Dodd - Party Fun!: Themes, cakes, invitations, treat bags, food, games

Without the expertise of the hard-working team at Struik, this book wouldnt have been possible. My special thanks to Linda de Villiers for guiding the ship throughout the journey. To Joy Clack, for her patient and professional editing that turned a wad of text into this fabulous guide for parents her dedication is apparent throughout! To Beverley Dodd, whose design skills have transformed every page into a fantasy of inspiration I am delighted to have once again had the opportunity to take advantage of her talents! For the many evenings spent in my kitchen, icing nozzle in hand, I thank you too, Bev. I would never have managed this production without your devoted assistance.

My husband, Cedric, came up trumps and spent many hours patiently waiting outside toy and baking supply stores. He tirelessly helped with my props and contributed much to this project. My technical advisers, Nicholas Latimer and Amy Dodd, provided much valued input. We spent many happy hours in our design studio mulling over ideas. Amy was a real asset in the kitchen too as she ably assisted with the cake decorating, managing the tasks delegated to her with aplomb!

My dear friend Kirsten Roets advised with the beading designs and instructions. The many hours spent in bead shops and the subsequent afternoons devoted to transforming fishing line into artworks are much appreciated. Natalie Dodd and Yvonne von Ruben encouraged me all the way and I thank them for their unfailing support and enthusiasm.

Rynos expertise behind the lens and his keen eye for detail is clearly evident on every page. His professional input did much to enhance my designs. Ankes styling was an absolute joy to behold and fulfilled all my expectations! Ably assisted by Shelley, the party tables are guaranteed to evoke squeals of delight.

Lastly, our two standard poodles were delighted when the food mixer once again started churning in preparation of this book and there was much happy anticipation of reject designs! JENNY DODD

NOTE: While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate, the author and publishers accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person using this book or following the advice given in it.

Struik Lifestyle
(an imprint of Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd)
Company Reg. No. 1966/003153/07
Wembley Square, First Floor, Solan Road, Gardens, Cape Town 8001
PO Box 1144, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa

First published in 2007 by Struik Publishers
Reprinted in 2008
Reprinted in 2010 by Struik Lifestyle
This ebook edition published in 2012

Copyright in published edition:
Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd 2007
Copyright in text: Jenny Dodd 2007
Copyright in photographs and illustrations:
Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd

ISBN 978-1-77007-399-9 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-43230-050-0 (Epub)
ISBN 978-1-43230-051-7 (PDF)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and the copyright holders.

PUBLISHER: Linda de Villiers
EDITOR: Joy Clack
DESIGNER: Beverley Dodd
PHOTOGRAPHER: Ryno
STYLIST: Anke Roux
ILLUSTRATOR: Janine Damon
PROOFREADER: Irma van Wyk

Childrens birthdays are always anticipated with a great deal of excitement and the planning and preparations for this special day can make all the difference to the enjoyment of the occasion. A well-planned party is also long remembered and much appreciated.

It is with all this in mind that I have endeavoured to provide this second guide for childrens parties and to show you how to enchant the entire family as they witness flour, icing sugar and sweets being transformed before their eyes. My intent is to illustrate just how easy it is to produce a birthday cake in your own kitchen. Plan ahead, shop around, bake in advance and you will wish that birthdays could be more frequent events on the calendar! The confectionery accessories that are currently available make cake decorating a cinch and sweet manufacturers are providing such a variety of shapes that any theme can easily be co-ordinated.

From the time that the theme is chosen and the guest list prepared, the party will be anticipated with tangible excitement. Involve your child in all the preparations and allow and respect his or her opinions and suggestions.

Record the happy event by taking photographs and include a video as well, if possible. These will provide treasured memories that will last forever!

The key to a successful party is to plan ahead and make the cake well in advance, not on the day of the party! Once the cake has been iced it may be covered with a large plastic bag and frozen until the day before the party, when the finishing touches may be added. Cupcakes and biscuits may also be made in advance and frozen, again adding the final decorations on the day before the party.

The themes depicted in this book can be achieved relatively quickly and easily and at a low cost, but they can all be adapted to suit time and budget constraints. Many of the ideas are interchangeable, for example the beading activities will also work very well with the girls sleepover party. Babies and toddlers have been included in this book and I trust that the theme ideas will be of assistance, especially to first-time mums!

Setting the scene for the party need not be a formidable chore, especially if planned in advance. Involve the entire family in creating the items that contribute to the enchantment of the chosen theme. Not only is this a good way to spend time together, it will also speed up the preparations if youre pushed for time.

Streamers (50 mm wide) cut from sheets of crepe paper are easy to make and, when twisted before hanging, create a wonderful canopy above the party table that can reflect the dominant colours of the theme. Use a pair of pinking scissors when cutting the streamers to add to the effect and staple the ends of the streamers together to increase the length if necessary.

Balloons always add extra appeal to any party atmosphere. It has become standard practice to tie a bunch to the garden gate, allowing easy identification of the party venue and letting the neighbourhood know that a very special day is being celebrated. Tie balloons in bunches (the theme will determine the colours) in the corners of the party room and wherever else the children are likely to gather. Add curling ribbons to enhance the festive appearance. Dispose of broken bits of balloon immediately as they may be dangerous if swallowed. Tips for dcor have been included with each theme.

Invitations should be distributed about two weeks before the party. Always include an RSVP date to facilitate catering as well as the preparation of the games contact the mums who havent replied to ascertain whether their child will be accepting the invitation. Give the birthday child the guest list so that he or she may tick off the names as the replies are received.

Apart from the starting time, stipulate the time that the party will end so that parents collect the children punctually. Ensure that the duration of the party is not too long two hours is sufficient for most parties. Parties for babies and toddlers may be restricted to 112 hours, while those for the older children that involve outings, for example the skateboarding and tenpin bowling, will need to be quite a bit longer. Always ensure that you have a contact number for the parents of each guest.