This time last year, I was getting ready to board a flight to New York for a Kentucky Derby Party Ideas segment on the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda.

Wow… it’s hard to believe that was already a year ago! Since then I have a brand new sweet daughter that’s currently sitting next to me as I type this post. I guess a lot can happen in a year! ;)

Anyways, doing a segment on the Today Show had always been a dream of mine. I’ve been watching the show for years – first with my mom, then on my own – so I was super excited about this opportunity… but also crazy nervous. Live TV to a large audience can be pretty intimidating, and I really, really, really did not want to accidentally star in a “girl passes out on camera” viral video. Yikes! Thankfully, I survived the whole thing standing up. 🎉 Here’s the clip:

I met Kathie Lee and Hoda for the first time in the commercial break before our segment, and they were both super warm and welcoming to me and to Sonny, who was also in the studio behind the cameras. It’s amazing how quickly their warm greeting calmed my nerves. I was so incredibly grateful for that.

The segment by went sooooo fast! We didn’t even get a chance to touch on some of the things that were planned… guess you can only cram so much into 4 minutes. :)

DIY SOUTHERN BELLE BOTTLES

There was one idea from this segment that I REALLY wanted to shoot a DIY tutorial for before this year’s Kentucky Derby – the DIY Southern Belle Bottles that we served Bloody Marys in – but here we are only 2 short days away from the event, (seriously, where do the days go?!) – so hopefully seeing the finished product in the video above & explaining it below will suffice in a pinch.  Here are the details:

You’ll Need:

• Starbucks frappuccino bottles with the labels removed
• Felt in the colors of your choice
• Mini fabric roses
• Hot Glue, Scissors
• Flat-head screw driver (used to poke a hole in the lid)

Instructions:

1. Remove all labels from the frappuccino bottles (soaking them in soapy water makes this pretty easy). Poke a hole in the lit for your straw. I used the pointy edge of a flat head screwdriver to puncture the lid, then kind of twisted it around to make the hole large enough to fit a straw.

2. Trace and cut a 6″ circle from your felt, then another circle (from the same color of felt) that’s just a little larger than the bottle lid. The circle doesn’t need to be perfect since the edges will be glued down.

3. Fold and cut a small opening from the center of the larger felt circle, then pull it over the top of the bottle, the same way you’d pull a sweater over your head. Stretch the small opening as needed to fit over the top of the bottle. You want to keep the fit snug. This will serve as your hat “brim”.

4. Embellish the top of the brim by glueing a small strip of contrasting color felt and a small fabric rose (like the ones pictured here from the wedding aisle at Michaels).

5. Next, hot glue the small felt circle to the lid, covering the top and edges completely, then use the edge of your scissors to puncture the felt at the same spot where the lid has a hole so that your straw can go though.

6. Last but not least, fill the bottle with your beverage of choice, then screw the “top of the hat” (the lid) on, and slide a straw through. Done! Enjoy sipping from your cute – and very Derby-appropriate – bottles! :)

*****

P.S. You can find the free downloads mentioned in the video right here.

Derby Garden Party Printables

Planning a Kentucky Derby party? Check out my Garden Party printables! They make it so EASY to add pro designer style and personalization to your event. It’s like branding for your party! 🙌 Click here to shop now.