Let’s Flamingle!

So now that summer is in full swing there’s a tradition I love to do as often as I can…host an outdoor movie night!  Several years ago we invested in an outdoor projector and let me tell you that it’s one of the best purchases we’ve ever made!  Often times throughout the summer we’ll hook that thing up and camp outside with some popcorn, snacks, and my hubby and I might partake in an adult beverage or two!  It’s really a fun, family activity that’s still appealing to the boys…even though the quality of the projector can’t come close to what the digital TVs are like today!  But for me, that’s part of the nostalgic appeal, it reminds me of the drive-in theater days…back when that quality wasn’t comparable to today’s either!  So when I decided to host some girlfriends for one of our semi-regular movie-night gatherings I knew we needed to do it outside!  And with the collaborative help from a talented designer friend of mine, we chose a popular summertime theme and ran with it!  A “flamingle” outdoor movie party is such a fun and whimsical way to celebrate summer…whether it’s a grown-up girl’s night out or a teen or tween party, a flamingo-inspired celebration is the perfect way to create a festive event for a flock of your friends!  Let me share some pink party inspiration…

flocktails and friendship!

there’s not much, where gatherings are concerned, that can touch an evening filled with good gal-pals, sweets & treats, pink decorations, and Doris Day & Rock Hudson!  am i right?  and for me, the opportunity to have a little fun with pink is always a treat!  so my friend Meghan from Elva M. Design Studio really helped me out with the most darling invitations and prints for the evening with some bold black stripes and pink flamingos!  and that set the tone for the entire event…

a bar cart is such a fun piece to decorate for a party!  and let’s face it, you can’t have an event without beverages of some sort!

straw flags are a really simple way to jazz up your sippers and one of my favorite details…

you can use a little washi tape to attach some straws right to your bottles…

and wine labels are always a win!  you can download them and print right from your computer…

i used my jewelry dish as a container for the wine corks…a fun way to re-purpose a household item that matches the theme!

and this pink guy was intended for hanging, but i just removed the string and popped him into my flowerpot…another fun splash of color by the bar cart!

on the patio i served some sweet treats and fixings for s’mores…with pink mallows of course!  i used some ribbon to create matching stripes on my runner…easy!

some waffle and fudge-stripe cookies are a sweet alternative to graham crackers…

and i just used some white rice to keep the roasting sticks in place on the buffet!

for some more easy sugar, i simply layered some purchased brownies with pink, cinnamon icing and topped them with mini honeycomb flamingos which are actually embellishments i removed from some straws!

i also had some fun with the centerpiece on the patio table…

a trio of tins hold some drink floaties filled with flowers…a whimsical way to use pool products when you don’t have a pool!

it’s always a nice idea to have extra water when you’re entertaining especially in the summer heat!  a drink dispenser is an economical way to have thirst-quenching water near the treat tables…

some berries add some color and flavor to my H2O dispenser which won’t stay shut anymore so i just throw a food net over it so pesky flying bugs can’t have a sip!  and simple strands of ribbon on the ice bucket and the cake top (removed from its base) help add thematic color easily and inexpensively!

i also used the leftover pink flowers from the floating centerpieces in my floral chandelier.  a fun alternative would be to hang a grapevine wreath like a halo above your table and embellish it with fresh or artificial flowers!

some extra bar utensils found a home by my DIY decoupaged votive holder filled with fairy lights.  i LOVE the flamingo swizzle sticks and they were the inspiration for the varying shades of pinks in my decorations!

one more treat table completed the movie-time snacks…popcorn, sweet munchies, and theater candy!

i dipped waffle cones in chocolate and pink sprinkles to make some yummy, edible containers for the muddy buddy mix!

and now for the movie…

a letterboard is a fun way to display what’s playing!  i used wrapping paper to cover the inside of the garage window in bold pink & black stripes!

tubs filled with floor cushions (leftover from my son’s Moroccan graduation dinner) are ready for comfy movie watching…

and i gave my old movie reels a quick spritz of paint to match the color theme!

a large, canvas drop cloth from the hardware store is a great way to create an “area rug” without breaking the bank!

i filled the bottom of the cast iron fire pit with charcoal for marshmallow roasting.  this was a great way to eliminate smoke & ash from a fire or have too much added heat near the viewing area!

and when the sun finally began to set, it was time to grab a snack or two (or three) and find a seat!

show time!

an outdoor movie night will make a memorable evening for sure!

now playing…summer fun!

product guide:

invitations and printables   Elva M. Design Studio

movie projector   Kohls

letter board,  candy dish,  drink floaties  Target

flamingo decor, popcorn boxes  Party City

flamingo jewelry dish  Kirklands

Pink Sprinkles and baking supplies  The Bakers Party Shop

decorative trays, cake stands  Amalfi Decor