I’m the one who hot-glues things at 2 AM the night before a party, swears I’ll never do it again, and then signs up to host the next one. If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
Here at Party & Beyond, I cover the creative, hands-on side of celebrations — the kind that involve glue guns, dollar store hauls, and at least one trip to the craft aisle that ends in chaos. Halloween is my favorite season. Balloon garlands are my love language. And I’m here to convince you that you absolutely can pull off the decor you’ve been pinning for three years.
How I Got Into This
I blame my mom.
She was the kind of woman who hand-painted birthday signs, sewed Halloween costumes from scratch, and built balloon arches in our living room before Pinterest told her she was supposed to. Every birthday in our house was a full production. I grew up assuming this was normal. (Reader: it was not normal.)
By high school, I was the friend everyone called when they needed a prom backdrop or a homecoming float. By college, I had accidentally won a pumpkin carving competition and built a small reputation. By my late twenties, I was getting paid for the thing I’d been doing for free since I was eight years old.
Now I do it full-time, and I get to share the projects (and the disasters) here.
Where I Hang Out on the Site
If you’re new here, these are the kinds of posts I write:
🎃 Halloween costumes — solo, couples, family, and the kind that work with a baby strapped to your chest
🎈 Balloon garlands and arches that don’t require a professional
🏠 Theme-based party decor for birthdays, baby showers, and weddings
💸 Dollar store and thrift haul transformations
🍂 Seasonal wreaths, tablescapes, and front-door decor
✏️ Step-by-step craft tutorials for people who don’t think they’re “crafty”
If a project takes more than an afternoon or costs more than a nice dinner out, I usually don’t share it here. The whole point is that this stuff should be doable.
A Few Things About Me
I’ve been crafting for over a decade and learned almost everything from YouTube, trial, and embarrassing amounts of error. My specialty is anything Halloween — I start planning costumes in July, which my partner finds either charming or alarming depending on the day.
I’m based in Denver, Colorado. I share my craft room with a very judgmental cat named Pumpkin (yes, really) who has destroyed approximately 40% of my project samples. My favorite tool is a mini glue gun. My least favorite craft trend is anything that requires a Cricut to be operational on the first try.
I have a niece and nephew who are usually roped into being my “test subjects” for family costume ideas, and they’re better sports about it than they should be.
What You Won’t Find Here
I’m not going to pretend my house looks like a magazine. I’m not going to tell you a project is “easy” if it isn’t. And I’m definitely not going to recommend something I haven’t tried in my own kitchen, on my own dining table, with my own glitter-stained hands.
If a tutorial is here, I’ve made it. Probably twice. The second time better than the first.
Say Hi
Got a costume idea you’re stuck on? A party theme that’s stressing you out? A craft question you don’t want to ask your judgmental friend? Email me at chloe@partyandbeyond.com.
Or skip the chitchat and just browse all my articles. I won’t be offended.
