Incorporate deep blues and bright pinks and oranges.
An Under the Sea party brings to mind mermaids, colorful fish, octopuses, coral reef and sea plants waving in the dark blue water. Having so many options for color and style is both a blessing and a burden, but the key is to set a goal and accomplish it as simply as possible. Rather than incorporate every Under the Sea image you can think up, focus on one aspect and bring it to life with well-coordinated colors and items. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Background Decor
1. Tack blue butcher paper across the walls to make a background of water in the party room. Mix light and blue tones to resemble the ocean.
2. Hang blue, white and green streamers from the ceiling. Experiment with drooping, overlapping and twisted patterns.
3. Drape blue and white tablecloths across the tables where party guests will be eating and sitting. Overlap different colors to create a pattern, or simply alternate between white and blue tablecloths.
4. Blow up blue, white and green balloons. Let some float across the ceiling and spread others across the floor unattached.
5. Hang blue and green curtains, streamers or bead chains from each door so that guests feel they are entering the water each time they walk through.
Detail
6. Cut fish and jellyfish shapes out of paper plates. For the jellyfish, cut paper plates in half. Turn the plate so that the rounded edge is on top, creating the head of the jellyfish. Color the face in and draw eyes on either side of the plate. Attach streamers on the bottom for legs. To make fish, cut a triangle out of one side of the plate for the mouth. Draw eyes and scales and color in the body. Attach sequins, buttons or beads for detail. Tack to the blue butcher paper on the wall.
7. Set up blue, turquoise, white and green paper plates, cups, napkins and plastic silverware. Choose a color scheme that matches with your Under the Sea theme.
8. Draw outlines of coral reef across the blue butcher paper tacked to the walls. Use orange, bright pink and yellow to contrast with the blue.
Food and Drink
9. Set out blue punch to drink in a large punch bowl or tea dispenser. Popular varieties of blue-colored drinks include Kool Aid, Gatorade, Powerade and Jone's Blueberry Soda.
10. Set out Under the Sea theme cakes, cupcakes, cookies and other desserts. Make blue icing by adding blue food coloring to vanilla icing until the desired color is achieved. Spread across the top of the dessert. Add sprinkles, candles or other items for detail.
11. Cut out Under the Sea shapes to attach to food items. Draw and cut out crabs, fish, octopuses and other sea creatures. Glue them to toothpicks. Stick the toothpicks in cookies, cakes and appetizers.
Fun and Games
12. Set up a kiddie pool and a Slip 'N' Slide outside. If you don't want the kids to swim, fill the kiddie pool with green, white and blue balloons.
13. Use pails and shovels for goodie bags. Put Under the Sea-themed candy and toys in the pails, such as Swedish Fish candy, blue, white and green jelly beans, fish keychains, shells, bubbles and a souvenir bottle of colored sand.
14. Have Under the Sea face-painting. Draw starfish, shells, octopuses, mermaids and other items on kids faces.
15. Hold a crab race. Set kids up on one side of the room or backyard, get on all fours like a crab and race to the finish line.
16. Hold a water balloon catching competition. Pair up party guests. Give each pair a balloon filled with water. Teammates stand at a close distance and one partner throws the balloon to the other. If she catches it, the partners take a step back and repeat. If your balloon drops and breaks, you're out. The team that wins catches the balloon at the farthest distance.
Tags: blue white, white green, blue butcher, blue butcher paper, blue white green, butcher paper