{HWTM contributor Tonya Coleman of Soireé Event Design here!} In this month’s post, I challenged my friend, Michelle Burt, owner of Maddycakes Muse (a DIY craft blog) to join me in bringing you not just one, but TWO “Budget Chic” parties!

THE CHALLENGE: 1 WEEK + 1 THEME + 1 BUDGET + 1 STORE

We both had just one week to use $100 to pull together our Budget Chic “Back to School” party design for four guests while shopping in just one store. Michelle chose to shop in Dollar Tree and I chose to shop in Target. We could interpret the “Back to School” theme any way we wanted! It’s so exciting to see what creative ideas two different designers with two different styles and specialties come up with when given the same challenge! Be sure to go to the end of the post to see our budget breakdown.

THEME INSPIRATION

Michelle created a Back to School “School is a Blast!” Theme where she incorporated space elements to create a really cool and fun party! Michelle says, “I had no idea what direction I was going for the Back to School challenge until I saw the Planet Wall stickers at Dollar Tree. I immediately thought of “School is a Blast!” as my theme.”

And that’s ironic, because the same thing happened to me while in Target. I came across a notebook that had drawings all over it and thought about my 9 year old daughter who draws constantly… and knew right away a Back to School “Doodle Party” would be my theme!

THEME 1: “School is a Blast” from Maddycakes Muse

*(as explained by Michelle)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

• Metallic Space Dessert Table with tin foil “moon rocks”
• Kids Table DIY Rocket Ships
• Schultute School Cone Favors
• DIY Activity: Blue Moon Sand
• Creative treats like “rocket rolls” & “Saturn rings”

DESSERT TABLE

For the dessert table, I wanted to create the moon with a rocket ship blasting off. I love to challenge myself not only in being frugal but also doing things that I haven’t seen before. I tried and tried to think what could I use to create the moon then it hit me… aluminum foil! I tore strips and bunched them up like moon rocks and kept all display items silver to blend in to “moon” rocks. I took large rocks from my fountain and spray painted them silver. I like them because they had craters just like the moon. I have tons of display items but wanted to use items that are commonly found in every home or things you can get very inexpensively.

The backdrop consists of Dollar Store stars and the wording is poster board. It is simply double sticked taped to a black curtain I owned. I didn’t have the right color poster board so I simply spray painted the letters silver. The rocket is made out of foil, poster board, blue cellophane and red plastic tablecloth for fire. Just use your imagination and you can have an interesting and coordinated dessert table using all store bought items.

The alien cake is an $8 store bought cake that I embellished to look like an alien space ship with Life Savers, gumdrops and a pretzel stick. I “borrowed” my daughter’s alien and put inside a pickle jar to look like the alien is in his ship. The cake display stand is a large can of beans with the label peeled off and topped with an upside down pie plate.

The moon rocks are donut holes with sprinkles. I already owned the silver candle holder. I thought it was great to use for height. I love to use unconventional display items. I always say shop your house first! The rocket rolls are Swiss Rolls with Hershey kisses on topped. I used melted almond bark as “glue”. I used a foil lined cookie sheet to display.

The alien eyes are Oreos dipped in melted almond bark with gummy Life Savers and fondant eyes that I had left over from a monster party. The “Marsh”ians are just marshmallows dipped in colored candy melts with sprinkles for hair and same leftover fondant eyes. I used a turned over disposable aluminum pan for this display. The Saturn rings are Fruit Loops in a pie pan.

KIDS TABLE

The pencil box is being used as the lunch box. It consisted of a sandwich, GoGurt, fruit snacks, cheese stick and a Wet Wipe. I made a rocket crayon holder with paper towel roll, red card stock, silver duct table and cut a red plastic table cloth into strips for fire. It is held up by a pencil and blasting off from the World Globe. Kids can color or practice writing their names on the school house placemat. I already had the vintage Rocket lunch box which was the perfect centerpiece.

PARTY FAVORS: SCHULTUTE SCHOOL CONES

For the party favors, I used a large party hat and filled it with school supplies just like a Schultute School cone. A schultute is a German tradition where a child is given a cone on their first day of school filled with sweets, trinkets and back to school supplies.

ACTIVITY: MOON SAND

Each child received a plastic tub and ingredients to make their own moon sand.To make your own Moon Sand:

• 2 cups of play sand (My sand was blue but you can use any kind or color of sand.)
• 1 cup of corn starch
• 1/2 cup of water (You may need more water if too dry.)
• Mix together. Viola Moon sand!

THEME 2:  “Doodle Party” Theme from Soireé Event Design:

I created this party with my daughter and her 3 BFF’s in mind! They are going into 4th grade this year and am sure any kid (boy or girl) would LOVE this theme! Who wouldn’t want to Doodle on everything! I totally scored in the $1 section of Target and since it’s back to school season… major sales on all the school supplies!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

• Leftover fabric initials with individualized post-it notes for chairback decor
• DIY Cake Pop Bar using silly straws as sticks
• Plate inlay printables with each girl’s name on them that served as placecards
• Favors that double as back to school supplies will make all the moms happy!

KIDS TABLE

Pulling together this table was so much fun! I had a piece of fabric leftover from another party that I knew would be the perfect look to tie in the “Doodle” concept and give the table a punch of color! I created personalized chairback decor by hanging a magnetic locker sign embellished with each girl’s initial and post-it note with an inspiring note.

I custom-designed the party’s printables by scanning the front of the Doodle notebook that inspired this theme and used it as the design’s background. I found the perfect black and white patterned boxes to use to hold my blinged out Lolli-tags™ that had each girl’s name on them and filled with colored pencils. To pull in the “doodle” look, I put the tags on crazy straws! In addition, I designed plate inlay printables with each girl’s name on them that served as placecards. So easy to do: place the inlay in between two plates. Just be sure the top plate is clear. I used dry-erase lined paper boards as placemats for the girls to doodle on while they waited for lunch. Beside each plate is a pencil holder that held their utensils and napkin. Everything on the table except for the sign doubled as take-home favors for each girl… which makes cleanup a breeze!

DOODLE FAVOR BAR

Instead of a sweets bar, I decided to design a favor bar stocked with school supplies that each girl could take home. As with my sweets bar designs, I color coordinated all the favors to match the party theme and displayed them in black crates that each girl used to take home all party goodies! A great alternative to favor bags. The Doodle notebooks were customized with a Lolli-tag™ printable on a crazy straw with each girl’s name that was hot glued to the front of the notebook. A great way to create a one-of-a-kind, personal favor!

ACTIVITY: DOODLE WALL

The girls LOVED drawing and doodling all over this wall. Just mount up foam core boards to any wall with removeable tape, put out markers and let the girls create their magic! I have the girls do this when they first arrive so that their masterpiece can be displayed during the party which is a great decor element!

TIP: You can do this also with banner paper, but be sure to use crayons instead of markers to prevent leak-thru to the wall.

ACTIVITY: T-SHIRT & SIDEWALK DOODLES

On the invitation, ask each girl to bring a plain t-shirt with them for this activity. You can also provide them with t-shirts if budget allows. Put out some fabric markers and the girls can create their own unique Doodle T-shirts that they can take home. Put some sidewalk chalk outside and the let the girls “Doodle” up the sidewalk. A HUGE HIT!

CAKE POP BAR

The girls LOVED this! Bake your own red velvet cake balls with a cake pop maker and use crazy straws instead of dessert sticks to hold them. Melt down the candy melts on the stove then place it in the crock pot and let the girls dip and decorate their own cake pops. I put the sprinkles in stackable school supply containers. Super easy and so yummy!

TIP: You can also buy these from your cake pop baker. Just ask for plain, uncoated cake pops.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

SCHOOL IS A BLAST

Kids Table: $12
4 pencil boxes: $4
4 world globes: $4
red plastic tablecloth: $1
tablecloth embellished with planet stickers: $1
paper school houses: $1
pencils: $1

Dessert Table: $37
aluminum foil: $3
2 pie pans: $2
cookie sheet: $1
3 poster board sheets: $3
stars: $1
blue cellophane: $1
store bought cake: $8
fruit loops cereal: $3.50
Oreo cookies: $2.50
marshmallows: $1
Swiss Rolls: $2
donut holes: $2
almond bark: $3
candy: $4

Favors: $23
4 party hats: $4
school supplies: $19

Activity: $13
sand: $8
cornstarch: $1
4 plastic tubs: $4

Grand Total: $85

BACK TO SCHOOL DOODLE PARTY

Kid Table: $23
4 b&w paper clip boxes: $4 ($1 each)
4 boxes colored pencils: $2 (49¢ each)
1 pack stickers: $1
4 pencil cases: $4 ($1 each)
4 magnetic locker boards: $4
4 magnetic letters: $4 ($1 each)
4 dry erase boards: $4 ($1 each)
plates, frame, crazy straws & fabric tablecloth (I already owned)

Cake Pop Bar: $4
1 box red velvet cake mix: $2
2 twist storage containers: $2 ($1 each)
candy melts, sprinkles, crazy straws & mini crock pot (I already owned)

Activities: $16.50
3 foam core poster boards: $10.50 ($3.50 each)
2 b&w paper clip boxes: $2 ($1 each)
4 boxes markers: $2 (49¢ each)
2 packs sidewalk chalk: $2 ($1 each)
tablecloth, frame & fabric markers (I already owned)
t-shirts (girls brought their own)

Favor Bar: $56
2 b&w doodle boxes: $2 ($1 each)
4 satin supply pouches: $8 ($2 each)
4 packs of stickers: $4 ($1 each)
4 metal locker containers: $4 ($1 each)
4 sunglasses: $4 ($1 each)
4 ponytail holder lolipops: $4 ($1 each)
2 packs of glitter pencils: $4 ($2 each)
4 composition books: $4 ($1 each)
4 spiral notebooks: $10 ($2.50 each)
4 plastic crates: $12 ($3 each)
door hanger & tablecloth (I already owned)

Grand Total: $99.50

*****

WRAPPING IT UP

Thank you so much Michelle for participating in this challenge with me! I hope we have inspired you to throw your own Back to School themed parties!

For more Look for Less Budget Chic tips, visit Soireé Event Design’s blog, The Girlfriend’s Guide to Party Planning. And for more of Maddycake Muse’s DIY Craft tutorials and inspiration, visit her blog, Maddycakes Muse.

We’d LOVE to hear from you! Please comment below on what your favorite part was from either or both of the designs!