Spa No.13 Party -13yr- Rose Petals & Candles

Here's how to do a spa party right at your own home! First, you have to name it. I chose Spa No.13 cuz i'm turning 13, but you could change it to 14, 15, 16, etc. or you could pick some name like Serenity Spa or even <put your name here>'s Spa. Anything goes.

INVITATIONS:I just sent out invitations for my party. I made it look like a spa brochure with Spa No. 13 on the front with a clip art rose to give some color. (PS:Muted colors are great for your spa but have a bold dash of color to liven it up.) Inside was: You're invited to an evening at the hottest new spa around to celebrate <your name>'s <age> Birthday! Then add all of the details like the time, date, RSVP, what to bring, and if dinner will be served.

DECORATIONS: A banner at the front of your spa or a balloon arck with your spa's name written on it shows where your spa is centered. a small side table or chair can hold a basket for cell phones with a sign that says Cell Phones Here Please." The last thing you want is for your friends to be texting the whole party! Reed diffusers or LED candles are a safer alternative to regular candles though some sort of scent is a must.

Small glass bowls filled with 3/4 water and has a few rose petals floating on top is really relaxing and enhances the ambience of your spa. Floating candles in the bowls work too just don't have both cuz the rose petals might catch fire. Draping furniture with sheets in pastel colors is a good idea especially if you have dark furniture like me. Speakers for your ipod or a stereo can be turned oin low enough so people can chat or you can watch a chick flick like Mean Girls the House Bunny or Mamma Mia:the movie.

ACTIVITIES/STATIONS: I am having 6 stations for my 8 guests plus my sister and me: massages manicures pedicures hair/makeup facials and perfumery. For each station 2 people will be at each and one will be vacant at each time just make sure it's not the same one. Try to choose a large room like a family room or basement with easy access to a bathroom.

In massages I have these back pillow/rests that give you massages so I'll set them up on the couch. If you don't have that then the dollar store or walmart had cheap massagers. If you choose that alternative have one person massage their partner then switch up halfway. I recommend switching stations every 10 15 or 20 minutes so you can have each pair have a turn at each.

For manicures you can have a small tub of water on a table for soaking your hands in (make sure to empty after leaving that station) and then dry your hands and put on some body lotion. Not too much though or your hands will get sticky and greasy. Optional: use an emery board to shape nails. Then have a wide selection of colors of polish. If you already have polish on use nail polish remover to take it off. You can display different ideas for polishing like using a toothpick to add small dots or details.

For pedicures you can either use or borrow a foot spa or you can use an inflatable or plastic tub. If you're doing the second option you can purchase a jar of foot soak at walmart or the dollar store. Just add a capful of the crystals into the tub. Let soak for 5 or more minutes then dryrub on lotionshape and polish.

For hair/makeup buy disposable mascara wands and ask everyone on the invitations to bring their own makeup. Hair scrunchies brushes hairspray and other things can be set up. Have a selection of handheld or a makeup mirrior so they can see what they're doing. Tear out cool hairstyles and see if they can re-create them.

For facials look online for an easy recipe or two and have a bowl of cucumbers; for the eyes of course!You can use a reclining chair or towels and pillows on the floor to relax on while your facials set. Wash off in a bathroom and put on lotion if desired.

For perfumery you actually create your own perfumes! Have small spray bottles (purchased at walmart) filled mostly with rubbing alchohol and distilled water. Get the actual measurements online. Buy a few small essential oils in a wide variety. Then add no more than 3-5 drops of any essential oils. You can mix and match to create yoiur own personalized perfume. You can also decorate the bottles with stickers and labels. Plus its part of the goodie bag.

SNACKS: To keep  in touch with the spa theme a tray of  chocolate dipped strawberries or bananas is a good snack. You can make your own tortilla chips by cutting a tortilla into 1/4s and baking them. Brush butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them before baking for a sweet alternative. Bottles of flavored water like Vitamin Water or smoothies are hits everyone loves.

GAMES: I like pass the parcel where you take a small item (spa related of course)and wrap it 8+ times with wrapping paper. You then sit in a circle put on some music and pass it. Someone stops the music and whoever is holding it unwraps a layer. It goes on until someone unwraps the final layer and gets the prize. Give everyone a smaller prize too.

Another fun game to play is Blackmail. First you take pieces of paper and write on them dares like "Act like a hobo and beg for change" or " do a dance with a roll of toilet paper" or something like that. Make like 10 or more then make a start and finish. To play you roll a die and go that many spaces forward. Whatever dare you land on you can either pass or do but if you do it you'll be filmed with a video camera. After completing the dare you get 2 points. Keep track of peoples points and when everyone's passed finish then tally up the points each person got then declare a winner. A good prize would be $5 gift card to starbucks. You can't go wrong!

DINNER: If you're having dinner skip the pizza and coke routine and instead have sparkling cider or sparkling grape juice and somrthing like pasta. I'm doing fettuchinne alfredo with optional shrimp and chicken. Set up your table with candlesa tablecloth and have your sparkling whatever in plastic champagne glasses.

CAKE: You really can't do a healthy cake mso I'm doing my favorite: ordering an ice cream cake. Yum. You could do anything though.

FAVORS: The sky's the mimit for favors. You can cheaply pick up body butters nail polish and emery boards at the dollar store. Add some candy too. Ghiradelli chocolates are always a favorite. If you have a spa party have fun with it because even if something goes not quite what you had planned it doesn't get any better than hanging out and relaxing with your friends."