The 30 Dollar Birthday Party Challenge

It's time. 

Previously in this post, I told the story of "The 30 Dollar Birthday Party Challenge", or at least the beginnings of how it came to be...   

You know, the story of how I wasn't planning a party for Sara this year, but then husband Dion said, "Let's do something simple. I'll take care of it."  

And how, in the end, that translated, "I'll do games; you do the rest.  With a week and a half to plan.  Oh and sticking to our regular 30 dollar per birthday budget."

That is how the challenge to host a fantastically, fun birthday party for 10 kids, while sticking to that 30 dollar budget, became mine.

Turns out there were 9 kids at the party including Sara and Siri, and two parents. Plus husband Dion and me of course.

Here are some photos of the final result, with links to simple project tutorials, of what ended up being...

"the bestest birthday ever"...Sara

To which I replied, "But Sara, what about the 200 dollar storybook party two years ago when you turned 8?...the one I poured gazillion amounts of time and imaginative energy into?!"

That's not at all what I said, but maybe I thought it. (I DID.)  Either way, I was thrilled that her 10th birthday, this party, was every bit the success...and funtastically cheap.

It began with a trip to The Dollar Tree.  Here's what's great about The Dollar Tree.  ANY ONE THING is an option. Under no circumstance do I need to stand back and think, "Poor me.  I can never have that thing of wonder.  for a dollar."  

Here are the goods.

We got the lollipops at TJ Maxx.  Husband Dion and I split half the bag (and cost), so he could keep some in his office.

Next we used the birthday gift tags to make our invites.  See how here.

Then the decorating began with a 15 minute banner. Banner instructions here.

There were balloons.  Lots and lots of balloons.  to blow up.  Being on a budget, Sara and husband Dion were recruited, and together we became a family of light-headed people. Amazon has inexpensive balloon pumps here.
Balloons are one of the easiest, least expensive way to add color to a party.  I do wish I would've thought to add a small balloon cluster in the very middle.
The thing with parties is there's always more that can be done.  When the party starts, it's time to walk away from the planning and relax.  I usually get there about half way through.

Presents were assembled.  

Our gift to Sara is the basket of pink tissue papered goodies.  Total cost $2.50.  The theme was pink stuff...Sara's favorite color.  Plus the vintage storybook to begin her own collection.  Gift cost was included in the 30 dollar budget.

Next came food.

 

There was a popcorn stand.  Click here for instructions on the ice cream cake stands and popcorn stand...great examples of using what we already have.

  (pouring popcorn into cups is easier in a cake pan,
because you can just dump the bag/bowl of popcorn in.)

There were iced animal cookies, and Sara requested strawberry lemonade.  If you live near an Aldi, frozen organic strawberries are 2.50 I believe.  We were already stocked up, so I didn't calculate them into the birthday budget.  Husband Dion made came up with this lemonade recipe in our early years, back when our budget told us that anything at the dollar store was NOT an option.  easy. cheap. Maybe if we ask nicely, husband Dion will

share the recipe in the comments below. We added the strawberries for fun.  But the lemonade on its own is every bit as good, and also pretty.

She also requested an ice cream cake

with strawberry cake inside, so we made single

serving sized ice cream cakes, and they were amazing!

Typically, I make a special cake from scratch.  We pretty much abide by a no box policy, unless it's a box of pasta or cereal. But this year I saved time and money buying a yellow cake mix at The Dollar Store. With a few changes, it became a deliciously moist strawberry cake.  It was one layer in the ice cream cakes. Here are the instructions to make a box mix taste like it's from a bakery, along with my single serving ice cream cake recipe . With the chocolate ice cream and crunchy layers...yum. yum. and yum.

This candle is actually an 8 used for Sara's 8th birthday party, bought at the dollar store. (found the idea here) I redecorated one side as an "8" and the other an "S".  Sara's special cake was at the top, wrapped in duct tape.  The original was similar to this one.

Adding to the decorations, our recently transplanted knock-out rose bloomed on the day of her party!  just in time.

...speaking of time, time for the party to begin!

The rose on the table is recycled from Sara's musical earlier in the week.  She was the Queen of the High C's. The stones in the vase are from our mancala game.  They can also be bought at The Dollar Tree.

 There were games. 

I call him husband Dion. Others call him Mr. Fun.

He came up with games based on what he could find in the garage, leaving all 30 dollars to me.  He's a smart one that husband Dion.

Prizes were lollipops, and there were extra for the kids to take a few home.  Kids don't need all the cheap, little, plastic, junk stuff in a little bag to take home.  That stuff finds its way straight to the garbage, or under my feet in the middle of the night.  Instead, give them an organic fruit lollipop or two, and they're good to go.  

Hey, Laura Ingalls Wilder was happy with an orange in her Christmas stocking.  Tough it out kids.  Tough. It. Out.

There was photo taking.

eating.

 unplanned storytelling.

There was present opening and lollipop sucking.

And to end this great day, down came the balloons, as we indulged in a hipper than a hippopotamas dance party.

(he's so dreamy)

When the kids left, lollipops in hand, their eyes were filled with light, their bellies with sugar, as it should be.

Now, if I were to do it again, the napkins would stay on the store shelf, since not one attending child believed in the use of napkins.  I would use a brownie mix from the dollar store, instead of pretzels, for the ice cream cake's bottom layer.  I would hang balloons in the middle of the balloon canopy and use thicker thread, and I would take a little time to blend a few strawberries into the lemonade.

also. have I mentioned a balloon pump?

But really this party was a super success.

This "best birthday ever" girl was thankful.

 (although she didn't really want to stop playing
to get a picture with her mama. some people's kids.)

And I DID IT!!! I conquered "The 30 Dollar Birthday Challenge!"  The total party from invites to thank you notes (and including Sara's presents from us) came to $30.23, with tax. I'm calling it a win. Click here for an expense breakdown. 

Here we are enjoying the after party.

(Pull down your shirts ladies.)

 
As parents, we may choose to financially indulge our children with birthday parties, Christmas gifts, clothes, and whatever else, because we want them to be happy, to have all the things they want in life, maybe sometimes the things we didn't have.  But really I wonder. Are we using these occasions as a way to prove our love for our child?

Birthdays are a time to celebrate a life.  It can be done with thousands of dollars, and it can be done with thirty.  Whatever we decide, the important element is having authentic celebration. Every day is the chance to demonstrate our love for our kids.  Sometimes, many many times in our home, our parental love is demonstrated through discipline and lectures deserving the very bestest of eye rolling, every bit as much as it is through the snuggles and laughter.

Love is a parenting style. not a dollar amount.  And beauty comes from pure hearts, not from our wallets.

How are you making your

today world beautiful?

(talk to me)

if you liked this story, will you please share it with a friend? or all of them? do you have many friends? if not would you consider sharing it with a stranger? How about lots of strangers? If you didn't like this story, would you still consider sharing? friends or strangers...either one really. 

Pinterest "pin me" images:

Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo, Part 2

This week has been full of busy stuff. the good kind. School's winding down, and Sara was a shining star in her school's production this evening.  

We're also celebrating her birthday. I wasn't planning a party this year, but then husband Dion said, "Let's do something simple. I'll take care of it."  I'm pretty sure he was aware of the one hundred percent chance that I would somehow be the one to take care of it get involved.

The birthday allowance in our home is 30 dollars.  So my challenge this weekend is to host a fantastically, fun birthday party for 10 kids, while staying within my 30 dollar budget.

But first things first.  There was a part one of Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo, so a part two must follow.  

And so I now present to you part 2 of "Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo". (except there's no Armadillo in this part.  He's more of a part one Armadillo.  How ironic is it that his name is Armadillo and yet he has no arms? very. moving on...)

Once upon a many years ago, best friend and nurse Gretchen lovingly passed on a few hand-me-downs which included scrubs.  The first time I slipped that shirt over my head, a love relationship began. 

  (Do you work in a hospital you ask?  Are you a doctor you ask?  no. no again.)

That day forward, scrub tops have been worn for painting, gardening, and other types of project workings. They quickly become dirty and paint splattered, and then I love them all the more.  The two above were 4 dollars each.  They promptly received the most comfy award. In my ideal world scrubs would be worn all the time and everywhere, by everyone. that means you too.

This vintage paper find is perfect for a storybook cottage.  49 cents.

(Is this mouse painting?!)

Not only do I find vintage illustrations on stationary and in children's books uniquely beautiful, but if they truly are of vintage status (and not sold with royalties, for example, from an online source who owns the original print), it's acceptable to copy and do whatever with them. Which makes finding them that much more great.

The mouse and ladybug paper was just in time for Sara's special birthday letter.  Every year I write a letter to her future self, then send it back to our house. This way the date is officially added to it.

The letters will mysteriously remain sealed until some undetermined time, when she'll start getting them ON her birthday.  I hope to give her one each year, maybe starting with her later teenage years. (It's not all figured out.) As each letter is opened, I'm trusting she'll read just what she needs to hear in that moment, for that time in her life.

 And now, my friends, here is a gift for you! 

(Do you love it as much as I do?)

You may copy (cntrl+C+prnt scrn) this image, paste, crop, save it to your computer, and print.

To add text, open the saved image in a photo editing program. This image is somewhat blurry, as is the original. Sometimes vintage illustrations don't translate well into a high quality image.

Use it for recipe cards, invites, a note to a special someone...whatever you can imagine. (just please don't sell the actual image, and if sharing online, please link back to here)
  
This concludes Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo.  Which was your favorite find?

Valuable doesn't=the highest, priced tag.

And so, if you stop by a thrift store this weekend, or if  yard sale balloons succeed at taunting you with their bouncing colors,  resulting in your discovery of the world's greatest treasure, come back and tell us all about it.  (an account is no longer needed to comment.)

How are you making your today world beautiful?

if you liked this story, will you please share it with a friend? or all of them? do you have many friends? if not would you consider sharing it with a stranger? How about lots of strangers? If you didn't like this story, would you still consider sharing? friends or strangers...either one really.

Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo, Part 1

Finally some time to sit down and share last weeks thrift store finds with you!

This visit was to a new thrift store in our area. very exciting.  Knowing almost 100% of my purchase benefits locals is one reason I enjoy thrift shopping. But mostly I like it, because it's cheap stuff. cheap stuff patiently waiting for me to root through it and conquer the greatest treasure.

the greatest treasure

I will now brag about these fine purchases.

Baskets were 50% off. This one was 2. Anything made with branches belongs in a cottage.  It must be mine.

(ice container underneath was .99)

Basket below was 1, ribbon .99, and the

books were buy one get one, so .99 for both.

 

The Client is for the boardwalk this summer, and the other for Sara's birthday (more about her book and birthday in the soon-to-be "30 Dollar Birthday Party Challenge" post).  But until her party this weekend, we have to keep it a secret. (shhhhhhh)

And the make-up....

(isn't the vintage stationary box pretty?)

MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and more.  In our budget, high end make-up (as in higher than a walmart or a few drug store priced cosmetics on amazon) is a no way Jose. All of this (including compact above) was 5.  All new, not a smudge on any of the surfaces.  

My best guess is the packaging was discontinued, and the make-up donated by a department store employee, since each can be bought online with new packaging.
Online price for all....
min. $160.00!!! woah. 

Here is a vintage desk chair perfect for
Sara's room make-over.  It was 10.
It will match her horse who is still dressed up as Santa
(see him in Cherry Red Sunday post here).

Stuffed Armadillo was won last Christmas during one of those "fight over gifts being passed around" games. He may be a dog toy.  (he is.  and makes awful noises when squeezed.)

He usually sits with the throw pillows on our bed, but comes downstairs on occasion.  He wanted to try out the new old chair and red lipstick.  He gets so frustrated, because his arms are too short to do much of anything really. I didn't want him wearing red lipstick anyway.

Typically (as in ever), I am not a red lipstick wearer.  Red gloss sometimes. But this one is actually pretty fantastic (it has a royal, purplish blue case with a crown embossed on it!, feels good, stays moist, doesn't smell yucky like some lipsticks, and is a very nice red).  

And yet there is a problem between me and red lipstick.

red lipstick, no teeth showing

red lipstick, teeth showing

Doesn't it make my teeth look yellowish? Also it would probably get all smeared up underneath my nose.  like a milk mustache, only red lipstick.

And yet.

A girl never knows when she might need red lipstick. Say, for example, when husband Dion dresses up like a woman.

 this happened.  more than once.
  
Okay. so maybe only when it's for good causes and stuff like that. but still.?!

Be like me and get your armadillo here.  (this one doesn't make crazy noises...just a nice, plush armadillo) 

There's more! Thrift Store Finds and an Armadillo, Part 2 coming soon. And I'm working on a small gift.

What are a few of your thriftiest finds?

How are you making your today world beautiful?

(talk to me)

if you liked this story, will you please share it with a friend? or all of them? do you have many friends? if not would you consider sharing it with a stranger? How about lots of strangers? If you didn't like this story, would you still consider sharing? friends or strangers...either one really.