Birthday Party With a French Flair

{Warning: Picture overload!}

A month or so before Bekah's 10th birthday, Kristin asked her, "Do you have a theme for your birthday party?" 

"No."

Then, "I-guess-I-could-have-a-French-birthday-party-Kati-could-you-make-me-an-Eiffel-Tower-cake?"

That's how quickly Bekah went from having no idea about her party, to getting an idea, to making some definite plans.  Mere seconds had passed. 

So someone twisted my arm and I began to plan.  I latched on to the idea and my wheels started spinning...and I became an obsessed woman! 

Immediately, I started planning the menu.  As this was to be a family party and we would be having lunch together  as we do every Sunday afternoon, I decided that we'd start with chicken salad on croissants, and cheeses and fruit.  Then we'd go all out for desserts!  Of course, we'd have petit fours.

Everywhere I looked in the next few weeks, I found French-inspired sweets.  But no petit fours.  I visited a few grocery stores in our nearest "big" town, the nicer stores with lovely bakeries.  No petit fours.  I asked my friend Barbara who knows about such things...and she did know.  She told me that a store about forty minutes from me had beautiful petit fours in their bakery.  So on a gray, rainy day, the girls and I made the drive, and came home with eighteen petit fours (plus a few more items) and the thrill of success!

I googled some ideas for French-themed parties.  I decided that I wanted to have an awning, to create a French cafe ambience.  No, the more I thought about it, I needed an awning. 

I thought and thought.  Paper?  Plastic?  Ask Ron to make one out of wood?  And where do I hang it?  How do I hang it?  I asked my family for advice.  I asked my facebook friends for advice.  I thought and thought some more.  For days.  Obsessed?, you ask.  I was. 

Finally, late one Friday night after everyone else in the house had gone to bed, it came to me!  The striped vinyl table cloth that I had bought for the picnic table!  YES!  I went to bed a happy woman.  And the next day, Kati  and I made that awning!

We cut the scallops, using a bowl as a guide.  We drew window boxes on a piece of newsprint.  We borrowed my mom's café sign that she has in her dining room.  (She is a Francophile like Bekah.)  And we brought in some of the wrought iron patio furniture.  Voilà!  A French café! 

The day of the party was bright and sunny, outside and inside!  This scene greeted our family guests. (The Eiffel Tower was also borrowed from Mom.)

To add to the atmosphere, we played French café  music via grooveshark. 

The café scene was the perfect place for pictures!

"When is it time to eat?  I think I like French food!"

 The young guests created some sidewalk art.

These decorated pretzels were party favors, although if I recall, some didn't make it home.

When Bekah opened her presents, I noticed that I am not the only one who can become theme-obsessed.  Just sayin'.

Did I mention that we were "going all out" for desserts?  I see nine (NINE!) on the table.  And we hadn't gotten the glace (ice cream) out yet.  No one complained.

Although I LOVE parties, and I love to plan them, I don't always do such deluxe things.  (I shared ~HERE~ about a party that came together the very morning of the party!)  This one lent itself to some ideas magnifique, and we had a blast!  But the real reward was the memories that were made!  It was a special day and Bekah has talked about her 10th birthday party all year long!

{To those of you who are still here, thanks for hanging with me! ~smile~ }