Unique DIY Valentine's Day Gifts

February 14th, Valentine's Day, and the pressure is on. What do I buy someone who has everything!? Our first option is to go and buy the traditional red roses, a box of fine chocolates or that special "outfit." But, these are items that we can buy anytime and their sense of being a special purchase for that special someone on such a big day gets lost. So how can we avoid this and make this holiday as special as the person whom you want to share it with?  Personal, handmade gifts!!


Here are 5 ideas for personal, handmade Do it Yourself gifts for this Valentine's Day:

1. Beyond the Five Senses. See, hear, smell, taste and touch, our five senses all in boxes. Explore each of the senses with its own individual boxed gift by creating this five box gift idea. Within each box include a special gift that represents that sense. This is perfect for him or her. Some ideas for him or her can be the sexiest men's and women's colognes and perfumes for 2019 as the Global Cosmetic Industry has identified.

2. Wallet Card with Message. Is there a special phrase or quote that you both share? Or is there a special message that you want him or her to always have? Then, this engraved alloy wallet is the perfect gift! Let that message be something they can have with them every day and be a part of you throughout your day.

3. My Heart is Poppin' for You. Dinner and a movie for Valentine's Day? Yes, and what is a movie without popcorn? This fun and easy DIY popcorn favor will make your date night even more special.


4. Baby, Light My Fire. This easy, fun and quirky gift idea is an exciting way to start your night! Make pretzels into edible matches a gift that will sure to make a spark.

5. "Beer" My Valentine. Does your man like beer? If so, this unique and memorable gift idea will sure to be a hit! Create this easy do-it-yourself craft gift idea and you get to give him flowers and beer! On the other hand, this doesn't only have to be for him! If your girl likes beer, this is a fun way to break out of the ordinary gift-giving ideas for Valentine's Day.

Anyone of these personal, easy handmade gift ideas will be a hit with your special someone. You can do one, or you do them all! They are fun and easy and will sure to make a favorable impression and create a spark! Have a creative and stylish Valentine's Day!

Do I Bring a Gift? Party Etiquette Host/Hostess Gift Ideas

It is customary in my culture to never enter a house empty handed. Whether it is a box of candy, chocolate bar or bottle of wine, we make sure we have something for the head of the household. However, not everyone may think this is the way it should be. I understand. On the other hand, what if you were invited to a party, say a surprise birthday party in honor of someone else at someone's house, do you get something only for the guest of honor, for the host or both? Answer: BOTH.

Why both you may ask? Obviously, you would get something for the guest of honor. On the other hand, the person hosting the party is providing their home, time and plain hosting, a gift shows that appreciation. Ultimately, it is just not proper etiquette to enter someone's house emptyhanded.

So what kind of gift of "appreciation" do you bring for the host or hostess? Here are a couple of ideas for the next time you are invited to a party in someone's honor, or maybe you are just invited over someone's house:

1. Box of chocolates. There are many different kinds/brands of chocolates that you can buy. However, don't run to your nearest Walgreen's or CVS for a quick purchase. Instead, be mindful of what the box of chocolates may imply when you give them to the host. You can never go wrong with Godiva chocolates, Ferraro Rocher, or some exotic foreign concoction. Websites like 1-800-Flowers make it easy for us to select the perfect hostess gift because not only do they sell flowers, but also a variety of chocolates from around the world!

2. Bottle of wine. A bottle of red, white, rose, or whatever kind is another perfect gift for both the host and hostess. This article in VinePair will help make your decision of what kind to bring much easier. Salute!

3. Flowers. Everyone enjoys getting flowers! It's that one thing that many of us seldom splurge on. Receiving flowers brightens anyone's day. A bouquet of beautiful roses or a seasonal bunch is the perfect gift for your host. Kroger has a beautiful selection and great prices. Another place to purchase a beautiful bunch of flowers or arrangement is Sam's Club.

4. Gift Basket. We may think that gift baskets are only available during the holidays. Fortunately, they are available year round! Your local specialty grocery store usually has them available for purchase. If they don't, they can be ordered to fit your taste. Try places like Whole Foods and Kroger for gift basket arrangements.

Whatever the occasion you are invited to, make sure that you follow proper guest etiquette by bringing a gift for the host or hostess. In deciding what to bring, make sure it looks perfect and stylish when you give it to them. Nothing says "thank you" like a gift that's wrapped or presented in perfection. Remember to have fun, be entertaining and be stylish!

'Tis the Season for Stylish Entertaining

Invitations

It's that time of year! The holiday season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or your own special celebration, you might be asking yourself, "what can I do differently this year?" Answer: throw a themed holiday party!

It is only natural to think of themed parties for occasions such as birthdays or Halloween, and not for Christmas. True this is "out of the box" thinking for such an event, but why not? Instead of your traditional Christmas cookie party, elephant gift exchange or ugly sweater party, throw a party with a specific theme for the holiday, only with a twist, it's stylish!

So what kind of stylish themed holiday party can you throw? Here a few ideas:

White Christmas Table Setting

1. White Christmas: everything from your invitations to the food you serve is white themed and/or has a white component to it. Send invitations that are white which can include the accent color of your choosing. Shutterfly and Snapfish are a couple of places you can go to make your invites. Make sure that you indicate on your invites that it is a white Christmas theme and that guests need to wear white. Obviously, all the decorations for the event are white as is the table setting and tableware. Crate & Barrel, Pier 1, Macy's and Home Goods are excellent places to help with the decorating and putting it all together.

Homemade Paper Angel Doilies

Nutcracker available at Macy's

2. Nutcracker: almost everyone has a nutcracker as Christmas decoration in their house, so why not throw a nutcracker-themed party!? This ballet classic will sure to amaze and intrigue your guests once they get their invitations! Set the stage with angels made of glitter paper, doilies, and pipe cleaners for your centerpieces, mantle decor, or cake toppers.  What's a Nutcracker party without a ballerina? Bake cupcakes and top them with these ballerina toppers available on Amazon. Just like the ballerina, the Nutcracker is a must. Macy's sells beautiful nutcracker figurines that you can display throughout your home or you can use as the statements pieces for your table(s). 

The Grinch Theme Table 

3. It's the Grinch: what's Christmas without the Grinch! Set the stage with green, red and white as your main color theme and then accent with themes from the movie. Welcome your guests to your "Whoville" with creative yard decorations that can be purchased on Etsy.com. Once they are inside your home, they think they've entered Whoville. Do this by decorating your home with red, green and white colors along with scenes/decor from The Grinch movie. Set the tone by playing the Grinch music in the background and providing all the touches what makes the Grinch a special story. 

The Grinch Party Invitations

These are just a few ideas to help you begin your holiday planning. Whichever theme you chose, White Christmas, Nutcracker, The Grinch or you were inspired by these, the details and fine touches you put into putting it all together is what will make your party not only fun and memorable but stylish! Happy entertaining, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah and Kwanza and make it fun and stylish!

Stylish Thanksgiving Dinner

For the past 30 years, I have hosted Thanksgiving dinner and I love doing so. Every year my family looks forward to getting stuffed on brined turkey, homemade stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes. It has become a tradition to serve the entree and sides and I wouldn't change a thing. But why I enjoy hosting this special holiday aside from the family is putting a table together fit for royalty, and you can do the same!

Place Cards and Place Card Holders

Sure my family knows each other, but I step it up a notch with place cards. To avoid guests from trying to figure out where they should sit and by whom, put Thanksgiving-themed place cards on the table. This will allow for guests to be seated quickly and avoid the confusion of where to sit. You can find pretty place cards at your local craft store, or you can download a template from the internet.

Now that you have printed out those pretty place cards, you need to put them in something. Some suggestions are turkeys, acorns, pumpkins or fall cornucopia. Pier 1 has stylish holders for any dinner style. Another fantastic place is Crate and Barrel.

The Centerpiece

Autumn Centerpiece

Although the turkey is the main centerpiece of dinner, don't forget a beautiful centerpiece to accent your table. In the past, I have had a cornucopia, fall flower arrangement, and candles. Anyone of these adds elegance and sophistication to the table. You don't have to spend much either! Your local grocery store like Kroger have beautiful arrangements that you can purchase around $30. 

The Table

Tablecloth from Macy's

As I mentioned, I love setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner. I put a lot of thought into making everything look perfect, and each year I make sure to add something different (this is very subtle) to see if anyone notices! In previous posts on the blog, I discussed plate chargers and their purpose. I never host a dinner without a plate charger because I think that it brings a certain charm or "fanciness" to the table, and maybe guests aren't used to being so catered too! Your guests are special, so why not make them feel that way!

Elegant Thanksgiving place setting.

When setting the table, think about everything; from the tablecloth to the place card holders. For my dinner table, I always use my Thanksgiving/fall themed table linen. It is just perfect because I can bring out any color I want to match in my table setting. The tablecloth also has matching napkins, and I always use them instead of paper napkins, which are a no-no for dinners like this. One thing I would like to point out is to avoid your very ornate tablecloths that have the bright orange and decorative fall themes. These do not set the elegance and stylish tone of your dinner. Instead, a subtle color Thanksgiving themed tablecloth is the way to go.

Since this is a formal dinner, I bring out all the good china, silverware and stemware and make sure that everything is set properly. My blog on the proper place setting comes in handy for events like this. Properly tablescaping your table will awe your guests, I know it does mine! 

The Details

Like with any party you host, the details are important. A few things that I have mentioned so far in regards to details are the tablecloth, name cards, centerpiece, china, silverware, and stemware. All of these together set the tone and ambiance for dinner, especially the napkin ring that you chose to place the matching napkins in. There are so many choices available and each sets a different tone to your tablescaping. Since we want to have an elegant and stylish one, make sure that you chose a napkin ring that reflects it. Stores like Pier 1 and Bed, Bath & Beyond have simple, holiday-themed rings to make your table extra special.

These are just a few tips you can do to make your Thanksgiving dinner table a stylish one. Whatever you chose to do, remember not to overlook the final touches and details; this is what makes it stylish! Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Stylish Entertaining!

Boo! It's a Halloween Extravaganza!

Planning on having a Halloween party? Tired of the same old decorations and colors for Halloween? Why not throw a Halloween party turned up a notch! Here are some creative, extravagant and fun ideas to help make your Halloween party stylish and not scary.

Ditch the Orange and Black Color Theme

This Celestial Accent Garland is available at Pier One.

Whether you go to Joann Fabrics or Party City, it's the same color theme for Halloween, orange, and black. If you end up going to more than one party during Halloween season, chances are they will become a blur of the same generic decor, colors, and themes. Instead, make your party one to remember! Pick an accent color of the season like deep purple, blood red, lime green or rusty brown as the palette for your decor. Use these colors as the backdrop to your neutral colors and create a one of a kind Halloween color theme. 

It's All About the Accents

Instead of your typical Halloween decorations, set the scene with elegant Halloween floral arrangements throughout your home. Find a great statement piece for your party table at places like Pier One or Michael's. Follow that theme in from your front door to the powder room. It is these little things that make a difference for your guests. Don't stop there! Accent your table linens, silverware, and glassware with the same color palette. Remember, this is your accent color so use it subtly with your neutral hues to set a more sophisticated, stylish but fun Halloween feeling.

Have a Party Theme

Roaring '20's costume.

What's a Halloween party without costumes?! Make yours different by setting a more adult costume themed party. Some great adult theme parties may include Great Gatsby, royalty, Harry Potter, the Roaring '20's or Disco 70's. Your invitations should set the theme and tone for your party. 

Set the Ambiance

Sure, it's easy to set the ambiance for a regular Halloween party, but for your stylish soiree, setting the right ambiance is important. A few ways to do this is by:

• Candles everywhere! Set the mood with low lighting with either real candles or battery operated like these in the picture from Shop Three Brothers website. 
• LED lighting: you can find any kind of LED string lighting at almost any store in whatever color you can imagine. For your Halloween party set the ambiance by using LED lighting in your hurricanes, accenting your table, shelving, decorations, just about anymore. Depending on the color you have chosen to accent your Halloween decorations, use it sparingly and elegantly throughout your home so that guests can just see each other, but it's dark enough for such an event. The LED lights on the left can be purchased at Pier One, and they have a selection of many different colors on their website.

Don't Forget the Food

You might think that it's difficult to set a food table that's sophisticated, yet like Halloween. Luckily, this is not so! You can turn your food table into an elegant, stylish spread. Here are some pictures to give you some idea on how that can be done:

Chocolate dip strawberries dipped in accent Halloween colors.

Serve macaroons in orange, purple, green or whatever Halloween color you like.

 Drizzle your cupcakes in royal icing to get this look.

Sophisticated yet spooky Brie cheese and crackers.

Easy to decorate spiderweb cheesecake.

You can use these tips for any type of party you would like to throw. Set a neutral color as the foundation and then chose a color as the theme for your decorations. As you plan your party, think creatively and pay attention to those details. It's the little things that make a party a big success! 

Happy planning and Happy Halloween! Make it a stylish one!

Creative Summer Entertaining

Summer is here and so is outdoor entertaining. As you plan your outdoor festivities, make them memorable, unique and creative with the following suggestions.

What is a backyard BBQ without watermelon. Not only does it refresh and cool you off in the summer heat, but you can reuse it to make a fun punch holder. First, cut the top of the watermelon and hollow out the fruit (for later eating). Carefully drill a hole at the bottom of the watermelon where your shank will be inserted.You can purchase the shank kit online at Amazon.com.  Make sure that your hole is smaller than the spout and if you need to make it larger, use a knife to widen. Attach the shank and you are ready to fill your watermelon with a summer drink favorite such as watermelon Margarita.

Summer is the best time for fresh fruits.The sweetness of muskmelon and honeydew, the crispness of pineapple and fresh strawberries are a light, refreshing snack during those hot summer nights. These are also a great supplement to your party. Instead of traditionally cutting up your fruit and place them in a serving platter, serve it in the actual bowl of the fruit. Cut up your fruit in cube sized bites in your color coordinated bowls; strawberries, cherries, raspberries, watermelons serve in a hallowed out small melon. Pineapple, banana, peaches, mango, papaya inside a pineapple bowl; place your honeydew, grapes, kiwi, green apples in a honeydew bowl. If you have any other fruit favorites, color code them by placing the fruit in appropriate bowl.

Turn the night into a glow night! Glow sticks are a fun and inexpensive way to brighten up those summer nights for both kids and adults. Make a statement by turning your refreshment table into a glowing bucket of fun. Place the glow sticks at the bottom of the bucket and fill with ice.Your guests will be excited to dive into that magical glowing bucket of fun.

Have some mason jars you want to reuse? How about making a glowing mason jar centerpiece instead of candles or other lighting? All you need is some mason jars, scissors and glow sticks and you can create a unique centerpiece for your party. Here is the link on how to create this great idea!

As you plan your outdoor party, try these ideas and think outside the box. There are so many creative ways to make a BBQ smokin' fun, a pool party a splash hit and a picnic a basket of memories. But always make them stylish and entertaining for your guests and also fun for yourself!

Stylish Easter Decorating Ideas Using Pantone's Color of the Year: Radiant Orchid

Entertaining for Easter?  Your decor does not have to be over the top or cheesy with the typical Easter fixings.  Here are a couple of ideas to help get you started towards a stylish Easter party.

1. Pick a color theme.  This year Pantone's color of the year is radiant orchid, a delicate pastel hue that is a perfect color theme for Easter. A table linen in this color in a lighter shade and your accessories such as napkins, napkin holders or plates in fuscia, purple or pink would match perfectly and look elegant.

2. Less is more.  Entertaining can be overwhelming, and when it comes dishes, a centerpiece and all the essentials needed at the dinner table where do you start!? Begin with your china. Instead of having your fine china displayed only in your china cabinet, display it for special occasions like this and accentuate it with a beautiful floral centerpiece complemented by the radiant orchid color theme.  Adding a simple, elegant candelabra adds to the elegance, along with simple Easter themed napkins, egg cup holders, serving dishes adds a touch of style.

Planning a party can be stressful. Make it easier by picking a theme and a color and sticking to the basics of keeping it simple, but attending to the special details such as napkin rings, name cards and other personal touches help in making your party like it took weeks to plan.  These little things add a unique touch to your party and keeps it stylish. 

St. Patrick's Day: Match Your Beer and Food

St. Patrick's Day preparations are here and it's time to plan on pairing your favorite Irish beer with traditional Irish meals.  Irish reds to rich, dark stouts here are some suggestions to complement your Irish meal and make your party a success!

Stout

Irish stouts like Guinness and Murphy's are dark, rich in flavor. Many do not know that they are surprisingly light and do not have as much calories as people think.  Their flavor is predominantly coffee like, making them a perfect pair with chocolate desserts.  You can also use the beer as an ingredient in your Guinness chocolate cake.  No only do these stouts taste great with dessert, but they also go well with oysters and fish 'n chips.

Red Ale

Irish reds like Smithwick's and Killian's Red Irish are medium-bodied beers.  These beers have a distinct caramel flavor and get their color from the roasted barley that is added at the end of the brewing process.  Their balance of sweetness and bitterness are a perfect paring with corned beef and cabbage and Shepherd's Pie. The saltiness in this St. Patrick's Day staple is counterbalanced by the sweet, caramel flavor of these red ales.  

Lager

Lagers are light and refreshing beer and Harp's and Rogue Irish Lager have the perfect touch of carbonation. Served cold, but not too cold to lose its flavor, lagers should be dry, a little bitter, flowery and bready in flavor. This unique mix of flavors make lagers an ideal ingredient for Irish soda bread.  

Serve all three types of beer at your party and complement them with the appropriate food pairing and you are sure to bring out the flavors of the beer and the meal.  Taking that extra step to perfectly match your meal and drinks, will make your St. Patrick's Day stylish!  Erin go braugh!

Traditional Valentine's Day Gifts Done Right

Valentine's Day is soon around the corner.  Is it ok to go with the traditional gifts, box of chocolates, dinner, getaway?  Yes and No.  Here are few things that women do not want to get as gifts for Valentine's Day and if you do get any one of these items, make sure you do it right!

1. Teddy Bear - That beloved creepy little Teddy Bear that is holding a heart with a special saying.  Unless you are in high school or are under six years old, this is not the way to go.

2. Small jewelry box, no diamond- If you plan to give your Valentine jewelry, make sure the box has the right bling! Girl sees box and automatically thinks, "yes!" only to discover it's a charm.

3. Freecourt Flowers- Don't make that mad dash into Sam's Club to buy that bouquet of flowers!  Instead, do it right. Order a delivery of special flowers from sites such as FTD or 1800Flowers to her workplace.  Nothing puts a smile on your Valentine's face than a beautiful arrangement of her favorite flowers.

4. Cheap Chocolate- The corner drugstore is a convenient place to get a box of chocolates, but not for Valentine's Day!  Instead, go to Godiva or Charonnel Chocolates purchase a special box of Marc de champagne truffles or chocolate covered strawberries, a sure favorite!

5. Sexy Lingerie- There is nothing romantic about sexy lingerie.  If you want to purchase something sexy, the lingerie should be red but from  La Perla, Damaris or the like.

6. Charmless Bracelet- You have decided to splurge and buy your Valentine a Pandora bracelet.  Make sure that you purchase a meaningful charm, believe it or not, you can forget to buy the charm.

Whatever you decide to buy your Valentine, make sure you do it right to make a special and memorable day for both of you!

Party? Appetizers? Ways To Avoid Double Dipping

Holiday festivities are around the corner:   Parties, family reunions, work soirees and casual entertainment.  And what's a party without appetizers, delicious finger food!  But these delectable little concoctions bring out the worst in everyone; double dipping.  How do we avoid this unsanitary act? How do you swallow that last piece of vegetable without more ranch dressing?  Do you look around make sure no one is looking and dive in for that tasty last bite?

NO!

Carefully planning appetizers and snack platters for guests is the key ingredient in avoiding double dipping.  Appetizers can range from cheese and cracker trays to an array of dips.  Traditionally appetizers were served on one dish and guests helped themselves to whatever amount they wanted.  Dips are notorious for double dipping, and cheese and cracker trays are prone to all kinds of hands touching the food, if no serving utensil is available.  All this amounts to unhealthy risk of germs to every guest at the party.

As a host, how do you make sure double dipping doesn't happen?  Make your appetizers single serve portions.  Sure, this may take a little extra time and may cost a little more money for all the individual "plating."  In the long run, it's worth going that extra step for yourself and for your guests. Not only will your guests appreciate the easy to carry and eat food, they will enjoy the sanitary factor.

Here are few popular appetizers served at parties that can be "replated" to avoid double dipping.  A picture depicts "how to" serve the appetizer and a link to the recipe follows (if you have your own favorite recipe, use it!) :

•  Seven Layer Taco Dip:  An all time favorite, this mini appetizer is easy to serve in small individual cups for your guests.      http://allrecipes.com/recipe/seven-layer-taco-dip/ 

• Shrimp Cocktail:  Plating this delicious appetizer individually takes into account those guests that might have an allergy to shell fish and by serving them separately helps with cross contamination. 

• Veggies:  A favorite for whatever occasion you are having a get together for, veggies and veggie dip go hand in hand with the word "party."  Notorious as a magnet for double dipping you can avoid this by fixing individual cups for everyone; just like in the picture. 

One thing to remember is to make your presentation of these appetizers stylish.  Be creative with items that you have around the house.  Use small champagne glasses for your shrimp cocktail; or shot glasses for your veggie dips.  For other appetizers you can use small disposable plastic cups.  Don't limit your imagination; be creative!  Stores such as www.disposableminiplates.com and Pier 1 have a wide variety of dishes and unique plating ideas.  

First Birthday Party

Your bundle of joy is soon turning one and it's time to start planning that special milestone birthday. Planning the perfect children's birthday party takes time, patience and lots of creativity. So many decisions have to be made, the theme, the cake, the food, the entertainment and how many guests should be invited!

Step 1: Theme

Animated cartoon characters such as Sesame Street, Barney, Baby Einstein or traditional 1st Birthday decorations? There is such a vast assortment of theme ideas and trying to decide which one to chose is overwhelming. For a 1st Birthday the theme is self evident, 1st Birthday decorations for your little prince or princess, but to make it extra special personalize the invitation with a picture your child. The website http://tinyprints.com/ has a wide variety of decorations and ideas to help you purchase everything you need for the party. Throwing a 1st Birthday party where all the napkins, cups, banners, plates and tablecloths are personalized with the celebrants name is truly memorable for your guests!

Step 2: Location

Depending on when your child's birthday is, and outdoor birthday party is ideal. For summer months rent a tent that will accommodate all your guests. If this is not an option, renting a small banquet facility or having it at home are your other alternatives. Whichever decision you make, attention to detail and having a party that is unique to other party is your goal.

Step 3: Guest List

To be truly honest, your little birthday boy or girl will not remember their 1st Birthday party, so why all the hoopla? This is a milestone birthday and a wonderful occasion to gather your closest family members to help mark it.

It is obvious that the party is geared towards children, therefore, they should be the main guests at the party. Inviting family members with children that are age appropriate is something that should be taken in account.

Step 4: Menu/Catering

Wikipedia defines catering as the supplying of food for a social event. Deciding what type of food should be served at a 1st Birthday party seems simple. But you have guests that are adults, young children and toddlers that you have to cater to. Serving chicken nuggets and pizza to the adults is not acceptable, you need to also provide food for them. Should you opt to have your party catered, the caterer may suggest some menu options for you to serve. On the other hand, if you would like to prepare the food yourself, consider the following:

• Appetizers- Chips, dip, finger sandwiches, meat and cheese tray, potato, macaroni or pasta salads
  
• Adult food menu- Chicken, ribs, potatoes, pasta (i.e. fettucini, mostacolli), fresh salad
  
• Kids food menu- Pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs
• Beverages- Pop/Soda, water, alcohol, non-carbonated drinks

Step 5: Entertainment

How do you entertain a houseful of children and adults at one time? Simple! Children are easily entertained with games and fun activities such as arts and crafts, toys and pinatas. Personalized pinatas are a fun way to get children, and adults, involved in the birthday activities. Customize your pinata with your childs picture to make for a conversation piece that will be remembered for days.

Throwing a successful party is simple if you plan ahead and when the day arrives you need to manage your time efficiently and effectively. Planning and preparing in advance gives you the opportunity not only to host the party, but to sit back and enjoy your childs 1st Birthday!