We have a really adorable party to share today!<\/div>\n

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Now for all the detailed party facts from Audrey…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span>To celebrate my son\u2019s 3rd Birthday we planned a <\/span><\/span><\/span>Tractorcade<\/span><\/span><\/span>!<\/span><\/span><\/span> For those of you who might not be hip to the farmstyle lingo, a Tractorcade is basically a parade of tractors\u2026fun right?!?!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dane\u2019s Great Grandpa Mickey has a collection of fully-restored, vintage farm tractors. Needless to say, our little guy is a bit OBSESSED with them! When I asked him if he would like to have a Tractor Party he literally flipped his lid and said, \u2018Mom\u2026that\u2019s a GREAT idea!\u2019 I just love it when someone (even an easily excitable toddler) gets as pumped as I do about a super cool party theme!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The biggest tractor in Grandpa Mickey\u2019s collection is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>classic red International<\/span><\/span><\/span>, he also has some smaller gray ones too\u2026.so that is where the party inspiration really started\u2026I had my color palette! I also wanted to accent with navy and white. A very classic color scheme, perfect for this time of year and for a boy whose birthday falls on Memorial Day Weekend or the 4th of July!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Invitations & Printables:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nI immediately contacted <\/span><\/span><\/span>Anders Ruff Custom Designs<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> and got going on the invitations and coordinating printables. They did such an amazing job designing for my daughter\u2019s Vintage Schoolhouse Party! I knew they had just the right aesthetic! I found an invite in their shop that was very similar to what I wanted and asked if they could rework it a bit to go with the tractor theme. Adria added the PERFECT tractor graphic and changed the colors to match our party\u2026LOVE! She also created small party logos and Thank-you tags that coordinated\u2026it is all just TOO cute!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Decorations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe TRACTORS definitely stole the show and were the main focal point of our party decor! Grandpa Mickey brought all of them up and parked them throughout our yard. Dane went ballistic when they all started arriving\u2026.it was seriously the cutest thing ever! When the last one pulled up he said, \u2018MOM! It\u2019s ALL the tractors of the world!\u2019 There were 4\u2026but to him\u2026close enough!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Since I\u2019m a DIY kind-of girl, I had some projects I wanted to tackle for Dane\u2019s party. Even though the colors were essentially Red, White, Blue and Grey\u2026I didn\u2019t want the party to be too 4th of July\u2026.does that make sense? LOL! I found some remnant upholstery fabric that went with the color scheme perfectly!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I used the navy colored fabric to cut a few runners for the various tables\u2026.I ALWAYS use Pinking Shears\u2026mostly because I\u2019m lazy and don\u2019t want to hem anything\u2026I also am not at all skilled with a sewing machine, so I\u2019m always looking for ways to avoid using one. I layered the runners with landscaping burlap for the table coverings throughout the house\u2026super cheap and super easy!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I really love the look of flag banners and wanted to create another version of them (I made some for Harper\u2019s party too!) I found some really fun patterned burlap that I cut into strips for the tops of some of the banners, for the others I used gossgrain ribbon. After I cut all the fabric into flags (which was a little tedious since I also don\u2019t really like measuring either- LOL), I tried attaching them to the burlap with fabric-glue-tape\u2026.it didn\u2019t work at all\u2026so I turned to my other best friend when I\u2019m working with fabric\u2026my HOT GLUE GUN! That\u2019s right\u2026I just glued all the pieces to the top ribbon and\u2026.viola\u2026.my no-sew banners were done!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, as soon as we had the theme decided, I started rounding up vintage tractor toys at local Antique Shops to use throughout the party. They were the perfect investment because now Dane has his own little collection of toy tractors! BIG hit\u2026HUGE\u2026let me tell ya!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Dessert Buffet<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe Desserts were displayed on an antique store bin piece I acquired a month or so ago from Barb at <\/span><\/span><\/span>Cross Creek Antiques<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. My plan is to use this to hold the kids\u2019 ever-growing mound of toys\u2026but for now it\u2019s still empty\u2026so it was the perfect buffet-spot! I also used two of the Barb\u2019s AMAZING Rustic Farm Dessert Stands! These things are seriously cool and went with our vibe perfectly!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For treats, first I made some fun Cupcake Shooters! I\u2019ve had the containers since APRIL, and have been dying to use them! Don\u2019t you just love a fun new dessert craze. =)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We also served homemade Strawberry Shortcake, buffet style. I arranged the shortcakes in these ADORABLE Cupcake Wrappers from <\/span><\/span><\/span>Bella Cupcake Couture<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>! They were SO stinkin\u2019 cute\u2026and super fun because you can use them SO many ways!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Then, I HAD to make some Cake Pops\u2026you know\u2026cause that\u2019s what I do! I was up making treats the night before the party and had the brilliant idea to use the sweet mini-pinwheels from <\/span><\/span><\/span>Twirlie Whirlies<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> as the sticks for the Cake Pops! Awesome RIGHT?!? I know! They turned out SO super cute!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For Dane\u2019s cake, I had grand ideas\u2026but in the end I went with a <\/span><\/span><\/span>simple Dirt Cake<\/span><\/span><\/span>! I made one for his Birthday last year and he thought it was the COOLEST thing since sliced bread\u2026.and since the party was for him I wanted to make something that he would LOVE! We served his cake in a toy tractor replica of one of Grandpa Mickey\u2019s tractors. I also made single servings for all the guests in half-pint jars! This was PERFECT because last year we had GOBS of leftover Dirt Cake\u2026.not this year! The extras were already packaged and guests could easily take some home!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Favors<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nI was totally inspired by a party I saw over at <\/span><\/span><\/span>The Purple Pug<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> to have a Favor Table for the kids! I LOVED this idea\u2026I think it\u2019s SO much more fun and interactive for the kiddos to actually see what they\u2019re getting and pick it out themselves\u2026plus, you know\u2026it\u2019s WAY cuter!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The favors included bubbles that I wrapped with scrapbooking paper, twine and topped with the coordinating party printables from Anders Ruff. We had jump ropes, Tootsie Pops, assorted candy, Bandanas, Paper Fans and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies (Dane called these his \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span>Tractor Tire Cookies<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2018!)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t want to leave the grown-ups out, so we had a Raffle Drawing for some SUPER COOL giftbags from <\/span><\/span><\/span>Eco Glow Candles<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>! These candles are AMAZING! Totally natural, green\u2026and they smell SO-SO good! Each bag had a candle, solid perfume and tin lip-gloss. I have to confess though\u2026I got so caught-up in the party that I FORGOT to draw names until after half the guests were already gone! Terrible I know\u2026but LUCKY for the remaining guests because they had their pick of the bags and got to get them all out and huff away!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Fun<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAfter cake, the kiddos all raced outside for <\/span><\/span><\/span>TRACTOR RIDES<\/span><\/span><\/span>! We attempted this at our Halloween Party last Fall, but got rained out halfway through the first ride. Thankfully the weather was GORGEOUS for Dane\u2019s party so everyone got to take a lap on the Tractor Trailer\u2026.again\u2026BIG HIT! Dane has since expressed his wish that we ride that way ALL the time\u2026he mentions it several times a day in fact\u2026.so it might be time to trade-in the SUV. =)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Next up were the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sack Races<\/span><\/span><\/span>! I found some nylon sacks in patriotic colors that worked perfect with our color scheme! We broke the kiddos into two groups\u2026Big Kids and Little Kids! It was SO cute to watch the little ones try to figure out the hopping thing! Dane WON the Little Kid round\u2026I\u2019m sure it didn\u2019t have anything to do with us letting him practice in the livingroom for two weeks before the party \u2013 LOL!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Birthday Boy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nDane is STILL talking about his Tractor Party\u2026.he said it was the \u2018BEST TRACTOR PARTY EVER!\u2019 I love that we were able to create such a special day for our \u2018BIG\u2019 Boy! The Birthday Boy was wearing a custom made shirt from Kathleen Rose Designs\u2026TOO cute! She also created a matching pin for his sister\u2019s dress and a clip for her hair\u2026which she, of course, adamantly refused to wear\u2026little stinker!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Photography<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nKara of <\/span><\/span><\/span>KV Photography<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>took ALL of the party pictures! AMAZING as always! It\u2019s so fun for me to see my parties through her eyes! I should also mention that she attended the party the day after her Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party\u2026.so do I even need to explain HOW MUCH we appreciate her\u2026.what a TROOPER!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Great job, Audrey! Thank you so much for sharing… I always look forward to seeing your beautiful desserts and parties!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n