Champagne Flute Name Tags

So these pictures are actually from over a year ago! Oops #TBT?:) Annnnyways, I was helping my sister prepare for her sister in-law's bachelorette party. We had put mini champagne bottles like the ones below in each the bachelorette's gift bag. I blogged about making the gift bags here.

 We thought that it would be cute to bring a tray of champagne flutes for each bachelorette so they'd each have one to take home. With that in mind, or course we had to do a little personalizing them. I decided to take pics of the preparation but then I could never find them and today realized they were taken with my boyfriends iphone. Soooooo here we are, a year later haha, but it's still a great party and entertaining idea so here ya go!

 I started out with these materials:

1. A list of all the girls' names spelled correctly-I didn't know them all that well and when one gets to crafting, things can get crazy and I would HATE to accidentally leave someone out due to my space cadet status:)
2. Champagne Flute
3. Ribbon
4. Glue Stick
5. Decorative Paper (I literally used some blank cards I had lying around that had a cool geometric shape repeated and cut them out to use as a firm, card stock backing)
6. Paint Pen
7. Plain Black(or any color of your preference) paper.
8. Scissors
9. Heart Shaped Paper Clips- You could also hole punch the name tags, but I had the paper clips from something else and was trying to use them!

I started by cutting the hard card stock decorative paper and then cut-out small black paper squares to fit on the decorative paper.

Then I took the paint pen(A decocolor paint pen found here) and began carefully writing each name in a fun, unique way:

After I had created all of the name tags, I glued the name portion onto the card stock backing. Next, I tied ribbon in a bow around each champagne flute's base. Then I poked the paper clips through the name tags and attached them to the ribbon- wha la! I purchased my champagne flutes (20 total!) from CB2.com for just 1.95 a piece and they offered free shipping! The flutes that I purchased don't look like they are available anymore but there are these spectacular and gorgeous modern ones that are still offered at $1.95 a piece!! LIKE WHAT? What a sweet deal:

Obviously the issue with these badass champagne flutes is figuring out where to get the name tags attached but I'm sure there's a way. . . . .right?:)

The best part is, you can set your drink down. . . . .even if you've had too many and you won't misplace your beverage. Cheers!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Anybody ever see that 1987 George Martin/John Candy flick? SO GOOD. My post has nothing to do with that movie, I have just been planing, training and automobiling with some spectacular company lately so there you have it.

For the last two weeks, Scott and I have been in Portland and Chicago and this is what I learned in a nutshell:

1. Its not where you go, it's who you're with.

I laughed so hard I cried for a week straight. I got zero sleep. . . . kinda-if you don't count sleeping in past 11 everyday. I was with the most genuine friends in Chicago. I literally could have been stuck with these people in a tiny town with nothing to do and would have enjoyed every second of it. . . .but fortunately we were in one of the funnest cities this fine country has to offer:)
  Emily- my always partner in crime, no questions asked no matter how crazy the plan may seem. She is pure FUN, always- I don't even wonder how she does a million things in a single day anymore. If you think just magically ending up at a private rooftop party at a cubs game with endless free booze and food is just crazy, well you haven't met Emily-she just makes magic happen. That's who she is and I'm glad she's there to just radiate her fun, effortless energy on me:)

Ray- He has the most inappropriate one liners at the most appropriate times and I consider him comedic relief ALWAYS. He was also my fellow encased meat enthusiast. . .  .so he's basically one of those people who gets the things that you don't think anyone else will get. Like in your head, you'll be thinking something you think is really funny but could be crossing a general social line . . or many, Ray would get it. His sense of humor is smart and a bit deviant and he doesn't even try--pretty lethal combination and it can make me laugh embarrassingly hard.
 

  Ruma & Mick-Ruma is the most dependable person when it comes to anything. She literally took a break from the funnest trip ever to help me straighten my hair. AND just happened to make it the funnest hair straightening experience ever-I will never straighten my hair again without wishing she had done it and longing for a peach vodka cocktail and wishing I was laughing my ass off with her in a room at the Sax Hotel in Chicago. She is just one of those friends who is your instant bud. We screamed random words to strangers on the street from our hotel room, laughing like hyenas until we were reprimanded. I could have held her hand just because I think she's so chick and cool-- but I'm not weird. Mick just brings this happy, easiness to everywhere he goes. Stressing is for losers. He makes everything COOL. He says a joke cool, he rides in a cab cool, he doesn't give a fuck cool, he drinks a beer cool. I mean he smiles with no tooth cool. He's just gangster. I felt cool just hanging around him. He really just does not give a shit what anyone thinks and he does it in the most genuinely kind way. How the hell does one do this? He literally was on the dance floor at Stanley's about 3 hours before anyone realized it was the only place to be. . . . .cool.


Sarah & Jared= PURE ENTERTAINMENT;) My favorite part about Sarah on this trip was how the humidity would curl her hair for her in the most beautiful, fantastic, gorgeous way. She would get so frustrated and say things like "guess it's a loss- my hair is not going to cooperate with the humidity." She's just extremely naive to how beautiful she is and that's why I like her. I would have strutted those curls. Still would if I could. Sarah would take a dull moment (like when our iphones ran out of batteries-- UNTHINKABLE) and just make it fun. We were obsessed and rightfully so with this "Heads Up" app and when we thought our night had come to an end, Sarah rescued us with a game of her own. Jared is a fun amplifier.  That's the best way I can describe him. If you think it's impossible to have more fun, he will still be able to contribute. I think when you're on a trip and within such close proximity to your friends for days on end, you inevitably see the worst in people. That just didn't happen here and I never saw a frown on his face. Never.

Scooter
Scott is the raddest best friend I have ever had. He is charismatic in the situations that I am awkward. He is calm, like ALWAYS. He's just everything that I am lacking. He has a brilliant sense of humor and traveling with him is always so fun. He just always happens to find the locals' cool haunts and the best EVERYTHING I've ever tasted. He'll just say, oh here is the best cinnamon roll joint all nonchalantly and it will just BLOW YOUR EFFIN MIND. He just has an intuition and he's been everywhere. He's just a good life tour guide so I'm pretty stoked he's mine.

2. Go big, or go home. . . .pertaining to life in general. If you can buy one mimosa and one bloody mary or you can buy bottomless of both and enjoy the people your with for a 3 hour breakfast, then do. I know trips in general tend to be leisurely, but really, if I'm honest with myself, I realize that I can unintentionally get overwhelmed with time frames and being to all the "cool places" and the "must sees". I realized that just sitting with my friends, enjoying each other, and going big with 25 mimosa refills was not what anyone had planned that day but it was definitely better than anyone could have ever planned for me.

3. Drink enough beer . . . . . to karaoke that is.
I mean this in a literal way . . . and a figurative way. I don't karaoke. I just don't. I'm not trying to be snobby or "better" in anyway. It's quite the opposite actually--I just have an atrocious singing voice and I don't want to subject anyone to that, and I'm not brave, and I'm self conscious, etc. . . . .but in Chicago I just caught the fever. I mean it was LIVE BAND karaoke and Scott had signed up with our (actually talented) friend Jackson and he had to leave(after they had legit brought down the house with a sublime CLASSIC;)-- and so it was, with little convincing, I got up and belted out Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi with the worst voice ever and only barely knowing the chorus. Do something that gives you the butterflies and makes you look like an absolute fool. Do it with someone you love and rock it--I mean going back to lesson #2, go big or go home. I had a fucking BLAST and danced my ass off until the lights went out and a police officer politely asked Scott, Mick, Ruma, and I to leave. Really, just do something you wouldn't normally do-just try it. Go to a new class, try a new route, call an old friend. Who cares?

 At Stanley's, you can sign the walls of the bar and so if and when any of the 10 in our epic dance/karaoke party return, I will seek out our names that I so proudly wrote on the wall(apparently for children's eyes) as I was being ushered out/ forced out against my will:)

BREWFEST:

At the beginning of the trip, we predicted(jokingly, but with a quick chuckle and then zero eye contact because it could happen:) that we would hate each other by the end. Fortunately for me. . .and everyone-I hope, it was just the opposite. I couldn't have imagined anyone else. I will never forget it and as I get older, I treasure these sorts of trips and can't help but think "this could be the last trip like this." I don't blame anyone, life happens. I just hope I always make a way or find the time and money to prioritize friends. When we get older, we "can't take work off", "getting too busy", "can't afford", or "we're pregnant!" and then it's difficult to just drop everything and party on the platform with your buds while you wait for the train into the city.

Resolute

Yes, I KNOW, I am a procrastinator- in my defense, it really hasn't come to "bite me in the ass" as my mother has so often repeated to me. I didn't really make any new years resolutions for 2013 . . . .or at least I don't recall any so I obviously have not stuck to them if they were indeed made:) So here I am, 5 months late and feeling resolution-y.

New Years always feels like it's only 1/2 way through the year for me anyways. I associate my year with a school calendar so May is when I start dreaming of all of the things that I plan to do over the summer and when I feel the year has "ended." Usually my list isn't too ambitious. It usually revolves around attempting to party like a rock star, getting a nice tan, live music, live music, live music, a little camping, trying a new cocktail(see my post about last summer's winner, the homemade jars of infused vodka, here.)--really noble stuff like that:)

So this year, I have decided that yes I will commit to letting loose this summer as always, but instead of a spring break style summer break, I want to improve myself. Nothing extremely specific, just generally fine tune myself and my surroundings. I just want to be more purposeful . . . .with everything I do. The way I spend my $, the way I spend my time, the way I design my living space to the way I organize my work space. Attention to detail has never been one of my strengths and I think there is something to be said for people who think before they buy, choose, and do. I enjoy my spontaneity but I can be too impulsive.  I've broken it down into a few categories with a visual to provide a bit of direction-
1. Health/Wellness
2. Finances
3. Aesthetics
4. Treat Yo Self
5. Career/Future Goal Setting


1. Health/Wellness

Working out, check. Eating healthy . . . .working on it:)

Getting ready for spin, my FAVE=healthy:)

2. Finances

 

 I swear this single book has made me realize so much about how to focus more on conscientious spending and budgeting. I LOVE this man and his simple ideals. He literally inspired me to pay off 3 debts and cancel my credit cards- cash only for this gal:)

I bought some small expanding files in the dollar bins at target kind of like these ones   on Amazon.

I also bought "Spendvelopes" on Amazon as well- they are these great color coded envelopes that fit perfectly into the expanding file and there's even a space to label what the envelope is for (Fun Money, Gas, Travel Fund, Emergency, etc.)

I also did this and was pretty damn proud to get rid of them one by one:

3. Aesthetics(Generally improving my living spaces;) For example, I have this awkward built in shelf in my hallway by the bathroom and finally took some time to make it functional. Just one small step for resolution #3.

Next step for aesthetics is the vanity in my guest bedroom. I want to paint it white and bring some brighter colors into the room-- so here is the before and hopefully it won't be a year before the after pics come!

4. Treat Yo Self

Yes, I stole this catch phrase from Aziz Ansari and he makes it way funnier than I could ever explain, but the gist of it is pretty much what it sounds like: selfish indulgence. And I decided that I just don't do enough of it. I am just working so hard right now to Dave Ramsey the shit out of my debt- my student loans, my car, MY LIFE etc. that sometimes I forget that a massage or a manicure, a new book for pleasure, the more expensive one of anything, a splurge buy or simply a GD haircut would probably help improve my mood so I drew the line and went crazy. I spent $3 on some spring/summerish fingernail polish and even though it was tiny and insignificant, it felt damn good to just come home from Walgreens with my $1 nail polishes, brew myself a tea and post up in front of the T.V. and paint my nails- TREAT YO SELF, even if it is a teeny, tiny, seemingly insignificant 5 minutes of your day. Oh yeah and cheap wine is a MUST for this resolution.

 5. Career/Future Goal Setting
Below is a recent e-mail that I received and to be honest, instead of feeling excited about going back to school (which yes, I LOVE school) I was overwhelmed and stressed and could hardly even celebrate the fact that the hard work I had put into the application process had paid off. I want to work on setting career goals and actually approaching in a positive manner to achieve them. Instead of whining and complaining about the hurdles and hoops I will have to jump through to get my Master's, I want to approach it with the attitude that this is a wonderful opportunity to improve myself as an educator. I can take the strategies I learn and try to USE them in my classroom. If it's going to be my career, I should be the best that I can and try and find enjoyment and fulfillment everyday. How many hours of my life will I spend doing this? I should APPLY myself and work hard. It will pay off.

So, I am on my way and will be checking back in. What are all of your aspirations/resolutions?? Are you sticking with them? What "sticking with it strategies" have been working for you? Any suggested reading materials for me as I embark on this journey of self change? Cheers to a new . . .year/me:)

How To: Adult Juice Box

Weren't juice boxes the best? I think there is just something so nostalgic about those little bitty things- CapriSun, JuicyJuice. . . . but then again there were like 2 swigs and what were you to do when you opened your sack lunch at school and the effer was missing its pointy little straw!? Find a fork and poke a hole in it and sit there looking like a dork sucking out the contents? But still, they were the BEST so when my sister asked me to give her a hand planning her sister-in-law's bachelorette party, I was happy to oblige and those awesome snacks were the inspiration for one of the party favors that we made for all the lovely ladies that came from near and far to help our friend celebrate the end of her bachelorettehood.

Materials needed:

Raspberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, Mini ball jars (I think they were 12oz jars) and of course your choice of unflavored vodka:

I chose to personalize the "Adult Juice Boxes" by spray painting the tops with chalkboard paint. This is really simple. I just took a piece of scrap wood so that the tops would all lay flat and sprayed 3 layers of the chalkboard spray paint on them over the coarse of 48 hours and then let it dry for a day before I made the infused vodka. (This is an optional step but must be done 1st)

 

Tops in the process of getting painted

Step 2- Cut up the pineapple. I cut it into really small triangles. I didn't cut the blueberries or raspberries because they are small enough to stuff into the jar as is.
Step 3- Fill each jar with fruit. I just tried to make it look cute:) Arrange the fruit however you like. Then simply pour your poison of choice over the fruit to the top and seal the tops. I wrote names on the chalk tops. You could also write a quote or a personal message. Let the vodka "infuse" for 14 days and then enjoy!

YUM! Tip= to better "enjoy" your adult juice box experience, be sure to eat the fruit too!

Bachelorette Bliss

It's only been six months since my last post. . . oops:) I am blaming it completely on the new house. . . and a NEW JOB!:) We are still making house improvements, but I am getting close to posting some great "after" pics of our home. So instead of a house post, I am going in a different direction and posting about my dear friend, Janelle and some of the preparations for her AMAZING bachelorette party!

A few of the party attendees

I believe a wise choice was made by the bride when she said, "Whatever you plan, none of that penis shit please.":) My sister, Haley, was the wonderful maid of honor and we had a blast putting party favors and decorations together. . . .keeping it fun but a bit classy too:)

Each girl got a personalized bag with goodies for a party favor and this is how we created them:

1. We started with simple, plain tote bags that we found at hobby lobby for $2.99 a piece. They are available on Hobby Lobby's website here.

We also got generic stencil paper to design our own unique stencil as well as black spray paint suitable for a material surface. I always feel like I am so lucky to have such amazing friends and family with such a wide array of interests, talents, hobbies and skill. I love to help my friends with anything I can and I feel like no matter what task I am trying to complete, I have a bud who pops into my head and I think "they would know EXACTLY what to do or I know just the person. . ." Anywaysssss, my sister and I were walking through Hobby Lobby, the mecca of the crafting world and we were SEARCHING for some sort of heart applique for the bags- iron on, pattern cut-out, ANYTHING and came up with nothing- right then one of my amazing friends, Ryan, pops into my head who works at a place that screen prints. He hooked it up and it turned out perfect!(and a lot less time consuming than crafting something ourselves):

After the screen printing was done we recruited Haley's husband, someone who has that patient persistence and perfectionist personality to create our stencil. We printed the quote we wanted on the back of the bag in the font we wanted just simply in a word document and Brandon traced it for us and then used an exacto-knife to make this sweet stencil that can be used over and over again:

Properly geared up for the spray painting:)

"time to drink champagne and dance on the table"

Once the bags were finished it was time to stuff them- we put some random essie nail polishes, mini champagne bottles, candles, cute chap sticks, and other girly gifts as well as some homemade infused vodka, which is super easy to make and I will post a how to soon!

Here are some pics from the start of the party where we decorated a room at the Crown Plaza in Downtown Denver to kick the night off:

The front of the bags

We set up a little champagne bar with fruit juices to make mimosas and fresh fruit to garnish the champagne.

I used a filigree mirror from my vanity at home and bell jars left over from the infused vodka creations to add some charm and personal touch to the hotel room.

Help yourself!

Mini "dirty girl lemonade" drinks for everyone, a Laramie special and a favorite of the brides

We found these cute little bottles for .99 a piece at Hobby Lobby too!

Kisses for the gift table

Let's party!

What a wonderful party for a beautiful bride, who by the way looked RAVISHING when her special day arrived: