Katelyn's 1st Birthday

For my daughter's first birthday, I chose a shabby chic garden theme. Katelyn's middle name is Rose, and I had a vision of creating an old-fashioned flower cart filled with roses where our guests could make their own bouquets. We also had an "activity garden" with rainbow rice tables, color your own flower pots, and a garden-theme foam craft. In the only shaded spot of our yard, we had a petting zoo with animals dressed in their shabby chic finery. Many fabric details were sewn by me including the drawstring favor bags, table coverings, flower cart canopy, and hundreds of pennant flags in coordinating fabrics. "Pinterest-inspired" projects included the tissue flower monogrammed "K" over the dessert table, the coffee filter wreath over the mantle, the rainbow rice, the pennant flags, the mason jar floral centerpieces, and more! My sister and my mom always come through in the kitchen and made a wonderful summer brunch featuring quiche, potato casserole, breakfast breads, yogurt parfaits, and much more.

• Desserts

  Cupcakes were used on the dessert table, but we served a large sheet cake that we had kept in the refrigerator. It was so hot that day! Shabby chic cookies to coordinate with the party made by Amy Rosser of Custom Cookie Co.

• Party Favors

  I sewed drawstring bags that were filled with bubbles, crayons, and coloring sheets.

• Activities / Games

  Lots of garden themed activities! Color your own flowerpot, garden-themed foam craft, rainbow rice activity tables with gardening tools, and a petting zoo. The highlight was making your own bouquet from the "Katelyn's Roses" flower cart. It was so fun to see the beautiful bouquets everyone made!

• Best Moment

  The birthday girl digging into her smash cake

• Funniest Moment

  The birthday girl brushing the animals' fur and then using the brush on her own hair! Yikes!

• What People Ate

  Summer brunch buffet--quiche, potato casseroles, croissants, fruit salad, yogurt parfaits, and more.

• What People Drank

  Pink party punch (raspberry lemonade, raspberry sherbet, and Sprite), juice boxes, and lots and lots of cold water!

• Most Touching Moment

  Reading the "wishes" that party guests had written to Katelyn and hung on the Wish Tree.

• Best Dressed

  The petting zoo animals arrived for the party dressed in their shabby chic finery. Haha!