Academy Awards 2019: Viewing Party

The Oscars are always bittersweet for me. On the one hand, it's Hollywood's biggest, most glamorous night, but on the other hand, it's the final show of awards season, bringing the viewing parties to an end until the Emmy Awards in September. 

Knowing this was our last hurrah, I really wanted to make this viewing party special. 

In January, when we were all gathered to watch the Golden Globes, the girls started chatting about how fun it would be to fill out ballots and keep score, which is what inspired my transformation of the entry way. 

If you've been following Pop.Bop.Shop. for a while, you know that when I entertain, I like my guests to feel excited the second they walk through the door. 

I got the ballots from PEOPLE.com. They had a PDF you could download and print for free (score!). 

I found red and black pens to match. Yes, I care about that sort of thing. 

The "Cast your ballot" sign is actually a 4x6 picture frame. You can easily find similar ones at CVS or Target. The stickers are from this super fun emoji sticker collection. I use these all the time to seal snail mail envelopes. 

To give this area a feeling of grandeur, I stacked two rolls of movie tickets and positioned an Oscar statue sprouting from the center.

This statute was one of my photo booth props for my Emmy Awards party in 2015. I simply cut the stick to fit the height of the two ticket rolls stacked on top of one another. 

In the living room, I focused on two spots: the tray on the ottoman and the fireplace mantel. 

On the ottoman, I set up a small concession stand. 

I had a potpourri of candy: gummy bears, nonpareils (also known as Snow Caps), Swedish Fish and Reese's peanut butter cups.

I also had individual bags of buttered popcorn. I found these red and white bags at Party City. 

On the mantel, I created a centerpiece for Oscar. 

My childhood nanny gave me this Oscar statue to use for baking. Her original idea was that I'd feature it in something like a bundt cake. When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to try and recreate it. 

In the hurricane glass, I placed a layer of clear stones. Then I topped that with a layer of fake diamonds. Then I twisted Oscar into the stones until he was standing perfectly straight. Pretty regal, isn't it? 

In the dining room, I was most excited about the candelabra.

I purchased this beauty at HomeSense over a year ago. I had intended to use it for an Oscar party in 2018, but I wound up out of the country on vacation (I'll never make that scheduling snafu again!). 

When you look at this, doesn't it make you think of Lumiere from Beauty & The Beast? 

I put out gold scalloped plates and some art deco-style napkins so the ladies could load up on snacks while we watched the red carpet. 

I kept it simple this time - chips, guacamole, salsa, and some veggies and dip (Helluva Good French Onion and Sabra hummus). 

For dinner, my friend Stephanie made Mexican lasagna. Instead of noodles, she used corn tortillas soaked in enchilada sauce. In between those, she layered zucchini, mushrooms, black beans and cheese. It was ridiculously delicious! 

Here's a photo of my first piece (yes, I had seconds). 

For dessert, we had my new favorite kind of champagne drink - M&Ms with a cupcake float. 

I wish I could take credit for this genius presentation, but I found the idea on Pinterest. It's so simple, but delivers major wow factor. 

I used chocolate mini cupcakes with cappuccino frosting, which had a wonderful coffee smell as you lifted the glass towards you. 

Last but not least, I added a little bit of flair to the bathroom.

Normally I go all out in this space, but I have to admit, I underestimated how many roses I'd need for the short vases on the mantel, and I ran out of stems before I got the chance to arrange anything for the bathroom. 

To make up for the lack of blooms, I used two gold dipped candles and lit them for extra ambiance. 

I added red stones to the base of the sink (this turns any bathroom into an instant spa) and placed some delicate paper hand towels on the side. 

The girls stayed well into the second hour of the show, heading out in time to make sure they could watch Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's performance from their own homes. 

I'm sad awards season is over. If you're like me, and you want to keep reliving the magic, check out my Top 10: Viewing Party Moments list, as well as my picks for the Best and Worst Dressed.