sam's birthday party. part one.

People.

I am exhausted. Beyond. This was a long weekend and I'm gonna need a weekend to recover. Too bad my boss is a hot-to-trot newly minted 1 year old and I just don't see him going easy on me tomorrow. Not when he ate his birth weight in licorice, cup cakes, and soda.

If two weeks ago was infertility week on the blog, then this week will be first birthday week. You've been warned. I have too many pictures to share for one post (obviously) plus now is not the time to reflect on Sam being one.

Tonight, the decoration post. I feel like that's a safe place to start.

Welcome to our Sam-I-Am's Dr. Seuss themed birthday.

Hokay.
Things got a little bananas with the décor. Here's my defense and I'm sticking to it: MUCH of the décor was "left overs" from the unbelievable Sam-I-Am themed baby shower my mother-in-law threw for me last year. The first birthday party crowd was 100% different from the shower crowd, so reuse it was. I feel like this means I recycled which means I'm a good person.

And that's my defense for this...

The repurposed shower items: My MIL made the table cloth from a kids bedding set and made the backdrop as a second table cloth for her shower. We used it on the wall. The Dr. Seuss signs are from a stationary set she found - I strung them into the banner. The books, animals, and hat were borrowed from a friend of hers. Made for a pretty perfect tablescape if I do say so myself. (and I do...)

I made that Happy Birthday Banner for a whole $3. Twine and paper sales at Michaels = cheap décor.

Are you ready to see the cake?

Bam. And it's homemade.
OH GOD, not my home! Please. It's from Chuck's sister's home. She made it. Remember, she does the purses so obviously she could whip up an almond sour cream cake with a fondant icing. Her friend painted the lines and made the topper out of the clay - just hand cut those letters like a normal person. Where do these people come from?

Yes, my MIL wrapped all the water bottles. Hey, it's a $1 in paper and a good impact. Also, she loves Sam this much.

Had a Green Eggs and Ham book for guests to sign. We have a collection of these that were signed and given as gifts when I was pregnant. Loved the idea of having a new one for him signed at his birthday. 

His 12 monthly pics all in a row.



I also took a monthly pic on his chevron rug that we hung up too. Twine and clothes pins.

OK, so, maybe Sam pictures could have been the theme?

I made six of these pennant banners for $1 in paper and some twine. People. Twine is your friend. Your cheap friend. So is the Michaels 7 sheets for $1 sale.

Shower recycle: Vicky made a table runner from the kid's bedding that was perfect for the cupcake table and made the cupcake toppers from candles and scrapbook paper. In Sam's nursery, we had used that trim - we call them dingleballs... - so we double stick taped them to the cake stands because why not? We had it and it looked awesome. I would totally do this again.

Uh huh. The bedding again. She's nothing if not thorough with her fabric usage. My shower last year really was bomb which made for a pretty fabulous Sam birthday. Jessica made the wreath - pretty bomb, huh?

This guy.

Had an amazing day.
Please. So much more to come it's ridiculous.