Fairy Show Bags!

It is amazing that one could probably have a birthday party for one's child that featured no games whatsoever; one might even get away with a party that did not have a cake (though I suppose that is not very likely); but one should never ever consider having a birthday party that does not end with the handing out of goodie bags. Most years, Tiger's goodie bags have been simple affairs with an emphasis on edible elements but always with 'favours' of some kind. One year, for the Thomas the Tank Engine party, I put together colouring-in books that were very basic: a pile of printed colouring-in pages stapled together, but that was about as much effort as I have hitherto put into goodie-bag production. 

This year, for some reason, I simply could not face handing out another pile of brown-paper packages filled with lollies and plastic bits. While researching ideas, I came across some gorgeous draw-string bags appliqued with the first initial of the guest's name - I had to try to make some. Then I came across the most adorable notebooks with pictures of animals on the front cover: they weren't anything to do with our 'fairy theme' but I became obsessed with making them regardless. Of all the items in the goodie bags, the books were the most labour intensive but also the most rewarding. They were also the one thing that I forgot to photograph (if one doesn't count the bags themselves).

I will admit that I got a little carried away (as I said to a friend, I think I confused goodie bags with show bags). I will also admit that I did not manage to include all the things that I originally planned but, in the end, the guests all received lolly pops; little beaded bracelets; a gold chocolate coin and:

 I re-wrapped mini boxes of Smarties with labels that

read: "Fairy Poo. Do Not Eat*"

On the reverse side it says: "*Just Kidding!"

 These were Cadbury Furry Friends which I re-wrapped

in silver and green foil and covered in printed labels that

were based on the party invite.

 Tigerlily had an idea some months ago that bubbles

might be 'fairy eggs'. I considered writing that on the

labels for the bubble mix but I thought it would seem

strange without the back story. In the end, we couldn't think of 

anything particularly interesting so we went with a bastardised

Shakespearean reference.

I filled these little bottles with corn flour which I 

tinted pink and scented with rose essential oil and

then I mixed in a lot of green glitter. I made two 

versions of the label because I couldn't decide which

I liked better...

The saga of the mushroom pencils is long and torturous

and still threatens to make me weep. In the end, each 

child got one of these in their bag instead of the full set. 

I also have 132 mini lead pencils and 48 mushroom-shaped

knobs left over...

I bought six metres of beautiful lavender cord on which

to hang each of these fairy charms. I cut said cord into

perfectly measured lengths and gathered the small beads

which were going to hang either side of the charm. On 

the morning of the party, I sat down to string these simple

little necklaces only to discover that the cord was too thick.

Much swearing ensued and the children got the charms alone

in their bags. I now have a whole pile of very unuseful lengths

of cord with which I know not what to do (flog unwanted mice 

to death with it??).

These are the little notebooks. This is the original

photo from which I got the images to make the books.

You will just have to trust me that they looked exactly 

the same! They had 16 pages of colour, lined and 

white paper on which to draw whatever inspiration 

requires. I am not sure why they cast such a spell on me but

I love them. I hope the kids did too!

I am capable of many things but sewing is not one of them. When we were at school, we had compulsory Textiles & Designs classes in year 10 (I think). One project I tried to complete during these classes was a simple black pencil skirt: I sewed, unpicked, and resewed a zipper eleven times without once managing to sew it on straight. With this in mind, it might seem strange that I decided to attempt to sew the bags for Tiger's party but, as with the notebooks, I simply fell in love with the idea and decided to give it a go. It probably helps that the pattern specifically stated that it was not necessary to get the hems straight! I actually decided to make a feature of my wonky sewing and I sewed all the hems in bright red stitching, some of them were decidedly, um, creative in appearance. After weeks of sewing, cutting, glueing and whatnot, when all was said and done, I forgot to photograph the assembled bags. I did, however, remember to ask a couple of the guests to hold their bags up for me so I would have a few to remember:

 Miss Sophie with her 'S' bag.

 Oliver's was a bit weird, because I

experimented with a satin stitch on

the applique but I did like the tattoo

fabric I used for his letter.

 The divine Miss T (we chose purple

fabric especially for her letter).

 I used one of my favourite fabrics

for Matilda's 'M'.

Margot got an 'M' in deep purple

with stars of many colours.

I loved making the bags this year but I fear that there is nowhere to go in the years to come. Hand-carved boxes for next year perhaps? I had better get cracking...