Ladybug Birthday Party {pinterest style on-the-cheap party}

I have always thought birthdays are a big deal. I kind of love celebrations.

So for my kids' birthdays it is important to me that they feel special and loved. I will always make their birthday cake. Until they move out. Then I guess it's someone else's job.....

Their party themes thus far have been;

G-- pooh, caillou, daniel tiger

J-- elmo, thomas the train

And when G turned 4 she wanted a Lady Bug birthday party. Red is her favorite color and she likes reading books about lady bugs. Lucky for me, Wilton makes a lady bug cake pan (Wilton Lady Bug Pan ), so I was on board.

I utilized the devil's website Pinterest to get some ideas. I also came up with a few of my own. Below are the photos and descriptions of how I threw a pinterest on the cheap party.

 G loves (nitrate free) ham and cheese rolls ups, but because I was already making mac & cheese, I used pickles (also a favorite) to make ham and pickle roll ups. I also made some homemade 'clean' cheese crackers (using my cookie press and basically this recipe). Fruit is a major favorite for G, so we had pineapple, strawberries, and grapes.

 Here was a pinterest idea--make little dots on baby bell cheeses to make them look like lady bugs! The chalkboard signs were less than a dollar apiece after sale and coupon at Michael's, and since I am throwing two baby showers over the next two weeks, they will already earn their value!

I got some clean hummus at Sprouts and had sweet potato corn ships and some regular waffle chips as dippers. The hummus was like the best ever. Seriously. It was artichoke spinach flavor as seriously on point. Of course we needed cherry tomatoes to complete the red food theme. Back to Nature brand makes an organic bug macaroni and cheese, so I made that too.

I made some from scratch meatballs (one of my specialties) since G enjoys them and we needed something heavy since I made the party for lunch time. Secret that I didn't want my brother in law to know, they have shredded carrot in them (he doesn't do a lot of veggies). The little sign holder came from hobby lobby on sale plus coupon for about $1.30 (I got two). They were too cute and will serve purposes in the future. There is a little lady bug out of view on the other leaf. It tied the food table together for sure.

I wanted to make a yummy dye free red punch so I used some cranberry lemonade juice (did have some added sugar), pineapple juice, and sparkling water (strawberry dragon fruit flavor)--it was a super hit! My husband also made tea and coffee (hence the bowl of sugar sitting out). The straws I got off amazon for like a dollar! 

Lady Bug Cake (I did use dye to get the red color....was sooo close to using beet juice though)

my husband always goes to get balloons before our kids' parties. It's pretty much a tradition

 The lady bug spirals came from amazon. Unique Ladybug Party Hanging Decorations (3 Count), Red I also hung this happy birthday lady bug banner above the food table. Unique Ladybug Birthday Jointed Banner, Multicolor

The most gifts she's ever had for her birthday! Thank you to everyone!! (cleaned off my buffet {re; dresser used as buffet} for use as gift table) 

 I found this lady bug blow up ball at Hobby Lobby for like a dollar after coupon. Kids had fun tossing it around. (benefit of not having nice things, I'm okay with them playing ball in the house, for now)

 My husband and I teamed up to make a bean bag game for the kids to play. We based it off an idea I saw on the pinterest. It was really cheap since he used scrap wood. My bean bag making supplies cost less than 8 dollars for all 10 bags. And they were part of the kids favors.

 Here are the party guests! And behind them you can see the bean bag toss.

 For another game we had ladybug 'races' using part of the kids' favors. I bought these wind up lady bug toys from amazon and they are super fun! Dazzling Toys Flipping Wind-up Lady Bugs - 12 Pack (D067)

 after opening gifts, my husband blew some of the best bubbles ever (The really thick kind like this Toysmith Touchable Bubbles, Assorted Colors ) down from the top of our stairs and the kids enjoyed catching/popping them)

as the party wound down, the kids enjoyed coloring pictures