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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tip Tuesday: Less is More



When I first set out to plan my 35th birthday party, I really wanted to go with a Midsummer Night's Dream theme....and if you read this post you will know that did not happen.  I was really bummed about it because I loved the theme and thing it's a great idea.  It might not be something I can plan right now, but a great possible theme for a future event.  In any case what I learned by switching up themes and scaling down when you're short on time and money is that less is more. 

What I was able to produce with a few pieces of paper, ribbon, twine, mason jars, sand candles, paper table cloths, fake silverware, and some honeycomb balloons actually turned out better than I'd hoped.

When planning a party that you really have a tight budget on my tip is to use low cost items.  I went and got a lot of items on clearance and between $1-$3.  My biggest expense were bulk packs of plastic plates and cups.  I am an advocate of the Dollar Store and Discount Stores, you can always find something fabulous without cringing at check out.

Don't be afraid to use items you already have on hand.  My husband jokes that I keep the mason jars that we have from our spaghetti sauce.  However - those empty jars made great candle holders, filled with a bit of sand and a tealight candle, dressed up with ribbon - and voila!


I also purchased honeycomb balls at the party store and wanted to add a touch of elegance and charm by enhancing it with ribbon.

 

These are just a few simple ideas on how to do a lot with less.....just be creative and have fun with it!



Picture Sources
Room filled with Balloons
Simple Table Setting With Balloons



2 comments:

  1. Such fantastic ideas! My youngest daughter will be 10 in January, and it's never too early to start planning!

    Have a great day!

    Miss Lori

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  2. Hi, found your blog at the 31DBBB Challenge. My blog is all about decorating on a budget, but I love to include ideas for entertaining as well. Dollar stores are perfect for low cost items for entertaining. Frankly, who really notices what type of paper plate you are using anyway.

    One of the best ideas I've ever seen for low cost decorations was on the cover of House Beautiful magazine. They used dozens of those inexpensive white and red tissue paper bells that people sometimes use at weddings and affixed them down the rail of a staircase to decorate for Christmas. It's a perfect example of how something low cost, done in multiples, can yield a great result.

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