Oscar 2010 Decorating

Several of you have written to me asking in advance for next year I suppose; how 2 decorate for an Oscar Party.

There are so many options!

One good resource are your Christmas Decorations!! Believe it or not!! Look for big round clear strings of lights, anything STAR shaped or any RED fabric! I made an actual RED CARPET leading into our party out of a piece of FAUX red VELVET that I once used as a Christmas tree skirt!!

Also, you know my tip about using your old Photo NEGATIVES wrapped around votive candle holders PERFECT! Also old film canisters or containers work great because HEY! We're CELEBRATING FILM!!!

Grab some cheap 35 ML film from The 99 Cents Store and use for streamers or table runners or just hang from the ceiling! Pull the film out of the cartridge...its already "curled" for you & go to town!

Also check your personal LIBRARY!! I'm willing to bet that you have at least a few ENTERTAINMENT themed books; be they novels or non-fiction works, about famous Movie Stars or famous Films!! Stack them prominently on the mantel or a table & decorate around them!! For our party I collected these titles from my personal library:

WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN? YOU'LL NEVER EAT LUNCH IN THIS TOWN AGAIN, THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, HOLLYWOOD BABYLON, HOLLYWOOD BABYLON II, INSIDE OSCAR, etc. Any star BIO would do nicely too!

Also any sort of TROPHIES After all what is OSCAR but the ULTIMATE Trophy??? I have a collection of loving cups trophies that I love to fill with flowers. You can take you little boy's PEE WEE LEAGUE All STAR Trophy & work THAT into your Oscar decorating!!

I've had yet another REALITY SHOW AUDITION that has resulted in nothing & am thinking it may be time to pack all this gay-guy-who-loves-a-party-and-a-THEME- & loves- to-decorate- with- what- is- on- hand- thingie and go sell insurance or some regular kind of job!! I am ALMOST MIDDLE AGED for Christ sake!!

Halloween Headquarters

Yep that’s what the 99 Cents store call itself & boy are they right! (BTW any IT people can tell me how to get the “cents” symbol so I can stop writing out c.e.n.t.s.?) Pick up some those “black silk roses” and shove them in every available vase, jar & open container in your house for quick, cheap, spooky, décor!

It may rain or be chilly in many parts of the country this weekend so here’s a little family Holiday project:
A Halloween Chandelier:

Just rake that ripped or stained old umbrella you’ve been meaning to get rid of. Remove remaining fabric. You can hot glue votive cups to the tips of the upturned umbrella frame or you can simply decorate it with spooky craft items: orange Christmas balls (!!) spider webbing** or this great black feather boa (yep 99 Cents Store!) Suspend from ceiling with a large cup hook or use a plant hanger for outside use!

Above is TheGayGardener on one of his first Halloween trick-or-treat nights! I simply refused to wear the mask. I felt I could convey the “TWEETY BIRD” character more authentically just using my own facial expressions. Yes, an affected child, I agree!

** a Note About Spider Webbing: This stuff is as dangerous as tinsel!
One 1/8 of a bag is enough to do the entire front porch, or your average dining room display. Grab a half a handful & stretch it, stretch it, stretch it! I hate Halloween decorations ruined by what looks like a ghoulish PILLOW FIGHT. Really, a little goes a long way!

"Halloween Headquarters"

So The 99 Cents Store calls itself your Halloween Headquarters and they are soooooo right! You gotta check it out.

I love these Halloween Centerpieces. Everything came from the 99 Cents Store. The orange painted buckets that I trimmed with black & orange feather boas (soo cute) & filled with black artificial roses & twigs.
But leave the Halloween aisle because there’s plenty more to see. The large orange plastic goblets would be fun at a party & the smoked black glass compotes would be terrific too. I filled these with little orange “pincushion” plants all also at The 99 Cents Store

Elevate the lowly Pumpkin!! A simple pumpkin in anything raised will look so smashing & dramatic. Use your champagne buckets & urns. For the smaller ones use sugar bowls & eggcups! And don’t be lazy if you’re going to feature them, at least clean & polish them a little. Scrape the mud off & use a little mayo or olive oil on a paper towel & make those babies shine!