This is a look back at the very first party Katrina and I ever did together. We are a lover of many things, but it’s hard not to find Kat and I swooning over cool wind, decorated trees, hot chocolate, pumpkins and the magic that Halloween brings when you are a child and your imagination is free to run wild for a night.

Kat and I wanted to capture all that enchantment and throw a darling little party for the kiddos. For us, this party really sets the stage in which Gatherhaus was created. It was a gathering using supplies and items we already had on hand. It was our first time really looking at the concept of “can we create magic with limited funds while also striving for healthy food options and low stress?”

It was a smashing hit! It was fun to dig in our basements and attics and find treasures to be used. Pouring over magazines, scouring for recipes, and adapting those recipes to fit what was already in my cupboard. For a low budget party, we were able to have decor, delish food, and fun games for the children.

Before the 2011 tornado took our beautiful backyard tree, we used Katrina’s orange lanterns from her vow renewal to create a focus point in the backyard, placing the food underneath to draw people in.  Since the lanterns dictated the main color, we scrounged up everything we could find in orange, with a few discount purchased flowers and hand made signs.

We decided to create the food as part of the landscape and decor, and it turned out splendidly! With a crisp feeling in the air, we served hot chili with cut out cheese to keep with our harvest theme, veggies wrapped in twine as “harvest sticks” and a variety of hand made treats that were at least healthier than the store bought variety!

We set up a fun photo booth to take each child’s picture for their parents after the party. I simply entreated a friend to help me draw a Harvest field for the background. We enjoyed hanging out together, drinking tasty coffee and drawing and coloring together. It’s important to enjoy the process if you are going to take extra measures while creating space for magical moments.

And what’s a Harvest party without eating donuts off a string, bobbing for apples and a bonfire. It was perfection!

After some food and fun and games, we gathered everyone up and went trick or treating. As an adult, I got to watch my children laugh and play with their friends, run in the leaves, check their treat bucket and exclaim with joy over their treasures. All under the light of the moon with my friends along for the ride.

Community
Gathering
Magic
Simple
Intentional
Thrifty
Creative
Charming
Joyful
Memorable

It was all of these things.

It was how we got started.

Thanks for sharing in the memory with us!

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