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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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August 27, 2013

Hosting a Detective Birthday Party Picnic

One of my favorite things about having an 8 year old is how her interests and tastes have begun to influence mine.  She’s reading cool classic Nancy Drew books (which I never read as a kid), introducing me to music that I totally love, and her favorite colors inspired a room re-do in our house.

Detective themed birthday party invitation

She has also developed a pretty clear vision for what she wants in a party and this year’s vision called for a summery picnic with turquoise and yellow decorations, a mystery to solve, and a picnic-worthy cake (although my husband lobbied her hard for a chocolate one)….a perfect Detective Birthday Party Picnic!

Nancy Drew detective birthday party invitation

The invitations foretold a “mystery” at the party and the party details were typed in a tiny font, only legible with help from the enclosed magnifying glass.  We also included response cards for the guests to mail back with options for them to personalize their picnic.  I’m pretty sure the response cards were among her favorite elements of the party.  We stalked the mailman for weeks and she pounced on the turquoise envelopes anxious to see who was coming and what they were going to eat.

centerpieces

We gathered Queen Anne’s lace the night before and added them to some Trader Joes flowers to create the flower centerpieces.  Balloons, tissue poms, and gingham bunting highlighted the picnicking spot.

party table

Poufs

We blasted Britt Nicole as the kids hula hooped, sack raced, and had fun with detective Mad Libs.

sack races

As soon as it was time for cake, the kids discovered a small metal suitcase with a ransom note and a turquoise hourglass.  The cake & all of the plates, utensils, candles, etc. were missing!  Suddenly they were transformed into mini sleuths receiving case files, notebooks and mini clipboards.

 The hourglass was flipped and the race was on.  Would the birthday girl get to blow out her number 8 candle today?

The clues were hidden in balloons, tennis balls, climbing webs, field goals and street signs.  They incorporated decoding skills, invisible ink, and homemade scratch tickets.  Each sleuth held a tool in their case file that allowed them to help solve a specific clue and solving each clue required a fair amount of teamwork.

 

discovering clue 9

 

Detectives

An hour later (it took twice as long as expected!), the sweaty yet triumphant detectives returned, with the mystery solved and the cake safely recovered.

cake with candles

After reviving with cake, they relived their sleuthing exploits and had fun trying on secret agent disguise kits from their favor boxes, which also included a hand selected mystery book.

Favor Box

favors

Secret Agent Disguise

After waking up at the crack of dawn to help make picnic lunches and sprinting around after clues in the hot sun, the birthday girl was pretty spent.

Disguised

The only mystery remaining was what she’d plan for next year.

balloon

Host a Nancy Drew Mystery Birthday Party! Full of ideas and details!

Julie Signature

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29 Comments Filed Under: At the Kids Table, Children's Parties Ideas, Crafts, Family, Good Ideas, Kids, Parties Tagged With: birthday parties, kids parties, parties

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Comments

  1. Mary says

    August 27, 2013 at 6:41 AM

    Absolutely a beautiful and fun-filled party. Your creativity astounds me!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 27, 2013 at 12:04 PM

      Thanks so much, Mary! Your encouraging words were a little gift to my soul this morning.

      Reply
  2. Marty Walden says

    August 27, 2013 at 6:54 AM

    Stunning pictures for a fabulous party! What a lucky kid!

    Reply
  3. Jill Flory says

    August 27, 2013 at 7:23 AM

    This is one of the cutest birthday parties I’ve ever seen! LOVE!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 27, 2013 at 12:03 PM

      Thanks so much, Jill! And I just adored your post…I’m beginning that crazy adventure for the first time starting next week–your words & honesty encouraged me more than you can imagine!!

      Reply
  4. Judy says

    August 27, 2013 at 12:25 PM

    That’s a pretty spectacular party. What a lucky girl!! I bet everyone had a blast.

    Reply
  5. MDR says

    August 27, 2013 at 3:55 PM

    Adorable party! Wish I still had an eight-year-old!!! Vanessa’s Mom

    Reply
  6. Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

    August 27, 2013 at 5:12 PM

    Oh my goodness Julie! This is one of the most beautiful, stunning, and creative parties I’ve seen in ages! I’m dying to know where you got those poufs or if you made them. BRAVO!!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 27, 2013 at 8:35 PM

      Thanks so much for your kind words & encouragement, Kim! I found a Martha Stewart Pom kit at Marshalls that happened to be the perfect shades of turquoise for the party. I’ve used her pom kits before and they create such lovely, full poufs…much better than ones that I’ve made on my own.

      Reply
  7. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    August 27, 2013 at 6:56 PM

    Wow. I have all boys but I DID read all of the Nancy Drew books growing up and this is an AWESOME party idea!! Thanks for sharing this Julie!! Pinning!

    Reply
  8. Karen Schulz says

    August 28, 2013 at 12:18 AM

    I loved Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon mysteries when I was a kid

    Reply
  9. Maryann @ Domestically Speaking says

    August 28, 2013 at 1:20 PM

    How fun… I loved reading Nancy Drew books when I was a kid and now my girls love them too. What a fun party idea!

    Reply
  10. Amanda @ Dixie Delights says

    August 28, 2013 at 1:34 PM

    You did it again! Another absolutely adorable fete!

    Reply
  11. Michele R says

    August 28, 2013 at 3:55 PM

    I love your idea of taking a book and bringing it to life as a birthday party! Absolutely wonderful!

    Reply
  12. Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home says

    August 29, 2013 at 8:05 AM

    Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home

    Oh my heavens! I don’t think your party could have been any more pretty or perfect!
    I love themed parties . . . and this one is so beautiful! Great job!
    Love your photos too!!
    Thanks so much for sharing,
    Suzanne

    Reply
  13. Heather says

    September 1, 2013 at 6:18 AM

    I used to read Nancy Drew too! Great party idea – everyone looks like they had a fun time!

    Reply
  14. capturing joy with kristen duke says

    September 3, 2013 at 10:23 PM

    SO adorable, love the details!!

    Reply
  15. Donna says

    September 12, 2013 at 6:49 PM

    Absolutely love it!

    Reply
  16. Caitlin Smith says

    April 17, 2015 at 10:39 AM

    Thank you for this post. I LOVE your creative ideas and would like to follow this (with adaptations for my daughter) for her upcoming 11th bday party. I wonder if you could please share the details of the clues/cake hunt? I’m particularly interested in the series of 10 clues and the activity that they did for each one. I can make out a few from your post, but I’d love to know them all!
    Thank you so much for your inspiring post. Not being a natural at doing this stuff, but a natural at appreciating it, I’m learning from you and hoping to create a birthday party that my daughter and her friends will remember fondly together!
    Warmly,
    Caitlin

    Reply
  17. Silvia says

    July 23, 2015 at 6:46 AM

    Hi, Julie! I loved your party and ideas! My daughter just decided she wants a mystery slumber party for her 12th birthday next week, so I’m trying to find tutorials and ideas online (unfortunately I’m not the creative kind…). The kits avaiable for purchase requires mores guests than we’re having, so I think I’ll have to do a mystery by myself. Could you share the details of your clues, so I could try to adapt them? Thanks!

    Reply
  18. Jen Ross says

    July 24, 2015 at 9:54 AM

    Loved everything about this party. My daughter is having a detective party soon and I would love to have some more details on where you printed the invitations and more info. on the clues. Such great ideas!!!

    Reply
  19. archana says

    August 17, 2015 at 10:46 AM

    Lovely idea and post !
    Could you send me the clues , I would like to use them for my son’party.

    Thanks
    Archana

    Reply
  20. j says

    October 4, 2015 at 5:25 PM

    hello – great sharing! i love your ideas!! I too would love the details to the clues. as well as the DYI scratch cards, red lenses for the decoder….
    thank you!

    Reply
  21. Liz says

    June 14, 2016 at 6:17 PM

    Love this! Would you mind sharing the clues?

    Reply
  22. Emily says

    June 28, 2016 at 6:40 PM

    Hi,
    What a wonderful party! I would love to do something like this for my daughters who are turning 9. Is this a party package I can purchase?
    Thank you!

    Reply
  23. Catherine Koysza says

    February 21, 2018 at 5:33 PM

    My daughter loves Nancy Drew and is dying to have a party like this! Did you share the details of the clues and your different tools to use? If you’re sharing them, or if I could purchase them, I’d love to get them to help with our party!

    Reply
  24. Amanda says

    June 5, 2019 at 6:53 PM

    An amazing birthday idea! We are doing a science party this year, but my daughter just got into Nancy Drew, so maybe next year!

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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