DIY Moulin Rouge Party

So...
This is Gianna ------------------------------------------->>

She's my best friend.------------------------------------>>>>

She is fun, funny, crazy, goofy, beautiful, energetic, pro dancer AND
She's my best friend...

It's my best friend's birthday on November 2nd and I am throwing a SURPRISE party for her!!!

Now, she's turning 29 (four years older than me) and I couldn't think of what to do for her!!

Being a professional dancer, she likes the BLING. Being European (Italian, to be exact), she likes SEXY. Being that I bought her a corset for her gift, I thought MOULIN ROUGE!!

YES!! THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLE!! I am throwing a MOULIN ROUGE THEMED PARTY!!

I searched the internet trying to find ideas and BOY, did I find IDEAS!! 

Unfortunately, I am on a tight budget and I thought to myself... 

"How many of us are on tight budgets but want to throw our best friend a surprise birthday party in a Moulin Rouge theme?" I don't know how many... But I am one of them!! 

My way of contributing to the women who want to throw a Moulin Rouge themed party on a tight budget for their best friend/sister/mom/colleague/cousin/whatever/whoever is to give them a list of items and ideas that they will need to re-create the atmosphere of MOULIN ROUGE. 

My main inspiration came from this photo... 

BUT, as I said before... "MOMMA'S ON A BUDGET, BABY!!" 

So here's what I am going to do... Think "MARDI GRAS" or "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA"... Feathers, beads, corsets, masks, lights!! 

My scheme of Moulin Rouge Re-creation is as follows...

***FOR THE TABLES...

-Tablecloth: You can purchase those plastic/paper tablecloths in BORDEAUX, GOLD, PURPLE

(note: black would be VERY dark, TRUST ME)

-Place Setting: Plastic martini/champagne glasses with a napkin (of any one of your main colors- red, purple,  fuschia or gold) folded and placed inside [the glass]. FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE DIRECTLY BELOW ...

Plasticware to the max!! Have fun with colors here!! You could also 

accomplish this look with simple white plastic plates and utensils and let the napkins and martini glasses do all the talking!!

-Centerpiece: Go to any craft or party store and find long 'Big Bird' feathers in black, red, pink or white (two of those colors). While you're there, pick up a long slim plastic (clear/black/red/gold-tone) vase to put them in. If the end of the feathers are not long enough, tie them together and tape them around a stick that you will later insert in the vase. Arrange the feathers before you tape them and make sure that they really "fountain" out of the vase. If you're like me AND YOU CAN'T FIND THE FEATHERS... You can purchase one of those tinsel fountain centerpieces or damask candlesticks, or the floating candles in a large bowl or flowers or balloons or you could make one of these... 

                                     

***DECORATIONS...

Lighting: You know all those tea candles they sell at the dollar stores that come in sets of 20? GET THEM. You know those Christmas lights you use only once a year for a total of 3 weeks? GRAB THOSE (preferably white lights). You know where I'm heading with this? GO THERE!! Have fun with the lights!! Let's get that dark French-theater look... Wrap the lights around a column or, if you have enough of them (like 5), pin/tape the end of each light in the center of the room on the ceiling and branching out like a star-beam (5 angles) like a circus. I don't have that many, so since there are two mirrored columns, I am going to wrap them around those. 

Mirrors: Mirrors!! DON'T BREAK ONE!! But you SHOULD use them!! They enhance the chic atmosphere and they will REFLECT THE LIGHT... 

Photo Corner: A lot of people are camera shy and need some encouragement to take pictures... I am one of them, which is why I wanted to creat a Photo Corner. You'll need a large black backdrop (translation: big black sheet or cloth that can be hung/nailed to the wall). Nail/hang it on a wall in/near a corner. On it, you can attatch the sign "Happy Birthday, Jane" or whatever. Beside the backdrop, I am putting a little table filled with party masks that I made myself (printed the template and decorated them) for the women and moustaches and hats for the men. I printed out the templates on cardboard paper, cut and colored them and glued them to a stick!! 

Paper Lanterns: I found a ridiculously simple paper lantern template that took me 1 minute to make!! I printed different designs on full-computer paper (I recommend you use cardboard paper) and cut and folded them into a stylish paper lantern. I'm going to hang them from the ceiling. Here's what they look like... 

I though about games... and I wanted to use a classic birthday game, but modified for this theme... "PIN THE HAT ON THE DANCER". Blind fold your guests, spin them around, and have them pin the hat on the dancer!! Paper, tacs and corkscrew board!! Use an image like this... 

Next thing you'll need is FOOD... Which is why I thought that Brownie and Cheesecake Truffles would be a great way to add to the RICHNESS of the evening and atmosphere!! RECIPE COMING UP!!

STAY TUNED FOR THE PARTY PHOTOS AND MY "BROWNIE TRUFFLES" AND "CHEESECAKE TRUFFLES" RECIPES!!