MELISSA MARTIN • SPECIAL TO THE NEWS JOURNAL

Hosting a paint party is a fun way to fill the blank walls in your house with some original art created by your friends. (Special to the News Journal)

One part canvas, two parts vodka.

The only thing you need for this party idea is a group of good friends, a few blank canvases, paints and brushes and, of course, a bottle of Van Gogh Vodka.

A paint party is the perfect way to fill the blank walls in your house with some original art created by your friends. This party is simple, fun and can be done for a variety occasions including showers, birthday parties and girls’ nights in.

Setting up such an event is easy. First, you need to find the best room in your house to gather your guests so they will each have enough space to work in. I use the dining room in my house, and simply cover the table with a drop cloth to protect the finish.

Once you have your room picked out, the next step is to set out the supplies. Place brushes, an 8-by-8-inch canvas and small paper cups filled with water at each station. Provide each guest with a paper plate to collect color paint samples to use for their projects. I suggest using acrylic paint. It’s thick enough not to run, and it dries fast, so you can paint over any mistakes. Paint and other supplies can be picked up from Bobe’s Hobby House, a local craft store at 5719 North W Street.

Now that your guests have all the materials they need, you can set the mood for inspiration. I recommend putting on some of your favorite music while sipping the sophisticated Van Gogh Espresso Vodka. For those who are not coffee drinkers, Van Gogh Vodka comes in many other flavors, such as Dutch caramel, raspberry and vanilla.

The last time I hosted girls’ night in, I decided to theme it around a paint party. Most girls’ nights we stay in, cook dinner and watch “American Idol” while we chat about our week. This time, we Tivoed “Idol” to try something different.

Once the girls came over, we made our cocktails and began stroking the brushes across the canvases. Although none of us are up-and-coming artists, sometimes — as in life — it’s funny … even though you don’t have exact directions to where you’re going, you find yourself ending up exactly where you want to be.

After the paintings are finished, display them for everyone to see. On this particular night, we had decided to invite our significant others to come over after the painting session. The guys joined us for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while we unveiled our works of art.

When selecting your menu, be sure to incorporate simple finger-food items like the ones they serve in big gallery openings. A few fancy and delicious appetizers will set the mood for your at-home gallery. Choose imported cheeses and meats, small crisps with salmon mousse or anything that fits on a napkin that you can pick up and go. The perfect place to find some of these items, if you want to avoid the hassle of doing it yourself, is Wine World Wine Bar, 16 Palafox Place. This place has a huge variety of specialty cheeses and meats, and if you time it right, you can sample some fine vino from around the world.

After the party is over, you are left with fond memories and great stories to tell. As time passes, noticing the art on your walls will remind you of your friends and how much fun it was to branch out and do something different — and it may also inspire a repeat get-together.

Until next time, friends, party on!