Mardi Gras Styled Shoot

Magnolia Creative Co.  styled this fun Mardi Gras shoot at the lovely Hill Country Village.

Look for these DIY projects:

• King Cake Cookie Recipe from Aimee Broussard & Co.

• Mardi Gras bead chandelier

• Spray painted chargers and hurricane glasses

• Ombre layered table skirt – Tutorial on MagnoliaCreative Co.

• FREE Mardi Gras Printables available from Magnolia Creative Co.

Free printable collection includes:
Invitations
Two 8 x 10″ signs
2″ Party circles
Bead wraps
Banner
Cookie recipe card

The bar area was decorated by a purple, green and gold tassel garland by The Flair Exchange. On the table was an arrangement of sticks spray painted gold. Trees along Louisiana parade routes are usually covered in beads, many of which can stay for up to a year. This arrangement paid tribute to that. Also on the bar was a framed new printable showcasing all the many words associated with Mardi Gras. This free printable collection is available on the Magnolia Creative Co. website. The highlight of the bar was the King Cake Cookies. Aimee Broussard & Co. created these delicious treats and took top prize at the Mixed Conference. I made them myself and they were so yummy! Above the bar hung a Mardi Gras bead chandelier, another DIY project. I used the tutorial from Dollar Store Crafts but I had to edit it a bit. My base hanger was a little different, so I found a round steel ring in the plumbing department and use that to attach my top beads to for hanging.

The highlight of the dining table was the hand dyed ombre table skirt. I had so much fun making this! I found several tutorials on sewing your own ruffled table skirt, but I faced facts that I can’t sew so I altered it. I took a fitted white tablecloth that I already had and used that as my base. I bought some plain cotton muslin, enough to make the top and the strips. I cut the strips into 3 equal parts and rolled them up. Using Rit dye, I dyed each part a different color and layered it for an ombre look. After the strips were dry, I laid the top on the table skirt base and then started hot gluing the top (purple) strip while folding it over to create the ruffles. Then I glued the bottom layer (yellow) and lastly the middle layer (green).

On top of the table was a brass bowl filled with purple, green and gold ornaments and doubloons. One tip in decorating for Mardi Gras: Buy all the gold and green decorations after Christmas when they are on clearance and then you’ll only have to pay full price for purple decorations. It’s a huge money saver! The place settings were plain glass chargers that I spray painted the back using a doily as a stencil. It left a beautiful design and since it’s on the back it’s food safe. The hurricane glasses were also decorated with the same spray paint, which was faded out toward the middle. Each glass was topped off with a Mardi Gras tag and some matching ribbon. On the gold chairs hung beads wrapped with a bead wrap to keep them neat and ready to be thrown to guests and get your party started!

Credits & Resources

Event Styling and Print Design: Magnolia Creative Co. | Photography: Daniel Strickland Photography | Location: Hill Country Village, Shreveport, Louisiana | Tassel Garland: The Flair Exchange | Spoons: The Sucre Shop | Lanterns: Paper Lantern Store | Chivari Chairs: AAA Rentals | Cookie Recipe: Aimee Broussard & Co. | Feature Published: Everyday Party Magazine