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…

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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Best wishes for a very merry Christmas & a happy new year!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and get the chance to relax over the festive period. And good luck for 2020 - let's make it a year to remember! ...
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How to turn an old fair isle jumper into a cosy cushion

Has your Christmas jumper shrunk in the machine? Has your Fair Isle knit got a hole in it? Did that gravy stain never wash out? Don't worry - before you take your festive pullover to the recycling bank, here's a ...
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Decorating inspiration – Most fabulously festive period property ever!

With Christmas only a few days away and everyone frantically preparing for the big day, I thought I would share some gorgeously styled photos of festive interiors to give you inspiration for your own decorations this year ...
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How to DIY a Christmas t-shirt with heat-transfer vinyl

If you want to get into the festive spirit but don't want to splash the cash on a new Christmas jumper, I've come up with an easy DIY version that you can make at home. I've used a T-shirt that ...
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DIY low-cost festive table decorations for Christmas or New Year

If you've got guests visiting over the festive season, are planning a big New Year's Eve party, or simply want to dress up your dining table for a special family Christmas today's easy DIYs will help you create magical place ...
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5 Essential makeup items that should be in your holiday party survival kit

With the onset of the festive season also comes a slew of party invitations that are sure to keep your calendar full well into next year. Before you get to accepting them, have you made sure that you’ve stocked up ...
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Why vintage record players are essential home décor at Christmas

I love listening to festive music at this time of year. In the car, on the radio and via YouTube playlists when I'm in the bath. But most of all I love listening to music on a record player. I ...
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3 Space-saving Christmas trees you can DIY from upcycled materials

Over the years I've lived in some rather small homes and it's been difficult to decorate for Christmas in such a compact space. However, that's never stopped me from filling my home with festive decor each December and, in fact, ...
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How to create a warm and cosy feeling in your bathroom for winter

Seeing as the rest of the house is getting a bit of a makeover for Christmas, I wanted to take a look at my bathroom and figure out some ways to make the space feel cosy and warm throughout the ...
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Guest post: How to DIY a Christmas gift hamper when you’re on a budget

Hey! I’m Alina Ghost, a friend blogger over at The Fairytale Pretty Picture. I adore interiors, crafts and DIY projects, so it’s no surprise that today, I’m going to be sharing with you how to DIY your own Christmas Hamper ...
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Why a DIY or vintage advent calendar is the best way to count down to Christmas…

If you're as excited about Christmas as I am this year, you'll be feeling 'fizzy' today - which is exactly how I felt when I turned on my laptop and realised that it's the 1st December! My days just run ...
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5 Places to shop for sustainable, secondhand & unique Christmas gifts

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday sneaking up on us, this seems to be the weekend that people really throw themselves into their Christmas shopping. And sometimes, when there's a big discount on offer, it can be so tempting to ...
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Upcycling a writing bureau into a cocktail cabinet for festive parties

No festive party should be without a cocktail cabinet, which is precisely why I've DIY'd one this month! Turning this writing bureau into a drinks bar is a relatively easy upcycle (no power tools required!) and it'll be the hub ...
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How to DIY a festive centrepiece with mini wreathes & LED candles

You may have spotted my blog post last week where I shared a tutorial for making those cool, minimalist, scandi-style star wreathes that you see all over Pinterest (I made 3 different designs - go check out my Nordic star ...
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Christmas gift guide for kids & teens + how to help a charity gift appeal

If you're wondering what to get your youngsters for Christmas this year, or are planning to donate to a charity Christmas gift appeal, I've put together a wonderful collection of fun and educational gifts for all ages - from toddlers ...
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3 Ways to DIY a Scandinavian style star wreath for Christmas

If you want to add some festive touches to your walls but don't want to go all-out with tinsel and garlands, today's DIY star wreathes could be the solution. They're a minimalistic, Scandi-style and look great in both contemporary or ...
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11 Low-cost (+ cheeky!) games to get your hen party started

A hen party weekend isn't complete without some hilarious games for the girls. Some of the bride's pals will already be friendly other with from school or uni, while others may be connected to the bride through family, work or ...
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How to personalise your wedding day (for sci-fi, music, TV and vintage fans)

Your wedding day is extra-important for one special reason - it's YOUR wedding day. And shouldn't your ceremony and reception reflect your personality as a couple? If you want to express yourself, be surrounded by your favourite things and feel ...
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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!