Pirate Playgroup

Invitation:
~ stained and burned message in a bottle
~ written on "East India Trading Co." letterhead (supposedly in the pirate's possession after commandeering the trading vessel)

Soundtrack:
~ Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack
~ sea chanty's
~ harpsichord music

Menu:
~ salty dogs (hot dogs with ketchup and mustard)
~ cannonballs (black olives)
~ cutlasses (carrots)
~ pirate grog (ginger ale served in a cleaned out rum bottle I got from Tommy Bahamas. I don't drink so I went to their bar area to ask for an empty bottle and they were very accommodating)
~ ice water served in a carafe
~ chocolate pirate ship cake- I made the cake out of triple chocolate fudge cake that I carved into the shape of the ship, milk chocolate frosting as filling, and chocolate rolled fondant with wood plank texture pressed in. The railings and figurehead are made out of gumpaste, and the sails are paper rubbed with cocoa to "age" them

Activities:
~ cannonball fight (black water balloons)
~ walking the plank (into a kiddy pool)
~ sprinklers
~ slip 'n slide

Decor:
~ an assortment of sails (muslin), rope, skulls, candles, pirate treasure, worn leather, sea shells, silver platters, coconuts and palm fronds on the food table
~ the entry table where guests could put their belongings had the welcome sign made to look like it was written by the same pirate who "wrote" the invitation in a bottle , ink bottle and quill (washed out oil diffuser that I coated with paint, and feather), brocade fabric, pirate hook, sea shells, skull candelabra, and stuffed parrot.