12.30.2011

New Year's Eve Piñata

Tomorrow night, we'll celebrate the end of another year, and I ask you what better way to do that than with a piñata?!  I've expounded upon my love of piñatas before, and the celebration of a new year felt like just the right time to make another one...
NYE Pinata with Text

What does one put in a New Years Eve piñata, you ask.  Well, I'll show you.

Noisemakers and beads and glasses and confetti and liquor (plastic only), of course!
NYE Piñata NYE Piñata
 
Once I had my insides, I started constructing the piñata.  I used a pack of cake boards from the baking section at Michael's, black tissue paper, and and gold (!) mylar film that I was able to track down at the party store. 
NYE Piñata
I created the diamond shape from two pyramids.  So, began with six triangles.
NYE Piñata
NYE Piñata

I punched small holes for the top pyramid, so I'd have a convenient way to string it up.
NYE Piñata

Then, I began by taping each pyramid from the inside.
NYE Piñata

Then, the outside.
NYE Piñata

Before I completely combined them, I put the insides in.
NYE Piñata

I taped it all up.
NYE Piñata

Then, I began to wonder if the thing was too sturdy such that we'd never be able to beat those fun prizes out of there.  So I undid a little of my work to create a trap door at the top...a plan B, if you will.
NYE Piñata

Now, the fun (but incredibly tedous) part--covering the whole thing in glitzy gold and black.  Thankfully, I picked up some shredder scissors for the Zardoz project, so this makes the fringing go about five times faster than it might otherwise.  So, yeah, I made about a gazillion strips of fringe and glued them on beginning at the bottom (4 golds for every 1 black).  To be fair, it only took about two and a half sheets of the gold and one of the black.
NYE PiñataNYE Piñata

Finally, I made a tassel for the bottom using long strips of the gold and black.  I gathered them, twisted them all together in the middle, looped the twisted part back around on itself to create a little eye, tied it together with twine, and hung it from the bottom of the piñata.
NYE Piñata

...and TA-DA!
NYE PiñataNYE Piñata NYE Piñata

And for giggles, here I am proudly holding it like the finest catch of the day.
NYE Piñata

Do any of you have any crafts planned to help you celebrate the new year?

12.26.2011

Instagram Dump: Volume 1

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The winter weather is already running its course on my sad, fried hair.  These adorable hair clips from Ban.do + a top knot are about the only things between me and and cutting it all off.

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We went to see Gary Clark Jr at the Red Palace in DC.  I was stage side.  It was awesome.  Check him out.

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Christmas cookie decorating with friends, of course.

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We ordered a new sofa for ourselves for Christmas.  So excited to say goodbye to our Ikea hunk of foam, but since it won't actually arrive until March, I'm keeping my excitement tempered for the time-being.  But be prepared for the many celebratory photos that I will surely post in March.

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On Friday, we woke up super early and drove back to Tennessee for the holidays.  Oh, so so early. 

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I did a little in-bed crafting at my parents' house and ended up with a super cute headband that makes me look even younger than people already conjecture me to be.

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The combination of a pre-Christmas sale and a coupon forced me to purchase these 12 adorable appetizer plates from World Market, which will certainly be featured as part of 2012's Second Annual A Very Boozy Christmas.

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Tater Mitts were the hit of the Spears family Dirty Santa game.  As my brother declared, "Every girl needs Tater Mitts.  Makes her feel sexy."  Touche. 

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The Pellegrin family Christmas tree

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Christmas morning.  Is it just me, or do we truly look like children?  Either way, it was a very good, very generous Christmas. 

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Michael with my favorite baby, Brooks, the son of my BFF Sarah.  Love that little guy.

12.25.2011

Crafted Gifts

I've already talked about my crafted gifts a bit, but I thought I'd go ahead and share a few pics I took before they went off to their new owners today.

I made a set of fold over zip clutches for Michael's three cousins and aunts. And for the grandmas and my mother-in-law, I made some pillow covers from a set of adorable holiday napkins from World Market.

And the best part of crafted gifts? People have to feign extra gratitude even if they don't like the gift because you've toiled away especially for them. ...although I like to think they really were extra grateful. :)

12.11.2011

A Very Boozy Christmas

Last night, we successfully celebrated the holidays with booze!  Last week, I mentioned our party plans and shared our invitation.

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Well, yesterday, we drug out the bar table, cleared the coffee table away, and welcomed a few of our friends into our home.
Xmas Party
Xmas Party

Our cocktail list included some classics--like Brandy Alexanders and Egg Nog--and some more novel concoctions--like the Candy Cane Cooler and a Poinsettia Cocktail. 
Xmas Party

As for food, we chose some delicious appetizers. 
Sweet and spicy nuts
Roasted grapes
Smoked Salmon Dip & Crudites
Salmon dip + crudités
Peppermint Fudge Pie (which, I've got to say, was way, way too sweet) 
Peppermint Fudge Pie

I broke out the sequins and red lipstick.
Party time lips

Others broke out their matching turtlenecks and warmed themselves by the fire.
Xmas Party

All in all, we fit more people in our place than ever before and had a jolly ole time!
Xmas Party

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