Pirate Ship Birthday Cake

Idea came from Enchanted Cakes for Children by Debbie Brown.  Used MM Fondant, Debbie's recipe (in book) for the spongecake, and a chocolate butter-cream frosting from allrecipes.com.  The gold treasure, seaweed, fish, rocks, gold treasure scattered on the ship, ship planks and decorative ship parts, rope, barrels, and anchor are all MM fondant.  The flag I made on the computer, the "sand" is a mix of brown sugar, graham crackers, and gold sprinkles.  Also, the X marks the spot is a fruit roll up and the pirate is a figure from our party store.

 We had a combo party for a three and two year old.  The candles were the "cannons" (three candles on one side and two on the other for both boys to blow out).

 The shipwreck (after it was served...):

Pirate Party Invite

It's birthday season around our house!  We decided to do combo birthday party for our two older boys and the theme this year--PIRATES!  It has been so fun coming up with stuff for the party!

Here is the invitation:

I burned the edge of the wording which reads in a "pirate font": 

"Ahoy me hearties!  Come if ye dare to Pirate Nehemiah and Pirate Elijah's Birthday Bash! We need shipmates to swab the deck, walk the plank & hunt fer pirate treasure.  Aaarr!  Join us for some grub, fun, kiddie spirits & pirate treats.  Ship sets sail, so chart yer course for Saturday, July 23^rd in the year of me Lord two thousand and eleven.  We be meetin from 11:00 to 2:00.  Meet us at old man (our last name) Island (our address).  Yo ho ho let us know, wave yer flag if ye be attendin' or have yer mum send word by mail or by phone to deck hand Melissa at XXX-XXX-XXXX or (my email address).  Sees ye there if ye dare.  Aarrgghh!  (Pirate Garb and gifts optional)" The return address said "(our last name) Island" and our address.   Each person was addressed as a buccaneer (ex: "Mark, Amber and de wee buccaneers" and their address)