Fraught with ridiculosity, replete with foolishness.

This year, October 18th is the day we're hosting The Kid's birthday party. Until about a month and a half ago, we agreed that she would have her birthday at Libby Lu, a mall establishment where she and a number of friends would get their hair and makeup done, get to dance to loud Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers music, and be extra girly, all for only $35 per girl. I was fine with that, because I traditionally go all out when planning a party for her, and I thought it would be nice to let someone else take care of it, and all I would have to do is throw money at them.

It was a nice, nice thought. For some unknown reason, Libby Lu became SO YESTERDAY, and big ol' idiot me, said, "How about a fairy party?" because I had seen ONE book about how to make teensy weensy food, and everyone who knows me knows the teensier something is, the more I like it. (Flashback to an early date with Zach--I told him I liked tiny things, and he said, "Oh, then you'll LOVE me!") At any rate, the fairy party idea was met with great enthusiasm, and so I embarked upon an odyssey of planning, shopping and spending that has consumed the better part of my life. I am not content to buy a Party In A Box, oh no. I must do it all myself. Therefore, I will lay out for you now the Party Plans from Hell.

I have made:

9 fairy skirts, each requiring 1/8 yard of green satin, two entire rolls of 6-inch wide tulle in two different colors, looped together and tied in knots, 7 satin flowers and 7 irridescent plastic beads, plus some hand sewing and some machine sewing.

9 fairy flower wands, each requiring one large silk flower, cut down to size with wire cutters, two squares of dark green tulle, each with three holes poked in it and threaded up onto the stem, waxed florist tape, and about three yards of coordinating ribbon. Also spray glitter.

9 flowered head wreaths, each requiring 1/3 of a daisy swag, a length of florist's wire, one large silk rose, plus one dozen each tiny roses and tiny daisies in coordinating colors, and two lengths of ribbon, knotted at the end and cut on the diagonal.

9 wooden initials, each sanded, painted seafoam green, covered with glittery topcoat, hangers screwed into the back and pink ribbons tied on for hanging.

9 papier mache eggs, painted first off-white, then covered with a pearlescent topcoat. Irridescent jewels were glued on, and then the glue around the jewels was covered with glitter. Finally, the eggs were covered with more glitter topcoat.

9 necklaces made of sheer green ribbon with a crystal pendant.

9 goody bags, containing chinese yo-yos, rock candy on a stick, a small spiral lollipop, stickers, cool erasers, stick-on-body jewels, and notepads with unicorns on them.


I have bought:

One dozen fairy wings (white)

One Pin the Horn on the Unicorn game

One blue and purple flower pinata

Toys and candy to fill the pinata.

25 white balloons for a game we'll be playing.

10 completely different floral saucers from the secondhand store.

10 completely different floral teacups from the secondhand store.

4 different white bud vases from the secondhand store.

Floral paper plates

Floral napkins

Plastic cups and forks

Off-white tablecloth

Pink and green streamers

Sparkly makeup


I have rented:


One kid-height 6-foot-long table

9 kid-size yellow chairs


I have hired:


Miss Myia, one of Zoe's former dance teachers to play the part of the Fairy Queen.

Miss Lindsey, Zoe's babysitter from the summer to help out.


Food will be:


Miniature pizzas

Miniature sandwiches

Fruit salad

Fairy kabobs (made with marshmallows and maybe blueberries)

Lemonade with pink ice

and each child will have her own individually decorated cake on the china saucer to eat with miniature chocolate dipped ice cream cones and "tea" which will probably be warm cider.

Am I crazy? Um, yes.