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…

Low-cost & homemade Mother’s Day gifts you can post to your mum this year

As we can't visit our mums on Mother's Day this year, I've had a think about some alternative ways to celebrate on Sunday 14th March. I've come up with some lovely letterbox gifts so that your mum can still open ...
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Shop independent for Mothers Day: My experience of buying handmade gifts from Etsy makers

It's less than a month until Mother's Day in the UK, which is on Sunday 14th March. If you're thinking of buying something unique or personalised from an independent maker, that gives you four weeks to choose a gift, request ...
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Virtual distanced dates, at-home activities & romantic gift ideas for Valentine’s Day 2021

Whether you're celebrating together or apart, Valentine's Day will certainly be different this year. That said, there's no reason why you can't go on a virtual date with your loved one or treat your partner to a romantic gift through ...
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How to repurpose sweet tubs to store fairy lights & Christmas decorations

If you're anything like us, you'll have one or two (or three, or four!) empty sweet tubs after Christmas. But don't bin them - upcycle them! I'm not talking about DIYing them into something lovely, I simply mean use them ...
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EPIC list of all the Christmas episodes of your favourite TV shows (+ where to watch them!)

If you've already worked your way through all the festive movies on Netflix and have indulged in one-too-many Home Alones, it's time to move on to the Christmas episodes of TV shows instead. Plus, it's so much easier to find ...
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Cosy Christmas decor inspiration from Beyond The Barn’s newly renovated home

All images copyright of Eric Orme from Place-Photography.com Beautifully decorated for Christmas with twinkling fairy lights, homemade decorations and cosy corners for curling up in, this barn is exactly where I'd like to be right now. Take a peek ...
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How to DIY a freestanding Snowman target game from pallet wood

Welcome to my festive pallet project! I've DIYed a friendly freestanding snowman to adorn your lawn and the best part is that he doubles-up as a family game. You can score points for throwing snowballs (or sparkly pom-poms!) through his ...
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Live festive entertainment to enjoy from the comfort of your own home this December

My December is usually full of festive events, pantos and Christmas light switch-ons but this year all the usual activities have been cancelled, leaving my calendar rather blank. So I've decided to make the month as festive as possible by ...
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How Artificial Intelligence can make your Christmas easier (and more fun!)

Christmas can be busy and stressful at the best of times so I've come up with some ways in which we can all use modern technology to make our December easier than ever. From gift shopping to entertainment, there are ...
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DIY Christmas project – How to upcycle old toys into decorations

For me, Christmas always evokes that feeling of nostalgia so I decided to upcycle the toys of my childhood toybox to decorate my Christmas tree. Red, white and silver are a classic colour combination, but you can pick jewel tones ...
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5 Ways to dress up the base of a potted Christmas tree to bring it indoors

If you've decided to get a potted Christmas tree this year, you may want to jazz up the pot when you bring it indoors. Here are a couple of ideas to dress up the plant pot of your real spruce ...
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Ho-ho-hope these ideas will help you cut the cost of Christmas for a frugal festive season

Yes! You CAN enjoy a fun and fulfilling Christmas without spending a fortune - you just need to get a bit creative with your time and money. And I'm here to help you do just that! Simply scroll through the ...
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How to DIY a festive star-print phone case with sticky vinyl

If you fancy personalising your mobile phone by creating a case with a Christmasy vibe, look no further than this quick and easy star phone case project. I've shared a step-by-step DIY video to help you craft this cute festive-inspired ...
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Festive family traditions – New pyjamas on Christmas eve

It's a tradition that our family has always done, ever since I was little. Every Christmas eve, we were allowed to open one present from underneath the tree and it was always a new pair of pyjamas. Did you do ...
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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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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!