Since launching my new sleepover party packages late last year I’ve had so much fun putting together some dreamy birthday celebrations. One of the best parts is seeing the reactions of the children when they walk in to see their bedroom or playroom transformed for the night – I wish I could bottle it up!

Walking through the process with the parents beforehand made me realize that it may be useful to share my top tips for planning a sleepover party at your home, as for many this will be your first time dipping your toes in the water of slumber party fun! When booking a party with me, I want to make sure one of the main things you do is try to relax as much as possible, and have fun too! The kids will have tons of fun being together sharing the experience, snacking, and staying up late. And you’ll all make some beautiful memories in the process.

Planning your Sleepover Party in 10 Easy Steps:

1. Set a date, plan the guest list and organize timings
Arranging for all the kids to be dropped off at the same time is a good way to go.  That way they can experience the excitement of walking into the sleepover room at the same time (and the other parents can have a peek too)! I have found that a late afternoon drop off works best, and pick up after a lateish breakfast the next day, so no one gets too tired and grumpy.

2. Decide on the theme
This is a fun activity to do with the birthday boy or girl, and really helps to build on the excitement and guide the invitations and food choices. I have three themes at present – Unicorns & Rainbows, Bohemian Dream and Happy Campers. Each has different color schemes, accessories and goody bags, so there’s something to suit everyone!

3. Send out the invitations
I’ve said this before, but in my opinion online invitations are the best way to go.  You can track who has opened them, schedule reminders and see who still needs to rsvp. It definitely takes away an element of stress! Make sure you have a date set to RSVP and also send a reminder out to all of the parents a couple of days prior to the party.

4. What’s on the menu?
I provide little tray tables with my sleepover packages, and the children love to sit together and have dinner on them at the start of the party. Keep it easy with options like pizza, mac and cheese and chopped vegetables.  For dessert, think ice cream sundaes, cupcakes and fruit cups. Have a couple of flavors of ice cream, syrups, jams, and an assortment of chopped up candies for them to decorate.
Snacks for the night are also a must! I provide various add-on packages, such as a donut wall with donuts from Donut Crazy in Westport, a candy station and cute glass bottles and straws for milkshakes. For breakfast, stock up on cereal, pancake mix, waffles and juice. Sleepovers create big appetites!

5. Activity time
Most of the time everyone will be so excited to just be there hanging out and having fun, but I find it’s often a good plan to have a craft activity on hand too. Something that they can all create together and take home as a souvenir of the sleepover!  Good examples are pottery or mini canvas painting, bracelet making and make your own dream catchers.

6. Other fun plans!
Have at least an idea of what you will do to entertain them if things take a bit of a dip or the excitement levels are bubbling over.  I can provide a spa kit for each child as part of my packages, which includes a lip-gloss, nail varnish, nail stickers, a hairbrush and a mirror. And for the boys, camping kits packed full of mini led flashlights, compass wristbands and twig pencils always bring out the adventurers in them. Or plan a movie marathon and include my themed popcorn buckets and sodas!

7. Sleeping arrangements
I provide all the sheets, pillows, blankets and quilts, so there’s no need for guests to bring anything with them. However, some children prefer to bring their own pillow for a bit of home comfort, or a favourite teddy, and it’s worth mentioning this to the parents in your invite. One of the best things to do is to have them each pick out the bed they want and agree on this as a group when everyone first arrives, then there’s no meltdowns when everyone is getting tired later on.

8. Have a designated storage spot for all of their belongings
Avoid the stress of mass pickup the next morning by having everyone pack up their overnight bags while you make breakfast – then you can double-check while they eat and be ready for when all the parents arrive!

9. Photos photos photos!
This will be a big event for the kids, and you want to make sure it’s documented as much as possible! Each of my basic sleepover party packages includes an Instax Mini Camera and photo props, so they can take photos throughout the party and put them in goody bags to take home. I even put little mini clips on the string lights that go around the tent frames, so they can decorate their tents with them! Take a group photo on your phone and send this out on a card thanking the guests for coming after the party.  Chances are these will go in a frame and be a cherished memory.

10. Have fun and soak it all in
Everyone has arrived, they’re having fun and bonding and the sleepover room looks amazing…take it all in and rest easy knowing that this is going to be the party they will talk about long after the sun has come up!

If you would like to book a sleepover party with me, please email rosebudboxes@gmail.com or call 203.906.5439 to discuss.  Full details can be found on my Sleepover page.

I don't know about you, but every April I look forward to seeing my Instagram feed fill up with hazy shots of people in the desert at Coachella, hanging out with their friends, listening to amazing bands and just soaking in the atmosphere.  It is pure escapism, and who doesn't love all the outfits, the sunshine, the music and, of course, the flower crowns?!

The festival was my inspiration for my Bohemian Dream party box.  I wanted to bring a little bit of that desert vibe to the east coast, and create a box of party decor for both children's and adults alike.  

So what makes the perfect Boho party?  For me, I always start with the color scheme. And candles - lots of them!  All the table decor in my Boho party box is based on one of my favorite color palettes; coral, mint and gold.  I like to make my party tables as whimsy as possible, with floaty linens, patterned prints and tealights in small glass jars dotted all over.  Handmade gold vases hold big, fluffy pink peonies, which go so well with the gorgeous flower crowns at every place sitting.  For children's parties, I like to use upturned oversized crates as the tables, and scatter cushions all around for some relaxed seating. Dreamcatchers and huge confetti balloons add to the feeling of festival ambience.

And what is a festival party without the music and the selfies?!  What I like to do before every themed party is get each guest to send me two or three songs that they think will go down well with all the guests.  I then upload these to a playlist and have it playing when everyone starts to arrive.  It instantly puts everyone in a party mood and saves you scrabbling around throughout the party trying to think of what to play next!  My Boho party box includes the use of an Instax Mini Camera and photo props, as wearing a flower crown seems to bring out the selfie in everyone!  And the photos make such a personal touch when placed in each of the custom goody bags.

So there you have it - my idea of the perfect Bohemian Dream party!  This party box contains lots of little extras such as handmade festival-style games and a teepee for lounging in.  Perfect for the long and hazy summer days ahead of us...

Peace and love!

​Afternoon tea is a very serious business in my home country of England. Often referred to as a ‘Cream Tea’, it’s a much-loved tradition amongst both young and old to sit down to a pot of hot tea and a scone served with jam and clotted cream. With the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle now just a few days away, homes and gardens across the UK are getting ready for the tea party of the year! I myself will be hosting a little celebration with friends here in Connecticut, and I’m so looking forward to styling my deck up with décor from my High Tea Party Box and serving everyone this traditional afternoon treat.

​This got me thinking about the great scone debate that has reigned in England for literally centuries – what should be spread first, the cream or the jam? My first job as a teenager was in a little tearoom in my home village, and I can still remember being fascinated at how deeply our customers felt about the order in which these should be spread! This seems to be felt the most in the two southern counties of Devon and Cornwall. Those in Devon believe that the clotted cream comes first, followed by jam on top, whereas the tradition in Cornwall is to spread the jam first, and top it off with a nice dollop of cream. Having spent years being unsure myself which order I preferred, I decided in the end that there was only one person who could settle this for me – Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Whatever she thought was the correct order, that’s what I was going to go with. And luckily, with the Royal Family’s increased presence on social media this year, I got my answer! A former chef to the Royal Family recently revealed on Twitter that the Queen prefers jam first with clotted cream on top. And if that’s how tea is going to be served in London on May 19th , then I’ll be following suit at my own garden party that day too! However you plan to spread the jam, cream and love that day, I hope you have a wonderful time with your nearest and dearest. Bottoms up!