Hi, I’m Kati Driscoll, author of The Finer Things, an entertaining and design focused stationery blog for FineStationery.com. I was inspired by a post from sfgirlbybay whose Self-Portrait Painting Party sounded like just the type of gathering I would host. I love the idea of a group of friends getting together and creating self-portraits.

The best part about this party theme is that it is adaptable for guests of all ages and skill levels. For the young or young-at-heart, consider supplying crayons, markers, water-based paints and colored pencils. Provide each guest with a notepad personalized with their name as a table setting and favor. For the more advanced artist, provide acrylic paints, watercolors, pastels, charcoal and pencils in addition to bulk canvases and a variety of fine art papers.

Make sure you have a camera available, too. Not everyone is a budding Picasso, but perhaps you have the next Dorothea Lang amongst your guests. I prefer Polaroid as you can easily create a gallery of the event as it happens, but digital photography is a medium not to be ignored.

Of course, we can’t forget the food(!)…

For a creative party like this, encourage guests to create edible masterpieces by building their own pizzas, sundaes or cupcakes.

[photos via farlane and jekinthebox]