Centerpieces & the trouble with Pinterest

There is a reason this is not a crafty blog.  I enjoy creating things with my hands (especially if it's cheaper to make it than to buy it) and I love doing projects with my kids.  (see evidence below)

Carson really just ate the cheerios the whole time.  But he was there. :)

BUT it's not the kind of thing I do every day, and still somehow I am responsible for providing tablecovers and centerpieces for Darby's preschool party tomorrow.  The tablecovers I'm fine with, though I confess I did not follow the suggestion to call the mom in charge of napkins to coordinate colors, so if this is a brown & maroon Easter party we're in trouble.
But centerpieces?  For 4 yr olds? 

I went to the party store hoping to find reasonably priced tablecovers and some magical easy CHEAP Easter-themed item for the tables. 

{Tangent Warning} :)
While we were there I decided to see if they had any 'Rapunzel' plates for my soon-to-be 5 yr old who has requested a 'Rapunzel' themed party.  I felt a twinge of guilt as I picked up some pre-made 'Rapunzel' invitations.  Hadn't I seen some super-cute handmade, personalized invites on pinterest?  Where a braided string of yarn wraps around the tower invitation?  Who even buys store-bought invitations anymore?  Only lazy failure moms.  As I stood there in the aisle, this thought came to my mind: "Who are you trying to impress with this party?"  Will my almost 5 yr old care or even remember what her invitations look like? 


The introduction of pinterest has upped everyone's game.  We're not limited to our own ideas, now all of our parties can be just as awe-inspiring, and birthday parties are far more involved and crafty than they used to be.  But here's my question - who are we doing it for?  Is it for our kids?   Or am I really just trying to impress the other moms?

For me, that's what it is.  Trying to impress other moms.  With my kids' birthday party.  It's sad really.  I turned tootsie pops into super-heroes for Kyler's party, complete with fancy bubble stickers with the first letter of their name on the cape.  His party was at a bounce house so that was the only crafty thing I did.  Do you know how long that took me?  H O U R S.  Do you know what Kyler remembers from his party?  Bouncing.  His friends.  And his batman cake that we ordered from Target.

Now, I have some friends that really just love this stuff.  They love being creative and crafty and take a great deal of pleasure in hand-drawing little ninja eyes on each cupcake and making fruity fake sushi (Hi Candace!).  It's therapeutic and fun for them.  That's awesome.  Go for it.  Your kids are only small for a time so live. it. up.

But for me -  It's not about fun and too often I find myself stressed out just trying to keep up.  As if somehow my love for my kids and my own worth as a mom is directly related to how 'cool' their party is.   For me, the desire to throw the perfect pinterest party is not about blessing my kids with a great party.  It's not even about a creative outlet and fun. 
It's about me. 
It's about trying to find approval from everyone else and putting my identity and value in being the perfect party-throwing super-balanced mom instead of where it should be found: in Jesus, who lived and died and rose again.  For me.  The imperfect, disheveled mom who just can't get it right and buys store-bought invitations. That's going to have to be enough.  And He is.


So back to the (unnecessary) Easter centerpieces.  Here's what I came up with.  Maybe it's lame.  Ok it is a little lame.  But it was cheap.  It took about 5 minutes and puts the Easter focus where it belongs, I hope. (that's a $2 place-card holder from the party store and I cut the cross shape out of a paper plate)