I am sad to say that so far this February, I have not made any Valentine’s Day treats. That’s got to change this week! I need to make something. There are so many ideas that have caught my eye on Pinterest and around the internet and other blogs. Passing some inspiration over to you today.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cake Balls
Valentine Brown Sugar Blondies
I love this idea!
This is genius.
‘Tis the season of entertaining, and I love simple, fun ideas that make this time of year special. Here in Arizona, it’s “cold” right about now but most days we can still comfortably enjoy time outside, we can still grill, and we can light a fireplace but not really, totally need it. That being said, there are so many fun things to do around here this time of year, and I’m really grateful for that. But entertaining from your own home is so much fun, and it’s one of the biggest things that I miss about Grey and I having a place of our own. We spent a perfect night with friends of ours last night, and had the best time sitting by the fireplace, drinking wine, eating dessert, and talking. It made me really excited for when we are ready to buy a home and we can hopefully have nights just as wonderful as last night was.
But this got me thinking… Winter entertaining.
Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
I love this idea of a hot chocolate bar. And crock pot hot chocolate is SO good. I made some a couple of years ago for New Year’s Eve and there really is nothing like it.
A make-your-own caramel apple station! So fun and a great alternative to a pre-made dessert. You could even have the apples sliced and then guests can create several different combinations (and they’ll be easier and less embarrassing to eat!).
A beer-tasting party would really be great for any season, but what I like about this is that you can cater it to a season as far as beer selection goes.
How cute is this? Chili in mason jars for the Superbowl, or any other winter-time party. This could be set up as a bar station, too, with all sorts of toppings for the chili. But I love the mason jar idea. And I’m going to steal it. 🙂
A make-your-own grilled cheese station? Brilliant. We have a panini press that would be perfect for this. Have a big pot of tomato soup ready to go, and I’d say that’s a perfect wintertime meal.
On the decor front, I love how pretty and easy this is. Burlap, sprigs of greenery, and twine. This would look really pretty on a dining table or even on several tables outside if the party is going to be outdoors and weather permits.
Tartan is basically a winter staple, and I love this super simple table setting with tartan everything and a little bit of bling.
Not sue how to pull this off, but it sure is pretty to look at.
It gets dark early these days, and if your party starts at five-thirty or later, chances are the daylight will be mostly gone. I love this idea of little hurricanes lighting the path to the front door. Just a little extra touch.
A couple of days ago, I posted about transitioning your wreath from a festive Christmas one to something more appropriate for just plain ol’ winter. I thought I could do a similar post about table centerpieces. I love Christmas centerpieces just as much as everyone, but I also love a good centerpiece just because, too. Here are some pretty wintry ones that I think you will love.
This centerpiece is pretty rustic, but I love all of the texture. It is literally filled with texture — something that I really crave during the winter months.
I know that this is only number two, but can I say that this is my favorite? The pine swag, the gold flatware, the simple white dinner plate, and of course, the candles… I love it all.
In my opinion, lanterns always make good decor. You just can’t go wrong with them.
I think those are little rosemary trees on the table — you can find these at Trader Joe’s and they make great winter decor. I love the wrapped burlap and also the burlap runner down the center of the table.
Or how about this? Little mossy pots with a taper candle in the center, all atop a metal tray. Really simple, but textural, so the eye has a lot to feast itself on.
The most important thing to remember with winter table centerpieces, and, really, with decorating this time of year in general, is that the more layers and texture you have, the cozier it will be and the more interest you will have. Bring things in from the outdoors, use your imagination, and have fun with this! There is no way to create a bad centerpiece if you are inspired.
Hey there, happy Friday! Can you believe that by this time next week, Thanksgiving will be over? I don’t even want to think about it… In fact, I don’t know why I just said that… Over the course of the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing some holiday table settings — I don’t know about you, but I love love love looking at inspiration images of tablescapes on Pinterest and such. It gives me all sorts of fun ideas! This table setting that I’m going to show you today is not necessarily Thanksgiving-themed, but it definitely passes for holiday flare.
I love red and gold so much, don’t you? Now, I helped myself to my mother-in-law’s large selection of china which obviously made the beautification process pretty easy. But I’ll show some simpler table settings in the coming weeks, too. Thought I’d get the series kicked off with a punch! 🙂
The first thing you’ll need is a table… 😉 I chose this one for today’s tablescape. Now let’s start layering!
A fun ruffled placemat, a red lacquered charger…
Let that gold theme run wild! I kept the top and bottom plate simple with a gold rim, and added a bit of pattern with the middle plate.
I used the red as a punch of color and distributed it in ways that it would pop. I love how the black sort of punctuates the setting both at the bottom and very very top.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Turkey Day is on its way!! 🙂
Good morning! 🙂 I hope you all had an awesome weekend. I spent all of mine with family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So…Fall decor. I can’t not talk about it, given the season. I have been seeing a ton of chic little white pumpkins all over Pinterest, and I gotta say, I love them!
What’s not to love about them? Especially these — how pretty are they with that orange stripeyness?
A strategic pile of white and milky green pumpkins. Makes my heart sing.
I love this vignette. So much variety and texture here! And those perfectly imperfect pumpkins make this that much more interesting. Character is key for a layered effect!
Oh yeah. White gourds and leafy greens. Super organic, modern, and unexpected.
I just think this is stunning and I’ve decided that this my favorite. The whole flowers-in-a-pumpkin thing is a DIY I want to try. But this is a striking color combination, no?
I think more than anything, Fall makes me want to decorate with tons of organic texture. This tablescape does not fall short in that department!
Original Source Unknown
Can I please have two favorites? This is insane!!!
Hope you have had a great start to your week!
Well, it’s hard to believe, but today is my three-year wedding anniversary! It has been a great year, the best one yet, and we are so happy. In honor of the day, I’m going to share some of the decor from our wedding!
For those who don’t know, we were married at a little coffee shop in the small town of Carefree. In order to make sure that we could pull this off, we did hire a wedding planner for the logistical side of things and also the set-up. But the design was a labor of love — with items and time donated by friends and family, lots of Pinterest-scouring, and figuring out ways to accomplish the look we wanted on a budget!
These signs were made by my sweet brother — he is quite the artist! The chalkboards were purchased from Hobby Lobby, and the stands are from HomeGoods. We opted out of a sit-down dinner and instead had a buffet with heavy appetizers. We worked with a great catering company and they created a really diverse menu.
Our theme was vintage-inspired, with lots of lace, silver accents, and pops of mustard yellow. The wedding photos are of our grandparents and great-grandparents, as some have parted from this earth and could not be with us on the day.
The tables were rented from a vendor and were wood with benches along either side. The lace runners were all ordered from Etsy! We had different styles and sizes for each table. Candles, vases, etc. were zhushed by my mom or purchased from JoAnn’s or another craft store.
Our favors were little jars of my mom’s famous homemade cranberry sauce…just in time for Thanksgiving. I still can’t believe she did this for me. She packaged them up so cute while I was freaking out and having many a Bride-Zilla moment as the day neared; and we had a stamping party at my cousin’s house to make the little tags. It was really fun.
This was the little sign we had near the guest book. My sister-in-law donated her time and efforts to designing our wedding invitation, and also a custom logo. We used it on everything!
Our cake was on the smaller side but we had plenty more on a sheet cake in the kitchen! I really wanted it to be frosted rustically, and our baker did just that! The “We Do” birds were also an Etsy find, and the flowers were added from extras that we had.
As the night turned chilly, we had several baskets of these fleece blankets around that were welcome to guests. These were purchased from Walgreens, I think, and tied with pretty ribbon!
There were many of these mini chandeliers hanging from the trees. They were donated by my mother-in-law, and they also made an appearance at my sis-in-law’s wedding the year before!
And finally, at the end of the night, we had a sparkler send-off that was really awesome. This was a table that was set up all night, so our peeps could be ready when the time came!
Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with me this morning! And happy anniversary to my best friend. 🙂
Wedding Coordinator: A Day to Cherish
Florist: Wendell Design Group Florist
Catering: Jennifer’s Catering
Cake: Let Them Eat Cake
Photography: Radiant Photography
Get-togethers are an essential part of this time of year, and thus comes the inevitable decor surrounding the food! Tablescapes are one of my favorite things about entertaining, and though I have yet to cook my first Thanksgiving feast on my own, I’m dreaming about a table filled with yummy appetizers and main courses, and perhaps a pumpkin or two.
I love this idea — just cut off the stems of any pumpkin you like the shape of (faux will work here, too!), and you’ve got really cute, ready-made trays. I also notice the breadsticks in a silver pitcher. So pretty!
A pile of pumpkins and some really great pewter or silver accents becomes that much cozier when strategically placed by a roaring fire. 🙂 The added touch of fall foliage injects some great texture.
How cute is this?! Galvanized fluted pie plates pair well with the striking orange color of the pumpkins and the fall-inspired bouquet. The pile of pinecones and acorns below add just a bit more to the country feel.
That, my friends, is a pumpkin with a face. Hilarity ensues. I kind of love his all-knowing smirk. I think it’s safe to say that any guest, young or old, would love this guy.
And that? That is beef stew…in a pumpkin. Follow the link for the recipe. I think this is a genius idea, however, serving immediately would be pretty urgent. Although, something tells me that a pumpkin’s belly is pretty well insulated…
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