A to-DYE for Collab: Oh Happy Day x F&F Tie-Dye Treehouse Party!

Oh, why hello there! It’s been a minute and I’ve definitely missed you all. In a short span of 2 months, I got engaged, married, and moved across to country to sunny Arizona! My socially distant party tutorials have gotten the shaft, but I trust that you have been having fabulous socially distant fun in the interim. Before my trifecta of life changes, I partnered up with Oh Happy Day to create the finale in my Party-in-Place tutorial series, and we settled on something very covid-friendly, awesome, and fashionably speaking.. all the rage: tie-dye! All the decor & tabletop items can be found in their Oh Happy Day Party Shop (linked below)!

This party was extra special to me because I did it in Michigan with my nieces 2 days before we left for Arizona; and specifically for my 12 year old niece that had a shelter-in-place birthday parade in May during the peak of Michigan’s coronavirus prevalence. I am super close to my nieces, so it was extra special to leave on a very high note.

Oh Happy Day has an awesome watercolor fans tutorial for white tissue decor that I followed with some small changes, and also added honeycombs and garlands to the mix.

The original tutorial calls for India Ink to dye the fans, but I didn’t have any (and it’s $35) so I substituted that for good old Wilton Gel Food Colors and the results were pretty great! It’s a little more difficult to manipulate the colors with food coloring, but I wanted the tie-dye to be slightly muted. Vary the concentrations of your water/food coloring and the consistency of the stream on your spray bottles. In the end, use a more concentrated solutions and the stream mode (not spray or mist) to spray on some harsher lines to give it those quintessential tie-dye characteristics.

To dye the honeycombs, open them up and just use a little scotch tape to keep them from closing (not the adhesive tabs they come with… save those for your actual event). Make sure you rotate them as you spray so that you don’t have a gap of white.

Like the tutorial states, try to separate warm and cool colors so that they don’t mix and produce brown splotches and make your decor look dirty. After they partially dried, if I found white spots, I would add a contrasting color… a little blue on a warm palette, or a little pink on a cool palette, and I liked the variety that produced. Also be sure not to over spray, if your tissue gets too saturated, it will be more likely to rip. Alternate the settings of the spray bottles to get less uniform patterns, and be sure to partially dry your decor opened, and then close them for the remainder of the drying. The streamers are definitely harder to close, but with a little patience (and a second set of hands, if possible), it’s definitely doable.

I love a contrasting backdrop for decor, so this rustic and foresty treehouse made for a great background for all the whimsical and lively colors. When placing your decor, stagger the heights of the honeycombs and fans, cluster various shapes and sizes, and avoid symmetry to give a more effortless and whimsical feel. Layer your garlands with contrasting textures… again, asymmetry is your friend here! With outdoor events, I love using decor with movement, like fringe and tassels.. it looks great when it catches the wind, and your pictures will look more lively!

Now for the garbs. We bought the biker shorts sets from the kids section at Target: biker shorts ($5… a size XL fit me as a 0/2 and would probably fit up to a size 4!), and these boxy white t-shirts (I bought an XXL, size 18-20). We also found kids jogger sets on Zulily, but you can also check Amazon or Walmart. My sister and I also bought these Cat & Jack Bralettes (in XL), and they turned out SO cute! A sweatshirt + biker short combo would be very cute (and is probably in my near future to complete my set), and very model-off-duty-esque!

I love to live vicariously through my nieces whenever possible, and since I always wanted a treehouse growing up and my brother-in-law recently built one for the girls, so this ‘shehouse’ is where our party was based!

We did our clumping and bunching inside the treehouse. For this step, you definitely want a LOT of rubber bands. Whatever you think you need… triple it!

We more or less followed the WeWoreWhat Tie-Dye Tutorial because I liked that her final products were more subtle (we actually followed the video tutorial in her Instagram story highlights). The only minor differences is that we didn’t use bleach, and we rubber banded both sides. The more clumps and clusters you do, the better your patterns will turn out.

We took the party down below the treehouse for the dyeing on top of a paper linen tablecloth. (my plan was to tie-dye this before the party and use on a table, but…I forgot!). The blue set we made with RIT Tropical Teal Dye , and the peachy blush/nude set was made with RIT Sandstone Dye. If you want white streaks in your creation, do not completely submerge in the dye solution, but submerge if you want a more monochromatic look. The spray bottles were from Walmart. Make sure you wear rubber gloves for this step, the dye will stain your hands!

We decided this was going to be a family affair, and all present adults and grandparents got in on the action too!

The 2” & 5” honeycombs were so tiny and cute that I decided to use them to top a plain white cake. The 2” balls are very delicate, so be sure not to saturate them when dying. The hot pink color pop “yay” was actually a straw from Target, but you can find a similar version here. The candles were technically “marbled”, but I thought they had a tie-dye look to them.

This party is great option for covid-safe(r) fun because it is best done outdoors, and with gloves on! And trust me, most dyes will stain your hands, so you are going to want to use gloves!

We tie-dyed on top of the OHD Paper Linen Tablecloth in white, and if you handle it carefully, you will end up with a sweet tie-dye tablecloth!

All the decor & tabletop products from this setup are exclusively from the Oh Happy Day Party Shop! Click the links below; I have also itemized the quantities, sizes, and colors from the setup above! If you do this party, please share your pictures with me, or tag @feteandfinery on instagram!

OH HAPPY DAY PARTY SHOP SUPPLIES

[White Tissue Decor for Dying]

Tissue Paper Fan 21" (Color: White, Pink, Mint Green)

Tissue Paper Fan Deluxe 27" (Color: White)

Honeycomb Diamond 12" (Color: 2x White, Mint Green, Light Blue)

Honeycomb Diamond 18" (Color: White)

Honeycomb Puff 14” (Color: Mint Green, Lavender)

Honeycomb Mini Balls 2" (Color: White - for cake topper)

Honeycomb Ball 5" (Color: White)

Honeycomb Ball 8" (Color: White)

Honeycomb Ball 12" (Color: White, Light Pink)

Honeycomb Ball 19" (Color: Mint Green)

[Garlands]

Full Garland (Color: White)

Bunting Fan Garland (Color: White)

Streamer Garland (Color: Mint)

Festive Festooning (Color: Light Blue)

Criss Cross Garland (Color: Lavender)

Paper Fringe Garland (Color: Light Pink)

[Tabletop]

Marbled Candles (Color: Mint)

Oh Happy Day Pink Marble Plates (Small) (Color: Pink Marble)

Oh Happy Day Ombre Cups (color: Sky)

Paper Linen Tablecloths (Color: White)

Tropical Ombre Wooden Cutlery (Color: Tropical Ombre)

Ombre Napkins, Small (Color: Multicolor)

To see more socially distant Party-in-Place tutorials, click the images below:

Fiesta, fiesta! [Your Birthdate...en español] de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo (eve)! I’m sure we would all love to have plans to be sitting on a patio somewhere tomorrow being served endless margs & guac, but there are many ways to incorporate the beautiful colors and flavors of Mexico into your own at-home celebration.

Whether or not you plan on celebrating on the actual date, I love this theme for any May birthday, and did a 10th birthday party two years ago for a girl born on May 15th. We called it “Quince de Mayo” and had a fiesta at a farm!

Cinco de Mayo, quite literally May 5th, celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire. It’s more popularly celebrated in the US than in Mexico and is associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. I love the lively colors and intricate details associated with Mexican decor, so it’s a dream palette to work with… and a menu you know everyone will love!

This original fiesta was at a farm, but your deck, backyard, or driveway could be the perfect spot. I used my cousin’s large flat rear driveway because it reminded me of the town square’s in Mexico, and gathering for art fairs and street entertainers!

My decor search was centered around Papel Picado, “perforated paper”, or beautiful paper banners made by cutting elaborate designs into tissue paper. I found mine on Etsy (linked below), but there are also tutorials online for how to make your own. If your party is going to be outside, be mindful of the delicate nature of tissue paper. Metallic paper or a thicker paper may fare better if it’s going to be a windy day! Even though I prefer the look of the tissue paper, I used a mixture of both, and if I was ordering again, I would also do a variety of sizes. I framed the party space with these banners to give it that town square feel!

In lieu of live flowers, I taped paper flowers from an old garland to the table for an asymmetric centerpiece. This came about almost by mistake, they were just sitting on the table with other decor and I thought they looked kinda cute so arranged them in the center but could have lined an entire table with them!

Cactus plates and napkins are a cute touch, although an odd shape! Would be perfect to eat some churros on!

Mexican grocery stores often have an amazing selection of made fresh daily salsas and chips, the best hot sauces, and the perfect kid-loved drink (and adult mixer) for your fiesta…Juarritos! My favorite flavor is grapefruit, and my favorite sparkling water is also the Mexican Topo Chico!

As for the menu, even the pickiest eaters tend to love Mexican food, and putting together a homemade menu of tacos, quesadillas or fajitas is pretty easy, or can be catered pretty affordably. Great sides include (of course) guac and chips, salsas, street corn salads or cobbs, red rice & beans. If you want to make something a little more playful, try walking tacos served right out of a Fritos individual size bag! One of my favorite guilty bites is Imperial in Ferndale, MI, and they serve gourmet bacon wrapped hot dogs with Mexican flare. We made these for a party and they were surprisingly easy and equally delicious!

Mini cacti and succulents make for great decor and can double as a party favor when put in these El Pato salsa cans! Your local nursery/greenhouse is likely still open and offering curbside pickup. Just make sure you drill a little hole in the bottom of the can and line with small stones or charcoal to allow for proper drainage.

Now of course, you’ve got to have a piñata! Use whatever candies you have on hand, or support a Mexican grocery store by purchasing a bulk bag of Mexican candies for a really authentic experience! Add some confetti to your Piñata for some extra flare when it’s finally cracked! You can often get a cutely decorated piñata bat or just use any hard stick you can find!

A fun and easy craft that will make your fiesta pictures even cuter are Mexican flower crowns! You just need a bright colored headband, some faux flowers, and a hot glue gun. Just glue the flowers more centered towards the top to give it more of a Mexican style.

The fake flowers for the crowns can double as your centerpiece, just have them sprawled along your table and the kids can pick from them when it’s time to do the craft!

They’re pretty cute! You may want one for yourself…

As always, please pay close attention to all CDC and governing guidelines to assure your fête is safe for all! If you try this party at home, please tag/hashtag @feteandfinery! I would love to see your pictures!

Items in stock and shipping within 1 week (as of 5/4/20):

Papel Picado (tissue)

Papel Picado (metallic, more durable in wind)

Jarritos (check your local mexican grocer)

Cactus Plates (different version)

Meri Meri Cactus Cupcake Toppers

Floral Chandelier

Fringe Umbrella Parasols

Mylar Pineapple Balloon

Cactus Piñata

Lime Piñata

Piñata Bat

We are in this fight against Coronavirus together, even though we are apart. Until it’s safe for us to gather & celebrate together in-person, there are still ways to make life’s many special moments and milestones special and uniquely yours. For more Party-in-Place free tutorials, click the images below:



This Is How We Roll- Home Roller Rink Party!

I apologize if I’ve thrown the word LOVE around too much for any previous party, but when it comes to parties… I absolutely truly and deeply LOVE me a good roller skating party! So much so I even demanded one for my birthday 2 years ago… and will again soon, trust me. :)

Of course, a Roller Rink Party doesn’t have to be roller skates, it could easily be rollerblades, but something about roller skates really hits home in the nostalgia department, which is also why I love making it retro styled. You can make it modern if that’s your preference, or do a mixture! I love mixing a retro, vintage feel with some modernism via blacklights and glow products.

So first things first - the rink. Since your local Skate World or roller rink is not currently an option during quarantine, there are many ways you could make a roller rink at home! An unfinished basement, flat driveway, or cul-de-sac would work great. In this tutorial, I used the party base as the garage, and had it spill into the driveway. I chose to concentrate the decor into one corner of the garage, versus sparsely decorating everywhere, but a few more fringe curtain sets could have completed the wall, or just use string lights (or Christmas lights) to add instant ambiance to the rest of your garage. You could even outline the section of your driveway that will serve as the “rink” with lights.

If you keep your garage door up, it will most likely become a dream to hang things from!

Finalizing your rink is very important, but coming in at a close second- the outfit. I feel like retro socks are a must, and scored these socks at Justice. I bought enough for all the attendees, told them to wear shorts or leggings, and gave each guest a pair as part of their favor, and it really made the photos super adorable!

Bombers, athletic shorts, and high socks are a classic go to, or bright spandex leggings or shorts and an oversized sweatshirt/top also work great. A quick “retro roller skating outfit” Pinterest search will give you lots of options.

If you have time and patience, customizing roller skates is a great present to gift the birthday boy or girl that could help them feel extra special at their party! I came to learn about customizing skates with ModPodge & glitter when I exhausted my search for cute kids roller skates that didn’t cost hundreds of dollars.

I bought a basic white pair from my local roller rink (I will include some online retailers below), bought some colored laces, and got to customizing in the birthday girl’s favorite colors. You basically mix ModPodge and glitter and apply with a paintbrush in coats until you achieve your desired color. I wanted to do each skate half fuchsia and half orange, and used painters tape to make clear lines.

When completed, I added some vintage broaches to complete the look, but you could even hot glue gun any embellishment. Old Christmas bows also look adorable on skates and add a lot of whimsy!

I added some glow-in-the-dark glitter embellishments to the skates and they lit up pretty well!

Speaking of glowing… if you can host your event in an enclosed garage or at night, swap out your regular bulbs for blacklight/UV bulbs and you will have yourself a proper glow affair!

I recently did a Glow-in-the-Dark Neon Dance Party, and many of those concepts can easily transfer over to a skating party.

One of my favorite purchased elements were these color changing LED balloons. I’ve only seen these white balloons sold individually at Party City for $0.99/balloon, but you could hang these color changing punch balloons from the garage or ceiling like lanterns. You could also easily achieve this look by putting a glow stick inside a latex balloon.

I also think these glow in the dark plates/cups/utensils were a great addition and were made well and sturdy enough to be reused (they don’t come with napkins).

Light up crowns were a hit, and glow in the dark body paint were both super fun and an additional activity or station that can take place during the party.

White and neon decor illuminates best if you are going the glow route! Mylar and foil.. not so much.

Now for the cake! This cake was made for a frosting-averse birthday girl, and layers were connected with a crushed oreo chocolate ganache, and served with a dollop of whip cream (vanilla ice cream would be ideal, but we didn’t have freezer access at this venue). I lucked out on a post-Christmas sale and got these roller skate ornaments from Papyrus 70% off!

As always, please pay close attention to all CDC and governing guidelines to assure your fête is safe for all! If you try this party at home, please tag/hashtag @feteandfinery! I would love to see your pictures!

Items in stock as of 4/25/20 and shipping within 1 week:

Striped Tube Socks - Gap

Toddler Rainbow Striped Tube Socks - Etsy

Soffe Retro Shorts

White Roller Skates - Womens

White Roller Skates - Girls

Black Roller Skates - Boys

Fringe Curtains

Light up Crowns

Glow in Dark Body Paint

Glow in Dark Plating/Cups/Utensils

Martha Stewart Mylar Chandelier (Silver)

Light Up Balloons (Multicolor)

Color Change Punch Balloons

Blacklight Bar

We are in this fight against Coronavirus together, even though we are apart. Until it’s safe for us to gather & celebrate together in-person, there are still ways to make life’s many special moments and milestones special and uniquely yours. For more Party-in-Place free tutorials, click the images below:

Sushi + Sundaes Spring Soirée

So Sushi & Sundaes may not intrinsically go hand in hand, but… how can you go wrong with this combo?! I did this with my nephews last summer when we very randomly encountered the perfect trifecta… we were craving sushi, it was a gorgeously warm day, and the boys’ last day of school. So, we had a Sushi + Sundaes Summer Soirée Kickoff party and it was super fun, and works just as well for a sunny spring day.

I especially love this theme for this time of year on a warmer day, ideally in your backyard/on a deck (but inside works too!). It’s also fairly simple, and a great way to support your favorite local sushi spot during these difficult times! If you have a child who doesn’t like sushi (yet), try PB & Jelly ‘sushi’ rolls (or bookmark it for a future school lunch, they are a fun way to make a paper bag lunch more fun). Make your setup even more festive by putting the sushi on cake tiers & stands.

Now for that sweetness… whether you prefer a cone, glass tulip bowl, or paper ice cream bowls, you can have a lot of fun with this part. I love these waffle bowls, especially after jazzing them up with chocolate & sprinkles or nuts.

Souped up sprinkle cones are super easy to make. Just melt some chocolate chips in the stove on a double broiler, or in your microwave in short 12 second increments, dip your cone about 1/2” into the chocolate, immediately dip in a bowl of sprinkles, or crushed nuts, toasted coconut, crushed oreos (etc etc), and then put to the side to set. If you don’t have cones, try this recipe for brownie bowls (and let me know how it goes, I’ve been wanting to try this!), or if you’re feeling extra industrious, try this recipe for homemade cones. Of course, standard cereal bowls are always a good go to!

Be resourceful with whatever toppings you have on hand, use the bottom of the bag/box of cookies/wafers/cereal and just crush up the already broken pieces, chop peanuts in a food processor, toast some coconut flakes. If you’re able to order some groceries, I love having Reese’s Magic Shell, Marciano cherries for the aesthetic (the only ones I’ve ever liked are the amareno ones at Trader Joe’s!), chocolate syrup, caramel, dulce de leche, whip cream, mini chocolate chips, toasted almonds, brownie bites, gummies. Set up all your toppings Sundae Bar style (if it’s warm, have them outside for an easier cleanup!). Also, consider getting an ice cream maker! With freezer space becoming more valuable during quarantine to stock up on essentials, my nieces were telling me about craving ice cream, so I gave them my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for Easter, and they have been loving it!

As for decor, you could keep it very simple with string lights draped along your deck bannister (pictured above), or if having it indoors, incorporate paper lanterns into a backdrop, or drop them from your chandelier/kitchen light fixtures. There’s something so playful about ice cream sundaes, so feel free to mix a bunch of colors in your palette, like a pack of sprinkles. Linking balloons are a great no-helium option for balloons that kinda remind me of… sprinkles! You can drape them along the banister or hang them from a retractable awning (if you have one)… you can attach them to pretty much anything, including a light fixture and let them drape to the ground.

If you want a more sophisticated look, go for all white and mix with paper flowers and honeycombs.

Here are some online tutorials for creative DIY lanterns for your decor that can be made with common household items (tutorial links in order of pictures):

Plaster Water Bottle Lanterns, Creative Ideas Construction Paper Lantern, Water Bottle + Balloon Lantern

If you do this party, I would love to see your photos! DM them to me on instagram (@feteandfinery) and let me know if you would like me to feature them, or hashtag #feteandfinery. As always, reach out if you have any questions on how to execute your party! As always, please pay close attention to CDC & government regulations to ensure that your fête is safe for all!

Here are some supplies available online that could help with your Sushi + Sundaes Soirée!

In stock as of 4/17/20 and arriving within 1 week:

Chopstick Helpers

Waffle Cone Bowls

Parlor Style Ice Cream Bowls / Tulip Style Bowls

Sprinkles

Ice Cream Maker

Wooden Dessert Spoons

Ice cream Cups & Spoons

Colorful Paper Lanterns

Linking Balloons

We are in this fight against Coronavirus together, even though we are apart. Until it’s safe for us to gather & celebrate together in-person, there are still ways to make life’s many special moments and milestones special and uniquely yours. For more Party-in-Place free tutorials, click the images below:

Cascarones! Easter Confetti Egg Tutorial

Confetti Eggs! I learned of this tradition a few years back in the most random way. I was visiting my family for Easter in Long Island, NY, and had taken my nephews to the library to check out some books. I was half zoned out in line, half listening to the conversation taking place at the counter. “Easter eggs… filled with confetti… smashed…confetti everywhere…”. SOLD. I quickly started doing some google searching on my phone, and learned they were in fact a Mexican tradition called “Cascarones”.

Cascarones, or confetti filled eggshells, are an adorable Mexican tradition. The original tradition is said to have originated in Asia as eggs filled with powder or perfume, and then brought to Italy by Marco Polo, and later to Mexico, where powder was substituted for confetti. These are often used for celebrations such as Carnival, New Years, Day of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo and more. When cracked over someone’s head, it is meant to bring good luck to that person.

Now to start, grab some white eggs. Brown works just fine, but the food coloring will be more vibrant with white. You can decorate your eggs however you would like, but I typically opt for the tie-dye method which I will explain below. I typically dye the eggs after emptying them, but because of today’s circumstances and the fact that I mailed some confetti eggs in advance to my nephews in NY, I dyed my eggs first since so that I could make the eggs as needed while conserving materials, and not amass a large quantity of egg yolks/whites in my fridge. This is not ideal, since the moisture will affect your dye job, but they still look cute!

Take the egg, and gently tap the wider end on the counter or a hard surface. When it barely begins to crack, use your finger or a butterknife to gently remove the bits of broken shell until you have a dime sized opening. Since I use the eggs for quiche or whatever I’m making, I’m very careful to not get shell bits into the egg and try to keep the egg membrane intact, and just poke the membrane when the shell is cleared and I’m ready to shake out the egg.

Now gently wiggle the egg back and forth until the contents fall out. The yolk is usually the last to fall and takes a little extra wiggling (I’ve yet to keep the yolk intact, if that matters for whatever you are making!).

Now that your egg is empty, it’s important to clean it to avoid and salmonella contamination. Boil water and place it in a heat safe boil with dish soap. Completely submerge your eggs and allow them to fill with water. Keep overnight or at least 30 minutes, depending on how much time you have. Allow them to completely air dry or use a blow dryer to assist.

This is the point at which I typically dye my eggs, and white foamy (non-gel) shave cream and food coloring is a super quick and super cute way to tie-dye your eggs. Your fingers will get stained, so to avoid this, use gloves! Grab a casserole dish or brownie pan and spread shaving cream across the bottom. Spread food coloring gel all around in any pattern you would like (I used a rainbow gradient… you don’t need to use as much dye as I did). Take a toothpick or butterknife and swirl it through the shaving cream.

Gently roll your eggs around until they are completely covered and let them sit for about 30 minutes (less is fine).

Grab a paper towel or dark colored towel/junk t-shirt and gently wipe the shaving cream mixture off and… viola!

After all the moisture is removed, it’s time to fill. If you don’t have confetti on hand, you can easily make your own with cut up tissue paper, regular or construction paper, leftover fake snow from Christmas, glitter (if you’re daring), sequence, or anything colorful with a light texture.

Using a funnel or your fingers, place the confetti mixture in the eggs. If you have the materials, a contrast of textures and sizes will make for great pictures! You don’t even need to fill the egg 1/4 of the way to have a nice little confetti explosion. After the egg is filled, it’s time to secure the opening.

I think you are technically supposed to use glue and tissue paper, but to skip a step and dry time, I use washi tape. Try to not go to far past the opening or else your egg won’t break as nicely because the tape will semi keep it together.

These clear plastic holders make for great holders once all the labels are removed! Cardboard egg holders are definitely better for the environment, but I know we gotta take whatever eggs we can get these days!

If using biodegradable materials, doing this outside is best because you will usually catch some wind and create a better confetti explosion!

This Easter is definitely going to be unique, in some ways it will be cozy and intimate, but in others it will be our first real holiday reminder that we can’t be with our family and friends. There are still ways to make this Easter special to your household, and to even start new family traditions that you will continue when we can once again celebrate together as we used to. And as Michigan’s Gov. Whitmer recently publicly announced, the Easter Bunny is classified as an essential worker, so get to it! As always, please pay close attention to CDC & government regulations to ensure that your fête is safe for all!

We are in this fight against Coronavirus together, even though we are apart. Until it’s safe for us to gather & celebrate together in-person, there are still ways to make life’s many special moments and milestones special and uniquely yours. For more Party-in-Place free tutorials, click the images below:

Starring: Your Movie Birthday!

As an event planner, it was discouraging (but necessary) to see more and more events postponed or outright cancelled. During these unprecedented times, life is still happening around us, and there are moments and milestones that are still worth celebrating with you and your’s… maybe just differently than you original planned. I will be posting tutorials on past events I have done, and showing first how you can dream up a party you will host down the road when this is all behind us, and also modifications for how you can celebrate on a smaller scale with minimal supplies and still Party-In-Place (and style) during quarantine!

I love movies and (pre-coronavirus) go almost weekly (AMC A-list member, humble brag), so a movie party at your local theatre is a pretty non-labor intensive way to celebrate a birthday. They often have private party rooms for you to congregate with your group before or after for gifts and cake. Some movie theaters allow you to do a special screening of an older movie no longer in theaters, so definitely inquire about that!

So to begin, your movie party needs to start with cute popcorn buckets, and I absolutely love these dollar tree reusable popcorn buckets that come in a 2-pack. Bonus- these fit perfectly in most movie theatre drink holders. These larger popcorn tubs add variety, are good for sharing, would make a unique cake stand substitute, or would serve a popcorn bar well.

Next- funfetti birthday cake popcorn! This is super easy to make. Make your own popcorn or buy a very lightly salted microwaveable variety. Melt white chocolate (ghirardelli is my favorite baking chocolate), mix in a couple spoons of dry funfetti cake mix to your liking, coat your popcorn, top with your sprinkle of choice and mix it around! Tip- use a softer sprinkle or else your popcorn will be very crunchy. I bagged these in treat bags and put them in the Dollar Tree popcorn containers as take home favors.

Make that funfetti popcorn work overtime on your Birthday cake: frost a cake white, and then clump fresh funfetti popcorn along the side while it is still a little warm. and congregate some at the top. This cake had a surprise sprinkle center which is always fun to cut into.

Try popping your own popcorn from kernels! This is the foolproof small batch stovetop popcorn recipe I use. It tastes great and doesn’t have all the who-knows-what that’s in the microwaveable bags. It’s of course easier to use microwaveable popcorn, so don’t feel guilty about using those if you already have them on hand!

Social Distancing Modifications: Even though movie theaters aren’t an option at this time, staying in for a movie has always been a great time! With a few extra steps and some preparation, what may have become a routine time filler can be made into an extra special celebration. Amazon video and iTunes are early releasing in-theater movies to On-demand, but an all time favorite movie would also be a great option.

Quaranteeny Movie Party for your littles: First, create an in-home theatre! Basements are nice and dark, or it can be right in your living room. Pile up some quilts & throw pillows and make a cozy ground viewing area. Stack pillows on one end under the quilt to create plush “recliner seating” to lean against. Use chairs and make it like auditorium seating. Grab some red, purple or black blankets, tablecloths, or towels and make a theatre curtain backdrop using your chimney as a base, or make “theatre curtains” around your TV.

Make a “Now Showing/Starring: [Name’s] Birthday!” marquee sign with a lightbox or markers… special shoutout/thank you to my 11-year-old niece for making me these signs with her lightup boxes AND styling AND shooting this pic for me! I’m so proud! :)

Create a popcorn bar and fill treat bags with various popcorn flavors, seasonings, and toppings… make your popcorn exactly how you want it, which you may not be able to do in an actual movie theatre. Make salty sweet combos, add birthday sprinkles, add extra butter and gummy worms, go crazy.

Create popcorn holders out of tupperware by alternating red and white construction paper rectangles or download/print a popcorn container wrap off the internet.

Drinks: Make Coke Slushies in your blender out of ice tray pre-frozen coke cubes.

Serve Nachos with cheese sauce or order pizza from a local pizzeria that would really appreciate your business right now! Make a concession stand with those dollar boxed candies or make them as favors.

If you have the facilities to host a party in your yard with an outdoor projection screen, use various ride-on car’s or cardboard boxes + black take-out containers (for wheels) and make it a drive in movie party!

Quarantini Movie Party for Adults: Download the Netflix Party extension and watch a movie at the same time as your friends, as well as comment in a chat thread visible alongside your feature film! Make spiked jack + cherry coke slushi (Coke of your choice ice cubes + whiskey + extra ice + a maraschino cherry to garnish).

Here are some links for items you can order online to enhance your party:

In Stock as of 4/3/20 and shipping within 1 week:

Popcorn Buckets - Individual: This is a 20 pack, but it’s handy to have extras for group movies or having company (Dollar Tree is currently not shipping).

Large Popcorn Bucket: Vintage feel, rounded

Light-up Letter Box

Movie Night Chalkboard Sign

Movie Ticket/Invite: Instant download, print at home

Shipping 1+ week(s):

Movie Projector for iPhone: I have never used one of these, but I’m very curious! You could use this to project off any blank wall or for your outdoor movie nights on a white sheet/canvas!

Kernel Popcorn Butter Spray: Get your stopwatch, 0 calories for 1/3 second spray! You may be able to get this at your local grocery store via instacart. Coating with butter is sometimes messy and hard to evenly distribute so this may be a great alternative!

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Here are some creative photos I’ve found on Pinterest and elsewhere that showcase how other’s have done an at-home movie party (comment below for credits):

As always, please pay close attention to CDC & government regulations to ensure that your fête is safe for all!

We are in this fight against Coronavirus together, even though we are apart. Until it’s safe for us to gather & celebrate together in-person, there are still ways to make life’s many special moments and milestones special and uniquely yours. For more Party-in-Place free tutorials, click the images below:

LET IT GLOW: NEON DANCE PARTY (Mambo #9)!

Nothing screams 90’s nostalgia like a glow in the dark/blacklight neon affair! When my naturally bouncing off the walls (then) 8-year-old niece wanted to have a dance party, I knew it had to have a retro feel. This party was held at a local dance studio and was a kid-modified 305 dance class…. but please believe it had me thinking about a traditionally 305-twerky dance party with my girlfriends! Either way, if you’re having your party at Mueva in Clarkston, you have to book Nicki Warner as your dance instructor, she’s the BEST!

Much of this party setup would also work for a roller skating party! Shoutout to my clever lover for Isabella’s bday tagline two years in a row “Mambo #9” (after Lou Bega’s classic, Mambo No. 5… not that you needed clarification!).

My favorite thing about this setup were these color-changing Illooms LED balloons from Party City! The actual balloons I listed aren’t available online (gasp), or in a multi-pack. You’ll have to go in store (big gasp) and buy them individually (I used 30x on a balloon strip @ $0.99 each), but these are a similar variety, they just don’t change color continuously. You pull a tab, air inflate, and they literally change color continuously from green to blue to purple. They were super cool and were still lit up almost a week later in my niece’s bedroom! The darker the area, the better they illuminate.

A close second were these UV/Blacklight Glow in the Dark plates, cups & utensils that worked SO well! They really illuminated under the blacklight, even in a medium dark setting. This set does NOT come with napkins though!

The disco ball stirrers were a post NYE clearance snag from a local grocery store, Kroger, but can be found here.

We set a normal folding table on top of exercise step-up risers and tucked a white table cloth under and had the girls sit on top of folded yoga blankets and a few poofs from home.

The light up crown headbands worked pretty well (only one finicky one in the batch of 12) and actually stayed on their heads while they danced.

The light-up box (pictured above) was from Justice, but this BBB Lightbox would fit nicely into the theme.

Coming in in third would be the glow in the dark body paint! We did simple application on the girls faces and it showed up very well.

I also bought these glow in the dark lotus/henna tattoos, but didn’t get around to applying them. If you buy these, let me know how they worked out in the comments below!

The foil balloon numbers were spray painted with Neon Martha Stewart spray paint (my goodness do I love spray paint). I hope you recycle your jumbo balloons by deflating them with a straw because 1) it’s good for the environment, and 2) they are expensive! That “9” is actually a flipped around “P” from a previous fête! Now for the craft…

Now my absolute favorite thing about this party was this adorable heart neon sign craft! I thought about doing a variety of shapes or first initials, but just did a heart for all in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. I will be posting the full tutorial shortly!

The cake was a small but dense cookie dough + brownie/chocolate cake hybrid with orange rock candy sprinkles, buttercream frosting, and Wilton cake color mist sprays. The neon battery operated heart was from HomeGoods and bedazzled with rock candy secured with cream cheese… VERY random and scrappy, I know.. .but the niece instantly noticed this cake was a bit more…petit than others in previous years (they’re spoiled but in my further defense the cake was very rich), so I did that to give it some elevated height. You can find a similar one at Target.

Don’t forget to have your guests wear neon colored clothing so that they really light up your party!

When I lived in Paris... (for a week)

My first view of the Eiffel Tower from what I believe to be the best view of Paris, the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

Over the years I would dream of visiting Paris, but it seemed so inaccessible. I assumed I would have to save up a fortune to properly see it. However, when I was able to “live in Paris” (for a week) last October and see, eat, and wine a LOT for about $1K … I figured I had to share some tips on how to enjoy all the fête & finery of Paris and have a very rich trip on a budget.

Being that it is NATIONAL CROISSANT DAY, I figured today would be the day to share this post. Now I’m not someone known to have impenetrable will power, but pre-Paris, offer me a croissant and I would have no problem refusing. If you asked me if I even liked croissants, I would have said they do nothing for me… that was until I had one in Paris, and then again every day during my trip, often paired with 1-2 Pain Au Chocolat. My cousin Priya gave me a pro tip (more like plea) before I left: PLEASE EAT THE CARBS. They are soo good, even the stuff you don’t normally like, you will like, and you’ll end up walking it off anyways. I initially set out to research out the best croissant in all of Paris, but apparently the French just go to a nearby bakery in their neighborhood. Lucky for us, we had a very solid bakery, Huré, around the block from our apartment on the Ile de la Cite. We had a pretty strict morning routine: get ready, head to Huré, order a “café américain avec crème à emporter” (big coffee with creme to go), order our Croissants & Pain Au Chocolats, sit outside and eat or eat them on the way to our first site for the day.

Huré, Créateur de Plaisir… our neighborhood bakery on the Île de la Cité

Having a coffee and croissant while sitting facing out and people watching = ideal start to every day

Our VBRO apartment (#8603086) was in an incredible location on the Île de la Cité, directly along the Seine River and facing the beautiful Hôtel de Ville, architecturally one of my favorite building exteriors that I had seen. We were a two minute walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral, which sadly we were only able to observe from the outside through heavy scaffolding due to the tragic fire. We were also about a 5 minute walk over the Pont d’Arcole to multiple subway lines. Ironically enough, one of my favorite things about the entire trip was the little about 1’ x 4’ balcony with French doors that was a part of my personal morning & nightly pre-bed routine. I just stood there and looked out along the Seine, bridge after bridge, and across to the Hôtel de Ville, beautifully illuminated. I felt like I was in a painting, and it was just so peaceful. Eventually I found a narrow chair in our apartment that fit perfectly and took my spot to the next level.

FASHION: Trends

Overall, the style in Paris is very minimalist, and very black, with bits of neutral colors like gray. Everyone seems to find a nice black leather jacket a worthwhile investment, and camel coats were often paired with all black everything else. I was happy to still see lots of sneakers being rocked everywhere (that means we have at least 3-5 more years that they are still cool here in the US!). Guys wore round eyeglasses, man bags, scarves, slung fanny packs, and kept their hair longer. Older women and grandmas were also rocking longer silver hair and I think I saw my future. There were lots of tights and booties, visible socks, shorter/cuffed pants with loafers on full display, and glitter/metallic socks, which I absolutely loved.  Generally speaking, the girls wore less makeup, had medium/shorter hair, and there were lots of bangs. The children dressed simply but stylish. The advertisements seemed to be more racially inclusive, which was refreshing to see. We attended a fashion show at the beautiful Galeries Lafayette, which is a great way to have a luxurious but not overly pretentious Parisian fashion experience… inexpensively.

Fashion show at Galeries Lafayette

SHOPPING: Ready to wear

I was hoping to find the French equivalent of H&M/Zara, which according to some online research is H&M in France (apparently better than their UK/US equivalents), but with limited shopping time I had too much pride to come back from Paris with things from H&M. We did spend a bit of time in Champs-Élysées which, weather or not you are looking for a new Chanel bag, provided incredible window shopping. I did not do any shopping here, but my sister did, and I enjoyed many a complimentary espressos & champagne while she shopped.

SHOPPING: Vintage & Antiques

One morning, we took a train to the outskirts of Paris to the largest antique/flea market in the world, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen (Les Puces). This. Place. Was. My. Dream. Over 17 acres of vendors and vintage and antiques and clothes and books and jewelry and treasures. Honestly I could have spent the entire day there (maybe even returned the next day) and that is one of the few things on our itinerary that I would do again on a return trip. My favorite purchase of the trip were some vintage gold clip on earrings that looked very Moschino-esque to me. If you are a vintage aficionado, please do make the hike and visit this place! It’s a little dodgy on the walk from the train to the market, so keep your valuables in sight, and make sure you bring cash, because many vendors don’t accept card.

THE SITES

Let’s get the obvious out of the way… the Eiffel Tower. You absolutely must have a picnic in Trocadéro Gardens. We stopped in a gourmet market and picked up pork belly, paté, baguettes, cheeses, (lots of) wine, macaroons from Ladurée, and because this wasn’t quite quintessentially French enough, we played the Amelie soundtrack on our bluetooth speaker. From here, if you cross over the Seine river and walk behind the Eiffel, the view is breathtaking.

A monument boat cruise on the Seine is another must and provides tremendous views of all the heavy hitter monuments and structures such as the Louvre and of course, the Eiffel Tower (the Eiffel Tower view was actually incredible). We wanted to be as cliche as possible and wore berets and drank wine while we floated along the Seine.

My favorite view of Paris was from the top of the Arc de Triompe, and provided me my first glimpse of the Eiffel. Since Paris is more or less pretty low profile, I don’t know that it would necessarily be an incredible view from the top of the Eiffel, and those in our group who had been said they also preferred the view from the Arc.

My favorite area was Montmarte (and not just because this is where Amelie was filmed), but it was just absolutely adorable! The cobblestone streets were so narrow, windy and sloped, and lined with shops and restaurants. There was something just so quaint about this area. When in Montmarte, you must visit the Sacré-Coeur and do the dome climb. After climbing many spiraling iron steps, you literally climb along the side of the dome to the very top and take in a gorgeous 360 degree view of Paris. I’ve heard the sunset from here is gorgeous, but it was unfortunately a very rainy and overcast day. We ate (an almost 3 hour long) dinner at a very tiny and pretty tasty restaurant called Le Potager du Père Thierry.

Be sure to stroll the Bouquinistes of Paris along the Seine, or the long lines of bookkeepers selling very reasonably priced used books and vintage art prints. I bought a Salvatore Dali coffee table book for 10 euros, but just strolling along is a very picturesque and serene experience. Taking the stairs down and strolling directly along side the Seine is also very relaxing and scenic, and avoids the crowds on the main streets above.

Now Versailles… I do have mixed reviews on visiting here. Full disclosure, I think it would be a very different experience in the spring/summer when all the flowers are in full bloom and the fountains are all running vs. when we went in the fall on an overcast & rainy day. To me, much of the splendor came in imagining what things were like during Napoleon’s reign, and less about what I was actually seeing. I did pick up a some interior color palettes that I really liked and will share below. Regardless, the larger part of me thinks it’s something you do need to see, but way more worth it in the warmer months, as the expansive gardens are quite incredible and take hours to explore on their own! Watch Marie Antoinette prior to have a better contextual grasp on what was happening where and the climate of that time.

Get off the beaten path! Explore some towns that are not overrun with tourists to really get a sense of how the locals live. We trained up to the historic Butte Aux Cailles, walked around town and found some interesting shops. We ate lunch at Chev Gladines and had the best escargot we had on the trip (trust me, we ordered escargot everywhere) doused in olive oil, parsley and parmesan. Do a little preparation about where to go because we took a wrong turn that lead us to a more commercialized and corporate side of town that didn’t exactly have that same historic charm as the rest of BAC.

THE ARTS

One of my absolute most favorite moments was a Vivaldi orchestra concert we went to at Saint Germain des Prés. Not only is the church optically stunning, it was an amazing experience that was pretty inexpensive (about 20 euros). I am a big orchestra/cello fan, but I think there was something for everyone in this… even small children were sitting still in their seats giving their full attention!

You must go to the museums. They are incredible. The Louvre, which was Napoleon’s original palace/fortress, is just beautiful. The Winged Victory of Samothrace was breathtaking in person, and was by far my favorite piece that I saw. Budget at least 3 hours here, but really, you won’t even put a dent in all that there is to see. The museums are divided by time period, so each one provides a unique experience.

THE FOOD

As a relatively low carb person, I can’t express enough how good the bread is. Even in their deli “convenience” type stores, the sandwiches are amazing. Eat the bread. Lots of it. Eat as much escargot that you can, especially when it’s soaked in parsley and garlic. And then dip your bread in the juice until both are gone. Yum. I’m also a very dense/rich brownie type girl, but the desserts were also just so good. I’ve never been tempted by crème brûlée but damn is it good over there. One of my favorite restaurants we ate at was called Poulette, but Jacobine and Au Bourguign du Marais was also very good. Generally speaking, we kept our breakfast and lunch light, both to help save time with our sightseeing, but also to help us really feel like we could let loose with dinner. The markets are also all so good, so grabbing an assortment of goods and having a picnic with a view, or even in your apartment, is an economical and often equally delicious alternative.

DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

The first thing I noticed was how light in color all the buildings are, often white with a gradient leading up to creamish off-white. From the top of the Arc, you’ll also notice that most of the roofing is gray. Something about this combo was very pleasing on the eye and calming to the senses. Maybe that’s why everyone seemed more calm there- even the moment I exited the subway, after my OMG I’M IN PARIS and THERE’S THE NOTRE DAME RIGHT THERE moment, the next thing I noticed was how calm and quiet it was. France has some of the most amazing gates and doors you will find, and just even the small details like the handle to open a window or a door has unique or delicate detailing. I also liked a repeated haphazard way of arranging flowers that I would see (second photo below), that added a wild and whimsical look to the decor.

ETIQUETTE

Everyone’s always talks about how the French are so rude, but we did not find that to be the case at all! However, I think that may be because we went very out of our way to be polite, considerate and courteous. Talking boisterously at the dinner table or loudly in the subway is considered very rude, and it took me about 4 days to remember to lower my voice while dining (almost to a whisper until the restaurant gets busier). You’ll notice immediately that people aren’t loudly cackling or being rambunctious, really anywhere… even the children. I think it also helps to memorize a few clutch phrases in French and always attempt to start off the conversation in French, even if it’s just a “Bonjour, parlez vous anglais?", or “Hello, do you speak English”. When you try to respect the culture and language, really in any culture, you are much more likely to be well received. You will also find that workers in the metro aren’t very eager to help with directional questions etc., but that’s only because the attitude is more communal there, and while they have limited resources, there are endless Parisian commuters about that you can ask your question to.

HELPFUL TIPS & SAFETY

If you arrive before your apartment is ready, renting a City-Locker is safe and easy. We dropped our bags off in one near our apartment until our room was ready, and leisurely explored and sat at cafes without being encumbered with baggage.

There are lots of pickpockets in Paris, so always be conscientious of your items, especially on the metro, and try not to get distracted by street performers or people selling things on the streets as these are often diversion techniques. Swiping cell phones on the metro is a common thing.

Guided tours you can download to your phone and listen to in headphones are a great and often free tool to utilize while walking around Paris, in the museums, or even in Versailles. Rick Steves has an expansive selection of guided audio tours providing a top level summary of things you will be seeing that is more detailed than what you will strictly be able to take in with your senses.

FOR NEXT TIME

Paris is really a place you should experience with all of your senses, not just your eyes. There’s so much to see, so it’s tempting to jam in as much as you can, but make sure you are really taking time to really take in everything, making observations, and getting an idea of the lifeblood of the city. An ex-pat friend said “the first time you come to Paris, you see everything. The second time, you enjoy everything.” When I return, I definitely want to spend more time in cafes sitting on the sidewalk, sitting not facing whoever you are with, rather facing out into the street (they even line up the chairs this way in the morning), and just people watch. We did a little bit of this as our morning routine, but it’s also a big thing to do at night. Make a day where you don’t have a plan, and just roam and “get lost”, one of the best ways to really explore Paris. You better believe I’m going back to the Saint Ouen flea market, and hopefully seeing Saint Chappelle, which was unfortunately closed during their regular hours both times we attempted to see it. Of course, I hope the Notre Dame is restored when I return as well. I would also have to take a walk to the very tip of Pont Neuf under a sprawling weeping willow tree to see if my SJ + DC love lock is still there.

The Makings of a Perfect Backdrop

So you’ve been assigned to plan your friend’s shower. You’re making a list of essentials… cake… favors… food… decor… but possibly most of all, very gram-able photo ops! A quality backdrop has made it’s way into the forefront of party planning to guarantee those awesome Pinterest-worthy shots, while also really setting the mood for your event.

I made this backdrop last spring for a birthday dinner party, and the main course was sushi! Instead of pulling in traditional reds or golds you may typical associate with Asian decor, I decided to compliment the home’s already very white aesthetic and employed a mostly flat and satin white palette. I subtly tied in the sushi through the use of lanterns of varying sizes.

This was a very versatile backdrop and would work great for a wedding shower, or even a gender neutral baby shower. Here are some of my tips for making a great backdrop.

Mixed media - mixing textures

I am a BIG fan of mixing materials and textures to provide additional depth. Metallic fringe with tissue paper, matte and foil balloons, glitter and tulle… it’s kinda like the wild wild west of decorating. Drop those prior prejudices that certain things can’t go together (like black & navy), and make your own rules! Staying within a complimentary color palette is more important than sticking to certain materials. Here, I chose a white fringe door curtain as the base, jumbo paper flowers & tissue paper fans of varying sizes for the corners, and tissue honeycombs & poofs to contrast with the lanterns. The paper flower pack came with miniature paper flowers on strings that I cut off and peppered in between. Sourcing lanterns of various sizes and types, was important -some large, some small, some accordion style, some light up. The jumbo lanterns were placed on the floor and provided a great base, and I loved that the tiny lanterns added a bubbly whimsical feel.

Set a solid foundation

Start by anchoring down your main backdrop material, whether that is fringe door curtains, tassels, drape, or whatever you choose. Be mindful of the venue’s guidelines, as some venues do not allow you to affix anything to their walls. If you encounter this, don’t fret as there are many ways around this obstacle. A PVC pipe backdrop could be an easy fix. Here, I used the windowpane adjacent to the main dining table. The white fringe curtain was secured with command strips, as the windowpane was freshly painted and we wanted to be extra careful. I loved these jumbo flat white paper flowers found in the wedding section at Party City, and used the larger flowers to frame the corners. These were taped directly to the trim of the door curtain on the top, or again with the command strips if they were going down the sides of the window pane. To hang the lanterns, I used small clear command hooks and tied them with white string.

Layer it up!

Much like NYC fashion in the fall, the more layers, the better! Pile on the textures as well. For the honeycombs, I only opened them halfway and secured them on the backdrop with a flat back so they would sit more flush. In the future, I would double up the white curtain fringe for a richer look. I think it would also look great to add some tissue paper garlands or white paper chain links streaming down for more texture.

Location, location, location!

Try to not place the backdrop off the beaten path of your party. Yes, you want space for those awesome group shots, but if you are putting all that time and energy into your backdrop, you want it to be enjoyed throughout the entire party, and further enhance the ambiance. If it’s a dinner party, place it near the table. If you have an elaborate dessert table, you could even place it behind that, and when everything has been served, clear that area out for group shots.

Low profile flowers for the table ensured it would be easy to carry conversations. The tall candles are from the Dollar Tree and all the florals were from Trader Joe’s! For this particular party, I would have chosen a cool white vs. warm white votive for the lantern to keep that pure white look.

Materials:

White Fringe Curtain - Walmart (1 pack, recommend 2)

Accordion Lanterns - Party City (3 packs)

3D Paper Flowers - Party City (Wedding Section)

Tissue Paper Fans - Party City (4 packs of mini, 2 of larger)

Paper Fans - Walmart

Poofs - Walmart

Honeycombs - Dollar Store (non chain), also available at Target

Lanterns - Dollar Store (non chain), also available on Amazon

Command Strip & Hooks

Clear Tape

Ostrich Feather + Vintage Broach Corsages

I have never been a big fan of the corsage selection at most florists. Too many baby’s breath and shiny ribbons for my likes. Last year for a daddy-daughter dance corsage order, I decided to DIY it with wax flowers, tulips, thistle and calla lilies from Trader Joe’s, accented by tulle. They turned out soo pretty, but they were pretty labor intensive, and the stems of those flowers are not as strong as your more typical rose stems, so I was slightly stressed all evening that they would snap right off. They did stay intact through the event, but this year I decided to go with something more durable that would not only make it through the night, but could even be re-worn for another special event or as a bracelet. And I know we are talking elementary school here, but after styling all 3 sisters in Milly Minis dresses (Milly’s adorable girls’ line), I also wanted to go with something more… chic.

Channeling some inspiration from the recent runways, I decided ostrich feathers & vintage broaches atop glitter slap bracelets was the way to go. The slap bracelets really hit my adult self in the nostalgia department, but what kid doesn’t love a slap bracelet?? They also ensure a perfect fit for any size wrist.

I was more than happy with the results, and most importantly, all 3 corsages were done in 15 minutes, including hot glue gun heating & drying time. These would also make for great corsages for a flower girl, homecoming, or prom!

The first step is sourcing the materials. The most difficult part is finding slap bracelets that are not obnoxious colors, but I was able to find really cute pink & black glitter ones from Justice. If you’re having a hard time finding slap bracelets or want the look to feel more grown, a nice thick satin ribbon would make a great alternative. The vintage broaches were leftover from a Halloween ringleader costume, but you can easily find them at a thrift store or Salvation Army jewelry counter. The ostrich feather trim is from Amazon.

Next, open up the bracelets and lay the broach where you want to place it, and cut the feather trim to the width of the broach. For these corsages, I did not center the broaches so that the wraparound end would not be visible when worn. Though this does look slightly better on, in the future, I would just center it because it makes it easier for the kids to take on and off when they are getting in and out of their jackets or showing their friends.

Slap the bracelet closed, and insert the pin through the fabric of the bracelet, and then fasten the pin closed. Depending on where the pin falls on the backing, you may need to hot glue gun a portion of the broach to stabilize it from flipping up.

Open the bracelet and lay flat, broach side down. On the inside (not glitter) side of the bracelet on the edge that will face up the wrist towards the elbow, place a line of hot glue and press the feather trim on it. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

That’s it, you’re done! Wear them with the feathers going up the arm, towards the elbow. Wear them again to jazz up some leggings and a black top, or even around a pencil holder or vase to jazz it up!