Did you catch our big announcement on Facebook yesterday? We’ve started announcing our four new Party Tip Tuesday contributors starting in January 2014 and Corrie of Teacups and Trucks was our first announced! Corrie is loaded with creative party ideas and we thought that a great way to introduce you all to her was to feature her in a Q&A. We’ve asked her a few questions about party planning as a sneak peek to what you can expect to see from her in the new year.
1) What is Teacups and Trucks?
Teacups and Trucks is an all-inclusive, mobile theme party planning business. We specialize in children’s birthday parties, but also host baby and bridal showers, adult birthday parties, corporate events, pet pawties and summer day camps! We pride ourselves in making our events stress free, especially for parents! Our birthday parties include a hostess to conduct theme related games and crafts, over the top decorations, favors, costumes, invitations and so much more!
2) What are three things that you think every “party mama” should have on hand?
- At least 2 interactive games that go along with the theme of your child’s party.
- A small activity or craft that guests can do when they arrive at the party until everyone else arrives. ie: coloring sheets, tattoos, bubbles etc.
- Candles! I can’t tell you how often they are forgotten. If you are going to have a fancy cake and spend the time to have a nice party, your child needs something to blow out and make a wish on when it’s time to sing Happy Birthday!
3) What are some of your favorite ways to dress up otherwise standard party supplies?
Our design coordinator, Faith Hawkins, is the best at coming up with ways to create something from nothing! Making new and different things from ordinary household items is her expertise! She recommends that you first start with a theme and that can be anything from concept to color. When your party is coordinated it can make something simple look extraordinary. The key is creating a cohesive look. Don’t have a pink princess party and buy red plates and primary colored balloons. In the same way, don’t buy princess designed plates and matching princess designed napkins. Instead go for solid colored napkins. Less is more!
Other tips are to use what you already have. For instance, use a themed piñata as a centerpiece and plan to do that activity toward the end of the party or use a standard vase, put it in a box wrapped in coordinated wrapping paper and add some fresh flowers. The trick is doing it yourself!
4) Do you have a few tips for inexpensive ways to add that special “WOW” factor to a party?
There are lots of ways to inexpensively add that WOW factor to any party. Anything that you can hang, always gives it that party feel. Flag banners, tissue pom poms or paper lanterns are always a big hit! Another idea is to choose a location that doesn’t clash with your theme or a theme that doesn’t clash with your location, whatever works best for you.
Another way to add WOW is to use decorations for your party from things you can probably find in your child’s bedroom. For instance, a princess party could be decorated with princess dolls, artwork or dresses. Tiaras on the table could double as favors and add flair. And lastly, make your own tissue pom poms in coordinating colors and hang them with pretty ribbon over the table and you’re done! Your party will look like a million bucks!
5) Of all the parties you’ve designed, is there an activity or design element that sticks out in your mind as one the the kids really enjoyed?
For our pirate theme party we took old cardboard refrigerator boxes and cut them out to resemble pirate ships. We painted them black and gave them pirate ship names and the kids love to get on them for games at this party. Children are all about imagination, so any way you can make their fantasy come to life, the better!
*All photos courtesy of Teacups & Trucks.
We’d like to send a big THANK YOU to Corrie for being featured today. You can catch more of her creative ideas by following her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Stay tuned for more from Corrie starting in January 2014!
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