January: My First Moms Night Out Please -Finding your Individual Worth (Breakfast at Tiffany's)

I ran across this on Insta Gram. It seems we are all wanting to create and  spend time with people, get together, mix, mingle and be. 

 

{Bonus!!!! This is my favorite quote by Dieter Uchtdorf's!!!}

Don't we all want to do something fun? Don't we all love to celebrate with family and friends?? 

 Well, I do.

Some people party Big with Big budgets and it's inspiring, but I think there are more people like me... A mom on a budget...wanting to share and reach out, but can't afford a BIG affair. I'm on a simple budget, "a stay at home mom on a budget", kind of budget, and because of that I'm super frugal and  thrifty.   

I am mostly proud of my thriftiness because it provides me with an opportunity to buy something from the past, recreate and I make it my own, which is important because I like being different. 

{Dad- I posted this on Insta Gram, a social media website almost 1 year ago, see the stamp date.;)}

I put numbers on my chairs; one thru 8,  almost a year ago...dreaming about taking reservations to sit at my table. People keep asking why do I have numbers on my chairs and I would say becasue one day someone is going to take a reservation at my table. Now was the time to act upon it!!!

I tried to create an event page on FB, but wasn't sure if it worked, so I posted this on my Facebook wall. {Dad, ask mom what that means. :)} I sent the invitation out at midnight. I even asked for a $5.00 donation to cover cost of food.  {eek}  I figure people pay $10.00 to go to the movies to have something to do and then they can talk. If they want a place to mingle and have fun, why not donate to the cost of food, planning, decor and pictures.

Well, when I woke up, half of the spots were filled and by 10:00am I was completely full. People DO want to get together. I ended up accepting more reservations. Originally looking for 8, but ended up with 12, and put people on a wait list.  :) I had people from 5 different cities, some women I haven't seen in 6 years!!!

Here's a little bit of what the invite on my FB page looked like.....

With my table full, it was real!!! This is happening!!!
I had to work out all the details. Doing my best to keep this budget at $60.00 for 12 people.
That's $5.00 per person, I'm not making a profit here. {Food alone was $30.00}

It doesn't need to take a lot of money to have something nice, fun and memorable.
It just takes love. 

I love the old tea party glassware with dainty tea cups from the 50's & 60's??
Do you remember these??
I remember the first time I saw them being used at a party and loved the dainty cups, and how your pinky finger kinda turned up in the air when you held them.
I remember the finger foods served on those plates, oh, those plates.
I remember feeling special.

I borrowed these from my sister, but I'm definitely going to keep my eyes open for them, at second hand and thrift stores. I don't care if they all match. I'll  just pick them up as I find them, and keep them, kind of like my friends.  Also, I keep telling myself it doesn't  have to be perfect to be wonderful and charming.

I found these great removable decals for everyone at The Dollar Store, score!!! What a perfect saying by the queen of England!!  "Keep Calm and Carry On"!

 

I personalized everyone's place setting.
I wanted everyone to feel special and pampered.
I used envelopes and put little notes inside them.
Words and thoughts about them, and what our friendship means to me. 

I bought these cute clothespins with numbers on them at Michael's craft store.

Then made my own, when I realized I needed more than I had bought.
I added one for me and one for a photographer. {Gigi}

I was happy to find that more and more people wanted to come and my waiting list was filling up. 

I felt terrible that I couldn't take more people, but inspired that maybe I was on the right track and that eventually I will have more room and space and that we could really have a major event someday.

I had to make accommodations for 12. My table is expanding.

{Dad, this is the extra leaf you made me. I finally painted it, not perfect, but enough.} 

Then I  needed more chairs... 

 numbered to 12!!! 

... and then I had to make more Audrey faces. 

...and I had to borrow a table. 

The card table would not do.
I borrowed another table.
This time one that was 6 feet long.
Now I could fit 12 comfortably, maybe even 15.
I didn't like that I had two different table clothes. 
It didn't seem unified, cohesive...so...... there's that word again....so.....

I looked far and wide and indeed created a blog post about finding this yellow material 10 yards long to cover both tables, at $1.50 a yard and spent $15.00, but to be used for the future too.
I wasn't really sure about the yellow at first because I was going to be adding pink details.
Once again, it doesn't have to be perfect to be charming, so I went with it. 

Everything came into place, and the day before, I had everything set and done except the food.
I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I had one of my best friends come early and help with last minute things.
And help me keep my nerves at bay...I was a little nervous.
I put on my best version of Audrey Hepburn and let the festivities begin with
                                                         
                                        "Moon River" floating in the background.

And it was party time...

With crowns on our heads & friendship in our hearts we gathered and talked about our individual worth, uplifting women, creating partnerships to help us achieve what we desire, goal setting and things that bring us joy. I also shared my testimony becasue it just fit in. I know that people compare themselves to others...it's natural to do that. I am NOBODY special, but I am a child of God, and so are you, and that is important, and that is enough. Nobody perfect, but we are all wonderful in our own way and when we put ourselves out there and share a little bit more than normal, well maybe, that makes us charming.  I think the only thing different between me and you, is that I pretty much always have a party going on inside my head. Ideas are constant and flowing and this time I acted upon them. I could not have asked for a better night, except I needed way more pictures!!! I'll remember that next time.

From me to you w love, M

P.S. I'm already making plans for the next one.