Ladybug Garden Party Ideas

With Spring approaching, now is the perfect time to start planning a ladybug themed party for your little princess. Every little girl deserves a princess party sometime in their young life, and having an outdoor garden party, decorated with cute little ladybugs, pretty flowers, and princess inspired decor is the perfect way to show her you love her.

In this Hub, we'll help inspire you to host a beautiful princess garden party, centered all around lady bugs. We'll share a few unique and delicious recipe ideas with you and provide resources of where you can find everything you may need to plan the perfect party. But first, we need to ask, just when did ladybugs become so cute?

The majority of us would consider bugs icky. Yet, there are a few bugs who have transcended the ranks of ickiness and have entered into the realm of cuteness. Some of these bugs include butterflies, bumble bees, dragonflies, and of course, ladybugs.

You may ask why or how these few bugs have managed this leap. I mean, it's not like the bugs themselves have somehow become cuter over time. The truth is, our perception of these bugs have changed over time, and we have media to thank for it.

When these bugs are portrayed in comic strips, books, television, or movies, authors and artists attribute cute characteristics to these insects, and we have accepted these characteristics as part of these bugs personalities (As if bugs have personalities?)

Some examples may include James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, Antz, Bee Movie, and many more. It's now popular to have butterfly, dragonfly, and ladybug tattoos. Many types of apparel have images of these insects on them. You can often find insect shaped or bug-inspired jewelery. These bugs are everywhere!

It's not too hard to see the appeal in Ladybugs. With their "designer" polka-dot body, the fact that they are a "good" insect (they eat those nasty aphids), and their name (how could a "lady bug" be ugly?),lady bugs fascinate children and adults alike, and make great - if temporary - pets (as my own preschool daughter has done many times!)

It is now extremely easy to find ladybug decorations anywhere you turn. Little girls find them cute and don't mind if a ladybug lands on them. In fact, we tell them it's good luck and to make a wish that the ladybug will grant. With imagery of adorable ladybugs all around them, and the concept that they are somewhat magical, it's no wonder little girls can't wait for their very own ladybug themed party!

You may be thinking to yourself that a ladybug themed princess garden party is entirely too much, but I'm here to tell you that it certainly isn't. Let's think about it:

A Garden Party--An outside party, decorated with pretty flowers and other garden inspired decorations. Lots of greens, pinks, reds, yellows, and oranges. Streamers and balloons everywhere. Easy enough.

A Princess Party--Tables arranged with tea sets. Little girls dressing up in princess or fairy costumes. Yummy little finger foods for them to enjoy.

A Ladybug Themed Party--Party supply kits featuring ladybug themes. Place cards designed as ladybugs. Little ladybug figurines placed here and there on the table(s). Maybe even a ladybug face painting activity.

All of these can be combined into one party theme very easily. They all mesh together well, and to tell you the truth, having a combined themed like this will make it easier on you because you'll be able to find more decorations and supplies than if you narrowed your party to just one theme.

Your little princess can dress however she'd like--as a ladybug, as a garden fairy, as a princess, or even as a ladybug princess garden fairy! Her and her friends will have so much fun drinking their "tea", eating their "crumpets", and enjoying the nice Spring weather.

When it comes to feeding your little princesses, you'll want to keep the theme fresh and fancy--princesses don't eat hamburgers and hot dogs! Here are a few ideas of what to serve:

• Finger sandwiches, maybe cucumber, chicken salad, or egg salad
• Fresh fruit such as strawberries, oranges, and pineapple
  
• Cheese and crackers
• Vegetables such as celery with peanut butter and raisins (ants on a log), carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli
• Muffins, cupcakes, cake, and cookies

Here are a few ladybug inspired recipes you can try out:

Lovely Ladybugs

Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
15 black jelly beans
1 cup red candy chips (we used Wilton Candy Melts)
Toothpicks (optional)
Black decorators' gel

Instructions

1. Mix the peanut butter, butter, and confectioners' sugar together until well blended. Roll the mixture into about 30 (1-inch) balls.
2. Place the balls on waxed paper and gently flatten their bottoms.
3 Slice the jelly beans in half and push one half into each ball to make the ladybug's head.
4. Melt the red candy chips according to the package directions. Spoon the melted candy over each ball. If you need to, use a toothpick to evenly distribute the candy coating.
5. After the coating hardens, use the decorators' gel to add a stripe and spots to each bug.

Ladybug Cupcakes

What you need:

Reynolds® Baking Cups (Pink Party)
1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 container (16 oz.) ready-to-spread white frosting
Red food coloring
24 malted milk balls
1 cup chocolate candy melts, melted
240 mini brown candy-coated chocolate candies OR milk chocolate chocolate chips
Reynolds® Cut-Rite® Wax Paper

Instructions:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

PLACE Reynolds Baking Cups in muffin pans; set aside.

PREPARE cake mix following package directions for 24 cupcakes. Spoon batter into baking cups.

BAKE following package directions (17 to 23 minutes). Cool.

TINT frosting red. Spread the top of each cupcake with tinted frosting and make smooth.

PLACE a malted milk ball on one side of each cupcake for the head.

PIPE a line of melted chocolate down the center starting at the malted milk ball.

ADD about brown mini candies or chocolate chips as the dots on either side. (If using chocolate chips, place tip of chips down.)

PIPE melted chocolate on Reynolds Cut-Rite Wax Paper in the shape of antennae. Let set in refrigerator about 5 minutes. Carefully peel from the wax paper and place behind the malted milk ball.

Ladybug Cake

Ingredients

2 round 9-inch cakes, cooled
2 (9-inch) cardboard cake rounds
1 recipe Chocolate ganache
1 recipe Vanilla Buttercream, colored red
10 black licorice rounds, coin size (for the spots)
2 white wafer candies (for the eyes)
2 candy coated chocolate pieces (for the eyes)
1 red licorice whip (for the mouth and antennae)

Directions

Place the first cake on 1 of the cardboard rounds on a rack over a sheetpan. While the ganache is still warm, pour over the cake. Using a palette knife sparingly, gently swipe 1 or 2 times to spread the ganache evenly over the top and so that it runs down the sides and covers them. Let the cake sit until the ganache sets up, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

While the ganache is setting up begin making the wings. Cut the remaining cake in half, lengthwise. Cut the remaining cardboard round in half as well and place each cake half on one of the cardboard halves. Using the red buttercream and a palette knife, frost both halves completely. Try to make the frosting appear to be as smooth as possible. Place the black licorice rounds on the wings to make ladybug spots.

Once the ganache is set up, assemble the ladybug. Allow 2 inches in the front of the ganache cake for the ladybug's face. Place the 2 halves behind the 2-inch face with 2 corners touching right behind the head and at an angle to each other. The wings should be in position for the ladybug to fly away.

Place the candy wafers on the ganache cake to create eyes. Using a small dab of leftover frosting, secure the candy coated chocolates to the wafers to make pupils. Cut the licorice whip to the desired length and lightly press into the ganache to create a mouth. Use the remainder of the licorice whip to create antennae. ***To cut this cake for serving, remove the wings and cut separately.

Now that you have all your ducks, err, ladybugs in a row, hosting a ladybug themed garden party for your little princess shouldn't be difficult. Here are a few links to other Hubs, Squidoo Lenses, and articles to help inspire you a bit more! And be sure to checkout Theme A Party on Facebook!