When it comes to parties, doing it your self (D.I.Y), isn’t just a smart way to save money, it can also be very satisfying and with some planning and creativity – a lot of fun!

• If outsourcing isn’t your thing when it comes to entertaining, here are 5 clever D.I.Y party tips:

• 1 – DIY party invitations & thank you cards

  We can’t go past creating your own electronic invitations and thank you cards. Free, fast, easy and better for the environment! With hundreds of gorgeous designs to choose from, all you need to do is customise your e-invites and cards with your own details.

• 2 – DIY party favours

  The party favours pictured were super-easy to make and went down a treat with our little guests at a recent children’s party. Simply buy a pack of clear cellophane cone shaped bags from our online party shop and fill with your favourite confectionary. Tie the top with a crafty ribbon - easily purchased from any haberdashery store and for that extra special touch, attach a little personalised thank you tag (we cut and paste the main image from our e-invite and printed little tags out). Keep the extra bags for future parties – they look completely different with new lollies and chocolates inside!

• 3 – D.I.Y party music

  If the event doesn’t call for a professional DJ, you can create your own playlist of your favourite party tunes using your iPod. There’s a feature called Party Shuffle that will play songs randomly from your pre-prepared list. Alternatively you can download lots of different playlists online, depending on your party theme and the occasion. To add a personal touch, you can ask your guests to recommend their favourite party song as part of their RSVP – it can be a real hoot when they hear it played on the day!

• 4 – D.I.Y party decorations

  Simple, stylish and very reasonably priced, paper lanterns and parasols are our current favourite D.I.Y party decorations. They really do add a gorgeously whimsical feel to your event and are available in so many great colours to suit all types of events. Paper lanterns can be easily strung using fishing wire. Paper lanterns are available in small, medium and large and our paper parasols can be purchased in 7 stunning colours. Both of these great party decorations can be used over and over again – the paper lanterns look great indoors and outside even when you’re not partying and paper parasols are a stylish addition to any of your party outfits.
• Want to really excel yourself? Read our article on making your own party bunting.

• 5 - D.I.Y carpet cleaning

  Ensuring the venue is in tip-top condition is an important part of any pre-party plan (and can also be a post-party necessity!) If you’re hosting your event at home, you’ll be pleased to know that Britex Carpet Care is still around (after 30 years of great service) and they can supply you with all you need to perform a thorough and professional clean for your floors.

• Exclusive Member Promotion Sept 2011:

  To celebrate all things D.I.Y – we’ve partnered with Britex Carpet Care and every day this month 1 clever member will win a voucher that gives them 24hr hire of a Britex Carpet Care machine and a 1 litre bottle of carpet cleaning detergent. Entering is easy via the online entry form.
• Win a $50 Britex D.I.Y voucher here.
  Visit Britex on Facebook here