THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701170053
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANN WRIGHT, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: 107 lines
DOES THE THOUGHT of a child's birthday party make you break into a cold sweat? Can the prospect of entertaining a dozen little people send you scurrying to the medicine cabinet? If so, you need to know about Kim Painter, the queen of theme and a princess of pretend.
Kim enjoys birthdays because they give her a chance to play with childhood fantasies. For her, they are theater, pageants staged with homemade costumes and props. For a couple of months before one of her children - Haylee, 4, and Rusty, 7 - has a birthday, Kim shops and sews and builds and paints. The back yard of her Virginia Beach home is transformed with junk and joy into fantasy land.
Before working mothers are assailed with fresh guilt, it should be pointed out that Kim doesn't do it all. She orders the birthday cake from a bakery. And it's important to know that she is an artist with a degree in graphic design and a lifelong affinity for crafty projects.
``I was an only child and my mother always bought me art supplies,'' she says. ``Since I didn't have siblings to play with, I spent a lot of time making things.''
For her children's first two or three birthdays, Kim picked the themes. As they became old enough to be involved, Rusty and Haylee started making their own choices. With the theme established, Kim starts planning.
``First I cruise fabric stores,'' she says.
The fabric is a key element because it sets the color scheme. For a clown party, the colors of a harlequin print used for the tablecloth inspired the vivid red, yellow, blue and green repeated in other decorations and Rusty's clown suit.
While she stitches costumes for her kids, a tablecloth for the picnic table and banners to hang from the backyard playhouse, Kim starts dreaming up the props and games. Quick sorties to Big Lots, craft and novelty stores, and a perusal of the Oriental Trading catalog (800-228-0475) turn up inexpensive favors and accessories for the guests.
Most of Kim's raw materials are throwaways. She's a recycler, keeping junk organized in a backyard shed until needed. No appliances are delivered on Kim's street without her salvaging the boxes. Cardboard boxes were the building material for a 10-foot green dragon that little knights attacked with plastic swords and a replica of a nursery rhyme shoe house. Cardboard has also transformed the front facade of the playhouse into a castle and a circus tent.
The same care goes into planning the invitations and party favors. When Rusty was a cowboy, the invitation was a wanted poster, featuring a photo of that notorious 3-year-old gunslinger. Pony rides and pin the star on the sheriff were the main activities.
For each party there's a pinata Kim makes herself. Often she involves the guests in a craft project, such as decorating paper crowns with paste-on jewels and glitter. Small wonder Kim prefers outdoor parties.
The inside of the Painters' Woodhurst home also gets decorated. The week before the party Kim's husband, Russell, gets pressed into service hanging streamers and air-filled balloons. The owner of Haircut 100 is cheerful with his tasks. He's also a big help on the actual day, supervising games and looking after the parents. The Painters always address the invitations to the child and family. Russell is in charge of the adult food and beverages.
The parents doubtless appreciate an adult menu because the party food can get a little strange at times. For the Cat in the Hat party, green deviled eggs and baked ham were on the menu. Bloo moo juices flowed from a champagne fountain.
In a nod to McElligott's Pool, Kim filled a large washtub with popcorn and hid plastic fish in it. The 6-year-olds dived in with both hands to find the fish, gobbling on the popcorn as the rummaged through it. Once again, this is best done outdoors, where squirrels can help with the cleanup.
And what about this year's parties? Haylee wants to be Alice in Wonderland for her fifth birthday at the end of March. Rusty still has six months to make a decision. MEMO: Ann Wright is a free-lance writer in Virginia Beach. ILLUSTRATION: COLOR PHOTOS BY BETH BERGMAN/{BYLINE}
When Rusty Painter had a cowboy-themed birthday party, the
invitation was a wanted poster.
Kim Painter of Virginia Beach, dressed as Mother Goose, has fun with
daughter Haylee (as Little Bo Peep) and son Rusty (as Wee Willie
Winkle[sic])
Graphic
KIM'S HINTS
Do as much ahead as possible so that the party day can be free
for final touches and food prep.
Ask kids to dress according to the theme of the party - a
favorite Mother Goose character, cowboys, pirates, princesses.
Kids love to dress up, and now some of the parents come in
costume, too. Ask a friend to take pictures of each child with the
birthday child. Mail them later in a decorated folder.
Stuff goodie bags with eye patches, plastic jewels and candy
coins for a pirate party. Make extra bags for siblings who may want
to join in.
Be creative in your goodie bags. Decorated beach pails and flower
pots or bandanas can hold goodies or sponge-paint paper bags for a
festive look.
Pinatas are great because kids of all ages can participate in the
fun. They are inexpensive or you can make your own. Let the smallest
children go first.
Air-filled balloons are a fraction of the cost of helium balloons
and stay inflated for several days. Hang bunches and long crepe
paper streamers above the birthday cake table.
Curling ribbon is great for decorating the table, dangling from
suspended balloons, and adorning the goodie bags.