I was thrilled to find this Harry Potter Birthday Party submission on my Facebook page last week from Natty Langton of Half Dozen Design. Natty is a very talented, UK-based “mum” of six, including two sets of twins … oh my! As a twin mommy myself, I really can’t imagine. Natty doesn’t know it, but I need her to become my new best friend and share all her time management secrets with me!

Natty did all the sewing, designing and baking for this party. In addition to my amazement at just how much Natty did herself, I LOVE that she emphasized the Harry Potter party activities as much as the decor and desserts.

I’ll let Natty tell the story of her party.

“As we have boy/girl twins, they normally always argue about what style of party we are going to have for them. However, this year they told me right from the start that it was to be a Harry Potter Party.”

“I made each child a homemade Wizards robe with the different house badges on. Everyone wore them on the day accept for my fashion-conscious daughter who wore a Hermione dress (purchased from eBay).I even got my mother-in-law to knit my baby twins and my husband Griffindor Quidditch jumpers and scarves. They looked super cute.”

“The party was held in my front yard. I had handmade a Platform 9 3/4 sign that hung above the entry way. We had a fake wall, which was made out of a vinyl brick patterned backdrop. The children loved running through this to enter the party.”

“Activities included a Potion class, Herbology, Quidditch practice and Harry’s Dress Up Box.”

“In Quidditch, the children threw a golden snitch through homemade quidditch rings. Potion class was really fun. Each child was given their own beaker in which they made magical potions. They had an edible potion first and then they had an exploding potion which made them squeal with delight.”

“In Herbology, the children planted Screaming Mandrake Seedlings (daffodil bulbs) in their own little plant pots. They got to take them home at the end of the day.”

“Harry’s Dress Up Box was full of various different Potter clothing. All the children took turns to get dressed up and have their photo taken. The children all visited Hagrids Hotdog hut for their savoury food and then they all got to enter the Griffindor common room (my living room) for the dessert table and treats. The dessert table was done in the colours of Griffindor, gold and maroon.”

“The sweet treats were all named after Harry Potter characters and houses. Desserts included Lunas Lemon Drops, Professors’ Pumpkins, Ravenclaw Raisin treats, Golden Snitches (orange coconut mallow balls), Gringots Gold, Snakes Skulls, Hermione’s Honeycomb, Hufflepuffs Honey Pops, and Wizard Wands.”

“For the twins’ birthday cakes they wanted the cake that Hagrid made for Harry in the first Potter movie. I did two of these cakes, one for each twin. For favours to take home, I made custom printables. They were Rons Rainbow cookies, Bertie botts every flavour beans, chocolate frogs and glass vials filled with poisonous dust (sherbet).”

“The children loved their favour bags and all the kids in school are still talking about the twins’ Harry Potter party. It was definitely worth all of the hard work.”

Thanks, Natty for sharing this party with us! (Did you read her description in an English accent? I had to remember Bridgette Jones’ Diary to recall that “jumpers” are “sweaters.”)

You can find out more about Natty’s work here:

• http://www.halfdozendesign.com/
• http://halfdozendesigns.blogspot.com/
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Half-Dozen-Designs/108016472621165

Vendor Credits

Photography Abi Booth