Simple Gingham Picnic Party

Fall is the time of parties around this house. Between birthdays and holidays, it seems like there’s always an event going on. Today I’m sharing one of my favourite each year- the twins’ birthday. They’re three years old already (somehow #saideverymomever) and this year all they wanted was a picnic party. And when I say that’s all they wanted, I mean they come up with that and wouldn’t let it go. I suggested maybe a camping party or they could have a pancake party or anything else that they usually love, but nope! Picnics. They needed picnics.

Which ended up being totally awesome because 1) it looks pretty rad 2) it’s cost effective and 3) so darn easy. Seriously. This backdrop cost less than $5 to make and the rest of the decorations pretty much made themselves (actually, they took no ‘making’). The only other thing that was made, my Dad’s wife took on for me- sweet little lunch bag goody bags (with the cutest wooden buttons!).

CLICK HERE for a video tutorial of this simple gingham picnic party and 12 more modern DIY Dollar Store Party Decorations that you can make for your next party! 

Let’s talk about that backdrop. It looks pretty rad, but it’s totally affordable and easy to set up. In fact. I had the supplies but hadn’t done anything to prepare it until half an hour before the party.  All you need for this backdrop is red paper (I got a pack of red card stock from the dollar store- it’s meant for certificates) cut down to square size. Use double sided tape or rolls of tape to put them up on the wall in a checkered pattern. If you have a darker wall, you could do the same with white paper for in the ‘white space’.

The banner is actually just two poster boards. I laid them side by side and taped them together on the back. I used my Pentel Aquash filled with ink (you could use a thick marker, a paintbrush with ink or black watercolor alternately) to draw a banner and write Happy 3rd Birthday. I found this pin that tells you all about how to draw a banner if that’s something you haven’t done before. Then I just taped that up overtop the gingham! SO simple, you guys.

Other than that, I used a piece of gingham fabric for a table runner, some vintage pieces that I borrowed from my sister-in-law. She has some amaaazing stuff and those few pieces pulled the table together. I also chose all picnic type food so it was easy to throw together at the eleventh hour. That’s the saying right? I mean in the last half hour before the party, with all those sweet friends you suckered into helping you ;)

Now can we chat about those sweet goody bags? My Dad’s wife rocked these out for me and I didn’t even need to plug in my sewing machine. Then my mom came over and sewed all the driftwood buttons on for me. So for me, that was an easy project ;) But I had SO much fun picking out some denim fabrics for them and my sweet friends from Sustain My Craft Habit sent over those driftwood buttons for me to use on them. I feel like they MAKE the goody bags. Thank you Jane and Sonya! I should probably tell you that their store has SO much more than buttons. It’s like a driftwood/all things beachy dream.

I’d originally thought these bags would make great little lunch kits but they’re pretty small. We followed this tutorial (without the corner studs). What they are perfect for is snack bags inside my kids backpacks. They do half days and just need one snack. And they’re supposed to have it in a bag so the pieces aren’t hard to get to the table. But a real lunch kit is too giant for this (and takes up the whole backpack. So that’s a win. I also saved a couple for on their dresser and rolled the tops down (kind of like my bathroom storage baskets!) to use for ballet shoes and bracelets.

That’s it, that’s all! It really was so simple- the most simple party I’ve thrown in a long time and I loved it. We threw a blanket on the floor for the kids to eat their treats on and the twins were SO excited to be having a picnic. It’s the simple things for three year olds, I guess ;)