A Down-Home John Deere Birthday Party

Farm life takes center stage at this colorful John Deere birthday party styled by Evite using Birthday Express products. Evite's stylists came up with quick and easy ways for you to create a countrified, backyard picnic that creatively reflects the John Deere theme and offers visual impact without making a huge impact on your finances. Affordable decor, easy menus, festive party favors, and fun party games are just some of the categories we cover. We'll be showcasing a themed birthday party every week on the blog, so be sure to come back for more inspiration!

Send a John Deere Evite invitation to give guests a peek of the birthday party fun to come!

Click here to view the entire John Deere birthday party!

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Evite Eats: Ombré Mango Cake

Next up in the series highlighting our very own party pros is Evite customer care specialist Michele Chung, whose recipe for a gorgeous ombré mango cake is perfect for a birthday or baby shower. Michele has a passion for baking treats that are as eye-catching as they are delicious, and this cake is one of her specialities! Get all the details of her delectable dessert below, and don't forget to keep checking bacl for the next Evite Eats.

Michele makes her three-tier mango cake using 6-inch pans and buttercream frosting. For the piping, she uses a Wilton 1M tip to create swirls. Your local baker can do this step for you, or check out the tutorial on YouTube. It's a lot easier than it looks!

Mango Cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla or 2 tsp pure mango extract (optional, but will add more mango flavor)
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mango puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients (in no particular order) until smooth, and pour evenly into three 6-inch pans. Bake for 25-30 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp milk (frosting needs to be stiff to use for piping)
• Red food coloring

Mix all ingredients on low speed just until blended. Divide frosting among three bowls, adding red food coloring to two until the desired shades of pink are developed. Assemble the cake by frosting in between and around each layer in the appropriate color frosting. Finish by piping swirls around the cake, creating an ombré effect with white at the base, light pink in the middle, and darker pink on top. 

At your next gathering, let them eat cake! If it's a birthday party you're baking for, this festive Evite invitation is great for the occassion.

Looking for more party-friendly recipes? Check out our other Evite Eats recipes, including beer-basted baby back ribs and manchego cheese-and-fig crostini. 

Yo Gabba Gabba! Birthday Party

Next up in our series of easy and affordable kids birthday parties brought to you by Evite and Birthday Express is Yo Gabba Gabba! Evite guest stylist Jesi Haack created a magical ambiance filled with friendly toy monsters and musical references kids can't get enough of. From the party decorations to the three-step menu, this Yo Gabba Gabba! event is as doable as it is dazzling.

We're debuting a new theme every week, so come back for more birthday party inspiration.

Make life easier on busy parents (and yourself) by sending a matching Yo Gabba Gabba! Evite invitation.

Click here to see the entire Yo Gabba Gabba! party.

Summer: Kids' Pool Party Favors

If you're planning a pool party and want to make a big splash, favors personalized with our free printables is the perfect way to keep kids entertained. Just round up some poolside necessities (think sunglasses and towels), download our printables, and your favors will scream summer. 

We chose kids' sunglasses, a plush towel, reusable water bottle, beach pail, “bubbles” (white Sixlets in a clear plastic tube), and Goldfish with a “catch of the day” printable.

Download our free favor printables by clicking here!

A pool party-themed Evite invitation is perfect for the occasion. Click here to browse more.

Camp In Birthday Party

Children never get bored with the great outdoors, which is why Evite collaborated with Birthday Express to create a camping-themed slumber party for kids. Our talented crew added DIY touches to Let's Go Camping Birthday Express products to successfully (and affordably) bring the outdoors in, plus designed an easy-to-do party menu, favor options, and more. Check it out and be sure to return for more inspiration -- we're rolling out a new theme every week!

The camping-themed Evite invitation below pairs perfectly with the theme!

Click here to see the entire Camp In party!

Hello Kitty Birthday Party

The beloved feline takes center stage at this dreamy Hello Kitty birthday party styled by Evite for Birthday Express. Don't be intimdated by the adorable display -- very aspect of this party is easy and affordable to do!

We'll be introducing a new party theme every week through June, so if you love this Hello Kitty Balloon Dreams theme, be sure to come back for more inspiration.

Click here to see the entire Hello Kitty party!

Evite Eats: Beer-Basted Baby Back Ribs

The next in our series spotlighting the Evite team comes courtesy of Gabe Huerta, General Manager of Evite Postmark, who gives us the scoop on his beer-basted baby back ribs. His recipes for a savory rub and spicy mopping sauce are the perfect complements to his expert technique for grilling the meat. Try Gabe's mouthwatering ribs at your Memorial Day BBQ or other summertime get-together, and don't forget to check back again soon for our next Evite Eats!

Rub:

• 1/2 cup paprika
• 3 tbsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 8 lbs baby back ribs

Mopping Sauce:

• 1 can beer
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp minced jalapeño chiles (optional)
• BBQ sauce (Gabe prefers Sweet Baby Ray's)

Instructions:

1. Season ribs with rub and let stand for at least 15 mins.
2. Prepare grill with 1 cup water-soaked hickory-wood smoke chips per 5 lbs of charcoal briquettes and bring to low-to-medium heat.
3. Place ribs bone-side down on the grill for 30 mins.
4. Smother ribs with mopping sauce and grill on low for 30 mins., then place ribs on direct heat for 10-15 more.
5. Baste ribs with BBQ sauce and grill for an additional 5-10 mins. on each side or until sauce is caramelized, making sure ribs don't burn.
6. Cut into pieces and serve.

Check out our collection of BBQ invitations perfect for Memorial Day, including the rib-centric design below.

Memorial Day: Patriotic Ice Tub

It's easy to put together our patriotic tub for keeping Memorial Day drinks on ice - and since the decor isn't permanent, you can change up the design for every holiday and occasion!

Materials:

• Galvanized ice bucket
• Cutting board
• Wax paper
• Blue painter’s tape
• Pencil
• Star image
• X-ACTO knife
• Ice
• Kitchen towel
• Beverages

Step 1: Place a cutting board or safe cutting surface on a table, cover with wax paper, and then add strips of blue painter’s tape on the top.

Step 2: Print out a picture of a star (we used an image we found online) and trace your star onto the painters tape.

Step 3: Cut out stars using X-ACTO knife.

Step 4: Peel stars off of wax paper and place on ice bucket.

If your ice bucket doesn't come with a bottle opener attached, we recommend tying a bottle opener to one of the handles with a ribbon so it’s easy for guests to find.  Also, we suggest having a decorative kitchen towel on hand so guests can dry their hands after selecting beverages from the ice bucket.

You can also make a miniature ice bucket with fruit and star ice cubes. The star shapes come courtesy of a novelty tray, and the fruity cubes are the result of adding frozen raspberies and blueberries to the waterfilled ice tray before freezing. 

A Memorial Day Evite invitation is perfect for the occasion. Browse the entire collection here.

Watermelon Keg

When summer heats up, the only thing better than a glass of our frosty Minty Melon Breeze cocktail is one that's tapped from this adorable watermelon keg! Perfect for a Memorial Day celebration or other outdoor fete, this longtime Evite fave is stylish enough to work at a summery bridal shower thanks to some simple re-styling. Check out our updated take below on the original keg and cocktail, and add a splash of fun to your next get-together.

Materials:

• 10 lb. seedless watermelon
• Sharp knife
• Big spoon
• Sieve
• Power drill
• ¾” hose bibb threaded faucet
• O-ring (that fits the back of the faucet)
• Drink-dispenser stand

Step 1: Cut a hole at the top of your watermelon, jack o’ lantern style. Using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh of the watermelon and put some directly into your blender. Put the rest in a large bowl, and set aside.

Step 2: Drill a hole about 4” from the bottom of your watermelon, using a knife to slightly widen the hole so it’s just a little smaller than your faucet.

Step 3: Place your O-ring on the back of your faucet and gently screw the faucet into the hole. Next, test your keg by filling it with water and using the faucet. NOTE: Our keg worked great with just the O-ring and faucet, but if you’re having trouble with the flow we recommend adding an additional PVC faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the spout.

Once your watermelon keg is complete, set it on the stand of a drink dispenser – if it’s wobbly, cut a thin slice from the bottom of the melon to even it out. Fill the keg with our delicious Minty Melon Breeze and serve with minted ice cubes.  

A patriotic Evite invitation like the one below is just right for Memorial Day -- click here to see our full line of invites perfect for the holiday.

Cocktail Recipe: Minty Melon Breeze

Watermelon is practically synonymous with summer, and this juicy, refreshing cocktail is just what your Memorial Day (or other) get-together needs to kick off the season! This drink also lends itself perfectly to our Watermelon Keg, so be sure to check out the how-tos.


What you'll need:

• Watermelon
• ½ cup vodka
• 2 liters soda water
• 5 oz. fruit-flavored liqueur
• ½ cup chopped mint leaves 
• Ice cube tray

Minty Melon Breeze: Puree enough watermelon to make 6 cups of juice and sieve into a large pitcher, reserving 1 cup. Add the vodka and fruit-flavored liqueur, then stir in 2 liters of soda water and freeze overnight. Remove pitcher from freezer when guests arrive and garnish with minted melon cubes. 

Minted Melon Cubes: Pour the reserved juice into ice cube trays and sprinkle with chopped mint. Freeze overnight. 

Want to really wow your guests? Serve your Breezes in festive watermelon cups! Simply cut the tops off miniature watermelons, hollow them out, and pour your cocktails. For the tops, drill holes with a power drill and stick straws through  for sipping.

The perfect way to set the tone for a summer party is to send an Evite invitation. Be sure to check out some of our favorite summer-themed designs like the one below.