• Gift Guide: For The Hostess

    Now that the holidays are upon us, we find ourselves with parties to attend and gifts to give, and if you’re like me, you’re already trying to think of the perfect gifts for our friends and family. All this week I will be sharing my 2012 Gift Guides to help you with your holiday shopping. December means the start of holiday parties. Whether it’s a work party, or an ugly Christmas sweater soiree with friends, you can make the hostess/host’s day special with the perfect gift.  I put together this first gift guide to help you get through all the parties, all while showing some appreciation for the person who made…

  • DIY: Nutcracker Napkin Rings

    Lately, I’ve been obsessed with holiday nutcrackers and even after deciding on a candy cane themed Christmas in our house, I just can’t stop admiring the nutcrackers for sale at all the Home Goods stores in town (yes, I regularly go to more than one Home Goods store in the DC area, and YES, it is my other much more serious obsession). Being inspired by a nutcracker napkin ring set of 4, I found online at the World Market for $9.99,  I decided to make my own version of the rings with a great dollar store find of nutcrackers ornaments for only $1  for a a set of 2. The…

  • Housewarming Gift Idea

    Some friends of ours just moved into a new apartment and I thought a housewarming gift with a few must-haves for a new home would be perfect for them. When I think of moving to a brand new home I think of the pictures that need hanging, the furniture that needs to be put together (oh IKEA!), that one plug that is just too far away to reach the stereo, and the one time we brought a huge armoire up 8 flights of stairs only to find that it wouldn’t fit through the front door (if only we’d measured!). So to save my dear friends that hassle, and help them…

  • Sweet Birthday Party * Free Printables

    I love to have a decorative theme that ties different elements of my party together.  I’m not talking “everything has to be the exact same color and style”, but something subtle and sophisticated that pops up here and again.  Besides the obvious candy theme, I created a graphic of multi-colored dots that I used in several places. The dots remind me of candies, they’re light, airy, fun, and happened to match some Martha Stewart truffle wrappers and coasters that I also used for my party. Sorry to send your invite out so late, but here it is, the Sweet Birthday Party invitation I sent to friends via email. I used…