Ready 2 Dino Dig
2-Year-Old Birthday Party Theme
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Location
Metro Vancouver
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Job Type
Art Direction & Design
DINOS &
DIGGERS
Combining two of my toddlers favourite things to make an unforgettable 2nd birthday
When you can’t decide between two themes, you combine them! Really represents the duality of their only 2 years on earth so far. Because while you can excavate the ground for construction, I’d argue excavating a dino egg is much more fun.
The duo theme actually plays well together because they share similarities at their core. Warning signs can caution you for construction hazards of the wild pterodactyl nests nearby, and you never know when you may discover a fossil while bulldozing.
01. The Concept
Mashup of a toddlers favourites: construction toys, dinosaurs, and the sensory bins that hold it all
Badged with “Dino Digger” name tags, the kids are on a quest to excavate dino eggs, find and puzzle together dino fossils, and free-play with construction toys in the sand or water “lands” (sensory boxes). Then they can strike a pose inside the giant prop dinosaur egg to take a photo.
Foods remained on theme with pizza categorized into the animal diets (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore), Rice Krispie treats hand-shaped into eggs, Bugles labeled as “dinosaur claws”, and the scenic finale of a chocolate cake topped with an active fossil dig site.
02. Colour Palette
Construction meets
nature's first reptiles
The palette for this one was pretty much handed to me considering it’s based off of construction vehicles and street signs. Bold, warm, and eye-catching yellows and oranges. These were perfect for bunting banners and signage.
Mixed with the environmental greenery you picture when you think of a lush dinosaur-populated landscape. Natural, healthy, and a nice tie-in to the actual grass of the outdoor party location.
Excavator
Hex: #FAD00C
Safety Cone
Hex: #F58222
Forest
Hex: #056C4F
Tires
Hex: #231F20
03. The Process
Building pieces from scratch
to create lasting memories
and to save some money
First and foremost, I loooove crafting so any excuse to work those creative muscles light me up. A birthday is the perfect time to get to work. These projects all together took about a month to execute (while being a full-time mommy and WFH graphic designer). I’m so proud of how much I was able to pull off to make this day so special for my boy.
I designed, printed, and cut the labels, cupcake toppers, bunting banners, and the name badges. I built 2 large dinosaur eggs (1 as decoration) and one for a photo opportunity of the kids standing in it. The smaller one was made with paper maché while the other is a giant planter covered in canvas fabric with speckles spray painted on.
The cake was bought baked and iced but I customized the top with melted white chocolate for fossil moulds, blended Oreo cookies for the dirt, and arranged the vehicles on top of it as if it was a construction site. The “Ready 2 Dino Dig” centrepiece was cut from recycled cardboard, wrapped with glossy vinyl, and stacked together using chopsticks and hot glue. The layout of that piece was based off of the e-vite I designed.
I had such a blast bringing this theme to life and putting not only my digital skills but my craftiness to the test. All made during the short time windows when my kid napped (except for the dessert part which he had to help with, pictured below).