Birthday Party - On the Cheap!

Well it has been several months since my son's birthday party, but I'm finally getting around to posting this! I created, what I think, was a super cute birthday theme for my son's 3rd birthday on a dollar store budget! The whole party, including food cost me around $60

The overall look:

As you can see the theme was kind of under water. I drew inspiration from some wrapping paper I found at the Dollar Tree.I just thought these characters were absolutely adorable, and KNEW I could do something with it.



What I purchased:

• 2 Rolls Wrapping Paper ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 3 Blue Tablecloths ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Blue Tissue Paper ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Craft Foam Sheets, assorted colors ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Rolls Green Crepe Paper (89¢ each at Party City)
• 2 Red Oval Platters ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Blue Bowls ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Chip/Dip Trays ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Blue Styrofoam Plates ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Plastic Cups ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Bags Balloons, dark & light blue ($1.50 each at Target)
• = about $17 + tax

 My favorite features were the table cloths! So easy too. I just took one of the blue table cloths and cut out the circles from the tissue paper and then used a glue stick to glue them on (just a dab in the middle held them fine). I used the green crepe paper to make seaweed groupings. Those needed to be taped up because the glue wouldn't hold very well.

The water wall was kind of exhausting! I blew up all of the balloons, tied strings to them and then taped them up in a hanging pattern. I ran out of balloons, and was hoping for a fuller effect; but the idea still came across. I used the green crepe paper to making more hanging seaweed. 

I made the characters by taking pictures of them and then blowing them up and printing them out. I then used them as templates to cut them out of the foam and construction paper. The shark I actually cut out of the wrapping paper.

And these little platters were so darn cute! I simply cut out the claws, legs and eyes from the red foam, with a little white construction paper and then taped them to the underside of the oval red platter!

The food was simple, but good. I based my menu on food I was able to get cheap. I also used some items I already had on hand. It was a fairly easy menu: pulled pork, baked macaroni and cheese (check out the recipe--it's great!), salad, chips & salsa, pretzels, goldfish snacks. Plus, of course, the cake. Which I unfortunately don't have a picture of and I actually ended up disappointed because my icing melted on it. I drew the shark on it. It would have been so cute!

So there it is, my 3rd birthday party on a budget! I honestly planned the whole thing in about 2 weeks, and put together the decorations in a few days. I hope next year to plan a little better and make it even greater!