Upcycling your child’s party

With everyone trying to watch their pennies and also be kinder to our planet, an upcycled party is very on trend! And once you put your mind to it, you’ll be surprised by how much you can do with what you already have at home or what you can pick up second-hand or for free on sites such as Facebook, Olio and Rumage, which allows you to shop all your favourite marketplaces at the same time. 

Bunting and garlands

Make your own from last year’s birthday cards, your kids’ drawings, old books passed their best, paper doilies, fabric scraps, pom-poms made from leftover wool or even an old duvet cover. Alternatively, browse Pri Pri or EcoBunting for fabulous upcycled garlands and bunting.  

Party bags

Shopping bags from stores can make perfect gift or party bags. With a little imagination, some crafty materials and some glue, these branded shop bags can be transformed into unique, personalised bags. Or make your own: there are some easy video instructions on making a paper bag in the tutorials section on Instagram @planetwrapit.

Party bag fillers

Make time to make things. Here are some ideas to get you started: scrunchies made from leftover fabric, painted rocks or shells found on the beach, bracelets made from beads from your local scrap store or crayons made from all your kids’ broken crayons. 

Tableware

Second hand plates, cups and cutlery from a local charity shop, car boot sale or online marketplace are simple options. Sets can be stored to use each year or you can sell them on afterwards and most likely make your money back. Or take them back to the charity shop; think of it as a donation to a good cause. For the centrepiece, a cake stand is super easy to make with an upturned teacup, a plate and a little superglue.  

Tablecloth and napkins

Old bed sheets work well refashioned into tablecloths. They can be painted, tie-dyed or appliquéd in order to tailor them to the party theme and it’s a great activity to get the kids involved in! If you already have a tablecloth you can use, you could make placemats or a table runner from scrap fabrics to match the theme of your party. 

Wrapping presents

There are so many things you can find around the house that you can use for wrapping gifts: magazine pages, old maps, pieces of sample wallpaper, your kids’ paintings or leftover packing paper. If you’re a dab hand with a sewing machine you could make a fabric drawstring bag from leftover fabric scraps. Alternatively, reuse an old pillowcase or wrap it with a piece of fabric, like the Japanese art of Furoshiki.

Fancy dress costumes

There really is no need to ever buy new again: look to places such as Facebook, Rumage and Vinted. Buying second-hand is not only better for the planet, it’s so much cheaper and also saves you hours making your own from scratch.  

Birthday gifts

How about gifting a preloved present?  So many toys are played with once and then left to gather dust. Check out Preloved Presents range of wrapping paper and gift tags, which makes it easier and helps it become more acceptable to gift pre-owned presents, to be loved again and again.  

For more birthday party tips, check out my blog at ice cream and jelly or check out her Instagram page @icecreamandjelly_uk.