Hostess Toolkit

Matte Photo Paper is perfect for anything you want to photograph or look its best.

I've used this brand a few times already, and even on a cheap inkjet printer, we get gorgeous, velvety print quality.

For water bottles, or anything else that might get damp, I've found that Glossy Photo Paper is the best choice (see why I prefer this paper to make waterproof water bottles)

While colors will look their best on photo paper, sometimes your budget calls for something less expensive. in that case, White Card Stock is a great choice

I recently started using my Cricut Maker to cut party printables, and it’s completely transformed my workflow. Everything is so much easier now.

Using the print and cut feature, the cuts are more reliable and I can work on other projects while the cutting magic happens.

This machine is so useful that I even started formatting every possible party printables design to fit within Cricut's Print and Cut sizing. It's truly amazing.

My Fiscars paper trimmer is my most used paper trimmer (other than the Cricut). It’s perfect for all straight edge cutting, such as bottle labels, triangle buntings, and table tent cards.

(Full Disclosure: my trimmer is old, so it looks different, but this is the same make and style)

I actually own at least 3 different burlap buntings, and they’re awesome.

You can add decorative touches on top, or use them to add layers of texture underneath a customized printable party bunting.

A tiered serving stand is one of the best investments you can make. I love this stand in particular because it fits dinner plates, which you can mix and match to fit your theme, and are a great size for kids parties.

You can see ours in action at this S’mores Party and this Mother’s Day Party.

Baker’s Twine is awesome.

Use it to string up banners and buntings, wrap utensils, tie favor bags, and so much more. I keep a variety of colors on hand because it just comes in handy so often!

Tip: You can find limited colors of bakers's twine at the Dollar store, but it usually isn't long enough to do more than one banner.

When you want to hang things that look like they're floating, monofilament is your best friend. Most projects will work best with a lightweight monofilament, like 10 pounds, but if you're hanging something heavy, you might want to increase the weight to 15 pounds.

Best of all, one inexpensive spool will last you for years to come.

Confession: I have a drawer that is completely full of Command Hooks. It may be a slight obsession.

These little clear hooks are the BEST for stringing up buntings, but the larger hooks are great for hanging biggert items such as wreaths. 

Blu Tack is hands down the most essential part of my emergency party kit. 

It's great because it cleans up easily, and doesn’t leave grease marks on your wall, and it’s incredibly versatile. I use it for everything from mounting unframed prints, to holding decorations in place.

Glue Guns come in handy more often than you’d think. Whether it’s a label that just won’t stay down, or last-minute favor tags, always make sure you’ve got a glue gun and extra glue sticks handy.