Here are the Western Invitations that she highlights on her blog.

One invite was for her Noodle’s fifth birthday and the other was designed for her friend’s daughter

The Noodle’s invitation

Bella’s invitation

As you can see, RRD used two completely different color schemes, but both clearly set the mood for an authentic Western party. No detail was overlooked, including coordinating the envelopes with coordinating liners (Bella) or artwork (the Noodle).

*Note: Since these invites were for real children, we have blurred out identifying information on the invitation.

Be sure to check out her blog for more great Western Themed Party Ideas!

When it is time for your child’s birthday, it doesn’t get easier than a party in a box. Snap Parties isn’t the average boxed party, though. The party favors included in their kits are made to last longer than the average cheap plastic toys traditionally used and handed out, which means there is less being thrown away once the party is over.

Ivanna Parker has always enjoyed throwing a party and people took notice, asking her advice. It was then that she considered starting her own party-based business. Although Snap Parties is only a month old, the potential to grow and expand is there.

What inspired you to launch your business, Snap Parties?

I always loved throwing parties. I usually begin planning my children’s parties months in advance. I soon had many people asking me for advice on how to throw a party. I then came up with the idea of having a party in a box company where everything you needed to have a fabulous party was included. I wanted to focus on higher quality materials and be sure to include items for games and activities for the party. I did think that maybe I would start my business once my children were older but then have been inspired by other wahms (work at home moms) and thought that if they could do it, I could do it now. Mainly I made my hobby into a business.

What are some of the things that come in one of your Snap Party kits? How many themes are available?

My kits include all the tableware, decorations, party favors and bags, theme related games and activities. Each box also has a theme related “dress up gear” for each guest. For example, in the barnyard box, each guest will receive a cowboy hat and bandana. In the princess box, each guest will receive a authentic rhinestone tiara, a sceptor, a pair of princess shoes, and a purse. The costumes can be sent home as favors for each guest although each box also contains other party favors. Currently there are 8 different themes available.

How much do your kits cost, on average?

My kits run from $140-$220. So an average of about $180 for 8 guests.

What have you enjoyed most as you’ve built up your business?

I’ve enjoyed putting the theme boxes together. If I could, I would have 25 themed boxes but need to start small.

Where there any problems that you encountered as you were getting ready to launch? What were they and how did you overcome them?

Our main problem was finding an ecommerce site that fit our needs. My husband is an IT guy and has web page knowledge and wanted to build our own shopping cart. After some time, we realized that our business was not there yet to take the time and extra cost to put one together. But a lot of the ecommerce sites that were available didn’t have all that we needed on it. My husband found ways to use an ecommerce site and add in his own code and programming to make it work for our business.

As a new business, do you have any specific milestones you’d like to reach over the next year?

My main milestones right now relate to sales and theme boxes. I would like to be selling an average of 5 boxes a week and then will add 5 new themes to the already 8 that we have.

How have you been able to manage you time between family and your business? Do you have any special tips you’d like to share?

I usually check to see if I have any orders first thing in the morning. I don’t fill any orders until after all of the kids have gone to bed. That is actually the time when I do most of my marketing and putting boxes together. I do have about an hour during the day where some children are taking naps and others are having rest time that I use to do some more business stuff.

My advice is to really schedule your day. I find that if I don’t set a time to do “business” stuff it will be on my mind the whole day and then I feel like I’m not giving the time I need to my family. I put them first. If I have a schedule and know that at 2:00 I will get a chance to start thinking of a new marketing plan, that keeps me focused on speding time with my children and caring for them.

What do you enjoy most about party planning? How long have you been doing it (before starting your business)?

I’ve been party planning since I was a little girl. At least in my imagination. I would love to play “party” as a little girl. I would think up these amazing parties and pretend to put them on. The thing I love best about party planning is throwing a party that makes my guests feel honored as well as the person we are celebrating. Giving everyone a memory or an experience that brings them joy and draws everyone together is such a joy for me.

What sets you apart from other ‘party in a box’ businesses available today?

We take pride in offering high quality and unique products. We try to stay away from party favors that are easily broken and thrown away the day after the party. We have dress-up items in each box wich will help make the party extra memorable. We also include games and activities so that everything you need for your party is included. Also, our themes are not character related. We like the simplicity of basic themes and not the commercializing nature of many of the character themes.

We also offer an environmentally friendly rainforest party box where all the items in the box are made with the theme of being “green.” It includes natural wood tableware, beeswax candles, fairly made wood animals, bamboo whistles, twig pencils, how to make chewing gum kit, cloth goody bags and much more.

Do you have any advice for anyone considering their own party planning business?

Well, there is a lot of competition especially websites that sell party supplies. Find a way to be unique and offer something that the other party businesses do not.

What is the best way to avoid bugs during an outdoor party?

Of course there are your standard cintronella torches and candles that can be used and are very pretty.  Another idea is putting Listerine in a spray bottle and spray around the party area.  This keeps the mosquitoes away. Another idea is to put some water in a white dinner plate and add just a few drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Set the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, or the white plate, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate. My last idea is to be sure there is garlic in the foods that you are serving at your party.  Mosquitoes do not like garlic and will stay away and hopefully your guests wouldn’t be staying away from each other if they all have garlic breath.  Hope that helps and happy party planning!

Grand Rapids, MI (PRWEB ) September 22, 2008 — Children’s birthdays are a time for celebrating and for throwing parties. Unfortunately, parties often include a lot of waste including disposable tableware, plastic goody bags, and toys that are often broken before the child arrives home from the party. Snap Parties is a party in a box business which sells themed party boxes for children’s birthdays. They have just launched an environmentally-friendly "green" rainforest party box. In the box you will find safari hats, natural wood tableware and cutlery, beeswax candles, plantable invitations (invitation has flower seeds imbedded in it so that guests can plant invitation after the party to see flowers grow), cloth goody bags, wooden fairly made safari animal toys, bamboo whistles, twig pencils, make-your-own chewing gum kit and much more.

This box is made for the busy parent to be able to put together a birthday party easily and in an environmentally conscious way. Jennifer says about the boxes, "I love all your boxes, they are all so great and I think with what you offer your prices are great! I mean, you only have to order the box, write out some invites, and buy food. The rest of the party is done for you! "

Jenna Krick a mother and environmental advocate says, "Every thing we do can impact the environment. It is important that we not only think about the impact of throwing a birthday party but what it teaches our children when we do use and purchase a lot of items that may not be good choices for our environment. Snap Parties rainforest box helps parents be able to make those good choices."

Snap Parties is owned by Ivanna Parker. She and her husband live in Michigan and have 4 young boys, ages 4 and under. She saw a need for eco-friendly, higher quality birthday supplies that weren’t as disposable as party hats and blow horns. She hopes to add more eco-friendly boxes in the future. You can purchase a Rainforest party box at www.snapparties.com .

Fruit Kebobs

What are the best finger foods to serve at a kid’s birthday party?  -K

I believe that ages 4 and up can go to a party without a parent, anything younger then that may be a little difficult.  One of the biggest reasons is that generally 4 year olds are potty trained and generally are okay being without their parents.  My son actually just went to his first child only party and it was all 4 year olds.  If you are throwing the party, I would suggest keeping the party smaller (6 kids or less) if the children are under 5 and their parents will not be with them.

For a Dora birthday party I would suggest going with the explorer theme. Safari hats and binoculars will get the children all in the mood to explore. A scavenger hunt with a map (of course) is a great idea. You could begin the party by handing out party favor boxes to all the kids. When they open them up, they could all be empty. You could then act all shocked an announce that you have no idea where all their treats went. Who do they think took them? Hopefully they will think of Swiper. Then ask them what they could do to help find their treats. They then could call out for the map. It would be great to be playing Dora music in the background during this. Along with the map, you could give the birthday girl a special backpack that has tools to help the children get through the scavenger hunt. Of course they should find their treats at the end of the hunt. If a scavenger hunt is too advanced, you could try a simple obstacle course to find their treats. Hope that helps and happy party planning!

The next step after coming up with a theme is writing a guest list. The guest list will help you decide many things. If you have a small budget but a large guest list, then you may consider having a cake and punch party. If you want to keep it small, then maybe you could have enough in your budget for a lunch and better quality party favors. After you figure out a guest list and what kind of a party you would like to have here are some things that you may want to consider. Invitations, food, cake, decorations, tableware, games and activities, and party favors. Most of all be sure that your party is a reflection of your unique self. Sit down and think about what you can do at your party that will make it extra special and unique for your son.