Happy Monday! Today we are going to present a home party for Baby's 1st Birthday. Except for the cake it's all DIY and we'll show you ways to do this for a low budget but with high impact!

 First off, the invitation. Pick out your background paper. Print the invitation information on one side and then turn it over. Now take embossed scrapbook paper, cut just about a quarter inch smaller than the background paper, and glue it (using scrapbooking adhesive) together. Now punch out circles from different colors of scrapbooking paper and glue into a circle. Finally tie a pretty ribbon around a wooden skewer that's been cut into a 2-3 inch length. Run a thin bead of hot glue down the skewer and lay it onto the card and then top with the circle. This only takes a few minutes per invitation and, since you are using several different colors for the invite you can also use lots of different colors in your party design!

 Chalk Art signs are all the vogue right now and fairly easy to do if you have good handwriting and some time on your hands. If you don't, and it would be a stretch for me, you can have one made. Check out Etsy for help. They are only about $20 and make a wonderful keepsake for the baby's room!

 Remember all of that multicolored scrapbook paper you had for the invites? Use the scraps and a smaller paper punch to make rainbow confetti. Stick a handful inside each white balloon and then fill with helium. Beautiful! If you don't have the budget for helium then just blow them up and hang them upside down from your porch, the trees or ceiling!

 We love this idea of punching out butterflies (or cutting them out like you would hearts for Valentines day) and then sticking them all over the party space!

 When you look at this set up it is easy to think that it would be too hard or cost too much. But lets put a new spin on it. If you have a covered porch or awning, just get lengths of tulle (really inexpensive at your local fabric store) and tape/staple/glue it to the top of the porch or awning in about 6-9 ft wide lengths...making sure to "pleat" it as you are attaching. Then gather it up about 3/4 down the "drape" and tie with a pretty bow. Those can be white plastic tablecloths topped with pink plastic folded tablecloths and those can be balloons floating at the top of the porch or awning. See how easy that just got? Not to mention more affordable?

 Speaking of affordable. People overlook the poor carnation but it's a wonderfully affordable flower that stands up to heat and mistreatment. Mums are also great in hot weather situations but they do cost a bit more so use them, like they did here, as an accent flower. Totally cute centerpieces, and you only need two or three, for a very cute party!

 You may not have pretty pink painted chairs but that's ok. Take strips of white and colored tulle and knot them around the chairs you do have to make laced up "skirts" for your chairs.

 We always do up personalized water bottle labels but if you don't have the time for that you can still dress the bottles up easily. Buy some stick on gems and then wrap your bottle (after removing the label first) with plain white printer paper strips with double stick tape where the ends come together. Then wrap with wrapping paper ribbon and attach with more double stick tape. Now top the ribbon with the gem! Pretty Bling!

 We love these personalized outfits from Etsy. Now, in our experience, the one year old doesn't do too well with the tutu idea (too much skirt, not enough height yet to carry it off and walking is still a chore) but we love the onesie!

 You can even get one totally personalized with your child's name on it! Perfect for those photo ops!

 If you are having the party indoors or if you have an arch, this would make for a really fun play area for the kids! Hang the balloons down far enough from crepe paper ribbon so that they can run through the arch and be happily knocked about by the balloons. Prepare the adults for lots of happily screaming kids!

Finally there is cake. The artists over at Le Cupcake created this beautiful cutting cake along with the kid friendly cupcakes. You can also have one special cupcake made up just for your baby. What a pretty way to celebrate her first birthday!

So you can have a wonderful, beautiful, birthday party that looks like a million bucks and doesn't cost anywhere close! Just DIY it!

Next weekend we will present a beach party birthday! See you then!

Cat