First, you need to amass your tools. Two bottles is a great way to start, but you'd best plan on having a few backups once things get going. Don't be the hostess that gets caught having to stumble up to the liquor store at 8:59 p.m.!
Next, you need to plan on how you're going to feed the girls. Good scrap girls aren't picky. They all know we take turns and they trust your judgment. Keep in mind: alcohol has been known to mask plenty a culinary imperfection! Yet another reason to keep an ample supply on hand.
Trying something new is perfectly within the acceptable range of meal options. You may choose to do what I did, and make Pastor Ryan's Bolognese Sauce (which one might want to forgo even serving with noodles and simply eat as a soup) and then go for broke with his hand-rolled and cut homemade pasta.
As long as you don't overdo the wine before dinner, you'll do great!
For a successful Girls' Scrap Night Sleepover Party, you'll also need girls. (Boys will also do, but they need to know their way around a paper trimmer, so to speak. Girls' night is not a place for the traditional style of man-woman relating. That sort of thing is best reserved for birthdays and special occasions, such as 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year anniversaries.)
You will also want to convert your photos to black and white and even use fancy actions for girls night, because it will make all of your friends, including you, feel up to two years younger!
Eventually, your meal will be ready and it will be time to dig in. As the hostess, NOW is the time to play catch up on the wine drinking as there is no danger in messing up the pasta. Salut!
After dinner, your girls will relax in the family room while you might decide to clean up because you suffer from just a smidgen of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and those dishes aren't going to clean themselves now are they? Besides, you can't make dessert until you have a clean place to start. Everyone knows that!
Speaking of dessert, you may find that serving plates are just going to be one more thing to clean. Why not cut to the chase, pass out forks, and go family style?
Clean up is a breeze once the pan is empty! Forks up, ladies.
Next, you may decide to assemble on the deck for a group photo because scrap night is just as scrapworthy as anything else. Remember ladies, all chins melt away when you lean forward and look up! Say cheese!
While you're outside with your laptop, your husband, who is up North sharing a small cabin with 17 people, might decide to ring you up on the webcam to see how it's going. He may be suspicious of the wine-induced merriment, but just assure him with the following words: "Yes honey, I watered the lawn, and no, we are not going to scrapbook topless. See you tomorrow!"
Once you've reached this point, it's time to pull out the scrapbooking supplies and get busy preserving those memories. Yay!
Or, you can also decide to simply open another bottle of wine, pop in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and call it a night around 1:30 a.m. There are no absolutes on Girls' Scrap Night. Let inspiration rule!
Whatever you decide, be sure to take lots of pictures of your special gathering and have plenty of black coffee or Diet Coke available in the morning. Happy scrapbooking!
Amy says
Love those Pantone Mugs!
Marina013 says
Sounds like a fun night was had by all!! My Mamma would be proud of your pasta & bolognaise sauce – brava!
Tamara says
What a lovely night!! I haven’t had one of those with my girls in ages – I think it’s time for some serious planning!
Jan C. says
Wow, you went for the homemade pasta and everything. Wish I could be one of your homegirls!
Jaki says
Sounds like one of our epic crop camp weekends – condensed down to one night! I’m thinkin’ fun was had by all.
Kristy says
Oh my …Where do I sign up to be one of your scrapgirls? I wish I had scrap buddies to do that with….my best friend lives 250 miles away. I’ve never been to a crop either…sounds like alot of fun …even if you didn’t any scrapping done.
kristin kanner says
My dh just asked if you don’t scrapbook topless b/c your (generic “your”-not anyone’s specifically) nipples get in the way of the paper trimmer? Nice.
Sheen says
Australian Shiraz…..nice 🙂
((hugs)) from Oz
kp says
How fun! Next time can you have a local contest and invite one lucky winner to join you? (after a background check, of course…)
Sarah in Iowa says
WOW, that certainly DOES look like you had a MARVELOUS TIME with the girls! And in a situation like that, what a PERFECT TIME to pull out the Pantone mugs!!! No confusion there – as long as everyone remembers their color!
You’re SO MUCH FUN!
kelli says
Did any scrapbooking get done? Sounds like a great night either way!
Cindy G says
And if you’re going on a four-day, three-night scrapbooking retreat, be sure to multiply everything by 3 or maybe even 4!
Lisa DIckinson says
Now see, this gives me a new goal of getting invited to the NEXT girl’s night scrap night. (I will come bearing wine, I promise!)
Julie says
Now you’re the kind of girl I’d like to scrap with! I’m totally with you on all of it except the hand-made pasta. 😉
Sounds like a fun-filled night.
Corie in Indy says
Hey, where did you get those PMS mugs?? :o)
Barb says
Great photos, Cathy! I especially like the family style dessert. 😀
Dalon says
what a fantasic recipe!!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING! I think it’s high time my hubby take the kids to the cabin for a nite (or 3) so I can have my girls over – YAHOO!!!! 😉
Krista Pascoe says
Where did you get the Pantone mugs?
Kathy F says
NICE! 🙂 Looks like you had a FUN night! 🙂
memoryminded says
I’ve been wanting to try Pastor Ryan’s noodles and sauce, too. Think I may need to have a Girl’s Scrap Night to try it out, too! Thanks for the inspiration. Looks like you had a blast!
Sarah Martina says
🙁 I want gals to scrap all night with!
Looks like tons of fun!!!
Shari says
Now THAT sounds like heaven to me. What a fun night, all of my favorites; wine, italian food, wine, chocolate and wine. (and coffee the next morning)…..oh yeah and scrapbooking.
: )
keely says
was that the fabulous wendy smedley at your girl’ scrap night?? sounds like you covered all of the necessities… bummer that you missed the mosquitoes up north…
Linda Ford says
You are definitely the funniest scrapbooker I know! Wish you lived around the corner. I’d share my wine!!
Salut!
Veronica says
Cheers!! Salute!! What a way to have some fun!!
Tonja Trump says
That looks absolutely HEAVENLY! Thanks for the laugh!!
Karen says
But did anyone actually scrap anything??? I miss my old partner and it is good to see the B&W photos of Margie & Shelly too! I know you had a GREAT time… good food, good wine and good friends 🙂
caro says
ummm…when i would go to a scrap weekend and my husband wanted to know what we did and why it was so expensive i told to him that we scrapbook in babydoll jammies and have pillow fights! for some reason or other her no longer complains!
TerriB in Oregon says
Oh I do wish I was invited, it sounds like it was divine!
JennieB says
That’s my kind of scrap party; whoopee!
You’re truly inspirational:]
Rebecca Foxworth says
Pantone mugs? Pantone mugs? Where? You just simply cannot show Pantone mugs in your blog without telling us where to get them. I’m sure there’s a law about this on the books somewhere.
Sandi D says
Because of you I am a Green Day fan. Enjoying the new album!
Sandi
amy lapi says
aw man. i knew i should have crashed this party.
GWinter says
I love those mugs!
Margot/NZ says
That meal looks sooo yummy! I’m catering for our olive harvesters over the next few weekends, so thanks for the Bolognese recipe. Do you have one for that nice looking dessert???