Hello again! Just as one holiday has passed us by, another special day approaches! Mother's Day!
Celebrating mom is a way to show how much we love, admire and cherish all that our mothers have done, and continue to do for us. While we really should be doing this on a daily basis, it is still special to spoil them for one whole day with treats, gifts, cards and maybe a gourmet meal!
If you are in doubt of what to do, I have a great idea to treat your mom to a day at the spa-at home!
Spas are expensive, no doubt, so why not take some of the elements of the spa, and host your moms, mom in laws, grandmothers, and any other special moms in your life, to a spa day at home!
It's easier than it sounds, and you don't need to go overboard (unless you want to of course). I am going to give you some great ideas to make this a relaxing day to remember. From the menu, to the spa treatments; to decor and take home gifts, I will lead you every step of the way to make sure mom feels special, pampered and loved!
Of course it's important to start with narrowing down the guest list. It could be a small party for just your mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother, or why not add your friends who are moms to the guest list too. However big or small your list, make sure you invite everyone at least two weeks ahead of the party date, especially if you are going to be having treatments done for each guest. You may decide to hire a manicurist or a masseuse for the party (which we will get into later), so you will need to know ahead which guests will be having a treatment and which ones won't.
Always start with a fun invite such as the one in the pic below. This one was a free printable from www.ohmyfiesta.com. You can print whatever you would like the invite to say on it, or hand write it yourself. Or why not DIY an invite for an extra special touch. I have a really cute DIY invite for your party that I am going to share with you now, but you can use whatever invite style you like-the options are endless!
DIY SLEEP MASK INVITE:
You will need:
-scrapbook paper in a pattern of your choice and in a plain colour
-ribbon
-sleep mask to use as a template OR template you printed out online
-glue stick and tape
1. trace out the sleep mask pattern onto your patterned paper; then trace out a bigger mask pattern on the plain coloured paper. Cut them out.
3. then glue the patterned paper with the ribbon to the plain coloured paper cut out.
4. print out or write out your invite message on the patterned paper.
*if using your computer to print out your message, make sure you do this before you cut out your patterns.
So if you have been following my blog for a while, you know I always like to greet my guests with a drink. Because it is a spa party, how about having some refreshing cucumber water served to welcome guests. Of course a good mimosa never hurt anyone either, so I would serve both! Use a drink dispenser for the cucumber water, this way guests can always go back and help themselves to more. You could also set up a Spa Water Bar where guests can have fun coming up with their own flavoured water. Set it up with dispensers or pitchers of water and ice, and then have bowls filled with fruits, herbs and citrus. Print or post some signs with the combinations that taste best.
Here are some ideas:
lemon + mint + cucumber + water
berries + basil + water
orange + blueberries + water
raspberries + lemon + water
Another cute idea, which is totally optional, is to have a basket of flip flops at the front door for your guests to wear during the party. If you have the resources, why not get them each a robe to wear over their clothes too, so they get the full spa experience! This is a fun element, but not a necessity.
Next is the menu. You want to keep it casual and spa like, which means light and healthy options, but delicious nonetheless. For this, I would do a buffet, which can be placed away from the action, and guests can go up to get something as many times as they want.
Here are some ideas of what to serve for your spa buffet:
-sushi
espresso cups
*keep the rest of the soup warm in a slow cooker to make refilling the cups easier
-small bowls/ramekins of salad greens with at least 3 dressings options
*serve the dressings in small pitchers or glass bottles
-a couple of cheeses, honey, wheat or fruit crackers
-a veggie tray with dip; or skewers of cherry tomatoes with balsamic drizzle
-assorted tea sandwiches ( check out my tea party post for some ideas)
-smoked salmon with fixings (sliced red onion, thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced
radishes, capers, chive cream cheese, fresh chopped dill)
You want to keep everything bite sized so it's easy to eat with one hand or to carry on a small appetizer plate. Another fun idea to have set up, if space permits, is a yogurt bar! Stick with one flavour, such as vanilla or plain, and have some bowls with toppings, such as, fresh fruit, granola, sliced almonds, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate pieces.
A show stopping dessert should be next on your list to spoil mom! A beautiful layered cake or cupcake flowers would do the trick. You could even just go with some simple store-bought cupcakes and dress them up a bit with edible glitter, sprinkles or sugar flowers. This is an easy and cost effective treat that is sure to impress!
Keep the decor simple with light colours, candles and small vases of flowers. Think of having some magazines scattered around the room on tables for a fun distraction and conversation starter.
Now on to the fun part of the spa day! Think about hiring either a manicurist, masseuse or someone who does facials. It is not necessary to do all, one will do and will keep moms busy and feeling pampered!
This is something that needs to be looked into ahead of time, so you can book someone, and they will also want to know how many members of your party will be having a treatment done. The more you have, the less the cost per person will be, and some companies will not come to you unless you have a certain number of guests. Another option would be to hire students who are either studying in the field or have just graduated. Their prices would be far less, and they would welcome the experience.
Here a couple of mobile spa services to check out: www.spaparty.ca and www.thespatreatment.ca.
If you find the prices to be too out of your budget, it is very easy to set up your own nail bar at home. This would mean that you would have to do each others nails, or if your guests felt so inclined, they could paint their own. It could be a lot of fun and a great ice breaker too! All you need to do is set up a small area with a variety of nail colours, nail polish remover, cotton pads, and some fun nail stickers.
Think about playing some soft music in the background to really get the spa-like feel. You can find a lot of options of soothing, spa music on Pandora, You Tube, and I Tunes. Classical music is also a good choice.
So your moms have been pampered, are fully relaxed and have had a great time. Send them home with a little reminder of the wonderful spa day they had by giving them their own manicure set! A cute little pail filled with all the things needed for an at home manicure/pedicure. In this little pail, there is:
-toe separator
-cuticle tool
-nail polish
-emery board
-cuticle trimmer
-orange stick
-nail brush
You could even add all these items to a mason jar (you know I love mason jars), or a small basket. Really any type of container will work!
Another cute idea for a take home gift is a simple bottle of good quality nail polish in a fun spring colour! Add a fun tag, such as this one I found as a free downloadable printable from www.polkadotchair.com, and you have a gift every mom is sure to love!
Isn't this tag (above) adorable? It is mimicked after the Pantone paint chips! Too cute!
So your spa party was a success, and all your guests, have left feeling more relaxed, pampered, and perhaps feeling a little more special, spoiled and loved! What a great way to say Thanks Mom!
Until next time! :)
~A
PRODUCT INFORMATION:
-all manicure products from take home gift found at www.dollartree.com
-cake stand used as display, hand lotion and pink nail polish from www.dollarama.com
-make up wipes, facial mask packets from www.dollartree.com
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