My first guest blogger is none other than my favorite hostess with the mostess, my mom, D.Ann! Here are some pictures from her latest dinner party, a Valentines dinner for fourteen! Enjoy!

At my house, any occasion can be a special occasion, especially when it comes to getting our friends together. Recently, our informal “dinner group” of friends has been running crazy, each of us stressed with job, health, family and other issues — moreso than the norm. So right after the first of the year, we all decided we wanted to do a big deal on Valentines Day.

To prevent the dinner party from being a huge problem and alot of work for just one couple, all seven couples pitched in. We started for appetizers and a specialty champagne drink at one house in the neighborhood. Three of the couples helped with this portion of the evening, bringing potluck appetizers and sharing red and white dishes, centerpieces and decor.

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I love sending E-Cards but I find myself spending hours looking for cards that look and say the exact thing I want. This year, instead of searching tirelessly for the perfect e-valentine, I decided to create my own!  To send one of these simply right click and choose “Save Picture As”. Insert in an email to a friend or loved one and send! I’ve also included them for download as a PDF. I’m working on a few more to post before the big day so check back soon!

Download “I like you a Latte” as a PDF. {Photo courtesy of: Will}

Download “We Make a Great Pear” as a PDF. {Pear photo courtesy of: Mark}

I work downtown Dallas and love it when I get the chance to stroll Main street on my lunch break. This past Christmas I became obsessed with the Neiman Marcus window displays. The storefront windows of the flagship store were adorned with strings of glistening mirrors that sparkled in the daylight and looked even more magical at night.

Inspired by the glitzy glam of the NM display, I decided to try and recreate it in my own apartment. My first attempt proved futile as the fishing line I used was too thin and it broke quickly. My grandma quickly took charge of the project and ended up completing it for me! I hung the finished baubles from my curtain rod and they looked fabulous as they sparkled, making a perfect backdrop for my Christmas tree.

When the holiday season came to a close, I was still too obsessed with my glittery window decorations to take them down. With Valentines day only a few weeks away I decided to jazz the windows up by hanging some heart ornaments that were included with a pack of IKEA ornaments that I bought for Christmas. (See Amy at *Stem’s* post today about Freecycling Christmas ornaments)

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In need of a last minute hostess gift? Look no further than the $1 rack at Target! Target supplies cute and festive dish towels and pot holders for most every holiday. They range from $1.00 to $2.50 which definitely fits my budget! The valentines dish cloths pictured above made a perfect gift for the hostesses of last nights Bachelor watching party. Simply remove the tag and tie the towels together with coordinating ribbon for a homemade touch!

I honestly think I’ve been more social in the past week than in the entire year of 2008. Not that I wasn’t social before, but I’ve been as busy as a bee with parties to host, football games to watch and work to finish! In the past week and a half I have hosted three parties including a tailgate at the Cotton Bowl , a Bachelor viewing party and a sorority alumni club wine tasting/drinking party (pics to come). I also attended a NYE party and a bonfire. Seriously, I’m partied out!

For today’s post I am taking a much-needed break from Photo shop and posting my New Year Resolutions. Also enjoy the pic above of me and some girlfriends from New Years Eve. Here they are:

• Two new passport stamps (at least one to a country I’ve never been before)
• Send more handwritten notes (keep up to date with birthday cards)
• Find creative name for and redesign my blog
• Go to the gym more often
• Take more bubble baths
• Take a class to learn a new or improve an old skill  (ballroom dancing, photography, yoga or something)

While looking for New Years inspiration, I found this great video from Martha Stewart’s NYE show, set to air Wednesday December 31, 2008. To find this clip, click “next” in the box on the right to view the “Good Things” video. Martha demonstrates how to make cute midnight celebration bags. With their bags in tote, guests will be well prepared for the midnight countdown!

What you’ll need:

• Clear cellophane bags
• Confetti – you can find bulk bags at any party store
• Colorful noisemakers
• Colorful dot stickers – available in the office supply section

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This past weekend I attended the wedding of two dear friends, Derek & Linda, in St. Louis. It was beautiful and hands down one of the prettiest I have ever attended in terms of décor. I can only imagine the copious amounts of planning that went into each detail, from the plentiful poinsettias at the alter to the lavish white floral centerpieces at the reception.

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Next time you are on a vacation instead of bringing home cheesy souvenirs that you’ll never use, consider buying a Christmas ornament. Write the date and location of where you bought it and store it away for Christmas! (Don’t bother getting down your Christmas boxes; store them in your china cabinet!)

When tree-trimming time comes around you’ll have a drawer full of new ornaments to decorate your tree and you can enjoy recalling the memories from each of your vacations from the past year!

World Market has a brilliant collection of destination ornaments. With most of their baubles costing under $10, you can stock up for the places you’ve been but don’t have an ornament for!

Having a travel tree is not only fun and pretty but a great conversation topic for your holiday party! Wow your guests with tales of adventure from all the different places that are highlighted on your tree.

After years of collecting ornaments my parents have an amazing, eclectic tree with ornaments from all over the world! Mine is small, but growing as my globetrotting adventures continue!

{Photo Courtesy of: EdZA}

Voting is now open for the Holiday Inspire Me! Entertaining Contest! going on over at Hostess with the Mostess. My entry – Whimsical Christmas – was selected as a top 10 finalist out of over 400 entries! The final decision is being left up to Hostess Blog readers! So please visit hostessblog.com and vote for me! Voting closes on Friday at 12:00pm EST.

Thank you all for taking the time to vote and good luck to all my competitors!!! Everyone did a fantastic job!

The centerpiece is the inspiration for this tablescape. The traditional red and gold give this table a traditional feel while the glitzy accessories give it a modern touch.

I am entering this on behalf of my Grandma who created this beautiful centerpiece for my Aunt. We didn’t intend to shoot a table like this but once I saw the centerpiece I couldn’t resist! Just goes to show you that inspiration can come from anywhere!!!

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