DIY Mini Faux Pinata

I love a good piñata, but the thought of making them from scratch seemed a bit daunting and time consuming, especially for something that would be torn apart. That's when it hit me- faux piñatas! All the cuteness and fun of a piñata, made in half the time, that can be kept indefinitely. Win-win! So, I scoured Oriental Trading for supplies and got to work creating this tiny piñata tutorial.

You will need:

Papier mache boxes
Crepe streamers
Gold streamer
Candy
Scissors
Hot glue gun
 

Step 1: Take your crepe paper and measure around the perimeter of the piñata base. Add a teensy bit of extra length and cut.

Step 2: Fold your length of crepe paper in fours so that it's compact. Put the crepe paper against the lid rim and cut at the width of the rim. Save the wider section- you'll be using it for the bottom. Do this for all the colors to mix and match, or keep it the same for consistency.

Step 3: Wrap the lid in the narrow section, putting glue every few inches as you work so the glue stays hot.

Step 4: Wrap the bottom of the pumpkin with the wider section from before. Glue every few inches to secure it.

Step 5: Now that the perimeter of your pumpkin is wrapped, you can start the piñata part at the top! Cut a length of crepe paper, and fold it so it's narrow. Cut in half width-wise. 

Step 6: Take your folded crepe paper and cut slits close together to make the pinata fringe.

Step 7: Starting at the bottom, glue the fringe onto the top of the lid. Continue all the way to the top.

Step 8: Trim the excess from the sides of the lid. 

Step 9: Fill with candy. Finito!

Don't forget to make some teal pumpkins as well to support this great cause!

How cute are these? I think they would make great seat markers at your place settings or nice favors for your party guests. What do you think of faux piñatas? Better than the real thing?! Let me know in the comments!

DIY Snowcone Party Hats

I know what you're thinking- party hats are for little kid's parties! I have many memories of wearing hats with a lame design that matched all the plates and napkins. And they never looked good. However, this isn't a regular hat- it's a cool hat! You can create these in complimentary colors to tie into your theme without being matchy-matchy, preventing the super cheeseball effect. They're cheap and easy to make, and make really cute festive accessories. Plus, since you're adding the elastic yourself, you don't have to worry about it choking you and creating a double chin! Double win! Well, have I convinced ya? Check out the easy how-to below.

You will need:

Snow cone cups (I got mine from Michaels)
Pom poms
Glue gun
Elastic cord (optional)

For this project, all you need to do is glue the Pom Pom onto the snow cone. Easy peasy! If you're planning on wearing them, create a small hole on each side and pull a piece of elastic through an tie a knot.

These are so cheap and quick to make that you can easily create a set for a party. And the bonus? They're SUPER cute!

Try placing a hat on each place setting to dress up the dinner table, or scatter them around the room to ensure everyone sees them. Or, even better, welcome each guest into your party by letting them pick their favorite! How do you plan on using these party hats? Let me know in the comments below! 

10 Tips to Start Planning Your Halloween Party

Happy Friday party peeps! Can you believe there are only 24 days left until Halloween?! This gives you juuuuust enough time to start planning your party. Grab a mug of hot apple cider and check out these 10 tips to start planning a spook-tacular Halloween party!

1. Check out some party inspiration to get yourself into the spirit.

2. Peruse the stores for decorations and party supplies that will haunt your guests for years to come.

3. Plan out your costume and show everyone how punny you are.

4. Look up recipes that are sure to be a scream.

5. Brew up some cocktails for your best witches.

6. Plan out the guest list and send some cute invites.

7. Create a spooky playlist and get ready to do the Monster Mash.

8. Collect your candy without having to go door to door.

9. Create costume contest awards that are to die for.

10. Get your pets ready for a frighteningly good time.

Which part of Halloween is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

What Greece Taught Me About Being a Great Hostess

This summer, I went with my sister and my fiancé to Greece and spent 2.5 weeks island hopping and visiting family for the first time. Even though we had never met before, it didn't seem to make a difference. Distant aunts and cousins welcomed us into their homes with open arms, acting as though they had known us for all our lives. It was such a change from NYC, where you are suspicious of strangers and fear talking to new people, lest they be a weirdo. At first we felt a little awkward, but we quickly learned to love their hospitality. It was nice being part of a big family and meeting new people.

While staying with various family members in places ranging from big cities to tiny towns, we noticed they all had something in common when it came to how they treat visitors. Here are nine lessons I learned about being a hostess. 

1. Treat every guest as if they are your family. To Greeks, everyone is family whether you've known them for 5 minutes or 5 years. They love to open their homes and their hearts to people, always making sure their guests are comfortable. Their favorite thing to do is to feed everyone, so you have to always bring a big appetite!

2. Give your guests lots of options. When we stayed with my dad's aunt, she offered us a pair of her pajamas to sleep in. She opened up her dresser and showed us all the options and urged us to wear whatever we wanted instead of choosing one for us. Even though we had our own pajamas, we were excited to choose from her selection. My sister and I even fought over the same pair!

3. Show guests that your home is their home. In Greece, it's not enough to just tell someone to make themselves at home. You have to show them how they can open the fridge when they want to, show them where items are in the kitchen cupboards, and where the laundry machine is. This serves two purposes- taking some of the responsibility away from the host, and allowing the guests to feel 100% welcome and comfortable. 

4. Always have some fruits and snacks on hand. In Greece, you can't go to someone's house without being offered something to eat. We were constantly offered delicious, ripe fruit. It was an easy thing to serve that everyone enjoyed. It has virtually no prep time, it's healthy, and it can be served on the fly in case you get unexpected guests.

5. If someone is a picky eater, find a way to accommodate them. As an extremely picky eater, I was nervous to have people cook for me. Luckily, everyone was super accommodating. They would order some chicken souvlaki for me, or modify their recipes to make it to my liking. It really helped me to feel at ease! To make your guests feel welcome, ask about dietary restrictions or allergies ahead of time to avoid any surprises.

6. Be open to people even if you don't understand them. My fiancé doesn't speak Greek, but that didn't stop anyone from treating him like family. They would bond with him in any way possible, whether it was sharing a beer or offering him food. 

7. Make a signature dish from your culture. Some people are afraid to try new foods (guilty!) but others can be very curious to learn more about your culture. Pick a dish that's unique but safe and serve it to your guests so that they can get a taste of the local cuisine. Or, if you've got people visiting from out of town, make something that's regional. It can be a city favorite, something locally sourced, or fresh produce. 

8. Always offer something sweet after a meal. In Greece, restaurants always serve you some kind of small dessert or liqueur after dinner. It's a nice gesture that shows your business was appreciated. If you have a friend come over, even just to drop something off, offer them a small treat and a coffee, and have a quick chat before they go. 

9. It's always a good time for a spontaneous dance party. Greeks love to dance, so it's totally normal for them to put on some music and suddenly break into a line dance. It's really fun and silly, and you aren't judged for being bad at it. Next time a friend comes over, try playing something popular, like the Macarena, and burst into giggles as you do the dance.

The main thing I learned from Greece was that any gathering can become a celebration. Next time you have friends and family together, try some of these tips to turn an ordinary dinner into a can't-wait-until-next-time soiree. 

Have you learned any lessons about being a hostess in your travels? What are they?! Leave them in the comments.

How to Plan a Summertime Christmas Party

There are less than 100 days until Christmas- let the festivities begin! 

Ok, maybe it's a tad early to start Christmas decorating, but I need my Christmas fix! After browsing Christmas cards on Paperless Post, I just couldn't hold my excitement in anymore. Although it still feels like summer, the holidays are just around the corner and I can faintly hear those jingle bells ringing! I decided to combine the warm weather and holiday excitement to create an awesome DIY Summertime Christmas Party. Time to start getting in the Christmas spirit!

1. Multicolor Pom Pom Garland 2. Hot Pink Honeycomb Tissue Balls 3. Lime Green Dessert Plates 4. Paperless Post A Christmas Story Card 5. Christmas Light Beverage Napkins 6. Cactus Drink Dispenser 7. Tiny Pom Poms 8. Festive Green Classic Party Cups 9. Cerise Festive Festooning 10. Paperless Post Christmas Cactus Card 11. Bright Tissue Hanging Fans 12. Clear Round Christmas Ornaments and Pink Straws 13. Bright Tassel Garland 14. Hot Pink Dinner Plates 15. Blue Honeycomb Tissue Balls 16. Lime Green Forks 17. Paperless Post Merry and Bright Card

One of the benefits of a summertime Christmas party is that you can experiment with fun, bright colors instead of the traditional wintry ones. I decided to go with pink and lime green, with pops of navy blue, orange and purple, just like this adorable Kate Spade card. I felt that this color palette kept it feeling like Christmas while still being fresh and different.

To set the scene, put on some Christmas tunes and grab a festive tablecloth. To set the table, give each person a pink dinner plate and place the green dessert plate on top. You can turn the clear ornaments into glasses by pouring in some cocktails and popping in a straw. I think these Saint Nickarita cocktails by Delightful E Made look delicious with just a pinch of wintry goodness.

Now my favorite part- decorating! Hang up the paper fans to create a colorful backdrop for your party table, and drape the pop pom garland over your chandelier or wrap it around one of your plants for a Christmas tree vibe. For a really cute idea on how to use your honeycomb balls, check out the photo section of the pink plates. You'll love it! Also, if you have some leftover clear ornaments, you can fill them up with some of the mini pom poms and scatter them on the table or hang them from your chandelier with clear fishing line.

Every party needs a simple snack, so whip up this chocolate dipped pretzel wreath for a tasty and decorative treat. Yum! Since everyone dreams of a white Christmas, adding some snow cones to the menu is a no brainer. Try these boozy strawberry snow cones from Sugar and Charm for a tasty twist on a classic.

For a fun, easy DIY project, create a Christmas cactus like the one on Paperless Post's cactus card. Just take your cactus drink dispenser and attach the festooning garland in a swirly pattern using a hot glue gun or double sided tape. Then, attach the pom poms to look like ornaments. Easy peasey!

Your biggest task will be getting back on the Nice List. What better way to do that than by sending out some cards to those you love?! While you count down the days until Santa comes down your chimney, go explore Paperless Post's full Christmas card collection and get ready to wish it was Christmas!

Which card is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!