The logical reaction to a birthday when half your house is packed up already (or waiting in the moving sale pile) is to make polite excuses to your child and take her out for a fancy dinner. I rarely do anything logical.
And pinterest has seriously upped the pressure. My daughter’s “Celebrate” board on Pinterest makes throwing a teen birthday party look like a marathon and could make even the craftiest mom want to run and hide! Pinterest has created monsters out of most of us in most areas of our lives. We want our hair to be perfectly messy, our outfit street ready, our homes perfectly styled all the time...
But I really think we have to find the balance, learn to love the imperfections that make our lives real, and let go of the unfair expectations we put on ourselves…
Which is why I was digging through boxes into the wee hours of the night trying to create something out of nearly nothing. Clearly I need help. Help.
Pinterest pressure or not, I have a girl who has always had a party and even with our life in chaos, I wanted to do a little something for her. She also loves maximalism and COLOR while I struggle to wear navy most days (red lipstick doesn’t count as color… that would be like trying to not wear your lips …)
I dug through all the drawers that still have something in them, found some wrapping paper, cried & had myself a pathetic little pity party around midnight when I couldn’t find something that I knew I had somewhere and then finished baking the cake.
I used wrapping paper on the wall and cabinet to add color to a room that generally has none and even created wrapping paper chargers out of my scraps to add a punch of pattern to the table. We found paper balls, straws from many, many, many parties past, and baked an all time family favorite, the chocolate chip cookie dough cake.
My right eye is twitching from all the color (smiles) but SHE LOVED IT and that’s all that matters to me! I think it is a great creative exercise to dabble in something outside one’s comfort zone. Working on a small budget and with limited supplies just ups the challenge, but that just adds to the reward!
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Photography: Valentina Fussell
You amaze me Tina – if this is what you create when packing to move countries and are under the pump – it screams volumes about your style ethic and ability to pull rabbits out of hats in a design sense!!!!! I bet she loved every single minute of her birthday celebration. (I too marvel that we have managed to keep a 15 yr alive and sane – quite a feat don’t you think?!!!!!!!) As for that cake – it is beyond – I have bookmarked and Moo and I will whip up a gluten free version of it this week. How delicious.
You amaze me Tina – if this is what you create when packing to move countries and are under the pump – it screams volumes about your style ethic and ability to pull rabbits out of hats in a design sense!!!!! I bet she loved every single minute of her birthday celebration. (I too marvel that we have managed to keep a 15 yr alive and sane – quite a feat don’t you think?!!!!!!!) As for that cake – it is beyond – I have bookmarked and Moo and I will whip up a gluten free version of it this week. How delicious.
You amaze me Tina – if this is what you create when packing to move countries and are under the pump – it screams volumes about your style ethic and ability to pull rabbits out of hats in a design sense!!!!! I bet she loved every single minute of her birthday celebration. (I too marvel that we have managed to keep a 15 yr alive and sane – quite a feat don’t you think?!!!!!!!) As for that cake – it is beyond – I have bookmarked and Moo and I will whip up a gluten free version of it this week. How delicious.
What a beautiful party!
Thank you so much!
What a beautiful party!
Thank you so much!
What a beautiful party!
Thank you so much!
Great job! You are an awesome mamma to pull this off while packing! Held og lykke med alt!
Great job! You are an awesome mamma to pull this off while packing! Held og lykke med alt!
Great job! You are an awesome mamma to pull this off while packing! Held og lykke med alt!