Backyard Bash | Summer Soiree Blog Hop

July 19, 2018

Summer is here and that can only mean one thing…it’s time to do some outdoor entertaining! Today I’m joining 5 of my blogging buddies for a Summer Soiree Backyard Bask and you’re invited to the party. We had a blast with the Spring Soiree virtual progressive dinner, we decided a summer blog hop was in order.

Entertaining during the summer can be so much fun and a progressive dinner makes it even better because the meal prep is spread across all the party hosts. As you party hop, not only do you get to enjoy everyone’s decor but you also enjoy a different menu at each house. Nothing like delicious food + stylish decor to create the perfect party atmosphere.

The menu below shows the courses and the hosts for our Summer Soiree Backyard Bash so sit back as we get this party started.

Summer Soiree Virtual Progressive Dinner Party

The first stop for our progressive dinner kicks off with cocktails at my house. When it comes to summer cocktails, I enjoy a drink that is light, refreshing and a little fruity. Today I’m serving up a Strawberry Lemon Mojito which checks all the boxes.

So that everyone can mix and mingle in the comfort of air conditioning, I set up my cocktail bar indoors. I created a little “make and shake station” on my sideboard and used my tiered bar table to hold my blue & white ice bucket, other beverage options and glassware.

To play off the color and pattern used in the invitation, I dressed my sideboard with a blue plaid runner and yellow decor and flowers as an accent color. I used mostly white serving pieces for a crisp pop of color and a few wicker elements to create that summer vibe.

Learn how I made the ice bucket here.

Now that I have my bar set, I want to share a few tips to help you with your party next party…

Cocktail Party Tips:

Use the colors and theme of the party invitation as inspiration for your decor.
Break traditional cocktail rules and Mix and match your glassware to give your party an eclectic feel.
Include a few nibbles on the bar and around the room so guests have something to snack on and to ensure no one is drinking on an empty stomach.
Use decorative bowls to hold drink garnish and add style to your bar.
Frame the drink recipe so guests know what ingredients are in the signature cocktail.
Have non-alcoholic beverages available for those guests that don’t drink alcohol.

I’m sending you off to Tamrya’s house for appetizers but before you go, download the Strawberry Lemon Mojito Cocktail Recipe so you can enjoy it at your next summer bash.

And be sure to follow the party and stop by each participating blogger for more entertaining and menu ideas…

Cocktails with ConfettiStyle (that’s me)

Appetizers with Positively Southern

Tablescape Decor with Atta Girl Says

Main Course with M. Jones Style

Dessert with Viva La Vintage For Your Home

Hostess Gift & Party Favors with Home On Poplar Creek

Fun & Festive 4th Of July Tablescape

July 2, 2018

Don’t you just love the Fourth of July? I sure do. From burgers on the grill, time in the sun and the fireworks show, the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. We’ve got a pretty laid back day planned and will be spending the day at my brother’s. Even though we won’t be home on the 4th, I decided some festive decor was in order at our house. I jazzed up our dining room with a fun & festive red, white, and blue tablescape and also decorated the sideboard.

Fun & Festive 4th Of July Tablescape

Pulling this tablesacpe together was pretty easy since I already owned everything I used to dress the table. Like most of my tablescape designs, this 4th of July table is a mix of traditional and chinoiserie elements with lots of pattern mixing going on. The focal point of the table is the centerpiece arrangement which is a grouping of blue and white ginger jars. Using jars with different patterns adds lots of visual interest and gives the table an eclectic feel. And for a little contrast, I flanked the jars with a pair of tortoise hurricanes. Chinoiserie and tortoise are a match made in heaven!

The tortoise hurricanes are from Pottery Barn but are no longer available. I did find a similar hurricane and listed the source at the bottom of the post.

The place setting I created is pretty classic. I started with a solid red placemat and then layered a red and white buffalo check charger on top. My vintage Blue Willow dinner plates are the finishing layer and area great pattern contrast against the plaid. I added the red salad plate and blue and white ceramic coasters to fill in around each pacesetting. Both of these items were flea market finds. To add more blue and white to the table, I placed a blue and white table runner down the center of the table and used blue and white striped paper napkins next to each place setting.

I hung a grouping of festive paper fans over the sideboard mirror and flanked my favorite monkey dish with milk glasses vases filled with red roses. If you ever come across these paper fans pick them up because they are an easy way to add a dramatic punch to party decor.

I hope you enjoyed my 4th of July tablescape. And I hope it inspired you in case you’re doing some last minute decorating.

*****

TABLETOP SOURCES

Cherry Blossom Ginger Jar || Hexagon Blue & White Ginger Jar (from HomeGoods) || Small White & Blue Ginger Jar || Tortoise Hurricanes || Blue and White Table Runner || Red Placemats || Red & White Plaid Charger (from At Home) || Blue Willow Plates (vintage)

SIDEBOARD SOURCES

Paper Fans || Blue & White Monkey Bowl (thrifted) || Milk Glass Vases

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Summer Tablescape: Bright & Bold

June 20, 2018

It’s hard to believe that the official first day of Summer is just a few days away. In honor of the new season, I pulled together a light-hearted and tropical themed tablescape. To be honest, this tablescape has been in the makings for weeks. I finally got around to photographing it and the timing couldn’t be any better because this table screams summer entertaining.

Like so many of the tablescapes I create, the theme for this table is based on a single item–the palm leaf plates.

I’ve been spying these plates at HomeGoods for a while and finally decided they needed to come home with me. I purchased the small plates first and then went back and got the salad plates because I love the pattern so much. #homegoodshappy

The purchase of the plates led me on a hunt for a table runner and I found the perfect one at Hobby Lobby. Actually, I bought this gorgeous green malachite fabric and made my own table runner for less than $12.00. Unfortunately this fabric is no longer available but I found two similar options here and here.

Along with using wrapping paper as a table runner, making a runner using inexpensive fabric is one of my favorite entertaining hacks.

To add depth and dimension to each place setting, I layered the dinnerware. I used square wood charger plates (thrifted) as the bottom layer and then placed round woven rattan chargers on top. I snagged the round chargers at a store here in Atlanta that was going out of business. The additional of the brass rim makes them really special.

I pulled out mat wedding china and placed the white dinner plates on the rattan charger. Then I layered the two sizes of palm leaf plates.

I love adding a pop of color to my table settings and decided there’s not better combo for summer than pink and green.

To create a layered look with the napkins, I used hot pink dinner napkins and place these cute green and white lattice design paper napkins on top. For casual events, it’s ok to use paper napkins along with cloth napkins. Or use paper napkins alone.

My bamboo flatware adds another nod to summer and I just love using it to dress a table. (p.s. The 20 pc. set of flatware is on $35 and it comes in a lighter color as well)

pink napkins from World Market (similar color here)

My centerpiece was really easy to pull together. I used three of my milk glass vases along with these green candle holders I bought several years ago. You can recreate the look with this budget friendly set of candleholders.

My glassware is another HomeGoods find. These bamboo glasses are melamine (acrylic) but look like the real thing. They are perfect for outdoor entertaining and come in a larger size too. (p.s. I just spotted the same glasses at Tuesday Morning the other day–in case your HomeGoods is sold out).

Instead of buying fresh flowers, I filled the milk glass vases with silk stems I had in my stash. The color is a dead on match to the napkins.

I love the away my table turned out. It has a preppy vibe but still feels classic and pulled together.

I’ll be in Oklahoma the next few days helping my mom with a garage sale and packing up her house. In just a few weeks she’ll be moving to Atlanta and will get to enjoy my tablescapes in person.

Thanks for stopping by today. I’ decided to do a little decorating for the 4th of July so I’ll be sharing that with you next week. Stay tuned.

Floral Fiesta–A Spring Soiree Blog Hop

May 24, 2018

Well friends, it’s an exciting day around these parts. I’m participating in a virtual progressive dinner blog hop with a group of blogging friends. We came together to bring you a Floral Fiesta dinner party, with each blogger hosting one element of the dinner.

If you’re coming over from Atta Girl Says, welcome and thanks for stopping by. Amy is one of my favorite bloggers and her dessert recipe has me chomping at the bit–yum! For those of you just now jumping in, no worries; I will provide a link to the other party stops at the bottom of the post so you won’t miss any of the Floral Fiesta fun.

I’m the last stop on the blog hop so I get to share a fun party favor and hostess gift idea. I feel one of the most important elements when hosting is leaving your guests with a gift at the end of the evening. It such a personal way to thank everyone that attended. And of course if you’re attending a party, a hostess gift is definitely in order to say thank you.

Gift baskets make great hostess gifts so to fit with the Floral Fiesta party theme, I created a flower garden gift basket.

HOSTESS GIFT IDEA: Garden Themed Gift Basket

My goal was to make the basket colorful and festive and I think I succeeded.

Instead of a traditional wicker basket, I used a black and white striped container that as the basket. The container has six divided sections inside so I was able to tuck different gifts into each section. The next time you make a gift basket, think outside the box and come up with a unique option for the container. Wine buckets, vases and serving bowls are great options and will make the gift extra special.

So the items wouldn’t fall to the bottom of the basket, I put a handful of shredded paper in each section. Then I added flower seed packets which set the tone for the theme and added a pop.

Next I added a garden tool, garden gloves, hand lotion and gardenia scented candle. The last item I added was a few circular garden stakes that were a quick DIY project.

This garden themed gift basket is definitely a gift that will keep on giving long after the party is over. The party host can plant the seeds and enjoy the flowers for years to come.

PARTY FAVOR GIFT IDEA: Garden In A Jar

For our Floral Fiesta party favors, I pulled together this cute gift which I’m calling Garden in Jar. It’s similar to the hostess gift garden basket but on a smaller scale.

I started with a glass jar I picked up at Hobby Lobby. The jar has an attached rope handle making it easy for party guests to carry their treat away

To create the jar, I placed some shred in the bottom and used a few flower seed packets to line the inside of the jar. Then I filled the jar with garden themed gifts just like the gift basket but added smaller garden stakes. A silk bow in a vibrant color combination gives the jar a fun finishing touch.

And once the jar is empty, it can be used to hold a small bouquet of fresh flowers on the kitchen counter or a tabletop.

Be sure to pop over to each stop on the Floral Fiesta party train–from the cocktail to the dessert, were serving up everything you need to host your next spring soiree.

Cocktail Hour–M. Jones Style
Appetizers–Home On Poplar Creek
Party Tablescape–Positively Southern
Main Course–Viva La Vintage For Your Home
Dessert–Atta Girl Says
Hostess Gift & Party Favor Ideas–yours truly

Black and White Container // Garden Gloves (Dollar Store) // Garden Tool (similar) // Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Cream // Flower Seed Packets // Gardenia Candle // Fun Garden Stakes (similar) // Glass Jar // Two-tone Silk Ribbon // Yellow Grosgrain Ribbon // Paper Shred

** posts contains affiliate links

Spring Entertaining: Tablescape Styling {plus tips}

March 20, 2018

One of my favorite color combinations is black and white with pops of bold color. It’s a classic statement with an edgy vibe and I love the energy that these colors create when used together. And it’s the perfect color statement for spring entertaining.

To celebrate the first day of spring, I pulled together a bold and bright spring entertaining tablescape to share with you. And I added a couple of Easter elements in too since Easter is just a few weeks away.

SPRING ENTERTAINING: BOLD & BRIGHT

Spring is the season when trees are blooming and flowers are budding so I created a beautiful flower arrangement as the centerpiece for my table. I used this gorgeous yellow chinoiserie planter that I scored at an estate sale and filled it with a mix flowers from Trader Joe’s.

Flower Arranging Tip: Use florist’s foam to keep flowers in place and constantly hydrated so they last longer. Soak the foam for 15 minutes before cutting it to fit the container. Water the foam every couple of days.

Tablescape Styling Tip: Creating contrast is a great way to give your tablescape dimension and depth. Combine colors that are opposite on the color wheel; mix matte and shiny finishes; use a variety of patterns for visual interest.

I know I’ve said it over and over, but one of the key elements of a beautiful table is the layering. I layered different plate styles to give the table a ‘collected’ but elegant look. And the black and white striped placemats add a modern and dramatic edge. Instead of using colorful glassware that would have competed with the flowers, I used clear crystal to add a touch of sparkle.

** I’ll let you in on a little secret. Those beautiful scalloped white dinner plates with the silver rim are actually plastic! Don’t they look amazing? Until you pick them up you have no idea they aren’t real china. If you want to pick up a set, I found them at Tuesday Morning.

I layered each pacesetting with my thrifted red salad plates and black and white accent pieces. The small rectangular black and white plates came from C. Wonder (I miss that store) and I got the black and white bowls through a trade resource. My red diy monogram dinner napkins add yet another pop of color.

Tablescape Styling Tip: don’t be afraid to mix different materials in creating your pacesetting. There are tons of beautiful melamine plates at HomeGoods and they can make a great layering element when combined with china.

Whenever I create a tablescape, I like to use candles as part of the centerpiece statement. The tall crystal candlesticks are from Tiffany’s and were a gift when I left Eddie Bauer to move to Atlanta. They add height and along with the stemware give that table some shine and shimmer.

I shared my newly upholstered round ottomans on IG and love the way they coordinate with the centerpiece on the table. The floral fabric is one of my all-time favorite budget fabric finds. You can purchase it here and you won’t believe the price.

To give the table a nod to Easter, I nestled two ceramic bunnies on each side of the centerpiece and tied a pink bow around their next. The bunnies were a Target dollar spot find from last year.

There you have it–lots of spring tablescape inspiration, and a few styling tips to help you pull your table together.

Cheers to spring and happy entertaining!

Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour–Part 2

December 6, 2017

Welcome friends to Part 2 of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. I’m excited to share more of my holiday home with you. If you missed the Part 1 of the tour and the unveiling of my Christmas tree, you can find it here.

For those of you coming over from Positively Southern, welcome. Tamyra’s decor is so lovely and exudes southern elegance and beauty.

Today I’m sharing my dining room, holiday bar cart and the fun accent I added along our stair rail. First up is the dining room.

Come gather at our Christmas table…

The main level of our townhouse is an open concept so the dining space flows into the living room. I continued the colors on my tree (red & hot pink) into the dining room decor and on to my holiday tablescape.

When it comes to entertaining, I love an overly layered table. I chose not to use a tablecloth and instead let the placemats and table runner serve as the first layer of my table decor. The table, runner which you get a glimpse of below, has a modern pattern which mixes well with the other elements on the table. Don’t worry, you’ll get to see more the runner in just a bit.

I pulled out this vintage swan to use as the centerpiece and absolutely love the whimsy it adds to the table. Pink roses and a few evergreen and eucalyptus sprigs created a really lush and glamorous arrangement.

Flanking the swan are red mercury glass vases with red silk peonies. And since every tablescape needs candles, I added white taper candles in crystal candle holders.

I kept the place settings simple and made sure to incorporated both pink and red to coordinate with the rest of my decor. The glass charger plates and white china with a silver rim add a little bling to the table. The chargers have a beaded bottom which also adds a lot of sparkle.

Hot pink dinner napkins sit on top of the salad plates and on top of it sits a red & gold holiday appetizer plate.

tablescape tip: don’t be afraid to mix silver and gold in your table settings.

Here’s a closer look at the reversible table runner from SmithHonig. It so beautiful and I couldn’t be happier with how it looks with table decor. The top of the runner features the Ashes Of Roses fabric and the bottom is red velvet.

SmithHönig is a line of textiles, art, furniture & furnishings from award-winning designer Kellie Smith & visual artist & travel blogger Melanie Hönig. Their product line includes pillows, linens, fabric-by-the-yard and wallpaper. If you’re looking for unique decor and fabrics for your home, you’ll definitely want to check out SmithHonig.

All is merry, all is bright…

One of my favorite elements on the table are the Mario Luca Giusti Dolce Vita Acrylic Wine Glasses. These beauties are from the UK-based decor and gift company Amara. The green is such a rich and vibrant color and I love the fact that they are lightweight and unbreakable. Wine glasses are just one item in Amara’s acrylic tabletop collection which includes pitchers, tumblers, champagne glasses and more.

If you saw my Christmas tree last week, you’ll remember that I used tissue paper honeycomb balls to decorate it. Well, look what I found in my stash of entertaining goodies? These cute honeycomb ball hors d’oeuvre picks. They couldn’t be more perfect with my Christmas theme.

The dining room chandelier that was in the house when we bought it is not my style. I plan to replace it next year so for Christmas I used holly leaf and berry garland to camouflage it a bit.

The side board is decorated with a grouping of red mercury glass trees, greenery sprigs and round ornaments in pink and red.

’tis the season to be jolly…

I placed my bar station on the far side of the living room, next to the door that leads to the deck. Instead of a traditional bar cart, I used this three-tier table that I scored it at a flea market for $30. It’s perfect for holding bottles, glassware & bar accessories.

preserved boxwood wreath // 1 1/2″ wide red satin ribbon

The mini Christmas tree is sitting in my DIY blue and white ice bucket. You can read all about how I made it here.

DIY Monogram Drink Stirrer // vintage monkey (similar here)

And finally, here’s a look at our stair banister all dressed up for Christmas.

I swagged garland along the banister and hung iron bells and ornaments at different intervals. The metal bells are from one of my favorite stores in Norcross called The Shops Of Antique Traditions.

red ribbon // hot pink ribbon

Well, that’s it for this week. I’ll be back next Wednesday, 12/13 for the finale of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour to share the rest of my holiday decor.

Now it’s time to hop over to Chic On A Shoestring Decorating to see more of Kate’s holiday home. Last week she shared her Christmas tree and it was stunning. I know you’re going to love what she has to share this week.

And be sure to stop by the other Merry & Bright blog participants to see their holiday homes!

Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour

Green With Decor

Rover At Home

Love Your Abode

Positively Southern

ConfettiStyle

Chic On A Shoestring Decorating

M. Jones Style

Thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: Some of the products featured in this blog post were provided by Amara and SmithHönig as part of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. All opinions, images and holiday cheer are 100% mine.

Holiday Gift Guide | Hostess Gifts

November 21, 2017

This time of year is super busy with holiday gatherings and parties, and chances are you’ve got a party or two to attend. I don’t want you to show up empty handed so check out my Hostess Gift Guide. I’ve searched high and low to round-up twelve awesome gifts to bring the hostess as a little thank you!

P.S. Some of these gifts are also perfect to wrap up and put under the tree for family or friends to open on Christmas morning.

…

Read the Post

Fall Tablescape Design–Autumn Elegance

October 2, 2017

Hi friends. You might have noticed that I’ve been challenged with keeping a regular blogging routine that past couple of months. Life has been a whirlwind of activity lately with the move to our new house, work demands and an extended vacation thrown into the mix. I’ve wanted to be here with you everyday but as I struggled to keep up with life’s demands, I made the decision to give myself a break. My blog is a bright spot in my life and I want to share and inspire you but I can’t do that if I’m not feeling like I’m giving you my best. Sometimes in life you just have to stop and take a breath and that’s what I’ve allowed myself to do.

Even though life continues to be busy I’m slowing easing back into a routine and getting back on track. Thanks for hanging in there with me and continuing to follow and support the blog.

Ok, enough about my busy life, its time to get to some fun fall decorating.

Today I’m sharing my Fall Tablescape with you. I’m calling it Autumn Elegance because it a fun combination of chic and rustic.

p.s. there’s a full source list at the end of the post to make shopping easy for you

Fall Tablescape: Autumn Elegance

The color theme I choose is a twist on a traditional fall color palette. The mix of terra-cotta orange with blue & white and shades of green give the table the feeling of fall but with a lighter edge. And the wood elements add the rustic touch.

For the centerpiece, I used a vintage dough bowl and filled it with faux pumpkins, hydrangea and ornamental cabbage. I love the look of real cabbage in an arrangement and was excited to find faux stems at the craft store.

Since my bowl is deep, I placed a few pieces of dollar store floral form in the bottom and nestled the flowers between the foam. The foam also helps to elevate the pumpkins and keep everything in place.

The place setting is where the mix of chic and rustic elements come together. I mixed my elegant Blue Willow china with casual Fiestaware plates and the wood charger. I found the Bird of Paradise bread plates last week at an antique store and they are perfect for my color theme. And to add another rustic touch, I used my favorite faux bamboo flatware to complete the place setting.

I’m all about layers when it comes to creating tablescapes so I also mixed in several different accent plates.

Our dining space is not fully decorated yet but I did add a few fall touches to the buffet. I kept the arrangement eclectic and used a pair of tortoise hurricanes, ceramic pumpkins and brass pineapples. The tortoise hurricanes I snagged at Pottery Barn on super sale but these from Amara are similar.

I just love how lush and layered the centerpiece is. It really is the star of the show and sets the tone for the entire table.

I love how this tablescape came out! I think it’s so warm & inviting and just the look to get me in the spirit of the season.

How do you decorate your table for Fall? Do you go with neutrals or traditional Fall colors?

Fall Tablescape Design Tips:

* Find one item that can serve as the jumping off point for your table decor. Use it to pull your color story together and to decide the style of your table.

* Create a focal point with your centerpiece. If you’re creating a larger floral arrangement as your centerpiece, pay attention the height. You want to make sure and keep the arrangement low so conversation can easily flow across the table.

* Make sure your tablescape has depth vertically and horizontally…layer from the bottom up and from side to side. My centerpiece provided horizontal impact on the table and the layered place settings gave the table visual interest.

* Candles are a must…Candles could be tall candlesticks or small tea lights depending one your table decor.

* Personalize your place settings. Use place cards, napkins or decorative element within your tablescape to add the personality to your table.

* Mix and Match to make the table come to life. Combine different china patterns, linen textures and materials to add personality and interest to your table. I love mixing refined china and cauual dinnerware and using a combination of silver and gold finishes. The perfect mix of rough luxe!

and finally,

* Layer, Layer, Layer! I’ve mentioned this before but can’t stress enough how much layering will enhance your tablescape.

♦♦♦♦♦

Fall Tablescape Source List:

Orange Tablecloth (similar here)

Blue and Orange Dinner Napkins (Pier 1 on clearance. Etsy is a great source for custom embroidered napkins)

Bamboo Flatware (purchased at Neiman Marcus but also available here)

Wood Charger Plate (thrifted–similar here)

Blue Willow Dinnerware (lots of vintage options here)

White China

Orange Fiestaware Plates (available in every color under the rainbow)

Small White Cake Stand (Target dollar spot last year but you can get them here for under $4.00)

Blue and White Coasters–vintage/thrifted

Large Dough Bowl–Lakewood Antiques Market 15 years ago–great vintage source here)

Pumpkins–Target (dollar spot) and Hobby Lobby

Faux Cabbage (looks like the real thing)

Silk Hydrangea

For more entertaining and table design inspiration, check out some of the other tablescapes I’ve created:

Bohemian Inspired Table

Autumn 2016 Tablescape

Fall in Natural and Gold

Thanksgiving Table for Two

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