Insanity Is Not An Option - Page 2 of 232

Mardi Gras Tree + Paper Lanterns…Oh My!

Deck the halls for Mardi Gras with purple, green, and gold! It’s easy to get the celebration started early, even before the parades begin, with this Mardi Gras Tree tutorial. Festive, lighted paper lanterns add all of the extra ambiance you need! Just so you know, I did receive fun decor from Oriental Trading® to facilitate this post, but all opinions are entirely my own.

There’s no need to take down the Christmas tree! The Christmas season (my FAVE) is over at the end of December, right? You loved the lights and magic of the season, right? Yea, me too. Keep that magic going because Mardi Gras is right around the corner and you can leave your (fake) tree up (sans the Christmas decorations, of course) and repurpose it into a Mardi Gras Tree! I’m about to tell you how to do that beautifully, affordably, and how to add some extra ambiance to the PAR-TAY. Y’all ready for this?

First, let’s set the mood! There’s no better way to set the mood for any party or celebration than festive colors and lighting. For Mardi Gras, as I’ve done with many other holidays, I chose to adorn my living spaces with paper lanterns! But for Mardi Gras, I stepped it up a notch and my paper lanterns are lit up like Mardi Gras Trees (see what I did right there?).

How to decorate a Mardi Gras Tree

Let’s get back to the star of the show…the Mardi Gras Tree, shall we? It’s fun, it’s festive, and it’s so easy to create with affordable Mardi Gras decor! All you need are a few simple things and you can set it up however you’d like!

The tree, of course, which you still have left up from Christmas…score!
Mardi Gras Feather Masks
Purple Glitter Tulle
Random Party Favors and Peacock Feathers (to poke out from the tree for added flair and dimension)
Christmas Tree Ornaments in Purple, Green, and Gold
Tree Topper (Since I live in Galveston, I was able to find this crown table topper at my local big box store, but you can get creative here with whatever you can find or make!)

Simply drape the tulle around the tree – or down it as I did in this case – then add your ornaments, masks, feathers, and random party favors, then top it off with your star, crown, or whatever else you can imagine. The result is fun, festive, and a party atmosphere that everyone will love!

Mardi Gras Paper Lanterns for Ambiance

Now, let’s talk about those paper lanterns again, shall we? You can get these in a variety of sizes, textures, patterns, and colors from Oriental Trading®. For Mardi Gras, I obviously went with purple, green, and gold. I chose the 12″ lanterns, got a set of six each, and hung them all around the house for a night time parade experience. These would look fantastic outside on a deck for a party, but it’s so windy in Galveston ALL. THE. TIME that I just can’t take that route!

To get the lighted lantern effect, I got some submersible (yup, they work under water too!) white LED lights and just tucked them into each lantern for that night time glow and ambiance I was going for. It worked out beautifully, dontchathink?

After that, just toss a few beads around, put up some themed tinsel and boas, and you’ve got yourself a full-blown parade right in your own home…just like that!

It’s your turn! Mardi Gras festivities are starting soon – February 2 through 13th, 2018 in fact – and you need to get ready for the party. Here at my house, every day’s a parade thanks to a little imagination, a lot of fun, and affordable decor from Oriental Trading®. I still have a Mardi Gras door wreath to make, so wish me luck (my first ribbon wreath ever) and stay tuned for that post in the very near future! Happy Mardi Gras, y’all! If you’re in the area, I sure hope to see you at all of the parades!

Life-Altering Spinach Artichoke Dip

By Christy 2 Comments

This Life-Altering Spinach Artichoke Dip is heaven on a cracker, baguette, or by the spoonful. With just seven simple ingredients, you can make this cheesy, creamy, spinach-y, artichoke-y, restaurant-style dip at home!

I tend to have a flair for the dramatic. I don’t hide that fact and I kind of really love it. My life, my stories, my everything is just a little more fun because of my love for dramatic tales. However, when I tell you that this Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe is life altering, believe you me, I’m not being dramatic…at all! It’s just that good!

Life-Altering Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

You know that fancy-pants restaurant spinach artichoke dip you get when you go out? Yea, that’s got nothing on this. NOTHING! OK, maybe something, but this is so much better. Plus, you only need seven ingredients and a little bit of time to make this version…so there’s that too. I’m calling this a win and I want you to join my team. Stay home, save money, wear your jammies while you ~~gorge~~ eat your restaurant-style dip at home. No judging here!

Whether you’re tailgating, just enjoying a day of appetizers and small bites instead of a big meal, or headed to a pot luck, this recipe is for you! All of this cheesy, creamy, spinach-y, artichoke-y goodness dipped on a cracker or smeared on a baguette is simply irresistible. Plus, spinach + artichokes = healthy snacking, no? Maybe not, but it’s OK to treat yourself from time to time and this is the treat I choose!

Life-Altering Spinach Artichoke Dip

Author: Christy

Recipe type: Dip / Party Food

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients

2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 10-oz box/bag frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and liquid removed
8 oz (one block) cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup sour cream
2 tbsp light mayo
2 tbsp minced garlic

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, artichokes, and spinach. Stir to combine making sure to break up the spinach to avoid clumps.
Add softened cream cheese and stir to combine completely.
Stir in sour cream, mayo, and garlic.
Transfer to an 8x8" or round clear baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the top is starting to brown.
Serve with your favorite crackers, pita chips, or baguettes.

That simple, that good, and no need to get dressed up or spend a lot of money. Enjoy this dip for all of the special (or not so special) occasions in your life. When you serve this Life-Altering Spinach Artichoke Dip, every day’s a party. Enjoy!

What’s Your Outdoor Christmas Decor Theme?

By Christy Leave a Comment

What’s your outdoor Christmas Decor theme? Christmas is the season of magic. Make that magic special for everyone in your family by letting them all have a part in the decorating this year! Just so you know, I did receive fun decor from Oriental Trading® to facilitate this post, but all opinions are entirely my own.

Last year, we lost a lot of our outdoor Christmas decor to four nasty storms in a row blowing through (hello, island living!). It wasn’t very magical, but I was determined to rebuild (dramatic much, Christy?). I pretty much figured since I was starting from ground zero that I could actually create a theme outdoors and I set out on a mission. Inside? I stand my ground. White and blue lights, a well-organized tree, a mantel that I love, an elf that moves while we sleep…the whole nine. Why not do that with my outside Christmas decor theme as well? It all started with a Santa, and surely it would come together as neatly and as perfectly as the indoor decor always does, right?

WRONG! This year (and it was about time, I might add), I decided to include the babies in my decor shopping experience. I’m frugal so I like to bargain shop. Oriental Trading Company is one of my favorite go-to online shops (because I don’t have to leave my house or jammies to shop and it’s affordable) and that’s where I found the inflatable Santa (PS – he can not only hang from the gutter as shown, but he also comes with stakes and can stand up in the yard). From there, I thought we’d stay Santa themed. Bug’s “Letters to Santa” box was a good local find. Then we picked up a flamingo and you can probably see where this is going.

We had Santa up on the rooftop (or falling off, you can look at it as you like), we had the mailbox locked and loaded, and then…a flamingo? Wait, this wasn’t the plan at all!

This is kind of where the madness began.

In the form of a 9′ lighted, animated dragon (his wings really FLAP), a redneck Santa in a pickup with penguins hanging out the windows and stuff (OK, that was my pick to be honest), a daschund for every season, and so much more. Basically, my yard is now a hodge podge of Christmas magic of the most unorthodox (and totally fun to come home to) kind.

Bubby kind of put the icing on the totally-random-I-have-no-theme-to-my-decor cake – so to speak – when he made a plea (OK, he begged) for the narwhal. We all know my favorite Christmas movie is Elf, so I quickly caved and now there’s a narwhal swimming in the ocean (it’s green grass, but you know…it counts). Byyyeee Buddddyyyyy!

So, if you ask me what my Outdoor Christmas Decor Theme is this year, I’m just gonna have to admit…it’s a hodge podge of mismatched, inflatable, fun nonsense, but it works for us, and it truly makes me (and the babies) smile every night. To H. E. double toothpicks with perfection this year. The world’s a mess. Let’s all throw caution to the wind and just have fun again. I’m enjoying seeing my not-so-planned-out decor every day and so can you. Oriental Trading® can help. I’m starting a hot-mess of a movement, who’s with me?