Operation First Birthday

...is in full effect!

We decided on a theme (monkeys) and a color scheme (teal and yellow). I've made the invitations, and mailed them all out. I've started to get RSVPs. I ordered the party hats, napkins, and favor boxes (yes, I got lazy because I only needed ten) from First Wishes. I've priced out other items we'll need from Party City (such as napkins, plates, flatware, etc) so that I can comparison shop at Walmart and Target. I decided to bake sugar cookies decorated with monkeys to add to the favor boxes. I made "thank you for coming" stickers for the treat bags (purchased at Michaels, same ones I used for the apple muffins) in Microsoft word and have them ready to go. I also made a big bunting in the party colors with Bubba's (real) name on it. I updated the "wish list" in the sidebar on Bubba's blog. I decided to make cupcakes instead of a big cake. I then decided to make a small "smash cake" for the baby.

It is his birthday, after all.

On Wednesday, my husband took the day off work so we could meet with the deacon at church about starting marriage prep. (I know. Long story.) After we were done, we took a nice LONG drive from east Mesa into central Phoenix and headed to the cake supply store for a few items. Here's what I got:

A tub of chocolate fondant, to make more skeleton cookies. Plans for a cookie decorating class for my mom's group is in the works. This fondant actually tastes pretty decent!

A bag of white candy melts, because I don't have a lot of faith in the flavor of the edible Wilton products. I have plans for these bad boys, oh yes I do.

A edger thing for when I'm feeling too lazy to properly smooth the sides of my cakes. It happens.

A set of oval cookie cutters. I love these graduated sets in tins because they give you plenty of options and make it so easy to top your cookies with fondant on lazy/no time having days. Of course, after I opened the package, I discovered this:

Every other cutter has a fluted edge!!! It didn't say that anywhere on the package and they were in there with the cutting edge facing down so you couldn't tell. I was pissed at first, but then I decided they had possibilities. Besides, the one I really needed for the party was the largest size, and thankfully, that one is not fluted.

I also got these:

Mini loaf pans! I'm so making apple bread and banana nut bread and zucchini bread in these bad boys to wrap up for gifts. When I get more money, I'll pick up another set, I think. Tonight, this pan will be used for individual turkey meatloaves. Yum.

Speaking of gifts, I also got these:

Cute pink bakery boxes! I plan on folding them inside out so that the kraft brown is showing on the outside. I also got a bigger box to hold the smash cake for transporting it to the party, and some plain cardboard cake rounds because I was running low on those sizes.

Since we were already in Phoenix, we decided to head over and check out this candy shop that I read about on Jaimee Rose's blog. She's a reporter for the Arizona Republic and a total shopper/party planner/gift wrapper extraordinaire.

I got awesome cupcake liners in blue and yellow, this really cool tissue fringe wire ribbon that I plan to use for decorations, and a sparkler wand in the shape of the number 1. SO FREAKING COOL. It's so hard to find nice cupcake liners with good saturated colors that aren't printed with some cartoony design, unless you go online, of course. I didn't want to do colored icing for the cupcakes, because that much dye isn't good for babies. Now the punch of color will come from these! Yay!

I'm trying to get my act together so I'm going to be a busy girl next week. I can't believe my baby is turning one already!