It’s St. Patrick’s Day Week! I am part Irish, though… not a large part, but for some reason that small bit and the fact that I love the color green has put this holiday in a special place in my heart. So today, for the Quote of the Week I selected an Irish Blessing. “May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam.” And, may you stop by the blog every Monday (or my Instagram) to grab some free downloadable inspiration!
I am (like many of you) hunkering down to do my part in flattening the curve of Coronavirus in the United States. At this time I am so very thankful for my community of friends who have been checking in on me and my family. Friends who have offered to pick up something from the grocery store when they are out so we don’t also need to go out. Friends who have sent engaging materials and resources for our kids who are stuck home while we are working.
This year, though I am not prepping for a St. Patrick’s Day get together, this Irish Blessing seems even more appropriate.
Quote of the Week Downloads: An Irish Blessing
These are free downloads for you to enjoy, share, use. These are not meant for resale. You may use them on your social media platforms or your blogs with credit back to me. I would so appreciate you tagging me @JenniBost on Instagram or Twitter and /AWellCraftedParty on Facebook!
To use:
Click on the desired link below to open the image in your browser. Right click and download to your computer (or hold down and click save to save on your device).
To use the desktop organizers open your computer’s system preferences to use as desktop background. (Mac Instructions or PC Instructions)
To use on Instagram, save the images on your device and then upload to share on Instagram. Please tag @JenniBost to provide credit.
If you are analog like me download the printable PDF To Do List to use this week! Print in full color, fit to print. Or, if you use GoodNotes, download the PDF and import it into your GoodNotes app for a fun new digital planner background. (Tips on how to utilize PDFs on GoodNote.)
I hope you enjoy these new downloads and will join me each week as I share more. May you have a beautiful week and filled with friends, fun, and lots of green!
A splash of paint, a dash of gin, and a gaggle of your favorite friends and you have a recipe for a super fun ladies night in. Host a painting night (also known as a Sip & Paint) with your favorite gal pals and give the gift of a fun evening in and a party favor that’ll decorate their homes! Read on to see my recent Galentine’s Day version of a painting party along with some tips to host your own!
This party certainly doesn’t have to be done as a Valentine’s Day celebration. However, since this party happened to be near the day of hearts and love… I decorated the party space to reflect that. I kept it mostly simple using graphic black, white, and pink elements. Xs and Os and hearts helped move the theme from the painting space to the bar and food space.
How to Host a Painting Party
The supplies for a painting party can be as simple as a painting surface and some acrylic paint. Fingers make great brushes! However, if you want to keep it a bit more clean, paint brushes are a good addition. To keep costs down you can even just grab the essential colors of paint (black, white, red, yellow, and blue) and let guests mix their own combinations.
I knew I’d be hosting more than one of these events, so I picked up some easels, larger boxes of paint ranging colors, prepped canvases, and paint brushes. The below links are to the actual items I got for my painting party and are affiliate links which means I get a small payment if you make a purchase (at no additional cost to you).
I really love the idea of going to one of those Paint and Sip venues with friends. I’ve been several times and always have a good time. However, one of the things I don’t like about it is I’m often left with a piece of art that I probably wouldn’t have chosen to decorate my house with if not for the cost of the party. So, when I host a painting party… I sorta let everyone do their own thing. I love how creative everyone gets!
Not everyone loves to paint like I do and some people majorly underestimate their skill. So, the below tips are how I encourage people to paint.
Stick with abstract. Unless you are great at drawing…abstract is where it is at.
Pick colors that go with your home decor already.
Search for artwork in that color scheme to inspire your painting. For instance, if you decorate in blue and yellow do a Pinterest or Google search for “abstract art blue and yellow” and see what comes up!
Don’t try to copy. Look a the shapes and brush strokes on the art pieces you are drawn to and imitate that, but don’t hold yourself back.
Stop throughout your painting to let paint dry and to step back and see how it is shaping up. If you feel stumped…. turn your artwork on its side or upside down and see if that inspires you.
Don’t be afraid of white space. Seriously… sometimes less is so much more!
The Extras… Food & Drink
I hosted this party during the dinner hour so I wanted to provide some hearty snacks that could substitute as a meal, but was also able to sit out a bit so people could snack throughout the painting process.
Ladies Night Menu:
Romaine Lettuce and Spring Greens Dressed in Vegan Caesar Dressing and gluten free croutons with sides of Parmesan cheese and grilled chicken for those who wished to add them.
A charcuterie platter featuring Trader Joe’s Gormet Deli Selection (3 types of meats), unexpected cheddar, goat cheese stuffed peppers, blue cheese, fontina cheese, apples, strawberries, crackers, and gluten free baguette slices.
A vegetable platter featuring carrots, cucumbers, radishes, cherry tomatoes, hummus, and spinach dip.
A sweets platter with cream puffs, eclairs, macarons (from Trader Joe’s), meringues (from Trader Joe’s), berries, and candies.
Belly Up to the Bar at Ladies Night
I think the beverages are always my favorite part of parties. If you look through my blog you’ll notice that I have more beverage recipes than anything else. They are such a FUN way to give a little something extra to a party. I always make sure there are a selection of fun non-alcoholic beverages at every party including water. For this party I served some cucumber water along with a selection of Bubly sparkling waters and sparkling grapefruit juice. I also had a bar with the makings for martinis and gin & tonics.
We had a fantastic time at this painting party and plan to make crafting/painting parties a regular occurrence after this event. Honestly, I think an event like this would be great for a birthday party or shower as well. Wouldn’t it be awesome to host a painting party baby shower and have the guests paint abstract paintings in the colors of the nursery? Or, perhaps a wedding shower where guests paint paintings for the couple’s home together or for the wedding tables! The ideas are endless.
Have a great painting party!
Would you go to a painting party? Share in the comments what would draw you to a party like this or what else would make it a great event!
I’d love that if this idea inspires you that you share it with me by tagging me on Instagram or Twitter (@JenniBost).
I’m not a huge fan of the term Galentine’s Day… it always came off as cheesy to me. However, I do LOVE celebrating Valentine’s Day with my gals, so I actually have a few fun ideas from over the past years for celebrating Valentine’s Day with your favorite ladies! Scroll on to see some of my favorite Galentine’s Day party ideas from over time.
Favorite Things Galentine’s Day Party
Have you ever been to a Favorite Things party? Basically, each guest brings a set number of their “favorite thing” and then there is a gift exchange at the party where each guest goes away with some new favorite things. There are many ways to host a favorite things party, but my three favorite ways were posted in my pink and red Galentine’s Day party post from last year.
Galentine’s Spa Day
Do you have any ladies in your circle that deserve a spa day like… WHOA? Yep, I’ve got a handful of ladies that come to mind myself! Enjoy a relaxed and decadent afternoon with your favorite friends with the Valentine’s Spa Day lunch that features cucumber sandwiches, champagne heart jello shots, DIY manicure kits, rose water hand towels, and rose bath salts. Get your free printable invites as well!
Love and Plaid Ladies Night
Celebrate the coziness of winter by incorporating plaid, cable knit, hot drinks, and your favorite friends for a ladies night complete with chocolate, valentine exchange, and crafting station. Also, set up a simple card station where your guests can apply lipstick, kiss a card, and create a sweet message for a loved one! Add some stamps and they can send out Valentine’s cards right from the party. It was super fun putting together our favorite winter items to create this plaid valentine’s day party.
Are you celebrating Galentine’s Day this year? If so, how? Share in the comments below!
