Have you ever had to host a party at the last minute?Or maybe you knew about it for weeks! And just simply did not know where to start?Or you were simply limited on funds and wanted something beautiful and eye-catching for your friends and family to sit back and enjoy themselves during the holiday or celebration.I want to share with you 4 ways that get your creative and productive wheels turning to get you out of panic mode and more into the party extraordinaire with a Dollar Store budget. Creating that high-end Dollar tree look on a budget that will have your guest raving about your decor and cannot wait until the next event to see what you will do next.
When I was a stay at home mom, I wanted to celebrate and create different looks for the holidays but I did not have a lot of money to work with. That is when the Dollar Store certainly came in handy! But do not get me wrong the dollar items can add up fast!
So you have to be very cautious of what you are purchasing because depending on the store you will not receive refunds but exchanges as long as you have the receipt. So make sure you hold on to your receipts! We all are in need of toiletry and cleaning items all the time and they are great items to exchange for it those items do not turn out as planned from the Dollar Tree for your celebration.
Some of the steps that I follow or I should say the mental process I go through when creating a holiday or event tablescape for my family and friends are:
Look For Inspiration
When looking for inspiration I think of what color scheme, patterns or one item I may want to use in that tablescape. You may find inspiration on Pinterest (My fav), a simple Google search, YouTube, magazines, Instagram, window shopping or Television. The many different ways to be inspired are endless!
Inspiration my just be a certain mood that you may be in at the time or your budget at the present moment.
For example, one Thanksgiving/Fall tablescape I wanted to use purple because I was not ready for the seasons to quite change yet. Seeing my favorite color helped me to embrace the upcoming season. It was something different and it came out nicely.
This past Easter I wanted to use my burlap runner(Click link for video) that has a lace overlay. By wanting to use this one item it inspired me to do something different combined with something I have been loving lately; Rustic Charm or Rustic Chic. Whichever you prefer I think they are just about the same….I think….I just love the look!
Shop My Home
In addition, I always shop my home for items that I can incorporate with my inspiration or the look that I am going for with that particular tablescape. When I was first starting out I did not have a lot to work with so I would look for candle holders or candelabras in different places in my home or something that I was not using or love anymore and incorporated it within my tablescape.
If it did not fit with my color scheme of the holiday or party, and I did not mind changing the color I would paint it with spray paint or paint (chalk paint is my favorite to use).
One of my favorite things to do is using what I have to create something new and interesting to the eye and it makes it feel like it is brand new from the store within a tablescape or home decor.
I can not tell you how many times I have purchased something to go in a particular space like the upstairs bedroom, bathroom or downstairs living room and moved to a different area, especially my dining room. That simple change made the table and the dining room feel like the decor item was new and gave the room a refreshed vibe.
For Christmas, I took my old curtains and created a runner and tablecloth. I just used some ribbon from Dollar Tree to trim the edge and hot glued (the break in the flow of the curtain to make it seem like it was made that way).
Custom DIY
I love to create things with my hands, like flower arrangements, bows, papercrafts or just simply adding paint to something gets my creative juices flowing which is a big stress reliever for me. Well if you are like me you would love to add something custom and unique to your tablescape that no one else has which makes it even more special and memorable.
Even if you are not that creative or do not like making DIY projects there are lots of places that you can find items already made that can help you with that customize or a certain look that you are going for with your celebration.
Etsy and Shopify are more of online shopping store for craft items that have handmade or customized products by so many different talented people.
I love looking for printables for parties or holidays if I am going for that look at that particular time on Etsy.
For my youngest 1st birthday party I got a printable made showing what his 1-year-old stats were at his current age to display at his party and now I have a keepsake forever.
Super Neat!
Also, I decorated a housewarming for a dear friend and I used a really cute cut out of an Instagram board that was great for selfie and group selfie pictures. She loved it and it was a great conversation piece as well!
So those types of shops are not just for artistry craft stuff, I found it used many of times for digital printouts that I certainly did not know how to create on my own and saved me a lot of time.
And do not forget your craft stores like Michaels, AC Moore and Joanns for items already made if you not into getting your scissors and glue out and making a massive mess.
Add a high-end piece or higher price item
There may come a time were your inspiration piece may come from another store other than the dollar store or section.
If you were trying to keep it all dollar tree related, just trying to keep the cost down (but remember those dollars add up) or you just love Dollar Store Items as much as I do. It is okay to add something in there that is from a different store such as Marshalls, Pier One, HomeGoods, WalMart, Target, TJ Maxx, Ross and etc.
I always found that the table looks more timeless and high end when one or two items from another store are added in. For example, I have used plates from Marshalls, napkins from Pier One, a runner from WalMart, napkin rings from Bed Bath and Beyond or a candelabra from Kirkland’s to add to my table.
And please do not forget your local thrift store! When you are are on a tight budget and you may have family coming in this a must to find unique pieces to complete your look on a dime.
I was looking for some white decorative dishes and stumble across four white scalloped edged china trimmed with gold accents for less than $3.00. It was perfect to add to my table for just a few bucks! (Pictured above)
You may also find silver serving pieces, china, plain white dishes, mugs, stemware, silverware and more for amazingly low prices so definitely do not forget those thrift stores.
You can create a beautiful Tablescape from just adding items from the Dollar Tree or the Target One Spot (AKA Bullseye Playground) without spending a lot of money. Just be sure to pick those tableware and decorative pieces that you can use over and over again for a totally different look.
Here is just one of the tablescapes created from Dollar Tree and Target One Spot item from Fall 2017 (Check out the video).
Be sure to check out the Target One Spot a month or two in advance of the upcoming season to get the best dibs on the new products. For instance, Fall/Thanksgiving items will be put out as early as August/September. So get your running shoes on!
Over the years as you begin to purchase seasonal and those basic pieces (ex. Chargers, plates, or glasses) for your table setting your cost becomes less and less….well depending on the look your going for. And you will be well on your way to creating low cost, unique and budget table settings in celebration after a celebration in no time. You CAN DO IT!
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