DIT&O Weekend 9

Taken from my instagram @karissameoow.  

Do you know that feeling when you look around and think how amazing everything is?  I had that feeling on Sunday feeling the warm breeze while sitting poolside.   Balanced with both productivity and eased relaxation, we ended our weekend feeling accomplished, rested, and definitely ready for a good night's rest to start the week off strong.   

Saturday started with a hike at Fryman Canyon and ended with street dogs at home. The hike was first thing in the morning and I took my thrifted parasol with me to protect my fresh tattoo from the blazing sun.  Following the hike, John and I decided to get busy; me with cleaning and organizing the office and John with making breakfast.  He made his now specialty, chorizo fried rice.  (I think with his permission I'll have to post about it because it deserves it's own post.)  The day ensued with cleaning and sorting as we organize our considerable amount of stuff.  Meanwhile our cats Buzz and Vader made very clear they were to not be disrupted from their Caturday naps.  We worked around the cats and surmounted to make a great deal of progress.   A quick run of errands, led us home and hungry for dinner.  John took the lead again and made bacon wrapped hot dogs, or as they're called in LA, street dogs.  

Sunday's plan was simple, head to Santa Ana to enjoy a day with family and BBQ to celebrate the fathers.   My in-law's pool was the perfect temperature.  But, again, with a new tattoo, swimming is out of the question.  Nonetheless I lavished in having my legs dipped in the pool.  My in-law's backyard is an oasis with a beautiful swimming pool and exotic plants, it was the perfect setting for the summer solstice.   

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a productive week.  Our week days should not be pitiful compared to our weekends.  Having productive week days is something I am trying to work better on. With a full time job that doesn't consist of blogging, DIY-ing or crafting, it's difficult to set time (and *energy*) aside after working all day.   

How do you stay productive during the week?  

xx, 

Karissa Drunk in Love: A Beyonce Themed Bachelorette Weekend Part 1

I am not alone in my adoration of the Queen Bey, Beyonce.  My friends all know me as the planner, maker and do-er of all things.  So when it came time to execute a bachelorette celebration prior to my nuptials, I had the great idea of having a Palm Springs-Yonce themed weekend.   I did so much to prep and plan a perfect weekend for the best gals, because while the norm is for the bride's friends to plan and deal with an underwhelmed bride, I wanted to plan a fun weekend to thank them.  (I gave my friends and family full control of the bridal shower and I knew nothing!)

PREP

Having been inspired by the Meet.Make.Do. event, also held in Palm Springs, I wanted lots of beach balls.   I loved the XL beach ball with text on it, so I recreated it, but instead with lyrics, duh, from "Grown Woman".   I made a glitter banner "Drunk in Love" that we hung perfectly above the bar.  One of my girlfriends made fringed gift bags for the ladies with lip balm, water bottles, hand sanitizer, candy and headache meds.  I added festive headbands, mini scrapbooks and the weekend's itinerary. (You'll see the scrapbooking in action... scroll down!)  I also found light up head bands like the one that Beyonce wore in her XO video.

Music is a must and Spotify is my go to.  I created my own playlist:  Karissa's Bachelorette Weekend and Spotify has a curated list called Girl's Night.   Food and drinks, equally as important, were a shared responsibility.  I have amazing girlfriends that all brought food and drinks to share.

  

Pool Time 

These photos are evidence, the beach balls were a great idea.  Oh Joy! for Target summer cups were perfect for our drinks.   Because the fringed headbands I gave the girls and had myself were paper, I came prepared with lace bunny ears for the pool.  (Also very Yonce esque) 

One of my bridesmaids made the pinata. 

Craft Time 

Each of the  girls got their own scrapbook for the weekend.  I brought all of the supplies needed for them to deck the pages out and Fujifilm Instax cameras for them to take photos.   And of course there was crafting... I'm me and I love crafts.   I cut out individual letters for the girls to put ANGEL,  Flawless, Post Up, and Wake Up on a flannel.  "Bring your own flannel" was on the invite.  

 Crafting at breakfast.

Checking out the photo challenge! 

In the bathroom I had metallic tattoos for all!!!   (Because, Beyonce... do I even need to say...)

Making flannel shirts! 

Play Time

We set up a fun backdrop because we were "On the Run" like Bey and Jay-Z.   The cute pinata was filled with naughty things and candy so I broke into it so we could enjoy it.  Pictured is Maria, my friend that generously made it.  

Photobooth time! 

 King's Highway at the Ace was our dinner and the pool at night was the perfect lounge spot.

GIRL GANG

"Of course sometimes shit goes down when there's a billion dollars bachelorette party on an elevator" 

The morning after, looking *FLAWLESS*.  

 I had so much fun this weekend and am anxiously awaiting my next trip to Palm Springs.  But with a healing tattoo, the next 2 months is out of the question.   There are so many fun details I want to post about but will have to do in separate posts.  I have about 800 pictures from this weekend...!

Look for posts on a

Beyonce themed *photo challenge*

and

*FLAWLESS* Papel Picado

XO,

Vision Board Making Party

More sangria please! 

I subscribe to a handful of magazines.  Monthly I receive my 5 or so magazines, (House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, LA Magazine, Bust, DIY Magazine, and my newest subscription of Modern Cat to name a few off the top of my head) and each month they sit in a stack awaiting to be read.  As the next month's magazines arrive they are added to the pile.  On the day I finally decide that time allows for me to sit and peruse magazines the glossy pages inspire me.  Clipping images from a magazine and pinning them to a cork board is the original Pinterest and I still very much appreciate it.  

On one occasion of my catch-up-magazine-reading sessions, I came across an article in Marie Claire titled, "Vision Quest", where the writer was invited to a "vision-boarding" party and reluctantly she went and put a board together.  She realized as some time had passed that things on her board had begun to manifest.   I was left inspired and began planning my own shindig.  It didn't take a lot of planning, just coordinating schedules and hoping my very busy friends could make it.  

Below you'll find a list of what you'll need to host your own party.   I say variety in magazines because I didn't have any fitness magazines; one of my friends is a fitness coach and wanted to clip fit chicks for her board.  Other than that, we all had no problem finding pictures and words that suited us.  The sangria I made was delicious and the garnish was just the perfect pop of color and gave the glass the perfect cocktail look.   We started on the patio when there were a few of us but with additional ladies and the wind picking up, it worked out for us to move inside on the big table.  It was so nice to meet a few new ladies and we all talked and the conversation took turns highlighting each lady as they discussed their dreams, goals, wishes, and desires.   We snacked, clipped, drank, and laughed.   It was a perfect evening.  

Host a Vision Board Making Party

You'll Need

poster board/construction paper one per person

glue sticks  one per person

tape

stickers

decals

scissors (ideally one pair per person)

large table 

a dozen magazines (at least & a good variety)

sangria recipe and ingredients optional

snacks optional

music! We had a variety of my playlists and a Latin/Bossa Nova mix that was great for the mood.  

I hope this leave you inspired to host your very own "Vision Board Making Party".   Find me on Instagram with #doittogetherandoften to see other DIT&O events and shindigs.  

xx,