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One of my favorite books as a child - The Very Hungry Caterpillar – was inspiration for this absolutely adorable birthday party! Birthdays designed around books is an idea I am seeing pop up a LOT. I hope it’s a trend we continue to see as I think it’s a fun combination. My favorite parts of this party? Chocolate cake push-up pops – eeeeh! I love seeing push-up pops in parties. The cone cake pops are also cute and the decorations? Too darling! See more below…

Mom, Jessica, shared more about her son’s party…

On Sunday July 15, we celebrated Matthew’s first birthday with a Very Hungry Caterpillar themed party. The inspiration for this theme, came from Matthew’s insatiable appetite. From birth, this kid has just wanted to eat, eat, and eat. I made a comment once that he was like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and boom! the light bulb went on, I knew that had to be his first birthday party theme. I planned the dessert table around foods that the caterpillar eats. We had everything from jelly beans, to cheesecake shooters to pickle lollipops (yes made from actual brine)…we also served a bbq lunch, with lots of protein and veggie options to help counteract the sugar high, and subsequent crash! – Jessica

The party menu was based on food that the caterpillar eats throughout the book. Here is what was served up at the party…

Apple- apple cupcakes from Spoon Full of Sugar Sweets
Pear- pear cookies from Double Trouble Creations
Plum- Plum Jelly Belly candies purchased locally
Strawberry- Cream filled, sugar dipped strawberries (home made)
Orange- Oreo pops (home m ade)
Chocolate Cake- Chocolate cake push up pops, inspired by Pizzazzerie (home made with Push-Up Pops cookbook)
Ice Cream- Cone pops (home made)
Pickle- Pickle Pops from Neatoshop
Swiss Cheese- Blueberry cheesecake pops (home made)
Salami- Chocolate icebox cookies (home made)
Lollipop- Whirly Pops purchased locally
Cherry Pie- Mini cherry pies (home made by my Nana)
Sausage- Spiced mini doughnuts (home made with the Baby Cakes mini doughnut maker, purchased locally)
Cupcake- Marshmallow pops (home made)
Watermelon- Rice Krispy treats (home made)

CAKE: The birthday boy’s cake was made by Beth-Ann of Cakes by Beth-Ann. We hear it was DELISH! Beth-Ann made both the large cake and Matthew’s personal smushing cake. The smushing cake was inspired by Pottery Barn’s Very Hungry Caterpillar party post. Matthew’s mom had lots of help with the home-made treats! Her friend Serena helped out.. “she is in the process of setting up a price list so that many more people can enjoy her talents, stay tuned” said Jessica.

BBQ LUNCH: The BBQ lunch included pasta salad, green salad, and potato salad, all lovingly (and beautifully) prepared by women in Jessica’s family. Also included were veggie shots, put together by Matthew’s godmother, along with caterpillar grape skewers, made by Jessica’s aunt. Hot dogs and hamburgers were on the grill, cooked by Jessica’s dad, expert griller!

FAVORS: The favors were little bug zoos that  Jessica bought at a local dollar store, you can find similar ones at Lake Forest Toys. She filled the top compartments with a gummy worm, a gummy butterfly, and a Very Hungry Caterpillar sticker (Eric Carle Museum Shop). In the bottom compartment, she placed bug shaped pasta. She shared, “I got mine as stand alone pasta at Safeway (their house brand). Walgreens also sells a “dinner” style variety”.

DECORATIONS: {as told by Jessica} “I wanted the decorations to be in keeping with the book; colourful punches mixed with stark white. I styled the tables with elements of glass and white porcelain, adding little sprigs of local plants here and there (we needed leaves to munch too!). The green felt leaf swags were home made, I had some help from my cousins :) I also put together the pompoms using a fork tutorial that I found on the Twinery blog via Pinterest. Ahhh Pinterest, so good for crafting ideas! The pickle jar was also a Pinterest craft find from Eighteen 25.”

BUTTERFLY: {as told by Jessica} “I really wanted to add something “butterfly” to the table to represent Matthew’s transformation from pudgy baby to moving non-stop toddler, (just like in the book) , so I decided to try my hand at cross stitch! I used a pattern created by Flamgirlant, and am very pleased with how my little butterfly turned out! And speaking of this transformation, I was inpsired to photographically share Matthew’s first year with all of our guests. So I had my Instagram photos from his first year printed as 5×5 prints through WHCC, and my friend Jacci strung them up to twine with mini clothespins as table swags (I’m on Instagram as jessicabender). Guests were invited to take home their favourite snaps as a keepsake, along with stickers and thank you tags.”

VENDORS + CREDITS

Photography: Little Pickle Photography and Robin Dunkley
Invitation, menu cards, toppers, bottle lables and favour tags: Little Pickle Photography and Design
Very Hungry Caterpillar material, napkins, plates and cups: The Eric Carle Museum Shop
Daisy Lids for mini Masons: Lollipops and Pussycats Etsy Shop
Paper straws a nd Divine Twine (on favours): Greenmunch
Very Hungry Caterpillar porcelain plate (held apple smush cake): purchased locally but can be found at Kaboodle
Matthew’s super adorable t-shirt: Lil Threadz Etsy shop
The knit hats that Matthew is wearing on the invitation were made for me by my Aunt Sharon (Matty’s great Aunt!), she used patterns from Suffolk Threads.