Pirate Party Dessert Table/Feature Wall

Quinn’s birthday party was two weekends ago, he officially turned four on the sixth.

Everytime I say: “I cannot believe you are four!”

Quinn’s says: “Mom, are you gonna cry?”

Yup, they grow up so fast. So, so, so fast. At any rate, I think it is about time I got to sharing the deets on his Pirate party. I have a lot I want to share, but today I am just going to focus on the dessert table/feature wall.

The wall went from fall:

to Pirate Party:

To Halloween:

We have definitely been busy around here decorating. I personally like to choose one place (this shelf/wall) and focus a lot of attention on it. I feel like decorations spread out don’t have a lot of impact, but if you focus on one space you can really get some bang for your buck. There were other festive decorations here and there, but the dining room shelf/wall was the real focus.

For the back drop I used wrapping paper. I got some double sided poster tape, which I am now in love with. It held up all the party decoration and that tape is currently holding up all my bats. Easy to put up, easy to take down. I’m a fan. And Scotch isn’t even paying me to say so (although they are welcome too).

I actually set this wall up the week before his party. The tape held all week, no problem.

The balloon topiaries and balloon wreath I made for Quinn’s Badger birthday last year. I also used them for Eleanor’s Elmo birthday party and Valentine’s Day. The skull I picked up super cheap from somewhere and then reused it in my Halloween display. The treasure chest was a gift to Quinn from his Aunt Brianna & Uncle Jamie last year. The treat bags are from Target and the bunting is from TJ Maxx. The treat bags had a sword, pirate hat, eye patch, pirate tattoos & pirate colored crayons in them.

Below the shelf is the dessert table. My mom made the cupcakes, cookies & brownie bites (not pictured). I really tried to stick with the pirate theme or at least the colors.

The Air Heads and sugared cherries really just fit the color theme. The candy necklaces and ring pops were my play on pirate jewels. My other very piratey snacks were swedish fish, Jake & the Neverland fruit snacks, Goldfish (wearing pirate hats), & Pirates Booty. I actually had clever names for everything and was going to make these cute little labels, but I just never got around to it. You know how that goes.

Chocolate gold coins are a must. The skeleton hand was a cheap find somewhere and I reused that, as well, in my Halloween wall. My MIL saw this pirate ship cupcake holder, the cupcake toppers/wrappers and the bunting at TJ Maxx and picked them up for us. My mom made the pirate cookies & cupcakes. My mom had the most obvious, yet genius idea. You know how when you bake the cupcakes in the wrappers they get all discolored and lose their cuteness? My mom decided to bake them in a plain wrapper and then drop them in the cute wrappers when it was time to put them on display. Duh? Why had I never thought of that. Looked much cuter that way.

There is more party fun to share, but I didn’t want to go overboard on you all. Deep down inside I know this is a bit ridiculous for a four-year-old. The truth is, I do this as much for me as for my children. I love doing this kind of thing. I think I would have loved to have been a party/event planner. It is just fun! Plus, it really does make the kiddos feel special. It feels like a different day. I was shocked when Quinn asked when I was going to decorate and then went on to spout off various decorations from his third birthday. I couldn’t believe he remembered that! I am also lucky enough to get a lot of help. My mom and MIL picked up pirate things when they saw them. I borrowed glassware from my mom (from my sister’s wedding), & my mom did all the baking. Of course a husband who gives up his Friday night to help hang wrapping paper on your wall and other various (seemingly crazy/pointless things) is a keeper in my book.

 

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