Last week Julia walked into our bedroom wearing a plastic kitchen funnel on her head and singing “Happy Birthday.” Two of her buddies have had their second birthdays in the last couple of weeks, hers is just around the corner, and she’s way into the concept. The party hats seem to have made a particularly strong impression.
We’re planning Julia’s birthday parties (one for her California fans, one in New York), so I thought I’d support her new interest in festive millinery and make some fun party hats for her and her guests. I found some undecorated, brightly colored paper hats ($4.99 for 12 at Party City, 38 West 14th Street in New York, or online at www.partycity.com) and picked up some large sequins, beads, pom-pom fringe and feathers at M&J Trimmings in New York’s garment district (1008 6th Avenue or online at www.mjtrim.com). Then, I got out my trusty hot glue gun (available at nearly any hardware store) and went to work.
They’re probably not ready for the Royal Enclosure, but they’re pretty cute (if I do say so myself), and Julia likes them (“Oooooh, Birthday!”). I think in a couple of years it might be fun to feature the hat-making as a party activity, with adults squirting the hot glue, of course.
Here’s a fresh take on cooking, entertaining, decorating and other domestic arts and sciences from a real daddy living in New York and San Francisco. I’ve always had a strong domestic streak, but since my partner and I had our daughter Julia last year, I’ve learned to keep my projects simpler, faster and more fun. I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned, and I’d love to hear your ideas too.
An Homage to Hospital Jello: Minted Pomegranate Lime Jelly
Chicken Breasts with Mint, Capers and White Wine
Cow Hollow Cooler
Painting Stripes
Sunny Bedcover for Julia's Room
Turkish Coffee Chocolate Creams
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
These are adorable. And so bright! I’m having a hard time picking a favorite. Which one will the birthday girl wear? Happy birthday, Julia!
I love them all! But especially the pink and green hat. Happy Happy Birthday Julia!
They are adorable! You’re so fun and creative I can’t believe you’re a lawyer!!! =)) HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA!!!!!
Adorable! I want to be your child. Happy Birthday, Julia! Can’t wait to hear more about the parties.
I love your creativity in even the smallest things around us. Lovely idea for the hats but so much fun. The feathers is simply fabulous. Hope Julia have a fantastic time at her bday party.
Lovely! Too bad my daughter doesn’t want to wear hats…
Happy birthday Julia!
Adorable!! Love this idea!
My hat is off to you (for one thing it isn’t as pretty as yours). What a genius of an idea and so festive. Better keep the glue gun handy as I am sure the parents will want one too. Jeri
So so cute! For me, it’s the blue one with polka dots!
Julie
I hope I get to meet Julia before she turns 18!!! She needs a Gulf Coast party, too one year!
Adorable hats and they’re really cute! Happy Birthday to Julia btw!
I love the orange hat best. But they are all very cute! All I could think of when I saw this group of hats was the book “Go Dogs Go” by P. D. Eastman and the lines…”Do you like my hat?”, “I do! I like that party hat!”…:) Hope Julia had a fun time on her birthday!
I love you, and I hope that someday I live in a another country than Iran, so my partner and I could have a child. Happy birthday…
Those. Are. Gorgeous. Still Life with Party Hats. Jeff Koons would be envious.
Anyway I am a big proponent of the bespoke party hat. For CJ’s third we had a volcano-themed party (including dry ice in the crater of the volcano shaped cake, natch). We made the hats out of brown construction paper, tee pee style, snipped off the top (the ‘crater’) and had crumpled orange and red crepe paper erupt through the opening.
Wonderful! Brings back memories of the fabulous bride/groom masquerade masks you made for us at a dinner party back in the mid ’90s. Elizabeth uses the bride one when playing dress-up, and our chihuahua once managed to entangle himself in the veil — quite a sight. Gotta love that glue gun. XOX.