So two years ago when the girls asked me when they could have a sleepover I told them when they are 8 (mostly because I know that’s how old I was for my first sleepover!) Somehow they won that discussion and for their SEVENTH birthday, we planned a sleepover. And specifically an AMERICAN GIRL sleepover. I love to party plan and had a great time searching Pinterest and Etsy for ideas! First up was the invitation: we had so much fun doing this quick shoot with the girls in their jammies! They even managed to get along the whole time!! I had also just downloaded this FREE template from Birdesign which worked perfect!!
When it came to planning, I decided the more planning I did, the less likely it would be for any of the girls to get nervous (for some this was their first overnight away from home) as well a good way to avoid anyone feeling left out. I found lots of crafts for AG dolls as well other “slumber party” type activities! When each guest arrived, they received a copy of the schedule, which they LOVED – they kept checking to see what was coming next!!
The first craft I took from the AG Dining Book – which gives all sorts of ideas on how to make your own food for dolls. We made a bowl of lucky charms (punched out hearts from pink & purple foam, punched out stars from yellow & green foam, and punched out circles from brown foam, and put in the lid from a soda bottle and covered with glue) AND a glass of lemonade (using elmers glue, yellow food coloring, a shortened coffee stirrer in a plastic communion cup.) Later we did pedicures, and while each girl was getting painted, the others tied strips of fabric onto flip flops. The last activity was making your own lipglosss. I bought tiny acrylic containers for each girl on Etsy, then the girls added part of a packet of flavored drink mix and melted petroleum jelly, and stirred.
As for decor, lots of items I had already (either from previous parties or as props!): table runner, cereal jars, and Happy Birthday banner from Pottery Barn Kids, milk bottles and paper straws from Shop Sweet Lulu, carafes and tissue paper flowers from Hobby Lobby. We have cycled through several sets of real dinner plates in our house, so I took an old set and spray painted them hot pink, to use as chargers (UNDER the paper plates.) The pink frame with the birthday subway art is from The Organic Bloom. Oh, and I made the doll tutu banner using elastic and tulle, and each girl got to take one home.
I converted the colors from this free Birthday Subway art from Eighteen25 to match our party and just printed on photo paper and framed with a frame I already had.
In the morning, after the girls had some time to play with their dolls together, we headed outside to take a photo of each girl with their doll. When I was getting ready to make the Thank Yous, I could NOT decide on a photo to use, soooo..I decided to use them all!!! I made a 3×3 accordion books with all their photos (using another template from Birdesign), a copy for each girl. Hopefully, they will all remember their first year of slumber parties!! (In part because even though it went so great, I was EXHAUSTED!!!) Next year we are having a roller skating party. At the rink. No decor. 😉
Amanda Brown - This is AMAZING Lyndsay!!! Beautiful job 🙂 I hope the girls had fun! I love all of the attention to detail that you put into everything. And then of course the pictures are perfect 🙂