Sabrina’s twin sons James and Alex’s cardboard-box themed 1st birthday party was this past Saturday – it was a huge success!
It all started one night with some hilarious antics involving a Huggies box…
…which made Sabrina think that cardboard boxes would be the perfect theme for their party! It also worked perfectly with a happy graphic style inspired by Paul & Ann Rand’s Sparkle & Spin, a favorite since childhood!
The invitations were printed on kraft board with box-inspired envelopes. The party was billed as B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Box)!
We transformed cardboard boxes into all kinds of vehicles for the party — a car…
…a prop jet…
…and a castle guarded by Ugly Dolls, ducks, and piggies…
…and a fierce / playful dragon!
Monsieur Hugo, a party-goer, aboard a cardboard bus…
Fun custom balloons were a graphic accent…
…along with mini-box favors (instructions can be found in our book, Handmade Weddings)…
…and paper hats!
Cardboard flowers in yarn-wrapped bottles (instructions are also in Handmade Weddings), sodas and stripe-y straws…
Eunice & Sabrina with cousins Jude and Alex eyeing each other…
Happy 1st birthday, James & Alex!
Special thanks to our friend Jillian Northrup of Because We Can for the amazing photos – check out her photo stream here. And props to Noe Valley Bakery for making the delicious cake based on our design! And finally, high-fives to Craft Night for your cardboard creativity (you know who you are!)!
I love this! Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by Emily on April 5th, 2011Tooooo cute!!!
Posted by Erika {Delphine} on April 5th, 2011when i was a kid i remember cardboard boxes were the Ultimate dream come true… this is so lovely xx
Posted by denise on April 6th, 2011the dragon is killing me…. what a fantastic idea!!!
Posted by Addie on April 6th, 2011Absolutely adorable – such a fun and inspiring idea!
Posted by Kiki - Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dreams on April 6th, 2011So so so cute… and soo jealous of that castle!
Posted by Jenny and Jimbob on April 6th, 2011It’s a very cute idea~
Posted by anita on April 7th, 2011You don’t have to pay a lot for toys and decoration…
Cardboard simply proves (at least to me) that you could also have a very nice birthday for your child… yet fun and still beautiful…
Love the idea! Great job!
Love it!!
Posted by Amy on April 7th, 2011[...] super cute cardboard box themed birthday party for twin [...]
Posted by Honor Roll | Making it Lovely on April 8th, 2011oh so cute.. happy birthday to the boys. We too are getting started on planning our little guys first birthday party.
Posted by hena tayeb on April 8th, 2011[...] the profoundly awesome Making It Lovely blog, this bit on a box-themed boys’ birthday party. I haven’t the time nor the energy for such things and I am stunned and amazed that any [...]
Posted by I Am Not Blonde « Kelly Sue DeConnick on April 8th, 2011What an incredibly original idea! I love every detail.
Posted by paula @ frogprincepaperie on April 8th, 2011[...] All images from Hello Lucky! view the original post here. [...]
Posted by Brilliant first birthday party « on April 9th, 2011What a great idea for a party theme! Cardboard is the perfect medium!
Posted by erin on April 9th, 2011[...] Vía Hello Lucky. [...]
Posted by Cumpleaños de cartón | on April 10th, 2011What a perfect theme!!!
Posted by Michelle on April 11th, 2011[...] najfajniejsze zaproszenia na allegro. ….jak się ma zdolnych & kreatywnych rodziców: http://www.hellolucky.com/wordpress/?p=7801 Ostatnio edytowane przez JustMe5 : Dzisiaj – [...]
Posted by chrzciny, urodziny i inne uroczystości - Strona 86 on April 12th, 2011[...] Hello Lucky’s Sabrina chose cardboard boxes as a theme for her adorable twins’ first birthday (above). [...]
Posted by Friday Roundup: Party in a Box | Mom Inc Daily on April 15th, 2011[...] So…. what do you all think of this idea that i saw on Hello Lucky [...]
Posted by Cardboard box party! « on April 15th, 2011Cutest party theme EVER!!
Posted by Heidi on April 19th, 2011[...] Sabrina recently threw an adorable birthday party for her twins centered around reused cardboard boxes. I was so pleased when she shared the party with me, it’s the perfect Earth Day salute and a fabulously fun idea for any kids birthday. [...]
Posted by cardboard box birthday | A Subtle Revelry on April 20th, 2011[...] at the same time! Even the boxes are insanely rad. If you think you can stomach more awesomeness, check out the rest of the party here. One day I hope to reincarnated with a brain like the Hello Lucky-ers. [...]
Posted by Not My Party :: Cardboard Box Birthday | cakes likes a party on April 20th, 2011ooh, I would like to feature this on my blog, if you confirm please write to me:)
Posted by Junita on April 22nd, 2011[...] We pretty much believe you can build off of anything to create a party theme. Like this cardboard box party! [...]
Posted by think outside the box! | Hip Hip Hooray! on April 25th, 2011Oh my goodness! This is so original! And so cute. Fantastic job!
Posted by melanna on April 25th, 2011What a fun idea…every child loves boxes!
Posted by Jordan - Polkadot Prints on April 25th, 2011(I wonder what gifts they got? Just the boxes and no toys??
Seriously adorable! Those cardboard box creations are phenomenal!!!
Posted by Lana @ www.covetcollective.blogspot.com on April 26th, 2011Thanks, all! The boys mostly got regular gifts — we toyed with the idea of having box crafts at the party, but nixed it for safety! Likewise, there was the idea of using biodegradable backing peanuts to fill an inflatable pool (sort of a DIY bouncy house) – but concluded that they’d be a choking hazard even if they do dissolve in water!
Posted by sabrina on April 27th, 2011This is brilliant!
Posted by Sophie on April 30th, 2011[...] ladies at hello lucky! know what’s up. These creative sisters can do just about anything! I remember being so [...]
Posted by cardboard box birthday : Party Perfect on May 1st, 2011perfectly clever — love the theme, and so impressed by the mad box building skills!
Posted by alston on May 2nd, 2011Ladies, I came here from another blog and just wanted to say I LOVE THAT CASTLE. I may try to make this for my sons’ bedroom (they share) if I can get up the enthusiasm. Can you please tell me about how long it took to make? It’s just cardboard boxes, right?
*Love* it!
Mel
Posted by Mel on May 2nd, 2011Ah!!!!!! This is fabulous! I worship cardboard in general and unfailingly incorporate it into every birthday party we’ve done for the kids but I never thought of a birthday party that was entirely cardboard-themed. Brilliant! Must suggest this to the kids. Thank you!
Posted by LiEr on May 3rd, 2011This is AWESOME. My husband just said that we should just have a cardboard and paper party for our son who is turning one, and I was looking for ideas, and here’s your party!!!
Fantastic! Thank you for the ideas!!!
Posted by Kristen K. on May 8th, 2011[...] 2. Cardboard Box Party – This party is seriously so creative with box cars, buses, and even a castle. 3. Cardboard City – Australian artist, Annalise Rees, plays with space and drawing in her two and three dimensional ‘drawn’ house-scapes. [...]
Posted by 32 Things to Make Using A Cardboard Box {diy} | Momfluential Media on May 23rd, 2011I’d also love to know how you made that castle!! How is it staying up? It looks fantastic!
Posted by Katie on May 31st, 2011The castle was just made with large sheets of cardboard – we happened to have some big boxes that we’d use to ship flat gift wrap for Hello!Lucky, but you can easily use corrugated cardboard sheets that or cardboard from large appliance boxes. They’re staying up with cable ties that are wrapped around the bannister poles (they’re hidden behind the turrets) – these are super easy to use and strong, they just zip tight! e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-43032-Cable-Ties/dp/B0002J2QWE/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1306944884&sr=1-5
Posted by Sabrina on June 1st, 2011Hey ladies! What a cute party. I am always contemplating what to do with all those diaper boxes. recycling them is so boring. I will be making some cars and planes soon. You need to get on that kids book!
Posted by Jennifer Perkins on June 13th, 2011haha! thanks!
Posted by sabrina on June 13th, 2011[...] from the Hello! Lucky blog} comments: 0 » tags: birthday, cardboard, diy, fun, graphic, kids, modern, playful [...]
Posted by Have & Hold Design » Blog Archive » Real Event: Cardboard Box Birthday on June 14th, 2011I love following your blog and I absolutely LOVED this party! Thank you so much for the inspiration and ideas. We had so much fun using this idea for our daughter’s party. I hope you don’t mind
Posted by Sarah on June 17th, 2011http://dconawhim.blogspot.com/2011/05/cardboard-box-party.html
[...] Lucky, and now I am following 20+ party blogs on Facebook. Oh, the themes: should we have a cardboard box party, or a trash-man party, or replicate this fabulous vintage plane party? Not sure where I can [...]
Posted by It's a Sunshine Day | This Little Mama on June 27th, 2011adorable, what did you give out as the party favors??
Posted by Prerna Sood on July 26th, 2011We did little chocolate buses and airplanes, which we got at Miette in SF – I’m sure they’d be available online as well; they’re by German chocolate maker Chocolotol http://www.hfchocolates.co.uk/chocolotol-2382-0.html
Posted by Sabrina on July 26th, 2011those are awesome…thanks
Posted by Prerna Sood on August 9th, 2011Just shared your birthday idea on my blog, super!
Posted by Lia on December 2nd, 2011[...] a ride-in racing car [...]
Posted by cardboard box crafts | NurtureStore on December 27th, 2011Thanks for the details on James & Alex’s Cardboard Box Birthday! | Hello!Lucky Blog, it’s going to be really valuable.
Posted by Mary Howarter on March 6th, 2012your blog is really amazing……..
Posted by Dion Furch on March 24th, 2012