turquoise beads

Whether you're throwing a birthday party for a toddling 2-year-old or a too-cool-for anything tween, an arts-and-crafts-themed bash might be just the thing. Guests - especially little ones - love a party where they get to DO something, especially if it's something they can take home as a memento of the day. Plus, if you take advantage of the wide availability of discount craft supplies and inexpensive, solid-color party goods, it can be easy on your budget. Here are some tips for hosting an awesomely creative celebration:

INVITATIONS: Maybe you've heard that an invitation sets the tone for a party? Give guests a peek at what's in store with an invite that bursts with color. For younger kids, try the Colorful Paint Tray invitation from Pear Tree Greetings (peartreegreetings.com, 16 cards for about $22). It mimics the familiar shape of a box of kids' watercolors, and the bright colors work for boys or girls. And Pear Tree's interactive site makes it easy for you to play with the wording and colors until you've got them just the way you like. Minted's Artist's Palette invitation, dotted with colorful paint splotches, is a bit more abstract, and would work for a wide range of ages (minted.com, 15 cards for $44).

Or go the handmade route: Print the party info on heavy white cardstock (leave a wide border) and let the birthday kid go crazy with crayons, watercolors or colored pencils. If your guests are local (and there aren't too many of them), tie a card with the party details to a few markers or a tray of inexpensive paints and hand-deliver them.

VENUE: As long as you have a large table or two, and room to set them up (and you're willing to clean up afterward), you can host this party at home. But if you're not willing to pick up beads and vacuum away glitter, you may want to consider other options. If you're happy to do almost everything yourself, and just need a good spot, look for a multi-purpose room at a local community center. If you'd prefer to have someone else do the dirty work of helping guests craft, look for a local paint-your-own pottery studio, art workshop or craft store. Some of those places have party packages designed just for kids of certain ages, so you'll have minimal work to do - other than handing over a check.

DECOR: The great thing about an art party is that a little color is all you need to invoke the theme. That could mean a few bunches of colorful balloons, paper pinwheels hanging from the ceiling or a big easel with a sign welcoming guests. (Drag the easel out of your kids' playroom; it can double as a crafting station during the party.) Cover the tables you'll be using with a bright, disposable (or washable) tablecloth to make cleanup easy afterward. And have an extra tablecloth (or two) on hand so that you can switch them out if things get too messy, or if you want a clean space for cupcakes and snacks. If you're worried about the floor, consider a dropcloth - head to the hardware store and buy a few in the painting section.

If you want lots of little detail decor elements (popular in many DIY parties on blogs or Pinterest), why not let someone else do the work for you? Online partyware store Paper & Cake offers a suite of printable elements designed around an art party theme; all you have to do is download, print and snip (paperandcake.com, $18.95). The package includes invitations, thank-you notes, a pennant banner, jar labels, table tents and more, all decorating with colorful splashes of paint. Just print them on cardstock, and you're ready to go. If you want the PDF equivalent of a party planner, Paper & Cake also sells a 25-page art party plan (among lots of other themes) for $15.95 - tips, a planning schedule, resources and more.

PROJECTS: Of course, the fun of an art party is the projects. And the complexity and number of the projects will depend on the age of your guests, and how many people you're hosting. But the great thing about an arts and crafts party is that even small children can enjoy it. Don't underestimate the fun of simple projects, especially at the beginning of the party as you wait for everyone to arrive. Offer a giant tray of stickers, crayons, self-adhesive jewels and rubber stamps (look for self-inking ones) and let kids create collages to their hearts' content. String a clothesline nearby and hang guests' creations until they take them home.

Even small children can string beads, if the materials are age-appropriate. For 4- to 6-year-olds, try making bracelets: Create a kit for each child that contains a plastic lacing needle strung with elastic cord (tie a bead on one end of the cord, and knot the other end of the cord around the needle). Include letter beads for each child's name in his or her kit. (Do a test-run to be sure the holes in the beads are large enough for your needles.) Then offer other plastic colorful beads in various shapes on a tray in the middle of the table. When a child has strung enough beads to fit around her wrist, remove the needle and tie off the elastic.

If you're willing to let guests get a little messy, almost every kid loves to paint. Online party purveyor Oriental Trading Company (orientaltrading.com) sells tons of inexpensive craft supplies, including small plastic palettes so that each kid can have his own colors nearby (12 for $4). Also look for sponge paint dotters in different shapes (24 for $6) and brushes in lots of shapes and sizes. If you can get them on sale at a local craft store, real artist canvases are a fun treat, but sturdy paper meant for paints is perfectly fine too. Oriental Trading also sells kids' aprons for as low as $10 for a dozen - a must-have if you're going to be painting.

FAVORS: If you have slightly older guests (7 and up), consider sending each child home with a quality art supply, like a tray of watercolors or a box of colored pencils. Smaller children will probably appreciate a collection of items, like stickers, pencils and maybe a candy treat. To stick with the color theme, try mini rainbow swirl lollipops (38 for $7).