This last weekend my family celebrated my Grandmothers 80th birthday.
The party was in going to be held in Bundaberg (Queensland, Australia) and it had been in planning for months. Things were all under control; the marquee ordered, decorations (my domain) planned, catering organised, RSVP list under control. Then the real rain hit...
Like so much of Queensland, Bundaberg felt the pain of more rain than we've seen in years. All you need to do is turn on the news to see the devastation across the state. It's really heartbreaking. Homes, livelihoods - families - all affected so significantly. If you haven't already, please consider donating to the Premier's Flood Appeal. Every cent is needed.
But back to the party. With the mud knee deep around town, the original plan to host the party (of 80) outside, under a marquee and twinkling candle light just wasn't going to happen. SO - with 4 days to spare the venue was changed to a local hall. Of course this meant that all the guests needed to be advised, and for me, decorations needed to be reconsidered....
My brief for this event was to do things as cost-effective as possible. As I've titled this post, this blog is about creating a low-cost and DIY celebration. Everything was done very quickly, by hand, and cheaply. I know many people look at some of the spectacular images of parties that adorn the internet and say 'I couldn't afford that' or 'that looks too hard'. You couldn't be more wrong. Now, I am not claiming that what I put together is the most spectacular event, not by a long shot. I am happy to admit that. But what I would like readers to see, is that you don't need a heap of money to make a real visual impact at your next function. All you need is willingness and a bit of time.
For me, the creative process always starts with a theme. For this event it was the peacock feather. The invite was a hand painted hand abstract peacock feather, painted on quality card stock. Now, before you gasp and cry 'I can't paint!' don't worry. This concept was taken from a cheats watercolour painting technique I spotted a while back on The Lettered Set. Check it out, all you need to do is find a picture you like, use it to create a stencil and then paint away. It doesn't create neat, perfect paintings, but where's the fun in that?! It really is a very easy way to do a large number of images quickly while still having the impact of a hand painted item.
The colours teal and purple became the key decorating elements. While I had original plans of lovely hanging ornaments, the incredibly high ceilings of the venue meant that we had to move things back to the tables. Here's what we did...
To maximise conversation and to create the feel of a big dinner party we laid out the tables in a large U shape. My Aunt, who is very handy with a sewing machine (I was probably in a Home Ec class the last time I used a machine) made up some the lovely teal table runners with fabric bought cheaply at Spotlight. I was fortunate to have access to her, but if you don't know someone who can sew, you can consider hemming the fabric with the iron on stuff available at quilting sections of the craft store. It won't last forever but it will get you through the night.
The tableware is actually all plastic (no dishwasher at the venue) and the napkins paper. It's not 5 star, but it was cheaper than hiring and by looking for better quality items it really didn't matter.
What we did splurge on was the tablecloths and the glassware. All hired. I have something against drinking wine or sparkling out of plastic, no matter how good the quality. Also, I am yet to find a disposable table cloth option that's not of really poor quality.
Another way to make a great impact is with flowers. I am not a florist. I love flowers, and I am constantly in awe of what florists can do. But really, if you've got a beautiful flower, no one is really going to mind if they are simply arranged. I think flowers were the single most expensive decorating element I used. I went to the flower markets here in Brisbane and spent $100 on whatever was seasonal and the right colours. I didn't even use matching or fancy vases. Some were old jars. The only adornment to the table vases was a single piece of ribbon and a simple bow. The main centre pieces on the dessert table didn't have that. But I used taller, more striking blooms.
Another family member contribution... a cake inspired by the invite
Finally, the greatest impact was from the tissue paper poms. They are such a simple way to add gorgeous colour. I was inspired to create smaller poms for the tables by Ah-Tissue. Ah-Tissue is a fantastic Brisbane-based business that sells pom poms. I would recommend you check out this site for more inspiration (and to buy good value poms if you don't want to make them yourself). If you are the DIY type, I found my 'how-to' for these versatile beauties on the Martha Stewart site.
So, I guess what I am saying is, when you are looking for inspiration for a party you are styling yourself, don't be put off by the extravagant images that you see. Be inspired. Look at each element and see what you can do yourself, and what you can do cheaply. I got SO many compliments on Saturday night for what I think was a really simple design. But in truth your guests won't see what's missing. They will only see the amazing effort you've made to entertain them!
Please, go forth and style!
The party was in going to be held in Bundaberg (Queensland, Australia) and it had been in planning for months. Things were all under control; the marquee ordered, decorations (my domain) planned, catering organised, RSVP list under control. Then the real rain hit...
 |
| Photo courtesy of The Gladstone Observer |
Like so much of Queensland, Bundaberg felt the pain of more rain than we've seen in years. All you need to do is turn on the news to see the devastation across the state. It's really heartbreaking. Homes, livelihoods - families - all affected so significantly. If you haven't already, please consider donating to the Premier's Flood Appeal. Every cent is needed.
But back to the party. With the mud knee deep around town, the original plan to host the party (of 80) outside, under a marquee and twinkling candle light just wasn't going to happen. SO - with 4 days to spare the venue was changed to a local hall. Of course this meant that all the guests needed to be advised, and for me, decorations needed to be reconsidered....
My brief for this event was to do things as cost-effective as possible. As I've titled this post, this blog is about creating a low-cost and DIY celebration. Everything was done very quickly, by hand, and cheaply. I know many people look at some of the spectacular images of parties that adorn the internet and say 'I couldn't afford that' or 'that looks too hard'. You couldn't be more wrong. Now, I am not claiming that what I put together is the most spectacular event, not by a long shot. I am happy to admit that. But what I would like readers to see, is that you don't need a heap of money to make a real visual impact at your next function. All you need is willingness and a bit of time.
For me, the creative process always starts with a theme. For this event it was the peacock feather. The invite was a hand painted hand abstract peacock feather, painted on quality card stock. Now, before you gasp and cry 'I can't paint!' don't worry. This concept was taken from a cheats watercolour painting technique I spotted a while back on The Lettered Set. Check it out, all you need to do is find a picture you like, use it to create a stencil and then paint away. It doesn't create neat, perfect paintings, but where's the fun in that?! It really is a very easy way to do a large number of images quickly while still having the impact of a hand painted item.
 |
| All invite text has been removed |
The colours teal and purple became the key decorating elements. While I had original plans of lovely hanging ornaments, the incredibly high ceilings of the venue meant that we had to move things back to the tables. Here's what we did...
To maximise conversation and to create the feel of a big dinner party we laid out the tables in a large U shape. My Aunt, who is very handy with a sewing machine (I was probably in a Home Ec class the last time I used a machine) made up some the lovely teal table runners with fabric bought cheaply at Spotlight. I was fortunate to have access to her, but if you don't know someone who can sew, you can consider hemming the fabric with the iron on stuff available at quilting sections of the craft store. It won't last forever but it will get you through the night.
The tableware is actually all plastic (no dishwasher at the venue) and the napkins paper. It's not 5 star, but it was cheaper than hiring and by looking for better quality items it really didn't matter.
What we did splurge on was the tablecloths and the glassware. All hired. I have something against drinking wine or sparkling out of plastic, no matter how good the quality. Also, I am yet to find a disposable table cloth option that's not of really poor quality.
Another way to make a great impact is with flowers. I am not a florist. I love flowers, and I am constantly in awe of what florists can do. But really, if you've got a beautiful flower, no one is really going to mind if they are simply arranged. I think flowers were the single most expensive decorating element I used. I went to the flower markets here in Brisbane and spent $100 on whatever was seasonal and the right colours. I didn't even use matching or fancy vases. Some were old jars. The only adornment to the table vases was a single piece of ribbon and a simple bow. The main centre pieces on the dessert table didn't have that. But I used taller, more striking blooms.
Another family member contribution... a cake inspired by the invite
Finally, the greatest impact was from the tissue paper poms. They are such a simple way to add gorgeous colour. I was inspired to create smaller poms for the tables by Ah-Tissue. Ah-Tissue is a fantastic Brisbane-based business that sells pom poms. I would recommend you check out this site for more inspiration (and to buy good value poms if you don't want to make them yourself). If you are the DIY type, I found my 'how-to' for these versatile beauties on the Martha Stewart site.
So, I guess what I am saying is, when you are looking for inspiration for a party you are styling yourself, don't be put off by the extravagant images that you see. Be inspired. Look at each element and see what you can do yourself, and what you can do cheaply. I got SO many compliments on Saturday night for what I think was a really simple design. But in truth your guests won't see what's missing. They will only see the amazing effort you've made to entertain them!
Please, go forth and style!
