Nixon’s First Birthday Party (The Best Nest)

Bunting Stickers for cake topper from Typo

So initially when I realised that Nixon was indeed going to turn one against my wishes, I was planning on having a “small, easy party”.

Maybe we would just invite friends and no extended family? Or just family and no friends? Trying to decide who to invite eventually saw Dave and I drinking too much wine and deciding “we will invite EVERYONE!”. Problem solved.

I actually really enjoyed planning this party, and I pulled off most things on my wish list with only two exceptions. {View my Pinterest Board here}

Nix’s fave things are diggers so the colour scheme was pretty easy; yellow, black, white and silver. I shopped for all of the decor items plus plates, cutlery, cups, tablecloths etc from Pop Roc Parties and the Look Sharp store in Albany – that place is amazing when you are working to a colour theme!

To make things easier we kept the menu really simple, I mean really simple. I have no pics of the food, but Dave had the great idea to create a mini Subway sandwich station. All that was required was a selection of cold meat, sliced cheese, a variety of bread, salad items and condiments. We served coleslaw and potato salad with potato chip mini packs on the side. Drinks on offer were bottled water, lemonade, beer and wine, and the desert table was also pared right back to cake, cupcakes, cookies, fruit kebabs and a slice. Having no hot dishes meant there was no fussing in the kitchen during the party which made being able to chat with our 40 guests actually possible!

Large Blackboard Bunting $21 from Pop Roc Parties

Mini Flourish Blackboard Stand $3.50 Pop Roc Parties

Cupcake cases and yellow road cones from Look Sharp

I LOVE Origrami prints so decided to showcase the first year of Nixon’s life by hanging my prints on some little clotheslines with mini wooden pegs from The Warehouse.

I pre-ordered some helium balloons from Look Sharp so Dave just had to whip out and pick them up on the morning of the party.

Tassel garlands are fab, but this DID take longer than I anticipated {it could have been that I just really don’t enjoy paper based craft!}. There are heaps of tutorials online so just find one that you can make sense of and have a go.

Oh the cake! I have a go-to, never fail cake recipe that a neighbour gave me years ago. It is more caramel than chocolate and it rises beautifully. I went a bit OTT and layered two cakes with milk chocolate black forest ganache and iced with buttercream. A bit TOO rich! I will post the recipe soon.

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Melissa Jack

Nixon’s First Birthday Party