If your a lover of lace and vintage this 1950s inspired Vintage Paper Doll Party is cut out for you! Larissa of Sweet on Parties knew her birthday girl Aubrey loves dolls and anything pretty, so she used Betsey McCall Dolls, doilies and pink fabrics to create a party room straight out of a dollhouse! (Aren’t those DIY picture frame “windows” just so creative!?)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

• Giant chocolate + raspberry buttercream cupcake with rose swirls, fondant flowers & pearls
• Pastel and polka dot sweets labels, lace inspired dessert displays and faux windows with fabric curtains
• Mini blueberry cheesecakes topped with marshmallow hearts
• Scalloped favor boxes with doilies and paper dill decoration
• Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Kids Kitchenette & Blue Ruffle and Rose Piñata

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Larissa…

Our little Audrey is quite a doll and she is quite smitten with paper dolls and all things pretty so l knew creating a Vintage Paper Doll Party for her 4th Birthday would be perfect!  I wanted to create a party that was pretty but fun and fell in love with the vintage images of Betsy McCall.  I had Diletta from Todi Design Boutique create some very pretty 1950’s inspired printables in a colour palette of powder blue, candy pink and a touch of beige.

Decor

I created a 1950’s kitchenette for the backdrop of this party to feature her lovely kitchen which she adores playing with.  The party was held under our pergola and my husband and l constructed a wall out of packing sheets for the background and l painted it in Wattyl Raspberry Whip.  We then hung up white picture frames to look like windows and made little curtains to complete the look.  I had some pink and white vinyl wallpaper l found at my grandma’s house and used that on the floor for 1950’s lino.  I used the same pretty patchwork curtain material for the dessert table backdrop and the party table.   I had found some lovely powder blue lace tinware from target and wanted to feature these on the dessert table along with a 1950’s dolls wardrobe which l painted white and hung little Betsy Dresses on wooden hangers to form a garland.  I hung some white eyelet lace paper lanterns to suspend over the dessert table, and then used the cupcake towers and wrappers from the Martha Stewart’s Doily range.  I wanted the table to be white so l covered it with a white lace doily tablecloth and then some ruffle and lace white fabric which l gathered at the ends with some powder blue ribbons and hung a pennant polka dot bunting across the front of the table.  I also created a welcome sign near the drinks station using an old 1950’s picture frame and hung a Betsy bunting over the little shelf.

Desserts

• I wanted the desserts to be pink and white and made vanilla bean cookies with flooded patterns topped with pink sixlets, pink and white chocolate cherry cake pops, rosewater cupcakes with marshmallow frosting, mini blueberry cheesecakes topped with marshmallow hearts, lemon slice with fondant blossoms and a giant chocolate and raspberry buttercream cupcake with rose swirls, fondant flowers and fondant pearls.
• I also bought some mini meringues in pastel shades and put these in gold footed crystal dessert bowls.

Drinks

• A drinks station was set up under the other faux window with tutti frutti punch, milk, lemon lime and bitters, sparkling wine, water and flavoured drinking straws on offer for the party guests.

Kids Table

I bought some white lace paper bon bon boxes and filled these with mini musks and attached a helium balloon as party favours for the guests.  For the tableware l had some plain plastic ware left over from Christmas which l wanted to use up.  For the plates l used a punch hole and then threaded pink and blue ribbon and tied it with a bow.  The clear cups were rather flimsy so l decided to double them and put a paper doily inside with a Betsy dress image and then secured them by attaching some pink or blue ribbon around the top of the cup.  I bought some roses, field carnations and baby’s breath and filled some tall glass jars with posies attached with some natural eyelet lace and a scallop punch topper.

Activities

• The children played many vintage games such as musical statues, pass the parcel, panic post, pin the tail on the donkey and the finale was a pinata.
• I decorated a plain pinata with blue and white paper rosettes and ruffles inspired by Audrey’s party dress and then made some little bags decorated with white paper doilies and a Betsy image or scallop punch topper for the children to collect their goodies in.