I feel like I have been waiting to do a Super Mario birthday party my entire life (See picture below of me playing Mario 25 years ago)! I have loved Mario as long as I can remember. So, when Santa brought my boys a Wii for Christmas last year (The Wii that's been collecting dust at my parents house for 10 years), I was thrilled! And I was even more excited when my oldest son realized his love for all things Mario! Let me break it down for you:
Decorations:
Front Door Sign- https://www.etsy.com/listing/670221272/super-mario-welcome-sign-board-super?ref=yr_purchases
Gold Star Balloons- Dollar Tree, only $1 each (Including helium!)
- I used black sharpie to draw line eyes on them like Mario Stars!
Balloon Garland- I love balloon garlands! They are the cheapest way to make the biggest impact at a party! For this garland, I found most of the balloons at The .99 Store (they tend to have better color options than the Dollar Tree). I probably used 5 packages so, about 50 balloons. I used balloon decorating strip tape, purchased on Amazon, and hung the arch using thumb tacks.
Labels/ Tags/ Banner- I purchased this amazing digital paper from etsy (https://www.etsy.com/listing/601407100/super-mario-bros-digital-paper?ref=yr_purchases) and used it to make all my tags, labels and banners. I will make those available for you to download asap.
Kitchen Table Decorations-
Piranha Plants- I was inspired by this post and used her piranha plant file. https://frogprincepaperie.com/mario-brothers-piranha-plant-diy-and-question-mark-box-tutorial/
I had the file printed at Office Depot. Here is a trick for you: you can print things 11"x17" from Office Depot for under $1.50! go to the services drop down, hover over print and copy, then click document printing. Scroll down and click on Menus. From there, upload your document. Select 11"x14", fit to size and "gloss cover card stock-12pt." I had 2 printed for each piranha plant, because I wanted them to be double sided.
Supplies-
Piranha Plant prints- See directions above
Foam Core
Container of Salt
Green Card stock
Green Foam Sheet
Black Card stock
Wooden skewer
Hot glue
Exacto Knife
Double stick tape or glue dots
Directions:
1. Use hot glue to cover the salt container with green card stock. (I leave the salt in the container because it weighs it down nicely)
2. Use 3 layer of foam to make the upper rim of the pipe. Then cover that with card stock. Fold and hot glue to the top of the salt container. Cover the folds with a circle cut from black card stock.
3. Cut out your Piranha plant prints. Trace them onto foam core board (Always purchase this at the Dollar Tree!) Use an Exacto knife to cut out this shape. Cut inside the lines about 1/4". This cut does not have to be perfect! it is just to stiffen the print and make it stand upright. Use double stick tape or glue dots to attach the pirahna plant prints to each side of the foam core.
4. Gently push the wooden skewer up through the middle of the foam core board. Cut a small hole in the top of the salt container (I used the tip of a knife). Insert the other end of the wooden skewer and push all the way down until the piranha plant sits perfectly on the top of the pipe.
Mario and Luigi cut outs- Print a high quality image from your printer on card stock. If you have a Cricut you can do a print and cut image through Design Space. You will need to print the mirror of the image as well for it to be double sided. Sandwich foam core in between the 2 prints, using the method described above (step 3 of piranha plants).
Bricks- Use 6"x6"x6" boxes from Walmart (only .58 each!) Print a high quality image of a brick from your printer onto white card stock. I used this one- https://www.google.com/search?q=mario+brick&rlz=1CAWAFN_enUS689US690&sxsrf=ACYBGNQGXRFB2IXFyLk5Sx1LrSQ0hVgkUw:1569953914008&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIu-6K1vvkAhXDOn0KHahlCgsQ_AUIEigB&biw=1366&bih=609#imgrc=TMPo5mPQOOf-EM:
Don't forget to size the image so that it prints to fit on the sides of the box. I do this by opening the image in a google word doc. If you have a Cricut, you can upload the image, size it and do a print and cut image through Design Space.
Use double stick tape or glue dots to attach the printouts to each side (and tops) of the boxes.
? Blocks- Use 6"x6"x6" boxes from Walmart (only .58 each!) I found a .99 roll of yellow wrapping paper from Party City. Wrap the boxes, like you would a present. Cut the ? out of white card stock or have your Cricut do that for you. Attach the ? using hot glue, double stick tape or glue dots.
Paper Lantern Chain Chomps and Boos- I found white and black paper lanterns at the Dollar Tree. If they cannot be found there, you can purchase them on Amazon for a reasonable price. I used black, white and red card stock to make their faces. I used hot glue to attach them. For the Chain Chomps, I had to make 4 cuts on the red mouth and overlap the paper to make it rounded so it would fit on the lantern. You can use the the following templates.
Mario Flagpole- This was one of my favorite little details. I happened upon 2 empty wrapping paper rolls that fit perfectly together and the idea just came to me! The base is a box with 2 blocks of floral foam (from the Dollar Tree), hot glued to the bottom. Once all the pieces were painted and ready, I just pushed the bottom wrapping paper roll into the foam.
Mario/ Luigi Hats- I followed this awesome tutorial (http://www.cuteasafox.com/2011/08/mario-and-luigi-poster-board-visors.html). Instead of using poster board, I used cardstock. I bought a multi-color pack that had red and green for about $3 from Michael's. Each piece of paper will make one hat.
-Red & Green Card Stock- Michael's
-White Card stock- Any craft store
-Elastic- https://www.joann.com/soft-stretch-elastic-white/11384443.html#q=white%2Belastic&start=1
Mustaches- Found at the .99 Store in 8 packs
Princess Peach Crowns-
Supplies:
Headbands
Glue Gun
Yellow Ribbon
Yellow Foam Sheets
Pink & Turquoise Foam Sheets
I couldn't find cheap yellow headbands so, I covered the headbands with yellow ribbon using hot glue. Cut out the crowns. I fit 5 crowns on each sheet of yellow foam. I used my Cricut to cut out the ovals (for the gems) but you can cut these by hand also. Hot glue the gems to the crown and hot glue the crown to the headband! It's that easy!
Food:
Gold Coins- Chocolate Gold Coins
Bob-ombs- Whoppers
Yoshi Eggs- Egg Malt balls (Post-Easter find, you could use Jelly Beans)
Ice Power- Marshmallows
Princess Peach Rings- Peach-o's
Fire Power- Cheeseballs
Yoshi Tongues- Twizzlers
Star Power- Star Sugar Cookies
Cupcakes- I happen to already own these cupcake stands https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N7WM0VI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just printed a image of the Mario cast and attached it (covering the circus picture) with double stick tape. Also, how perfect are these star sprinkles!?
Cake- Let me start by saying that I am by no means, a professional cake maker! But this cake was so fun to make. I started by making a basic 3 layer, 9" round cake. I frosted it with store bought vanilla frosting, dyed light blue. I made a few, stable Mario blocks and characters out of fondant. The pipe on top is a Rice Krispie treat, covered with green fondant. I created the cake topper using fonts found online and my Cricut. I bought the Mario from Amazon. My son was obsessed with this cake. It made my mama heart so happy!
Thank You's- I knew I was inviting a lot of children to this party (about 25) so, I was trying to figure out a Thank you that wouldn't break the bank. I bought this Wii remote mold off of amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QP33Q4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I purchased white chocolate waffers from Winco for $1.99 / pound and got to work! The best park was that I could make these weeks ahead of time! To keep them safe from melting and losing their shape, I stored them in the fridge.
Activities:
Yoshi Egg Hunt- My sons party happened to fall the week after Easter. Talk about good timing! I was able to get tons of eggs and candy for 75% off! I had the kids use paper lunch bags with these labels and put their names on them.
Decorating Yoshi Eggs- These blank eggs were another post, Easter find! The kids had fun decorating these "Yoshi Eggs."
Mario/ Piranha Pipe Craft-
Supplies-
Green Paper Cups
Popsicle Sticks
Mario/ piranha plant images
Directions- I used the print and cut feature on my Cricut for this. Cutting out the little Mario and piranha plants by hand would not have been worth having this activity for me but maybe if you only have a few, it wouldn't be so bad. I cut slices in the bottom of the cups ahead of time. The kids just had to color the pictures, glue it to the Popsicle stick with a glue stick and put the stick through the hole.
Coloring Sheets & Stickers
Pinata- If you have a Winco near by, i have found that it is one of the best places for inexpensive pinatas! I was just browsing, i figured they might have a star or a box to make a block pinata but I was thrilled when I saw this castle pinata. I printed out a few images and viola! It went from being a knights castle to Bowser's Castle!
Pin the Mustache on Mario- Free download here https://fabeveryday.com/2019/01/classic-nintendo-birthday-party-mario-bros-zelda-kirby-and-more-nintendo-themed-party-fun.html
Bounce house with Boo Balloons- In the last hour before the party, I remembered that I wanted to draw faces on white balloons with sharpies, to look like Boos and fill the bounce house with them. I was running out of time. My sweet 6 year old looked at me and said, I can do it mom. I thought, well, this could be interesting. He did AMAZING! He followed the picture I showed him perfectly and was able to draw about 20 faces before the party started! I was shocked and so impressed! #proudmommoment
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