Library Birthday Party
<span style=”font-style:inherit;line-height:1.625″>Last month our Children’s Library had its One Year Anniversary. Instead of calling it an anniversary, we re-branded it as a Birthday – and we were going to have a Birthday Party! We would read a special story I wrote about how we discovered a “library dragon” living on our property (which has lead us into a Dragon-naming contest), sing <em>Happy Birthday </em>to the library, have cake pops from a local bakery, and more.</span>
<p style=”text-align:center”><img class=”aligncenter wp-image-405″ title=”Using only paper (copy, construction, and scrapbook) and balloons – we decked out the Children’s Library for its Birthday!” src=”http://hafuboti.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/libary-051.jpg” alt=”” width=”584″ height=”826″></p>
So my team and I went nuts decorating the windows as the first layer of decor – using it to advertise the event as well as starting to create a buzz. We used nothing but basic copier paper, and construction paper to make everything in the windows (the balloons were a fun touch since they wouldn’t deflate and begin looking depressed). The second layer would happen the night before the party – we’d go nuts with streamers made from cheap scrapbooking paper and two balloon chandeliers.
The event invitations flew out the door and we had lots of questions and excitement about it. Cut to a few weeks later with Mother Nature laughing at us: we had that huge blizzard come through on the day of (and the day after – when it was rescheduled) the scheduled Party. We were closed those two days – a Thursday and Friday. So our big event was postponed for five days. We were all sad about that since we know that it affected the turnout, but we still had fun (and we got to keep up the cheery decorations for almost an extra week).
<p style=”text-align:center”><img class=”aligncenter wp-image-408″ title=”Fun Streamers!!!” src=”http://hafuboti.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/libary-049.jpg” alt=”” width=”584″ height=”355″></p>
I thought I could share highlights of the decor since we made sure that it was easy and cheap. I learned how to make those zig-zag streamers from <a href=”http://ohhappyday.com/2011/03/zig-zag-accordion-streamers-diy/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Oh Happy Day</a>. They’re so very easy and quick – especially when you stack several sheets of paper and cut them all at once. I also am glad that we used paper that wasn’t colored/patterned on both sides since our library is colorful enough: the white really stood out. The one note that I’d share on them are that they’re heavier than they look – so be sure to secure them well. We also trimmed them quite a bit to loosen the weight as well as not make it such an obstacle course for the adults to navigate when using the library.
<p style=”text-align:center”><img class=”aligncenter wp-image-409″ title=”Balloooon Chandelier!!!” src=”http://hafuboti.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/libary-042.jpg” alt=”” width=”584″ height=”808″></p>
I used <a href=”http://simpledesign.net/diy-balloon-chandelier/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>this tutorial</a> to help build the balloon chandeliers. I wish that I had more variety in the balloon sizes/shapes to create a more interesting chandelier. I made them <em>way </em>too long, so all I did was use extra curling ribbon to help shorten the length – sort of jumbling the balloons more and…I don’t think that I can fully explain it. But it just took some extra ribbon – it was rather intuitive for me (and I hate heights, so I was fixing it on a ladder with my eyes somewhat closed – thus making it more difficult to describe).
<p style=”text-align:center”><img class=”aligncenter wp-image-410″ title=”One final front exterior shot!” src=”http://hafuboti.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/libary-050.jpg” alt=”” width=”584″ height=”469″></p>
According to my team the re-re-scheduled Birthday Party was a success! I was unable to attend since I wasn’t scheduled on that day (so yes, I missed the party that I planned) – silly, but true. And so far we’ve had a blast looking at the submissions for the dragon-naming contest.
<span style=”font-style:inherit;line-height:1.625″>I plan to share more window/decor projects as they happen. I spent a chunk of last week trying to find a good time of day to photograph the front windows to get the least glare – especially with our latest window decor (a pot full of <em>Seuss</em> books at the end of a rainbow). I could </span><strong style=”font-style:inherit;line-height:1.625″>not</strong><span style=”font-style:inherit;line-height:1.625″> figure out what worked the best. But I think that from now on I can get pictures that won’t make me cringe sooner than I did before. So look for the Rainbow Seuss windows soon!</span>
