I was excited and honored to see Dean's party featured on Apartment Therapy Family recently, after having the honor of being in the Party of Five round-up at Hostess with the Mostess and on Project Nursery's week-end round-up. Dean feels very special, ha. But Dean's first birthday wasn't my only special project in April!
Last fall, I donated a party planning package to the silent auction at my kids' daycare fundraiser. I couldn't believe someone actually paid for it, but they did! In fact, the high bidders were my friend Mimi and her husband, the same couple I threw the Penny Carnival baby shower for, just over a year ago. You can probably guess what recently rolled around--Penny's first birthday!
I threw out a couple girly party ideas, only to be surprised with a theme that Kevin and Mimi had cooked up themselves--Godzilla! Kevin and Mim are fans of vintage horror movies and Japanese films in general, so I had the best time collaborating with them on this little monster bash.
My husband remembered that he and his brother had owned large Godzilla toys as kids, and he went hunting in the treasure trove of his parents' basement and found them! They made a big difference in our tablescape. My mom and I made a cardboard cut-out of the Nashville skyline, painted it gray and filled in the details with pencil.
The banner is reminiscent of Japanese flags, with the word "PenZilla" in the Godzilla font linked above. It's just 8.5" x 11" white cardstock, with the letters printed on red printer paper that I cut into circles. It's sewn together with grosgrain ribbon.
We put some peeps in the Godzillas' hands as a funny nod to Easter, which was the next day.
Red lanterns and green paper poms rounded out the rest of the decor.
The food was loosely themed around Godzilla and his radioactivity/atomic fire breath. "Atomic Chicken" was really hot chicken--if you live in or have been to Nashville and have never tried it, you are missing out. Eat hot chicken! But keep a glass of milk nearby. (We also had a plate of "non nuclear" chicken for the kiddos.)
"Chopped sticks" were just crudite and ranch dip in individual cups.
And it's tough to see here, but we had peanut butter and jelly "sushi," basically just PB & J rolled up in white bread and sliced. It was adorable and the kids couldn't get enough of it.
I carved a Godzilla (or a dinosaur, whatever you prefer) head out of a small watermelon, as recommended by the National Watermelon Promotion Board(who knew, right?). You can see the "sushi" a little bit here, to the left.
Here's a hasty iPhone pic of the Dino-Melon in progress. Ignore my messy stovetop--when I am getting ready for a party, the kitchen is chaos.
I filled him up with cut fruit, and here he is again after everyone had . . . eaten the fruit from out of and around his mouth? It didn't seem so disgusting at the time, sorry.
I made Godzilla Egg cake pops, natch.
We served "nuclear limeade" and "uncontaminated water":
Some Sapporo and other beers provided some grown-up drink choices (looks like the guest of honor's bottle is chilling in here, too!).
Guests mingled outside and inside, where the hosts had the original Godzilla movie playing.
My little monsters and I had some fun playing with the backdrop afterwards!
Dean seemed to take his role very seriously.
Banner, invitation, food signs, backdrop: Yours truly
Cake Pops and Watermelon carving: Me again
Chicken, hot and not: Pepperfire, East Nashville
Godzilla props: vintage
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