A Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Kinda Drink

In honor of the upcoming 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (airing on CBS on May 18; check local listings), we've whipped up a festive and fun cocktail honoring one of our favorite nominees: Miranda Lambert, who is up for Best Female Vocalist.

For anyone not familiar with country music or Miss Miranda, she's the genre's resident bad girl. And by that, I mean that you can practically get a body count from her songs.

"Gunpowder and Lead" finds her waiting with a gun and some cigarettes for her abusive ex-boyfriend to get out of jail. "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" has her prowling the bars looking for her ex and his date, looking for a fight.

And then there's "Kerosene," which is all about dousing your troubled past and watching it all go up in flames. That song served as the inspiration for the Miranda Lambert-ini, which you'll get after the jump.

So grab a few friends, gather around the TV, and root for Miranda to take the top prize during the ACMs. And even if she loses, you can enjoy the warm, soothing slow burn of your Lambert-ini and have a great time.

sweet tarte

What couple wouldn't want to join the ranks of some of history's most famous duos? Bogey and Bacall, Daisy and Gatsby, Johnny and Baby — they're beloved pairs and shades of Tarte lip glosses. And with Tarte's custom glosses, you and your sweetie can be immortalized in the form of your very own. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a beauty-junkie bride who could resist the power of a personalized lip gloss (present company included!).

It's such a clever gift idea for bridesmaids, shower favors or even an everlasting supply of your favorite shades of lip gloss. (Well, maybe not everlasting. I'm pretty sure it's not advisable to be slicking on 10-year-old lip gloss.) Just pick an existing dual-ended gloss and send Tarte your info. You do have to order at least 25, but you get 40 to 50 percent off retail, depending on how many you order. I'd go with one of the universally flattering nude pairs like Fred and Ginger (my fave!), but it IS the bride's day. If that means candy-apple red and sparkly pink à la Danny and Sandy, so be it!

Added bonus: Scrolling through the shades of glosses is so entertaining. I love figuring out who some of the more obscure couples are. I'm still trying to determine who Roger and Mimi are. Anyone? Anyone? (Just a little Ferris and Sloane reference for you.)

i'm wanted (want-e-e-ed) dead or alive

If there’s one thing I know in life, it’s that people like to dress up as cowboys. So you might as well give them a legitimate reason to by throwing a Western-themed party and creating this hilarious Wanted photo op that's perfect for children or adults.

My friend Adam, of Guac Bowl fame, created the above bit of genius with Adobe Illustrator, using Internet examples as references. To make this yourself, he suggests:

• Use a color printer to print this in pieces (called "tile printing") to get the poster the right size.  (Another option: Save your Adobe Illustration to a CD and have Kinko’s print it out poster-size.)

• Tape the pieces onto a poster board.

• Spray-matte them onto a matboard.

• Cut a hole in the middle for people to stick their heads through.

• Hang it from the ceiling.

• Get ready to snap pics of all the wanted criminals at your party.

let me grill next to your fire

Every year around this time, I get really excited about summer barbecues ... and then I remember I don't eat red meat and it bums me out.

The non-meat options at a cookout can be fairly slim, leaving me making a condiment burger (you vegetarians know what I'm talking about: cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mustard on a bun, sigh) or just piling my plate high with chips and potato salad, which, truth be told, isn't the worst fate in the world.

When I'm on the grill, I'm all about mixing things up by adding fish, veggie burgers (not the kind that taste like mulch), those little aluminum-foil packets of vegetables, and fruit. Despite my best efforts and avoidance of serving (or even saying) things like tofu, the results don't always go over well with old-school, meat-eating grill snobs.

So until Steven Raichlen comes up with the veggie equivalent of beer can chicken, I'm on the hunt for fun and unique ways to grill up delicious, veg-friendly treats. A quick online search for grill accessories turned up a few things. Some are new, some may just be new to me, but all have me fired up:

• grill tray (see photo above) — nachos melted into perfection right on the grill? Me gusta! (Williams-Sonoma)
• jalapeño roaster — a little wacky, but sure (Williams-Sonoma)
• grill-top chef's pan — smoky veggies that don't slip through the cracks = awesome (Williams-Sonoma)
• pizza stone — ooh, brick-oveny goodness (Williams-Sonoma)
• panini griller — just when I thought these sandwiches couldn't get any fancier (The Steven Raichlen Store)
• garlic bread griller — smoke mixed with all that garlic and butter must be perfection (The Steven Raichlen Store)

What are your best veggie grill recipes? Favorite grill tools? Let us know!

question of the week: summer blockbusters

One of my favorite things about summer is getting together with my group of friends to see some big-budget blockbusters. Preferably on a Sunday afternoon with a tub of popcorn, a box of Milk Duds and a cherry ICEE — the ultimate Sunday brunch.

This year's slew of summer movies doesn't disappoint: We've got long-awaited sequels (the latest Indiana Jones and Batman installments), fun, family movies (who doesn't love saying, "Waaaaaaall-E!" in a silly robot voice?), sci-fi thrillers (The X-Files 2 and M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening), and a little movie based on one wildly popular, fashion-forward TV show (if there was ever a reason to wear Louboutins to the movie theater, this is it!)

twiigs.com...

If your favorite's not on the list, tell us what it is in the comments.

be true to your school

Like this design? Create an Evite invitation with this image.

We've just started adding invitation designs for colleges and universities, just in time for your graduation parties. And I think I may have started an office rumble choosing UCLA over USC as the image for this post....

Have a school you want to see in our graduation design gallery? Comment below to let us know. We won't be able to accommodate all requests, but we'll do our best!

Need a school-themed invitation right away? You can customize any of our invitation designs by adding your own image. Just choose an invitation with a background you like, then click the "Upload New Main Image" button and add your own image — the school logo or your favorite school-related photo.

 

he's crafty

I am not skilled in the craft arts. I have no talent with things that involve glue or fabric or putting corresponding pieces together. However, I recently came across a clever little crafted party item that I feel compelled to try. I may try it yet.

Sean Brasel of Touch Catering in Miami told me about trays his company embellished to match the wallpaper, giving the food the appearance of floating. Here’s how they did it.

• Select an image — a photograph or a piece of art, fabric, wallpaper, etc., perhaps the face of a birthday honoree would be just the thing to serve food on.

• Have the image superimposed onto a vinyl overlay at a sign company.

• Adhere the overlay onto an acrylic tray (or whatever your preference).

The project has the added bonus of non-permanence. (And I’m sure many of us out there are fans of non-permanence.) You can peel the overlay off and replace it when you’re ready for something new.

gossip girl here...

Guess who was spotted at Little J and Asher's coming out party? Evite, dressed in blue to match Little J's mood.

For those of you who don't watch Gossip Girl (yet), here's a translation: The Evite invitation shown above was featured on last night's episode of Gossip Girl! Jenny Humphrey and her new boyfriend sent one to invite friends to a big party, although the night didn't go as planned for our girl J. You see the invitation in the scene when her dad, Rufus, finds the invitation on her computer and catches her in a lie.

Thanks, Gossip Girl, for letting us be a part of your party. You know we love you.... XOXO

breakfast in bed recipe

After you let Mommy sleep in ’til noon, and before her bubble bath, there’s a window of opportunity to whip up the perfect breakfast in bed: decadent and delicious strawberry-stuffed French toast.

Truth be told, this is actually my fantasy Mother’s Day breakfast. Assuming at least one of the kids is trained to bring Mom coffee in bed (if not, Dad, you need to get on that!), you’ll have plenty of time to whip up this double-stacked delight. In fact, the recipe is pretty simple and only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, but it looks way more impressive than that.

This is very filling so you really don’t need to make anything else, except for fresh-squeezed OJ or, even better, mimosas. And to complete the perfect Mother’s Day scenario, don’t forget the flowers and foot massage (hint to hubby!).

question of the week: fave mom advice?

In honor of Mother's Day next Sunday (you're welcome for the reminder), let's share our favorite advice from mom — and that can be your own mom, your favorite TV mom, yourself, someone who likes the Black Eyed Peas song "Hey, Mama," anyone mom-related is fine.

I'll start. My mom would walk me to the door every morning when I went off to school, and as I left, she'd wave and call after me, "Have fun, and be nice to everybody." I still think about that most mornings and try to follow the advice. Um, sorry to anybody I've been a jerk to today.

When I was a little older, she told me that if men wanted to buy me drinks, I should order white wine spritzers so I didn't get too tipsy. She also said to be wary of French men who danced too close, and if one of them got fresh with me, I should inform him, "Je suis une jeune fille!" (I am a young girl).

In recent years, she taught me that salt gets stains out of coffee cups, and that eating Swedish ginger thins makes you a nicer person. And that it's good to eat cheese every day. And that if someone's being mean to you, you should just smile and be gracious, because that will annoy them more than anything else.

Love you, Mom! Thanks for all the helpful advice and for always making me laugh.

Your turn....