Olympic Tailgate Party
Celebrate the 2010 Winter Olympics with a viewing party for friends and family.
Our friends in Canada are getting ready for the Winter Olympics 2010 and as a supportive neighbor, I'm going to celebrate by throwing an Olympics-themed party with a twist! We tailgate all the time for major sporting events ... so why not "tailgate" for the Olympics too? With the following tips, put together your own Olympic tailgate party to watch athletes hit the puck in hockey, jump and spin in ice skating and catch some air in freestyle skiing with your friends and family!
DIY Lanyard Invitation
The lanyard invitation is your guest's ticket to a fantastic Winter Olympics Tailgate Party. Inspired by a ski pass, I created an authentic Olympic experience by designing an invitation featuring the Vancouver Winter Olympic 2010 ticket image as the template. All I had to do is add my party details over the top of the image and voila, I had a custom ticket invitation for my guests. Have each guest wear the lanyard to the party for the ultimate VIP experience.
What You'll Need:
12 pack of black lanyards with swivel hooks
8 1/2" x 11" white card stock
Black glitter
Glue stick
8 1/2" x 11" green cardstock
Directions:
Download the background image you would like to use for your ticket and add all necessary party details over the top using graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Print your ticket invitation in color on white card stock, cut it out and mount it onto green card stock for added detail and thickness. I embellished the invitation with black glitter for a little frosty bling and then attached it to a black lanyard. For an added detail, consider laminating your invitations, which will add authenticity and longevity to your ticket keepsake.
DIY Flag Centerpiece
Every party deserves a festive centerpiece and what tailgate party doesn't include keg cups? I created a centerpiece for my tailgate themed Olympics party using blue, yellow, black, green and red keg cups to mimic the five rings of the Olympics logo. I filled each keg cup with oasis floral foam, topped it with black crinkle paper and inserted miniature flags from some of the countries represented at the Olympics. Instant centerpiece!
What You'll Need:
12 pack of wooden skewers
8 1/2 x 11 white paper
Black crinkle paper
Multi colored plastic 8 ounce keg cups
Glue stick
Hot glue gun
Directions:
Purchase blue, yellow, black, green and red keg cups from your local party store as well as black crinkle paper. Hot glue the cups together to create the Olympic logo design. Make sure you keep the cups in proper order ... blue, yellow, black, green and then red. Fill the cups with oasis floral foam, creating a base for your flag skewers and cover the foam with black crinkle paper. To create your flags, download flag images online, scale them to approximately 1.5" x 1" and print them out. Cut the flags out and adhere the flags back to back around your skewers. I painted my skewers black, but they can be left natural or painted a metallic gold. Place the skewered flags into the cups, varying height for interest.
The Ice Luge:
The drinks for your Winter Olympics tailgate party will be delivered from the slopes of an Ice Luge, of course! It's a great way to incorporate the Winter Olympic theme into your tailgate party. Guests can have their own Olympic event with this ice luge. You simply freeze water in the mold for 24 hours, pop it out and get the festivities going by sending your drinks down the icy slopes, straight into your glass. I offered Canadian beer at my party, but any drink will do the trick!
Check back tomorrow for additional ideas to throw your own Olympic Tailgate Party!About Kelley Moore
Kelley Moore combines years of experience as a social worker with a passion for design and entertaining. She has appeared on "The Today Show" and shared her tips and ideas with Ellen DeGeneres, Tyra Banks and Rachael Ray on their television programs. She also regularly appears on Seattle's NBC affiliate. Her book, Cube Chic, has inspired thousands to look at their office space in a new way.
Unlike other experts who focus on trends and formulaic designs and solutions, Kelley inspires and empowers people to use design and entertaining as tools to build stronger relationships and share who they are through the environment they create. You can read more on her Web site, kelleylmoore.com.