Let’s Go to the Movies, Inside OUT!!!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by cortneybailey

One of the best things about summer is its nights! They are longer, carefree and in many cities the nights are warmer. Even though summer is half way over, there is still so much fun to be had! It’s time to have some intimate & creative family time or go crazy and invite the neighborhood over for “old fashion” becomes modern outdoor movie night!

Like any “event” there is a high & low way to produce it. I’ll show you how to create your perfect home outdoor movie night – no matter what your budget may be.

How to watch:

Obviously, you will need the tools to watch your movie.

If you have a larger budget you may consider contacting an audio/visual company that will provide the set up and break down of an oversized screen, projector and sound system. Some companies even provide outdoor seating for your backyard event at an additional cost. Since outdoor movie watching is becoming more of a trend, if you live in a large city like Dallas or Los Angeles, finding a rental company is pretty simple … just Google “outdoor movie night rental” and you will find a list of options.

If you plan on having multiple movie nights on a regular basis you might consider purchasing your own oversized outdoor media screen and equipment. Large box companies like Target will have a selection.

If your budget is small, you love a good DYI project or really want to capture an “old fashion” outdoor movie night, then you can easily build your own screen. You can either affix a large crisp white sheet (yes, if its wrinkled grab your iron … it will only take a few minutes to improve your movie experience) to the side of your home or staple the sheet to two plywood studs, fill two large buckets with rocks and wedge the ends of the studs into the buckets or wedge them into the ground. If you are on a tight budget you may consider renting a projector from your local library or you may choose to shop out the best-priced projector for future use.

How to stay comfortable:

If you own outdoor lawn or beach chairs that sit low to the ground or beanbag chairs, scatter them around your lawn for the ultimate comfy experience. If you do not own these and do not wish purchase them then go for the “old fashion” route and pull out bundles of blankets, beach towels and pillows for a great lounge feel.

Depending on what part of the country you live, make sure your backyard is clear of ants and provide bug spray or set out bug away candles so that you, your family or friends do not suffer with bites. Also, if you live in the South you probably get to enjoy warm summer nights, however those of you on the coasts usually have a dip in the temperature as night falls, so make sure you set out extra sweatshirts or tell you friends to not forget theirs!

How to eat & stay merry:

The sky is really the limit on what you want to eat at your backyard movie night! A backyard BBQ before the sun sets always adds a festive atmosphere to your event! Some ideas are good old fashion burgers, grilled chicken and hotdogs – the majority of people love being able to “build their own bun” and pick their sides. If you are going BIG consider hiring a food truck like In & Out or Mr. Hamburger to cater your night, however if there is an expert griller in the family or between friends why not DYI and cook at home!?! If you are waiting for your flick to start think about playing movie trivia beforehand.

Next, don’t forget the beverages. Soda is always an option but if you do not intend to be up until the wee hours of the night you might opt for other ideas such as muddled drinks – think mint infused lemonade – vodka optional! If you have kiddos in attendance and you also want to serve “adult beverages” consider having drink stations, one for the kids and one for the adults that way there is no confusion!

Now for the fun part! Who can have movie night in their backyard without some delicious candy and popcorn? If you are having a large group to your movie night, a candy & popcorn bar is always fun to set up. This allows each guest to pick out their favorite sweets & corn, plus it’s an adorable touch for the night. If you are having a small group and know what sweets everyone likes, having it on hand will just make them feel special and you can pop your own corn and provide each person with their own bowl or bag!

I hope this helps you create an amazing outdoor movie night at your home! I would love to hear from you! Tell me some of your ideas for movie night and what do you plan on watching?

Keep Dreaming, Designing & Dwelling…

Cheers!

Cortney

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Lip-Smacking Good! The Final “Must Have” of Eight for Winter 2013!!!

Posted on December 24, 2013 by cortneybailey

The eighth and final “Must Have” for Winter 2013 are lip-smacking but simple snacks! If it’s just you, yourself and I or if you have an entire heard to feed these munchies will be yummy to everyone’s tummy!!! Don’t forget the presentation of your scrumptious snacks is just important as the treat itself. If you are having a party for one be kind to yourself and put a little effort into the arrangement of your goodies. It goes without saying, if you are having friends or family over, staging your snacks is key to the overall vibe of your event – no matter how casual or grand your get-to-gather may be, remember it’s all about the appearance.

If you pride yourself in your culinary abilities or if you pat yourself on the back for being able to make popcorn I promise, you will be happy with the following ideas and so will everyone else!

Weelicious is a fantastic and over-the-top creative site for delicious, yet easy to follow recipes. Here are a few amazing ideas for this winter!!!

Next, are some of my favorite snacks from Trader Joe’s and everyone loves them.

TJ’s Pizzas are great on a cold night and are super easy to pop in the oven! After the pizza is cooked simply cut it into small slices and believe me, if you are entertaining several people, the slices will be gone before you can pop the next pizza into the over!!!
Raisin Rosemary Crisps are great with cheeses and dips and are a little more unexpected than the normal, ho-hum cracker!
The Three Layer Hummus by TJ’s will bring a little spice to your palate! It’s great with veggies or small pitas or pita chips.
The last favorite item from TJ’s is their fantastic selection of cheeses! My mouth is watering just thinking about their options – make sure you try the Italian Truffle Cheese – OMG it’s amazing!!!

Speaking of cheese…next is a cheese board! If you have always loved cheese boards but are not sure how to put one together you can easily follow the example board posted! The more comfortable you become with boards you can begin to add meats, pastes, honey and various olives!

Last are just a few tools to help make your snack presentation gorgeous! All the items are from Crate & Barrel and obviously they have hundreds of other options for you to choose from. From top to bottom: Olivewood Cheese Board (small slices of pizza would work on this as well.), Set of Six Cheese Markers, Set of Three Cheese Tools and Large Rectangle Slate Board.

Looking for great cheeseboards & tools? Check out some of these great options:

Wood Cheese Board: Click Here

Slate Cheese Board: Click Here

Cheese Board Tools: Click Here

I’d love to hear from you! What are your favorite but easy to make winter snacks? I’m always looking for new ideas so leave me a comment below or follow me on one of the social network sites below and share your ideas!

Keep Dreaming Designing & Dwelling!

Cheers!

Cortney Bailey

Twitter ll @CortneyBailey

Pinterest ll CortneyBailey

Facebook ll Dream Design Dwell

Stripes make a Statement for Summer!

Posted on July 6, 2012 by cortneybailey

Accessorizing your backyard for the summer can be done endless ways but why not pick a stripe to make your backyard sizzle! No matter if you are daring and want to use a bright color or if you want to keep it muted I have found three fabulous options for your wonderland out back and they are all at various price points!

First is the Dedon Fedro Chair designed by Lorenza Bozzoli. The armless and legless chair is beautifully crafted and easily stacks for portability. It also comes in three color themes to mix-and-match or you can pick one to add a single splash of boldness to your backyard!

My next selection is Horchow’s Striped Beanbag Chair and Ottoman. This charcoal and natural stripe furniture set is the perfect selection for someone who wants to be surrounded by comfort and kick up their feet to relax! Also, if you want to add a punch of color with beach towels, throw pillows and table wear these neutral colors give you the freedom to do just that.

The third choice is Crate&Barrel’s Stripe Folding Chaise Lounge. The playful colors of this lounge chair will add pop to any backyard and the variety of colors give you options to accessorize. Since the chair easily folds you can transport it from your backyard to the beach or park effortlessly. This is a great option for the person who is on-the-go!

I would love to hear how you have incorporated stripes for the summer! Leave me a comment below or send me a photo!

Keep Dreaming, Designing and Dwelling.

Cheers!

Cortney

Twitter: @CortneyBailey

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CortneyBaileyDreamDesignDwell

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