I loved playing with my Barbie dolls as a kid. Today, my daughter also has a love for this classic toy. I especially love that the Barbies of today are so diverse and representative of the world we live in. So when Xavier requested a Barbie themed party this year. I was so excited to put my spin on this party classic.
I was on a tight budget for this party, and not feeling very well, so I needed cheap, cheerful and easy. This party was exactly that. Everything was homemade from the party decor to the capsule wardrobe my mom and I created for my little Barbie doll, with the exception of the cake and cookies, which were yummy treats I didn’t mind splurging on
I decided to put a pretty elegant touch to the usual Barbie party and used some wrapping paper I found with traditional South African flowers as my inspiration. As we were limiting guests to just grandparents and one of her cousins, I wanted to create a setup she could have fun in and play. Together with my mom, we created a capsule wardrobe of mix and match pieces so she could play dress up. Even her cookies were made to be played with. Xavier had a blast and my heart was so happy.
Here’s how I did it
Barbie Box
The central focal point of the party. This was one of the easiest DIY’s I’ve ever done.
I bought a large box and cut out a window in the front. I painted it with some sample paint I had and used wrapping paper to create an interesting background inside the box. I then used my silhouette cameo to cut Xavier’s name out of sticker vinyl. You could also just print or draw the name and cut it out. Some of my favourite features of the box is the “warning” and “made with love by God” sign I made and printed using my Epson Ecotank Printer.
Balloon Arch
What’s a party without balloons? I made this easy Balloon Arch to compliment the giant dollbox. I bought some balloons from China Town and blew them up in different sizes. I used a long piece of ribbon and attached the balloons around it, until I had a long string of balloons. I then attached the string to the top of the dollbox and used the left over balloons to scatter across the floor.
Capsule Wardrobe
Every doll needs a costume change. I still can’t get over how beautifully these pieces turned out and all for around a R100! A few months ago, I picked up 2 bags of off cut material at my local fabric store, inside were these beautiful pieces of sequins, tuile and gorgeous pink material. I bought another piece of tuile and my mom and I got to sewing and creating these garments for Xavier. She loved playing dress up and twirling in a her giant tutu
We created a capsule wardrobe consisting of a full length tutu, a full length pink skirt, an off the shoulder pink top, a sequins top, a white top, a crown and we added a Barbie top, I bought at Cotton On Kids, because its a Barbie party after all. I used some shoes, sunglasses and bows she had as accessories
Table Setting & Decor
I really wanted the table setting to coordinate with the rest of the decor , so I used the same pattern as the wrapping paper to create the table setup. I made place setting, bottle labels, plate decor, cupcake holders, bunting. Everything turned out so beautifully. I designed everything using silhouette studio and printed on glossy cardstock using my Epson Ecotank printer. I also made a happy birthday sign that I put in a frame I had.
Cake
I really wanted a a traditional Barbie doll in a cake for Xavier, just like the one I had, when I was little. Estelle from Essies Yummy Delights, did a brilliant job of bringing my childhood memories alive in a beautiful new way. This cake was just as yummy as it looks!
Cookies
What’s a party without something unique from The Frosted Raspberry ? This birthday, she created a unique set of painted doll cookies. She also made a Xavier cookie with a set of outfits to match the ones my mom and I made. So Xavier could literally play dress up with her cookies. I made some boxes for the cookie dolls and the result was just adorable.
Party packs
I printed out some stickers for some gift bags, and filled it with the usual party fair, chips, sweets. I added the doll cookie boxes and made some custom furniture stickers, so Xaviers cousins could play with their Barbie cookies before they ate them. I also wrapped a Kit Kat in wrapping paper and added a pearl chain to create a little Barbie bag.
Vendors
I bought, paid for and made everything for this party. Nothing was sponsored or gifted. Here are the vendors I used and a list of where I got everything from
- Box – Box-It
- Balloons – China Town
- Material – Fabric Centre
- Paper plates / napkins – Checkers
- Cardstock /Stickers – PNA
- Printing – Epson Ecotank
- Design software – Silhouette Studio
- Cake – Essies Yummy Delights
- Cookies – The Frosted Raspberry
- Bow – Mimelia Boutique
CREATIVE | MOM | TRAVELER | DIY ENTHUSIAST 