Goodbye 2013 ... Our Year in Celebrations!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope you all had a beautiful and happy Christmas with your families.  Ours was fantastic, enjoyed every minute though always a little sad at how fast it goes and it's back to the norm.

Whilst it had it's highlights I'll admit im glad to see the end of 2013 and looking forward to a fresh, new and positive 2014!

Here is a look back at some of our 2013 celebrations & highlights.  Always lovely to look back at the fun times in the year that was.

Wishing you all a fantastic 2014, we look forward to helping you with your celebrations again this year ♥

Kate xx

Some of the photos contained within these collages were taken by; 

Lightbox Photography

Caleb Macintyre Photography

xxxx

Paige's 2nd Birthday - Peppa Pig Theme

Hello :)

It was my little girl Paige's 2nd Birthday on Friday and we celebrated with family over the weekend.  Paige loves Peppa Pig so we decided on that for her theme this year.  I wanted to make it really girly so we used lots of pinks and reds and then added a splash of Peppa Pig goodies to tie in our theme.

It was only a little party this year with her brothers and five little cousins, so we kept it pretty simple desserts wise and had a yummy mud cake, vanilla flower cupcakes, Peppa Pig and apple themed cookies and a few sweets.

The kids just played out side and we also did a pass the parcel which we decided to play a little different.  I made up party bags with Peppa Pig themed goodies inside and attached different Peppa Pig character cards to the front.  All the bags were then placed in the middle of the circle.  When each child opened a wrapping, they had a character card inside and had to match the card to the bag and that was their prize.  This then doubled as their take home party bag, along with a little bucket of marshmellows.

We had a lovely little celebration and I hope you enjoy a few of the party set up pictures below :)  I will be adding some more pictures of the party being enjoyed soon on the blog and will also pop all the photos on our Facebook page.

Vendor credits below.

Kate xxx

Tables, chairs, linens all props such as candy jars, wooden stumps, trays, cake stands - Piece of Cake Party & Event Hire

Baking Cups, Marshmellow Pink Plates, Marshmellow Pink Cups, White Paper Straws, Wooden Cutlery, Grass Mats, Tissue Pom Poms, Paper Lanterns, Bunting, Balloons, Red Polka Dot Party Bags, Party Buckets, Pink Stripe Party Hats - Piece of Cake Parties & Celebrations

Photography - Lightbox Photography

Backdrop and Printables - Style Me Gorgeous

Peppa Pig Cake - Cassey Ingram

Flower Cupcakes - Niknaks Sweetest Treats

Peppa Pig & Apple Cookies - Kate's Cookies

Paige's Peppa Pig Party Hat - Little Miss Charlie's Treasures

Peppa Pig themed masks, plates, cups, balloons - Character Parties 

Peppa Pig Snap Cards - Big W

Turtleman saw our Party! How cool is that ...

Hi There!

Well back in July we had my son Declan's 4th Birthday party and we did a Turtleman & Gator Boys theme.  Based on two shows that Declan loves.

Well imagine my excitement and amazement the day after I posted Declan's party pictures on the Piece of Cake Parties & Celebrations Facebook page, I wake up to this comment ...

OMG - THE Call of the Wildman - Turtleman page has seen our party & took the time to comment.  How cool is that!

Then I go to check my PM's & they have sent me a message as well! Rodney the Social Media Manager for Turtleman had messaged saying that they would love to send something for Declan from Ernie (Turtleman) and the Guys. 

A few weeks later Declan received a personalised, signed Turtleman Photo in the mail.

One very excited little boy and family and we can not thank Rodney, Turtleman & the Crew enough for this really generous and lovely gesture.  We will always remember this and thank you so much for your kindness :)

So hows that hey, who would have thought that they would ever come across our little backyard party, let alone contact us about it.  Loving the Internet for making such connections possible and the kindness of this great team! 

This is being framed and is going straight to the pool room! 

Kate xxx

Did you see our Turtleman and Gator Boys Party ?  See it here 

My son Ethan's 6th Birthday - Rollerskating Party

Hi There!

This year for Ethan's 6th Birthday Party we had planned a fun Art party at home with his school friends though a few weeks beforehand he decided he would really rather just go rollerskating (insert, tiny Mummy sob here).  We have never had a 'venue' party before and I did struggle a little with the thought of no creative control shall we call it ;)

Ethan has had a pretty rough year.  After having tummy issues for the last couple of years, he got really unwell just before Easter. After various testing Ethan was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. (In people with coeliac disease the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats), causing small bowel damage.  There is no cure and the only treatment is to completely remove gluten from the diet, permanently.)

This was disappointing news for us (yes I know we can manage this disease & it could be worse) but still you never want to hear that your child has health issues, especially ones that will be there for the rest of their lives.  So a big lifestyle change for Ethan and our family.  Ethan has been amazing in coping with his diagnosis and we are so proud of how well he has adapted. Though it has had its emotional challenges as whilst he understands pretty much whats going on, try getting a 5 year old to see reason at a friends birthday party when they want to help themselves to the food table, have a piece of the birthday cake or eat the sweets from the party bag, when they just cant anymore!

Wanting a venue party now poses the 'food allergy' issue for us, but we were lucky this time that a local rollerskating rink allow 'self catered' parties so we were able to bring our own food (& I got to set up a small dessert table & bring some pretty decorations, yay! )

Because we were having it at a venue we decided to make it a mostly family celebration - Ethan's cousins, Aunties/Uncles and Grandparents and then he was allowed to invite 3 school friends.  

So whilst birthday parties are always special in our family, I wanted to make his day extra special this year so rollerskating it was!  I also wanted almost 100% of the food & party bag goodies to be gluten free, so he didn't have to be limited at his own party. 

It was a lovely morning, full of laughs and lots of stacks & face plants (mostly by the oldies). 

As the party was a pretty last minute theme change, we chose an invitation and based our colours around this, Orange & Black.  I only had 15 - 20 minutes to set up but I was happy with how it turned out and ended up loving the colours together!

No professional photos for this party, so here are a few personal photos, thanks to my sister Mel for snapping these for me, as I ran out of time. 

Kate xxx

Vendor Credits

Big thanks to the businesses that helped with our special day!  Big thanks to the ladies who did cakes & cookies and for doing these gluten free for us! 

Piece of Cake Parties & Celebrations - Styling & Set Up, Paper Eskimo Black Tie Plates & Cups, Orange Chevron Paper Straws, Orange Stripe Hats, Wooden Cutlery, Baking Cups, Candles & Party Buckets and contents.

The Trendy Butterfly - Invitations, Backdrop Design, Party Bag Tag Design, Place card Design.

Cassey Ingram - Cake

Niknaks Sweetest Treats - Cupcakes

Kate's Cookies - Roller skate Cookies

Ellenbrook Party Shop - Balloons

Skate International - Venue

Declan's 4th Birthday - Turtleman & Gator Boys Theme

Hi There :)

A couple of weeks ago was my Declan's 4th Birthday!  Declan decided on a Turtle Man & Gator Boys party theme this year.

We are just having small parties this year with immediate family, but boy did I struggle with ideas for this theme, even though I love the shows.  I wasn't really sure I pulled it off to be honest but throughout the planning process & also on the day, Declan kept telling me how fantastic everything was and how much he loved everything and I got so many cuddles to say thanks, so if the birthday boy was happy, then that's what matters.

The party itself was so lovely and relaxed and everyone had a really great time.   Cant ask for more than that :)  (Even though every time I look at the below picture, i want to kick myself, because i really should have lowered that turtle a little hahah)

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the pictures

Kate xxx

Jelly Cups.  Cutlery from Piece of Cake Parties. Stamp from Sweet Style. 

Super Cute Turtle Cookies by Kate's Cookies

Alligator Pies

Amazing Alligator Cake Pops by Cake Pop Creations

Brilliant Turtle man & Gator Boys cake made by my friend Cassey

Banner from Cake Face Toppers. 

These hats were the best thing ever, the kids loved them & wore them the whole time. (Purchased from Spotlight.)

We love to use themed plates for our parties so we chose these because Turtleman has caught & relocated Raccoon's & Snakes

Chocolates by Chocolate Wrapped 

Party Bags.  Bag Tags by Digi Creation Station (they did our super cool invitations as well)

"Live Action" - Declan the birthday boy!

Ethan & Declan 

Paigey rocking her Camo Glasses from the party bags. 

Vendor Credits

Big thanks to all those who provided their services or goodies for Declan's special day x

Piece of Cake Parties & Celebrations/ Piece of Cake Party & Event Hire - Styling, Table, Stools, Props, Tableware, Wooden Cutlery, Decorations

Photography - Lightbox Photography

Cake - Cassey Ingram

Cake Pops -  Cake Pop Creations

Cookies - Kate's Cookies

Chocolates - Chocolate Wrapped

Invitations & Bag Tags - Digi Creation Station

Live Action Banner - Cake Face Toppers