How to Throw a Party with 3 Hours Notice

Miss Beaux just turned 16!  I had been asking her for weeks if she wanted to have a 16th Birthday Party.  "No Mom!" She doesn't like to be the center of attention so we settled on a family dinner and allowing a friend to come with us on our upcoming trip to our Colorado house for Spring Break.  

Here's where the impromptu party part comes into play:  One of her good friends' Birthday is close to hers so they decided to get together on Saturday night with a few friends at our house.  "Is this a party Miss Beaux?"  "No MOM!!!"  Hmmmmm.  Saturday morning the "get together" had multiplied into more than 12 girls coming over to hang out.  I'm sorry, but that's a PARTY!!!Poor Miss Beaux was having anxiety attacks over the whole affair so we put our heads together and I told her not to worry about ANYTHING.... 

LET'S HAVE A SWEET 16!!!!!

Our First stop was to the Dollar Store.  We picked up the mason jars and tried to find the best candy that they had (some of it can be kinda sketchy if you know what I mean).  We bought plates, napkins and a whole bunch of silly props. (More on that later)

I already had a whole bunch of Apothecary Jars on hand and the ribbon from Costco.  Viola!

SWEET 16!

Next Stop:  Target for more Candy and Party City for Cellophane Goodie Bags and assorted items like the confetti , decorations and the Balloons.  (Can you believe that the Dollar Store was out of Helium!)

I set up a Photobooth for the Girls to have their picture taken.  We did this at my Niece's wedding and they all had so much fun with it.  Hers was an actual Photo Booth, but I thought I could Improvise and get the same effect.  

( Faces have been pixelated)  

I put up a sheet and some decorations, placed a couple of chairs in front, we set out all of the props (funny hats, big glasses, leis, pink hair, crowns, etc...most of it from the Dollar Store) and I set up my tripod and snapped 4 pictures of the girls in a row.  You can see my set up on the right.

I found a program on the internet that allows you to turn the pictures into a real PhotoBooth Strip.  Here is the site that I used Big Huge Labs. It was free!

I printed the pictures onto 4X6 photo paper and then cut them into the strips using a paper cutter.  As they were enjoying the party and playing the Wii Dance game, I was in the corner (trying to be invisible, OH the gossip of who is "dating" who and who "broke up" with who) printing and cutting.  As each strip was finished I put them on the posterboard for everyone to see and take home with their candy bag at the end of the night.  

OK, I think it all turned out great given the time constraints that I had.  

You would think that the girls would have loved everything and been Super Impressed with my Party Planning in a Pinch Skills.  NO!!! I did NOT become a PARTY PLANNING DIVA until I told them that I could post the pictures for them on FACEBOOK!!!

Only then did I get lots of LOVE!!!

Until Next Time,

Beaux R'eves

XO Cindy