Holiday Gift Guide: Hostess

The holidays are full of events- parties, dinners, gift exchanges, and too many cocktail hours to keep track of. At the center of each of these events is a woman we all love and adore- the hostess. She's the woman that manages to make her tiny one bedroom apartment fit as many friends as possible, while still keeping everyone comfortable. The one that turns her house into a chic lounge, or the one that injects so much Christmas spirit into her home that you'd swear you were in a Hallmark movie. These women go above and beyond all year long bringing people together, so they deserve a gift as amazing as they are! Why not bring a smile to their face or make their lives easier by giving them one of these items? Here are some Christmas gift ideas for the hostesses in your life.

1. Gold Leaf Phone Case 2. Pink Ombre Cocktail Shaker 3. KitchenAid Stand Mixer 4. Paper Mate Flair Markers 5. Celebrate Everything by Darcy Miller 6. Pink Party Straws 7. Keurig 2.0 Brewing System 8. Rose Gold Slate Drink Coasters 9. Meri Meri Birthday Candles 10. Pom Pom Marled Knit Throw 11. Gold Dot Champagne Flutes 12. Fujifilm Instax Mini (Raspberry)

1. Gold Leaf Phone Case - For a hostess that loves throwing glam parties, this phone case is a no-brainer! It'll be sure to put a smile on your friend's face, so maybe she'll be less likely to aggressively text you not to forget the pie.

2. Pink Ombre Cocktail Shaker - To get the party started, every hostess needs to have this adorable ombre cocktail shaker. It's equal parts fun and classy, so it's a perfect mood-setter for the party.

3. KitchenAid Stand Mixer - If your hostess friend is a baker, she'll love this KitchenAid mixer! If you've got a group of friends that want to get her a gift, this is the perfect opportunity to pitch in and get it for her as a Christmas gift since there are tons of sales during the holidays. I've been drooling over these for years. Here's to hoping someone purchases it from our wedding registry! 

4. Paper Mate Flair Markers - I can't survive without my Papermate Flair markers! With all the color options, budding party planners can color-coordinate their to-do lists, make grocery shopping more fun, handwrite a card, or just doodle to pass the time. They make everything a party.

5. Celebrate Everything by Darcy Miller - This book is seriously amazing. The pages are so colorful and full of interesting, useful party planning ideas. It's packed full of inspiration and does not disappoint!

6. Pink Party Straws - I don't think these need an explanation, but I'll give one anyway. They're pink, they're fun and they remind you to party. How can you NOT buy these?!

7. Keurig 2.0 Brewing System - Whether she's staying up late putting the finishing touches on her decor or serving guests, your friend needs a keurig! This off white color will match any kitchen while keeping it classy. She'll also stand out since everyone else has a black Keurig!

8. Rose Gold Slate Drink Coasters - No one likes rings on their furniture. Give your hostess a set of these gorgeous coasters so she can keep her furniture safe- in style. Plus they'd look gorgeous on a coffee table! Cute and practical, what better Christmas gift can you ask for?

9. Meri Meri Birthday Candles - These candles would make such a fun gift for any hostess or party gal! They're pink and glittery, tall and elegant. They're perfect for a birthday or just to make an ordinary meal interesting.

10. Pom Pom Marled Knit Throw - Since the hostess always makes her home nice and cozy for everyone, why not return the favor with this throw? It's soft, warm and has super cute pom poms on the ends.

11. Gold Dot Champagne Flutes - Drinking champagne makes everything an event, whether your hostess is partying it up with friends or laying on the couch watching Friends. At least this way, she can do it with her pinkies up.

12. Fujifilm Instax Mini (Raspberry) - I love instant cameras. I was fascinated with them as a kid in the 90's and still like them today! They capture a memory and print it right then and there. It's the best Christmas gift for a hostess. It'll remind her to live in the moment!

With this holiday gift guide, you can find the best Christmas present for each hostesses on your list. Christmas is the perfect time to tell her thanks for always bringing us together- in style! Which of these items is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

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DIY Christmas Ornaments for Color Lovers

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree. I really love your colors. Ornaments are easily the best part of any tree. They are the life, the personality, and what makes each tree unique. I still remember the first set of ornaments we ever made. There was one that looked like a melted pile of boogers with some shapes, which was made from Elmer's glue. Then there was the set we made with my dad. He took wrapping paper, cut out shapes, and used colored glue to create designs. Then, we sprinkled the edges with confetti. They're still buried in my parents' garage somewhere, so maybe someday they'll get to go on my tree! In the meantime, I've rounded up the best colorful ornament DIY's so that your tree can be as vibrant and fun as you are! We know there are so many cool ornaments you can buy, but over in these parts, we like things you can make!

DIY Pun Holiday Ornaments by Aww Sam. Because puns are tree-iffic.

DIY Faux Gingerbread Ornaments by Dawn Nicole Designs. Since you can't eat gingerbread cookies for a month straight, these will (kinda) satisfy your sweet tooth.

Illustrated Christmas Ornaments by Hello Happy Studios. We all wish we can draw the cutest little things, but we probably can't, so it's great that these come pre-printed for us!

Cactus Christmas Bauble Ornaments from My Poppet. Since some of us can kill a real cactus (guilty!) we need to improvise sometimes so we can get our cactus fix.

Balsa Wood Diamond Ornament by A Beautiful Mess. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, and let's be honest, this is probably the only one you'll be getting for Christmas.

Rudolph Ornaments by Studio DIY. Why was there only one magical light up reindeer in the whole North Pole?! We will never know.

Painted Christmas Ornaments by Design Improvised. A little paint and some tape goes a long way with these cuties!

Easy Sewing Cards by Mr. Printables. While these aren't exactly Christmas ornaments, I think these would be adorable on a tree. Plus you get to practice your seeing, so win-win!

Glitter Dust Filled Balls by The Vault Files. You can also hand these out on New Year's Eve as the ball drops!

Tissue Paper Fringe Ornaments by A Kailo Chic Life. Pinatas belong in every occasion, and Christmas is no exception!

 Painted Ornaments by Tell Love and Party. If you're not too crafty, these are perfect to start with!

Painted Gold Leaf Ornaments by The Sweetest Occasion. These remind me of globes, if the land was made of gold.

Yarn Wrapped Christmas Tree Ornaments by Easy Peasy and Fun. Recycling = Awesome.

Glitter Scallop Ornaments by Sarah Hearts. These are simple and elegant, much like your Great Aunt Mary would like you to be (but you aren't).

I think any of these ornaments would be a super cute addition to your tree! Which is your favorite? Have you ever made any other ornaments for your tree? Let me know in the comments below!

How to Save Time and Money on Holiday Gatherings

Doesn't it seem like once December hits, you're busy every waking moment of the day? I bet even while you're sleeping, sugarplums are dancing in your head!

Between office holiday parties, gatherings with friends, bake sales, and family dinners, you're basically booked solid until after New Years. Since the whole world doesn't stop during the holiday season, you've got to squeeze it all in along with your regularly scheduled programming. Don't you wish there was a cheat sheet on how to manage it all?

This week, I hopped on over to the Crazy Busy Happy Life blog and shared my tips for how to save time and money on your holiday gatherings this season. Whether you are hosting a holiday event, attending as a guest, or both, sometimes we need a few shortcuts to save us time and money. 

So what are you waiting for?! Head on over to Crazy Busy Happy Life and read the post!

How to Plan a Glam Friendsgiving Dinner

It's a well known fact that everyone's favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food. Seeing your crazy aunt is so worth it when you can have her tasty Mac and cheese. But what's the best part of of Thanksgiving weekend? Besides shopping (and not having to work for 4 days!) it's Friendsgiving.  While your grandma is asking when you'll get married, your friends are sharing funny horror stories about the life of a single gal. Or maybe you're spending time together gushing about your friend's new boyfriend. Either way, the pressure is off and you're free to enjoy the food, the drinks and the company. How better to thank your gals for their support than by hosting a glam Friendsgiving dinner? I decked out my dining room with gorgeous golds, pops of pink and orange, and tons of teal. I'll show you how to do it too!

Disclaimer- This blog post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you decide to purchase anything. I only link to items I enjoy or would purchase myself.

Dress it Up

Since I knew the table decor would be really colorful, I opted for a simple ivory tablecloth to keep it neutral. I added an ivory sequin table runner for a bit of subtle glitz without distracting from all the other decorations.

For the centerpiece, I decided to go with the new hot trend, painted pumpkins! While most people like to use real pumpkins, I opted for fake ones. I find that the real ones always get mushy at the bottom, but these fake ones can be used for years to come! All I had to do was spray them with primer, then a few coats of spray paint.

One of my favorite parts of this table are these pumpkin candle holders. They come in black, but I think they look so much better spray painted gold! It gives them an elegant touch, don't you think? I also scattered some orange votive holders around the table for some extra color and a bit of romance. 

I added some flowers, because everyone loves flowers. I got mine from the supermarket, and it was already a tiny little bundle! I just trimmed the ends and stuck it right in the vase. It was easy peasy and really dressed up the table. I also found this really cute desert gems cactus at the supermarket, which is a cute and funky alternative to flowers. 

Tablescape

Fun fact- all the tableware is disposable! This means cleanup will be a breeze, but you don't have to sacrifice style. I ran over to my local Party City and picked up these gorgeous gold rim plastic plates, pink and gold plates, and neon pink champagne glasses. They added the perfect pop of color while still keeping it classy. My utensils came from Michaels. They are similar to ordinary disposable utensils, except that they have a really fun handle! The napkins were from Oriental trading as leftovers from my Halloween party. 

To create the place settings, stack your plates on top of each other and place them in the center of each chair. Take a napkin and place it diagonally with the ridges facing outwards. Stack your utensils on the napkin, placing your spoon first, then your fork and finally your knife. Make sure your knives are all facing the same direction! I created a fan shape to keep it different and interesting. Finally, place your diy mini faux pumpkin piñata in the center. If you want to assign seating, these would be great as place cards too! Just add a strip of paper with each person's name on it.

Since your cups will be empty when people arrive, you have to give them a little flair. To do this, I simply folded up an additional napkin to add a pop of color. Everyone can always use an extra napkin, right?

Napkin Folding Tutorial

1. Place your napkin down on a flat surface. (Put the pattern facing the top- this was my bad for the photo!)
2. Fold in half lengthwise along the straw.
3. Turn the napkin sideways. Fold the corner down towards the bottom along the straw.
4. Flip over and repeat the fold.
5. Take your folded napkin and smooth down the edges.
6. Put the napkins into your glasses with the middle fold facing the back and enjoy!

Set up a Bar Cart

If you've got a bar cart, use it! It's a really simple way to dress up your space and it'll provide some extra room for things like spare cups and drinks. If your home doesn't have room for a bar cart, you've got to check out this folding one. It's cute and sturdy, and packs away easily when not in use! It's the one I use at home and I LOVE IT! Seriously you guys, it's really colorful, strong,  and can be used indoors or outdoors.

Now that you've pulled your bar cart out, you have to dress it up for the occasion! I I covered my cart with sequin table runners and draped my colorful leaf garland on the front for an extra pop of color and to give it a little seasonal fair. I used my teal pumpkin as the focal point of my bar cart, and placed my cute Gather sign from Target on top. I placed my wine bottles around it, along with some champagne glasses. 

On the bottom shelf, I put some extra glasses and bottles of wine, but you could also put an ice bucket, your barware, or some extra plates and napkins.

And that's all there is to it! Throwing a Friendsgiving party is so fun and rewarding. Seriously, what could be better than an evening wining and dining with your gals?! How do you celebrate Fiendsgiving? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Colorful Leaf Garland

One of my favorite things about the fall is the leaves changing colors. For a few weeks, the world looks like a painting and it's so magical! Even though these colorful leaves can't be found on any natural tree (but can you imagine?!) I think they will add the perfect hint of color to your fall decor or Friendsgiving dinner. This tutorial features leaves from my fave party shop, Oriental Trading, and some Martha Stewart Paints. This garland is so easy to make that it's not even funny! If you've ever wanted to paint a tree but had no artistic talent, this project's for you! 

You will need:

Burlap Leaves from Oriental Trading
Twine
Hot Glue Gun
Neon Paints* 
*The colors I used were Hydrangea Purple, Beach Glass, Orange Soda, Yellowjacket, and Date Night Pink

Step 1: If your paints are brand new, remove the seal. Deduct points if you were accidentally slightly squeezing the bottle and spewed neon paint all over yourself, then dropped the seal on the carpet, paint-side down.....

2. Cover your workspace with scrap paper. The paint will seep through the holes in the burlap, so be sure you have it adequately covered!

3. Paint the leaves with complimentary colors so that the original color gets covered up. Let dry. Flip over and paint the other side. If the color of the leaf is still seeping through, paint a second coat.

4. Repeat for as many leaves as you would like and let them dry overnight.

5. Cut a length of ribbon or twine long enough for your leaves plus a little extra to hang it. Glue the leaves onto the twine, evenly spaced out, starting at the center.

6. Hang up and enjoy!

And that's all there is to it! I think this would be a super fun pre-Friendsgiving day activity. You can invite over your gals, have some moscato, and paint leaves into the night while watching a rom-com! Then everyone gets a fun parting gift they can hang up and remember you by. It's super affordable too!

So what do you think? Will you be inviting your besties over to create this colorful garland? What would you watch as you make it? Let me know in the comments below!