A Little Something...

Tis the season for Holiday parties, dinners, and get-togethers. It is always a thoughtful gesture to bring a little something for the host, to show your appreciation. It doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate, remember, it's the thought that counts!

Hostess Gift Ideas:
A gift for your hostess need not be extravagant, but a little creativity does go a long way toward making the present surprising and special. Here are some ideas:

*A bottle of wine, cider, or Champagne

*An ornament

*Flowers (you can even deliver or drop them off before the party)

*Goodies, Coffee, Tea, etc.

*Dish towels

*Picture frame

*Candle

*Note cards

*CD of party or holiday music - purchase or make your own on iTunes!

*Entertaining items - spreaders, wine corks, napkins, etc.

*Gift Cards

Preparation is the key. Try to have some items in your gift closet, and even wrapped for those last minute dates! The presentation of the gift is also important...remember....ribbon can make anything pretty!

Happy Holidays!

Setting a Table

The art of setting a dinner table can be a lot easier with some simple instructions. Thanks to eHow.com for some tips!

Step1 - Figure out how many guests will be attending. If several children will be in attendance, consider having a children's table. If you would like the children at the main table, consider booster chairs if the children are small.

Step2 - Determine where everyone should sit. For convenience, the cook may want to sit near the kitchen door. Parents should sit next to their children. If there is a male guest, he is traditionally seated on the hostess's right. A female guest is traditionally seated on the host's right. For large parties, determine who would interact best with each other. Some people like to alternate between men and women, but this isn't necessary. You may want to use name cards to avoid everyone rushing for a seat at the last minute.

Step3 - Decide if you will use a tablecloth. If the tablecloth is white damask, you will need a pad under it to prevent it from slipping. Also, the middle crease should be arranged so that it runs in a straight and unwavering line down the center of the table from head to foot. When the tablecloth is on, it should hang down about a foot and a half if it is a seated dinner. If it is a buffet dinner, it should hang down to the floor.

Step4 - Set the table once you've adjusted the tablecloth. Begin by folding napkins and placing them in the center of each diner's place.

Step5 - Place the large dinner fork to the left of the napkin and the smaller salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.

Step6 - Place a salad plate to the left of the forks. The dinner plate should not be on the table when guests sit down.

Step7 - Place a knife to the right of the napkin, with the cutting edge toward the plate. For chicken or a game bird, you might want to use a steak knife.

Step8 - Put out two spoons if you're serving both soup and dessert. The small dessert spoon should be placed to the right of the knife. Place the soup spoon to the right of the dessert spoon. (You can also wait and bring the dessert spoons out just before dessert.)

Step9 - Place a bread plate with a butter knife (if you have them) about 2 inches above the forks.

Step10 - Place a water goblet about 2 inches above the knife. To the right of the goblet and slightly closer to the dinner guest, place a wine glass.

Step11 - Place a cup and saucer, if you're serving coffee or tea, to the right of the setting, with a coffee spoon on the right side of the saucer.

Enjoy your dinner!!!

Simple Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas

Simple Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas

I know that Christmas decorations are hung in the shopping areas, Christmas music is being played on the radio, and holiday ads are upon us...but let's not forget about Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past, and be thankful for our many blessings. I love the simplicity for fall too! It's my favorite time to decorate. I love the comforting colors, the calmness of it all! I have found some simple centerpiece ideas, that are inexpensive, yet beautiful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Many Blessings to you and your families!

Holy Hurricanes!

If I could recommend one decorative piece...I would recommend a glass hurricane! This is the most versatile piece you will ever own! I am constantly amazed, how you can drastically change the look of them, just by changing their fillers!


Here are a few very low cost fillers to use with your hurricanes this holiday season:


*Popcorn kernels, green peas, black beans - you can also layer these - buy in bulk at discount stores



*Coffee beans - smells great with a vanilla candle



*rocks/pebbles




*fall leaves, dingle balls, pine cones, pine branches - make sure if you use with a candle, that they are far away from flame!

*Fresh cranberries

*Fresh apples, citrus, pomegrante, etc. - leave whole, or float in water

*Artificial snow flakes



*Cinnimon sticks


*Colored water



*Ornaments

*Pumpkins/gourds

*Candy

*Fresh bubs - amarylis, paper whites



*Tiny wrapped packages



*Beverages - punch, eggnog, etc.



*Potpouri



*Sand/Shells



*Miniture Christmas tree



*Picture

Deep Rich Fall Color

A few weeks ago, the Fresno Bee Home & Garden features reporter Margaret Slaby published an article about painting your home with rich, warm autumn colors. ( My favorite, and local decorator, Pam Milam was featured in this article. Check below to subscribe to her newsletter...tons of tips!!) Margaret's piece was picked up by numerous newspapers and internet sites around the country, so the topic definitely struck a chord with many readers. If you're looking for a wonderful way to add a touch of fall color to your home, here is Margaret's article. Enjoy!

"In these tough economic times, sprucing up your home might be the last thing on your mind -- or in your budget. However, there's a relatively inexpensive way to give your home a facelift: a fresh coat of interior paint. Depending what you buy and where you shop, for around $2,000 you can get everything you need -- except the muscle power -- to prime and paint using 10 different paint and trim combinations throughout a roughly 2,000-square-foot home."Paint gives you the biggest bang for your buck as far as decorating expenses," says Pam Milam, owner of Reinvented Rooms, a Fresno-based interior design business that offers services that include paint-color consultation. And when it comes to updating your home with interior paint, white is a thing of the past. "Color is in," says Warren Vercher, manager of Kelly-Moore Paints at Blackstone and Ashlan avenues in Fresno. "And people are doing multiple colors in their homes. No one room is the same anymore."In fall, colors tend to be deeper and richer, says Chris Hays of Chris Hays Interiors."Fall colors are all about earthy tones found in nature," she says. "The fall palette is warm-based stronger colors -- the color of fruit such as pomegranate and persimmons and the color of fall leaves."While the fall palette changes subtly each year (as do the spring, summer and winter palettes), basic colors are driven by what's hot in the clothing and home fashion industries. Here are six colors you might want to consider in your home this fall:

Brown - Beige never goes out of style. Deep chocolate is perfect because in traditional decor it can be paired with another earth-tone, such as green, and in a contemporary look, it complements bright aqua blue or purple. It also goes well with camel, antique gold or straw gold.

Purple - It is all about shades of eggplant or plum. These go well with mossy green, rust, camel, antique gold or straw gold.

Orange - Think pumpkin-pie with its brown undertones. It can be paired with camel, antique gold or straw gold.

Red - Hues of deep wine or burgundy pair with camel, antique gold or straw gold.

Green - Shades from mossy to olive work well with camel, antique gold or straw gold.

Gold - The color of straw can be accented with any of the other fall colors.Milam suggests (using a deeper, more dramatic) color in spaces used less often, such as formal dining rooms or powder rooms.

She (suggests using rich color on) accent walls in frequently-used rooms. For trim, baseboards, windowsills and doors, she recommends warm, creamy, off-white; keeping trim the same throughout a house provides a thread of continuity. Still not sure where to begin with color selection? Here are a few tips:

Figure out what you like. This can be as simple as peeking in your closet to see what color clothes you have, Hays says. Or look at other people's homes. But before picking paint, have a color scheme in mind for the room. This means looking at rugs, upholstery fabric and accessories and "pulling out a color" from there, Milam says.
Sample the colors. Go to the store and select several shades of the same color; bring home multiple swatches or small cans of paint. Tape swatches of the same shade together or paint a piece of sheetrock to form about a 3-foot square; pin or prop this against different walls -- and be sure to look at it during various times of the day when lighting changes.

Consider paint finishes. They range from flat (no shine; cannot be washed -- unless it's flat enamel) to high gloss (brilliantly shiny and easily wiped down). Eggshell, which has a little shine and is washable, is the top choice for living rooms and bedrooms. Satin -- a bit more washable than eggshell -- is a good choice for spaces prone to dirt and grime, such as children's rooms or hallways. Semi-gloss is the most popular for kitchens and bathrooms because it's easily washed and has a bit of sheen.But what happens if after painting you feel a bit overwhelmed by color?"Live with it for a week or two," Milam says. "Don't make a snap decision on whether it's right or wrong."Color always can be toned down by hanging art and photos on a wall or placing a large piece of furniture, such as an armoire, against it. And if all else fails, Vercher says, "You can always repaint!""



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http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs033/1101438001980/archive/1102099429653.html

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Voila Vellum!

(Close up of vellum jack-o-lantern)

Yes, I'm still decorating for fall. I love to decorate for the season, and although I decorate more "fallish" than "Halloweenish", I do like this idea.

Vellum paper ALWAYS seems to make things look a little nicer, whether it's invitations, or even candle holders! This year, I took some vellum paper and cut the paper to the size of the glass. I cut out a Jack-o-lantern face, and then used double stick tape to attach, and wrapped it around the glass container of the Drake Lantern.

I added some fall picks, and it really gives this piece a fun look! It looks cute with a tealight burning through, or you could add Mums, or other fall flowers, or the ever useful....candy corns!

Another idea that I have used before is to print out words on the vellum and attach. I've written "BOO!" in a spooky font, and in my master bedroom, I have our "B" initial for everyday use.

Please let me know if you think of anything else I can copy!! ;)

Happy Fall Y'all!

I don't know about you, but as soon as the calendar flips to September 1st, I am in the FALL mood! Maybe it's the warm autumn colors, or the hope of cooler weather, but I can't wait to celebrate fall!

I am posting some great Halloween ideas that I have copied from the Hostess with the Mostess blog. It seems like there are so many cost effective ways of decorating for fall! Candy corn is super cheap, and it comes in so many colors! You can also save them in a ziplock bag for the next year...and it will help you not want to eat your displays, knowing that you have 5 year old candy corns!! ;) What a fun way to serve cupcakes or goodies!!
My Aunt Cheri got me hooked a couple of years ago on this fall treat! There is just something about the salty and sweet! These make great party favors, (watch peanut allergies for kids though) for kids or adults! I love how they added the rhinestone for a little extra bling!

Candy corns, along with autumn leaves, coffee beans, nuts, acorns, etc., make great filler for vases and hurricanes! For use with fresh flowers, place your flowers in a jar, vase, or glass, smaller than the container, and fill with water and flowers. Then add your goodies, and you have an adorable centerpiece! Add ribbon, and you're set!

I'm up and blogging....

I am so excited to start this new blog for my friends, customers, hostesses, consultants...whoever! I am really going to try to upload great, and simple ideas for decorating for the holidays, as well as gift giving. I am pulling my fall things out tomorrow, so keep checking back!!