A Chili Themed Birthday Party

On the weekend we held our 4th annual Chilifest to celebrate my husbands birthday.  Here is a peak into some of our festivities!

 

Nothing says "The Party's Here" like tissue paper in the mailbox! (Note to self: take tissue paper out of mailbox.  Before the mail lady comes.)

Our guests were welcomed by a chalkboard sign made out of a second hand mirror.  I just removed the mirror from it's frame and covered the wood backing with self-adhesive chalkboard paper.  I set out a bucket of noisemakers and made sunscreen and bug spray available to any guests who may have forgot theirs at home.

 

We served a nacho buffet as an appetizer.   In place of plates we used tin foil take out trays stacked with colorful serviettes.

I kept bugs out of the drinks by cutting a square of mesh to fit over each pitcher and weighted the corners down with clothespins.

There were lawn games....

...and a homemade pinata.  See here for my tutorial on how to make your own pinata.

 Some of the guests brought Crockpots of chili to compete.  We placed each Crockpot on the buffet with a glass jar in front.  Each guest was given a little ticket and instructed to place the ticket in the jar beside their favorite chili to vote for a winner.  The winner received an engraved ladle.

We finished the evening with three different types of cupcakes: chocolate, vanilla and Pistachio.

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