Articles by Joanna Mercer

Backyard Graduation Party Decor

Every May, I swear my backyard becomes a stage. Not the fancy kind with rigging and curtains, but the real-life version where a lawn has to magically handle hugs, photos, food lines, and a whole lot of proud-family energy. The good news is you do not need a perfect landscape or a massive budget....

7 Boho-Chic Baby Shower Decor Ideas Using Pampas Grass and Earth Tones

I grew up helping my parents turn our backyard into a full-on summer luau, which taught me one big lesson early: you do not need a fancy venue to make a celebration feel intentional. Boho baby showers are my favorite version of that idea. Give me pampas grass, warm earth tones, and a few woven...

Wild One Safari First Birthday Decor on a Budget

The very first time I styled a “Wild One” birthday, I was setting up in my friend’s living room while the baby was napping in a carrier nearby, and I had that familiar party-planner panic: it’s going to look like a pile of stuff until the last five minutes. Then the faux vines went up, the animal...

Floating Candle Centerpieces with Submerged Florals

I have a soft spot for floating candle centerpieces because they do the most with the least. You get that dreamy evening glow, a little bit of “wow, you hired a pro,” and you do not need 40 identical flower arrangements to pull it off. The part that trips people up is always the same: getting the...

Mirror Bases for Brighter Centerpieces

The first time I used a mirror base under a centerpiece, it was purely a “use what you have” moment. I was setting up a backyard birthday dinner at dusk, my candles felt a little… timid, and I remembered an old mirrored tray hiding in a cabinet. The second I slid it under the arrangement, the whole...

7 Inexpensive Greenery Picks for Lush Table Runners

I learned the magic of greenery runners the same way I learned most party truths: the day before a big backyard gathering, staring at a too-bare table, realizing flowers alone were not going to stretch. Greenery is the secret sauce. It makes a table feel full, intentional, and a little bit fancy,...

Table Numbers in Centerpieces Without the Clutter

I learned this the hard way at a backyard birthday bash I styled for a friend: my centerpieces were adorable, the table numbers were necessary… and together they looked like a tiny paper forest blocking everyone’s view. Since then, I treat table numbers like a design element, not just logistics....

Fresh Citrus Tablescapes That Look Like Summer

The first time I tucked lemon slices into a clear vase , it was for a backyard July birthday where we had exactly two goals: keep it cheerful and keep it easy. The citrus did both. It made a basic grocery store bouquet look like I planned it a week in advance, and it photographed beautifully even...

Tall vs. Low Centerpieces

I learned this lesson the hard way at a backyard birthday years ago, back when my “centerpiece strategy” was basically: make it big and hope for the best. The tall arrangements looked gorgeous in photos, but halfway through dinner I watched guests lean left and right like they were playing peekaboo...

Layer Chargers, Plates, and Napkins Like a Pro

I learned table layering the way I learned most party skills, by setting a table at the last minute, stepping back, and thinking, “Why does this look like a banquet hall and not the Pinterest table in my head?” The good news is that a pro-looking place setting is mostly order, spacing, and one...

Interactive Charcuterie Table Runner

I love a centerpiece you can eat. It is part decor, part conversation starter, and it keeps people happily nibbling instead of hovering in the kitchen asking when dinner is happening. A charcuterie table runner is exactly that: a long, food-safe grazing “runner” down the center of your table that...

Chicken Wire and Floral Frogs for Foam-Free Centerpieces

I grew up watching my parents turn our backyard into a full-on luau with whatever we had on hand, and that mindset still runs my party life. These days, one of my favorite upgrades is swapping floral foam for mechanics, meaning the hidden structure inside an arrangement, that are reusable, sturdier...

Tablescape Layouts for Mixed Table Shapes

The first time I had to style a room with rounds, rectangles, and a couple of random squares , I did what any confident DIY decorator does: I told everyone it was “eclectic on purpose” and then panic-googled centerpiece proportions in my driveway. Now I actually love mixed table shapes. They can...

How to Secure Taper Candles on Event Tables

I learned the hard way that taper candles have a dramatic streak. Give them a slightly wobbly holder, a warm room, or a table that gets bumped all night and suddenly every candle is leaning like it is gossiping with the centerpiece. The good news is you do not need fancy rentals to get that...

7 Upcycled Party Decor Ideas for Eco-Friendly Celebrations

I grew up watching my parents turn our backyard into a full-on summer luau with whatever we already had. Old jars became candle holders, “extra” fabric turned into tablecloths, and nothing went in the trash until we had squeezed one more party out of it. That mindset stuck. These days, when I’m...

DIY Tissue Paper Pom Poms for Ceiling Decor

I learned tissue paper pom poms the same way I learned most party tricks: on a chaotic setup day, with someone texting “people will be here in an hour” while I’m standing under a bare ceiling thinking, this room needs something up top . Pom poms are my favorite ceiling save because they are...

How to Build a Custom Cardboard Piñata from Scratch

I grew up helping my parents turn our backyard into a full-blown summer luau, and there was always one rule: if it can be made from what we already have, we try that first. A cardboard piñata is exactly that kind of project. It is creative, slightly chaotic in the best way, and wildly satisfying...

DIY Acrylic Welcome Signs for Events

The first time I made an acrylic welcome sign, I did what every excited DIYer does. I started painting before I had a real plan for layout, spacing, or how I was going to keep my letters from wobbling. The good news is acrylic can be forgiving when it comes to fixing paint-pen mistakes, but it also...

Hand-Dyed Cheesecloth Table Runners

The first time I dyed cheesecloth for a backyard party, I was chasing that “effortless” rustic look I grew up with at my parents’ summer luaus. You know the vibe: soft fabric draped down picnic tables, colors that feel sun-faded in the best way, and edges that look like they’ve always been that...

7 Creative Ways to Decorate with Crepe Paper Streamers

I will never forget the first time I “leveled up” basic crepe paper streamers. I was helping set up a backyard party and we had that classic last-minute moment: the food was handled, the playlist was ready, and the space still looked a little… plain. I grabbed a few rolls of streamers, started...