Fort Worth–based writer, influencer, and vintage hunter Rosie Case loves a good theme, and she’ll search high and low—in every sense of the words—to execute it. Case has earned a devoted Instagram following by unearthing treasures at Goodwill, eBay, and the like and creating home-decor magic from her finds. With her discerning eye and knack for creativity, drawer pulls become place-card holders and the clearance section of At Home is a veritable gold mine.
For this challenge, Case’s concept grew from a roll of tracing paper—purchased cheaply on Amazon—and a pair of scissors. “I’m not really a tablecloth kind of girl,” she says. “So I just started cutting and thought, ‘This looks like kelp or seaweed.’ ” From there, she layered in inexpensive accents and found objects for what became a “Glam-Bake” vibe, complete with coastal birds, egg-shaped plates, and fossilized shells. “I love to go super literal,” she laughs. “Aggressively literal.”
Rosie’s Tips for a Laid-Back, Budget Friendly Gathering
Cater to Your Crowd
Case admits that most of her entertaining—which consists of hosting neighborhood friends and kids—doesn’t look like this. “It’s never too precious,” she says, joking that for a simple backyard barbecue, the extent of her preparation is “Windexing the dining table.”
Escape the Party Aisle
“There’s so much interesting stuff to be had in other parts of the store,” says Case, who found uniquely shaped coffee-cup wraps and used them as place cards, anchoring them with repurposed Hobby Lobby diving-helmet drawer pulls.
Cheap Trick
Don’t overspend on a one-off theme. Case recommends Walmart, dollar stores, or thrift shops for plates and napkins. “Goodwills, especially, are overrun with glassware—you can find a reasonable set of six or eight in a fun color,” she says. “Afterward, you can donate them back.”
Forgo the Flowers
“I’m in the minority, but fresh flowers make me sad because they’re just waiting to die,” she says. For a natural element, Case prefers to snip branches in the backyard or, she says, “Get some outdoor plants and plunk them in the middle of the table if you want some volume.”
How Low Can You Go?
Don’t get so carried away with your centerpiece that it interferes with conversation. “Keep it to candles and something low so people can see each other,” she says.
Make Your Mark
Case purchased a bag of wooden cutlery off Amazon, then used a Sharpie to give them some extra flair. “It makes them more interesting,” she says.
When in Doubt…
Just remember the three keys to a good party, according to Case: “Music and booze and snacks.” Fourth on the list might be a smart home assistant: “The more people drink, the more they order Alexa around, and it ends up being a dance party.”
Resources: Large clamshell and wooden birds: At Home; Wooden beads on bird, diving helmet place-card holders (repurposed drawer pulls): Hobby Lobby; Tracing paper, plates, and wooden cutlery: Amazon; Faux bois napkins: Etsy; Vintage glasses: Goodwill; Candles and place cards (repurposed coffee-cup wraps): Joann; Air plants: Lowe’s and World Market; All others: vintage or found
