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I’ve been lucky to call my husband’s grandmother my own for over 16 years. She is kind and loving, has a youthful spirit and an infectious smile. So when my mother-in-law enlisted me to help plan a surprise 80th birthday party for her, I jumped at the chance!
My mother-in-law’s incredible vision for the party was to fill the house with candy, toys and popular foods from the 1930s, 40s and 50s – the perfect complement to Grandma’s playful nature. I also wanted to make a memorable party favor that guests could take home with them to remember the nostalgic afternoon.
As the matriarch of the family, Grandma is, of course, known for her eclectic mix of delicious recipes. That’s how I came up with the idea to create recipe card party favors with a little help from my friends at Evermine.
I chose two of Grandma’s coveted recipes to feature – Waldorf Salad and Shrimp Gumbo – and had them printed on Evermine Enclosure Cards in the “Modern Museo” design. To create the favors, I paired the recipe cards with Pin Back Buttons featuring photos of Grandma – one when she was a little girl on the family farm and another when she was in high school – and oval Favor Tags that read “80th Birthday Party – Geraldine Barksdale – Thank You For Coming!”
- Hole Punch
- 9.5 Inch String Pieces – Evermine includes white string when ordering favor tags, however I chose to purchase my own string in a color that matched the favor tag color.
- Recipe Cards, Pin Back Buttons and Favor Tags
- Step 1 – Add a hole punch to the top, left-hand corner of the recipe card.
- Step 2 – Pull the piece of pre-cut string through the hole in the recipe card and the hole in the favor tag.
- Step 3 – Add your pin back button last by pulling the string through the pin on the back side.
- Step 4 – Tie all of the pieces together in a bow. Remember to double knot the string before tying the bow to keep the 3 pieces securely together.
To hold my party favors, I used two small decorative drawers I had at home. For added effect, I created a sign that says “Please Take One” and displayed some of the favors on a cork board using the pin’s backing to secure them to the cork. Thanks to Evermine, my favors looked professional and sweet – they were a HUGE hit at the party!
With such a large, close-knit family, we were thankfully able to keep the party a surprise. The look on Grandma’s face as she came through the door to see all of her family and friends waiting for her will be something I never forget. What an incredible way to celebrate an incredible woman!
Used In This Project:
- Large Oval Hang Tags • I chose the “Modern Museo” style in sea glass.
- Pin Back Buttons • I chose the “Modern Museo” style in sea glass.
- Enclosure Cards • I chose the “Modern Museo” style in radiant orchid and sunburst.
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Jana Thomas is an entrepreneur, busy mom to 3 boys, avid K-State football fan and self-proclaimed movie nerd from Manhattan, KS. She loves being a soccer mom, party planning, traveling and spending time with her family.
What a lovely party you had! Great ideas and fabulous recipes!
It was a wonderful surprise party for my Mom. Thank you Jana for the great party favor ideas and helping bring a memorial day for my mom and the family.
Wow! What a perfect idea. This is all so beautifully done from idea to execution. I bet Grandma felt so loved and adored! I may have to try to pull something like this off!