An (in)RL Craft & Chocolate Party!
Hey everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was jam-packed and I’m pleasantly exhausted from hosting several events, but I loved every minute. If you have to be tired, it’s much better when it comes from something fun and meaningful. My life is busy and full of hard work, but because I enjoy most of what I do, it rarely feels like work.
So what did I do this weekend? Glad you asked.
Some wonderful friends from church and I organized a Craft and Chocolate Party for ladies in our local community. Yes, there was a chocolate fountain — and yes, it was glorious. This event was part of the (in)RL conference organized by (in)courage, and we hosted a local meet-up at our church, Voyage. It was our first official community event as a women’s group and we were thrilled with how it turned out. We enjoyed planning it as much as we enjoyed the party itself.
I’m a home decor blogger, so I admit I take pictures of everything but people. Forgive me — there were definitely people there, and they were lovely. This event was about connecting with others, so I’ll talk about the people in a moment. First, a few details about how the party came together. I like to set a comfortable, inviting stage so guests can relax and mingle.
I enjoy designing the details, but I keep preparations simple. If I get bogged down in logistics, I stop enjoying the process. I’m fortunate to have a great group of ladies who brainstormed, helped set up, and worked the event, which made everything smoother and more fun. Community means working together, and I’m grateful for the teamwork that made the party succeed.
Instead of overplanning, I picked a few simple themes and let the event unfold naturally. My aim was to make the party fun and memorable by engaging multiple senses and providing activities that encouraged conversation and interaction.
For the shopping list, I focused on a fresh spring color palette that tied everything together. The colors appeared on polka-dot paper plates, packets of Tazo tea, fruity cold drinks, springy tablecloths from TJ Maxx, and piles of fabric scraps for making flower pins. Fresh tulips in mason jars lined the room, adding fragrance and a seasonal touch.
To set the mood, I lit two fruity-scented candles, and with the chocolate fountain warm and bubbly, the room smelled irresistible. Our food table offered a variety of dippable treats and small bites that paired perfectly with chocolate and tea.
We arranged several stations around the space: a beverage area using metal buckets filled with ice, a central food table with the chocolate fountain, and a crafting zone with multiple tables. Each craft table held mason jars of scissors, glue guns, needles, thread, buttons, and a selection of fabrics along with sample flower pins and simple instructions. Guests could follow the patterns or improvise — both approaches produced lovely results.
All the flower pins turned out adorable. I regret not snapping photos of everyone wearing their creations, but once people began chatting and crafting, we were fully engaged. Next time I’ll designate someone to take the group photos so those moments are captured.
This is the first flower pin I ever made — finished in about four minutes. It’s imperfect, but that imperfection gives it charm. I don’t consider myself particularly crafty, so finishing a project felt like a small victory. Watching everyone choose fabrics and create their pins while chatting made the crafting tables a lively, happy place.
Many attendees were friends of friends, and I left the event having made several new connections I hope to see again. Overall, this was one of the most enjoyable gatherings I’ve hosted. It accomplished exactly what we hoped: conversation, creativity, and new friendships.
That was the heart of (in)RL — creating local, in-person connections. Our small, growing church benefited not only from bringing women together, but also from the collaboration involved in planning and hosting a community event. The women in our group are talented hosts, and we’re excited to keep building relationships and offering more gatherings in the months ahead.
We wish you could have joined us to craft and enjoy chocolate — it would have made the day even more perfect. Maybe next time?
Plenty more is coming this week — stay tuned for updates and ideas from our event and a few new projects we’re planning to keep our community engaged and growing.