Party time for Johnny-almost-6 today. His birthday falls in half term, so we thought we'd celebrate early with his classmates.
Though the cake issue was almost a trauma.
Me: Johnny, what kind of cupcakes would you like for your party?
Him: I don't want cupcakes.
Me: (hyperventilating) What? {but, but, but Mummy is the queen of cupcakes. I have wrappers in every hue, sprinkles galore, can bake them with my eyes closed. How can you say this to me? Did I not give birth to you? Change your nappies? Blow your nose? How can you do this to me?}
Him: Can I have a BIG cake?
Me: (exhaling) Oh, okay. What would you like on it?
Him: A tree.
Me: Sure {I can do that, just about - I have a leaf cookie cutter somewhere...}
Him: Growing straight up out of the middle.
Okay, so the last bit did defeat me, but he got a tree cake (and I got to use the edible glitter from my Christmas Stocking).
And I even snuck in some bite sized cupcakes under the category of 'food'.
And some flower lollipops for the party bags. Well, I call them party bags, but really they all just got a lollipop, a slice of the BIG cake and a book each. Because I am so over buying fistfuls of plastic tat.
And I think they all had a good time. They certainly ran about enough!
And now I have earned an evening in front of trash telly with a very BIG glass of wine.
That cake is excellent - and perfectly suited to the day's activities. Are those jelly bean acorns? Glad you managed to get the cupcake fix in the end.
Trash telly? What's your Trash of choice? Mine is reruns of SATC.
Enjoy the wine - it's richly deserved
Posted by: Emma | 07 February 2010 at 19:42
That brings back memories of themed parties when the boys were little... I have been known to make a Triceratops cake before now! I think your tree looks fantastic and it certainly looks as though all the party goers had lots of fun! Enjoy that glass of wine!
Posted by: Gina | 07 February 2010 at 19:58
Fabulous cakes, large and small! I love the idea of a party in the woods....I must remember that one for future use!
Enjoy the vino!
Posted by: Laura | 07 February 2010 at 20:01
I love the cake, how fantastic. I may have to steel your ideas!!!
Posted by: TheMadHouse | 07 February 2010 at 20:04
That cake looks amazing!!! So so good, it's unbelievable!
Posted by: Petit Filoux | 07 February 2010 at 20:07
LOL.... I love the tree growing out the cake idea, brilliant!
Posted by: pjs | 07 February 2010 at 20:14
Yay ! Party bag rebellion, I love it...we are about to take the plunge and just give large slices of cake and a balloon animal... must admit bit worried about parent/children backlash...but I know I can't be the only Mum in the village who hates the plastic fantastic
Posted by: Pennie | 07 February 2010 at 20:21
What a great party idea! I bet they all had a great time and went home shattered and mucky!
The cakes & cupcakes look great!
Vanessa x
Posted by: Vanessa | 07 February 2010 at 20:27
A tree cake! What a fab idea! You did a great job with it too especially with the jelly bean fruits! I am glad to see that you got your cup cakes in too. I would love to have a birthday celebration in the woods. Fancy organising an adults one!
Posted by: Simone | 07 February 2010 at 20:44
Fab cake(s)!
Enjoy your wine, sounds like you deserve it!
Posted by: Dragonfly | 07 February 2010 at 21:16
hurray for a fantastic party xoxo
Posted by: driftwood | 07 February 2010 at 21:41
Oh what a fabulous party! Love everything from the invites to the cake. Will you please come throw a birthday party for me?!
K x
Posted by: kristina | 07 February 2010 at 22:00
After you've fully recovered from this one of course... K x
Posted by: kristina | 07 February 2010 at 22:00
Love the "quite possibly mud" bit!
Posted by: lina | 07 February 2010 at 22:30
Fantastic cakes all of them.
Posted by: Kate | 07 February 2010 at 22:52
Beautiful cake!
Posted by: jess | 07 February 2010 at 23:17
Oh, look at them all running about in the mud - what a brilliant (and brave) idea for a party.
I've spent the evening watching Being Human and trying not to eat the banana cookies I made for the kids' lunchboxes. I *almost* succeeded.
Posted by: dottycookie | 07 February 2010 at 23:20
Oh no! Don't tell me they start dictating the party baking. I am not ready to relinquish that! The upcoming 3rd birthday party theme is "Rainbow Colours", not because it was requested, but because I want to make a rainbow cake.
Posted by: Allison | 08 February 2010 at 00:27
Looks like a lot of fun, the cake turned out great. Enjoy your evening, you deserve it.
Posted by: Jennifer | 08 February 2010 at 01:20
Fantastic Ali! Brilliant all round - great venue, fab cake and I love the take home treat! I have Chloe's 10th to organise now and haven't the foggiest what to do. Worse still - neither does she.
Posted by: Louise | 08 February 2010 at 01:32
You pulled off...very cute cake.
Boys, mud, woods...a perfect match.
Tell him, Happy (belated) Birthday from a women across the ocean. :)
Posted by: Gina | 08 February 2010 at 02:54
What a fabulous cake! And a super fun idea for a party -- looks like you did a fantastic job. Big rest for you now!!!
Posted by: Thimbleanna | 08 February 2010 at 03:09
Johnny is a lucky little lad indeed. The picture reminds me of the birthday parties my parents used to throw up the local hill. That cake looks absolutely delicious.
Posted by: UK lass in US | 08 February 2010 at 04:17
Looks tasty and I love the invites!
Posted by: Sasha | 08 February 2010 at 05:11
Ha! I had almost the same conversation with my younger son who was 13 yesterday.
'You don't want cupcakes? But I was going to make rainbow coloured cupcakes'(to match my crocheted blanket and so provide good blog eye-candy)
'I want a big, plain cake'
'plain???'
Sounds like a great party Ali ;o)
Posted by: Sue | 08 February 2010 at 07:54
Good job, Ali! Looks like everyone had a great time.
And hooray! for less plastic tat!!!!
Posted by: Karen J | 08 February 2010 at 09:41
I think if you had all that wonderful outdoorsiness instead of some stupid prebooked party venue - you deserve at least 2 glasses.
Posted by: jodie | 08 February 2010 at 09:54
Fantastic! Well done Ali.
I am dreading boys parties (boy is only 2). My girls are older and I am a dab hand at making crowns and icing biscuits (with lots of sprinkles) and clearing up glitter at princess parties!
And you're right - one decent thing in a party bag is so much better than a pile of plastic. Down with plastic!
Posted by: Amanda | 08 February 2010 at 11:16
Ooo looks like a great party! (I could do with a party like that at my house to restock the wood store after all this cold weather!!)
And I love the tree lollypops :) xxx
Posted by: sarah | 08 February 2010 at 11:36
What a brilliant cake!
Sounds like much fun was had, what a great way to spend some time outdoors.
Lisa x
Posted by: Lisa | 08 February 2010 at 11:43
Looks like a great party. I want cake now...
Posted by: Laurie | 08 February 2010 at 13:01
Happy Birthday Johnny - looks like a fab party and the cake is super!
Posted by: Julie | 08 February 2010 at 13:06
Hi Ali...Super cake....and looks like everyone had lots of fun!! :-)
Posted by: anne | 08 February 2010 at 13:52
That all looks great!! Can I ask how you did your lollies??? Is it just leaf shaped card attached to the lolly stick??? Many Thanks x
Posted by: ali.b | 08 February 2010 at 14:33
Love the cakes - I must remember the jelly bean toppers - that's a great idea. Those den-building parties are fun, Juliet went to one last autumn at Wittenham Clumps and had a good time. When J was smaller, I always did books in party bags, but nowadays it has to be make-up!
Posted by: Annabel | 08 February 2010 at 14:35
That party looks brilliant - what an original idea! And, yes, I have always resented buying bags of tat! Love the cake, too.
Posted by: Louise | 08 February 2010 at 15:30
What fun ! and what a cake ! I went back to giving a slice of cake & a balloon at my childrens' parties - meanie me !
Had my first swap day today - so exciting thank you for organising it.
Posted by: Penny | 08 February 2010 at 16:03
Those lollies are a genius idea.
Posted by: The Coffee Lady | 08 February 2010 at 16:59
hurray!
that sounds like a most fantastic party....
and that cake... mmmhhhh
Posted by: monica | 08 February 2010 at 18:23
Awesome tree cake if you ask me. There really should be a birthday party Oscars or something, we jolly well deserve fame and fortune for the effort we put into these things.
Posted by: Megan | 08 February 2010 at 18:49
I really like the idea of the woodland theme - and great cake too! Hope Johnny enjoyed his birthday celebrations. x
Posted by: Helen | 08 February 2010 at 20:15
Six! Did I blink?
A woodland party for a group of six year old boys was a moment of grenius-level inspiration.
Posted by: Alice C | 08 February 2010 at 20:59
Yay - queen of cupcakes! Anything bigger than a cupcake sinks on me, so I'm extra impressed by the tree cake (not to mention the cupcakes you snuck in!). Jen x
Posted by: Jen | 08 February 2010 at 22:52
That looks like a very good party indeed! Love the cake and the lollies! Lucy x
Posted by: Lucy Locket-Pocket | 08 February 2010 at 22:58
you are not only the queen of cupcakes but also the queen of cakes...wow wow wow!!!
Posted by: Claudia | 09 February 2010 at 00:34
I would also like to know how you did the lollies - they look fantastic!
Posted by: Katherine | 09 February 2010 at 13:09
Wonderful cake! I've done the 'slice of cake and a book' thing for parties too - and some of the kids made a point of saying how much they liked it, which was nice. It was a great idea to let them all run around in the woods ... *makes mental note just in case it's ever needed in future* ...
x
Posted by: Kitty | 09 February 2010 at 13:36
Hmmm...furiously scribbling notes here, as I've got one of these coming up in exactly three weeks. I'm with you on the plastic-tat-in-goodie-bags bit; may I swipe your book-and-lolly idea? I'd love to do a woodland theme, but my person wants Halloween.
Definitely planning to do the big glass of wine at day's end part...
Posted by: Lynn | 09 February 2010 at 17:44
Just found your blog, the 7 Days of Specialness Swap sounds amazing. Shame I missed the boat, it would have certainly cheered up a winter in Cyprus!
Posted by: Little Island In The Med | 09 February 2010 at 19:03
1. That's a beautiful cake, and 2. what on earth are they doing with that enormous tree?
Posted by: Readersguide | 10 February 2010 at 00:37