Pink Disco Ball New Year's Eve Party

I absolutely love disco balls, glitter and sequins, so it’s no surprise that New Year’s Eve is one of my FAVORITE parties to plan for. It’s the one time of year that you can dress up in glitzy glam from head to toe, and not seem like a weirdo. Last year, I left my New Year’s plans to the very last minute, and ran to my local dollar store to grab some items. While it came out really cute in the end, this year I wanted to plan it out a whole lot more. I wanted it to be PINK. And SHINY. AND DISCO BALLS. Gimme allllll the disco balls! And, since Christmas can be super pricey (goodbye, money!) I wanted this party to be affordable. So, I ran around my house and collected a few items, while also investing in some pieces I can use again and again. I have to say I’m really happy with the results. Can I live in this party permanently?!

Since this party has a whoooole lot of stuff going on, I wanted to make it easy to get a list of all the supplies. It's all here in this excel sheet, right down to the confetti! You'll know exactly what I used and how much to order, in case you want to re-create the party, or to purchase a specific item. It'll come straight to your inbox in just minutes!

The printable is available in my resource library, which you can get totally FREE access to, just by signing up. What exactly do you get? Access to all my printables, including party planning guides, checklists, and my projects. By signing up, you'll have access to all projects- past, present and future! 

To dress up your party, opt for an elegant white tablecloth instead of the usual plastic ones. This one is made of polyester and resists stains, so it’s perfect for popping it in the washer after the party is done! It’s also affordable too, just in case you end up with stubborn stains that just won’t come out. 

Every New Year's Eve party needs as much sparkle as possible! These glasses are dressed up with some basic and inexpensive star wire, and I think they’re so worth it! Because pink + tinsel + champagne = perfection. Top them with a disco ball stirrer and you’re in business, baby!

For a fun party favor your guests are sure to love, grab a pack of disco ball cups! I have one I got on a Carnival cruise a few years back and I use it at almost every party I throw. It's the BEST for using on New Year's Eve!

For the table setup, I grabbed a bunch of white and pink items, and created a disco ball table runner! It was super easy, since all I had to do was scatter some disco balls down the center.

I also set up a bar in the corner to hold all our supplies. It acted as both a champagne bar and a confetti bar! All I had in this corner was a black desk, so I covered it up with a giant silver sequin tablecloth and some pink velvet to match the theme.

I also wanted to create a little "lounge" area, so I gathered some ottomans and pillows to make it comfy. I set everything up in the corner, and added a small table for everyone to set their drinks on. My zebra tray was the perfect addition. This little lounge didn't cost any money and looked super cute!

These balloon animal dogs got to make their debut once again. They make me so happy.

While we were ready to party the night away, Roger snuck in and explored before having a rest under the table. Maybe he was impersonating the zebra so he wouldn't be seen?!

Woohoo! And just like that, another year came and went. It's past New Year's Eve now, but if you're itching to have this party, I think it would make a great birthday party, bachelorette party, or even a Valentine's Day party! Be sure to request the excel sheet now, so you can get the full list of supplies in a handy excel sheet!

The printable is available in my resource library, which you can get totally FREE access to, just by signing up. What exactly do you get? Access to all my printables, including party planning guides, checklists, and my projects. By signing up, you'll have access to all projects- past, present and future! 

2017: The Year in Review

Happy 2018! I like to start off every new year with a look back on the one we just left behind. I don't think I need to say it, but 2017 was a freakin crazy whirlwind amazing horror of a year in so many ways. To me, I'll remember it as probably one of the hardest years of my life, possibly only surpassed by my junior and/or senior year of high school. I was planning my wedding which was the best and worst thing I ever had to do. I was growing my blog and business, which is the easiest and hardest thing I ever had to do. And, I did a lot of self reflection and improvement, which was the most rewarding and most painful thing I ever had to do. Honestly, I am so glad 2017 is only but a memory to me. In the rearview mirror, it looks way better than it did as I was going through it. I know I'm being extremely dramatic, but the year was a shit show. They say how you spend NYE is how you spend your year. I spent mine confused, stressed, and feeling every emotion in the book. And that was just about how my year went.

January

My first post of the year was one of my FAVES- Rock Candy Christmas Trees! I also did my very first animal project, Circus Animal Drink Stirrers! I started the year off strong with some great projects, but it was personally really tough. I was planning my wedding, and nothing was going right. We were arguing about everything (like, do we actually need a photographer? UM, YES), and I was just plain tired of talking about the wedding! It got better after we took a trip to our wedding venue in January. John FINALLY started to get excited about the wedding, and he stopped being so combative about everything.

February

By February, things had settled down a bit. I was in a much better space personally, and I felt MUCH better! I whipped up my first Valentine's Day post, 90's Pun Valentines! Everything these days is a free printable, so I loved doing something hands on. I also made some awesome Cotton Candy Garland, and one of my fave blog posts, Mean Girls Conversation Hearts!! I finished it off with this Kate Spade Inspired Balloon Bracelet. I also launched my virtual party planning services!

March

In March, I did two of my FAVORITE blog posts! Ok, I know i say that a lot, but i really loved these two projects! First, I had my Wood Bead Tassel Necklace, which was as much fun to make as it was to wear! I literally wore it until the tassels fell off, so now I need to make some new ones so I can wear it again! Then, I made a Zebra Party Tray using just a couple of plastic toy animals and a dollar store baking tray.

I started looking into updating my home decor a bit, and rounded up some really fun Colorful Home Accessories. I collaborated with Holly from Club Crafted to do a 90's ice cream project, so I made this delicious and colorful Lisa Frank Tie-Dye Waffle Sundae! I also started my Wedding Planning Updates again, since I finally had something to say! Finding my wedding dress was honestly SUCH a relief! I had tried on probably over 70 dresses and I was starting to feel like I wasn't going to find a dress I loved. We secured most of our vendors too, which felt like a huge things to cross off the to-do list!

April

In April, I finally covered my Disney Themed Engagement Party across two posts! The first was How to Plan a Disney Themed Party, while the second had all the amazing pictures that our photographer took. I loved planning my party and I was so happy with the way it turned out, so I was very excited to debut all the details!  I also did a post on How to Rock Your DIY Party Projects, as well as my 5 Month Wedding Planning Update. I also FINALLY asked my sister to be my maid of honor with this Flower Box filled with wedding day essentials. I did my very first Easter post, and came up with a must-see list of Engagement Gifts for the Bride-To-Be. I also decided to step up my wardrobe game and gave some Comfy Spring Outfit Tips. Because if it ain't comfy, chances are I'm not wearing it haha! You can see my tassel necklace in that post, which btw had already lost a tassel at that point!

May

In May, I released my 4 Month Wedding Planning update. I remember we were so excited to have planned our honeymoon. Little did we know, we wouldn't be able to go on it! We ended up rescheduling for Paris, but that's a story for another time ;) This month was full of child-like throwbacks. First, I made a Barbie Shoes Tote Bag that I literally use to carry flats around. Then, I did a post of the Things I'd Tell My 8 Year Old Self. Spoiler alert- it's not to let others define me as an adult. I also made a really fun Painted Corkboard with Barbie Shoe Pushpins!! I rounded out the month of Barbie posts with this Gift Guide for the Barbie Girl, filled with amazing pink items!

June

In June, I talked about the change in direction for the blog from what I initially intended it to be. Did you know this blog was supposed to be a home decor and organization blog?! It's almost laughable to me. Though if the blog went in that direction, I can only imagine how much nicer my house would be. I posted my 3 Month Wedding Planning Update, where I basically freaked out over ALL THE THINGS I need to do. I also did my very first sponsored post from Oriental Trading! I started with Adding a Pop of Color to Your Wedding, then followed up with a Bridesmaid Bruch Craft Party. Also, we had something SUPER exciting happen in June- we got legally married at City Hall! Our big wedding ceremony would only be symbolic, so we needed to get legally married at city hall first. We followed up the occasion by celebrating at Dave and Busters with our family and getting really excited for the big wedding we'd be having soon.

July

In July I was starting to get super overwhelmed with wedding planning! I did my 2 Month Wedding Planning Update, and I had my bridal shower! I wanted it to be a surprise and although I started to get an inkling on the day of the event, I was shocked! I was so bummed that I didn't bring my camera with me, and I didn't even get to take too many cell phone pics! The party was such a fast blur, and I was pouting by the end. I didn't want it to be over! The summer truly was amazing for me. I did my first ever guest post on someone's blog! I made these really fun Watermelon Napkins for Giggles Galore, the first in a months-long collaboration with them! I also did another fun fruit DIY- Pineapple Flats! I finished out the month with a sponsored post with Basic Invite. I wish I had discovered them before I ordered my invites, because I was so impressed with their selection! I loved my invites, but the colored envelopes on these were just amazing.

August

In August, I basically had a mini-panic attack on the daily. There was only 1 Month Left until my wedding!!! I only did 2 real blog posts this month, a Pom Pom Pet Collar and DIY Fruit Slice Containers. My sister took me on an amazing trip to Mexico, which was my favorite part of the bachelorette festivities. It was just the two of us in an all-inclusive resort for days, laying in the sun and hanging by the pool. It was so nice to get away from work and blogging and planning. I hope that when she's getting married, I can plan a trip for her with just the 2 of us! After that, I had my bachelorette weekend with my friends in Philly! I had never been there before, so it was really fun to explore a new city with my friends. I finished up August with a Final Wedding Planning Update 1 week before the wedding. When I was super duper sick, after battling a stomach bug I contracted in Mexico, followed by a cold. 

September

On September 2, after a totally amazing summer, I got to marry my best friend by a beautiful lake in PA. Well.... near a window by a lake in PA, since it was raining and we couldn't do it outside. The wedding day was such a whirlwind, and it seriously took weeks before I could fully comprehend what had happened. Getting married was so amazing and surreal. I'm planning to do a wedding recap really soon, filled with pics! Stay tuned :). After our wedding, we went on our honeymoon- in Paris! We were originally supposed to go to Disney (see April's update) but had to reschedule in September at the very last minute. We were so bummed, but we ended up having fun in Paris, despite it being rainy, gloomy and cold. Really rainy and cold! I did two lonely blog posts in September, Easy Football Party Crafts and a Colorful Fall Pumpkin Wreath for Giggles Galore.

October

Welcome to Party HarDIY! In October, I relaunched the blog from WellKeptChaos to Party HarDIY to reflect the posts I do. I got to do some awesome Halloween posts this month, like this Easy Striped Halloween Art and this Striped Halloween Sign. I also did my very first set of Halloween costumes!! We had a DIY Cloud Costume, a 2th Fairy Costume, and a Pink Brightest Crayon! I also did a post about Appreciating Where You Are, since sometimes you're at that point in life where you think it'll never get better. I also revealed the Truth About Wedding Planning, because it ain't all sunshine and rainbows. Someone had to come out and say it!

November

By November, I was getting into the holiday spirit. I made some Christmas Drink Stirrers, Easy Colorful Thanksgiving Place Cards, and a No Sew Embellished T-Shirt. November was also amazing because I got to meet my hero, Studio DIY! Kelly and her husband Jeff came to NYC and it was amazing. Seeing the amazing projects that Kelly and other bloggers dreamed up were what made me want to create a blog and make my own DIY projects. Meeting her was AMAZING, since I am totally in awe of everything she does! I finished November with a roundup of The Best Colorful Thanksgiving Printables. 

December

Ahh, December! One of the busiest months for me! I started the month off strong with launching my shop! I did a blog post outlining the changes, and I updated my About Me page (finally) so that it could better reflect what I am about. I also did some really fun holiday posts, like these Holographic Ornament Tags, Animal Sweater Ornaments, and Confetti Gift Tags. I also did 2 great party posts for Oriental Trading- DIY Paper Fan Christmas Trees and a Colorful Ornament Making Party. We also did a giveaway for the shop featuring these DIY Colorful Jewelry Ornaments, which are so easy and cute to make!! I had a few other projects in the works for December, but my dad fell on December 16 (my mom's bday) and ended up in the hospital ICU for almost a week. Suddenly, everything was put into perspective and I spent the rest of the year making sure he was happy and healthy. He's got a new pacemaker now, so we are hoping that he's able to make a full recovery and be back to his crazy self soon!

Goals for 2018

Now that we covered last year, I want to talk about this coming year. I am excited to say that I made the transition from working full-time to working part time at my day job! I am now in the office 3 days a week, and working on the blog 3 days a week. And, I'm going to try my best to take Sundays off because I really need to get some rest once in a while! It was super stressful blogging while working full time. I was working from 5am-7am on the blog, then getting dressed, commuting, and working before finally getting home at 7pm. These long days were exhausting, then I would work all day on the weekends, trying to capture every minute of good light for photo shoots!

I (finally) want to decorate my house! We basically moved in 2 years ago, slapped some paint on, and unpacked everything. Most of our rooms have no artwork, no real "style" and still have half-unpacked boxes in the closet. NO MORE I SAY! Be on the lookout for home DIY's and room tours in 2018.

Did someone say shopping? I've got so many ideas on what to add to the shop this year! I'm excited to finally have the time to dedicate to growing the inventory, including some handmade and original designs! I'll be posting the updates on Instagram, so be sure to follow me to stay up-to-date.

And finally, John and I are hoping to add some new members to our family this year. He almost got me a dog for Christmas, and there are some stray cats in my yard I have been eyeing. Oh, and maybe a baby could be a fun addition! We're taking it day by day, and we'll see what the year brings.

Colorful Ornament Making Party

We are SO CLOSE to Christmas! One of my favorite things to do as it approaches is gather up my friends, have a party, and make something for the holidays. I love crafting (is that a secret?) and anytime I get to do it with others, I am in heaven! I wanted to whip up a simple party that brings my friends together to do something I personally LOVE- making ornaments! While everyone else is baking cookies, you can find us creating one-of-a-kind baubles for our tree that we can use year after year. I teamed up with Oriental Trading to create a simple and affordable ornament making party for you and your besties (or kids!) this holiday season.

*This post was sponsored by Oriental Trading. All projects and opinions are my own.

I set up my party by putting a white tablecloth on the table, then stacking a few colorful plates for each setting. I started with a square gold polka dot plate as sort of a charger, then added a red paper dinner plate, a pink paper dessert plate, topped with a pink plastic plate for a little sparkle. It really reflected the light nicely! Then, each setting got a white stocking to customize filled with paintbrushes for the craft projects and a paint palette to keep things neat.

I used plates I already owned to hold all the craft supplies. My small ramekins held the sequins, my cupcake stands held the confetti, and white plastic bowls held misc supplies. My gorgeous pink pitcher was filled to the brim with perfect clear ornaments just waiting to be filled!

The table was filled with all sorts of embellishments to create the ornaments, like pom poms, sequins, tassels, and bells! I also had some craft supplies on hand, like scissors, glue guns, paint trays, and mod podge.

A white cake stand held our paints. I dressed it up with some sisal trees and some wooden frames ready to be painted!

I really wanted the table to have a bright and cheery Christmas palette, so I added the paper fans as a backdrop (DIY here), and matched the decor around these adorable mod napkins! The confetti and sequins worked as both a craft supply and decor.

Even though the color scheme didn't exactly scream CHRISTMAS, I still wanted the party to have a Christmas vibe. What embodies that better than Christmas trees?! I placed them everywhere I could, from the sisal trees on the cake stand, the clear trees surrounding the base, to the paper fans on the wall.

With a party so intimate and cozy, you're bound to have unexpected guests! Just like Roger, who came to take a nap under the table.

Overall I think this party is great for getting everyone in the crafting Christmas spirit. It surprises me that most people don't know about Oriental Trading and how many amazing party and craft supplies they have! With this setup, I can imagine everyone gathered around the table sipping some wine and laughing about funny Christmas stories! Or, maybe swapping memories from their favorite Christmas. Either way, this party is sure to please! Head over to Oriental Trading now so you can get your supplies in time for Christmas!

Bridesmaid Brunch Craft Party Ideas

Let's get real here: wedding planning isn't exactly as glamorous as you imaged it to be. There are a lot of moving parts, tons of decisions to be made, and a whole lot of DIYs you want to try. Planning a wedding kind of becomes a part time job, except you're spending money instead of making it. So, rather than spending your weeknights filled with tears crafting 100+ favors, why not invite your friends or bridesmaids over for a fun crafternoon?! You can pop a bottle of rose, have some finger foods, and take bets on who's going to cry during the ceremony (like your Aunt Bertha, who cries over everything). 

Since you're already spending a ton on wedding related things, I know what you're thinking. You don’t need one extra thing to spend a ton of cash on. Well, fear not my friends! Oriental Trading is your party headquarters, and everything is SO affordable! With their new Marry Me section, you'll find all their wedding-worthy supplies in one place, for a great low price. They've got everything you need for the bridal shower, the ceremony, reception, and more! The options are seriously limitless, and there are tons of ideas under many of their products, showing you how to use them.

*Note: This post is a collaboration with Oriental Trading, but all opinions are my own. My love affair with them started way back when I first got their catalogs as a kid!

Think about how much time you’ll save by having your friends join you in crafting, and how much fun it’ll be! During a time of intense stress and worry, you need a break to hang with your girls and laugh. Plus, it'll be a nice way to say "thank you" if you've been a little bit of a grumpy bridezilla lately. 

Table Setup

To set up the table, I stuck with a simple white (disposable) tablecloth. Since crafting can get messy, I added a table runner using easel paper to catch any spills. I gave each person a place setting for snacking, which was cute and colorful! I started with a square gold dot plastic dessert plate as sort of a charger, topped with a hot pink plate for a pop of color. Each person gets a set of gorgeous gold utensils and a hot pink napkin to keep things tidy, as well as a paint palette for their watercolors.

Everything is more fun with a glass of wine, so each gal gets a really cute purple wine glass for her rose with a gold striped straw. Clear cupcake stands put the jordan almonds on a pedestal, making it easier for everyone to reach them. 

I kept the rest of the decorations simple by propping up my Pop Fizz Clink sign from my Disney-Themed Backyard Engagement Party. Finger foods and small desserts finish up the fun. P.S.- the white easel paper would be the perfect backdrop for using colorful sharpies to label what's what!

 The Crafts

A few weeks ago, I showed you 3 fun projects you can make using Oriental Trading products to add a pop of color to your wedding. These projects are perfect to make with your besties or bridesmaids!

Jordan Almonds

Place all your almonds in decorative bowls with a spoon for easy scooping. Keep your tulle, ribbon, and charms nearby so that it's easy for everyone to assemble. I also recommend pre-cutting the ribbon to ensure that it's all uniform and to prevent waste. The full DIY is here.

 

Table Numbers

Have your friends help out by painting the table numbers. I did about 3 coats on each one, so it's definitely time consuming! I recommend enlisting an especially crafty friend for the glitter and/or gold foil. It can get complicated and messy, so you definitely want someone precise to handle it! The full DIY is here.

 

Watercolor Escort Cards

When you get all your friends together, you've got to do this super fun project! It's seriously easy and best of all, really fun!

You will need:

Watercolor Paints (here)
Paintbrushes (similar here)
Paint Palette (here)
White Place Cards (here)
Gold Sharpie (here)

Each gal will get a set of watercolor paintbrushes, as well as a paint palette. Grab your watercolor paints and your white place cards and give each card a unique look. I added layers of complimentary colors for variation, but it still looks cohesive.

Once they're all dry, use a gold sharpie to add a name and a table number to guide people to their seats in style. Write the names in script, or make it fancy with some faux calligraphy!

I did the script freehand, but I think if you either got someone to do calligraphy, picked a friend with fancy handwriting, or printed the names on the cards, it would look even better! Be sure to make some extras, as you're bound to mess up a few of them while writing.

Woo! I'm not sure about you guys, but a bridesmaid crafternoon brunch party seems like exactly what I need to get over these pre-wedding blues! A few laughs does everyone a world of good. Be sure to check out Oriental Trading's new Marry Me section for everything you'll need for this party, the bridal shower, the wedding, and beyond! 

What's been the hardest part of wedding planning for you? For me, it's been the fact that my mom, sister, and friends live kinda far away, so I've been doing it (cue Eric Carmen) all by myyyseeelllfff. I wish I had them to help/laugh/decide on things. How about you? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Dollar Store Easter Decorations

Hey guys! It seems that we hopped into April pretty quickly, huh? I had an eggcelent idea to do a Easter tablescape, but I'm on a budget this year. Planning a wedding ain't cheep, ya know? So I decided to visit my local Dollar Tree and raid my cabinets to create an Easter affair to remember, without breaking the bank. In all, I spent only about $30 dollars to create this classy table setup. Many of the Easter decorations came from my collection and I DIY'd a few things, because what's an event without a few handmade details ;). 

*This post contains affiliate links.

DIY Painted Plant Pots

You will need:

Pots or Plants (From DollarTree or larger version here)
Acrylic Paint (here)
Painter's Tape (here)
Paint Brushes (similar here)

Steps:

1. Paint your pot the lighter of your 2 colors. Let dry fully.

2. Using your tape, create an interesting line or pattern. I decided to do a diagonal pattern, but you could do polka dots, triangles, half and half, etc.

3. Paint the desired area, then peel off your tape while it's still a little wet. Let dry!

For a full list of my favorite craft supplies, check out this blog post!

DIY Banner

You will need:

Paper Bunting (from DollarTree)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Glue Gun (similar here)
Spray Adhesive (here)

Steps:

1. Be sure to adequately cover your workspace. This stuff is deceptively sticky!

2. Place your top bunting face-down and spray with the adhesive.

3. Pick up carefully and place on top of the other bunting. Lay flat to dry.

4. Take a length of thin ribbon and glue your bunting onto it while keeping the flags an equal distance apart.

5. Hang up and enjoy.

Related: How to Rock your DIY Party Projects

DIY Bunny Ears Bouquet

You will need:

Thick Wire/Covered wire (From DollarTree or here)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Thin sparkly ribbon (DT or similar here)
Scissors (here)
Wire cutters (here)
Glue gun (similar here)

Steps

1. Take your wire and straighten it out the best you can.

2. Measure and cut. Mine was 20 inches.

3. Fold gently in the middle to create a bunny ear shape.

4. Using your hot glue gun, carefully wrap your wire with ribbon. I found that not overlapping the ribbon on top of itself worked best.

5. Keep going up your wire, wrapping and gluing every few rotations.

6. Once you've wrapped it in your thicker ribbon, go back around with your thinner ribbon to cover the seams and any bald spots.

7. Repeat for the other ear, then place in a bouquet of flowers and enjoy!

Setting your Table

Place Settings

I purchased inexpensive white plates and chargers for each setting, and topped them with blue appetizer plates from my cupboard. I added some drinking glasses I already had on hand, and placed a handmade drink stirrer inside. I finished it off with my super cute bird salt and pepper shakers that I purchased from Pier 1 Imports a few years ago.

Centerpieces

For the centerpieces, I used a sequin table runner and fake moss from my engagement party, and topped it with my painted flowerpots, bunny ears bouquet, and some mercury tealights.  I scattered some small golden eggs I picked up at the dollar store to add to that Easter feel.

Tips for Saving Money on your Easter Table

1. Create your own bouquets by purchasing flowers from the supermarket, or purchase inexpensive fake ones that you can reuse again and again.

2. If you purchase new servingware, go for white, which can be reused for many holidays. It'll get much more use than a baby pink tray with a bunny on it!

3. Collect items from around your house. Tealights, votives, pastel decor items, etc. This will add to the ambiance of the event without you necessarily having to purchase (and store!) Easter items.

4. Mix high-end items with dollar store items to save money while still keeping it classy. The inexpensive items will be camouflaged among the more expensive ones, as long as you don't purchase anything too cheap looking.

5. DIY where you can to create something one of a kind. Search Pinterest for ideas, and see how you can re-create more expensive items.

6. For an inexpensive tablecloth or runner, use a piece of fabric that has been folded and ironed. This will allow you to make it any size or shape you need!

7. Go for a mix of larger items and smaller items to create a visually interesting mix for your table. Too many small items will look cluttered, and too many large ones will seem unbalanced.

The best part about this table setup is that you can take away the bunny ears and little eggs, and use it for the remainder of the spring! This helps it to do double duty, saving you money. Do you have any dollar store crafts as part of your Easter decor? Do you decorate for Easter, or are you more of a "save it for Christmas" type of gal? Let me know in the comments below!