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Monday, December 23, 2013

My Husband's 30th Birthday Mustache Bash


I threw my husband a surprise 30th birthday party over the weekend with a cute yet manly mustache theme. I lucked out in the party decor area when I found a free printable template from Printabelle, available here. I was able to download the DIY mustache themed decorations and alter the templates in photoshop to match my color scheme. I also changed the wording around for the cupcake toppers and banners since the mustache theme was catered to a little man's birthday party and my hubby is clearly a big boy!







I set up a "Mustache Station" table near the front door of the party. I made a sign that said "Grab a 'stache and join the bash" to encourage our guests to have some fun and choose their favorite mustache for the party. I wrapped color coordinated ribbon around a couple mirrors, layed sticky mustaches out on a ceramic platter and also had a box with mustaches on a stick for guests to choose from. I made the mustaches on a stick from black felt, craft sticks and a hot glue gun which were all purchased from Michael's Craft Store. I folded the felt in half, stapled it down so that it wouldn't move and then cut various mustache shapes. This is the same concept as folding a paper in half to cut a symmetrical heart that we all did as a kid. If you are a bit challenged in the craft department you can print a mustache, cut it out and use chalk to trace it onto the felt. This will take the guess work out of how to cut a mustache shape and the chalk should brush off the felt when you are done.


 This is my mustache station sign.
For very inexpensive customization of any decor you see here email printabelle@gmail.com
Print out this mustache and trace it for your mustache props.


Real Men Eat Cupcakes



The venue I chose for my husband's 30th birthday party was SPiN LA at The Standard Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. SPiN is a ping pong lounge/bar which worked out perfectly because my husband loves ping pong and had no idea that this cool spot even existed. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The company charges a cake cutting fee of $2.50 per person but I was able to bring cupcakes at no additional charge. So clearly my husband was getting cupcakes for his 30th birthday party instead of cake but I still wanted the cupcakes to have the presence and wow factor of a fabulous cake. The customized cupcake toppers helped add that special touch as well as the banner that I photoshopped from Printabelle's template to say "Real Men Eat Cupcakes". The white cake stands came from Home Goods while the tiered cupcake stand came from Party City. Both stands helped the cupcakes take on the height and shape of a beautiful cake.



I printed these cupcake toppers on cardstock and wrote the cupcake flavors on one batch and cute birthday sayings on the second batch. I cut them out, paired them up and hot glued them onto a toothpick to create my customized cupcake toppers. 


Candy bars are very trendy party favors these days and I love them! Obviously candy is delicious but also an easy way add more color and character to the dessert table and party. Party City has a great variety of color themed candies available in store. I also found molds for mustache lollipops there for a couple dollars. The chocolate mustache lollipops were very easy to make and set rather quick in the fridge as well. They were the perfect addition to my Husband's 30th Birthday Mustache Bash! To display the homemade sweet 'staches I purchased a photo box from Michael's Craft Store for $1.60, drilled small holes for the sticks and finished it off with matching ribbon and a cute sign.



I also made a mustache themed sign for the bar that said "Wet your Whiskers".



Overall, my husband's mustache themed 30th birthday party was a success. I had fun creating all the mustache props and decorations but I was even more pleased to see how everyone else enjoyed them as well. If you're thinking of throwing a mustache bash I strongly encourage you to do so. We all had a great time and the vibe was silly and fun.

If you have any questions about how I made certain items please let me know in a comment below.

Thanks so much for checking out my blog!


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Holiday photo shoot for ImHaute.com


I've been dying to do a photo shoot since I dyed my hair pink. The color is semi-permanent so I knew I only had a short window of opportunity. It has already faded dramatically and is on it's way back to blonde. When Kacey from KCD Photography contacting me about a holiday themed shoot complete with a pink Christmas tree I could not refuse! Wardrobe was provided by I'm Haute. I did my own makeup and Hair By Terrah styled my pink hair! The pictures came out very glamorous, festive and sparkly! I'll be posting more from the shoot as I get them. For my latest updates and behind the scenes follow me on instagram. I'm an insta junkie and post daily!





 Pink Pumps Available Here


White Dress Available Here

Red Blazer Available Here, High-Waisted Shorts Available Here

Champagne Dress Available Here









Monday, December 16, 2013

Two Point Oh LA Snow Ball 2013


Over the weekend I attended the 4th annual Snow Ball hosted by Two Point Oh LA where local fashion bloggers gathered for a festive evening together. It was the perfect opportunity to get dressed up and hang out with some friends. I love any excuse to get dressed up!



Servers passed casual snacks like mini cheeseburgers, mini corn dogs and french fries in dixie cups. 



The highlight of the 2013 Snow Ball was the Lulu's "Spin to Win" booth. (I called it the "wheel of fashion".) Each guest was allowed to spin the wheel once and win whichever prize they landed on. I won a $10 gift card to LuLu's and my friend, Josie, won a free item. Not gonna lie, I was totes jealie of her super duper cute faux fur jacket she scored! Isn't it fabulous?!



There was also a dessert buffet set up. It offered various sweets in holiday colors and flavors. Also, later in the evening homemade pies were set out. Being the candy addict that I am, we made several trips. I have no shame.


We swayed along to an Elvis impersonator and his band. He was actually quite good and not as cheesy as I would imagine an Elvis impersonator to be. Towards the end of the party Top 40 Dance hits played while we all got a chance to wack a Christmas pinata and win some free goodies. It was very entertaining to see everyone do this in their beautiful dresses and high heels. I felt like a kid again, hoping to get the best candy or in this case, makeup!





What I got: Michael Stars tank top, Secret Deoderant, Make & Model underwear, Kama Sutra feather duster & powder, BCBGeneration necklace, Lift Lab skin firming lotion, Jouer makeup, Neutrogena primer, Ella Moss mirror and brush and a Snow Ball tote bag.




What I'm Wearing:

Champagne Glitter Dress- $25.99 from I'm Haute- Available Here
Gold & Rhinestone Necklace- $29.99 from T.J. Maxx
Gold & Rhinestone Bracelet- $19.99 from T.J.Maxx
White Multi-Color Monogram Courtney Clutch- Louis Vuitton
White Strappy Heels- Old Closet Favorite, No longer available

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! 
Sending lots of love and happiness your way this holiday season!


Thursday, December 12, 2013

What to buy your girlfriend for Christmas

Don't end up on the Naughty List this year! Instead, follow my tips for buying your girlfriend the perfect Christmas present!

First things first, you need to set a realistic budget. Sometimes it is nice to discuss a Christmas present budget with your girlfriend ahead of time, that way you can both set a similar price range and hopefully avoid hurt feelings. It would be a lonely Christmas if someone got an iPad and the other ended up with a Starbucks gift card. 


1. Pay Attention. Your girlfriend is most likely giving you hints about what she really wants. As women, we like to casually drop hints instead of coming right out and saying what we want. We do this for everything from what we want from you in our relationship to what we want under the Christmas tree. We expect you to pick up on these little cues because to us they are SO obvious but your brain is not wired that way. Instead you have trained your ears to tune these little hints and other various forms of annoying girl chatter out. If you really want to make a lasting impression this Christmas morning then do your best to pick up on these "foreign" hints. For a visual cheat sheet on what your girlfriend likes you can check out her Pinterest account. You can often find her Pinterst account linked to her Facebook or by doing a Google search... when all else fails, ask her best friend!


2. Picture Perfect. This tip usually works well for most women; girlfriend, mom, sister, grandma. Print up your favorite pictures of the two of you and stick them in some frames that match the decor of her room or house. If you're really looking to score some extra points then set aside aprox 2-6 hours, buy a scrap-booking kit and go crazy gluing all your memories to acid free paper! I had a boyfriend do this for me one year and now we're married! To date, it is one of my all time favorite gifts.



3. Quality Time. You can't really give someone the gift of time but you can gift them quality time spent together. You can make your girlfriend home-made "Love Coupons" that promise a back massage, home-cooked meal, etc. Or buy her something that you two can share or experience together like a Groupon for a hot new restaurant, wine tasting or something you both have never tried before like indoor skydiving!




4. Relaxation. Admit it, we all could use some pampering and your girlfriend is no exception. Show her you really care by surprising her with a pre-paid day at the spa. If you have some extra cash then show yourself some love too and book the couples massage. This is a win-win because your girlfriend will be super excited about the spa day and spending time with you... plus you get a massage. Epic win. If the piggy bank is a little low you can still give your girl some much needed R&R with a gift certificate to her favorite nail salon or stuff her stocking with just about anything from LUSH Cosmetics.

I hope I have helped you figure out what to buy your girlfriend for Christmas this year! If you have any questions or comments drop them below. Happy Holidays and Good Luck!!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

My Christmas Wishlist

Pajama Sets

I think cozy and cute pajamas make perfect Christmas presents. Since most of my sleepwear dates back to high school days I am putting pajamas at the top of my Christmas wishlist this year. It is time to grow up and throw out the sweat pants. My newest obsession is P.J. Salvage which I stumbled upon at the Nordstrom's Christmas party with my friend Marissa of Socialite and the City. P.J. Salvage seriously has the most amazing prints on cozy and cuddly fabric! I picked up an adorable pair of French Bulldog printed thermal pajama pants and now I'm hooked.


Doggy Treats

On Christmas morning I would be more than thrilled to open up pretty much anything with a French Bulldog on it! I have a Frenchie named Lucky and I'm pretty much the most obsessed pet mommy ever! 




Pretty Stocking Stuffers

My hubby may think that I already own every piece of make-up ever made but he is strongly mistaken! A girl can never have too much make-up! On my beauty wishlist are the Holiday MAC brush sets and OPI "My Private Jet" which is my favorite nail polish color of all time. I'm also scraping the last bits of shadow out of my fave Too Faced pallet and could really use a new one.




Shoe Love

Very similar to makeup, a girl can NEVER have too many shoes! Coincidentally my hubby also thinks I have too many pairs of shoes but again he is clearly mistaken! Men. For Christmas I would like a sleigh full of shoes please.



Smelly Gifts

I looove perfume but for some reason I rarely buy it. I usually ask for fragrance as a birthday or Christmas present and this year I would love to restock my favorites! I pretty much love all the super sweet femme smells. These are my top four perfume picks.

What's on your Christmas Wishlist?