ballerina birthday party
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/022_djrpde.jpg)
(awesome photos by Alea Moore)
Vivi turned 5 in November, and it's so hard to believe we have reached this milestone! To celebrate, we threw her a ballerina birthday party, since she loves all things dancing. We hosted in the basement playroom; the past few years I have had her party outside, but after last year's rain I decided to play it safe.
(pictured above: garland, gold fringe, pink paper, cups, ballerina toppers; pink honeycomb)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/035_qnxabh.jpg)
I tried to make the space feel really different, and we rolled up the rugs and some of the toys and put them away. I covered the back wall in that pink butcher paper, and hung gold fringe over it for a really festive look. For the centerpiece, I made a name marquee out of cardboard, paint, and Christmas lights.
(pictured above: tablecloths; pink tulle; ribbon wands; ombre plates; crowns; pink honeycombs; white honeycombs; tissue paper garlands; rainbow piñata)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/046_c5rkuh.jpg)
It really wasn't as challenging as it might sound; I sketched out the letters on cardboard box scraps, painted them, and then cut them out with an X-acto knife. I poked small holes in the cardboard with the X-acto where I wanted each light to go, and then put the lights through the hole. You can see in the picture above how it is put together - I love how it looked all lit up!
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/048_pdpz3x.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/025_cztehf.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/028_t7jmqx.jpg)
For favors, we had blue tutus (hung on the girls' dress up rack), ribbon wands (which made great table centerpieces!), and crowns. I love all the little tutus hung up in a row!
(pictured above: tutus, pink hangers; rainbow balloon, ribbon wands, crowns, tulle, tablecloths)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/010_lmy1wt.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/026_erzlvj.jpg)
This is one reason why it's great to not put a ceiling in your basement; all the exposed beams and such are excellent for hanging garlands and what not. I also usually leave it up for awhile, which makes it extra fun downstairs.
(pictured above: rainbow piñata; white honeycomb; garlands)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/058_xcfhsz.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/033_guj5ki_978344e23.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/047_qspxtr.jpg)
For the desserts (Vivi's favorite part!), my sweet neighbor Katie made these darling pink cupcakes, and I added these ballerina toppers. I also had a little mini cake with candles. As for the food, I kept it pretty simple with the pinterest favorite ham and cheese sliders, fruit, and popcorn.
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/127_htp6a5.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/142_j5p11c.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/140_bzqqgg.jpg)
The girls were so cute, all seated at the little tables! I found a local place that will rent tables and chairs really inexpensively, which made everything much easier.
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/052_vlhxgc.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/136_ueatvk.jpg)
(sweet little bee!!)
Probably the best party of the party, in Brigette's opinion, was the real live ballerina. She was pretty much amazing.
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/114_tynpfz.jpg)
She came dressed as a ballerina, and wowed the girls by putting fairy dust on their faces, reading them books, teaching them ballet moves, and overall just making it a magical experience. I didn't have to do anything, which at 38 weeks pregnant, was fantastic.
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/100_r2kqye.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/101_lxdmhk.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/103_e1mqxr.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/110_bpsu8d.jpg)
She had them dancing all around the room, and it was just precious!
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/164_ryiuce.jpg)
It was such a fun afternoon, and I was so relieved it came together! It had been a crazy month with the kitchen renovation and getting ready for baby, so it was special to get to have an afternoon all about the girls. They loved every minute.
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/051_o1yqos.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/029_rhdia4.jpg)
![ballerina birthday party](https://res.cloudinary.com/laybabylay/image/upload/f_auto,q_48,w_1200/059_jmx76v.jpg)
Discussion