Archive for the 'Whatnots' Category

Leo’s favorite thing in the entire world is CARS. He loves the Disney/Pixar movie (both 1 and 2). He also isn’t picky and loves anything that has to do with automobiles and racing that aren’t affiliated with Disney. Thanks to the fact that 1) You can still buy Matchbox cars for between 89 cents and a dollar these days and 2) his dad likes to collect the Disney cars just as much as Leo (There. I said it. My husband is just a great big kid.) Leo has a HUGE collection of “tiny cars” (as he calls them) and carries them around our house ALL. THE. TIME. He knows every single one by name and always has his hands full with at least two – most times more. He loves Lightning McQueen and Mater and Finn and Holly and Carla and Doc and The King and Chick Hicks and Leland and Nigel and Tomby and Trunkov and Sally and Miguel and Raul Cerul and Max and Lewis and and and (you name a car, Leo will know it and love it). When I asked him what he wanted his birthday cake to be, he excitedly exclaimed “A RACETRACK HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAKE!” And then he talked about it for WEEKS! I had never made a birthday cake before. (Other than your basic cake pan yellow cake with chocolate frosting.) How was I going to manage a racetrack cake? But thanks to google and Pinterest and my own 100 mile a minute brain, I was able to make it work. (At least I think it worked. I’m not a professional by any means. So all cake making professionals, look away now…) I won’t lie. Leo’s party was super fun for me to plan and bring to life. I made the Flo’s Cafe sign and all the little signs for the refreshments with chalk paper and chalk. The cake and cupcakes were fun to do (although I will warn you – black food coloring is a BEAST to work with – yikes! Lesson learned!) The bunting banner was pretty simple. I just got big felt pieces from JoAnn’s fabric store and cut them into triangles and then strung them onto grosgrains ribbon. I bought inexpensive stickers to put on the water bottles – a super easy solution for drinks for everyone – yet still festive and fun. Believe it or not, the candy was probably my biggest splurge for the entire party. Which is ironic, considering I don’t eat sugar (and haven’t for over six months now). I’m such a hypocrite. But it made the party so much cuter! The vintage gas station sign (number 3) was one of my favorite splurges as well. It just fit our theme of Cars (and Route 66 – and the color scheme) so well. We put on the movie Cars and watched it in our basement with some fun popcorn at the “Radiator Springs Drive-In Theater.” I think everyone who came had a fun time. But most importantly our little Leo had a blast and it just might be a birthday that he remembers. If not, at least he will have some beautiful pictures to look back on.

Some sources for supplies: Kara’s Party Ideas, Cute Kids Food Box, Paper and Present, 26 Olive Street, Oriental Trading Company