Hostess with the Mostess®
You can never go wrong with crafting, cocktails, and a little sparkle …at least in my book! So when I was recently asked to dream up some creative inspiration for a fun Girls Night In featuring Sauza® Sparkling, last month, this tried-and-true combo is exactly where I started. ;)
The weather is warm and summer fun is in the air right now, so I decided to focus on a Flamingo Party theme that’s playful, girlie, and a little bit cheeky! Retro lawn flamingos were given glam makeovers, flamingo-stemmed cups were brushed with glitter, and pale pink feathers were accented with gold and strewn into garlands. I added some bold black & white stripes for contrast, plus some simple white string lights for added twinkle behind the bar. YAY! This theme would translate REALLY WELL to a milestone birthday, flirty bridal shower, or bachelorette party too. Lawn flamingo with a veil, anyone? ;)
PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:
– Painted feather-and-glitter-tape garland + YAY letters dressed up with patterned paper & glitter
– Flamingo party glasses with gold glitter bases & monogram sticker “drink markers”
– Chilled Wild Berry & Original Lime Sparkling Margaritas + colorful Strawberry Cucumber Mint Water
– Painted plastic lawn flamingos decked out with necklaces, flower “barettes”, boas, and tutus
– Playful flamingo themed paper details, {including a free printable 8×10 drink sign & tent cards!}
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SPARKLING DRINK STATION
Creating a nice mix of heights and levels is key to any sort of party table display. I used a set of nesting wall shelves ($15/set of 3 at Target) to create a pretty presentation for the Sauza® Sparkling here. Lining the top and inside base of the wall shelves with patterned paper helped coordinate the look with everything else.
Like the look of the “vintage glass” holding the fresh fruit drink garnishes? They’re actually super inexpensive candle holders from Ikea. :) And the sparkly faux limes used for decor were originally made for last year’s Glitzy Holiday Fiesta. Every fiesta needs sparkly limes, right?!
I found the pink flamingo cups at Party City for .99 each, then we brushed glue onto the bases and sprinkled them with gold glitter. Opaque white letter stickers from an office supply store provide an easy way to personalize the cups for each guest. I love the retro-mod “Palm Springs” vibe of the finished drinkware!
Drink dispensers are one of my favorite elements for any drink station. I filled this one with ice cold Strawberry Cucumber Mint water, which is both refreshing and colorful!
THE FLAMINGOS
The big flamingo on the drink station started out pink, but was easily transformed with a couple quick coats of metallic gold spray paint + a marabou feather boa and {cheap} costume necklace. The gold vase was dressed up with adhesive rhinestone trim, patterned paper, and a hand-cut paper champagne flute silhouette. Cheers!
I also tried spraying some of the flamingos a softer, chic shade of pink. I love this shade – especially for a bridal shower – but it requires more coats than the gold paint. And just a quick tip: definitely go for a flat finish when you are trying to spray paint something plastic, like these flamingos. Flat paints go on so much quicker and more smoothly than their glossy finish counterparts!
THE TABLE
To assemble the final centerpieces, I filled the containers with wet floral foam first, then added a flamingo, then inserted color-coordinating flowers. I also added a glittered lime to some of them for extra sparkle!
Printed table linens can be very expensive to rent/buy, so I covered this table in 2 yards of striped fabric from Ikea instead. Worked like a charm!
The charger plates were dressed up with hand-cut flamingo silhouettes… which can be a little time-consuming, but very impactful! The “napkins” were made from scraps of a repurposed fitted sheet (which matched the flat sheet used on the craft table, covered in Part 2.)
The “necklaces” on all of the flamingos were made from pieces of inexpensive costume necklaces + hot glued sparkly beads for the “baubles”.
THE MENU
We’ve been eating a ton of watermelon lately, and this was one thing I just couldn’t resist trying: flamingo shaped cookie cutter + Watermelon Feta Salad = “Flamingo Feta Salad”! ;)
Recommended dinner menu that pairs very nicely with sparkling margaritas: tasty seafood tacos, black beans, and citrus rice garnished with lime!
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THE PAPER COLLECTION
I wanted the Flamingo themed paper details to be flirty and fun, with tongue-in-cheek phrases like “Hello, Gorgeous.” and “Cheers, Darling!“. Jacque took the lead on most of the paper collection for this project and did an amazing job. My favorite piece is still the very first one we finished – the 8×10 Drink Sign, where the flamingo is sporting heart shaped, translucent sunglasses. Pretty sure the party guests would look cute in those too. We also happen to be giving this sign away for free! {Download below.}
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That’s it for Part 1 – hope you found something that inspires you! Stay tuned for crafts, desserts, and yes – more flamingos! – coming up in Part 2. Here’s a sneak peek:
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And of course we can’t forget the aforementioned free printables! Enjoy :)
DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLES:
– 8 x 10 Drink Sign
– Tent Cards
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VENDOR CREDITS & SHOPPING RESOURCES:
– Styling, Graphic Design, & Photography: Hostess with the Mostess
– Sponsor: Sauza Tequila
– Flamingo Paper Collection: Hostess INK (also available in “printable” format here)
– Lawn Flamingos + Flamingo Stir Sticks & Party Picks: Amazon
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Sauza via Glam Media. As always, all thoughts, opinions, and designs are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that enable us to keep the creative content coming for you!
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Drink Responsibly.
Sauza® Sparkling Margarita, 9.95% alc./vol. ©2014 Sauza Tequila Import Company, Deerfield, IL.
Hostess with the Mostess®