Piece of Cake: 'Inspiring Party Parents' ~ Meet Leisa from Party Prop Hire

Hi There,

Being a work at home Mum I love to find other like-minded Mums/Parents who have turned their passion for all things 'party' into a business where they can share that passion with others and help them create magical celebrations for their little ones. I thought it would be great to chat with such business parents to help spread the word about the great services they offer and also get their top tips on how we can host fun and memorable parties of our own.

I'm very excited to introduce our first guest Leisa Mackintosh from 'Party Prop Hire'. I'm sure you will agree the props available are fun & unique and would make an exciting addition to any party set up. Judging by their passion for parties, which is evident in the answers below - I'm sure the service at Party Prop Hire would also be just as awesome as their props! Enjoy the interview ...

Tell us a little bit about YOU and your family …

I am a mother of three and wife to one! I have been gifted with the most amazing children and feel very blessed to have a husband that is so supportive. Party Prop Hire is a true family business. We have fabulous researchers who come up with some amazing ideas and source products that I have dreamt of, we have someone with the skills to turn my visions into reality, not to mention a fantastic delivery crew – all in the one family! I can’t begin to explain the joy Party Prop Hire brings, not only doing what I love... but the true gift is doing it with the people I love. I am absolutely passionate about creating experiences that you can hold dear for a lifetime. I am living my dream, following my creative passion and doing something I truly enjoy. Still pinching myself!

So you have just opened Party Prop Hire, congratulations! Tell us about what inspired you to open your business, the services you offer and what makes it awesome?

I have always loved a good theme. I would get our daughters and their cousins together for theme days, not even for anyone’s birthday, just celebrating life. Then I began to create themes for their parties and gradually built up a collection of props which would transform any space. So much time was spent searching for and sourcing products to create themes, yet I was never able to find everything I wanted. I had so many ideas and luckily a creative, artistic husband who was able to bring my visions to life. Our parties got bigger and better each year until one day another parent asked me to create a party for her child’s birthday. Party Prop Hire was born that day. My children talk about their parties for years and years after the event, the excitement experienced by my children and their friends is something that I wanted to make available and affordable to others. I want everyone to experience the magic that we all felt. We hire everything you need to create your themed event. What makes us awesome is our unique and quirky props which are one of a kind, as the majority of the props are handcrafted. You simply can’t get these items anywhere else. We have suggested essential packs or deluxe packs or we are happy to customise a pack to suit your needs. We currently service the Brisbane area.

You told me you have collected party props from all over the world & your husband also creates a lot of props from your visions. What is your favourite party prop and what’s the story behind it?

So hard to pick just one....from the Alice in Wonderland collection I love the quirky sign posts and the pink flamingo mallets. All of these were designed and handcrafted by my husband, they were the first props that we created so they will always hold a special place in my heart.

From the Harry Potter collection I can’t go past Quidditch...from the goal posts, to the handcrafted broomsticks, to the quaffle sourced from USA. You really do feel like you are on the Hogwarts Quidditch field and watching the children playing Quidditch in their Hogwarts uniforms really has to be seen to be believed.

What makes a birthday party special in your eyes?

Celebrations are so very special. In a little while your child will forget what he or she was given as a gift but the experience you created for them with a themed event will never be forgotten. What makes a birthday party special is when it becomes an experience and not just another party.

What advice would you give to other mums & dads to help them create truly memorable parties for their children?

First of all decide on a theme, something that means something to your child. Then it is all in the planning and finding great resources. A well planned party makes for a fun easy day for everyone. From the moment the invitations are sent out, guests can tell is it going to be a party to remember. So make the invitations really special. A quirky, unusual invitation creates excitement and suspense.

Here are just a few of the great props on offer from the Alice in Wonderland & Harry Potter ranges, check out the website for the full range!