MAKE IT CUTE

Wishin' you were soaking up the gorgeous sun and lounging on the warm sand at the beach 24/7? We sure wish we were! Well, not all of us are lucky enough to be total beach bums all summer long, so at your next sleepover, bring the ocean to you and your BFFs!

Follow GL's tips for an absolutely unforgettable "Under the Sea" slumber party bash – it'll be super fun and you won't even wind up with sand in your pants!

When it comes to authentic beach decor, chances are the 'rents aren't gonna let you fill your living room with sand and set up umbrellas. Instead, have each guest bring her own beach towel to lie on while she's soaking up the sun (or just lounging in your room!).

To make your buds really feel like they're hittin' the surf, decorate your room with plastic buckets and shovels that you use to make sandcastles. Fill the buckets up with fun goodies – like mermaid tiaras, seashells or cheap shades. You can either use supplies your fam already has, or you can find 'em at your local Wal-Mart or Target.

A day surfside is sure to make every beach bunny super hungry, so have munchies on board to fill all of those empty stomachs! You may be at the beach, but no one's gonna want to eat seaweed and sea urchins. Instead, take some of those (clean!) plastic buckets you used for the decorations and fill them with snacks like candy, goldfish, and crab flavored Utz potato chips.

Serving up din for your crew? Instead of your typical hamburger, spice things up with the catch of the day: salmon burgers! Salmon burgers might sound crazy, but they're just as tasty but a whole lot more fun than your standard burger. To make 'em, just combine 1 egg, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, 1 can of salmon, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the ingredients in a bowl together, shape into patties, and then ask the 'rents to fry 'em in vegetable oil until they're brown on both sides. Serve 'em up for your gals on toasted buns – delish!

After din din, cool off with a tasty surfside sundae! All you need is vanilla ice cream, Swedish fish, blue food coloring, cool whip and some clear sunday cups. To make 'em, scoop ice cream into each dish, layer with Swedish fish, and then top it off with some blue cool whip (that's where the blue food coloring comes in!). Don't have sundae cups at home? No worries, you can find 'em at your local party supply store.

Ya can't have an "Under the Sea" party without going "down where it's wetter, down where it's better, under the sea!" That's right chicas, we're talking about watching the classic underwater fave, The Little Mermaid!

Yeah, it may be a kiddie Disney movie, but every gal - no matter what her age - can't help but LOVE The Little Mermaid! You and all of your besties won't be able to help belting out the lyrics, rooting for Ariel, and laughing at that crazy crab, Sebastian!

In the mood to get super silly? Rent a few episodes of Spongebob Squarepants, and get ready to REALLY LOL at the loveable sponge's hilarious adventures.

Every beach bum needs a fab beach bag to carry her sunblock, mags, beach reads, and sunglasses. Instead of having some plain old boring totes, you and your girls can make your own, cute and unique ones. Have an assortment of sharpies and gel pens for you and your BFFs to completely dec out your bags in whatever fun and stylish ways you want.

You and your besties will be sure to stand out next time at the beach! You can find plain canvas tote bags at any local craft store. Or you can snazz up any old carryall that you've got lying around. You can also personalize your own seashells, your buckets and your mermaid tiaras.

by GL | 2/1/2016