Dallas Child Magazine – Celebrate: Wild About One!

Dallas Child Magazine – March 2011

Celebrate: Wild About One!

By Lauren Niebes

Photography: Kevin Dotolo

Planning a DIY party can be a daunting task—the theme, the cake, the favors and of course, the food! As the saying does: So much to do, so little time. But Beth Dotolo—interior designer and co-owner of Pulp Design Studio, DIY expert and mother to 1-year-old Maxton—took on the challenge, and successfully orchestrated a grand birthday bash for her son.

Where the Wild Things Are, a favorite childhood book (and more recently, a feature film) of Dotolo and her photographer husband, Kevin, provided inspiration for the 1-year-old’s first fête. Shades of green and brown dominated—everything from the pennant flags Dotolo handmade, to the ice cream cone cupcakes that served as Maxton’s cake.
To cut down on costs, the resourceful mom-cum-designer made much of the décor and prepared the food herself. Snacks consisted of crudités served in individual cups with a ranch dipping sauce drizzled on the bottom. The piece de resistance? The aforementioned cupcakes in ice cream cones—a treat Dotolo re-created from her mother-in-law’s tradition of making them for her husband when he was a child. And in lieu of your typical themed party favors, Dotolo baked cookies, tied them up in parchment paper and added a scratch-off lottery ticket as a favor that the children and their parents would both enjoy—cookies for the kids, and a chance to win a few bucks for the adults.

As the afternoon progressed, it seemed the birthday boy’s high spirits continually soared, especially when it came to discovering his new toys. “He loved every minute, and especially loves other children being around. I think the most exciting thing for him was seeing all the big-boy toys. Those infant toys were getting old!”

As for other party embellishments, Dotolo also enlisted the help of her business partner as well as a stylist friend to help with the finishing touches. Luckily, the other half of this creative couple—husband, Kevin—is also an art director and designed the invitations and other “wild” graphics. The result was a chic celebration that guests of every age truly enjoyed.