speakeasy new year's eve // 20's style

we made it! it's the sixth and final day of the week-long series of party posts i'm bringing you with my friends kyla of house of hipsters and grace of the big reveal.

i like to think of today's post as icing on the cake. grace is showing you how to DIY some fancy flapper-style headbands that can serve your guests as photo props or costumes, and that will surely add to the charm of your speakeasy-themed new year's eve bash.

these little beauties are a little bit of luxe and a little touch of glam for all those party photos you will not neglect to capture.

head over to the big reveal for the easy how-to and some more gorgeous pictures of grace...she is captivating! if only she could show me how to DIY all those perfect red locks of hair!

thank you so much for hanging out this week and coming to "the wildwood speakeasy." if you end up using any of this party kit, remember to share it with us! we'd sooo love to see your pictures. email, tweet, or tag us on instagram and use the hashtag #wildwoodspeakeasy! (c'mon dee, you know the driveway gang needs to throw this party!) you can get caught up below in case you missed anything.

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h 
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6  r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e 

i'll be back tonight with our regularly scheduled found & foraged party (and i'm going to be regramming photos throughout today on instagram from the #foundforaged feed! tag your pics!) and then-- woohoo-- sunday will be a much needed day of rest.

on monday i'm really excited to get back in the christmas spirit around here and show you some peeks at the holiday decorating at my house.

happy weekend friends!

speakeasy new year's eve // invitations

hi again and happy friday (woohoo!) my sweet friends. we're approaching the ball drop in a series of new year's eve party ideas that my friends kyla from house of hipsters and grace from the big reveal and i have been bringing you this week. it's day five and we only have one left to go, so if you aren't convinced you need to throw this party by now, well...i'll still cross my fingers you change your mind.

for the rest of you, you need invites! we've got you covered. head over to kyla's blog for FREE printable invitations for your fabulous new year's fete.

aren't they so cool?! man, i wish i could do graphic design. she's like an awesome mysterious wizard. how does she do that?

to catch up on the rest of your party kit, all the links are below. we'll see you back here tomorrow for one more day in this series. grace will have a little DIY that's kind of like icing on a cake. i'll be sad to say goodbye but i also can't wait! see you tomorrow.

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h 
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e

speakeasy new year's eve // nosh & cards

welcome back my friends to day 4 of our speakeasy-themed new year's party kit. together with kyla from house of hipsters and grace from the big reveal, we're bringing you everything you need this week, one day at a time, to build the perfect new year's bash. today you get to stay with me (yay!) for an easy party snack recipe and some classic card games.

when we originally had the idea for this party, we envisioned mounds of fur throws and pillows, a tented canopy with twinkle lights held up by birch poles, luxe velvet drapes and elaborate vintage furniture. that's how you roll when you throw a sponsored party with someone else's money. in real life, you keep things simple. no one wants to go broke turning their house into a secluded woodland fairy tale for just one night. (i think the implication there is that i'd consider doing it if i could keep it that way forever...)

so instead of another decor post about how you can sew your own fur pillows (who wants that fuss? not me!) or ruin your ceilings draping fabric all about (can someone give my husband a hug of empathy and understanding on that one?) i decided to stick to the essentials: food and games.

first up, the eats:

while this isn't a complete menu, it will get you on your way with some tasty treats to go with your cocktails. this recipe was given to me by my sweet friend andrea hayden, who thought she was giving me a gift when she brought them to me, but in reality was creating an obsession that might or might not have kept me up some nights.

these are a timeless party hit: candied nuts. (hold the nut jokes kyla and grace!) this recipe is seriously soooooooo delicious. they take no time at all, you can make them days ahead of time, AND they make your house smell amazing. that's a win in all categories if you ask me. perfect yummy easy party fare.


C A N D I E D  N U T S

ingredients:

1 egg white
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
3 cups nuts *

* pecans are a classic choice for candied nuts. my store didn't have pecans (apparently everyone in the world is making nut-based snack mixes this week), so i used 1 cup of almonds, 1 cup of mixed nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts), 1/2 cup walnuts, and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts. i really liked the variety in the end; even with the coating, the individual flavors of the nuts stood out.


directions:

1. in a small mixing bowl, mix sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves until well blended. set aside.

2. whisk egg white with water until extremely frothy (i used the whisk attachment on the kitchenaid for at least a minute or two)

3. add nuts to the egg white mixture and stir until nuts are coated.

4. pour sugar mixture over nuts and stir until nuts are coated.

5. spread nuts on foil-lined cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes.


tips:

do NOT burn these. it doesn't taste good.

make sure you line the pan; these stick big time.

notes:

recipe adapted from damn delicious and averie cooks


next up, the games:

now that you have something simple to nosh on, (sorry, do you hate that word? i love it. but i'm guessing it's one of those words that some people find grating on their soul), can't you just picture sitting back at a table full of friends, all of you looking fabulous, channeling the cool glamour of the 20's, playing cards? it's really the perfect, easy activity if standing around and staring at each other isn't your kind of new years. here are some of my favorites, and some that i'd love to learn:

C L A S S I C  C A R D  G A M E S

poker
euchre
hearts
gin
blackjack

M O D E R N  C A R D  G A M E S

nertz
werewolf
canasta

i'm personally a raging fan of euchre (yes i do have it on my phone and yes my husband and i do play it with just the two of us against "fake chris and katie" on occasion). but you just can't go wrong with any of the above classics. a bonus of a classic is that if the instructions for dummies are still lost on you, chances are at least one of your guests will know how to direct the crowd.

as for the more modern games, i used to play canasta with some dear california friends and it is an absolute blast. for this and any other game (like euchre) that require a small four-some of players, you can set up different tables and do tournament play.

nertz is one of the most fun games ev-er, and is perfect for a huge crowd. the more people you have the better and it ends up being like twister and solitaire combined (i know! the ultimate game)! be warned you'll need one complete deck of cards per party guest, and they all need to have different backs. if you go this route, have fun with it and find some crazy cards to send everyone home with as your party favor.

i'm so happy with how our party kit is coming along so far. i try to keep things realistic around here (for the most part!) and i really feel like this party is do-able for anyone in real life. are you inspired to try yet?? we have two more days to convince you!

and if you do end up using any or all of the things in this party kit, we would absolutely LOVE to hear about it. email us, tag us on instagram, tweet us, post pics (#wildwoodspeakeasy!!!)...stalk us in any and every way possible. it would make our day. if you've missed anything so far, catch up below. and i'll see you back here tomorrow for more!

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e

speakeasy new year's eve // photobooth

well i couldn't be more excited about today's post. first of all, i love photobooths, photo backdrops, and anything else photo-related. secondly, i gasped audibly (no, i wasn't alone, and yes, it was embarrassing) when grace sent me the gorgeous pictures she shot for today. they. are. so. good!!! kyla and i both used all capital letters in our excited responses, which if you read my blog you might notice, i don't break out much.

the bane of my existence (party-wise) has been throwing awesome soirees and not getting any good shots to preserve the occasion. just to give you a for-instance, last fall i threw a truly epic 30th birthday party for a friend...i hand crafted a whole wall of giant flowers, there was vintage lace, a garden setting, twinkle lights, hanging lanterns...the whole shebang. it was magical. and this terrible picture is the only picture i got. i have since learned the importance of taking the time to capture a moment.

do not let your new year's party suffer the same fate. set yourself up for photo success with a photobooth. today, grace has an easy tutorial for one that is so stinkin' adorable i could cry, and a free printable mugshot prop to boot!

is she not the cutest jailbird you ever did see?! head over to the big reveal blog for the how-to and your freebie!

and in case you need to catch up, this is part of a series of new year's eve party must-haves i'm bringing you this week along with my partners in blog-crime, kyla from house of hipsters and grace from the big reveal. every day we'll have a new essential ingredient for you to throw a fabulous bash. {your party kit thus far is below}

see you back again tomorrow!

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l

nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e

speakeasy new year's eve // poor liza cocktail

hello and welcome back! it's day two of our new-years-eve-in-a-week-party-kit, and i'm so glad you're here.

today, my dear kyla from house of hipsters is bringing you one of her favorite cocktail recipes: the poor liza. i'm not really much of a drinker, and especially not of fancy drinks, so i'm not very familiar with what's good and what's not in this genre. but kyla swears this is one of the best drinks of all time.  it's a favorite of hers from the violet hour, an actual real-life speakeasy (seriously, the door is entirely hidden) in chicago where i got to go for kyla's birthday party a couple months ago.

{this place inspired our entire mood board & party theme}

even for us not-too-frequent-drinkers, it's pretty hard to have a speakeasy themed party without a lovely signature cocktail or two, ya know? so i do want to provide a quick tip for the crowd who wishes prohibition never ended: grab some fancy glasses and some trader joe's sparkling pink lemonade, and you'll have all the glam without the dizzy.

now head on over to kyla's for her signature poor liza recipe, and for some seriously styled cocktail eye candy!

and if you haven't been following along with this week yet, you can catch up below. i'll see you tomorrow for the next installment brought to you by grace of the big reveal!

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e

speakeasy new year's eve // vintage inspired florals

i believe that flowers set the tone of a party, and therefore i almost always start with them when planning a scheme. when i set out to create a floral centerpiece for the luxe speakeasy new year's eve party kit i'm putting together with the house of hipsters and the big reveal, i wanted it to be free-flowing, feminine, and a little bit wild, just like the guests at a fashionable 20's speakeasy would have been. it needed to feel old-fashioned with a rustic twist. it dawned on me that i need look no further than this stunning centerpiece by jocelyne y., who tagged it in our #foundforaged instagram challenge. here is how i set out to recreate something similar. 

materials:

family size soup can

small handful of rocks (not pictured)

garden shears

blush roses

silver dollar eucalyptus

seeded eucalyptus

instructions:

1. remove the soup can label (goo gone works wonders if it's not cooperating) and fill the bottom with a handful of small rocks. because the arrangement is asymmetrical, this will help make sure it doesn't fall over!

2. begin with long stems of the seeded eucalyptus. place them one at a time in the can leaning against the right side so that they drape and droop. all the better if you can find stems that will fall against the table surface. i actually pushed them down ever so gently to make them bend a little lower.

3. add in the silver dollar eucalyptus and do the same thing. use the stems that are the skinniest and longest for the best effect.

4. next you'll be adding a small cluster of blush roses (of course ranunculus or other lush blooms would be wonderful too- i simply wanted to use flowers that would be available to anyone and easy to find. good ol' roses are the only ones i can always count on to be at the grocery store. everything i bought for this was from trader joe's). cut one rose to the length you'd like it to be in your arrangement and test it out.

5. when the length suits, then use that rose as a guide. build a tight bouquet in your fist and once it is assembled (kind of like a mini bridal bouquet), cut all the stems to the same length as your first one.

{pause here to pay attention to the small human about to steal your garden shears and save his life.}

6. place your rose bouquet in the left side of the soup can.

7. lastly, cut some shorter stems of seeded eucalyptus and tuck them in among the roses.

and that's it! enjoy your beautiful arrangement. the greens keep for quite a long time, and i think this will be even more lovely when the roses open more, so you can certainly do it a few days ahead of your party. (oh and if i could rewind time, wouldn't that soup can have looked awesome spray-painted copper??)

with these vintage-inspired flowers to set the mood at your party, you'll be well on your way to an elegant, and a little bit wild, new year's eve. 

our party continues tomorrow with a signature cocktail from kyla. you can catch up on our complete new year's eve bash below, and check back each day to see what will be added next! 

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e

speakeasy new year's eve // party kit

do you guys remember over the summer, when i first introduced you to kyla from house of hipsters and grace from the big reveal and we had a little fun taking a room a day for one week and making over a cabin?

we enjoyed that so much we decided to do a little something for the winter too. this time, we're bringing to life (well, virtual life anyway) our altitude summit party inspiration in the form of a party kit just for you! each day we'll bring you one thing you need to build the perfect party. by the end of the week, you'll have all the instructions, freebies, and ingredients you need to throw your own speakeasy-themed new year's bash.

remember this awesome mood board?

i know what you're thinking... wha?! new year's eve? i haven't even started my christmas shopping yet! don't panic. i don't mean to jump the gun. but the reality is, christmas is coming soon. and after that you'll only have a scant week to prepare for the epic party you've already run the montage of in your head. the one where you're glam and composed, delectable treats arrayed in your (totally clean) kitchen, lavish decorations and twinkling lights appointing the house, snow falling softly out the window, your tiara sparkling...

wait, where was i? oh yes, the party plan. just take a deep breath, pin this post, and file it away for safekeeping when you need it on the 26th. we'll have you covered to throw together that party montage in real life --quickly, easily, and inexpensively-- and it will look like a million bucks. (sorry, we can't clean your kitchen though).

the party starts with me and flowers. (always, right!?) i'm up first with an easy tutorial for some lush, vintage-inspired floral centerpieces.

and then by the end of saturday, you'll have everything from invitations to cocktails to photo props-- all that you'll need to host a fabulous new year's...

{step over here for a second if you don't yet know the bloggy besties i'm throwing this with. kyla is from the house of hipsters. she is a graphic designer who can whip up an ultra-cool label, design a campaign logo, or slap together a killer moodboard with the snap of her fingers. she's also a DIY maven whose projects and styling have landed her on craftgawker's most gawked list. grace is the mastermind behind the big reveal blog. she is a lifestyle expert on the tv show twin cities live and was recently featured by good housekeeping because she has mad design skills. i'm so excited to be partnering with these ladies. they have some serious cred!}

i hope you'll have fun and be inspired! (and then i promise we'll get back to christmas business at hand). start here with the flowers, see below for the kit so far, and check back each day this week to see what's next!

{ T H E  W I L D W O O D  S P E A K E A S Y  P A R T Y  K I T }

nO. 1.  v i n t a g e  f l o r a l s

nO. 2.  s i g n a t u r e  c o c k t a i l
nO. 3.  p h o t o b o o t h 
nO. 4.  n o s h  &  c a r d s 
nO. 5.  i n v i t a t i o n s 
nO. 6. r o a r i n g  t w e n t i e s  s t y l e