2017: The Year in Review

Happy 2018! I like to start off every new year with a look back on the one we just left behind. I don't think I need to say it, but 2017 was a freakin crazy whirlwind amazing horror of a year in so many ways. To me, I'll remember it as probably one of the hardest years of my life, possibly only surpassed by my junior and/or senior year of high school. I was planning my wedding which was the best and worst thing I ever had to do. I was growing my blog and business, which is the easiest and hardest thing I ever had to do. And, I did a lot of self reflection and improvement, which was the most rewarding and most painful thing I ever had to do. Honestly, I am so glad 2017 is only but a memory to me. In the rearview mirror, it looks way better than it did as I was going through it. I know I'm being extremely dramatic, but the year was a shit show. They say how you spend NYE is how you spend your year. I spent mine confused, stressed, and feeling every emotion in the book. And that was just about how my year went.

January

My first post of the year was one of my FAVES- Rock Candy Christmas Trees! I also did my very first animal project, Circus Animal Drink Stirrers! I started the year off strong with some great projects, but it was personally really tough. I was planning my wedding, and nothing was going right. We were arguing about everything (like, do we actually need a photographer? UM, YES), and I was just plain tired of talking about the wedding! It got better after we took a trip to our wedding venue in January. John FINALLY started to get excited about the wedding, and he stopped being so combative about everything.

February

By February, things had settled down a bit. I was in a much better space personally, and I felt MUCH better! I whipped up my first Valentine's Day post, 90's Pun Valentines! Everything these days is a free printable, so I loved doing something hands on. I also made some awesome Cotton Candy Garland, and one of my fave blog posts, Mean Girls Conversation Hearts!! I finished it off with this Kate Spade Inspired Balloon Bracelet. I also launched my virtual party planning services!

March

In March, I did two of my FAVORITE blog posts! Ok, I know i say that a lot, but i really loved these two projects! First, I had my Wood Bead Tassel Necklace, which was as much fun to make as it was to wear! I literally wore it until the tassels fell off, so now I need to make some new ones so I can wear it again! Then, I made a Zebra Party Tray using just a couple of plastic toy animals and a dollar store baking tray.

I started looking into updating my home decor a bit, and rounded up some really fun Colorful Home Accessories. I collaborated with Holly from Club Crafted to do a 90's ice cream project, so I made this delicious and colorful Lisa Frank Tie-Dye Waffle Sundae! I also started my Wedding Planning Updates again, since I finally had something to say! Finding my wedding dress was honestly SUCH a relief! I had tried on probably over 70 dresses and I was starting to feel like I wasn't going to find a dress I loved. We secured most of our vendors too, which felt like a huge things to cross off the to-do list!

April

In April, I finally covered my Disney Themed Engagement Party across two posts! The first was How to Plan a Disney Themed Party, while the second had all the amazing pictures that our photographer took. I loved planning my party and I was so happy with the way it turned out, so I was very excited to debut all the details!  I also did a post on How to Rock Your DIY Party Projects, as well as my 5 Month Wedding Planning Update. I also FINALLY asked my sister to be my maid of honor with this Flower Box filled with wedding day essentials. I did my very first Easter post, and came up with a must-see list of Engagement Gifts for the Bride-To-Be. I also decided to step up my wardrobe game and gave some Comfy Spring Outfit Tips. Because if it ain't comfy, chances are I'm not wearing it haha! You can see my tassel necklace in that post, which btw had already lost a tassel at that point!

May

In May, I released my 4 Month Wedding Planning update. I remember we were so excited to have planned our honeymoon. Little did we know, we wouldn't be able to go on it! We ended up rescheduling for Paris, but that's a story for another time ;) This month was full of child-like throwbacks. First, I made a Barbie Shoes Tote Bag that I literally use to carry flats around. Then, I did a post of the Things I'd Tell My 8 Year Old Self. Spoiler alert- it's not to let others define me as an adult. I also made a really fun Painted Corkboard with Barbie Shoe Pushpins!! I rounded out the month of Barbie posts with this Gift Guide for the Barbie Girl, filled with amazing pink items!

June

In June, I talked about the change in direction for the blog from what I initially intended it to be. Did you know this blog was supposed to be a home decor and organization blog?! It's almost laughable to me. Though if the blog went in that direction, I can only imagine how much nicer my house would be. I posted my 3 Month Wedding Planning Update, where I basically freaked out over ALL THE THINGS I need to do. I also did my very first sponsored post from Oriental Trading! I started with Adding a Pop of Color to Your Wedding, then followed up with a Bridesmaid Bruch Craft Party. Also, we had something SUPER exciting happen in June- we got legally married at City Hall! Our big wedding ceremony would only be symbolic, so we needed to get legally married at city hall first. We followed up the occasion by celebrating at Dave and Busters with our family and getting really excited for the big wedding we'd be having soon.

July

In July I was starting to get super overwhelmed with wedding planning! I did my 2 Month Wedding Planning Update, and I had my bridal shower! I wanted it to be a surprise and although I started to get an inkling on the day of the event, I was shocked! I was so bummed that I didn't bring my camera with me, and I didn't even get to take too many cell phone pics! The party was such a fast blur, and I was pouting by the end. I didn't want it to be over! The summer truly was amazing for me. I did my first ever guest post on someone's blog! I made these really fun Watermelon Napkins for Giggles Galore, the first in a months-long collaboration with them! I also did another fun fruit DIY- Pineapple Flats! I finished out the month with a sponsored post with Basic Invite. I wish I had discovered them before I ordered my invites, because I was so impressed with their selection! I loved my invites, but the colored envelopes on these were just amazing.

August

In August, I basically had a mini-panic attack on the daily. There was only 1 Month Left until my wedding!!! I only did 2 real blog posts this month, a Pom Pom Pet Collar and DIY Fruit Slice Containers. My sister took me on an amazing trip to Mexico, which was my favorite part of the bachelorette festivities. It was just the two of us in an all-inclusive resort for days, laying in the sun and hanging by the pool. It was so nice to get away from work and blogging and planning. I hope that when she's getting married, I can plan a trip for her with just the 2 of us! After that, I had my bachelorette weekend with my friends in Philly! I had never been there before, so it was really fun to explore a new city with my friends. I finished up August with a Final Wedding Planning Update 1 week before the wedding. When I was super duper sick, after battling a stomach bug I contracted in Mexico, followed by a cold. 

September

On September 2, after a totally amazing summer, I got to marry my best friend by a beautiful lake in PA. Well.... near a window by a lake in PA, since it was raining and we couldn't do it outside. The wedding day was such a whirlwind, and it seriously took weeks before I could fully comprehend what had happened. Getting married was so amazing and surreal. I'm planning to do a wedding recap really soon, filled with pics! Stay tuned :). After our wedding, we went on our honeymoon- in Paris! We were originally supposed to go to Disney (see April's update) but had to reschedule in September at the very last minute. We were so bummed, but we ended up having fun in Paris, despite it being rainy, gloomy and cold. Really rainy and cold! I did two lonely blog posts in September, Easy Football Party Crafts and a Colorful Fall Pumpkin Wreath for Giggles Galore.

October

Welcome to Party HarDIY! In October, I relaunched the blog from WellKeptChaos to Party HarDIY to reflect the posts I do. I got to do some awesome Halloween posts this month, like this Easy Striped Halloween Art and this Striped Halloween Sign. I also did my very first set of Halloween costumes!! We had a DIY Cloud Costume, a 2th Fairy Costume, and a Pink Brightest Crayon! I also did a post about Appreciating Where You Are, since sometimes you're at that point in life where you think it'll never get better. I also revealed the Truth About Wedding Planning, because it ain't all sunshine and rainbows. Someone had to come out and say it!

November

By November, I was getting into the holiday spirit. I made some Christmas Drink Stirrers, Easy Colorful Thanksgiving Place Cards, and a No Sew Embellished T-Shirt. November was also amazing because I got to meet my hero, Studio DIY! Kelly and her husband Jeff came to NYC and it was amazing. Seeing the amazing projects that Kelly and other bloggers dreamed up were what made me want to create a blog and make my own DIY projects. Meeting her was AMAZING, since I am totally in awe of everything she does! I finished November with a roundup of The Best Colorful Thanksgiving Printables. 

December

Ahh, December! One of the busiest months for me! I started the month off strong with launching my shop! I did a blog post outlining the changes, and I updated my About Me page (finally) so that it could better reflect what I am about. I also did some really fun holiday posts, like these Holographic Ornament Tags, Animal Sweater Ornaments, and Confetti Gift Tags. I also did 2 great party posts for Oriental Trading- DIY Paper Fan Christmas Trees and a Colorful Ornament Making Party. We also did a giveaway for the shop featuring these DIY Colorful Jewelry Ornaments, which are so easy and cute to make!! I had a few other projects in the works for December, but my dad fell on December 16 (my mom's bday) and ended up in the hospital ICU for almost a week. Suddenly, everything was put into perspective and I spent the rest of the year making sure he was happy and healthy. He's got a new pacemaker now, so we are hoping that he's able to make a full recovery and be back to his crazy self soon!

Goals for 2018

Now that we covered last year, I want to talk about this coming year. I am excited to say that I made the transition from working full-time to working part time at my day job! I am now in the office 3 days a week, and working on the blog 3 days a week. And, I'm going to try my best to take Sundays off because I really need to get some rest once in a while! It was super stressful blogging while working full time. I was working from 5am-7am on the blog, then getting dressed, commuting, and working before finally getting home at 7pm. These long days were exhausting, then I would work all day on the weekends, trying to capture every minute of good light for photo shoots!

I (finally) want to decorate my house! We basically moved in 2 years ago, slapped some paint on, and unpacked everything. Most of our rooms have no artwork, no real "style" and still have half-unpacked boxes in the closet. NO MORE I SAY! Be on the lookout for home DIY's and room tours in 2018.

Did someone say shopping? I've got so many ideas on what to add to the shop this year! I'm excited to finally have the time to dedicate to growing the inventory, including some handmade and original designs! I'll be posting the updates on Instagram, so be sure to follow me to stay up-to-date.

And finally, John and I are hoping to add some new members to our family this year. He almost got me a dog for Christmas, and there are some stray cats in my yard I have been eyeing. Oh, and maybe a baby could be a fun addition! We're taking it day by day, and we'll see what the year brings.

DIY Colorful Jewelry Ornament

Ok guys, two very exciting things for this month. 1, Christmas is coming. And 2, I launched a jewelry shop!!!! Now you can wear gorgeous statement pieces just like me! They’re perfect for adding a pop of color to any outfit. I especially love wearing them to dress up a simple tee shirt and jeans (basically my go-to outfit), or to spice up your party outfits. And, they’re especially glam for all those holiday parties and events you have to attend this month! Swapping out your jewelry can give your dresses a whole new look. Since these jewels are so affordable, they’d be an amazing gift for friends. What if you put them in a super cute package tied with a bow?! These earring ornaments are way more fun than regular ho-hum packaging, and they’re super easy and affordable to do!

You will need:

Plastic Ornaments (similar here)
Cardstock (similar here)
Embroidery floss (similar here)
Styrofoam circle or similar (here)
Scissor (here)
Earrings (here)
Pencil (similar here)
Glue gun

Directions:

1. Open your plastic ornament and trace a circle onto the back of your cardstock.

2. Cut out the circle.

3. Place the cardstock circle against the inner edge of your ornament. Trace around the excess and trim

4. Place your cardstock on a styrofoam circle or something similar and press your earring through to the other side. Try to keep it centered.

5. Add the back of your earring to secure it.

6. Add a string of embroidery thread in a similar or contrasting color so you can hang your ornament

7. Glue your cardstock onto the ornament to hold it in place. You can either use only one side and glue it on all the way around, or use both halves and use a few dots of glue along the inner edge.

Now you can place it in a box, or hang it on the tree until Christmas! I think it looks so glamorous and fun, especially with the pops of pink.

Pssst- all these pieces (and more!) are available in my jewelry shop! Head on over to see the full collection!

DIY Holographic Ornament Tags

Every year at Christmas, I always think back to Christmas when I was a kid. There was something magical about the holiday season back then. I distinctly remember Christmas feeling different. There was an anticipation in the air, like anything could happen. The magic of Santa, the warmth of your home, the mystery surrounding the gifts you would receive… it was exhilarating. This year, I wanted to make something that commemorate the amazing childhood Christmases that I had. The iridescent effect on these ornaments is super 90’s, while also being modern. Holographic items are coming back! These are relatively cheap to make in bulk, so you can make them for all your gift tags, to decorate a tree, or to create a Christmas banner. Give them to all your friends who love the 90’s as much as you do!

You will need:

Colored cardstock (similar here)
2.5 inch circle punch (similar here)
Holographic paper (similar here)
Scissors (here)
Embroidery floss (similar here)
Glue Stick
Glue gun

Directions:

1.     Cut out circles with your circle punch.

2.     Cut a trapezoid shape out of your holographic paper and a white or light colored backdrop. You’ll need one for each ornament you make.

3.     Cut a “shine” shape out of the holographic paper (not the backdrop paper). I made an L shape with a curve to finish off the triangle.

4.     Using your glue stick, glue the large edge of the trapezoid onto the top of your ornament. Add glue to the holographic trapezoid, and glue it on top. Finally, add glue to your shine and put it with the flat edge facing down.

5.     Using your glue gun, secure your hanging ribbon or embroidery floss. I made mine short and cute, but you can make it any length you need!

6.     Hang on your tree, a gift, or make a garland and you’re ready to go!

You can add names to the front or the back of your tag if you wish, or you can add a simple monogram using a sticker. I kept the front of mine plain because I thought they looked so cute! I love tilting mine back and forth to see the iridescent effect!

How do you plan to use your holographic ornaments? Let me know in the comments below!

Make a Statement: The Shop is LIVE!

EDIT: The shop is now closed. Read more here.

YOU GUYS! Remember back in October when I relaunched the blog as Party HarDIY? Well, I told you there were some big plans in STORE (hah, see what I did there?) and I’m sooo excited to announce the launch of our shop! I’ve always wanted to have my own shop full of cutesy things, and I’ve always had a love of jewelry! Well, now the two have come together in one magical, glimmering place.

So, what’s available?

A collection of unique and colorful jewelry, sure to add a pop of color to any outfit! The holidays are coming, and these pieces are perfect for adding some sparkle to your outfit, a fun touch of Christmas colors, or to change up an outfit that’s already been worn a bunch of times! Because let’s be real, these pieces are WAY cheaper than buying a new dress!

Um… Tell me more about this collection!

Well, ok! This all started back when I was in my favorite jewelry shop in the city. I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have a collection of fun and colorful necklaces that are affordable? There are SO many expensive jewelry shops out there, and my opinion on costume jewelry is the more, the merrier. So, I decided to curate my own collection of fun, bold, and most of all BRIGHT jewelry. There will also be some new items coming to the shop as well, but for now I decided to start small for the holiday season!

Where did your love of jewelry come from?

My grandma! My yiayia had the most insane collection of costume jewelry. I don’t think I ever saw her wearing real jewelry, haha! She had a bunch of bold necklaces and earrings. Fun fact- her ears weren’t pierced! She only owned clip-ons. Here's a picture of us when I was a kid. She's dressed very on brand, and I'm the one in the tutu. I took ballet for a hot minute, but I was AWFUL at it.

Um… am I brave enough to wear this stuff?

YES! I used to be shy about wearing bright things too. I finally realized that it’s fun to be bold and daring. People notice! I get compliments on my jewelry all the time, and in a sea of people, it’s fun to stand out a bit. You can always start small with a pair of colorful studs!

Ok, you’ve convinced me! What do I even wear this stuff with?

My very favorite thing to wear bold jewelry with is a basic tee! It’s really adds a pop of fun and sass to an otherwise casual item. Try pairing the Daisy Dreams Statement Necklace or the Fringe Benefits Earrings with a basic tee. Another great way to wear these is with a Christmas sweater! Try the Rudolph the Red Nosed Rhinestone Tassel Earrings with your ugly Christmas sweater, or the Worth The Tassel Earrings with a warm, cozy sweater! Heading to a holiday party? Try the Chic-a-Boo Rhinestone Earrings for some added glitz and glam, or the Dragonfruit Dilemma Earrings for a fun, unexpected touch.

Can I get free items?

Um, heck yea!! I’m hosting a giveaway! To enter, follow the instructions on this post on Instagram. Tag a friend for an extra entry! One winner will get all 4 jewelry ornaments- perfect for giving out as Secret Santa gifts, hanging on the tree, or keeping them all for yourself!

Eek! I hope you guys are as excited about this as I am! I've been working on this for MONTHS, and I'm so happy to see the store is finally live! So, go sign up for free shipping, and enter the giveaway!

Roundup: The Best Colorful Thanksgiving Printables

Thanksgiving is this week and I am so freakin excited!! I have so many amazing memories relating to Thanksgiving, so that makes this a super nostalgic time of year for me. Also, the weather is just starting to get slightly cool, the leaves are falling, and I finally get to wear my collection of cute and colorful sweaters. I truly love Thanksgiving, the fall and being with family. And eating. I love food! Haha. Since there isn't tons of time left for setup, I wanted to create a roundup of the very best, most colorful printables and paper crafts for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dinner. These are quickly and easy to create- most projects require only a printer, or items you're likely to have on-hand!

Easy Colorful Thanksgiving Place Cards

If you've got only a few minutes, you have enough time to make these place cards from Party HarDIY! They're perfect for seat assignments and labeling the food.

Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Centerpiece

Being in NYC, I get to experience the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade preparations firsthand, which is a Thanksgiving tradition for me as I walk to the train from work. I love seeing them putting up the bleachers, adding the decal to the street, and adding those police barriers. This table from Oh Happy Day highlights everyone's favorite part- the balloons!

Macy's Day Parade Tablescape 

Not one, but two Parade printables! This table by The House That Lars Built features the city streets down below. I mean...how cute are the taxi cab place cards?

DIY Printable Thanksgiving Food Label Cards

Want to prevent everyone from asking you what each item is all night? Use these printables from Lovely Indeed! They're super simple and cute, so they'll match with any colorful tablescape. 

Printable Thanksgiving Place Cards, Menus and Food Signs

If you're looking for a cute and colorful way to spice up your table, check out this set from Sarah Hearts! All you need are some coordinating Avery labels and a printer, and you're ready to go!

Wise Words Placemat

I find the holidays to be a very inspiring time of year, so I think these placemat printables from Oh Joy! would be a perfect addition to your table. They feature quotes from Roald Dahl, who wrote books such as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Matilda.

Pie Box Place Cards

We all know the best part of any meal is dessert! With these mini pie boxes from The Happy Scraps, you can have "dessert" before dinner!

Printable Conversation Starters

Looking to break the ice at a family gathering or Friendsgiving? Well, you'll need these cute and colorful conversation starters from Studio DIY! They feature some interesting (but probably safe) chat topics so that people can get to know each other, and like each other!

Printable Thanksgiving Tote, Table Runner, and Placemat

Featuring a pop of deep purple, this trio of fun and adorable printables from Damask Love is just what you need to add a twist to the traditional Thanksgiving colors!

Free Printable Thanksgiving Invitation

While it may be a tad bit late to mail these out, these invitations from Eighteen25 are perfectly colorful, and feature a section to add what you'd like each guest to bring! Plus they come in both Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving versions, plus 2 different color choices!

Thanksgiving Place Card Printables

Let all your guests know how special they are to you with these place cards from Printable Crush. They look adorable tied onto a white pumpkin!

Printable Thanksgiving Banner

Add some simple decor to your home by hanging up this banner from Daisy Cottage Designs! I love the stripe and polka dot combo, and the colors are just perfect! 

Thanksgiving Coloring Pages

And finally, let's not forget the reason that we all come together! These printables from Thirty Handmade Days will help you to remember all the things in your life you have to be thankful for. it comes in 2 versions, colored and blank, so you can decide whether you want a fun coloring activity to do, or only to focus on gratefulness. It works for both kids and adults!