When it comes to brunch parties, I love having a Bloody Mary bar! Bloody Mary’s are difficult to perfect for each guest since everyone loves a little different variation in their Bloody Mary, so a DIY bar is a perfect way for guests to customize their drinks and interact a little more!
One of my favorite parts of Easter (besides preparing the brunch, of course 🙂 ) is the Easter egg hunt! There is always so much excitement and laughter as the kids run around the backyard collecting all of their eggs, so let’s make it the best Easter egg hunt possible this year! Check out our tips below for creating the perfect Easter egg hunt!
Determine the Type of Eggs – Depending on your preference, you may want to use reusable eggs filled with candy or other prizes, or home-dyed hard boiled eggs. The plastic eggs are super cheap and can easily be used over many years. The main downside to using decorated hard boiled eggs is that they may rot if they are not found right away.
Prepare the Eggs -If you are using the reusable eggs, be sure to stuff them a couple of days in advance. You will have enough to do the day before in preparation for your Easter meal or the Easter bunny, so get this out of the way early. Stuff the eggs with a variety of candy types including Jelly Beans, SweetTarts, and Robin Eggs! If you want to mix up your Easter egg hunt a little bit, have a couple special eggs with stars or a special note in them that gives the finder a bigger prize!
Make sure you have enough eggs for each kid. Nobody likes a hunt that ends too quickly! Allow about 20 eggs per child.
Hide the Eggs – Always allow a bit more time than you think to hide the eggs. If your hunt is early in the morning when the kiddos wake up, hide the eggs the night before assuming weather allows 🙂 Otherwise wake up a little bit earlier, or have someone entertain the kids while you hide them!
Hide the Eggs According to Age – Make the hunt age appropriate by hiding the eggs based on the child’s height and abilities. If you have younger kids (usually under 3), place the eggs in plain sight and just spread them out on the ground. Kids ages 4-7 may be ready for spots that are a bit more out of the way such as in bushes, near trees, in pots, etc. Have fun finding creative and tricky spots for the older kids such as in trees, behind bushes, in drains, etc.
Easter Baskets – Make sure every kid has an Easter basket or bag to collect their eggs.
Make the Rules – Point out the boundaries of the search to the kids, so they don’t go on a wild goose chase! If you want to differentiate eggs between kids, color code them so different age groups pick up certain colors.
Enjoy! – Sit back and watch the kid’s enjoy the hunt! Take lots of pictures so the memories last a lifetime!
Do you have any other fun tips for hosting an Easter egg hunt? I would love to hear about your family’s traditions!
Happy Easter!
If y’all checked out our recent ice cream social inspiration board, you know how much we love incorporating this theme into our end of summer soirees, birthday parties, and school gatherings! I mean what’s not to love? A fun party theme with a beautiful pastel color palette and a bar filled with all your favorite toppings to dress up your ice cream sundae! No guest can complain about that!
Now this is one inspiration board we just HAD to bring to life! And that we did! With a bright color palette of pink, yellow, mint and lavender, we threw the cutest ice cream social complete with a DIY topping and sundae bar! Check out the original inspo board here and see how we brought it all to life below!
If you read our post about how to prepare your home for guests, you know how important it is to make sure your guests feel right at home by welcoming them with some of their favorite treats and creating a warm and comfortable space for them.
Of course, one of the most important aspects of hosting overnight guests is the guest bedroom and preparing their own little oasis, but not to be overlooked, is the guest bathroom!
When I stay at a hotel, one of the main aspects that I judge the entire hotel on is the style and feel of the bathroom. If it’s not clean and crisp, I assume the entire hotel is not. But if it has a luxurious and custom feel, my reviews of the hotel are glowing. Same goes for the home. Obviously, no one thinks your home is a hotel, but why not class it up and give it a luxurious and custom feel?!
I’ve gathered some of my favorite stylish bathroom decor and products to give your guest bathroom that extra oomph that will have your guests seeing hearts (without the large price tag of a remodel)! Enjoy and happy hosting!
1. Chandelier | 2. Textured Towels | 3. Monogrammed Soap | 4. Hand Soap and Lotion | 5. Lafco Candle | 6. Monogrammed Towels |7. Acrylic Soap Dispenser | 8. Acrylic Soap Dish | 9. Monogrammed Floor Mat |
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It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, but it doesn’t have to put a big dent in your wallet. I mean let’s be real, it’s easy to spend oodles of dollars on a glitz Oscars watching party — but we’re here to show you that you don’t have to!
Here are some tips and tricks on how to throw a party worthy of a trophy!
First, what goes better with the year’s biggest films than popcorn?! It’s the quintessential movie snack… and it’s also easy on your bank account and on your party planning anxiety. I chose a popcorn bar with a variety of seasonings — aptly named after some of this year’s Best Picture nominees — and displayed them in glass jars of varying heights. Frequent visitors of my blog know I love me some clear, light and airy party spaces!
Now, no party is complete without desserts, and I just happened to get the most ADORABLE Oscar-themed cookies from my good friend Briana with Just Call Me Cookie! Our “cookie wardrobe” was complete with dresses, tuxes and even the envelopes for award announcements.
But the big winner? These Oscar statue cookies that STAND ON THEIR OWN! I’m in love with these cookies, and the reasons are endless. They are a delicious treat, but also double as cute decor or party favors for your film-loving friends.
Okay, so you’ve got your treats taken care of… But how do you pull your party together?? I’ve written it once, I’ll write it a thousand times: It’s all about the details! The printables made especially for this event by the lovely Linda from Sprinkled Designs were the perfect touch to tie everything into the Oscars theme.
From the invitations, to the labels for our different popcorn flavors, to the Bingo cards for the guests, Sprinkled designs was the ticket! The little things at a party like this are what your attendees will remember, and it’s an inexpensive way to go the extra mile.
This party is all about the stars of the big screen, but it was special for me because I got to make an appearance on the small screen! My good friends at WFAA-TV were so kind and had me talk about hosting an Oscars watching party on News 8 at 4!
It was a blast being at the studio and meeting some of the WFAA on-air crew!
Okay my sweet bakers, this one’s for you!
Cakes are my absolute favorite dessert to bake and decorate. Not only are they delicious, but they can be true works of art depending on how you design and display them. I am a true believer that presentation is key, so the best way to top off any perfectly baked cake, or any dessert really, is with a gorgeous stand!
Take a look and shop some of our favorite cake stands on the market right now!
If you’re looking for some Thanksgiving tablescape inspiration, then go ahead and close all those Pinterest browsers because we have some fabulous inspiration for you right here!
Bree from The Iman Project and I had so much fun styling this Chip and Joanna inspired Thanksgiving tablescape! Of course we are right there with the rest of America and love their modern farmhouse look, but we also wanted to add a vintage yet formal flare to our table this year.
With Bree’s homemade farm table, our antique place settings and couch, Coral Lane’s modern chairs, Root and Bloom’s natural garland, and the Paper and Taigh’s menus, this setting was the perfect marriage of the modern and vintage look we were going for.
No matter what your style is or what type of Thanksgiving theme you are going for this year, there is bound to be something here that inspires you!
Check out some of our favorite pictures from the shoot!
Special thanks to all the incredible vendors who helped bring our vision to life!
Styling: The Everyday Hostess + The Iman Project |
Photography: Photography by Katsi |
Florals: Root and Bloom |
Farmhouse Table: The Iman Table |
Venue: Summerfield at Tate Farms |
Candlesticks and Chair Rentals: Coral Lane
Menus: Paper and Taigh
Fall is officially here, so you know what that means! Time to set your table in autumnal style! I have rounded up five of my favorite fall tablescapes to help inspire you as you set your table this season! No matter what your style, one of these is sure to get your creative juices flowing! Enjoy!
With the summer coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to grab your honey and mix up your standard date night with a little picnic! This is a great way to enjoy the cooler weather, explore your city, and dine al fresco!
A lake or park are always two favorites for picnics, but I always love finding a unique spot with a beautiful view. Deep in the heart of downtown Dallas, my fiancé and I decided to enjoy an end-of-summer picnic at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which is an iconic Dallas hotspot. It’s definitely not the common picnic locale, which made it even more romantic and memorable. 
If you are looking for a fun way to switch up your upcoming date night or evening with friends, this is definitely an entertaining idea to consider! Picnics are simple and easy and usually only require assembling a few items! Check out our favorite tips and tricks for throwing together an unforgettable picnic!
- Choose a location: When planning a picnic, most people immediately think of a public park; however, there are so many other unique places you can host your outdoor gathering! Consider a beach, a rooftop, or your favorite local site!
- Seating: Make sure you bring something for you to sit on like a picnic blanket. You can also bring towels or, my personal favorite, rugs! To increase the formality a bit, I brought out our favorite faux sheepskin rug. If the ground is wet, use a tarp as the first layer, to keep your guests (and nicer blankets!) from getting wet.
- Food: Keep the food simple and consider only bringing dishes that are still tasty at room temperature. Try handheld foods (sandwiches and wraps) and appetizers like vegetable or fruit kabobs, cheese, crackers, and hummus. You could also put together an antipasto platter if you want to step up the formality a bit!
- Beverages: Don’t forget to pack a refreshing beverage like an infused water with lemon, mint, or fruit. If you serve wine, choose something light, like a rosé and pre-mix any cocktails at home. (We aren’t big rosé drinkers, so we still opted for red wine!)
- Packing: Pack your food, beverages, and place settings in a wicker picnic basket or insulated tote. Make sure there is padding in the interior to protect any glasses or soft food.
- Place settings: Don’t forget your disposable plates, napkins, and silverware! Paper plates are easy to transport and throw away after your picnic, but if you want something a little bit more formal, check out my favorite disposable products, Tableluxe.
- Lighting: Lighting can completely transform the mood of your picnic. If you are close to a house, you can string beautiful lights over your table. If you are more remote, consider lanterns or candles.
- Entertainment: Set the mood with a little music. Bring a portable radio or speakers to connect to your phone, so you can play your favorite playlist!
- Make a list: As you’re planning your picnic, keep a running list of everything you need. Since you are most likely hosting your picnic away from your home, you don’t want to forget anything!
Enjoy!
Photography by Paisley Layne Photography
When it comes to hosting a dinner party, I’m pretty sure there is nothing better than starting the evening off with a giant antipasto platter to kick the night off! I mean what is more welcoming than providing an abundant platter of delicious bites for your friends and family to gather around and enjoy while waiting for dinner? It immediately creates an intimate and relaxed atmosphere plus it buys you a few extra minutes to finish preparing the rest of the meal or beverages!
I absolutely love filling my antipasto platter with only the freshest of Mediterranean style ingredients that are just as beautiful as they are delicious! And the best part of this course is that it is simple and quick to throw together! Most of the ingredients can be store-bought, so all you need to do is arrange it on the platter, cover and refrigerate, and then bring it out when your first guest arrives! Easy peasy!
So we know this is super easy to throw together, but let’s talk about what we should actually include on the platter!
Keep it simple and colorful and offer a large variety of sliced meats, cheeses, and marinated vegetables. Some of my favorite additions to a Mediterranean style platter are:
- Marinated artichokes
- Hummus
- Roasted red bell peppers
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Marinated feta cheese
- Marinated olives
- Sweet Pickles
- Roasted almonds
- Dried fruit
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Roasted vegetables
- Assorted deli meats (salami, turkey, prosciutto)
- Tabouli
Oh and don’t forget the most important part! A large selection of pita breads, breadsticks, and crackers for dipping! YUM!
Antipasto platters are the perfect way to get people mingling and the conversation rolling. Incorporate one into your next dinner party or gathering and I promise you will not be disappointed!