Initially for my daughters 4th birthday party I had thought about making lunch.  I had visions of fish shaped peanut butter and jelly-fish sandwiches.  I thought about making hot dogs and cutting them so that they looked like octopus.  I had dreams of crabcakes (that might have just been my tummy talking) but we actually threw a tea party in February for “M’s” friends and after cutting all those little sandwiches into tiny hearts (which was so beautiful but time consuming) and knowing time was something I’d be short on the day of, I decided on pizza for everyone!  Which left time for me to make fun food appetizers and desserts.

(Don’t you love how well I hid the ladder? Ugh)

Watermelon shark:  Ok, we all know I love a good watermelon carving so when I saw this at watermelon.org, I knew I had to try it.  Alternatively, I had thought about making a sand bucket out of watermelon also seen here.  Of course I have to assume that they used a gigantic watermelon when (only after the fact mind you) I read that you are supposed to leave 3″ uncarved out at the bottom.  If I did that I’d have hardly any watermelon to eat….then again I wouldn’t have had a bottomless shark.

After making my watermelon shark I put it in the refrigerator.  Probably should have thought to warn my husband……priceless.

To solve the problem of the bottomless (and therefore leaking) watermelon shark bowl I made some blue jello, put the shark in it and let it solidify.  Voila, shark in water!

I also added Swedish fish to the front but I have to admit probably should have done that right before putting out the fruit not the night before, they were morbidly melted.

Fish and Chips:  Who can resist such a pun?  I’ll have you know “J” cleverly discovered a way to park himself right next to that chip bowl.  Whenever I was in doubt to where he was I only had to look one place.

Pepper octopus:  I wanted something for all those healthy vegetable eaters (I know, I know I’m working on it!) and this was it!  Granted mine appears to be drowning unlike it’s cousin the inspiration.  But I do like how mine is rainbow-colored.  I used blueberries for eyes held on by toothpicks.

Sugary snacks:  Not that anyone needed me to serve more sugar but I had it around and couldn’t resist.  Saltwater taffy on the left.  The middle is York Peppermint Patty bites (good but not good enough for me to feel like skiing the Alps a la old commercial) to which I threw in some Swedish Fish.  Last, on the right, is “bait” otherwise known as gummy worms.

Jello fishbowl centerpieces:  I can’t even tell you what a hit the Jello centerpieces were.  Seriously, who knew that kids loved Jello so much?  I only recall having Jello when hospitalized so perhaps that’s why it doesn’t immediately spring to mind as “yummy” so much as it does “lovely centerpiece idea”.  Either way it was a hit.  Oh Martha, you think of the greatest things.  FYI if your husband goes shopping for the ingredients make sure to point out you need a 2 liter bottle of lemon lime soda (otherwise known as Sprite) because otherwise you are going to have a countertop full of soda cans that you are trying to flatten.

And of course the cakes:  We had essentially 3 (go big or go home?) cakes.  A white mermaid cake, a Rice Krispie treat beach base for the mermaid cake, and a devils food beach bake (otherwise known as midnight madness back-up cake).  All were delicious and turned out great (I have that from several sources including the birthday girl herself!).

Mermaid cake with Rice Krispie Treat Beach base.  My favorite touch is the peanut butter fudge starfish (idea from Hungry Happenings).

Somewhat devoured Beach cake with Nilla wafer and Oreo sand.  Yes, the sand might actually be the best part (thank you MaNouvelleMode).  Delicious!  (Perhaps if this was finished more than 20 minutes before the party I would have thought take a picture of it before we ate some of it……but really, who has time to do anything the day of the party?)

Also check out my Under the Sea party activities and Under the Sea decorations posts for more ideas!