Sips, Sweets & Snacks

And just like that, a new year is upon us. I can’t honestly say 2015 has been my best year, but it’s definitely been 365 days of massive change, unfathomable surprises, the highest high-highs and some pretty dismal lows. I guess to sum things up, it’s been a year of change, and though I’m thankful for so many of the amazing experiences and opportunities I’ve had, I have to admit I’m really excited to start fresh in 2016.

So let’s grab a cocktail and cheers to new beginnings in the new year!

Because 2016 is going to be so awesome, Johanna and I wanted to whip up an equally awesome NYE cocktail to ring in the new year, RAOP style. We received the sweetest holiday package filled with glittery organic cotton candy from our pal Fancy Pufs just before Christmas, and it turns out fairy floss goes remarkably well with our favourite NYE essential, pink champagne. Top it off with a splash of Dillon’s Rose Gin and tinsel stirrers, and you’ve got yourself the prettiest New Year’s cheers!

scroll down for the recipe…

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Ingredients //

Fancy Pufs Cotton Candy (pink preferred!)
Pink Champagne
Dillon’s Rose Gin
A classic bar set (Ours is from Cocktail Emporium)

Recipe //

Fill each glass with cotton candy (as much as you can fit!)

Pour two shots of rose gin and approx. 1 cup of champagne into a cocktail shaker. Stir gently.

Pour the mixture over each glass of cotton candy and watch as the sugar dissolves into the champagne (it’s more fun than you think…)

Top off each glass with extra cotton candy and champagne until full, then add a stir stick of your choice- we just glued bits of tinsel onto paper straws!

Cheers to 2016

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Sips, Sweets & Snacks

Fun fact: I used to be pretty invested in the idea of having a career in music. In high school I did musical theatre competitively (Jesus Christ Superstar anyone?) and my first choice for university was a theatre program with a focus on music. Obviously that dream didn’t quite pan out, and I ended up opting for the much more practical option, but I always wondered what might have been if I’d pursued a career in performance.

Music is still a massive part of my life, though I only share bits and pieces of that here. If you run into me on the street, chances are I have headphones in my ears and I’m mouthing the words to a peppy pop song, and the first thing I do when I arrive home at night is pump up my playlist of the moment. It’s no wonder I totally fell for the amazing mashups and epic vocals in Pitch Perfect the first time I saw it, and even less surprising that I rushed out to theatres to see what musical magic they’d come up with for Pitch Perfect 2.

As expected, the music compilations blew me away, and you can bet I was humming “Flashlight” for weeks on end. I decided to celebrate the DVD release (which is today by the way!) I’d throw a little girl’s night with a very special, very pink treat. I call them “You’re a Star” Pink Cotton Candy Floats, and you’re definitely going to want to try one when you cozy up for Pitch Perfect 2 this week…

Scroll to the bottom for recipe details and a special contest too!

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Ingredients //

Crush cream soda
Pink cotton candy ice cream (I used PC brand)
Star-shaped sprinkles

Recipe //

Split one can of cream soda into two glasses. Add 1-2 scoops of ice cream. Top with sprinkles and enjoy immediately, ideally with a bowl of fancy popcorn and a friend or two!

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Have a treat and invite your girlfriends over for a night of singing and hilarity! Pitch Perfect 2 is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Want to win a Pitch Perfect 2 prize pack, including the new DVD? Just comment your favourite Pitch Perfect song and the best email address to reach you at below!

Party Supplies via Meri Meri

This post was sponsored, but all opinions are my own. To inquire about sponsored posts, please send me an email at alyssa@randomactsofpastel.com

Dress Up

No one can argue that pink is the happiest colour, and these days Paige and I just can‘t get enough! We wanted to turn our rose-coloured daydreams into a magical world we could touch and feel, and what better way than an all pink everything photoshoot? We gathered some of our favourite pink props and wardrobe pieces, and got to work building our dreamed up world. Complete with organic, cotton candy spun on-site by Fancy Pufs, everything came together in the most perfectly pink way.

Now if only we could live in these photos forever!

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Styling and direction by Alyssa Garrison and Paige Boersma
Photography by Jason Matos
Cotton candy provided by Fancy Pufs
Models: Meghan Young, Michelle Digirolomo, Zoe Badley, Johanna Martin