World weary sophisticates, please look away now….

Miniminx has lots of kids coming over for her birthday next Sunday. Things are different this year; with the job loss, credit crunch, and even Woolies gone to the dogs, I’ve put aside posh party planning in favour of a pot luck party on a shoestring budget of £19.99.

Armed with glue gun, scissors, a dusty old craft box and my laptop, I’m sure this will be an adventure in thrift like no other. Being the complete jam tart that I am, I’ve scoured the internet in search of party plagiarisms so you don’t have to….

My top five tips are:
1. Hearty Party Hats

I made these fab hats (see pic above), and they’ve passed the ‘cool with the kids’ test. I got this idea from jail bird home-maker-extraordinaire Martha Stewart

They cost me £2.10 to make 9 (6m of haberdashers hat elastic)

2. Credit Crunch Lucky Dip

This is very enjoyable… You can erase your money worries and get happy by shredding bank statements, credit card bills and final demands. Please try this at home, it’s exhilarating (but please don’t if you’re in Public Office). Stuff the shreddings into a large box (decorate with wrapping paper) to create your own Cathartic Lucky Dip. Wrap up all the ‘already-got-one-of-those’ gifts from bygone years in free newssheets and you’ve got yourself a welcome party diversion that should last a good 30 minutes and it doesn’t cost a thing.

3. Tuppeny Treasure Hunt
Kids love nothing more than having a good rummage around other people’s houses so they’ll love this one. It’ll keep the blighters busy while the Mums gossip and quaff cocktails. Using the old, keep it simple stupid, principle, create a simple Treasure Hunt. Pair off the kids and give them each a set of three clues to help them find the treasure. The first clue will take them to a hiding place with the second clue and so on until they find the treasure (penny sweets wrapped gold tissue paper). If you’re a particularly mean parent and have a big garden, the possibilities are endless and you could create around 10 or more clues.

Warning: Don’t even think of preparing this after more than a glass of wine, it could end up nonsensical. Believe me, I’ve tried.

4. The Delegation Celebration Cake
A couple of years ago, Miniminx had four friends sleep over the night before her birthday party. Ironically, it was two boys who stayed up to make her cake with me while she elected to watch videos. I said she could decorate the cake in the morning. When I awoke the next day and headed to the kitchen ready to get icing, I let out the loudest scream ever heard down our street. A rat infestation would have left me less shaken – she’d got up extra early with her friend and decorated the cake. It was ghastly with a big G.

Knowing that this was so much fun, I’m now using this to my advantage and this year, they’re under obligation do it again. It’s going to save me hours of piddling around with icing, colouring and decorations.

5. Hope & Charity Party Bags
I’ve got loads of wrapping tissue left over from moving house and I’m going to make some simple party bags by hand stitching a few sheets together. With Miniminx’s blessing (she’s only half way to giving it) we’re going to go through her old magazines and cut out pictures of Zac, the Jonas bros etc. and glue them on…I’m not quite sure what to put in them yet but the maximum budget will be £5…

That leaves me with £12.79 to spend on food….

Oh, and we’ll be having a minute of silence for Woolworths….