Crawfish Boil Decor

After over a decade of working non-profit events, I suppose I picked up a thing or two about how to decorate on a tight budget. I like to create looks that incorporate things from natural settings; like the magnolia leaves from my yard, for example. I want guests to walk in and take notice but not feel like things are overdone.

I was honored to have been asked to create the décor for a corporate holiday party this past December and ended up decorating for a friend's Christmas party the next week. (I will share those ideas around the 2014 holidays) Since that time, I have found myself offering to make centerpieces for friend's parties in lieu of bringing a side dish or wine, for example. I think it is a nice gesture and takes a small, but sometimes stressful, item off the hosts "to do" list. 

This particular party was a crawfish boil in honor of our friend's 40th birthday. The backyard setting had a rustic-chic feel. My husband & I throw a crawfish boil most summers so I didn't want the decor to look exactly like mine. Since they have a sandpit in their backyard for horseshoes, I thought it would be fun to throw in some beachy elements. 

Displaying fruit can be an easy (and inexpensive ) centerpiece. I used an over-sized clam shell that I just adore! 

I chose deep pink Camellia blossoms and Acuba leaves from my yard. The key to using fresh cut flowers and fruit is Baby Oil!!

Remember this old post from 2011? Old Post About Baby Oil

Sliced lemons in a medium-sized clam shell make for a useful centerpiece on the crawfish "dump" table

One of my favorite backyard treasures is my over-sized lantern. I filled it with wheat flour (to look like sand), then dropped in decorative shells & a rustic candle.

A little tip: Before you fill a lantern with flour, or anything else, you need to line the inside of the bottom with clear tape. Otherwise it will go everywhere when you transport it.

I wrapped a plain candle in netting that I filled with seashells.

This is an old wine crate that I have been dying to use for something. I draped netting over the side and painted a loose-hand "40" on the side. It served as a gift deposit, which, at our age, is typically a nice bottle of something or a gift certificate :)

The lovely hostess found an idea for a banner on Pinterest & took the time to make it. She hand-stamped each piece of burlap. Isn't it just perfect?

She also incorporated burlap for special touches around the tables.

She got the iron "A" at TJ Maxx & used it on the dessert table.

Btw, if you ever want a custom-made metal letter (or sign), you have got to check out my friend's business. I just ordered a custom sign for a close friend that is retiring. This style is very hip right now & I just love them!

Metal and Lights Etsy Shop

                            The star of the decor at a crawfish boil is the crawfish itself.

Look at these beauties!

A Bird's Eye View: Making Hummingbird Food

My husband & I have loved watching birds enjoy our bird-feeders & birdhouses for some time now. We had a pair of Carolina Chickadees that stayed with us for over a year before taking off for greener pastures (ie: have I told you that one of our dogs is a bird dog?!). While I am not quite ready to invest in bird-watching binoculars, I do want to continue to add to our collection. There is nothing like waking up in the morning to the sound of our little friends chirping!

To keep the squirrels away, we use “Cajun” birdseed for all of our bird-feeders. If you have never purchased Cole’s Hot Meats, you should know two things: 1. It is a bit expensive  2. It absolutely works. Bonus: the name makes me giggle :)

Purchase Cole's Hot Meats on Amazon

I recently purchased a glass hummingbird feeder that I will place right outside my bedroom window. Keeping the steep price of our regular birdseed in mind, I thought it might be nice to try to make our own nectar for the hummingbird feeder. All you need is sugar & water, (food coloring is optional).

How to Make Hummingbird Food

Boil water with sugar, let cool

Pour into your feeder & place the rest in a milk carton

I think this is adorable! And isn't this just so "green" of us? :)

I would love to share pictures of hummingbirds enjoying their yummy nectar but, what can I say? They are very fast & therefore hard to photograph! So, enjoy a few pics from my yard that celebrate Spring!

Spring Clean Your Beauty Routine!

I recently reached out to my girlfriends because I wanted to know what products they loved and considered hidden gems. Instead of re-writing the responses they wrote, I left their e-mails in their original form, only editing for clarity or grammar. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did. And give some of these products a try, I certainly plan to. Happy 1st Day of SPRING!!! Winter is over, we made it!!

BIO OIL

Link to Bio Oil

Suggested by Susan P.
This may be a hidden gem...I'm a big fan of Bio-Oil. I have some discoloration on leg from when I tore my calf muscle (too much time on the heating pad!).  This has really helped. 

My take: I tried it for my eczema this winter & loved it. It isn't heavily scented but, to me, it smells like cinnamon!

VIVITE FACIAL CLEANSER

Link to Vivite

Suggested by Ashley G.
Has alpha hydroxy acids so it burns a tiny bit the 1st couple times you use it but it is amazing!

My take: Beauty is pain so bring on the burn!

SONIA KASHUK ILLUMINATOR

Link to Sonia Kashuk Illuminator

Suggested by Kristen T.
I find Sonia Kashuk Illuminator (baby pink bottle) to be amazing mixed in with a drop of moisturizer or foundation to really brighten the skin and make your cheekbones more defined.  When applied around the temples, it really makes your eyes pop as well....especially if you're tired! 

My take: Can’t wait to try it!

WET-N-WILD MEGAGLO ILLUMINATING POWDER

Link to WetnWild Illuminator

Suggested by Mary Susan C.
Darn!!  A cheap product I love is discontinued!!  I still like the one still around. $3.99. Same concept at the Bobbi Brown compact that is so popular:

My take: Seeing WetNWild made me giggle. Didn't we all just love it in junior high? I think it is time to re-visit this long-standing brand!

MICHAEL KORS LEG SHINE

Link to Michael Kors Leg Shine

Suggested by Mary Susan C.
Unnecessary but a fun product. I love the smell!

My take: Can’t wait to try it! I am noticing an illuminating theme….

ELTA MD SUNSCREEN

Link to Elta Sunsreen

Suggested by Ashley G.
Huge fan of this, I think we talked about this before. Works great & is half the price of Obagi.

My take: I started using this product during the winter so I will be curious to see how it stands up to my usual brand (Obagi) during the summer months. Paying $20 vs. $45 sounds like a great deal to me!

IT’S A 10 MIRACLE LEAVE IN PRODUCT

Link to It's a 10 Conditioner

Suggested by Erin T.
I have a hair product that I am obsessed with. I got a sample of it in one of my Birchboxes. The small size has gone a long way for me. Just requires a few spritzs before blow-drying. And you don't get that producty-feel in your hair with this either. Things I like about this product and why I would recommend it:

1) Love the smell

2) Makes my hair feel softer/smoother when damp and after when blow-dried

3) Put in my before blow-drying and don't get as many fly-aways/wispy hairs 

My take: Can’t wait to try it, especially in the upcoming summer months!

TRISH MCEVOY AT-HOME PEEL

Link to Trish McEvoy Peel

Suggested by Erin S.
A new favorite! Not exactly cheap, but it lasts for 12 weeks and I justify it because I can never find time to actually go anywhere for a peel! 
My take: Can’t wait to try it! Seriously, DYING to try this!!

OIL PULLING 

Link to Oil Pulling

Suggested by Alexandra S.
One of my girlfriends recently started this and she LOVES it. Says it really does deliver on results. I am going to try it!
My take: Ok, this isn't actually a product suggestion but, I had never heard of it so I had to share it. Can’t wait to try it but maybe one of you could go first & tell me all about it? 

CREST 3-D WHITE TOOTHPASTE

Link to Crest 3D Toothpaste

Suggested by Me :)
My sister in law is a fabulous dentist in Baton Rouge! Griffon's Gentle Dental

She made whitening treys for me for my birthday one year and they worked so great. In the meantime, however, I still drink red wine, coffee, etc. so I have to do touch ups every so often. I happened to try this toothpaste, probably because it was on sale, and realized that I don’t have to touch up as often. Never in a million years did I think that I would care about a particular toothpaste but, trust me, this one does what it says!

My take: I love it!

Create Your Own Gift Tags

I absolutely love wrapping gifts & cannot believe that I have never shared any of my creations with you. I will work on that! My gift-wrap room is fully stocked with a wide variety of wrapping paper, bags, ribbon, cool boxes, etc. Sometimes I just hang out in there & look at all of my pretty things. It makes me happy J One thing I have been unhappy with lately is my selection of gift tags. In my opinion, the tag should complement the wrapping paper & ribbon or contrast in an interesting way. I keep a few on hand but inevitably, they never "go" with the gift I need them to. So, I went to my favorite on-line retailer, Amazon, & purchased my own plain tags that I customized to coordinate with looks that I generally use for wrapping. Give it a try the next time you have a rainy day. Or, if you live in Atlanta, during the next Snowmageddon!! This project was SO much fun!

You can choose different shapes & edges for a very reasonable price!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLOGH0A/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Married to An Old Fart

It's true, none of us are getting any younger these days. But, you know what they say, you're only as old as you feel, and we feel pretty young & silly! 2014 started with a very big milestone in my household, my husband turned the big 4-0! We celebrated with a ski trip in Breckenridge with some of our close friends. But, before we left, I decided to give him an "old fart" themed gift complete with Polident, Gas-X & Old Spice (for the "old" part of the theme), and two really hilarious books, (for the "fart" part of the theme). Both can be found on Amazon.com. These are too funny not to share!

The Birthday Boy (um, man)

Here are a few pictures from the official celebration in Breckenridge:

If you are wondering what this is supposed to be a photo of, please look closely in the middle towards the left. It was one of the funniest wipe-outs I captured during our trip. Ah, good times :)