Garden Party Budget

If it isn't already obvious, I love parties.

All year long, I scour blogs and pinterest for party ideas that inspire me.  My pinterest board, Let's Celebrate! has almost 600 pins {and if you go peek at it, you can probably guess what my latest party pinning trend is}.

About 2 months before Grace's birthday, Grace and I look through my Let's Celebrate board.  She picks out things she likes and then I start brainstorming.

When you pick your theme early, you have more time to search for deals.  For example, Grace's 5th birthday was a bunny themed party.  By deciding on a theme early, I was able to hit post-Easter sales and score some unbelievable deals to use for her party.

As soon as I know the theme, my eyes are peeled for deals.  Though I do look for party supplies at post-holiday sales from stores like Target, I prefer the thrill of the hunt and searching for the unexpected at Goodwill...

or at flea markets.

For Grace's Garden themed party, I found over 30 yards of vintage fabric from a local flea market for $12. The vintage fabrics were used as table clothes, backdrops for pictures, decorations on the snack table and for the gardening aprons each guest got to take home.  That's what I call stretching a dollar!

And, when I am lucky enough, I will even find things on the side of the road that prove useful...and even better are free!

This planter stand, abandoned at the side of the road, I quickly rescued and transformed into a farmer's market stand.  For how much...FREE!

The same was true for a large window we found roadside.  For the past 2 years, it's served as a backdrop for a our snack table.

Though it involved more labor and repurposing, we also used an abandoned pallet and turned it into a garden stand, including a no dirt garden.

I invested $20 in tissue paper and countless hours making tissue paper flower.  The $20 tissue paper supply allowed me to make 14 party hats, about 20 large tissue paper flower and 15 small tissue paper flowers.

I also like to shop my own house and my own supplies to fill in for decorations.  My vintage hankie collection was pulled out and used as a table runner.

By shopping early, using things I already had on hand, making my own decorations and party favors and hosting the party at my own house, I was able to throw a one of a kind party on a budget.

I started with a budget was $150.   I justified that as my maximum budget since most facilities that host a party charge about that {and often that limits the number of kids you can have and does not include party favors}.

Want to see how I did?  This is where I reveal exactly how far I can stretch a dollar.

The tent, tables and chairs where borrowed from my in-laws. Admittedly, a huge savings.  Our cost...nothing besides for the manual labor of setting up and taking down.

Every party needs food, right?  I spent about $30 on food including a watermelon cake, dirt cups, popcorn and goldfish {including paper plates, napkins and cups}.  We served water and juice boxes for drinks.

As detailed above, $20 was spent on tissue paper.

Party hats cost $5.49 {.49 cents for a set of hats from Goodwill and a second set had to be purchased full price for $5...lesson here, when you see party supplies at Goodwill for a fraction of the cost, buy them!}.

Again, as detailed above, vintage fabrics $12 {for table clothes, aprons and decorations}.

Fake flowers and mason jars to fill the flower shoppe $20.

Party games, $10.

Party favors $5 {not including vintage aprons as itemized already above}.  From the dollar store, 5 seeds packets for $1.  I needed $3 worth of seeds.  Flower pots, from the dollar store, sold in sets of 12, 2 sets needed.  Flower ring pops, pilfered from an Easter egg hunt and reused for the party!

Card stock and yarn to make bees $2.50 {yarn was bought at Goodwill for .49 cents}

A necessary indulgence, fresh flowers, which I was able to appreciate not only at the party but nearly a week following the party as well.  $30.

And, for fun, let's throw in my thrifted dress, found at Goodwill, for $7.50.

For the grand total of $142.49, I frugally threw Grace a garden themed 6th birthday.

You can see more details from Grace's garden themed birthday party here.