When our preschool was looking for donations for the annual fundraiser, a bunch of moms pooled our resources and put the mother of all party planning packages on the auction block. The winning bidder received a customized birthday party complete with a party planner. All they had to do was write a few checks and show up. When you’re an expectant mom with two children whose birthdays are back to back, could you ask for anything more?

Ellie & Logan, the birthday kids, both love One Direction. With the school as the venue and teachers to manage the various entertainment areas, all that was needed were the details to pull it all together. In addition to having a 1D playlist, we incorporated some iconic UK elements- the red double decker buses and the Union Jack, which inspired our color scheme.

The adorable One Direction themed invitations and London “bus” favor boxes were created by the graphic designer mom. Upon entering through the VIP door, the kids received All Access Passes bearing a photo of the guests of honor, with a 2L logo as a nod to their fave band, 1D. A pop star themed bounce house manned by Ellie’s teacher was a party favorite. No surprise there. Kids were able to decorate their own guitars in a crafting area using stickers, markers, Crayons and 1D stickers, of course.

To get into the rock star spirit, kids were given rock star make-overs. Temporary tattoos? Colored hair? Sparkly make-up? Check, check, and check. Budding pop stars got to experience their own X Factor by singing along with a karaoke dj. One Direction tunes were in heavy rotation!

Inside the Lollie Lounge, a One Direction themed sweets table held yummy treats like “microphone” cake pops & “drum stick” pretzels made by the party planning mom, rock candy, pops rocks, and a beautiful cake baked by another mom who is a professional chef. One Direction wall decals were attached to a white shower curtain to create the cool backdrop. Kids ate cake at tables with charming UK/rock star themed centerpieces and drank water wrapped with Union Jack duct tape. All the Lollie Palooza revelry was captured on film by a talented photographer mom.