Harry Potter Party!

I was SOOO super excited to get to do a Harry Potter party!

It is to date my absolute favorite party!

Before going to hogwarts, you stop by Gringotts to risk robbing the bank. You may get (chocolate) gold coins, some (sorceror's stones) or get attacked by a dragon hiding in the vault! 

 

Before finding your house table in the great hall, you would need to be sorted. Hershey Kiss sorting hats had different color dot labels on the bottom to get your assignment randomly. 

 

These banners were cut from a single decoration and hung from the rafters with magic (and pvc pipe and fishing line) Tables had simple dollar tree type table clothes with coordinating colored centerpieces/table runners. I used some leftover runners from my sisters wedding, some scrapbook paper, and some dollar tree silver candle holders. 

hanging above the food table were lots of flying keys. I bought these keys and these wings and strung them with more magic

We decided we must have a Honeydukes station. Lots of candy. 

and a Quiddich supply store with Pretzel Brooms (literally pretzel sticks stuck into a Reeses cup, and 3 different size chocolate balls, gold wrapped lindor truffles, whoppers, and some chocolate caramel balls from the bulk bin. We also had Harry's glasses for everyone to wear, and little cauldrons to hold little goodies like Harry Potter stickers, tattoos, toy snakes and more chocolate coins. 

For activities, everyone visited Ollivanders to make their own wands with chopsticks, hot glues, beads and gems. I am glad that I had multiple hot glue guns to go around.

Our wizards also stopped by Eeylops Owl Emporium to paint either a wooden or suncatcher owl, or mythical creature like dragons or unicorns. 

The cake was by Pink Princess Cakes. I got gold tableware and a Hogwarts set. 

Of course we served butter beer (cream soda with butter scotch syrup and whipped cream)

Poly juice potion (a lemon lime punch with lime sherbet.)

On the walls are these stone wall decor that really dressed up the space. 

Birthday a girl’s sister wore her Hermoine costume and a Harry scar tattoo. And of course we had chocolate frogs using these molds. 

My sister made the banner hanging behind and Ellie got a new Griffendore dress. 

To keep guests from wandering upstairs we posted this warning. 

The photo booth was a big hit. Especially with “Live Photo’s” option on iPhone 

When the party wound down we turned on the projector and watched the first movie. 

Another picture of Gringotts’s bank now robbed clean of all treasures. 

Pumpkin juice was apple and pineapple juice with some canned pumpkin purée swirled in. 

The main entrance of the first room was platform 9 3/4 

*links to things on Amazon are affiliate links. If you shop (for anything) after following my links I earn a tiny % without you paying anything more. 

Strawberry Shortcake Party Banner

I made this for the up-coming Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Party for my sweet niece Sophia. I love how the light and dark pinks work so well with the lime green and white stripes, (like Strawberry Shortcake's pants/hat ribbon. Also love how the polka dots sort of look like seeds on triangle shaped strawberries. 

The letters were cut from scrapbook cardstock using the Plantain Schoolbook Cricut Cartridge on Roly Poly at 3 inches. The strawberry stem is the flower in 4-5 inches (I forget) on the same cartridge folded over the top. 

I could have made the pennants but I found them for sale here (and I was ordering other stuff and got free shipping) for less than if I bought paper and cut them myself. I bought 3 different colors, hot pink, candy pink and lime. They came strung on fishing line (3 separate banners) , but I wanted to alternate colors, so we cut them off of the fishing line and hole punched the corners. 

all the pennants were strung on green curling ribbon, which was curled once it was hung on the wall. 

Depending on where we hang the banner, I may split the bottom line in to 2, having a strawberry pennant at the beginning and end of "birthday", I have one dark pink triangle left over. 

I considered cutting letters for the other side, in case we wanted to hang in the window or from the ceiling above the kitchen island, but we will see how much paper/time I have left over first. Because it isn't over the top specifically Strawberry Shortcake, the banner could be re-used for another party, a baby shower or something, the letters should come off easily, or we could use the back. (ETA I ended up using the extra pennant to make a "7th"  at the end of "sweet" and hung in the 2 rows shown.) 

Cost Breakdown

banners: 3x$3, 

3 sheets of cardstock from my stash (calling that free)

a glue stick I had (calling this free)

green curling ribbon (included in other craft budget)

26-27 triangle banner, about 15 feet for ~$9

There will definitely be more Strawberry Shortcake posts to come!