Tuesday, April 1, 2014

My Vintage Birthday Party...You're All Invited!


A Surprise Party...For Me?
 
Hello, Friends!  My birthday is coming soon and it occurred to me that it would be a really nice gesture on your part if you were to throw me a surprise birthday party.  I haven't had one since my BFF Charlotte planned one for my 12th birthday.  It was a lot of fun and I got white lipstick...all the rage...and the issue of Tiger Beat that had "heart throb" Jay North on the cover.  You remember him...the kid who played Dennis the Menace?  He was 16 and so dreamy!
 
Let's get started...
If you need any ideas, this book should prove helpful...but really...all you need to do is follow 10 simple steps...
 
1.  Buy some cute invitations!
 
Invite all my Bloggy Friends!
 
2. Gather all your party supplies.
 
3.  Decide on the cake.
 
Forget those other cakes...I want a Barbie cake!

I don't want another disappointment!
 
When I was growing up in Alpine, the little blonde girl next door got a Barbie cake for her birthday.  Her grandma, a talented cake decorator, made the most beautiful Barbie cakes around.  She also created cute choo-choo train cakes and those gorgeous sugar Easter eggs that had scenes of bunnies and chicks inside.  Not to mention divine chocolate eggs decorated with frosting flowers. We were lucky at that time to get jelly beans and Cracker Jack in our baskets, let alone anything chocolate.  And our cakes were usually Betty Crocker sheet cakes with those hard sugar flowers and "Happy Birthday" letters.
 

4.  Buy me a present...I like paper dolls!
I will also accept a pogo stick, a Skipper doll, or a ginormous bottle of bubbles!
 
5.  Wrap my gifts in cute paper.
 
6.  Don't forget the birthday card!
Hint...the best ones have nickels, dimes and quarters taped inside!
 
7.  Play games...like Musical Chairs and...
 
...Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
 
No Clowns!!!!
 
8.  Please don't sing "Happy Birthday!"
As a child I never could stand this song...I guess I didn't like the attention.
Also, I would hide when it was time to sing at other children's parties.
 
9.  When it's time to blow out the candles, make sure this kid keeps away from my cake!
I can blow out my own candles, thank you very much!
 
Do you remember that kid at your birthday party that didn't go home when it was over...who hung around hoping for another cupcake?  Remember that strange little girl who wanted "do overs" on the "Drop the Clothespin" game and wanted to "help" you play with your presents?  That was me!

See...I told you so.
 
10.  Send the guests home with party hats and balloons.
These 10 little steps should make it the perfect party!
 
Big Party "Don't!" 
I'm 59...not Methuselah's Granny!
 
Surprise!!!
Oh, dear friends...you shouldn't have!
 
I was going to wait until the 7th to post this...but I was too excited!
 
 Update!
May 31, 2015
I was wrong...it was 16 Magazine with the Jay North cover.
I wasn't wrong about him being "dreamy" 




 

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! I burst out laughing when you said you would hide when it was time to sing at other children's parties! Ha-ha!

Well, all these images and memories were just delightful!

I've only had one surprise party and it really *wasn't* a surprise because one of my "friends" told me about it before hand. I didn't like her after that! I hated having to pretend to be surprised so I wouldn't ruin it for everyone else.

Thanks for the party tips. I'll remember -NO prunes! ;)

Unknown said...

I agree with Holly! This is a wonderful post! Such a stroll down memory lane...:)

The biggest surprise birthday party for me was my last one...:)

Musings from Kim K. said...

So many lovely birthday images. Thank you for sharing all those memories with us. I was spoiled growing up. My mother used to get paid to make wedding cakes, shower cakes, birthday cakes..etc. My childhood birthday party cakes were over the top amazing. Last year we had a cowgirl/western party for Josie's 7th birthday. It was one of my all-time favorite birthday celebrations. I love being a kid.

Blessed Serendipity said...

What a cute post! I agree let's make this a NO PRUNES birthday party! LOL.

xo Danielle

P.S. I hope you get a Barbie cake this year.

Diane Mars said...

Oh My it is darling and how can we send you a gift we need your snail mail address! Happy Happy Birthday ox

~Damita's Pretty Wrap~ said...

Oh my goodness I LOVE this post!!! So very cute, I love all the sweet things you picked out for your birthday party!! Hope you get that sweet Barbie cake (: xo Holly

Unknown said...

That is the sweetest post I've ever seen. I hope all your birthday wishes come true and you get that Barbie cake you always wanted! My sister got one one year, I never got one either! My birthday was a week before Christmas! :-)
Hugs~~Dorothy

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

HAPPY
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY!!! Shirley!!!
My Grandma was born on April 1st also!
I had a surprise party in my 30's and it was a real surprise! YIKES!!!
I'll be 59 this year too and in April!
ENJOY your DAY!!!
warmly,
deb

vivian said...

omg~ wouldnt it be fun if we could all really get together and have one big birthday party.. everyone recieve a gift and and a hat and card.. everything vintagey fun! might make a good swap idea actually!
LOVEd this post. I wouldnt have been able to wait til the 7th either if it had been mine to post!
happy day! and Happy birthday just incase I miss the actual day!
xoxo
vivian

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Oh my! We're all excited now and will all want new party dresses! No clowns? WHEW...I hate clowns! Happy Birthday sweet friend! Let's use our imaginations and make this REAL! Love love love this post! Sweet hugs, your friend, Diane

Tammy's in Love said...

That is the best display of vintage birthday and childhood memories ever! Loved seeing what you brought together from all the pinning :-)

vintage grey said...

Such a sweet and fun post!! Love seeing all the cuteness! I only wish we could still by everything at the store!! And, Happiest of Birthdays to you Shirley! xo Heather

Margaret said...

Happy Birthday! Best post ever! Maggie

Jill said...

Love this post - so many cute images!!!

Hope you get some special birthday surprises, maybe some from your list....

LBP said...

Too cute! I would love to come to your birthday party! My Grandma used to make us what we called "Girl" cakes. She cut out the cake pieces to look like a girl and decorated them to look like my sister and I! We loved our girl cakes!

Blessings

Linda

Swanky Salvage Decor said...

Happy Birthday a little early! Love the pictures you posted. Brings back many happy memories. I was a Barbie junkie back in the day. I couldn't get enough Barbie stuff. I'll be 50 in August and I already told my family that I want an I Love Lucy cake! They kind of chuckled and I told them that I wasn't kidding.

Have a wonderful day on your real day!

Linda said...

I'll come to your party, I even found a vintage Barbie card for you (online). I never had birthday parties, my mom didn't like a lot of people and I was shy and really didn't have many friends. To this day I don't like it when people sing Happy Birthday to me....they did at our Red Hat meeting the other day. I'll try not to crash your party (my bd is at the end of the month). I loved your images and reading about earlier parties. Thanks!

Erica of Golden Egg Vintage said...

This is the sweetest post ever, Shirley! I hope you have the best Vintage Birthday Party ever!
Erica :)

ImagiMeri said...

Happy, happy birthday pretty lady. Had you lived near me, I would definitely have made you a Barbie cake.........I used to make party and wedding cakes for about 13 years.

Many happy returns hoping your birthday is as wonderful as you.

God Bless,
Meri

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday from April girl to another!!! This was a sweet, sweet post!

Unknown said...

What a sweet post! I hope you had a wonderful birthday!! I'm sure the blonde next door is 400 pounds by now..lol ;)

Sandy xox

P.S I loved your Malakazam story!!

Heidi Ann said...

What an absolutely delightful post! Sorry Missed your party :). Happy belated birthday!

Patti said...

Oh, how fun this post is! It brought back so many memories. My mom did her best to give us fun party celebrations. Remember the Lamb cake! Happy Birthday Sweet April Birthday girl! I always celebrate the entire month!

Debby said...

Soooo cute but I am a clown. Can I still come.

Little Susie Home Maker said...

Happy Birthday! This is the cutest post ever m It would be so fun to have a vintage birthday party. You sure remembered all the details. I remember one birthday from childhood. It was when my mom gave me a surprise birthday party. I so was so startled that I ran and hid crying! lol
Lets make that Barbie cake!