{REAL LIFE PARTIES} Evelyn's Look Whoo's Turning TWO Birthday Party

Look Whoo's Turning Two! We recently celebrated Evelyn's 2nd birthday with a Night Owl Pajama Party!

It was a blast! The party setup consisted of a blue backdrop against the wall, topped with our Banana Lala banner. 

We just love our baby doll bunk beds! Our brother actually made these, and we thought they were just perfect for this party. They made a great stand for our party favors of mini cereal boxes and glow sticks for the kids. 

The favor tags say:

Cereal for breakfast and a fun "night light" for you! 

Thank you for celebrating with us as Evelyn turned two!

What's a night owl party without pajamas?  The birthday girl and all the kids wore their pajamas to the party.  (And all the kids are actually all kind of looking here, right?!)

We had our good friend Jess over at NoOdleS Boutique create a custom shirt for the birthday girl. It coordinated perfectly with Evelyn's pajama pants and the rest of the party decor.

This girl loves her sweets! We ordered the cake from a local grocery store bakery, Schnucks. They have the BEST cake and whipped frosting. 

And speaking of desserts, with this being a party for Miss Evelyn,we knew we had to have ice cream. Or just "cream," as she calls it. So it was time for ice cream sundaes with all the fixins'. 

Our friend Cindy of Sweet n' Sassy Cookies and More baked up these tasty cookies for us. She is THE best at decorating, but really, I'm all about how these taste. They are pretty AND they taste better than any other cookies. Ever. 

I even caught the birthday girl sneaking another cookie while I was taking the photos.

We had the best time at this party! It's such a fun time to get together with close friends and family to celebrate such a special birthday.

There's me ("Banana" of Banana Lala) and my birthday girl. What a fun day! As always, special thanks to my sister Mikaelah ("Lala" of Banana Lala) for everything she did for the party and making it so perfect!

Our vendors are located in the Evansville, Ind. area. If you're looking for something similar to the birthday banner shown above, check out our Etsy shop and send us a message! We'd love to hear from you!

Thank you for looking!

Anna

{WE'RE BACK!} More to come from Banana Lala

Hi everyone!

We're back!! Well, we never really left, but we did have a pretty long leave of absence. Sorry about that!

We took some time away from the blog and focused on our growing Etsy business on our shop. (Check it out here! www.etsy.com/your/shops/BananaLala)

We're excited to still be offering custom handmade banners for any occasion. Wedding, birthday, anniversary, class reuion, showers ... you name it, we create it!

We've recently brought back our Mickey Mouse inspired hand painted party ONE letters, which are listed on our Etsy shop. We love making these as photo props or party decor. (Or even BEDROOM decor! How fun!) We'd love to create them in any color combination or any saying.

Since we love photos, I'll share some of the paper mache letters we've created. If you're looking for something similar, let us know and we'd be happy to create some for you.

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{REAL LIFE PARTIES} Puppy Party for 4-year-old Brylee

Our niece Brylee just turned the big FOUR! Hard to believe that that little stinker is four already =)  Her favorite animals are puppy dogs, so when it came time for her to pick a theme for her party, she chose to have a puppy party. And it couldn't have turned out any cuter!

The color scheme of the party included pink, lime green, turquoise and orange. We created the birthday banner with patterned paw print paper and the party's colors.

Mikaelah handled all the decorative details! She hand painted the letters spelling "FOUR" and added the puppy dog accents. Here is a look at the mantel display, which also includes a Banana Lala decorative "4" sign that says "Puppy love."

Mikaelah also created this felt wreath for the front door. Too cute!

 

Next up, the table display, complete with hand-cut dog bone placemats for all the kids at the party. I just love all the little dog toys scattered about (don't worry, they are brand new dog toys that hadn't been played with yet!)




And each child got to "adopt" a puppy to take home. They could even add a ribbon collar and leash if they wanted =)



We think Brylee's party turned out super cute, and it was so much fun seeing all the little doggy details all come together for her big day. Happy 4th Birthday, Brylee!

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{Operation Baby Shower} Name Tags and Banner for Bee-Themed Shower

We recently shared on our Facebook page how we contributed some custom items for a very worthy baby shower. Operation Baby Shower was set up by a military wife and mother out in Nevada. On their Army base, Farrah saw the need for seven expectant military wives to have a joint baby shower, being that they were all far away from family members back home. 

We couldn't have been more excited about being able to help out these mothers.

When Farrah told me that the joint baby shower was going to have a bee theme, I just ran with some ideas. And I love how they turned out. Check out these custom name tags, created for each "Mommy-to-Bee" and the new mommy to wear during the shower.

We also created this "Welcome Babies" honeycomb banner for decoration at the shower.

 

The following video is from a local Reno, Nevada news station, interviewing the woman who organized it all - while she HERSELF is expecting as well! What a great story, and we were beyond happy to help.

http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Operation-Baby-Shower-Military-families-rally-ar/sO6aDE6U-ka9qP9ogKTUHw.cspx

Be sure to look for a close-up of our "Welcome Babies" bee-themed banner!

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{MONSTER HIGH PARTY} Custom Banner for Lucie's 6th Birthday

I'm going to start off this post by mentioning that I know very little about Monster High. I have a 3-year-old (who's actually almost 4 now), and she's not into Monster High. She is still very much interested in Disney Princesses, Barbies and baby dolls and Strawberry Shortcake. But I'm sure she's not that far from knowing everything about this Monster High stuff.

Well, Lucie likes Monster High. Or, at least, her mom, Julie, says Lucie thinks she likes Monster High, because all of her friends do. =)

Lucie decided to celebrate her big 6th birthday with a Monster High themed party, and we were happy to create something to go along with the theme ... after a little research on my part. Here's a look at what I came up with.

The patterns and colors used for the dolls are actually really neat together! Pinks, purples, turquoise, black and white in patterns of zebra, argyle, plaid and stripes.

I hear that Lucie had a great party! Thanks, Julie, for letting us create this for her birthday party!

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{MICKEY MOUSE 1st BIRTHDAY} Hand-Painted Mickey Letters

Well, talk about a little cutie! This little guy recently turned the big ONE, and Mickey Mouse and all of his friends were there to help him celebrate.

Olivia had contacted us a while back on our Etsy shop about creating these letters for her son's birthday photos. What a cutie!

We can create these letters in a variety of colors, and we can even change up the letters and characters used. Check out the Etsy listing here.

A note from Olivia:

Just wanted to say thank you very much! They were perfect and the colors are beautiful. I used them for my sons birthday pictures and it just completed the image to perfection. Ive been getting so many compliments on them. His party is next weekend and I plan on making them the center piece! Once again, thanks. Your promptness and creativity are the reasons I love shopping on Etsy :) -Olivia

We really do have some of the sweetest customers! It's such a joy to create something that we love, but that our customers love too. Thank you!

Anna

{REAL WEDDINGS} Just Married in Fall Colors

Good afternoon, everyone! It has been a while since I have posted, but today I'm sharing something truly special.

Our friend Katie recently married Mikel, her high school sweetheart. They had such a touching ceremony, and we were delighted to have been able to witness it. {Let's just say I'm glad I had some tissues!}

We were happy to have created a couple of custom banners for their big day, including this "Just Married" banner, photographed by the very talented Steadfast Media located in Evansville, Indiana. Check out their website (http://steadfastmedia.net) or their Facebook page for more info.

Katie and Mikel, we wish you nothing but the best for your future together!

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{WEDDING BANNER} "Join Us" Banner in Invitation Photo

I have always loved black and white photos. They are so beautiful, and every detail just seems to pop. 

Now, I'm no photo expert by any means, but I knew I loved what I saw when our Etsy shop customer Nicole sent in this gorgeous photo!

She and her fiance, Jason, are getting married in March, and she had requested this special banner to be used for a photo to send out with their wedding invitations. We worked with Nicole to create this custom banner in their wedding colors of champagne and navy blue. 

From Nicole: "Thanks so much for the great banner and for all the great customer service while it was being made. I will definitely use you in the future and recommend to friends. Thanks again!!"

This photo was taken by Brian Wagoner in Atlanta.

Thank you, Nicole, for sharing this beautiful photo! Best wishes to you both!

Anna

{HOLIDAY BANNER} Merry Christmas and a Beach Honeymoon! And a Sale, too!

I'm so happy today to be sharing a photo from a great customer on Etsy!

Last year, Lance contacted us on Etsy wishing to buy one of our "Merry Christmas" banners. He and his fiance were planning to use the banner on their honeymoon in Maui last June!

I was beyond excited to hear about such a great idea! And Lance was kind enough to share the photo with us.

He said the banner worked out perfectly, and we couldn't agree more! What a wonderful way to wish friends and family a very Merry Christmas!

It just so happens that a similar banner is included right now in our friends Handmade Holidays sale on Facebook! The sale is hosted by Andrea at Snickerdoodle Kids Art. Go on over and check it out!

If you miss out on the Handmade Holidays sale but would still like to purchase a "Merry Christmas" banner, you can check it out on our Banana Lala Etsy shop.

Thanks for looking! And happy holidays!

Anna

{REAL LIFE PARTIES} Happy Halloween!

Happy {early} Halloween, everyone!

We know it's a tad early to wish ghoulish holiday greetings, but we wanted to share the setup Mikaelah prepared for her Halloween party last year in 2011.

The party's color scheme included orange, purple, lime green and black. I just love that little owl Mikaelah displayed along with the party's treats ... and tricks!

The banner was custom made by your's truly. What a fun backdrop for any Halloween party: "No tricks, just treats!"

The party treats included yummy cupcakes and an amazingly good caramel apple dip. {Linked to original source here}

Happy Halloween! And thanks for looking!

Anna

{Real Parties} Choo, choo! Bryson is TWO!

All aboard! ... Little Bryson recently celebrated the big T-W-O with a train themed birthday party! Here are a couple of the decorations we created to go along with the party theme:

Train Celebration Banner

(This one was all Mikaelah's idea, and I love the way she did it!)

Train Party Door Sign

"Choo, choo! Bryson is two!"

Happy birthday, Bryson! And thank you, Susan, for sharing these pictures from your little guy's party!

Anna

{Happy Birthday Etsy Shop!} One Year Later

One year ago today, my sister Mikaelah and I took a big leap and opened our Banana Lala shop on Etsy. 

We have been so blessed to be able to create custom party decorations for those memorable moments in life. Weddings. Birthdays. Baby showers. Anniversaries. It is such an honor to create for these special celebrations.

It's still hard to believe that people want to purchase the items that we are creating. {Really! You want to buy our decorations!?} That was one of the things I kept thinking about when we took the leap a year ago. It was weird to think about how people outside of our close friends and family would want us to create something for them. 

One year and 170 Etsy sales later, we are loving every minute of our Banana Lala work and couldn't be more thankful. This business has allowed my sister and I to use our creativity to help others, and it has allowed me work as a stay-at-home mom to my little girl.

Thank you, everyone, for your support this past year! Being able to do this means the world to us!

Anna and Mikaelah

{Birthday Party} Monster Party for 1-year-old Kyle

Little Kyle recently turned the big O-N-E! We've talked before about just how special a child's first birthday is. That first year flies by incredibly fast. {Faster than most of us would like!}

So we were so happy when Betsy contacted us to create custom decorations for her little guy. He was having a monster party in the colors of royal blue and orange. These little monster decals and and themed card stock complete the party theme.

Here is a look at what we created for Kyle:

Party Door Sign

"ONE" High Chair Banner

"Kyle is One" Birthday Banner

We hope you had a great birthday, Kyle! And thank you, Betsy, for letting us create these items for you!

Anna

{Bridal Banners} Mauve, Silver, Black, White and GLITTER

GLITTER and PINK are two words that describe bride-to-be Lynsey pretty well! She came to us to create a few custom banners and a sign for her upcoming wedding in October. She and her groom Jason are having a color scheme consisting of mauve, silver, white and black. {And since she loves glitter, she got LOTS of glitter!} Here is a look at the custom items we made for Lynsey.

"Thank You" banner, a style that can be found here on our Etsy shop

Custom "Happily Ever After" Banner for the Head Table at the Reception

"Here Comes the Bride" sign for her flower girl to carry down the aisle

We loved making each of these items for Lynsey and Jason's big day! And if you're looking for something similar, we would love to create for you, too!

Thanks for looking! And best wishes to the happy couple =)

Anna

{REAL PARTIES} Rainbow Happy Birthdays

There is nothing quite like seeing photos from customers' parties! We recently had two lovely submission photos from two great customers on our Etsy shop. Both hosted Rainbow/Candyland birthday parties, both accented with our handmade banners.

Heather shared this photo of the birthday display she set up using our Rainbow Happy Birthday Banner. 

Loving all the candy she displayed ... check out that lollipop! What a fun party! 

Evelia submitted the above photo of her daughter Ellie's first birthday party. I love how she styled it all, especially with the rainbow colored streamers as a backdrop. LOVE it!

You can check out these banners and so much more on our Etsy shop! http://www.etsy.com/shop/BananaLala

Thanks for looking! And thank you, gals, for sharing these great party photos!

Anna

{Bridal Shower} Pink, Black and White Polka Dots for Natalie

We recently created several decorations for Natalie's bridal shower! We have to admit that we LOVED the theme and color combination: Pink, Black and White and polka dots!

Part of the shower theme also included purses. So you can imagine how excited I became when I found this patterned paper that had purses and high heels. {Oh, yes!}



These banners pretty much sum up the shower: Girlie, Fun and PINK. Here is what we created for Natalie:

"Future Mrs." Banner

Here is how her bridesmaids used the banner as decoration at the shower:

Ribbon Topiary Centerpieces 

Party Door Sign: "Natalie's Bridal Shower"

"Bridal Shower" Banner in Pink, Black and White

"She Said Yes!" Banner in Coordinating Polka Dots and Purse Theme

Love how it all came together for a fabulous shower for the bride-to-be!

Thanks for looking!

Anna

{Photo Props and More!} Little Mr. Mustache Bash for Jack's 2nd Birthday

Green and blue argyle and mustaches EVERYWHERE!

That's what little Jack was in store when it came to his 2nd birthday party recently. Along with the mustaches came the neckties and bow ties, of course, because Jack was have a Little Mr. Mustache Bash!

We couldn't have been more excited when Rachel, Jack's mother, contacted us about creating custom items  for this party. Jack's 1st birthday party last year was actually the very first party we made decorations for! Check out the blog post from his Lil' Firecracker Party in last year's blog post.

Here are the items we created:

Mustache Bash Door Sign

Jack Mustache and Necktie Door Sign 

Cupcake Toppers 

Mustaches, bow ties and neckties

Small Labels for Food Table

"Wet Your Whiskers," "Man-wiches" and "Cigars"

Necktie "Happy Birthday Jack" Banner

Photo Props for Photo Booths

Mustaches, bow ties, top hats, eyeglasses, smoking pipe, and lips

Photo Booth Sign

"Ladies pucker your lips. Gents comb your mustache.
Strike a pose."

 Happy 2nd Birthday, Jack! We were so happy to be able to create items for your party!

Thanks for looking!

Anna