While we don’t need a reason to have friends over, and celebrate with some good drinks, well, the Kentucky Derby still gives a pretty good excuse! It’s the perfect time to get a little festive and whimsical… and these DIY Kentucky Derby Drink Stirrers are just that!
So, invite your friends and gather your pretty glasses… we’re going to get crafting! Plus, we’ve got a delicious Sweet Tea Mint Julep recipe that’s perfect for Derby day or even just for putting your feet up and people watching from the front porch!
First up, gather the goods!
It doesn’t take much to make some fabulous DIY Kentucky Derby Drink Stirrers, just gather some festive straws, cardstock and a few embellishments. I really loved using these Perfect Rosettes Embellishments and my Sticky Thumb Cordless Glue Gun for putting it all together.
The Cricut Maker Ultimate Cutting Machine really makes any craft so much more simple and clean. Have you ever tried to cut a perfect circle yourself? I have, and usually it’s not so pretty! With my Cricut though, I just selected the size circle I wanted and had them cut and ready to use in moments… no hand cramps and no “oval” circles!
Once I had my circles cut and the rest of my crafting supplies ready, it was just layering the rosettes onto the cut cardstock circles and gluing. Then I glued each mini “hat” to the top of a straw and they were the perfect addition to our perfect Derby day drink!
Ready for the recipe? Here you go!
Sweet Tea Mint Juleps
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 to 6 mint leaves
- 2 family-sized tea bags, I use Luzianne
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 to 1 cup bourbon
- crushed ice
- lemon slices
- mint sprigs
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups water, sugar, and mint leaves to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Remove from heat and add tea bags. Steep for about 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and add 3 cups cold water.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Add bourbon to tea mixture. Fill glasses with crushed ice. Add tea mixture and garnish with lemon and mint. Squeeze lemon into drink if desired.
What’s your favorite party theme? Do you celebrate Derby day? We’d love to hear how you celebrate!