Making a Happy Home Monday

Mama's do a thousand little things to make their home a happy one!

Every mama I know goes out of her way to make birthdays special for her kids. But birthdays are expensive! Especially little people birthdays. (The industry that makes paper plates and theme decorations sure know what they are doing! )

The trick, I have found, is to pick a general theme and then use what you already have in your arsenal of "stuff". What mazes me is that you can use a thousand things non-party related.

My daughter turned 1 this weekend. She is the only girl out of 10 boys..... of course we had a first birthday princess party. (I mean, is there anything else?? ) I was trying to figure out how to decorate when I came across some things in my basement. Here is what I used....

For a centerpiece where the food would be placed, I bought a plant at Sams for $8. Its pink, pretty and I can plant it outside as soon as Ohio decides to warm up! I thought about pink roses but they would just die and are expensive! This way every time I look at my beautiful pink plant I can remember my little princess!

For the candy favors, I found a cream hat box that I had received as a gift. It was perfect for all the bags of candy! I then found an old pair of elbow length gloves I had worn in a wedding as a bridesmaid. I took a crystal necklace from my costume jewelry and draped it along the gloves. Nothing says princes like some jewelry :)

To hold the silverware I found a candle holder in our Christmas decorations! It has crystals that drip off of a ribbon. It looks very wintery at Christmas time. It transformed into regal, however for this occasion!


I then dug out a silver tiered serving stand that I forgot that I had! It was perfect for the rolls.

I also found some loose crystals that came in a vase that for some reason I decided to save. ( Why? I am not sure... it seemed like a good idea at the time) I sprinkled those along the buffet and it made everything sparkle!!

I know my little princess won't remember what I placed the favors in or what I served the rolls on. I do know that we had a fabulous time and saved a ton of money on paper decorations that would have to be thrown away! And that makes her mama and daddy very happy indeed!

For more happy home ideas check out As for me and My House!