Category: Celebrations

DIY Graduation Party Ideas

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It’s hard to believe that graduation season is upon us! Congratulations to the proud parents of those amazing grads this year! To help you celebrate (and keep that bash affordable), here are a few fun DIY graduation party ideas to try this year with items you can find at your local Goodwill store!

Serve Up Drinks in a Fun Way

I love to share drinks with my friends in unique ways. Look at items at Goodwill in  new ways and consider using an item from the store as a unique drink display. Old dressers can be made into a fun drink station, a rusty wheelbarrow is just perfect for putting your drinks on ice, a tool cart can be made into a family-friendly bar cart, or an old wagon can be the perfect spot for making your drinks perfectly portable on the patio. In fact, here are 82 ideas that BuzzFeed has gathered up for your drink displays for the perfect party! 

Create a Mason Jar Centerpiece

Centerpieces can be expensive, but can be made affordable and easily with mason jars, a commonly donated item. Pear Tree showcases an easy DIY Mason Jar Centerpiece that you can create with a little fabric, ribbon, glitter tape, personalized tags, and a few beautiful blooms. 
When on the hunt for fabric, consider beautifully printed clothing items, tablecloths, or vintage sheets for beautiful textiles on a budget.

Use Old Suitcases for Table Displays

Old suitcases can be the perfect addition to any party whether it is adding height to a table or for smart displays and storage. With a theme like, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” for your graduation party, you can easily pull together a beautiful display with old maps, suitcases, and a pretty table banner honoring this easy travel theme. 
Hunt around your house for suitcases or picnic baskets that can be used for your table display and round it out with a few fun finds from Goodwill. The bonus? Transporting items from the table to indoors couldn’t be easier! Check out LoveFeast Table for lots of fun party displays for this easy-to-execute theme! 

Serve Up Treats in Champagne Glasses

Balancing treats while mingling is always a challenge as a party guest so consider hunting for fun glassware like champagne or wine glasses that can be used for plating your treats. I love when party displays feel more homey and eclectic so, in this case, mixing and matching of glasses can be a fun way to create a beautiful food display for your party without spending a lot of money! Consider these glasses a cute way to create mini fruit salads, individual trifles, or a pretty way to serve yogurt parfaits for a brunch-themed event. The possibilities are endless with this one! (picture source unknown- pin found here)

Create a DIY Photo Booth

Nothing is a hit at a party quite like a photo booth and what graduate wouldn’t want to have this available to take pictures with all of their friends with them on this special day? This photo booth set up from Little Leopard Book is such a cute idea and so budget-friendly. Visit Goodwill for loads of props and create a photo booth for your favorite graduate and their pals with this fantastic tutorial! 

We hope these ideas offer loads of inspiration as you honor a special graduate in your life. Have any tips for parents preparing for their first party? Leave them below in the comments section! 


8 Beautifully Frugal Valentine’s Day Projects

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and one of my favorite things to share here on the Goodwill Tips Blog is frugal ways to celebrate the holidays using items from your local Goodwill Store. You may have thought last year’s DIY Valentine’s Day Projects post couldn’t be topped, but I think today’s projects are going to rival all that I shared last year. The best part is that they are both beautiful AND frugal- a total win for my wallet and my home!

Let’s get started with this year’s featured projects!

DIY Valentines Day Bow Tie

I am a total girly-girl so I am absolutely dying over this adorable Valentine’s Day bow tie on Plan B. You only need a few craft supplies and a men’s necktie to create this look. If a pink tie hasn’t been donated to the store, look for a red tie or anything in those festive red & pink colors. Pair this with a lacy blouse and your best boyfriend blazer for a cute night on the town.

If you can’t locate a bow tie, hunt for a red, pink, or white blouse and try my frugal DIY Rosette Necklace for an adorable addition to your favorite jewelry pieces.

DIY Coffee Cup Wrappers

I love a good free printable and am madly in love for these Valentine’s Day cup wrappers. Travel mugs are something that I often see in abundance at our local Goodwill. How sweet would this thrifted gift be with a little lovable printable on the outside and filled with their favorite coffee for someone you love, heading off their morning commute? In my mind, the ultimate sign of love is a cup of coffee, don’t you agree? Grab this free coffee sleeve printable from Eat Drink Chic today!

DIY Sequined Heart Shoe Accents

Last month we talked about how easy it is to make your own sparkled set of shoes from a pair of Goodwill shoes. To take this a step further towards Valentine’s Day festivity, check out this easy sequined heart shoe accent you can make from At The Picket Fence. I know I have one adorable little girl who would absolutely love this heart accent and it would be a fun & inexpensive craft we could do together too!

DIY Coloring Page Valentine’s Day Printables

I am all about free printables for celebrating the holidays and am madly in love with this, “I Love Everything About You,” printable from Tried & True for a couple of different reasons. Besides this printable being free, it is actually a coloring page that you can fill in with your own favorite colors or you can have your kids do for a fun Valentine’s Day activity.

Just pick up a frame or clipboard for displaying these, from your Goodwill store, and you will have something beautiful to decorate a wall, mantle, or nightstand.

DIY LOVE Planter

One donated item that I always can easily find at my Goodwill store is an abundance of white mugs. When I see these, I immediately snap them up because there is so much you can do with these $.25 wonders.

If you are looking for a fun way to add a little festivity to your home, add a LOVE splash by using one of those mugs as an adorable planter for the Valentine’s Day season. Not only is this a cute addition to your home, but would make a fantastic last-minute gift for someone you love! Check out Lacquer & Linen and this easy tutorial for this fun DIY LOVE planter!

DIY Big Bow Pillowcases

Although I don’t sew, I know many of you do, and I truly admire you! For those of our readers that do have the sewing gene (you, lucky people, you!) here is a fun tutorial from raegun ramblings for how to create your very own DIY Big Bow Pillowcases to add a little festivity to your home. 
To create these, visit your local Goodwill Store and purchase linens, sheets,  or the largest shirts you can find in your favorite festive colors. Use this material to create your own pillowcase covers for Valentine’s Day.

DIY Valentine’s Day Centerpiece

If you are looking to add a little festivity to your dinner table or mantle, you will love this easy project created from a little vinyl and any type of glass item/jar that you can find at your local Goodwill store.  
One Artsy Mama offers this free downloadable heart image that you can use to create your own vinyl masterpiece for your table. Fill your jar with festive conversation hearts and you have a fun & frugal centerpiece that you can use every year!

DIY Heart Sleeve Detail

I have been known to wear my heart on my sleeve so this project is perfect for a girl like me! Just visit your local Goodwill for a shirt, cardigan, or sweater you can add your heartfelt detail on  and use these easy directions from hey love designs for creating an easy felt detail to your sweater.

This would be a fun one for a little girl in your life too and takes minimal sewing skills (yay, for those of us that dropped out of sewing school!) to make this sweet little project!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Valentine’s Day DIY Projects

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and today I wanted to showcase some fun ways to add a little Valentine’s fun to your house using items you can often find at your local Goodwill. The best part about these  projects is that the are inexpensive and oh-so-easy to create!

Valentine’s Day Mason Jars– Mason jars are an item that you will often find in the housewares section of the store and can be used for a variety of projects. Decorate a side table or mantle with these cleverly decorated mason jars for Valentine’s Day. Hearts can be created from any red shirt or sweater you might spy and then wrapped sweetly with jute or twine. Finish this project off by adorning it with a lacy paper doily. (@ crescendoh).

If snow globes are more your thing, I adore these sweet little Snow Globe Jars that you can create for Valentine’s Day. I also love that they are inspired by one of my favorite out-of-my-budget shops, Anthropolgie (@ whiperberry)

Tunnel Of Love Art– Free printables abound and can be a fun way to dress up a wall, table, or mantle without spending a lot of money for holiday occasions. Spray paint a Goodwill frame a bold red and insert this adorable free printable in your frame for a fun nod to the holiday that sits perfectly in your budget!  (@ Flamingo Toes)

Candy Cane Valentine’s Day Treats– At Goodwill, we are all about finding new ways to repurpose items around the house and that is why I love this candy treat project so much. Don’t throw out those leftover mini candy canes just yet!  Upcycle your Christmas treats into super sweet Valentine’s Day treat pops for your kids to give out for Valentine’s Day. Have your children decorate and create their own Valentine’s this year and tuck these sweet candy cane pops in for a finishing touch. (@ Pleasant Home)

Crochet Heart Garland– If you have the talent for crochet, this adorable Crochet Heart Garland is a fun project to create to decorate a mantle or to drape over a window. Check Goodwill for items like yarn and crochet needles in the craft supplies section of your store. (@ design sponge)

Valentine’s Day Wreath– Donated wreaths are often donated at the store and can easily be updated with a few homemade additions. This tutorial for loopy felt flowers and rosettes are the perfect way to dress up a wreath in bright Valentine’s Day colors with just a few dollars in felt (@ The Motherload)

Yarn Wrapped Letters– Yarn projects are one of my favorites because they are so inexpensive to create and, frankly, I’ve got a lot of yarn in this house of mine! These yarn wrapped letters are a fun way to repurpose a ball of yarn in your home and can be created with a variety of sweet phrases for the holiday. (@ Family Chic)

Valentine’s Day Bunting– Buntings can be created from a variety of items available at Goodwill. I love to use large pieces like a sheet, tablecloth, or curtain material to create my fabric projects because they offer so much fabric for your money. Hunt for fun prints in pinks & reds to create a simple fabric bunting to dress up your mantle. (@ It’s My Story)

Fabric Painted Hearts– Fabric painting is a fun way to spice up a shirt or a bag for the Valentine’s Day season. This sweet and easy tutorial for a fabric painted heart would be a fun craft project to try on a white t-shirt for yourself or for your kids (@ V and Co.)

What are some of your favorite Valentine’s Day projects to do with your family?