Is anybody still out there??

It has been soooooo long since I've blogged and I've missed it. I can't promise I'll be as consistent as I was before, but I figured I'd like to get back to blogging at least periodically, because my notebook is still bursting with all the ideas I have yet to share. Meanwhile, I have to re-learn the whole Blogger platform and all the upgrades. The fact that I still get comments on posts I wrote what seems like eons ago, esp in internet time, has also been encouraging.
Life has taken me in a bunch of new directions. I went from being a SAHM mom, to now working part time and going back to grad school. My online store has currently closed, as I pursue other avenues, but I pray that eventually my dreams of being a mompreneur materialize.

Ok so to the topic that brought me here today... Men and pedicures

Last February, I actually wrote a series of posts, that offered a series of suggestions for a co-ed spa party, that wouldn't be too feminine for the guys to enjoy. As I said then, my husband is NOT the type of guy who would normally go anywhere near a foot soak bath. However, he's also switched careers in the past year and now that he is in construction he is on his feet pretty much all day. I've been giving him foot rubs at night, and have been able to even convince him to do Epsom salt foot soaks once a week to help relieve the pain, and to soften his feet making them easier for me to massage.

His birthday is next Monday and I have a series of things planned for Sunday, including visitng Medieval Times. So I figured I should kick the Sunday night foot soak up a notch and do a "foot rub fit for a king" or something along those lines.

So here is the part where I see if anyone is still paying attention. I'm trying to decide what exactly to do, not so interested in the nails part but more so exfoliating and massaging. So here is an initial list of things to throw out, of course I won't do all of them but it'll get the ball rolling. Let me know what you think will work well, what you'd do or if there are anyother suggestions.

• Marbles at the bottom of the foot bath to help massage (which may be cool since the massage function on the bath does little more than make the water vibrate)
• Hot rock massage -heated using crockpot
• Melting paraffin in my crockpot
•  I think I'll def pick up a ped Egg
• I do have some powdered milk left over from a chai recipe so I may incorporate that in the soak with the salt instead of my usual vinegar

Any other suggestions, for a manly upgraded foot bath/rub?? Don't worry you won't ruin the surprise as this blog is the LAST place in the net my husband is likely to look.


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News Alert

For anyone that may be wondering, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. In fact, this month marks my first blogaversary. I'm still super excited about the Spa Party Blog and have lots more ideas to share. It seems however, since the beginning of the year that I've had a hard time fitting it all in. Thanks for those of you that subscribe for hanging in there with me while I try to find the magic formula.




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Bath Goodies Dessert Bar

Some time ago, I came up with what I thought was the ingenious idea of having a dessert bar filled with bath goodies, rather than edible treats. Since I'd like for people to hire me to design spa events for them there are some ideas which I put on the "not to blog about just yet" list. BUT, I just came across a great article written in the online magazine Nonpareil, where they give tips, recipes and templates that allow you to create a DIY spa dessert bar, and I had to share it.

                                                                    Photo: Nonpareil Magazine

Since the cat is out of the bag, I might as well chime in with some great picks for a spa themed dessert bar

1. Hand Candies
2. Milk & Cookeez
3. FrenchMacaron Soaps & Solid Sugar Scrub Cubes tutorial by Naiad Soap Arts
4. Mini Towel Cake favors
5. Ice Cream Sandwich Pumice Stone
6. Soap Cakes



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K.I.S.S- Dresses & Bows

I thought I'd kick the week off with a quick K.I.S.S. Here are two Springy DIY projects

Learn how to make these cute napkin dresses via How Does She

 and learn how to make these cute ribbon pomanders via Ruffled


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Spa for a Steal!

"Living the Spa Lifestyle" doesn't have to be expensive. Especially if you have great timing.

If your a New Yorker, or plan on visiting, be sure to check out Spa Sally's $25 Tuesdays. Each week she features a NY area spa that is offering one treatment for only $25 (which is usually about 50% off the normal price), you only have one day to purchase the package via Spa Sally, but have a whole year to cash it in. Want to get more bang for your buck, choose one of the upgraded packages for more discounted treatments.

For instance tomorrow's (3/23) featured spa is Praba:

 for $25 receive their 50 min aromatherapy facial which includes a deep cleansing, steam, massage, extraction, and mask. normally priced at $50

or Upgrade for $50 and receive the starter facial which includes a deep cleansing, steam, massage, extraction, and mask. Then enjoy a 30 min full body massage and leave looking amazing with a henna mandala tattoo. 90 mins normally $90.

or  for $75 get the starter facial which includes a deep cleansing, steam, massage, extraction, and mask. Then enjoy a 30 min full body massage. The real treat is the foot therapy which softens, nourishes, and heals odor and rough, tired feet with therapeutic oils, glycolic fruit acids with foot scrub and mask, massage, and hot towel wrap. 2 hours normally $120.


Nowhere near NY, not to worry, Spa Week occurs each Spring & Fall all across the country, and gives you the opportunity to take advantage of $50 spa treatments. Spring Spa Week is quickly approaching (April 12-18th) so visit today to find a spa in your area and book your appointment. In my neck of the woods, Spa Week is overlapping with South Jersey's Restaurant week , which is only days after my 5th wedding anniversary.

If I haven't convinced you, watch Michelle Joni, Spa Weeks social media director, explain the event while she indulges in a spa crawl (who wouldn't want that job?)




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You need a bit of Inspiration... Every Now & Zen

I chose an Asian inspired baby shower for this month's spa party theme. Usually, each Spa Party of the Month series is broken up into 3 posts. Touch, where I describe the spa treatments & set the stage; Taste which details foods that would be appropriate for the given theme, and Sight  which provides decor suggestions. Every now and again I'll also throw in a Sounds post where I'll present a playlist inspired by the theme, but I haven't done that ever since the demise of my beloved Imeem.

Well this month, I just can't seem to contain myself to only those posts. There is a wealth of inspiration on the web for Asian-inspired parties and I just had to share two of my favorites. Of course I could have incorporated elements of these parties in the upcoming decor post, BUT I think that both of these parties are well worth you viewing the whole thing. 

First up is an Asian-inspired baby shower thrown for/by Joanna, over at the blog Lotus Haus. Though I'll give you a sneak preview below, I encourage you to visit her blog for all of the details and symbolism that made this shower so wonderful. Joanna has a knack for combining "global, modern & sustainable style", with marvelous results. If you think her Asian baby shower is cute, I'd suggest checking out the Lebanese inspired shower as well.

Before I jump into the next party, I wanted to share two DIY projects that I spotted elsewhere on Joanna's blog a chinese take out floral arrangement & an adorable way to package paper fortune cookies;  which would also work well with a variety of other fortune cookies that I'll share later both edible and inedible.

 Photos: Joanna Dyckhoff, Lotus Haus Creative Services

This second feature is care of Brides.com, who did a wonderful job of fusing elements from a variety of Asian countries in their East Meets Guest wedding reception. I love the florals and use of color.

Photos: Brides.com

Now, if you read the spa party of the month post you'll realize that the treatment I chose to focus on this go-'round is manicures. BUT, if you were to have an Asian-inspired spa party with facials the napkin styling by Social Couture would be a great way to present guests face/hand towels and chopsticks, which they can use to create a bun to keep hair out of their faces (assuming they have long hair), checkout this e-how tute on creating fancy beaded chopsticks just for this purpose.  While your at it, try picturing that lovely and vibrant low bouquet from the East Meets Guest interspersed with some facial size bath poufs...could be interesting. 

Photos:(l-r) Photobucket user Lunalovegood_photos,Social Couture, 

Brides.com, Bathtime Goodies

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Spa Party of the Month: ...Every Now & Zen Baby Sprinkle

Spring is finally on it's way and one thing that Spring is good for is tea parties. For this month's Spa Party of the Month, I figured I'd share some ideas for an Asian/tea themed baby shower (Because even mommies deserve a bit of pampering Every Now & Zen). I think this shower is perfect for a mom who already has at least one kid under the belt. Opinions vary on whether to hold baby showers after the first baby, but I say go for it! I think that these type of showers or "sprinkles" are the perfect opportunity to focus less on the gifts and more on having a nice event for the mom-to-be to celebrate the impending addition to her family, and an excuse to get together with women who will encourage and support mom through this additional chapter in her life.

Getting Comfy

In many Asian cultures it is traditional not to wear shoes inside the home. Taking off ones' shoes also helps you get comfy and in a spa-like mood. Wouldn't it be fun to have an assortment of Japanese tabi socks available for guest to slip on upon entering.

Photo: Sock Dreams

If you really want to get into the theme, ask guests to bring a kimono robe to change into once they arrive.

Treatment

2010 is the Year of the Tiger so this baby may be one that the ladies can't wait to "get their paws on". Since mothers of newborns are often concerned about germs, washing/sanitizing ones hands before even winking at the baby is Rule #1. Therfore, manicures should be the treatment of the day.

I'd suggest DIYing it with help. Look for a eco-friendly nail technician who is willing to come out and walk guests through "greening" thier nail care routine. She can introduce a variety of eco-friendly products that allow moms-to-be to pamper themselves without feeling their are going to pass out from the noxious fumes regularly associated with nail care. For tips on what types of products are appropriate, see my Green Manicure for Earth Day post from last year.

Give your manicures a some Asian flair by having guests soak thier fingers in tea cups filled partially with bath tea, which can be poured warm from a kettle. Follow the soak with an exfoliating scrub like the Bamboo & Black Sesame Body Rub from Bella Lucce's Asian Indulgences collection, kumquat scented solid sugar cubes by Naid (love these!) or create a scrub of your own using this recipe from Bella Sugar:

Chinese Sesame Ginger Scrub

1. Chop about an inch of fresh ginger root into pieces, use a coffee grinder to chop it finely.
2. In a bowl, add in 1 tbsp. of ginseng powder, one-and-a-half tbsp. of sugar, four tbsp. of sesame oil, 1 tbsp. of rose-hip oil, five drops of myrrh, and five drops of mandarin essential oil. Mix it together with the ground ginger. (Myrrh is not reccommended for use by pregnant women)

For a nice "twist" offer mandarin scented oshibori towels for guest to use when removing their scrubs. What is oshibori you ask??

An oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り?) or hot towel in English is a wet hand towel offered to customers in places such as restaurants or bars in Japan and in Japanese restaurants worldwide. -wikipedia

Kick your oshibori up a notch by trying out some "origami".

Photo: Oshiboriart.com

Presents/Activities

Though gifts may not be the central focus of a "sprinkle", the mom-to-be will inevitably recieve some gifts. Encourage guest to wrap their gifts using the Japanese art of Furoshiki, known as Bojagi in Korea. No need to buy a special cloth, try wrapping the gifts in a baby blanket. Here is an example from YouTube of how this wrapping style works.

For more tutorials visit bobowrap.com, or check out this guide produced by Japan's Ministry of the Environment.

In addition to reducing the wrapping paper waste, these cloths can lend themselves to some fun shower games, like a Baby-Gami (swaddling) relay, or a Furoshiki fashion show. There are some great videos on how to make furoshiki handbags here, here and here.

In the next post in the series, I'll be sharing what food works well for this theme.

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K.I.S.S- Grab Your Napkins & Get Craftin'

One of my "signature features" on this blog is K.I.S.S which stands for Keep It Simple Soiree. It's the segment where I get to take a step back from the spa portion of parties and just present simple, usually D.I.Y ways to step up your party game and present guests with those little details that make your party stand out. A few posts back, I mentioned how impressed I was with some of the things that paper crafters manage to come up with. Anybody planning a party would do well to take a gander at Splitcoast Stampers website because these ladies can do wonders with a piece of cardstock/scrapbooking paper.
Today I came across another tutorial which is just perfect for the party planner novice or professional... Felted Cardstock. This technique uses plastic wrap to fuse a dinner napkin to a piece of plain cardstock. You can use your new cardstock for a variety of party projects including cupcake wrappers, toppers, confetti, gift boxes, signage, etc.  Signs created with this technique would be great for labeling items on your buffet, drink area or candy/dessert bar, where the coordinating napkins are presented of course. In the tutorial she uses white cardstock, but a colored cardstock could also be used if the backside will also be visible.  The image below is an example of how she used the technique to create the base for a thank you card, the card is durable but retains the texture of the napkin.

Image: Splitcoast Stampers, Lydia Fiedler

We always have the 12 7/8 in x 15 5/8 in guest towels available in our bathroom when hosting guests, which of course is a perfect tie-in if your having a spa party.

Check out the  video tutorial  or written tutorial created by Lydia Fiedler. Have fun trying this one yourself... signing off now to go a-hunting for some napkins around the house.

Update: I've actually gotten a chance to try this technique and it works pretty well. The initial step of separating the printed part of the napkin from the back it the most tedious part, and you do have to be careful not to tear the napkin. That being said, using a coordinating cardstock instead of white can help to mask those little tears that do occur. Here are my results... in the first photo I showed the full piece of coverd cardstock along with the cardstock I used for the backing and the original napkins. The second pic shows some cutouts I did to experiment, a square piece, a cupcake wrapper, and some circles that could be used for various things (the 2 in circles are perfect for cupcake toppers). These are napkins we had laying around that my mom picked out, I'd love to try the technique with more modern/hip napkins with stripes or geometric shapes rather than a floral print. Overall, it came out nice though, I was concerned that when I cut it for projects the 2 layers would begin to separate but that didn't happen. Next I may try making a box of some sort to see how it holds up to scoring and folding.

If you try this and post it on your blog be sure to leave me a link I'd love to see the results.


Happy Crafting :)

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Real Party: Pancakes & Pearls

When I  first spotted the invite for "Pancakes & Pearls" on P is for Party, I was eager to see how the party would come together. The photos did not disappoint, what a wonderfully cute way to celebrate a 4th birthday. I'm sure all the girls enjoyed their mini spa day. I've posted a few  pictures here, but be sure to visit P is for Party for more photos and a list of vendors.

The Invite designed by Hayle Hardcastle

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You Tube Finds: An Omlette for your Face

First off, who doesn't LOVE You-Tube... You can pretty much learn how to do anything on there. You-Tube is a haven for beauty junkies because the site is packed with users who regularly upload hair & make up tutorials as well as DIY spa recipes, reviews and more. In fact,  there are so many great spa tips on You Tube that I may post my finds more regularly.

Tonight I stumbled upon a bunch of videos that show how to use toilet paper & egg whites to create your own pore cleansing strips. I'd race to the kitchen and give myself a little facial while watching tonight's episode of Project Runway, except for the fact that we are running low on TP. I've viewed quite a few users who've explained this method and uploaded one here to share. Heads up for those who are sensitive to profanity she does mention that the treatment made her skin "as smooth as a baby's ass"... so you may pass on watching it while your toddler is lurking around. Other than that the video is G-rated and she does a good job of explaining it... though she did forget to mention that you'll want to steam your face first in order to open your pores.  Tip: don't waste the egg yolks, they make a great moisturizing face mask, no need to beat them just prick the yolk with a fork, apply it evenly, let it dry, and wipe it off with a cool face cloth.



Another ingredient that some folks like in their omlettes is tomato so I figured I'd also share this video, which I found quite a while ago featuring a tomato facial scrub.



Those are my You-Tube jewels of the day, have fun digging through your fridge for your facial treatments!



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Real Party: Spa in Color

One of the ideas that I try to communicate on this blog is that spa parties don't have to be all white & cotton candy pink. I love bringing color into a spa party space to liven the mood and create a fun environment for relaxation. Today's Real Party feature is a fabulous example of how to spa in color. This mini party was designed by Kelly Porter of Porter House Designs a design firm based in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. Kelly, a color expert, and mother of three boys, hosted this girly party at her home for her eleven year old niece and a friend to enjoy just prior to a new school year. Though the party was designed for "tweens" the color palette she used works well for girls of any age.

She set the girls up for manis & pedis in the bathroom, and used her jacuzzi tub for a footbath.

The girls then headed down to the Spa Lounge for refreshments and a movie.


 All photos featured are the property of Kelly, view more via her Flickr account


For more color inspiration visit Kelly's Blog Color Sizzle.


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Flintstones Meet the Jetset: Sight

So, by now your itching to host a co-ed caveman themed spa party featuring hot stone massages and great food right? Now, you just need some design inspiration.

For the "spa portion" of the program I'd suggest using animal print towels, which can be used during the treatments. There are a variety of beautiful animal print towels on the market though I must say I'm partial to the ones carried at Nieman Marcus and Anything Animals.

Photos: Safari  & Cheshire Animal towels, Nieman Marcus

You can also purchase plain towels in ivory and chocolate brown and embellish them yourself, pick out a different animal print for each couple, make one ivory and one chocolate set of each print for his & hers coordinating towels.  If you are offering a foot soak as part of any of the treatments it may also be a good idea to purchase a animal print bath mat (also available at Anything Animals) to catch any splashes.

Finish off the room with some votive candles in holders made of coconut cups or bamboo.

Photo: Shindigz

For the buffet area take some tips from these amazing prehistoric parties thrown by Denise of  Little Ant Design & Brooke of Jackaroo Love

Photos: Brook Meyerber of Jackaroolove

Photos: Denise Baker via SmugMug

And there you have it treatments, food, and design inspiration for your very own prehistoric pamper party (just don't call it that in front of the guys :) )

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Flintstones Meet the Jetset: Taste

 

Photo: Hanna-Barbera

Since February is the "Month of Love", I decided to feature an idea for a couples spa party. In the initial post in this series, I introduced the theme "Flintstones Meet the Jetset". Like the movie that inspired the title, Flintstones Meet the Jetsons (1987), it is meant to reflect what would happen if a caveman experienced some of the finer things in life.

In this post, I'll  share some ideas of what types of food would be appropriate for this event. Assuming you choose foot treatments, rather than a full body massage, you can skip the "spa food" and opt for dishes that are a bit more hearty.

View this Inspiration Board on Polyvore 

Sample Menu Items:

Brontosaurus Burgers- sliders or Brachiosaurus Bugers- veggie slider

Crab Balls, Braised Mussles 

Slaw or Cobb Salad

Prehistoric Pina Colada, Mudslides

Mud Puddle -Fondue, Tropical Sorbet served in coconut or pineapple cups

Veggie Dip with crudite cones (see below), Fruit Skewers

Trail Mix

Featured below are some of my favorite finds:

Verterra : these eco-friendly disposable plates/trays/bowls are made from fallen leaves

Photo: Joanne Hudson Basics

 Photo: Exel Pack Inc. 

These crudite cones looks so festive stuffed with a mixture of cut vegetables and colorful veggie chips.

Photo: Tampa Bay.com

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sauce

In the next post, I'll pull everything together by sharing some decorating inspiration.

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Getting Your Guy to Spa

For this month's Spa Party, I attempted to design an event that would appeal to both males & females. After publishing the first post in the series, I hit Twitter and asked for some feedback from the guys. Though all of the guys (2) seemed to like the concept, a friend of mine admitted that he'd still probably be hesitant to attend a spa party (but would be open to a spa day with his girlfriend). This feedback got me thinking even more about how best to tailor a spa party to fit both genders, or even how to throw an all-male spa bash.  Most of these elements are ones that I've addressed (or will address) via this month's Spa Party Series but I felt it may be helpful to detail them in a separate post. So here's my list of things to consider when hosting a unisex spa event:


1. Set the mood with the initial invitation.  A flowery and frou frou invite is not going to fly here, pick an invite that is gender neutral and wording that expresses "relaxation and good company" rather than "pampering".


2. Offer treatments that appeal to both sexes. I think most guys will go for a massage, even if they aren't ready for manis, pedis & facials.


3. Consider discretion and comfort levels. While most women may find the fact that they get to lounge around in a robe awaiting their services a treat, the gentelmen may not share that sentiment. At a unisex spa party  have everyone stay in their clothes until they enter a separate treatment room, where they'll disrobe according to what treatment they are recieving.


4. Create a laid-back environment. Of course you want your guest to relax, but at the same time this is a party. Keep the bubbling brook sound track in the treatment areas and play music that guests will enjoy, create a space where conversation can flow freely and guests can enjoy each other. 


5. Tweak the menu. I hope you didn't have your heart set on cucumber tea sandwiches. Devise a menu that isn't too heavy but has somethings that both guys and gals will enjoy. A variety of skewers would probably work well for a mixed crowd, depending on your overall theme and the time of year, but here are a few skewer ideas... fruit kabobs, marinated tortellini & tomato skewers, grilled chicken, shrimp or scallop skewers, or an antipasti skewer.

6. Decor. I'm thinking pastels don't scream "Guy Friendly"... do we agree??


Even given all of these considerations, some guys still won't be up to a spa party just yet. That's OK, introduce them to the benefits of the spa slowly. I think that mobile spas are perfect for this type of client. While all guys aren't opposed to getting spa treatments, they may not feel comfortable just walking into a salon, or spa which is despite efforts to offer "man-e-cures" are still women-centered environments. Think about how you'd feel if your guy wanted to surprise you by scheduling you a hair appointment... at his barber shop.  When you get the spa to come to you, you control the atmosphere (which has it's pros and cons). You can schedule a couples session or just a treatment for him. If all else fails order a DVD on how to give massages, or watch a couple of how-to videos on YouTube.



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Upcycled Sweater Crafts for the Spa

Before I get back to my regularly scheduled blogging (ie finish the Spa Party of the Month before the month is over...) I wanted to share some toasty inpiration...
Spring will be here soon, (fingers crossed)... and you'll be packing up those sweaters until next year (again wishful thinking). But for right now, at least on the East Cost it's still COLD!

After coming across a variety of cute recycled sweater crafts over the last few years something FINALLY clicked, and I realized that these would make a wonderful spa gift set. I know this should have occured to me pre-holidays but better late than never right?

from L-R clockwise:

The lovely wine bottle wraps  (photo: Jenny Liu Photography) by Grey Likes Weddings are what inspired this whole set. Skip the wine bottle and add this cozy covering to a glass full of bath salts, a moisturizing bath oil, or even a bottle of bubble bath, in a comforting scent. Pair them with a set of candles wrapped in a sweater (photo: Country Home via Daily Danny). Why not keep the theme going by including a nice fluffy towel (or better yet bathrobe) and presenting it in it's own little sweater cuff (photo: Faded Plains).

The fourth photo, is a project that's been on my to-craft list for about 2 years, "Soap in a Sweater", or felted soap. These are made by wrapping wool around soap and agitating it until it turns into felt. No washcloth needed and it exfoliates as you scrub. This photo of felted soaps is care of The Twisted Purl Blog which breaks down the why's & how's of making/using felted soap. If your felting the soap yourself, you can choose colors that coordinate with your recycled sweater, and if your brave, even try to recreate a fluer de lis or other graphic that you choose for your towel cuff. Instead of using raffia, wrap a bar or 3 with the same ribbon you use to tie your bath salt cover.

Photo: Daily Danny

And if you want to take the theme a bit further (and when don't I), you can include a tea cup cozy and some herbal tea. Threadbanger has a whole list of tea and coffee sleeve patterns designed to keep your drink hot and your hands comfy.

and just when I thought I was done... I thought to myself "what pray-tell would you packages all these goodies in?" well thanks to Google & Martha....

Now all I'd have to do is make sense of Martha's directions, and take a trip to the Goodwill for some nice sweaters. Of course instead of breaking out the sewing machine you could always wrap a felted sweater around an inexpensive basket.

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K.I.S.S.: Spice Up Your Wine Glasses

If you thought the coffee stencils were cool, your going to LOVE this! Today The Creative Party Place featured a "Roast & Toast" housewarming party and I just had to share these

wine glasses temporarily etched with cinnamon. I'm sure they'd look beautiful with paprika,cumin or turmeric as well, though you'd have to be careful that the scent of the spices doesn't overpower or conflict with the beverage(s) your serving.

Want a sweeter twist, Fine colored sugar* would probably work well with dessert drinks, or on apothecary/candy shoppe jars at a candy buffet.

this fun Mom & party planner also experimented with the same technique on sippy cups

images from The City Cradle 

 * speaking of sugar... I think this is an ingenious way to label food favors like cocoa, flavored salts, or  vanilla sugars

Photo: c(oi)n:purse

The sugar favors pictured above were given as part of a Sugar & Spice themed shower which had loads of amazing details, described in a series of posts well worth checking out.

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