One of the nice things about planning parties is that many things you learn, make, or create have several uses. Here are just a few examples to get you started.

You have decided to have a Las Vegas night and have created props appropriate to the theme. How can you reuse them? You could plan an event with a riverboat theme and bring out your gambling stuff. Rental equipment for your Casino Night might be used for a Roaring Twenties theme.

What will you ever do with all those silk flowers, flower arrangements and garlands that you bought for a song at garage sale? Well, your Nursery Rhyme party would have tons of opportunities for use such as for the Mistress Mary setting. Your tea party just cries out for floral touches everywhere, as would almost any theme wedding, or garden party. How about using those garlands to drape doors, decorate costumes or wear as crowns for anything from Mythology to Renaissance.

Speaking of crowns, do you know how many types of costumes might wear a crown? Of course all of royalty, including princes, princesses, kings, and queens. Mythological deities demand a crown as well as some warrior, fantasy figures, and what about angels and certain of the fairy realm.

The sword, depending on its type and length, also is part of many costumes like the soldier, warrior, Viking, mythological figure, knight, and many fantasy characters.

Costumes, themselves, can be reused and made-over if you are not interested in preserving them intact and are just a bit creative. Often, I use layers of sheer fabrics, one on top of the other for a desired effect and to offer some sort of modesty. Try alternating the layers. You can also re-drape, take out some stitching, cut or pink hems, shorten or add a border of something to lengthen it. You can add or remove bows, flowers, ribbon, or other decorations. Starting with several basic shapes many things can be made from them.

Decorating supplies if carefully removed can be reused in a different way just as you reuse Christmas decorations. This doesn't mean you stop buying them. If you're like me, you just purchase others in addition, but I reuse things other than balloons, paper products and streamers of course. Those cut- outs of fish, animals, pumpkins, or hearts can be put to good use several times.

I look year round at garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores for party and paper supplies in new or like new condition. I store them for just the right time or occasion. I take advantage of party shop sales and purchase items after the holiday is over. I even buy weird colors since I never know when I might use it for some special event. I do the same for craft items used to make decorations, costumes, invitations etc. You may use them in ways they were not intended for when they were sold, but you can adapt and embellish almost everything.

Many serving pieces and baskets can have multiple uses. A large wash basket can hold tons of fruit for your feast or maybe a baby for the Christmas Pageant. Tall, skinny baskets can hold bottles, flowers, or feathers. Platters and trays can be used for food, to hold small prizes or gifts, or props for games.

Trunks can be pirate's chests, or filled to overflowing with flowers, prizes, or dress up clothes. Refrigerator boxes can be made into a magician's trunk, Dr. Who's Tartus, train, castle, or a puppet stage. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Just look around you, what do you have? See those old lace curtains. Now, watch, as they become a wedding dress or maybe just the veil. You could use them as a cover for the tea party table, a vanity skirt for the dress-up party, What about a swag for the door of your Victorian setting, or a pretty net to hold balloons for a dramatic drop or a game?

There are so many ways to use the same thing or reuse it over that if storage were not a problem, I'd never throw out anything. I don't throw much away in spite of the storage dilemma. I absolutely cherish bits of silk, satin, velvet, brocade, fake fur, leather, ribbon, flowers, felt, bows, bits of glitter and sequins, pearls, beads, and rhinestones, feathers and anything shiny, rickrack, and other trims, colored paper, cardboard, and good condition party supplies. I use them for costumes, decorating, invitations, props for themes and games, and in too many ways to count.

So, look for how to reuse, adapt, embellish, remake, re-drape and recycle everything. Look with a discerning eye and you will discover ways to make the most unlikely items from things on hand.

Credits: Jo Ann Wentzel