Away With The Fairies

 

If Peter Pan had been in the Hamptons this summer and asked this question he would definitely have received a rapturous response. For one pretty summer’s day thirty little girls and boys who do believe in fairies gathered for a very special celebration.

“It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies, and almost the only thing for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are children.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

Our New York City clients often invite us to arrange parties for them in the Hamptons too and Clafoutis loves to go to the seaside! It is always a pleasure for Clafoutis to have the opportunity to return and create parties year upon year as a child grows up. Birthday memories remain with a child and their families and we love to be part of this. 

People often ask me where the inspiration for our parties come from. Working closely with our clients for many years we get to know the children and learn a little of their hopes and dreams and are inspired by them. Fairies, of course, are everywhere if you know where to look. This time my inspiration also came from my own childhood in France, reading fairytales and playing dress-up with my own daughters, and our curated collection on Clafoutis’  e-Petite Boutique. We see our clients delight in choosing Tutu du Monde dresses topped with fairy wings and flowers crowns from our collection and their children turning in to fairies before our eyes.

I knew a fairy party would appeal to my client, Rebecca who has created a magical world for her own brand of clothing, LoveShackFancy. I had the pleasure of helping Rebecca with her daughter Scarlett's 2nd birthday party  and with the launch of her capsule collection for children in collaboration with Romy & The Bunnies. 

 

We got to work planning Scarlett's 3rd birthday! It would be in her own magical garden in the Hamptons. The morning of the party dawned but we were faced with threatening, grey clouds. Nervously we began setting up the gorgeous outdoor space with all of our fairyland creations. We draped gauzy butterfly-laced curtains around the outdoor day-beds and benches; only to scramble to bring everything inside an hour before the party when the heavens opened and it poured with rain. We quickly switched to Plan B - an indoor magical adventure party instead of an outdoor one. It seems Tinkerbell was up to her usual tricks however and minutes before the first guest arrived, the sun came out and the garden sparkled with dewy fairy drops of rain. Switch again! "Let's move it back outside!" and we did, just in time.

 

Upon arrival, the little girls were offered pretty, lace fairy wings with ribbons and floral garland headpieces. For the boys we had stylish black, glittering crowns. Then the children were off to the pool house to find fantastic crafts and activities to keep them busy. They created butterflies by using pastel watercolor paints on art paper, scrunching them in the center, and tying them with pipe-cleaner antennae. Paper butterfly mask painting was very popular too. Our team of talented face-painters created all kinds of magic on the children’s little faces - we saw lots of unicorns, stars, and butterflies appear out of the pool house! 

 

 

Did I mention that there was a pony too? They say ‘never work with children or animals’ but Clafoutis loves to work with both! The children sweetly lined up to ride on the magical pony (or was it a unicorn?) but the funniest moment was Scarlett's nanny also taking her turn!

Children and parents alike ate at our beautifully-set banquet table, complete with floral plates. A vintage table set the stage for the cake. The cake of ALL cakes - and delicious too! At Clafoutis the cake is a very important part of the party story. This fairy cake may be one of my favorites I have helped design alongside our favorite cake artist. A two tier strawberry shortcake cake complete with Fairy Scarlett herself seated under a toadstool in her magical garden and a circling flutter of butterflies. To enter the fairy house just knock on the on the fairy door with the magic number 3 on it at the base of the cake. My favorite moment of the party was watching a little guest solemnly try to open the fairy door and see inside! She believed in fairies. 

 

 

As we said goodbye, the worn-out fairies departed with glad hearts and wonderful favor bags filled with bracelets, bubbles, garden insects, and a beautifully-decorated cookie of the fairy's door. The tags read, "Never Grow Old!" -- we hope Scarlett never does!

x Anne