Attention movie lovers: it's Oscar season! March 10th kicks off the 96th annual Academy Awards, which is just another reason to get your pals together for a fancy movie-inspired night in. Plan some small bites, make-ahead cocktails and pop in the popcorn for a night filled with glamorous style, inspiring speeches, favorite clips with laughter and tears thrown into the mix. In fact, we've done a little party planning of our own. Feel free to copy us and party it up Oscars style with these brilliant DIYs.
May we have the envelope, please? Every great party has to start with some glam invitations. (via Twig and Thistle)
This backdrop takes about 5 minutes to get up but really makes an impact in any room or photo. (via Brit + Co)
Channel 1940s Olympic swimmer turned movie star Esther Williams with these adorable swim caps. (via Brit + Co)
Yes, that really is just a roll of tickets. This is such an innovative way to make a fun movie-themed bowl. (via Buggie & Jellybean)
Getting sick of commercial break after commercial break? Take a breather and take turns hitting this shiny beauty! We recommend filling it with some movie theater-esque treats for the ultimate themed party. (via Studio DIY)
Though this awesome popcorn bar is more fit for an outdoor party, you could easily create your own on a decorated table indoors. While you're at it, check out some tasty popcorn hacks to add to your spread. (via Hostess With the Mostess)
Printables are definitely a dream come true for any busy DIYer. These bright and colorful boxes would be a perfect addition to your popcorn bar! (via Design Eat Repeat)
A photo booth that's both vintage and movie-related? Yes, please! (PS: We're huge fans of the popcorn cones she's holding. Those would also be great for the popcorn bar.) (via Kelly Golightly)
If you're going for a sophisticated viewing party, this elegant statuette will feel at home on your table. (via Twig & Thistle)
Glitter is always a welcome addition to any affair. Add some pizzazz to your drinks with these glitter-dipped bottles. Our super adaptable tutorial would work well for wine and Champagne glasses as well. (via Brit + Co)
Are your walls looking bare? Sparkle them up with this festive garland. (via Green Wedding Shoes)
If you feel like the Oscar statuette is way overrated, give awards to your guests with these festive balloons instead! (via Studio DIY)
These tasty treats are perfect for those with a hankering for something sweet. (via Make Life Lovely)
Make like the real thing and send all your guests home with a swag bag — these printable stickers are the perfect finishing touch. (via Elegance & Enchantment)
Keep everyone focused on the ceremony no matter how long it drags on with these v. entertaining Bingo cards. (via Julie Blanner)
For a swanky affair, set a stunning tablescape: Lots of gold and black silk are in order, and maybe some confetti. (via Pizzazzerie)
Keep the drink menu simple with a cocktail that you can make in batches. The gold sugar rim really drives the glam home! (via Blissfully Domestic)
Add these to your gift bags, or stick 'em on your guests as they arrive! (via Squirelly Minds)
Planning your own red-carpet Oscar viewing party? Make sure to 'Gram it and tag us @BritandCo!
(Additional reporting by Ariel Garneau and Theresa Gonzalez)
This article has been updated.
Meghan Markle is officially returning to our TV screens, but it's probably not what you're thinking. While everyone wishes that she was somehow re-joining the cast of Suits for a reunion season (still secretly hoping that will come true), or giving us another part to Harry & Meghan, she's actually starting a brand new venture. After dropping her ever-exclusive jams, Meghan's now set to star on her very own cooking show! She and Prince Harry — alongside their production company — are heading up this exciting new show, and we wanted to give you all the deets on what we know, when it will air, and what exciting guests will be on it!
Photo by Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Meghan Markle is doing a cooking show, and according to Deadline we'll get to "see The Duchess, otherwise known as Meghan Markle, celebrate the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship." We love the sound of that! And with Harry and Meghan having quite a lot of famous friendships, we think there could be possible celebrity features! Maybe a Suits reunion? Or Tyler Perry feature? Maybe even Serena Williams? Given that Meghan's podcast Archetypes features a star-studded celebrity cast, then we have no doubt that's exactly what we'll get here, too!
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023
Meghan's seemingly always shown a passion for cooking and homemaking since her days of The Tig, a blog dedicated to all things in that same vein. Alongside that, she's also written her own cookbook (the proceeds of which went right to charity), and she also just released a jam from her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard. So since this brand is going to be selling things like tableware, linens, and cooking items, we could see this cooking show really tying together all the different parts of her passions she's shown us over time.
Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Deadlinereported that Sony Pictures is producing Meghan's show. They said, "It will be produced by Sony Pictures Television’s The Intellectual Property Corporation, which is behind series including Hulu’s The D’Amelio Show and A&E’s Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath."
They also reported that Archwell, Hariton and Aaron Saidman, and Eli Holzman for IPC will executive produce this project as well. It will premiere via Netfliix like all of the other projects Prince Harry and Meghan have done! We can't wait!
Photo by Tim P. Whitby - Pool/Getty Images
They actually filmed Meghan Markle's cooking show at a house just 2 miles away from the family's residence in Montecito, California. Prince Harry and Meghan seem to draw a lot of inspiration from where they live since Meghan's brand American Riviera Orchard was also inspired by the lovely Montecito, CA. Plus, they apparently wanted to keep production close by, which we can only presume is because of their sweet little kids.
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation
The series unfortunately doesn't have a release date yet, but it's in the "early stages of productions" according to Deadline. Hopefully we'll find out more — including the actual name of Meghan's show — very soon! All we know is, whenever it does come out, we plan to binge the whole series ASAP!
Make sure to come back to this article for any updates on Prince Harry and Meghan's newest TV venture!
For more pop culture news, be sure to follow us on Facebook!
Header image via Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation
If you're going to make margaritas at home, you might as well go big and trick out your bar with the brightest decor and tastiest margarita recipes you can find. What better way to pay homage to the sweet, salty and (occasionally) spicy cocktail that's best served with *all* of the guacamolerecipes? From a top-of-the-line blender to a festive rainbow tassel you'll want to hang at all of your parties, we've got 16 essentials for the perfect margarita bar. Fill your DIY piñatasand blow up your balloons, because your margarita Monday is about to get a lot more colorful.
f beating the heat is your aim, a frozen margarita is the obvious way to go. Refreshing ingredients like watermelon and mint turn up the cool factor so you can take the margarita bar outside. (via Brit + Co)
With nothing but some tissue paper and spray adhesive, you can make some fruity balloons to mimic the fruit in your drinks. Foil balloons work best for this DIY, and you can have them filled with helium at the store if you don't have a tank at home. (via Balloon Time)
Infuse a bottle of tequila with jalapeños so adventurous guests can give their margarita a kick. Jalapeños go great with grapefruit, especially with an extra-salty rim. (via Fit Foodie Finds)
Once the margaritas start flowing, tequila shots are soon to follow. Ditch your old spring break shot glasses and invest in a classy set in a rose quartz hue. The best thing about these Himalayan salt glasses is that they're already salty, so you won't have to lick your hand.
If you like to add a bit of spice wherever you can, try making some Sriracha salt. It adds a lovely color to your rim and a slight bite to any margarita. Set out several dishes with different infused salts and sugars for your guest to try with their drinks. (via Ladyface Blog)
If you're able to find blood oranges, you definitely need to try this margarita. It's sweet in comparison to the classic, but totally refreshing. This one is rimmed with vanilla-infused sugar. (via Eat Drink Love)
What situation doesn't require some sort of emoji? Express your innermost feelings with this fun DIY that will get everyone involved. Our vote is for the see-no-evil monkey emoji. (viaI Spy DIY)
This creamy cross between a piña colada and a margarita will have you longing for the beach. Try freezing coconut water in ice trays to add to all of your margs — blended OR on the rocks. (via I Ate the Whole Thing)
You need a heavy-duty blender when making pitcher after pitcher of frozen margaritas. Treat yo'self to one that will stand the test of time and look gorgeous while doing so.
Margaritas are known for being a south-of-the-border cocktail. Celebrate their desert origins by making these mini cactus piñatas that are much easier to make than they look. Plus, they open with the pull of a string, so you can reuse them again and again. (via Oh Happy Day)
Stave off an unwanted hangover with this fresh, antioxidant-rich recipe. The anti-inflammatory nutrients in the cucumber help the liver metabolize alcohol quickly and flush the system. Win-win. (via Hello Glow)
This tassel garland is incredibly easy (and cheap) to make. You can customize the colors to match your theme and reuse it for many different types of parties. Hang on the wall behind your bar cart for a fun pop of color. (via Bloesem Design)
No margarita bar is complete without… well, a bar. This stylish gold cart is sleek and minimal, so your decor can be the center of attention. Dress your bar cart with cocktail fixings and cute accessories, and set out a bowl of chips and salsa so your guests can munch while they make their margs.
Sure, you can technically serve a margarita in any glass you want, but it's nice to have the option of serving them in traditional margarita glasses. Pick up a few of these beauties, made from recycled tequila bottles.
If you're going to invest in a set of margarita glasses, you might as well a stylish pitcher to go with them. A pitcher with a thick rim and an off-center handle like this one will keep your drink cold while also looking beautiful.
Some would argue that the original margarita must be shaken, rather than blended or made in a pitcher. However you prefer to enjoy yours, you should always have a classic margarita recipe in your arsenal. (via Kitchen Swagger)
Follow us on Pinterest for more easy + delicious recipe ideas.
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This post has been updated.
Photo by Tijana Drndarski/Unsplash
Prep time: 20 mins
Oven time: 7-8 hours. Low and slow!
Photo by Isaac Taylor / PEXELS
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As no stranger to sifting through books to read and round up, it suddenly dawned on me that R.L. Stine's Fear Street series helped introduce me to the brilliance that are short story collections. There were several endearing elements about friendships in those books that I loved, but the horror and thriller aspects kept me on the edge of my seat. Now that I'm older (and more well-read), I realize that R.L. Stein isn't the only one killing the short story game — there are so many other talented authors who have unique and gripping tales to tell outside of novels.
I'd obviously be remiss if I didn't share some of the stunning short story collections I've found since then. Here are 7 amazing short stories that will have you edge of your seats, so be sure to grab your reading journal to jot them down! From learning how to love someone in spite of their flaws, reclaiming your life after heartache, and facing your fears before they swallow you completely, these stories truly have it all.
What lies beneath the surface of a pool's shimmery surface? It's something Louise Marburg seeks to answer with three short story collections in No Diving Allowed.
Two brothers are seemingly unable to move past tension that's followed them since their childhood in "Identical" and it's revealed how much this has taken a toll on them. On the other hand, "Let Me Stay With You" shows how assumptions can paint a negative picture of someone that's not true while "Minor Thefts" shines a glaring light on one family's drama.
The people found in this story are imperfect, but love still finds a way to help them stay afloat.
Have Mercy On Us is similar to No Diving Allowed, but the stories found in its pages focus more on people who are fighting to live a life that's meaningful to them. From an older man who's determined to rescue his son in Kenya to a woman who decides she's not going to let her spouse's infidelity crush her, these stories will change the way you look at love and forgiveness. You'll also feel a renewed call to choose how you want to live your life.
Short story collections are meant to grab your attention and sometimes they break your heart because their message is received long before their tale ends.
You'll meet a woman whose desperation for a child causes her to make a drastic decision, two teens who truly begin to see each other in a new light, and more characters who must come to terms with the roles they've taken on.
It'll only be a matter of time before you find yourself reaching for a few tissues while reading this book.
Brenda Peynado explores the relationship people have with being considered an outsider and how far people are willing to go for those they love. Whether from a personal or political standpoint, the characters you'll come across will make you shake your head in disbelief and have hope for them at the same time. You'll come across families who believe that worshipping angels is the answer to their prayers in one story and children whose ability to fly causes them to have a very close relationship with rocks.
There's hints of magic, mysticism, and the human ability weaved throughout each tale that we know you'll love.
For even more reading recs, be sure to check out our storefront to see all our fave books right now!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Lead images via Amazon
