Holiday Place Setting Tutorial…

I enjoy being crafty on my spare time, and I owe it to my mom who’s very arts and crafty herself. I remember always going with her to Michael’s stores in the past to help her create décor around the house and sometimes we’d get very elaborate. I’m grateful for my mom showing and teaching me that DIY projects are fun because it has been a hobby ever since I can remember, and most importantly I’m sure my talents will carry on with my future event planning profession which is a good thing.

So Christmas day has passed and here I am writing on my blog which I hardly attend to these days due to my busy schedule. But I feel the need to share a Christmas place setting I made, perfect for those holiday dinner parties or social setting. I thank my subscribers for being interested in my content and I hope you enjoy what I post for you and feel free to share or follow if you aren’t already!

This place setting was initially my roommate’s idea, she wanted to use candy canes and so off to the store I went after a Christmas Eve dinner at Ohjah Japanese Steakhouse, thankfully Walgreens was open, and I bought mint and chocolate candy canes with stripes of brown to match her big wooden table. Now I’ll just go ahead and list the place setting tutorial in easy steps with photos for you to get a clear picture of how it was done:

Need: Glue Gun, Dried Flowers (Baby’s Breath), Tape, Decorative Paper, Cardboard, Squiggly and Straight Scissors, Lighter, Cutting Board, Damp Paper towel, Permanent Marker, Ribbons

Step 1: Use a glue gun and make a tripod with a branch from the Baby’s Breath flowers and two candy canes. Glue one candy cane facing down with the branch and then the other upside down cane to the other side of the branch, leveled. Hold until dry which should only take a few seconds.

Step 2: Cut rectangles out of any decorative paper and burn all the edges. Then quickly pat them off with a damp paper towel so that it doesn’t burn too much but gives it a nice edge. Write name with marker.

Step 3: Use a squiggly scissor to cut rectangles (same amount as the decorative paper) but from cardboard this time and make sure it’s at least ¾” bigger all around to give the name label a border. And it doesn’t need to be perfect. I was going for a rustic, handcrafted look to match the rustic table so I like that my cutouts weren’t perfectly cut.

Step 4: Tape the bottom of the decorative paper to the cardboard to make a nice border for name label, and place on the candy canes.

Step 5: Grab a few pieces of the Baby’s Breath flowers and insert them on the top of the tripod.

Step 6: Choose 3 ribbon colors and tie them onto the top to hide the ends of the flower branches and curl them with a scissor. I chose brown and red to match the colors of the canes and then white to match the plates so that the color white flows throughout the dinner table.

Ta da!

ARTisan Lounge…

This is not the most talked about venue but it’s quite the hidden gem. They do hold events here but the scene in Vegas is so competitive and people are attracted to more of the hype than authentic local spots, so most times it’s empty anyway. But I prefer to come here during slow nights and catch a drink or two with a friend, it makes a nice change from the gaudy and pretentiousness of the strip and for art enthusiasts, there’s plenty of art to admire.

When I first stepped into Artisan, it reminded me of a quote by my once favorite poet, Jack Kerouac. He said, “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved…” The design is definitely mad… madly spooky and  madly brilliant! ..With various paintings blanketing the walls and ceiling. Its renaissance meets goth. And the people who frequent this place compliment it as well.

Design is becoming more and more impressive and Artisan contains the audacity to keep up with new generation trends. It is a ritzy and intimate venue offering an alternative nightlife experience. Artisan lounge brings something extra to the table in terms of indulgence with its provocative paintings by Monet, Picasso, Da Vinci, Salvador Dali and more. A dark-toned palette, leather seating and Gothic touches add to the overwhelming ambiance and entices intellectual conversations. The open-air patio provides a getaway for those that are introspective to smoke and sip while looking at the stars. A breeding ground for those feeling alive and free, Artisan is the place to be if you want something with an extraordinary flair and something no other boutique can grasp.

1501 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102

http://www.artisanhotel.com/

Performance Art…

I think everyone needs to go big on their 30^th birthday. It’s not just a time to reminiscent on your milestone of accomplishments, but its 30 years of living and that’s worth celebrating.

It was my friend Nicole’s 30^th, so I organized a group of about 25 girls to Rose.Rabbit.Lie. It was my 2^nd round so far and it won’t be my last. This time I was able to get some snapshots and video of our experience from our front row seats. I couldn’t catch everything because my phone was acting up… I think i-phones are meant to break after a period of time so you could spend 500 on a new one.

I absolutely love being entertained. I’ve seen many shows in Vegas from small scale to large productions, and Rose.Rabbit.Lie is one of my favorite’s. Here is a video of one of the first performances by Twin Tap Dancers (didn’t catch their names) and artist Butterscotch beatboxing…

It’s a trippy show to watch even when your sober. And man, if I was on drugs it would be even trippier, just sayin’. It’s filled with various performances, something you’d have to experience yourself. Or you can live vicariously through my photos in the meantime…

 

(Left: Performers choose random audience member/Right: Performers snorting fake blow)

Various Acts…

We did the late 12am showing because the room turns into a nightclub afterwards. When the show was over and as the night progressed, we still saw acts that showed up unexpectedly. Drummers stepped into the middle of the dance floor and drummed to the beats of the DJ. The most memorable was the last performance at 2am… A group of girls dressed as gilded sea creatures handed out headphones to us with a voice that directed us to motion with them. It was as if the dancers were telepathically speaking to us. The night was an experience we won’t forget…

 

(Left: Me and birthday girl/ Right: Mariya and I with one of the MC’s)

Group Photo! Some MIA…