the Cacing Diaries #27- 1st birthday party (the preparations)

Ah to be unique! To pull off something special for Cacing’s 1st birthday party today, I decided that we buy no ready-made party invitations, pinatas, pabitin or party pulls.


the heart-shaped origami invitations

We went DIY or do-it-yourself.


invitation details were printed at the back and inside the folds


So for a few weeks before the big day, we cut, folded and pleated invitations. Taken from my old book on origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, our invites and envelopes used colored papers. No glue, no staple no cutouts, they just called for plain smarts and patience.


the invitation are matched with origami envelopes made from colored letter-sized paper



the origami envelopes


Party pulls. These are hanging cardboard boxes filled with favors like candies and toys which have cut windows that can be opened by pulling on the ribbon at the bottom. We made 5 in various shapes and sizes (diamond, round, squares) and covered with different paper cutout or pattern designs.


party pull #1: tiny flower papers motif


Having seen that the commercial party pulls available in the stores are generic and mediocre, I designed not one, not two, but five party pulls. I had them covered with paper flowers, tapes, mosaic and patterns in colors that Cacing loves: reds, pinks and yellows.


party pull #2: concentric cutout design



party pull #3: mosaic flowers trimmed with glitter



party pull #4: a design using ribbons of paper



party pull #5: combination of cutout and folded flowers


Anything and everything for a beloved daughter.