Little Miss One-derful
Little Miss One-derful
Birthday Series Highlight
CAL N LILY | Episode #4
This past weekend we celebrated my daughter’s 8th birthday, and naturally, I spiraled straight into nostalgia. Cue me—the emotional sap—scrolling through photos from her first birthday, trying not to tear up over how fast she’s grown. One minute she’s smashing cake, the next she’s out here with opinions and a full personality. I couldn’t help but smile, though, looking back at all the carefully thought-out details, the over-the-top planning, and the extra (in the best way) projects I poured my heart into for her first birthday party. I instinctively went down memory lane, looking back at all of the decked out party themes I have done for my children over the years. And that is when I decided I needed to share these creative party ideas because—maybe I’m partial—they are too adorable and way too many planning hours have been spent to just sit in a folder on my computer.
When my daughter turned one, I already knew this party was going to be a full creative moment. At the time, I was deep into two things: watercolor florals and anything fuchsia. So naturally I wanted a full on girlie themed party, and Little Miss One-derful was the move. From there, it snowballed into inspirational girl quotes, oversized paper flowers, and all the sweet, girlie details that felt equal parts playful and pretty. I didn’t just plan a party—I built a whole vibe.
And because I am, at my core, a planner (and proud of it), I created full illustration diagrams—yes, plural—both detailed and in full color to map everything out. The projects were meticulously thought out and crafted by hand. The tablescape had spray-painted vases wrapped in thick vinyl stripes with big pink blooms, little table tents featuring girl quotes, and fuchsia napkins folded into bows (because regular folds were not an option). Each table also had an activity pail, complete with colored pencils and copies of a 30-page activity book that I designed, printed, cut, and hand-bound—plus a matching die-cut sticker, of course. The dessert table? A labor of love. Large paper flowers made from what felt like a million pieces of cardstock, all layered, curled, and glued onto a striped backdrop, paired with themed signs, cupcake toppers, chocolate-dipped pretzels, and beautifully decorated cookies. The feature table included framed signs with her first-year stats and a sweet quote, a clothesline of die-cut monthly photos, and photo albums with little themed notes. And to tie it all together, I designed her one year photoshoot backdrop that created an adorable focal point for her invitations and thank-you cards—because once I start, I simply cannot stop. The best part—seeing every detail come together on the day of the party, making all of the hot glue burns and paper cuts worth it.
Time has a way of slipping by faster than we expect—it just keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. But if anything, looking back at this reminds me how special it is to create these moments. I hope you find a little inspiration here, whether you’re planning your own party or just love a good design deep dive. Sometimes the most meaningful designs are the ones rooted in love, intention, and a little bit of imagination.
A Look at her 8th Birthday
Fast forward to this past weekend—her 8th birthday—and we went full soccer mode. The theme was perfect for testing some new projects using cut acrylic pieces, and not to be dramatic, but I’m kind of obsessed. These projects were part of the very official testing phase of a new brand division I’ve been quietly working on…so consider this your sneak peek. It’s been really exciting to see these ideas come to life in a whole new way, especially on such a special occasion.
Happy 8th birthday, sweet girl. You make life brighter, louder, more fun, and infinitely more meaningful. Watching you grow is my favorite thing (even if I’d like time to slow down just a little). You inspire me every single day, and I am so proud to be your mom. I love you more than you’ll ever know.