Special occasions with a thrifty twist

Thrifty venue decor & wedding planning hacks

Easy DIY party decor projects

Party ideas & yummy cakes

Theme ideas & DIY decoration projects

Fun day trips on a budget

Fun with your friends – decor, drinks & games

Romantic date night ideas & homemade gifts

Money-saving tips for stay-at-home parties

Low-cost present ideas handmade with love

Spring projects & Easter bakes

Festive fun for Xmas + New Years

Spooky decorations & ghostly gatherings

Need inspiration for a fun yet thrifty party? Want to add a crafty DIY touch to your special event? Are you planning your wedding day but don’t want to blow the budget? Have a look though these categories above or blog posts below to find frugal inspiration for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, hen nights, parties, festive celebrations and all kinds of special occasions!

PARTIES, DIYs, WEDDINGS & MORE…

3 Ways to prepare for Christmas by making space in November

Let's face it, as soon as December hits, it's going to be full-on Christmas mode. I think that will be the case even more so this year, as we all want something to look forward to. So here's a quick ...
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Easy sewing project – make your own felt device case

If you want to make a homemade Christmas gift or birthday present for your friends and family, you can easily sew this felt case for devices or to use as a make-up pouch or pencil case ...
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Christmas gift guide for creatives and crafters

I have many creative folk in my life so when it comes to selective a Christmas gift for those talented makers, I've certainly done plenty of research over the years. Here are a few ideas for festive gifts that artists, ...
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Christmas shopping with indie businesses at Makers Market From Home

I'm excited to tell you that this weekend is the Makers Market From Home Christmas Bonanza so I'll be doing all my Christmas shopping with indie businesses from the comfort of my own home. The market is held live online ...
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Christmas gift guide for kids and teens – & donating to charity gift appeals

If you're at home this month, why not take this time to get organised and start your Christmas shopping? You don't need to rely on the big companies online, as you might still be able to shop with your local ...
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Excited to share my Christmas magazine articles and thrifty blog posts

It's been a while since I shared any of my article writing updates with you so I thought I'd pop on a few photos so you can see what I've been up to, including Reclaim magazine (the Christmas issue!!) a ...
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3 Ways to make your own no-sew handmade Christmas stockings

If you don't have any sewing skills and the last time you stitched anything was during a textiles lesson at school, don't worry - it IS still possible to DIY your own handmade Christmas stockings. I've come up with three ...
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Autumnal interiors inspiration from Kim Jones of Salvaged Living blog

Beautifully layered neutrals, furniture with warmth and patina, and rooms dressed for the seasons. That’s what you’ll find inside Kim Jones’ family home and on her blog Salvaged Living. Today, I'm sharing a tour of her beautifully styled home and ...
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8 Handmade autumn and Halloween creations from independent makers

Today I woke up and felt like autumn was in full swing. There was a nip in the air, the leaves in the garden are turning brown and we put the heating on for the first time. Many of us ...
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6 Thrifty party planning ideas for your at-home baby shower

Like many special events, such as birthdays, anniversaries and hen parties, baby showers are another occasion where we have to think outside the box if we want to celebrate. Even though we might not be able to meet up in ...
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99 Sleeps – How to make extra cash to save for Christmas 2020

It's only 99 sleeps until Christmas! And you know how fast those days go. So I thought I would share a quick blog post about saving money for Christmas 2020, and how you can make some extra cash to add ...
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The future of hen parties: How to plan a socially distanced + virtual hen do

In spite of the pandemic impacting on everyone's plans this year, some weddings are still taking place, albeit with only a handful of guests - so that means many brides will still be celebrating their 'last night of freedom'! So ...
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Father’s Day treats you can organise without having to leave your home

My favourite kind of gifts are those that have meaning behind them. A bit of love and thought put into them. And at the moment it's particularly important to think through the gifts you're planning to buy as you don't ...
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Five alternative Easter gift ideas when you can’t visit family

In our family Easter is usually a time when we all head to grannie's house and give each other Easter eggs, mini eggs and share a roast dinner. However, that won't be happening this year, and I'm sure it's going ...
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Mother’s Day gift inspiration from Etsy’s local makers & artists

With Mother's Day fast approaching and it being #MarchMeetTheMaker month on Instagram, I figured that there's no better time for me to put together a blog post featuring some of my favourite local makers and Etsy shops ...
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How to create hotel-room chic for Mother’s Day + DIY breakfast-in-bed tray

If you've got your mum coming to stay for Mother's Day this year, why not give her the hotel experience with a mini makeover for your guest room? Plus, I've shared a DIY project to turn an old photo frame ...
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How to use up your leftovers for alternative toppings on pancake day

Wahey, it's pancake day! Its one of my favourite traditions of the year so I'm going to be eating pancakes all day. I love pancake and every year I say, "why don't we have pancakes more often?" and then always ...
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10 Inspirational money-saving wedding blogs for brides on a budget

If you're planning a wedding this year, you'll no doubt be looking around the internet to find inspiration for your big day. As a very keen sister-of-the-bride I'm already getting rather excited about an upcoming family wedding this year and ...
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How to make money resolutions for 2020 (that are actually do-able)

Today I'm delighted to shared with you a guest post from my blogging buddy John Talbot. Known in the online personal finance community as “Money Nerd”, John helps people get out of debt with his writings on moneynerd.co.uk. After chatting ...
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2 thoughts on “Special occasions with a thrifty twist”

Cassiefairy says:

March 20, 2014 at 12:07 pm

Thank you so much Katy, this is the nicest comment ever! So pleased to hear that you like reading my blog and I hope you’ll come back soon 😀
Katy B James [Kathleen Bryant James} says:

March 20, 2014 at 12:03 pm

YOU AND YOUR BLOG ARE JUST BEAUTIFUL,TYSVM FOR GIVING ME LAUGHTER,INSPIRATION AND A PLACE I CAN COME TO AND CALL “HOME” WHEN I NEED TO FIND ANYTHING I LOVE! GOD BLESS YOU!