Earlier this week my friend Rick invited me to join him for a Gingerbread class at the Crescent Hotel. A second date, I was a bit nervous that I would scare him off with my OCD crafting tendencies, but as it turns out he’s a bit of a perfectionist himself, so things went super smoothly!

Neither of us really knew what to expect, so when we arrived we were excited to find not only pre-constructed gingerbread houses but also a well stocked bar! We grabbed some wine and settled in to get the scoop on the evening’s activities from Erica and Juan, the Crescent’s executive and pastry chefs.

They showed off a towering rolling cart with candy, gave some piping tips, and then let us alone to decorate as we saw fit. Rick and I started with a plan to tile the roof in grey M&Ms, but after a few rows we scrapped that idea and opted to start over.

Our second stab at the roof was much more successful. We coated the entire roof in red icing then smooshed candy cane crumbles on top. (Is smooshed a word? Maybe not, but I’m going with it.) We outlined the roof with alternating red and green M&Ms to look like Christmas lights.

Next, we decided to put a wreath over the front door. Rick had insane piping skills so he was tasked with creating the wreath. (Not until after I had him practice on the table cloth, that is. I’m such my mother’s daughter.) While he took care of the wreath, I used a half strand of red candy tape to create a lovely little bow. I LOVE how this part of the house turned out, and I am proud that we did it all by ourselves!

For the back of the house we didn’t have enough faith in ourselves to pipe the snowflake what we desired, so we recruited Erica – a piping pro – to work her magic. While she worked on the back, we added a marshmallow lined pathway, red twizzlers to the door, and brown swirly “flower beds.”

A few short minutes later Erica revealed her amazing creation! Not only did she make an incredible snowflake, but she also added super cute icicles.

It’s hard to see in this picture, but we made little flower boxes to sit in each window with green icing and red flowers out of M&Ms. We lined the outside of the house with white Christmas Tree shaped pretzels. We also went back and made our pathway red to make it pop a bit more.

For the finishing touch, we spread white icing over the entire base, covering it with granulated sugar to make it appear glittery. A huge fan of things that sparkle, this was by far my favorite part! Using powdered sugar, Rick coated the Christmas tree in front with snow and used more white icing to create realistic looking snow drifts. We also lined the entire thing with red berry candies, which was a great accent.

Here is a snapshot of Rick and me with our completed gingerbread house! Although it’s hard to be unbiased, I thought ours turned out the cutest of any house there.

The evening was so fun and I would recommend this class to anyone! In fact, I think it might need to become a holiday tradition!

Each year all of my coworkers gather together for our annual company holiday lunch. We cater in food to our office and enjoy an afternoon of eating and chatting. Last year when my boss asked me to pitch in for the planning, I asked if I could take things up a notch and decorate for the event. A $50 budget was all I would need, I promised. He agreed, and I got to work!

Half of me really wanted to do something neat for the event to make it special for my coworkers. The other half of me was intrigued by the challenge of decorating for a party for 20 on such a limited budget!

There are people of every faith in our company so I decided to go for a neutral “Winter Wonderland” theme for the party. The starting point for my decor was a roll of white and silver snowflake wrapping paper that I decided to use as a make-shift table cloth. Not only was it cheap, it made clean up a breeze!

Since the place setting would be the biggest feature of the table, I decided to concentrate most of my budget here. I purchased a pack of white, 12×12 inch scrapbook paper from Michaels to use as placemats. Next, I layered a silver charter plate. I own ten silver chargers and borrowed another six from a friend who I had gifted a set to the previous year for Christmas.

I splurged on large square paper plates that I found at Paper Affair. They matched perfectly and I just had to have them! Mixing the chargers with the paper plates gave a much classier look to the table.

I used white napkins and plastic silverware that we had around the office and rolled them up nicely tying them off with white curling ribbon I already had.

The place settings were completed with clear plastic cups that we had at the office. I spiced each cup up with a sparkly foam snowflake sticker.

For the centerpieces I decided that balloons would be a cheap way to make a big impact. I bought a pack of white balloons at Michaels, filled them for free using the helium tank in my apartment leasing office, and tied them off using white curling ribbon.

I anchored the balloons into three round, short glass vases that I own. I tied the balloon bouquets to binder clips and hid the clips by covering them with white floral beads, which I had from another party. (The binder clips were a last minute solution that our engineer Gary came up with!)

I used my trusty hot glue gun to adorn each vase with a stripe of glittery ribbon that I bought at Michaels and accented them with glittery foam snowflake stickers. Tea light holders were given the same treatment, except I added a white ribbon on top of the silver for a bit more depth.

I over bought on the ribbon for the vases and ended up using a spool to serve as a table runner. I spaced the balloon vases and tea lights down the table and filled in the blanks with silver jingle bells.

For the buffet I also covered the tables in wrapping paper. I used extra white scrapbook paper to outline where the dishes should sit and put out serving spoons. I decorated with two silver sparkly reindeer that I use in my home Christmas decor, plus a few snowflake napkin holders I had lying around. I used white chipboard letters that I had from a different party to spell out the party’s theme.

For the party I brought my two Crate & Barrel Cold Beverage Jars to serve water and iced tea. Again, I used the snowflake stickers  and silver scrapbook paper to give them a little interest!

We already had our Christmas tree up and poinsettias around the office which also added to the ambiance. As a finishing touch, I brought my Yule Log DVD and put it up on the flat screen TV that is displayed behind my desk. Everyone got a kick out of it and it added a homey feel to the office!

The best part of the party was enjoying the food and the company of my coworkers. The party lasted into the late afternoon and everyone had a blast! Here is a pic of me and Mike and Steve, the two partners in our company:

Our holiday lunch was proof positive that you don’t have to have a big budget to throw an impressively decorated party. I had so much fun putting it together and fit all my purchases in just at $50 and a dime!

For those of you who are interested, here are the supplies I used. I broke them down by what I own and what I had to buy. Not everyone probably has as well of a stocked craft/party closet as I do, but simple substitutions could be made if you don’t have all these items. This also makes a good case for making investments in neutral party decor like vases, tea light holders and beverage dispensers that can be used across your various parties, no matter the theme! 

Most people think that because I like to entertain, I also like to cook. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. Planning the menu, of course, is an ever important part of a successful soiree, however; this task is most often left up to my Mom or her best friend Leslie who have flawless taste in food and a surefire stock of recipes.

Entertaining, in fact, is one of the few times I actually enjoy cooking. You see, as a single gal most meals I prepare are for one. I find it hard to get enthused about preparing a meal that only I will be able to enjoy. The thrill of pulling off a new recipe is just not as fun when not shared with a friend.

Maybe that is why I like hosting parties so much — it challenges me to experiment in the kitchen and also comes with the added pressure of getting it right.

Over the past year, my adventurous spirit in the kitchen has blossomed. While in the past I was satisfied with heating up taquitos or ordering in Chinese, I’ve stepped up my game and ventured to try some new dishes that require more than a cookie sheet and a hot oven.

At a party I hosted for the most recent premier of The Bachelor, I served up a panini bar, offering a delicious array of deli meats and cheeses with a serious selection of spreads. Also, I recently attempted a new avocado bruscetta recipe for a dinner party I attended.

I’ll save the rest of my culinary crusades for upcoming posts, but I’ll leave you with the recipe for avocado bruschetta — a delicious little number I picked up from Lauren, Leslie’s daughter, who is a pretty good cook herself!

Remember, a good hostess doesn’t always have to be a good cook. Do like me and fake it till you make it! Chinese and frozen bites are always a great fallback when your short on time, money or culinary creativity! Throw them on a pretty porcelain platter and your guests will never know!

Avocado Bruschetta

• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 t. salt
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 in. ciabatta slices
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk in oil, then stir in cilantro and parsley.  Fold in avocado cubes.  Brush ciabatta slices with olive oil and toast lightly under broiler.  Spoon avocado mixture onto toast slices, and serve.

{Photos via Pinterest and Elle’s New England Kitchen}

Photo booths are all the rage right now. From weddings and birthdays to corporate shindigs, these fun are a great way to entertain guests and capture those Kodak moments that you’ll remember forever! Today I’ve been swooning over this lovely photo booth, produced by Smilebooth, hosted at HITCHED and posted on I Art U. Don’t these photos make you wish you were at this party?!

This particular photo set has all the ingredients you need to execute a successful photo opp area: (1) a great backdrop (2) fun props and (3) enthusiastic & creative guests!

A little digging and I discovered that you can get your own Smilebooth ANYWHERE in the US. The concept? You don’t have to have to pay for a professional photographer to get great party photos. Due to the custom nature of their booths, prices aren’t listed online. I can’t imagine that they are cheap though — price includes set-up, 4 hours coverage, a Smilebooth attendant, online gallery, and a disc of high-resolution images.

Nonetheless, the Smilebooth site is a great place for great photo booth inspiration! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the pics from HITCHED on I Art U!

Photos courtesy of: {HITCHED & I Art U}

The Bachelor is back! Which means three months of Monday night wine drinking and drama with the girls. This week the main topic of conversation was about how each of the bachelorettes vying for Jake’s heart looked familiar. Everyone kept throwing out names of who looked like which celebrity.

The insomniac of the group, I couldn’t resist looking them all up and making the comparison for myself when I got home. I Photoshopped each of the bachelorette’s pictures together with their celebrity twin. Which one do you think looks the most like the person I paired them with? Tell us what you think in the comments. I’ll post what I think at the very bottom!

1. Ali and Kate Bosworth

2. Elizabeth and Megan Fox

3. Ella and Melinda Clarke

4. Kathryn and Brittney Snow

5. Tenley and Christine Taylor

6. Vienna and Ashley Tisdale or Haylie Duff

What do I think? Elizabeth and Megan Fox were twins separated at birth. Is the resemblance incredible or what?!

Last May, my friend Samantha and I hosted a Sex and the City Movie Premiere Party. With a small budget and a large guest list we set out to create an A-List party on a shoe string budget.

Movie studios spend hundreds of thousands of dollars throwing glamorous premiere parties to promote their newly released films. With a little determination and a lot of creativity you can throw a Hollywood worthy premiere party for a fraction of the cost.

Party Decor
Movie premiers are glitzy in nature, but a movie like Sex and the City ups the ante when it comes to glam. Start planning your décor by selecting a color palette. Take cues from the movie poster and movie website. For the Sex and the City party, our color palette consisted of black, white, hot pink and sparkly! Our inspiration board included Chinese takeout boxes, Manolo Blahnik shoes, engagement rings, the New York City skyline and, of course, martini glasses. We worked these details in to the party decorations and menu.

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Photos by: Mark Lund and Anita Calero for Real Simple

I’m constantly searching for creative new ways to set my table. Lately, I’ve become bored of the traditional fork on the left spoon and knife on the right table setting. From dinner parties to weddings, people are ditching the formal place settings of the past and dressing up their tables with creative and stylish utensil arrangements. Real Simple, an ever-creative source for entertaining inspiration, wows us again with cheap, easy and seriously cute ideas!

Not only are these ideas beyond adorable, but most all of them can be recreated with household items, making them cheap and eco-friendly!

Fresh Idea #1: Use retired bangles as napkin rings. This idea looks great with mis-matched colors and is the perfect solution for a party with more guests than you have matching napkins!

Fresh Idea #2: Use office supplies to dress up your table! Dot stickers from the office supply aisle of your grocery store provide a punch of color and a handy seal for napkins. And they work great for cloth or paper napkins!

Photos by: Anita Calero for Real Simple

Fresh Idea #3: An oldie but a goodie! Use leftover scraps of ribbon to tie together your plates & napkins.

Fresh Idea #4: Great for a breakfast or brunch soiree, use bagels for a dual purposed snack and napkin ring!

What are your favorite napkin ring solutions? Please comment and share your ideas!

Thank you to blogger and fellow Dallasite Brandy for featuring my Hot Dog Bachelorette Viewing Party on Simply Creative Insanity! Head on over to her blog to check it out!

I’m so glad to hear from fellow Bachelorette fans! Who do you think will win? My current favorites: Ed and Jake!

Unlike hot dogs and ketchup, sangria and empty stomachs are not a good combo. Knowing we were in for a two-hour premier I wanted to serve substantial food beyond the usual appetizers.

Hot dogs were the obvious entrée choice and I’ve been dying to do mini mac & cheese for a while. I also dreamed up Bachelorette themed cupcake toppers so I rounded out the menu with a sweet cupcake finish. Throw in some chips and a veggie tray and voila… a perfect dinner for 10 in front of the TV! Pictures and recipes after the jump!

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HOT DOG! The Bachelorette is back! And what a better way to celebrate than a party appropriately themed to reflect our new bachelorette’s philosophy on men and hot dog condiments?!

As many of my readers already know, my girlfriends and I are huge fans of the Bachelor. For those non-bachelor fans out there, last season Jillian immediately caught the attention of Bachelor Jason when she explained her theory regarding men and hot dog toppings:

“Ketchup guy is a good, strong, loyal, loving guy. He loves his mom and talks to her several times a week. Sauerkraut guy is the bad boy who they all go for. The onion guy – they all love him, but he’s never going to get married. And the mustard guy, that’s the guy who they all want to settle down with, because he’s part ketchup, part sauerkraut.”

While Jason claimed to be a mustard he acted like a kraut, leaving us with a brand new Bachelorette, and even more important, a reason to party!

Decorations

Since the theme was based on hot dogs, the food ended up becoming the central décor element of the party. In fact, I’m doing an entire post on the menu! Instead of plates, guests used ballpark-like hot dog boats. (24 for $2.99 at Hobby Lobby) I used larger ramekins to serve chili and cheese and set out relish, ketchup and mustard on a white platter.

I found some great striped scrapbook paper and choose coordinating solids to create detail elements like cupcake picks, napkin rings, beverage signs, drink markers and more.

My favorite part of the décor was the cupcake toppers with pictures of all 30 of Jillian’s potential suitors. Not only did they add to the decoration, but the girls had a great time hovering around to decide who was the cutest before the show began!

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