Ah, my little baby is growing up so fast.  Last month she turned 6 and opted for an ocean theme for her party. 

I always let them pick an idea for a cake and then try to plan the party around it.  The invites were a bit rushed this year as we had to quickly get them out before the school term finished for Easter, so we went shopping and found some preprinted computer paper with seashells along the top and bottom.  Whatever effort didn’t go into the invites however, definately went in to the food.  We had a great time thinking up different foods and how to present them to keep with the ocean theme.  The girls decorated the house for the party with blue, green, white and pink balloons and streamers, and they coloured in a couple of fish pictures which they then cut out and stuck around the place too.

So where do I begin with the food?  I suppose the cake has to take centre stage really!  We used it as a centrepiece on the table and the Birthday Girl decorated all by herself!  She had a great time and weren’t all her friends impressed!  I stacked the cakes and covered them with blue icing with a rough finish to try and look like the surface of the water, then she went to town with some icing shapes I had left over from a wedding cake, and some of the food we had made for the party.  Clever girl isn’t she! 

For the savouries, we had cheese sandwiches cut in the shape of fish (with a cookie cutter), Mermaid Bars of Gold (fish fingers), Octodogs (cheerios with one end cut – forgot to get a photo so will make them again and add them to the post down the track), Sea Cucumbers (gherkins sliced in half) and cute little Turtles made from Puff Pastry and Meatballs.

When it came to the sweets, we went all out.  I’m usually pretty strict on what I let the girls eat, but when it comes to Birthday Parties, I don’t worry about it. 

       

We had Homemade Marshmallow Dolphins, Clam Macarons, Fish Eggs (round lollies), Chocolate Orca Biscuits, glittery Seashell Shortbread, Anemone Meringues, Jellyfish (jellies set in plastic shot cups turned upside down on lolly snakes which had been sliced in from each end) and the cutest ever Fishy Cupcakes with gorgeous little fish lips!

       

All in all, I’m not sure whether the kids enjoyed eating it more, or I enjoyed making it more!  It was an awesome day despite the rain pouring down and having to hold it inside (which is why the lighting is so bad).  I’d love to hear some comments and see some photos of any ocean theme parties you have organised or been to!

Oh yeah, and just so you know, I did make a BIG mess with all that food colouring – check out my hands!