DIY & April's Circus Freak Themed 30th Birthday

This post is almost a year overdue now, but I recently stumbled across these pictures and felt a bit motivated to post about this project, as it's one of the very few DIY crafty things I've done in a long time. 

April turned 30 last February, and we threw an amazing party for her at The Upstairs. The theme was "Sideshow Circus Freaks" and much to our delight, most attendees were into the theme and came in costume.

First, we needed a cool sign for April's Birthday. I wish I had documented my process a little better. I made these signs by going to Paperzone (they are now out of business, sad) and picking up some sale scrap booking paper. I had April print out the letters for the sign on a thicker stock paper, in circus font. 

I cut the scrap booking paper into equal squares with a paper cutter. Then, I did the task of cutting each letter (and two numbers) out and using simple rubber cement to secure them to the squares. I let them dry overnight. Then I used a fabric glue to secure ribbon on to the back of each square. I did have to place them on an angle, so when the final product hung it would drape. 

As you can see in the picture, I did each word on a separate ribbon, and "30" between "Birthday" and "April."

My next project was a ribbon curtain that the guests would walk through as they arrived for the party. I received my inspiration from the display at our local Free People store. Also, thanks to our friend Liana for supplying me with a massive amount of ribbon.

I took a thicker ribbon and a wire as the part that would hang. Then I measured and cut ribbons and just looped them around the ribbon and wire, over and over and over and over again. Sadly, we don't have a good picture of the ribbon curtain.

Creating the curtain.

Hanging on the door to the main entrance. 

Another shot of the door

Ribbon curtain behind April. 

Another cameo by the ribbon curtain.

And my final project for the party was to create a circus tent like feel, without a tent. I went to Home Depot and cut a few dowels, to be used with pennants as flags.

I also grabbed a quart of red paint and a quart of white paint. Well, a funny thing happened on the way home. It was a very rainy and very very windy day in Seattle. Sometimes downtown you can be caught in what feels like a wind tunnel. I was walking, when suddenly a blast of wind (from the wind tunnel alley) blew me over. Well, that was it for the paint, as  you can see below.

The wind blew the red paint in the air, and sadly, Tommy got some of it, too. 

But with the help of my good friends, Chris and Marissa, I managed (after a second trip to get paint) to get the stripes done. Some of them went as the backdrop for photos, others went to the bar and the DJ booth.