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Construction ~ “I Dig Being 1”

Description

For my little man, I was def. not into sailboats and sesame street" for his first birthday party. He is all boy and loves trucks and to get dirty so nothing would suit him better than a construction themed birthday party.

Design Inspiration

My inspiration came from my little man first and foremost.  Having had a girl first it totally cracked me up to watch him walk , listen to his deep raspy boy voice and how much different having a boy was from having a girl.  He loves trucks and getting dirty, and I don't like the typical first birthday themes and like it to be a little bit more rugged and modern.  I started searching the net months before his birthday to start looking for ideas.  I loved all of the construction themes out there, and the color orange (his nursery has orange stripes on the wall) so it all came together with the construction theme.  There were a ton of sites with awesome ideas that helped me out a lot as well!

Decorating Style

Traditional with a twist of modern.

Project Details

Ahh where to start!?  I loved this theme!  I had just finished my daughters party a couple of weeks before, and told myself that I was not going to go overboard with the details, which did not happen!  For the desert table I used a blueprint to make the number one, and then masking tape and caution tape to outline it.   I used a string and clothespins to hang his monthly pictures across the deck.   I tried to color coordinate the foods as well as label tehm with "construction" type names such as "nuts and bolts."  I also used a truck cookie cutter to make PB&J sandwhiches which came out too cute! 

 I got his shirt from etsy (love that place), it was super super soft and not too cutesy.

The dollar store provided me with a ton of stuff like safety googles, shovels, toy trucks etc for the sandbox.  I stopped at home depot for the tool belts, pencils, paint hats, and the apron that David wore. 

We made huge building blocks out of old diaper boxes with craft paper and then a sharpie marker.  The kids could build them up and knock them in the "hard hat area."   I really wanted one of those cardboard houses the kids could paint but ran out of time - but love that idea as well.

Favorite Items

My favorite item was the favors, his birthday shirt, and the home depot apron for him to wear when he was eating the cake.

Advice

Definitley check your dollar stores for cheap tools, googles, shovels, tape measurers etc!  Ask a local builder if they have any blueprints you can use for the tableclothes, and make sure you go to home depot!  They donated the apron for my son and were so helpful!

Stina

Saturday 31st of December 2016

Where did you get his shirt

Brooke

Monday 11th of June 2012

Please let me know where you got that bulldozer tent! I am IN LOVE with it!

Shane V.

Monday 16th of April 2012

Do you happen to have the signs or invitations electronically? Love your ideas!!!

butterscotch

Monday 24th of January 2011

I sure love the way you used tool belts as loot bags!  I love your ideas for this party!  Very ingenius!

hawahawa

Tuesday 18th of January 2011

Thank you for sharing this.  It's unique and it's something that I'd sure try out for a friend's son's 2nd birthday party!  Am sure even kids as old as 12 would love this!