happy 30th jeff; rubix cube cake, ecto cooler, dirty dancing cocktail, pac-man banner, and garbage pail kid favors! oh.my.80's!

This past Friday I threw an 80's theme party for my boyfriend's 30th birthday! I had only a week and half to plan it because we decided last minute to have a party. Luckily I found a few good vendors that shipped quickly!


The theme all started because of the Rubix cube cake I wanted to make for Jeff. He can solve a Rubix cube very quickly. When we first started dating I would go over his place and mix up his collection of Rubix cubes (he had about 7 and I thought it would bother him but it didn't lol) and before I would leave he would have them all fixed and back to solid colors on each side.

The cake did not turn out perfect, but I am pretty proud that I actually made it myself and didn't call Cake Boss to make it!


Handmade Pac-Man birthday banner(matched the card I made him)! I also hung Pac-Man ghosts from the arms of the chandelier. 

Sign I painted for the front door so that I didn't have to keep answering the door.

I searched for vintage birthday party supplies on Etsy and Ebay and found cups, plates, napkins from the 80's still sealed in their original packaging!

I found New Kids On The Block Napkins, Pee Wee, He-man, E.T., A-Team, cups, plates, napkins and tablecloths.

I made the favors for the party. I purchased Garbage Pail Kids cards for every name that was attending the party. I made the cupcakes and cut out the fondant decorations. I did the MTV logo, a cassette tape, Pac-Man, Pac-man ghosts,the Ghostbuster's logo, and I heart the 80's. I found a vendor on etsy that sells the cupcake containers and I used neon straws and double sided tape to attach the cards.

Fondant cupcake toppers.

The favors were a fun unexpected hit at the party. Everyone had fun finding their name and seeing how gross their card was!

Echto Cooler sign I drew, before and after painting.

Jeff loves Hi-C Echto Cooler, which is something that is no longer made so I tried to recreate it for him. The drink I made came pretty close! I drew the Echto Cooler logo with Slimer from Ghostbusters, went over it in permanent marker and colored it with water colors to put on the front of the dispenser so that everyone would know it was Echto Cooler. I used a vintage Goonies thermos to hold the straws next to the punch. I put a picture of Vanilla Ice on the ice bucket.

My "I Carried A Watermelon" Cocktail

I had kept everything pretty 80's guy oriented but I had to give a nod to my favorite 80's movie of all time, Dirty Dancing. I made up a watermelon drink, which I named "I Carried a Watermelon". Named because of a line that the character Baby says in the movie. I handmade the toothpicks for the drink. I used a label setting on my printer and printed them out on card stock paper. Each pick had a memorable quote from the movie Dirty Dancing on the back of it. It was funny- I made this drink thinking it would be a hit with the ladies at the party and I was surprised that the guys seemed to love it more and were quoting the movie all night!

I bought 80's candy and shutter shades to put out around the party which was a big hit as well. By the end of the night people were rocking shutter shades and ring pops! 


If I had more time I would have done more, I had sooo many ideas! We had a fun night and Jeff said he loved his party! As our friend Justin left the party he said to me "Down the road, years from now, this is the party everyone is going to talk about and remember. We will reference this party." He pretty much made my night! xo Lizzie

A shout out to the vendors!
Old Time Candy - Shipped the candy very quickly and called me to fix my order!
Hilltop Auctions  - An ebay store. Shipped the Garbage Pail Kids cards very quickly and all of the cards shipped for $1 shipping.
The Oriental Trading Company - The place where I found the least expensive shutter shades, and they shipped quick!
Cupcake Gatherings - Etsy vendor where I purchased the cupcake containers for the favors.
80's Tee - I bought myself a Dirty Dancing tee here and JT got a Back to the Future shirt. Fast shipping!
Howard Levy Photography - Jeff & I were too busy to take photos luckily our photographer friend had us covered! Thank you!

paris details: sky high heels & fold-able flats

I am getting professional pictures taken during my upcoming trip to Paris. I was obsessing over the details of what I would wear. I had heard you should never wear black in photos and I was concerned because of course the dress I found is black! I asked my drop dead gorgeous extremely talented French photographer, Audrey, for her opinion on the color.

She said simply, "Wear what you're comfortable in and you will look beautiful.... but you must wear high heels, you must. Even if you switch out of them between takes."


I love fashion and look at it as a great form of art and expression, but I refuse to be uncomfortable to look good. (I loved hearing about Gisele Bundchen refusing to wear heels on the runway!) I also think that when you are uncomfortable you don't look good. I see it all the time here in NYC, beautiful girls dressed to impress, the look ruined because they can't stand up straight and their faces squinched because their feet hurt so much. It doesn't look good ladies.

Enzo Angiolini 'Sully' Silver Halogram Platform Pump, Y-Mail Clutch by Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel Lipstick

Anyways, I bought the sky high heels for my shoot. They are my first pair of 4 inch heels. They are sparkly and totally brilliant with gold platform bottoms. I have been wearing them around the house with socks on to break them in before my trip.


After our photo shoot we are having dinner in the Eiffel Tower at Jules Verne, so there is just no way I can wear these heels if I have to walk to dinner. So I found something I can pop on until we get to the restaurant! FOLDABLE FLATS! Every woman needs a pair of these... or 3!

click photo to enlarge

These are by  Fit In Clouds. They are more expensive than other brands like Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats but I liked the quality and the extra sparkle these have. I bought mine at Overstock.com on sale.

Seriously can not wait to dance all over Paris in these! It's almost time... xo Lizzie

happy 30th jeff; handmade pac-man birthday card

Jeff's birthday is this week and I am having fun preparing to celebrate his 30th with him. I usually make cards for him because he goes crazy over them, and I love that! This birthday I am doing a 80's theme for him, and he's a video game nut, so a Pac-Man card is perfect! 

I used my ipad that Jeff gave me for my 30th, to remember what the Pac-Man board looked like. I painted the 4th board of the game:)

I used watercolors to paint the card.

Front of the card.

Inside of the card. Yes, I am a cheeseball! :)

I will share more details of Jeff's 30th in upcoming posts! Stay tuned... xo Lizzie

Fun Facts

- Pac-Man was first released May 22,1980

- Pac-Man is 1 of only 3 video games on display at the Smithsonian.

- Ms. Pac-Man was an unauthorized sequel released in 1981

- The game was originally called Puck-Man until manufacturer Midway changed the game's name to Pac-Man.

jersey love: jersey tomatoes & a twist on a classic cocktail

I Heart New Jersey!

It's Jersey tomato time! We have lot of them, fresh from the garden over here at our house!

Yum!

BLT made with Jersey tomatoes for lunch. And tonight we will enjoy the tomatoes with fresh mozzarella!

And now to make my "New Jersey Iced Tea"...

It's the Long Island's sweeter, cooler cousin!

Make your basic Long Island Iced Tea, without ice and then top it off with Lemon Italian Ice!

I painted NJ and the Italian flag with water colors and stuck them into the Italian Ice. The ice floats so they make a nice finishing touch.

I'm sipping and fist pumping... Cheers to New Jersey! xo Lizzie

superheavy releases their first music video

Since hearing that two of my music favorites (Joss Stone & Mick Jagger) were forming a new music group, Superheavy, I have been anxiously waiting to hear what kind of music this talented hybrid would produce. Well my wait has ended! I am happy to share with you the new music video, from Superheavy, "Miracle Worker".

click here to see "Miracle Worker" by Superheavy!

photo by Frank W. Ockenfels 3

take a moment tuesday; gelato & a small bouquet

Ciao Bella!

I am a fan of Ciao Bella gelato. They have great flavors, perfect chewy, creamy texture and colorful fun pints. My favorite flavor of their's is malted milk ball. They just came out with a line of gelato sandwiches so of course I had to try them and they didn't disappoint! 

It was good! 

Tiny vintage Bromo-Seltzer bottle that I purchased at a flea market this weekend- cost me almost nothing.

Lilies I cut this morning.

Colorful ribbon.

"I hate flowers. I only paint them because they're cheaper than models and they don't move.” - georgia o'keefe

"The earth laughs in flowers." - e.e. cummings

liquid sunshine; pineapple mango coconut smoothies

I love making smoothies, it's kinda "my thing". In the words of  Will Smith's character in Enemy of the State, "Some people meditate, some people get massages, I blend."

I don't measure ingredients when I make smoothies I just add flavors that I think would complement each other and taste it throughout the process.

There are a few tips I can give. I do not like using too much ice, so I freeze my fruit ahead of time and it makes for a thicker icy smoothie. Add a little of the liquid at a time because its easier to add liquid than it is to remove it. And instead of water try using something that will add another layer of flavor (juice, almond milk, coconut water).

Ingredients

Mango

Pineapple

Coconut Water (can use coconut milk if you want more coconut flavor & sweetness)

Coconut (to toast for garnish)

Allspice (just a dash)

Ice

I am soaking up the sun and this beautiful Saturday! Enjoy yours! xo Lizzie

maybelline celebrates 40th anniversary of great lash mascara

This past Monday, Maybelline announced that great lash has partnered with fashion designers to create limited edition tubes of their Great Lash Mascara in honor of the product's 40th anniversary. The tube was originally designed by then up and coming designer Lilly Pulitzer back in 1971.


Enlisted designers Tracy Reese, Max Azria and Viviene Tam (she collaborated with HP back in 2008 on a mini laptop) revamped the tubes with their own designs;  a graphic floral print, a black lace design and the Chinese symbol for "lash", respectively.


The tubes will be sold exclusively at Target for $6.99 starting in September.

photo courtesy of Maybelline New York

take a moment tuesday; diy creamsicle bath salts

Business is really picking up for me, which is awesome! I am bending wire for hangers as fast as my little fingers can. It's making my muscles sore from  having to muscle & manipulate the wire into place! Nothing a little break and a hot bath with homemade bath salt can't cure! 

Ingredients:

4 cups Epsom salt 

(you could substitute a cup and a half of another salt but Epsom salt is great for sore muscles and is my favorite. If you want to put another salt in yours I recommend Himalaya Pink Sea Salt its really pretty or use another sea salt)

1/2 tsp liquid glycerine (this is at most pharmacys, if they do not have it then try a supermarket or baking supply store.)

Essential oils or extract of your choice (I used Vanilla and Orange extract)

After I mixed the glycerine and the salt together I divided the mixture into 2 bowls.I put the orange extract in one bowl and added a tiny bit of orange food coloring (don't add too much!). And in the second bowl I added the vanilla extract. So I have a bowl of cream and a bowl of orange!

I use canning jars to hold the finished bath salt. Makes a for nice presentation if you use them as favors or gifts and they come in different sizes.

Alternate the two colors when filling the jars, so it has a swirl effect.

I used water colors, heavy card stock paper and a Popsicle stick to make a creamsicle tag. I made a basic plaid pattern to cut out for the lids of the jars.

Creamsicle Bath Soak

These make great gifts and inexpensive party favors for bridal & baby showers. They smell awesome and it's great to actually know what exactly is in the bath salt in your bath water!

Take a few minutes for yourself today! Soak it up! xo Lizzie