We love turning bargain basics and cheerful party supplies into fun decorations, from party blowers to confetti. The materials aren't hard to come by -- you'll find them at party stores, discount stores, and even office-supply stores.

You can transform a space in an instant with a bunch of giant paper globes, starbursts, and medallions. A sophisticated cake with festive candles and Champagne say that this is no kids' party.

Numbers make natural themes for birthdays (and anniversaries, too). Use them to customize everything from the cocktails to the candles on the cake. Details like these will surely add up to a good time.

Honoring the birthday boy or girl with monograms is as easy as A,B,C. Fashion them from wire, glitter, or wax, and hang them on a wall, prop them up on a table, or set them on a cake. They'll make for a red-letter day (or pink or gold or green).

Take everyone for a stroll down memory lane with photos of the guest of honor in the form of balloons, candles, cupcakes, and party hats. Include shots from all eras, with lots of friends and family. Unify the images -- and give them classic vintage appeal -- by printing them in black-and-white.

Incorporate a range of shades -- from pale to dark, candy-hued to dramatic. You'll be amazed at how seamlessly they all fit together, as these blues do. To personalize party blowers, print messages onto colored paper. Cut them into strips, stretch open the blowers, and glue on the messages. For this invitation, fill a glassine envelope with tissue-paper confetti and the party specifics, printed and cut into strips.

The gleam of gold, silver, copper, or bronze makes any event sparkle. Use one, or mix metals. For the votive candle, wrap a glass holder in copper or silver metal tape. Add some pop to white boxes with gold medallion stickers. And bring a festive flourish to silver candles with flower-shaped bases.

It's a perfect pairing. When eye-catching fluorescents are teamed with warm earth tones, both look their best. Plain brown bags and plates never looked so stylish. The best part? You can find plates and bags in the supermarket and stickers and tags in an office-supply store.

Combining color and a design element such -- such as these stripes of streamers -- gives decorations a powerful punch. Cover the table with white poster paper, and unroll streamers along its length, affixing them at intervals with double-sided tape. Top with glassine. For candleholders, use double-sided tape to attach streamers around glass holders.