Hi Stacey, I really like your blog, there are so many good ideas here! I have a question for you and I hope you can help because it’s not strictly about birthday gifts… It’s my daughter’s 12th birthday coming up and I already have the perfect present… I just don’t know what to do for her party! She wants to bring her two best friends with her, whatever she decides to do. Please help! I have three giggling girls on my hands and I have no clue what to do with them!

Sharon (Kent)

Dear Sharon,

This sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun! Luckily, I do have three great ideas that I think you might find useful!

The first thing I’d recommend is a Kids Deluxe Makeover and Photoshoot – you’ll have to buy a ‘ticket’ for each little diva but I can assure you, it’s affordable and the girls will adore it! They’ll get their hair styled, their nails polished and their make-up done before they take to the stage for their diva debut! I can think of nothing my niece would like better!

The second thing I can recommend to you is a fun day at a recording studio. This one is for a minimum of five people so it could be a lot of fun to get the other mums involved and have a whole mum-daugher sing-off! If you click on the link there you’ll see a really good deal that works out to just under half price per person when you make a group booking of 5 or more people. I think that’s a fab idea! The best part about this is that the girls will get a recording of their “hit single” on CD or mp3 to take home with them. The mums will all love to hold onto that as a charming keepsake!

And lastly, (this is my personal favourite) why not treat the three of them to a fun cupcake making and decorating class that will let them express their inner-creativity (and you won’t have to bake a birthday cake either!). This is such a fab class, just look at what they’ll be able to learn:

I hope this gives you the inspiration you were seeking Sharon!

x Stacey

My dear friend Katie asked me for a little help earlier. It’s her teenage daughter’s birthday and she’s stuck for ideas! Lucy, her daughter, is full of beans and she’s constantly changing her mind about what she’s interested in and what she wants – I guess that’s why she’s a teenager! But it doesn’t make it easy for mum, that’s for sure.

Turning 18 is a big day for any girl… it’s the day she officially enters adulthood. It’s also a day she’s likely to remember for a few years! That’s why it’s so important that you help her have the best day possible! Katie and I have narrowed down the possibilities to three awesome experiences that are ideal for teenage girls.

Because Lucy is having a birthday party at home we thought that it would be appropriate to book her in for a fun makeover and photoshoot on the morning of her big day. That way she can enjoy being pampered like a princess and photographed like a queen before she heads home to get the venue ready and impress her guests with her stunning new look. I know that’s what I would have wanted for my 18th birthday party!

Another thing we thought of getting her (also with the birthday bash in mind) is a choreographed dance lesson for her and her best friends so that they could all break out one of those picture-perfect moments to get the party started. One of my colleagues actually suggested this: she got it for her teenage niece and it worked brilliantly – they were talking about the party for weeks afterwards!

And finally, turning 18 is not only an induction into adulthood, it’s also an introduction to the girly delights that come along with it! That’s why our last item we’re considering is a fabulous spa treatment that will make her feel like a queen on her special day!

These are all such good choices, it’s going to be hard to pick just one! I think that the makeover and photo shoot is definitely at the top of our list though – which girl wouldn’t want professional help to look her best for her big day?