Best of Etsy: Kids’ party supplies

Make your children’s birthday experiences ones they will never forget with the help of these creative birthday supplies from the talented artisans at Etsy.

Every great party starts with the right invitation, and these printable invitations created by Amanda Bird at Tickle Tree Design Studio are a fun and inexpensive way to ensure everyone knows about your event. You can have the invites completely customized to your needs or even designed from scratch so you can set the perfect tone for your child’s big day!

SheKnows Canada: What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Amanda Bird: A year ago this would have been hard to answer. Would I choose the birthday where my dad decided to show off while carrying the cake, only to drop it face down onto the floor (the chocolate message written on the cake left a lovely imprint in the carpet); or the surprise party my husband threw a month after my actual birthday (we were out of town on my birthday, and he wanted to be sure I still had a celebration); or turning 30 and realizing it really isn’t all that bad (30 is the new 20, right?)? Thankfully this isn’t a year ago, and the answer is easy. In July we celebrated my son’s first birthday! Many people said not to make a big deal because he wouldn’t remember it anyways. Well, I would remember, and besides, it’s what I love to do! I designed the invitation and party decorations (banners, water bottle wrappers, cupcake toppers, tent cards — the list goes on) and spent hours on Pinterest researching ideas for our jungle theme. My closest family [members] felt the same way as I did and jumped in to help… Everything came together wonderfully, and it was an amazing feeling to know how much love there is for my little Charlie. People said Charlie wouldn’t remember this day. Maybe not, but I believe the love is imprinted in his memory forever.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

AB: I think the fact that Tickle Tree Design Studio has two designers is a real plus for our clients. My partner has a love for vintage images, and a lot of her designs are inspired by retro, whimsical or romantic images. She likes things a little quirky and asymmetrical, and isn’t afraid to pair images or colours that might not seem to fit at first glance. I love bright and bold images, and enjoy creating full party coordinate packages, with everything to match. While we might seem quite opposite, we love each other’s work, and it allows our Etsy shop to appeal to a broader audience. We love to connect with our customers! We have customers from all around the world and learn so much from our interactions with them. Nearly everything in our shop can be customized to a customer’s needs, and it truly is the most fun to work on custom projects with our clients. Please visit our new blog, where we will feature some of our custom projects, other crafters and artists, how-tos for party and wedding events and more.

Serving cupcakes at your birthday bash? Give them an extra-fun flair with the help of a set of cupcake toppers created by Jennifer Schmidt by MCH Sweet Designs. Jennifer is eager to work on custom orders for specific colour requests or desired party themes, so you can have your toppers designed specifically for your special event. They’re so cute your kids’ friends will be eager to take them home as party favours!

SheKnows Canada:What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Jennifer Schmidt: I come from a very small family. Birthdays in my house were kept simple: a couple of gifts and your choice of restaurant for dinner. My husband came from a larger family, but his birthdays were low-key as well. Now that we have started a family of our own (we have a 2-year-old son and another boy getting ready to make his debut in November), we would like to make special occasions a little more memorable.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

JS: Setting yourself apart from other Etsy sellers and their pieces can be tough. I try to keep things simple for potential customers. I am quick to respond to questions, and I am very open to helping people make changes to items, whether it is adding rhinestone embellishments or using specific colours, and the majority of the time I can do this at no additional charge. Being a Canadian seller is a bonus — many of my customers mention that they are glad they found me. It’s nice to be supported by your fellow Canadians. Another way I try to set my shop and pieces apart is price — all of the cupcake toppers in my shop are under $10. Making a day special for someone with personalized touches shouldn’t have to cost a small fortune!

To make your little one feel extra special and ensure no one forgets who the birthday girl or boy is, pick up one of the adorable birthday crowns created by Anika Lacerte at The Handcrafted Story.

SheKnows Canada: What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Anika Lacerte: Last year I borrowed my sister’s idea and celebrated my husband’s birthday over the week before his birthday. Since his birthday is in December, it often gets overlooked by Christmas events, so it was fun to make it extra special by doing [or] giving him something every day for a week.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

AL: My fabric birthday crowns are lined with iron-on interfacing for extra sturdiness. They are a great eco-friendly option for you to use every year!

Add a little bit of fun and stylish flair to your space with an attractive fabric pompom garland made by Kristi Gherig at Threading Marigolds2. Everything — from the colour and pattern of the fabric in the pompoms themselves to the hanging material tying them together — is completely customizable, so you can create the perfect decor piece for your child’s special event.

SheKnows Canada: What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Kristi Gherig: I remember my fourth birthday! I wore my favourite dress, and we had a party at my Grandpa’s house in the backyard. I think it was the first birthday that I realized how amazing it is to get gifts and be celebrated. I don’t remember most of my gifts, except for a miniature, wood, upright piano that was just the right size for me. Mostly I remember how special I felt on that day!

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

KG: There are so many amazing products on Etsy that it is truly hard to stand out. I think what makes my items special is that everything I make is personalized for the buyer. I make every item to order, and in most instances, my buyers are able to choose the fabrics that best match their home or event. I keep telling myself I am going to stop buying fabrics, but I can’t help but keep adding new colours and patterns, and I am blown away by the beautiful combinations that everybody comes up with for their pieces!

Giving your party a fun and exciting theme is easy thanks to the printable party supplies created by Eleanor Partridge at The Yummy Paper Company. This spectacular vintage circus party package, for example, comes complete with signs, food labels, cupcake wrappers, party flags and much more so you can create a perfectly tied-together event.

SheKnows Canada: What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Eleanor Partridge: My most special birthday experience was when I turned 6 and I had my first party with friends. I got to invite six friends over, and we played party games on my living room floor. I remember feeling very special on that day and will never forget it.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

EP: My party printable designs are very simple, for the most part. I like the simplicity because I think it’s more stylish for modern parties. It allows the customer to easily match their decorations and party food to the designs, without too many clashing images.

Everyone will know your place is where the party’s at when you adorn your garage or front door with this set of wool felt birthday banner pennant flags made by Kristin Maxom from My Playground Love. You can get it in several great colour schemes and even have it personalized for your special occasion.

SheKnows Canada: What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Kristin Maxom: What I remember most about my birthdays as a child was celebrating with cake from Jeanne’s Bakery and cooling off from the hot Winnipeg summers with pool parties. What is Jeanne’s cake, you might ask if you are not from “the Peg”? A lovely shortbread-bottom crust complemented by a thick slap of vanilla, chocolate — or both! — in a marble blend topped with chocolate shavings. Yum! In fact, I miss those terribly now that I live on the West Coast.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

KM: I take a lot of care in sourcing my materials. It’s important to me that the items I make have longevity to them. The best compliment that I can think of would be for people to hand these down to each next generation of children. I use 100 per cent wool felt because it doesn’t pill and stretch and it’s easy to maintain. I design and construct them so that they are kid-friendly to put on. Kids don’t need any help in pulling on a crown or fastening up an apron or closing a marker roll — it’s all easy peasy. I feel this encourages independence and creativity. I also love what I make! If I wouldn’t play with it or my kids wouldn’t play with it, it doesn’t make it past the “test kitchen” phase.

Kids can enjoy their favourite pops and juices completely mess-free thanks to these plastic Mason jars from Shannon Blanton at The Pink Picker. Be sure to pair them with Shannon’s straws of varying colours to match with any theme, chalkboard stick-on labels so everyone knows which is whose and lids to ensure a worry-free party experience.

SheKnows Canada:What was your most special birthday experience, either as a child or as an adult, and why?

Shannon Blanton: My favourite birthday experience as an adult has to be party planning for my daughter’s birthday! My husband and I struggled with infertility for years. We are now beyond blessed with the adoption of our daughter, Lanee. I was so overjoyed at the first birthday party we had for her that I cried when we sang “Happy Birthday!” It felt as if a dream came true! I don’t have one specific childhood memory that stands out from the rest. Looking back, I am amazed at the time and effort my parents put into special days. My parents worked hard just to make ends meet. I remember being jealous of the tacky store-bought decorations and cakes my friends had at their parties. Now I am amazed when I look back at photos of cakes my mother stayed up all night long making for my parties. It was the invitations she wrote by hand 20-plus times, the homemade favours, my dad dressing up in hilarious costumes and all the other personal touches my parents did just for me that made birthdays so special.

SK: What do you think sets your pieces apart from similar products available on Etsy?

SB: I think what separates my shop from other Etsy sellers is my passion. A portion of each sale goes toward my family’s adoption efforts. Through my Etsy shop, I am able to combine my passions for adoption and creating memorable events together! I often [lie] awake at night, planning birthday parties and events in my head. I absolutely love having the opportunity to help others with planning special events and will always go the extra mile to customize products to meet clients’ needs. It is an honour to have my products play a part in others’ special days!

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