Baseball Themed Party

7.13.2015

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: I’m not a fan of wedding showers. Even when it was my own. But when your boss puts you in charge of throwing a wedding shower at work, you take the bull by the reins and you throw that party. Even if it’s for a dude. A straight dude. A straight dude who doesn’t particularly even want a wedding shower. And then you throw that dude the best work wedding shower he could have hoped for. Because, well, let’s be honest with ourselves. The best part of a shower is the alcohol. And when you have a work wedding shower, there is zero alcohol. Zip. Zilch. Nada. You get the point.

This particular dude loves the San Francisco 49ers and the San Francisco Giants. Because I couldn’t fathom throwing a 49ers party (Go Pack Go!), my vote went towards the Giants party. I wanted a winning party, and the 49ers just aren’t there yet (ohhhhh burn). Besides, baseball is a much easier theme. I was thinking Popcorn! Peanuts! Crackerjacks! And that’s what he got. And it was the best wedding shower he’s ever had. Okay the only. But it was damn good.

Since I had a rather small budget (about $2.50 per person), I made just about everything by hand. I started with this baseball serving dish, and this wooden stand. I used picture frames from home, printed baseball quotes and Giant’s photos. I printed several Giants logos on cardstock, and used them to decorate around the room. I borrowed baseballs from friends and filled vases, along with orange beads. I converted a box top into a large Popcorn tray, with red construction paper and red/white Popcorn pattern. I wanted to create a “Snack Bar” along one wall, so I purchased these snack items:

Snack Ideas

Popcorn

Peanuts

Crackerjacks

Baby Ruth Candy Bars

Bubble Gum (Big League Chew if it’s within budget)

Cheese Ball Puffs

I picked up black cups, white favor boxes, and tuxedo boxes from The Dollar Tree, that I decorated with Giants logos I printed at home. I printed these table tents for snack descriptions, this Giants Snack Bar Banner (print this Snack Bar Banner without Giants logo), and printed these Under-Eye Stickers (on mailing labels, that I cut out individually).

Since our guest of honor didn’t want to be the center of attention, we decided to give him a collected amount in a gift card instead of embarrassing him with a gift opening. Because of this, I wanted to come up with some time-consuming tasks. I started with a homemade photo booth. I printed these props, and took photos of the guests in front of a white wall backdrop (white wrapping paper). I printed out Giant’s logos and added them to the white backdrop.

I printed out small baseballs on white cardstock and had everyone write their marriage advice for our guy on each ball.

And because no guy wants to play a real wedding shower game, I printed all these famous men heads, glued them to mini-tux’s, and stuck one under each chair. Whoever’s chair held our groom’s head, won a door prize.

I also filled a vase with peanuts, and had guests guess how many peanuts were in the vase. That person also won a door prize: a Popcorn bucket (Dollar Tree), filled with popcorn packs, peanut packs, crackerjacks, Big League Chew, full size candy bars, and a water bottle.

So what do you think? If you were a guy, would you like this wedding shower?

Lifestyle, Travel

Away We Go: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

7.09.2015

Oh Playa, how I love thee. And not just the beach playa, but the town Playa as well. I love it all. Except when there’s a hurricane. Then it’s a little tough to love you. But who am I kidding, I still love you, even then.

Our trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico this year was full of new experiences. From buying over-sized sombreros for the first time, to surviving our first “hurricane,” and coming through the storm to enjoy all that the town had to offer. While stepping over fallen palm trees at the same time. And did I mention buying sombreros?

We booked this vacation through Expedia and everything went smoothly. We stayed at The Reef Coco Beach hotel in Playa del Carmen, and the location could not have been more perfect. We wanted all-inclusive (when you drink by the pool all day it can add up quickly!), and Playa doesn’t have a lot of options close to town. The Reef is literally three blocks from one end of 5th Avenue, which is the Place To Be. Everything is on 5th Avenue, including some of the best shopping and restaurants in the area, the sombreros, and tequila shots. We had our fair share of all of the above.

After purchasing said sombreros, we could not walk down 5th Avenue without being stopped by every merchant looking to make a quick buck. Nothing screams “AMERICAN TOURIST” like a sombrero on a white dude. Luckily, we were able to talk these boys out of the Lucha Libre masks.

They didn’t let that put a damper on their vacation. Before the storm hit, we were able to get out and play some beach volleyball. Then we spent two days in our hotel room hoping that the roof stayed on the hotel! Which, in case you were wondering, did in fact, stay on the hotel.

The storm may have brought 40+mph winds and buckets of rain, but it also brought pretty views and quality time (QT) for my husband and I. So really, I can’t complain. Two days of rain won’t bring us down! He, however, might say it was a little too much QT. Is there any such thing?

The hotel grounds were beautiful, and even more so than I had expected. Being that we like to travel on a pretty cheap budget, you never really know what to expect from your hotel. Ours was perfect for us! Pretty views, great staff, and lots of beach room! Too bad the storm brought in all the seaweed, or it would have been even better.

When the sun finally decided to grace us with it’s presence, we got right back out there to enjoy it. We spent all our days by the pool, lounging with a Miami Vice in hand. Reading, playing pool games, and taking crazy photos. Seriously, we are crazy photo-people (if you didn’t already figure that out).

You have never completed your vacation until you take a “jumping” photo. So in true Vacation Ending mode, we went out to the sea and jumped to our hearts desire. Because one photo wasn’t enough, apparently.

Until next time Playa! Adios!

DIY

Shark Week Treats Part 2

7.07.2015

I’m back with a vengeance. Like Jaws in Jaws 2. Or maybe not, because that movie could quite possibly be the worst sequel ever made. Or does that title belongs to Jaws 3, Jaws 4, or Jaws 327? I don’t think they ever stopped making them. Little known fun fact: Although Jaws 2 was horrible, it was still ranked in the top 20 grossing films of that year. Which was before I was even born. Jaws makes me feel young again.

So as I was cruising through the channels last night, looking for a little Shark Week action, I came across something sacrilegious. Did you know that the NatGeo channel is trying to rival Discovery with their own attempt at a shark revolution? Indeed, they have deemed this week, SharkFest, and are airing the same types of episodes all week that the Discovery channel will air. I just can’t handle it. I must stay true to my original favorite. I will not be a traitor.

In honor of the OG (Shark Week), I painted this vase (which you can find instructions to, as well as print the ‘Shark Bait’ tag here). I cut out little “Shark Teeth” to cover Nestle Crunch bars, and put the new candy dish on my desk at work. Alongside, I’ve decided to display a new Shark Fact each day. My favorite?

“Weird Fact #4: Weird things that have been found in shark stomachs include shoes, chairs, the rear half of a horse, a box of nails, a torpedo, drums, and bottles of wine.”

Bottles of wine? Clearly that shark shares a common life goal with me. Print your Shark Facts for free on All For the Boys blog!

Print your mini Crunch bar wrappers here. If you’d like to print one in a different size, download this file.

Tell me, will you be watching SharkFest or Shark Week!?

DIY

Shark Week Treats Part 1

7.06.2015

Oh the gloriousness of Shark Week is upon us! Yesterday marked the beginning of the most wonderful week of the year (or so the Discovery channel is telling me). I prefer to call a week on the beach in Mexico the ‘most wonderful week’ of the year, but no. Discovery channel has decided it will be this week. Shark Week.

For those of you that are unaware that there is a thing called Shark Week, you should do yourself a little favor and do some research. Google Shark Week and let your mind be blown. It would be a little fishy if you didn’t. (See what I did there?)

I love Shark Week, and have already set my DVR to record all the shows I want to see this year. And because no real holiday is complete without a craft or two to celebrate, this week I will share with you some Sharktastic treats!

First up: A Shark Bite treat bowl, complete with “Shark Bait.” Could anything be cuter than this? I bought a small clear vase at the Dollar Tree, taped off “teeth” with painters tape, and spray painted it white. Pulled the tape off, filled it with gummy worms, and attached this tag. Done and done. Should you want to create this dish for a party instead of Shark Week, you can print this tag instead.

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Baseball Themed Party

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Away We Go: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

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Shark Week Treats Part 2

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