a {little} spa party

(photo credit: Kristen | Fidelis Studio)

Every other year after age 5, we give each of our kiddos the option of a birthday gift or party. Blythe, who turned seven this weekend, had the choice this year. And until recently, she had wanted to repeat last year’s trip with just our family only to decide two weeks ago she wanted to celebrate her special day with her friends instead — spa style. So with two weeks to plan and a small-ish budget (under $100), we began to collect ideas. Her only requests? Nail polish and cucumber slices for their eyes. So with the help of Pinterest, my sister, and the dollar store, we changed our dining area into a {little} spa complete with manis/pedis and facials for nine little girls. Kristen and a few of my friends volunteered to help me as the spa technicians, and we all dressed in black accordingly. (Wink.) I bought the flip flops, pedicure sets, wash cloths, sequin head wraps, and plastic party buckets (“foot tub”) at the dollar store to use at the party and then send home with each of the girls. I also bought fake rose petals, lavender epson salt, crepe paper, and nail polish there as well. In the event you’re hosting a similar party for your little or wanting to adapt it for women, here’s the details. Have fun–these girls sure did!

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{menu}

+ yogurt bar  {yogurt, berries, granola, marshmallows, mini-chocolate chips, & sliced almonds}

+ powdered donut cake

+ infused water {filtered water with muddled blackberries, strawberries, peeled oranges, and mint}

{supplies} –all purchased at dollar stores or borrowed from our home

per person:

+ plastic party bowl (“foot tub”)

+ pedicure set

+ 2 washcloths (1 dry for feet /1 warm, damp cloth to clean their faces)

+ 1 rolled towel or pillow

+ head wrap

for group use:

+ 1 package of lavender epsom salt

+ 1 bag of fake rose petals

+ nail polish

+ candles

+ music (found an existing playlist)

{facial mask}

1 part parsley, 1 part cucumber, 1 part plain yogurt

Puree the parsley and cucumber together. Mix in the yogurt. You’ll need approximately 2 Tbsp per face.

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When the girls arrived, we “checked them into the spa” near the front door where they exchanged their shoes for their flip flops. We wrote their names on a list that we used later for gifts. The girls also wrote their names on little white tags that they carried with them to their seat inside the “spa room.” I really wanted to create the feeling they were entering a space, so we had twisted various shades of crepe paper to look like large beads and hung it from a string pinned between two walls. (I modified this tutorial to get the technique.) Each of the girls chose a seat and began soaking their feet in the lavender water until a helper came to gently scrub, dry,  and lotion their feet and then paint their toenails. After their pedicures, the helpers placed their name tags into their pedicure bags so we could make sure the right supplies went to the right homes.  We then gathered around the table just outside the “spa room” and sang Happy Birthday. The girls created their own yogurts using mini-jelly jars, ate mini-donuts on cocktail napkins, and drank the fruit-infused water. During this time, the helpers and I emptied water buckets, cleared the chairs, and prepared the same “spa room” space for facials. We pulled out rolled towels, placing head wraps for each girl on top (so their facial mask wouldn’t get in their hair). When the girls finished eating, they put on a headband and laid their heads on the towel rolls. The helpers and I went around brushing their facial masks on–complete with cucumbers over the eyes–and painting their finger nails. After sitting for a few minutes (some of them would have fallen asleep), we used warm, clean washcloths to wipe their skin. When the girls were clean again, Blythe opened her gifts and the two-hour party ended.  (And all the adults needed naps–wink.)