Outfit Details:

Anthropologie sweater

Free People ruffled t-shirt

Lauren Moffatt shorts

Topshop hat

UGG Australia slippers

Before I made the journey home, Helena and I threw our first holiday party at the new space (which has yet to be named). We made the decision a mere week before our party, so I got busy with some DIY projects and started decorating. I figured it would be the perfect project to share as a part of the Creative Council, so I snapped some photographs of my holiday party prep. We also set up a photo booth, but I didn’t want to flood you with a million photos – so I’ll post some of those, later!

I can’t take credit for the “Merry” sign – Bobby made that. He painted a piece of wood, hammered in some nails, and wrapped them in string. We put it on our electric fireplace, which I brought in from our guest room. Our radiators at the space gets shut off after normal business hours, and this little thing heated the whole room! Plus, I am a sucker for sitting by the fake fire in my slippers and new favorite sweater (which is basically a glorified blanket).

Helena married Keith last month, and these marquee lights are from their wedding. The perk of her marrying a guy whose name starts with a “K” is that it also works for Keiko and Helena. Thanks, Keith! Or I guess I should thank his parents.

I bought these old lockers at Brimfield; we’re planning on giving them a fresh coat of paint. In the meantime, I dressed them up in ribbons and bows. Even the dj booth got a little bit of the festive treatment.

I found these snowflake cutouts at the dollar store; they came in huge packs. I punched some holes in both ends and strung them together for a snowy window treatment.

My first wrapped present of the season and my makeshift hot cocoa and tea station. Since we don’t have a kitchen in the space, I picked up a cheap electric kettle – and cheaper hot chocolate. But I have to admit, I always prefer the cheap stuff to the fancy cocoa! Adding a candy cane makes it even better.

My favorite decoration was the fringe-layered wall, which took mere minutes to create. I draped different colors and lengths of fringe on the brick wall, and layered some store bought decor on top. This also served as our backdrop for the photo booth.

Bobby helped me make these floral letters, because he doesn’t trust me with an exacto knife (the scar on my left thigh says he’s right not to). He cut the letters; I decorated with flowers. I can’t take credit for the idea, since I saw it on pinterest – but it was such a fun project. Of course, these weren’t just for the holiday party, but I still wanted to share. We still have so much decorating to do in the space, and I can’t wait until it all comes together.

Thanks to all who came to our quaint little holiday party, and thank you for following along, behind the scenes! In short, here’s what I learned about prepping for a last minute party: DIY is the way to go, dollar stores are the best, and when in doubt, bake some cupcakes and order pizza. All you really need are good friends and music to make it a party. Oh, and roller skates don’t hurt, either.

This post is part of my collaboration with the UGG Australia Creative Council. #creativecouncil