With a Little Help from My Friends

How My Baby’s First Birthday Turned Into a DIY Face-Themed Party

When Noah turned one, I looked at the typical first birthday party themes and thought, “meh.”

I wanted something personal, ridiculous, and joyful. Something that would make our friends and family laugh the second they walked in. So I did what any mom with Photoshop and a sense of humor would do: I made Noah the entire party theme.

That’s right his face was on everything!

I did a little photo session with him (which turned into 200+ hilarious expressions), picked my favorites, cropped his chubby little face in Photoshop, and printed them in every size imaginable. I then recruited my husband and best friends — who deserve a medal, honestly — and we turned into a human Cricut.

Step 1: Photoshop. Step 2: Print. Step 3: Bribe your friends with wine. Voilà — baby face explosion in progress!

What did we do with all those baby faces?

• Centerpieces: Noah heads + marshmallows on sticks

• Garlands: smiling, surprised, and grumpy Noah faces strung across the park

• Appetizer toppers & drink straws: yes, even the hummus had Noah

• Cake toppers, party favors, gift tags: if it had a surface, we glued a baby face to it

By the end, my amazing girlfriends had calluses and mild trauma from scissors (I still have Noah’s faces in my craft drawer), but the party was a hit. People couldn’t stop smiling. Everyone was taking selfies with mini Noahs. It was weird. And wonderful. Just like parenting.

Need party inspo? Click for more fun themes: https://anpamuca.etsy.com

Want to recreate this chaotic magic?

Custom face-themed birthday party decor is part of my Etsy shop! I design downloadable and printable birthday decorations, cake toppers, stickers, and more — all featuring your kid’s (or pet’s or spouse’s) adorable face.

You can totally DIY this with your besties and a bottle of wine (highly recommended).

Now I’m a professional cutting machine — well, I bought one, so no more calluses! Just send me the face, and I’ll do the heavy lifting.

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Quick Recap:

You just learned how to create a custom DIY face-themed birthday party using your baby’s photo, some printables, and a lot of tape (and laughter). Whether you go full craft mode or order it ready-to-print, it’s a party theme no one will forget.

Got questions or want to share your own crazy party idea? Leave a comment below!

Big thanks to my amazing scissors crew: Caro, Kati, and Sandra — the real MVPs of the Noah Face Factory™. You made this madness possible.