Lu's Bug Bash

Hi friends,

We're in birthday recovery mode here.  Here's a quick post though to share some of the pictures from Lu's bug bash.  I'm planning tutorials for the pull piñata and butterfly wings.  Don't they look like fun?  It makes me wish that I was 4 again.  Lu loved helping me make them. 

You might remember from Lu's princess party last year that Lu loves to play dress up.  This year she wanted  for all the girls to be able to dress up as butterflies (the boys ended up getting bumble bee capes). We had live lady bugs for the kids to catch in their bug jars (from oriental trading company--Lu loved being able to help assemble these for her friends). 

We had "dirt" pudding cups for dessert and butterfly shaped crackers and pretzels, along with grapes, salami, and cheese--just what the birthday girl wanted.  The party was just at a local park, which was nice for the kids to be able to run around (and not unleash all of their buys all over my house!)  My mom found some great butterfly place mats in her closet and they worked really well for holding the paper tablecloth down (I found the tablecloth at Target). 

I drilled holes in pre-made wood butterflies and dragonflies (I found these pre-painted at my local craft store on clearance). I added each child's name and attached them to a simple tote bag.    Inside we put the bug jars and the bug "wings," along with a few other bug themed party favors.  Sure the name tag wasn't really necessary, but every time we made one of the party favors Lu told me who it was for.  It was very important to her that each child get the jar that she had made especially for them.

Overall the party really was simple, but Lu seemed to be really happy with how it turned out.  It seems to be a family tradition now that the birthday girl is very involved in the planning and making of things for the party.  Sometimes that means more work for me, but I can't help but like the fact that Lu sees the projects as very special mommy/daughter time.  I also like that it generally keeps the parties simple and inexpensive, because everything has to be something that she can help me make. 

UPDATE:  The tutorials are up!  You can make your own butterfly wings and butterfly piñata with these tutorials.