Realistic Party Planning for Non-Crafty Moms
What do you “fail” at that “every mom is good at?”
One thing for me (let’s focus on just one today, shall we) is crafts.
Ugh, you guys. The thought of crafts makes me queasy and my execution is unimaginably poor. I feel like people always think I’m exaggerating here, but…no.
At the same time, I wanted to throw a cute and fun butterfly-themed party for my daughter’s first birthday (–> probably the nursing hormones, frankly).
What’s a non-crafty mom to do? Here are a few rules I abided by:
- Use Pinterest carefully and only in your best moments. Pinterest is a black hole, let’s be honest, and requires care. Use it for ideas (AKA leads for items to buy) as well as for a couple thematic touches that are easy to execute. And be honest about what’s easy! Just be cautious – Pinterest can also be a self-esteem blow if you start comparing yourself to others, so be ready to bounce if you start feeling that way.
- Choose a few thematic touches that will get you the most bang for your buck. Not everything has to be crafty-looking and creative. A few key touches will do the trick – which is a good thing for your budget and your sanity. I typically get one or two theme-related tablecloths and the rest in solid colors, which still look fun but aren’t as in your face (or in your wallet).
For the birthday party, I also went with the napkins above (not too hard to do but made an impression)
and these cupcakes arranged like a butterfly (–> cakes and cupcakes are always an easy wow. Local folks, I ordered these from Gentile’s in Parma and they were beautiful AND delicious. Highly recommend!).
Note: for a few other butterfly theme ideas, check out the full tour of the birthday party I posted.
- Decide what you will delegate. People always ask to help anyway, so decide at the outset what you will have them contribute when they do. For me it was side dishes….and we ended up with the most amazing and diverse spread of sides. Yes I had to do a little management to make sure we didn’t end up with ten potato salads, but much better than me trying to make everything. It was perfect.
Above all else, remember: keep it simple. Parties are supposed to be fun – for everyone, including you! June birthday = cookout = grilling and hanging out enjoying the weather. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that, I swear!
