DIY Juice Shack for a First Birthday Party (Hawaiian “The Big One” Theme Idea)
We’re officially one month out from another first birthday, which means party planning has been very top of my mind.
One thing I really want to get better at this time around? Actually being ready before the party start time. The last two parties we’ve hosted (Wyatt’s baby sprinkle and Margot’s first birthday), I was still sweating and scrambling while guests were walking in — and I barely took any photos.
So as I look back at Margot’s first birthday, I’m sharing one of the few things I managed to document: the DIY Juice Shack.
Her theme was “The Big One”, leaning more Hawaiian than surf, and I had the idea to create our own party version of The Sunrise Shack. I wanted it to double as both entertainment for the kids and a large statement decor piece.
Since we don’t have a playhouse or an existing structure to transform into a juice stand, I needed something that wouldn’t require building from scratch. Target carries large “Color-Your-Own” cardboard kits from Mondo Llama — flower stands, market stands, even little storefronts — for around $25.
At the time, a market stand was available, so I grabbed that as my base.
The cardboard had pretty dark printed lines and markings, so I started with two coats of primer before adding any color. Once it was fully dry, I headed to Michael’s for acrylic paints in a mix of bright, tropical shades — using The Sunrise Shack as my color inspiration.
To create a thatched-roof look, I bought a raffia grass table skirt and cut it into strips, layering two rows along the top for more fullness.
For the finishing touches, I used leftover cardboard to make a hand-painted menu and named it “Margot’s Juice Box” — which felt fitting both because of her age and because the whole thing was, quite literally, a cardboard box.
The juice shack was a hit. Sadly, only the signs survived the party (lol), but it was absolutely worth it.
What You’ll Need:
Cardboard structure (check Target for Mondo Llama “Color-Your-Own” kits)
Primer paint
Acrylic paint in various colors
Raffia grass table skirt
Paint brushes + scissors
Extra cardboard for signage
I saved all of my inspiration for this theme in one place — you can see the full “The Big One” party board here.