Dollar Store DIY- Chalkboard Tray!

Gather your Materials

• Silver metal tray from the Dollar Store (it looks like the real thing!)
• Chalkboard paint (or spray paint)
• Ribbon
• Flat, wide paint brush
• E6000 (or hot glue)
• Tape
• Scissors
• Chalk!

Let's Get Crafting!

Prime the tray by wiping it down with some Windex or rubbing alcohol.  Let the tray dry.  Now, pull out your chalkboard paint and shake, shake, shake!  The stuff tends to separate, so shake it good!



Tape around the inner edge of the platter making sure to press the tape down firmly on the edge where the paint will meet so none seeps under.

Use a flat wide brush and in long even strokes, gently drag the brush across the tray in one direction. Don't go back and forth over it, even if there are bald spots, or you will mess up the smooth finish.  Wash your brush and let the tray dry for at least one hour before adding a second coat. 

Once you're ready for another coat, shake the bottle again and paint another layer across the tray perpendicular to your last coat.  Remove the tape carefully and let the tray dry for at least 24 hours before you touch it.


While the tray is drying, make your bow.  I used wire satin ribbon, but any ribbon will look nice.  Don't worry if it isn't perfect at first.  Just tug at it a bit until the loops look the same size and trim the tails to even them up.  For a finishing touch, I always put Fray Check on the cut ends of ribbon.


You can glue the bow on with hot glue, but I'm pretty much an E6000 girl.  So, I added a bit on the back of the bow and attached it to the tray holding it together with a binder clip. 


When the board is ready, you'll need to "season" it.  Take a piece of chalk and gently rub the side of it on the entire black surface.  Then, use a tissue to wipe it clean. 


Ta daa!  Your board is ready for a dozen different uses.  Use it as a message board, menu board, inspiration board, or maybe to leave a message to Santa.  Plus, it's magnetic!  I'm using mine as a menu board for our tailgating tent on The Boulevard.  More on that to come. 

Beauty, Brains and Benefit! Part I

This year I hosted my first House Party and it was a blast! The party was for one of my favorite beauty brands, Benefit Cosmetics.  I've been using the stuff since I first discovered Benetint about 15 years ago.  I still love their quirky packaging and product names.  They're too cute. 

THE SWAG


When I got the Party Pack from House Party I was blown away! Look at all the beauteous goodness! Unbelievable. And totally free. 9 full-size Hello Flawless, brightening foundation

• 1 full-size Benetint, lip & cheek stain
• 1 full-size Big Beautiful Eyes, eye contour kit
• 1 full-size Hervana, blush powder box
• 1 full-size PoreFessional, pore minimizing balm
• 1 full-size Speed Brow, quick set brow gel
• 1 Raising Eyebrows book
• 1 limited edition cosmetic bag
• 14 vials, cards and labels for Hello Flawless samples
• 14 deluxe-size PoreFessional samples
• 14 gift bags
• 14 magnet picture frames
• 14 coupon sheets

THE DECORATIONS
I started working on these as soon as I found out I was selected as a hostess.  Which was like a month before the party date.  hee hee.  I couldn't help it.  I was excited! 



Miss Betty:
Miss Betty greeted guests on the porch so they knew they were in the right place, and later joined us inside for photos ops. Along with a tulle skirt that was once a bridesmaid outfit, I dressed her up with frosted tissue paper roses, organza ribbon, a Benefit sign (which I downloaded from House Party) and some blingy yumminess.



Streamer Curtain:
I wanted to create a pretty photo backdrop that incorporated the various shades of pink and yellow from Benefit's logo while covering up the yucky backyard. The streamer curtain completely transformed the room. Guests could see it as soon as they walked in the "salon" and it totally set the fun and frilly tone for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Place Settings:

Next were the makeup stations. The table was covered with a yellow tablecloth, a length of funky floral fabric and little votives with frosted tissue paper roses running down the center of the table. At each place setting, I set out all the Benefit goodies including little pink mirrors from Party City and drinking glasses--Starbucks Frapuccino bottles--with the cutest paper straws from Cakes and Kids Too. 

THE MENU
The menu was a mix of savory and sweet tea party bites.  All in shades of pink and yellow, of course!


We munched on cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, artichoke mascarpone sandwiches, rice krispie treats drizzled with white chocolate dyed pink, shortbread cookies with lemon icing, lemon Jello marzipan and scones with lemon curd and strawberry butter. Our party beverage was strawberry lemonade. I HIGHLY recommend the strawberry butter recipe. I could eat scones with strawberry butter forevahhh!
Check out my Pinterest board for more little details.

So, that's the set up.  Watch out for Part II of Beauty, Brains and Benefit!

Pearl River? Yes Please!

I have no idea how I found an image of this nylon shopping bag, but while doing an image search, there it was! I was drawn to the rich colors, patriotic bunting and circus-like quality.  Isn't it fun?

I did a little investigating and found the bag at this super cute online shop called Pearl River. They have loads of fun stuff! Beautiful papers for paper crafting, gorgeous silk fabrics, embroidered lipstick cases, kitchy decorations, dozens of different butterfly garlands (hello, fairy birthday parties), tons I tell you!  You've just gotta check it out.

So, this is my awesome find of the day, or month or whenever I find another awesome thing. You're welcome.

House Party at Mel's!

Last weekend I threw my first House Party and it was a blast!!!


I'm not talking about a glamorous in-home sales party.  You don't have to buy a thing.  No burping lids or spinning lettuce. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)  I'm talking about the awesome, fantastic, too cool for school company called House Party. 


House Party makes it possible for brands like Kraft, XBox, and Martha Stewart, to introduce new products to a large group of potential customers.  They give HP a bunch of samples and swag (enough for thousands), and HP passes it along to consumers while encouraging hosts to spread the word on Facebook and Twitter.  The only requirements to participate are that you have a party on a predetermined date, take plenty of photos and fill out a brief survey afterward.  Brilliant.  Sign me up!

It's so easy to participate and it's totally free.  You fill out a profile including your likes and interests, and you're ready to go!  You choose which parties to apply for and cross your fingers that you get chosen.  If you are accepted, you'll be able to set up a party page, invite guests and download printable party favors to help make your party a huge success.  Plus, there is a forum where you can swap ideas with other hosts as you are planning your party.  Brilliant, I tell you!


Last year, I applied for a couple parties and wasn't chosen.  So, imagine my excitement last month when I finally got an email telling me I was selected to host a House Party for one of my fave brands-- Benefit Cosmetics!  I'm working on a blog post all about the party, meanwhile, check out houseparty.com to learn more and sign up. Right now, they are offering parties for Blue Bunny and the nonprofit, Because I am a Girl.

Paper Carnation Corsages

I made these cute carnation corsages for my mom's party, Queen Bea's Birthday Jubilee.  All the guests wore yellow ones and I made matching white ones for the hostesses to complement their yellow blouses.  These are perfect for an afternoon tea party or bridal shower.  Wouldn't they look so cute in shades of pink or blue for a baby shower?  Or for all the moms at church on Mother's Day?

They are a bit time consuming, especially if you have to make a whole bushel of them, but they aren't difficult to make and the result is well worth it!  They are so much nicer than regular ol' grocery store carnations.  So, without further ado, on to the how-to!  hee hee


Set it up!


To make the corsages, you'll need cardstock, tissue paper, scissors, glue, two kinds of ribbon no more than 1" wide-- with one slightly wider than the other, twist ties and bumble bee stickers. Start by cutting two 3" circles out of cardstock.  You can use a small cup to trace the circle or use a circle cutter.


Back it up!


To create the backing, take your ribbons and cut two lengths of each about 3" long.  Trim the ends diagonally to form the tails.  Glue the ribbons onto one cardstock circle layering the narrow ribbon on top of the wider one.  Glue the other circle on top lining it up with the circle underneath.  Easy peasy.


Fold it up!


On to the flower...  Cut six sheets of tissue paper into 5"x7" rectangles and make a neat little stack.  Starting at the short end, fold the paper back and forth in an accordion fold about 3/4" wide. 



Next, take your scissors and cut little triangles in the middle of each folded side.  Wrap the twist tie snugly around the notches keeping the ends of the twist tie to one side.  Trim each end into a scallop or v-shape.


Fluff it up!


Unfold each half of the flower like a fan.  Holding the twist tie, lift the top tissue away from the others and pull it towards the center of the flower.  To make room for each layer, gently un-tuck the petals all the way down to the base using your thumb and forefinger.  If you accidentally tear one, don't worry-- the other layers will hide it.

Continue separating each layer in one direction so the flower has a flat bottom.  Leave the last couple layers of tissue together so you have a sturdier base to glue to the backing.


Finish it up!



Next, fold the twist tie flat against the flower and glue the flower onto the cardstock backing.  Add a little bumble bee sticker and you're done!  Use corsage pins to wear the carnations.  Soooo cute!

For an extra-special touch, you can personalize each corsage by putting an initial letter sticker on one of the tails like a homecoming mum!  In fact, how cute would these be with little football stickers for booster moms at homecoming?! Oooo-- with stickers for the player's jersey number!


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Tip Junkie's Tip Me Tuesday
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Don't Waste Your Homemaking

Fiesta Friday- Tea Party Favors!

When I was in grade school, my mom always made friendship tea in cute tins for teacher gifts.  They were always a big hit.  So, when I was thinking about party favors for the Candy in Wonderland Tea Party, I remembered Mom's friendship tea and knew it was a perfect fit!






I shared the recipe for the mix with the other hostesses who put together the prettiest favors for the party.  Cat found some lovely cups and saucers and Lisa created the cute tags which coordinated with the darling invitations she made.





The mix is delicious and is perfect for Secret Santas, Bunco door prizes and Sunday school teacher gifts.   The fun is in finding cute containers to present it in!  To print out (and share) the friendship tea recipe, click on the card below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 - 18 oz jar Tang mix
1 - 4 oz pkg lemonade mix (powder)
1 c instant tea (powder)
2 1/2 c sugar
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground cloves

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients and store in an air-tight container.
2. Use 2-3 t. per cup hot water



 
click to enlarge and print


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Emma is Prize-worthy!

My Emma party was featured on WWEPW, the Mecca of Emma Pillsbury fashion! I am so thrilled! Danielle even honored me with the Nobel Prize for Awesome Birthday Party Ideas! Click on the banner above to see my feature. Thanks again, Danielle!

Fiesta Friday- The Emmas

I am so excited to share this party! Well, I've actually shared a bunch of it already. But, I am really excited to introduce the Emmas:  Ericka and Leslie are a couple cool chickadees with whom I work, Kandi is one of my sorority sisters and bridesmaids, Diane is a hilarious lady that I met through my close-to-home BFF Christy and Leti is my little sister.  Don't we look lovely in our colorful cardigans?





from left: Ericka, Leslie, Kandi, Diane, Christy, me and Leti
We went out to dinner last Friday in a torrential downpour dressed like my new fashion idol, Emma Pillsbury and even though they could have stayed home and kept dry, my girls didn't let me down. They were troupers...troupers in cardis!





This is the invitation I designed and emailed to the Emmas. We met at my house, took some pictures, grabbed umbrellas and ran to our cars. It was ridiculous! There was flooding all around the city. The windshield kept fogging up and I had to wipe it with a towel every few minutes so Christy could drive!  But we quickly put the tropical storm behind us and ordered cocktails that matched our cardigans.  Mine was a lemon drop, of course!







You know I am addicted to party favors, and even though we were just going out to eat, I couldn't resist the opportunity to put together some little pressies that Emma just might give out at one of her parties. The cello bags had a package of tissues, latex gloves and antibacterial wipes. I also gave them Glee cds with cover sleeves that matched the invitation design. If you are hosting your own Emma party, you might want to give each girl a flowered brooch or a bento box with celery and grapes. Or, all of the above!






So, that's it. I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to the Emmas for my fun birthday adventure. You are all golden in my book! Now, go disinfect. That keyboard is a breeding ground for germies.

Emma's Closet

So, I thought I'd give you another peek into my Emma Pillsbury birthday party.  I'm saving the rest for Fiesta Friday!

The most important part of the whole shindig was the fashion.  So, I turned to What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear (WWEPW) for inspiration. It's awesome! If you are a fan of Emma's wardrobe, definitely give it a look-see.  Click here to check out the WWEPW Polyvore group with a bunch more Emmalicious ensembles.





My original look was red and black, but I found a yellow embroidered cardigan in my mom's closet and two beautiful vintage brooches from my grandma's old jewelry box that were perfect!  So, my outfit changed from Cherries Jubilee to Bananas Foster (I imagine Emma giving her ensembles dessert names.)  I put my outfit together on Polyvore, like the other WWEPWers do. Here's what I came up with:



Bananas Foster by melgarzaallen featuring Rocha.John Rocha Petite cardigans

All the Emmas looked amazing; I think we made Miss Pillsbury proud! I decided to play around a bit and Polyvore some of the outfits that showed on Friday.  Here are Leti, Kandi and Christy's outfits:



Coconut Snowcone by melgarzaallen featuring Lola Rose jewelry



Grape Granita by melgarzaallen featuring Gilles Dufour For Browns cardigans



Blueberry Sorbet by melgarzaallen featuring Unisa shoes

Channeling Emma Pillsbury

I have a challenge in front of me folks.  I need an Emma Pillsbury worthy outfit for my birthday party!

Most of my "outfits" involve a solid colored top and pants, so creating a "look" with pieces that didn't all come from the same rack is simply beyond me.  For a little help in that department, I went directly to my new favorite fashion blog, What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear.  These gals have it going on!  I love the Polyvore deliciousness that readers enter into the WWEPW Fashion Challenges.  Talk about genius! They looked so much fun that I decided to try it. Check out my first Polyvore below!

Emma in My Closet by melgarzaallen featuring Paris Hilton shoes

I studied the blog and figured out that I already own a polka dot dress (that I've never worn) and a couple pair of heels that could totally work.  Whew!  What a relief! I don't actually have to start from scratch. Now, I need to find a cardigan and some Emmaccessories.

Cherries Jubillee by melgarzaallen featuring Paris Hilton shoes

This is the look I'm going for.  I have everything but the necklace, earrings and sweater. The whole outfit hinges on the red sweater. I think that more than the other pieces, it really makes the whole ensemble Emmalicious. Without it, it's just not Emma.   Forever 21 has it online so I hope it is still in stores.  Wish me luck!