Some ladies have book clubs, some ladies lunch, my group of ladies make.
At least once a season, we try to get together for a “Make n’ Mingle” The point of Make n’ Mingle is not so much what we make, it’s how we make it. We make it together, with friends, sitting around a table, sharing ideas, telling stories, enjoying each other’s company.
How To Host Your Own Canvas Painting Party
My Facebook feed is frequently filled with pictures of large groups of ladies proudly displaying the same painting and holding a glass of wine. My group of actual real life friends can never seem to agree on what we want to paint or a date that works for all of us. Then one day inspiration hit me, as it usually does, at the strangest of times. While scrolling through the depths of Hulu, I stumbled across my old friend, Bob Ross and his happy little trees. I figure if he can teach generations of artists how to paint an entire forest, then certainly my Make n’ Mingle ladies could handle one little tree.
Inspiration
First things first, you need to choose your canvas design. We turned to social media to find some inspiration. There are hundreds of examples on Pinterest and YouTube. I was particularly inspired by this collection of step by step tutorials.
Supplies
After you figure out what you want to paint, it’s time to gather your supplies.
Paint
Bob may use oil, but we decided to use acrylics. They are more affordable and just generally easier to use. They are fast drying and mix easily.
Canvas
We grabbed some ready-to-paint canvases at our local big box craft store.
Accessories
Variety of brushes – an inexpensive brush set will get this party started.
Table Top Easel -these aren’t completely necessary, but they did make painting a bit easier
Pallet- plastic pallets are perfect for mixing colors
Food
Keep it simple, and have make ahead dishes and pre-made batches of cocktails. We stuck with simple finger foods so we could get right to painting. I asked my guests to bring something to share with all the budding artists. I made my favorite cucumber noodle pad thai, and a pitcher of this delicious earl grey tea cocktail
Set-Up
I hosted the party in my dining room. I covered my table with butcher paper, and set up a painting station for all my guests. Each lady had a canvas set up with a jar of water and a pallet. In the middle of the table, I placed jars filled with paint brushes and other accessories.
We also had a few tablets and laptops to watch tutorials.
For this get-to-gether, we all decided to paint our own thing. We all worked at our own pace, and had fun checking out each other’s artwork as the night progressed. All-in-all, it probably took us about three hours to complete our canvases.
Looking for a little get-together inspiration? Check out Luck’s Make N’Mingle Macaron Party, or try your hand at making homemade candies!
Love this!