The other day, I was strutting around in a dressing room in what I thought was the perfect pair of hot pink skinny jeans. After many failed attempts — I have hips, you know! — I was sure I had a winner in this not-too-tight pair. As I walked up to the big tri-fold mirror, I was feeling pretty smug! Why wouldn’t I be? I looked good. I turned, happily whistling a Beyoncé tune, and began making my way to the register. That’s when I saw HER. The woman I didn’t know who would save me from myself. With a subtle shake of her head, she silently mouthed one word: “NO.” Ouch. Needless to say, I stopped singing, dumped those jeans in the dressing room, and left the store empty-handed. Sure, it seems a little rude on the surface. But every woman on the planet understands the value of that woman’s shaking head. Why? Because we ladies have a code! If we’re about to walk into an ill-fitting-pink-skinny-jeans minefield, we NEED someone to save us befo ...

Cinco de Mayo is one of those holidays that sounds really fun to celebrate, but deep down,  you know it will probably end up being a lot of time and effort. And these days, extra time is sometimes hard to come by. 

If you checked out last month’s Four Ridiculously Easy Easter Brunch Desserts post, you’ll know that celebrations don’t always require a lot of time and effort. We’ve got your back!

We’ve put together five incredibly easy ideas to make your Cinco de Mayo celebration a breeze that will leave your guests saying “Muchas gracias!”

Click on the any of the images below to go to the full recipe and tutorial.

1. Velata Basics: Fiesta Queso and Spicy Chocolate

It doesn’t get more basic than this. It’s just a matter of plugging in a couple of Velata Warmers and melting some chocolate and cheese.  

The obvious choice of Velata Cheese Fondue for Cinco de Mayo is the feisty Fiesta Queso. The hint of garlic and jalapeno adds the perfect amount of punch. Serve with tortilla chips and some colorful peppers and, ole! —Done.

Now this may look like ordinary Velata chocolate, but we added a little Spanish flair.

Warm one bag of Velata Milk Chocolate and pour into your Warmer. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper for a sweet & spicy twist. It may sound crazy, but it will conquer your taste buds like Mexico conquered France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. 

See more incredibly easy Cinco de Mayo recipes here! 

I need to preface this recipe by telling you I probably ate 18 of these immediately after I was done taking photos. They’re addicting and delicious, even for someone who’s not a huge fan of jalapenos. And the fact that a culinary-challenged individual like myself could pull these off means you can, too. You will need: - 20 jalapenos (NOT Anaheim Peppers… hypothetically speaking, you could find yourself in a situation where you accidentally grab 20 Anaheim Peppers, find out they’re not, in fact, jalapenos, and hold up a line in the grocery store while waiting for someone in produce to bring you the right peppers. I would assume that would be really embarrassing). - 8 oz. cream cheese (or 11 oz. if you’re using whipped cream cheese) - 1 package cooked bacon (I baked mine… I find the less hands on I am, the better things tend to turn out) - 1 tub Velata Bacon Cheddar Cheese Fondue. Start by heating your oven to 350F and washing and drying all the jalapenos. Then cut of ...

I learned how to make these specifically for Cinco de Mayo, and I am SO glad I did. I’m going to make them for all my parties now! They’re perfect as decorations, to top wrapped gifts, as centerpieces, and the list goes on.  You will need: -Scissors -Ruler -Tissue paper -Twist ties Start with 4 sheets of tissue paper stacked and laid out flat. You can use the same color or different colors.  Fold in half Cut one inch off the FOLDED end. It doesn’t have to be exact; you can use the ruler or just eyeball it.  The stack of tissue paper should be about 20 inches long. Cut in half, so it’s 10 inches long.  Now measure and cut 6 inches across. You should now have two stacks of 6X10 inch squares.  Separate into 4 stacks of 4 sheets of tissue paper Take one stack and fold it accordion style.  Fold in half so you get a line in the middle and then make triangle cuts on each side like this: ...

Have you ever hosted a party and one of your guests embarrassedly asked you for a *whispering voice* “feminine product”? Or an aspirin, tissue or spare bobby pin? Us too. It happens at every party or get-together without fail. We love the solution Ashli, from Mini Manor blog, came up with: a “Powder Room Party Kit”—an organized tray you keep in your guest facilities that’s fully stocked with anything your guests could ever need! Brilliant! Your guests have quick access to the essentials without rooting through your cupboards! Here is our version: We stocked our kit with: 1.      Panty liners and Q-Tips 2.      A mini first aid kit, antacids, aspirin, and eye drops* 3.      Mini mouthwash*, deodorant* and mini toothbrushes 4.      Scentsy Room Spray and Layers Hand Cream 5.      Bobby pins, hair elastics and strong-hold hairspray 6.& ...

Create your own Velata-inspired Super Bowl ad for a chance to win $300 in prizes! Be honest…What’s your favorite part of the Super Bowl? If you said the rigorous competition between two teams engaging in one of America’s most beloved sports, both vying for the title of the most celebrated championship in history in an extraordinary game of physical feats and strategy…then ok, what’s your second favorite?  The ads! Who doesn’t love a good Super Bowl ad? Like the E-trade baby? Hilarious. So, we were thinking about how we might create a fun Velata contest around the Super Bowl. We HAD to do something because we just HAD to let everyone know what an amazing addition Velata will be to Super Bowl parties across North America this year (seriously, it’s perfect—easy and fun!  And then a Velata light bulb went off. THE ADS!   We want you to create a video ad about Velata. You could win a $200 (USD) Velata gift certificate AND a $ ...

By Kelly Brown Are you ready to ring in 2013 with style? I fashioned a New Year’s Eve party of my own featuring Velata and below is how I made a fantastically fun snack area. Theme: Party-planning is so much easier when you center your invitations, décor, and menu on a specific theme. I chose to go for a colorful New Year’s Eve party with a retro twist, but you can choose any theme you want! It can be as simple or extravagant as you like. You can even ask your guests to dress accordingly for added fun. Decor: Make your leftover Christmas decorations and party favors work overtime as décor for your NYE party. Take that leftover Christmas tinsel garland and use it to adorn your snack table. You can also get cheap party hats from the dollar store and make them sparkle with a little glitter! Simply cover your party hat with a layer of mod podge, sprinkle on your glitter of choice, and then add another layer of mod podge to seal the hat. If you’re feeling extra brave, hot glue ...

With the holiday season in full swing, Velata is a fun, easy, and delicious dessert for any party. We served Velata at our staff Christmas party this year, and, not surprisingly, it was a huge hit. All you’ll need is a whole lot of festive cheer and these ingredients: 1.      Velata Warmer(s) ( I used three warmers so there was a variety of chocolate) 2.      Velata chocolate 3.      Strawberries 4.      Candy canes – both full size and mini ones 5.      Red sprinkles 6.      Green sprinkles 7.      Pearl-like sprinkles (optional) 8.      Pretzels 9.      Big marshmallows 10.   Mini marshmallows (optional) Using these ingredients, we created a Velata dessert buffet of snacks and encouraged the guests to make them festive using Velata chocolate, sprin ...

It’s nice to have a little guidance in the ways of fashion and accessorizing! That’s why we ladies rarely shop without a friend (or several). You want an honest eye giving honest feedback — talking you into the boots you should totally splurge on and out of the neon skinny jeans that are far less than flattering. Plus, shopping’s just plain old more fun with friends! I love, love, love the Grace Adele Style System™ because I can run through five easy steps and create a foolproof look that perfectly suits my life and style. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still want a little feedback — and plenty of girly fun — while I create my custom look! Grace Adele parties are the perfect place to showcase your personal style AND get a little guidance from a personal Consultant! So gather the girls and party with Grace Adele! While you’re at it, here are a few ideas to keep your event fun, functional, and fabulous: Magazine Party! Put those old fashion ...