such as earrings on sale for 50 cents at Claire's, red-tagged candles at Kirkland's, bath product samples at Bath and Body, penny candy from the candy store, etc. We spent less than $5 total per guest on all the party treats. We purchased these items at each store, explained to the front desk staff what we were doing, and had the bags held with my daughter's name. Then we wrote simple clue cards and had a mall scavenger hunt. Girls had to figure out which store to go to next, based on the cards. When they arrived at the store, they asked for the bag waiting at the front desk for them. They were so excited to open the bags and see what treat was waiting inside for them. We gave each girl her own treat bag at the beginning to hold the items parceled out to her at various stores. We ended with an ice cream treat in the food court at the mall.
You can have a traditional scavenger hunt at your own home, too, if you live in a neighborhood where you know all the neighbors on your street and set some firm ground rules for safety. It's a great activity for girls this age.
Is your daughter crafty? Visit a local pottery painting store with a kiln. Girls can paint and fire their own pottery piece at these stores. You will be allowed to select from a variety of clay figures in the price range you want.
Is she into sports? Call a local sports park to arrange a small group golf lesson for 4 or 5 girls. The pro will charge by the hour for this service, so it will be more economical than a one-on-one lesson, and it's more fun to learn in a group. Afterward, you can all go out for pizza or have cake and ice cream in the clubhouse.
Depending on where you live, another great option can be live theatre. This is something girls this age don't naturally think of on their own, but they really love it when exposed. Check your local listingsto see which shows are playing in your area or in a nearby town.
Finally, don't totally rule out the campout if this is what your daughter really wants... There are ways to make it happen. You might turn it into a bonfire instead, roasting weiners and marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Warm jackets and blankets will make it bearable. Serve plenty of hot chocolate or hot apple cider. Then move it all inside for a sleepover after the bonfire. If you have a basement or even a garage, you can always pitch a tent there!
