Today I’m sharing a collection of snapshots from the Palm Party I threw with my friend Jon of Happy Mundane! He came to visit last month, and we had a blast running around Austin, shopping for party supplies, and enjoying a creative collaboration. In fact, I highly recommend working with a friend on a creative endeavor. Pick someone you trust and enjoy spending time with, and then get ready to be inspired. Collaborating with someone else forces you out of your comfort zone, challenges you to think differently, and ultimately results in creating something you never would have been able to achieve while working alone. Check out Jon’s Palm Party post here, and read on for details on this affordable party idea that’s perfect for summer… [photo above by Jonathan Lo]
When Jon and I decided to embark on a Happy Mundane/Mirror80 collaboration, we knew we wanted to challenge ourselves to put together a party concept that was budget-friendly, tropical and a little bit ’80s! Some of our favorite ingredients: tropical foliage and party goods from Harlow & Grey‘s Goddess collection. These stunning paper products designed by Jeanne Chan and Gloria Wong Tritasavit are so geo and glam:
Party Snacks
We also knew we wanted to serve light, fresh food that would complement the breezy theme of the Palm Party… [photo below by Jonathan Lo]
Here are a few of the refreshments we offered:
- red pepper hummus on cucumber slices
- colorful melon balls
- fresh mango
- stacked cheese cubes on triangular Triscuits
- IZZE Sparkling Grapefruit soda
We were definitely going for a geometric vibe, and keeping the food in clean-lined territory did the trick. Little details like trimming the cucumbers into hexagons went a long way! Food can be sculptural when you let its shape take center stage.
DIY Details
We created a series of DIY projects for the party, and you can read all about them here. In short: spray paint was our friend, and we weren’t afraid to get our hands dirty. The next three photos were taken by Jon. Stunning! Note our affinity for fluorescent plastic party supplies:
The mint green vase and marbled vase above were super-affordable thrift store finds that we embellished with spray paint. The paint drip party cups below were enhanced with acrylic paint that we mixed with water, then dripped down the sides of the cups. You can find all of the details for our fun DIY projects in this post.
And I was also introduced to my favorite new DIY technique: toothbrush speckling! Yes, the speckled vase below was enhanced by the simple task of dipping a toothbrush in white paint and running my finger over it so the paint splattered onto the surface of the container.
Can we talk about those colorful jello shots?! Super easy when you let the jello set in a large baking dish and cut it into slick squares and rectangles. And you can make them non-alcoholic if you want a sculptural kid-friendly dessert.
Jon created the design for the Memphis-style tray above by lining a lacquered serving tray from World Market with art paper. And of course, we speckled the white paper with the help of a toothbrush. I’m now constantly looking around my home for items to speckle. I think my solid T-shirts got word of my plan and are hiding from me in the corner of my closet!
No tropical party is complete without LOTS of greenery. Tropical leaves are often affordable, especially when you have a mom who is willing to snip a few leaves from the many palm trees that surround her home. The grocery store, florist and market are other great source for these leaves, and you may be delighted that a houseplant in need of a trim can also provide some greenery for your event! We wanted the feel of this party to be lush and breezy. Mission accomplished! [photo below by Jonathan Lo]
A BIG thanks to Jon for sharing his styling and photography wisdom with me. Check out more of the Palm Party fun over at Happy Mundane, and visit our latest DIY project post for instructions on how to create your own versions of the ’80-style decor featured today…
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