Tablescape Tuesday: Dessert Buffet

Justin and I love to host our friends during the holidays but it is often so difficult to find a night that suits everyone's schedules.  After battling the busy holiday calendars we all have, Justin and I settled on hosting a Saturday night dessert party that started at 9 p.m. and continued on until midnight.  It was a great way to meet up with friends after they had attended the dinner parties, office parties and children's parties that they had committed to.  Here are a few of the details:

We decorated our dining room table with Vintage Santa Claus figures in shades of pink and red.  They are so charming!  We also wrapped a candy covered garland around the various desserts.

I filled silver bowls and serving pieces roses in shades of pink, red, and peach and also stuck giant Christmas Lollipops into the oasis as if they were a natural part of the arrangement. 

Vintage Christmas trees, some in pink and some in green, were scattered down the middle of the table for height.   Various sizes and heights of serving pieces were used to display all of the desserts which ranged from pies and cakes to candies and cookies. 

Christmas crackers were handed out at the door.  They were filled with candy (as if our guests needed any more sweets) and good luck charms. 

A big bouche de Noel was added to honor my husband's French heritage. 

Today Show Tailgate Recipes

Did you catch me on The Today Show this morning?  I had a great time with Hoda, Kathie Lee and, our surprise football legend, Frank Gifford!  It was a blast!

Click here for the recipes we shared on the show.

Click here for details on the tailgating fashions.

Click here for a link to the Astroturf invitations.

 Happy Tailgating everyone!

Party: Leather and Lace Lingerie Shower

I had more fun planning my sister's lingerie shower!  It was such a blast!  I hosted it with our younger sister, Krystal, and two other close friends.  It was a girly Leather and Lace party that was so much fun!

Leather and Lace Invitations from HBDesigns set the tone for our pink and black evening. 

The Bride has always resembled a Barbie Doll so I couldn't resist having these Leather and Lace Barbie Cakes made!

Lycheetinis, the Bride to be's favorite drink, were served.

The napkins and flatware were tied up with black leather and pink satin ribbons.

Of course, we had to serve whoopie pies!

This outdoor seating area in our hostesses home was a popular spot!

Clear acrylic frames were lined with lace and used as serving trays for the passed food. 

Simple Supper Club

Cecilia Vaughn of Fairview, Texas wrote the following question to me:

We are members of a supper club and it is our turn to host for 6 couples. This is our only our second time to host and I have to admit that our first attempt was very stressful and I did not feel like I had time to enjoy the company of my guests. Any suggestions on theme or menu? 


I am so sad that you were stressed out during your first Supper Club but I am thrilled that you are sticking with it and giving it another shot.  Here are a few of my suggestions for taking the stress out of entertaining.


-Simplify the menu.  Don't try to create the fanciest and most complicated dinner.  Keep it simple and consider serving some old classic comfort foods instead of formal haute cuisine. 


-Never attempt a recipe for the first time while entertaining.  If you are determined to serve a certain recipe, schedule a trial run for your family dinner.


-Set your table several days before your event.  Check that off your list early so that you don't need to worry about it the day of your dinner party.  Everything should be out on the table including candles and a matchbook!  Think through all of the different things you will need so that you don't need to rush to find things while the party is taking place. 


-Set out a self serve bar tray so that, as your guests arrive, you can direct them to the area where they can pour their own drink.  If you want to have a lot of fun with it, you could set up a wine station and share descriptions of the various wines you are offering or create a signature drink and place all of the ingredients on a tray.  Frame the recipe for the drink next to the tray and invite your guests to make one!


-Make a seating plan and set out place cards. I know it sounds like it might be more work but it will actually give you one less thing to think about while the guests are there.  The trick to stress free entertaining is doing most of the work before the guests arrive!


-Accept that not everything thing will be perfect.  Try to take a few minutes for yourself before the party to sit, have a few moments with your spouse, and unwind before your first guest rings the door bell. 


-Accept help when offered.  Don't be afraid to assign a small and simple task to any guest who asks how they can help. 

Superbowl Party Planning Time!

Can you believe how the Superbowl is sneaking up on us!  I can't believe it is that time of year again!

Get on your game now and send out some invitations for your very own Superbowl party.  Paperless Post and CoCoDot have wonderful options for a Football themed event.

Make a centerpiece out of cheerleader pom poms.  Be sure to squish them up so that they have volume and then use the handles so secure them at the base.  Simply arrange a few of them down the center of your table as you would flowers.

Serve finger food and little munchies.  Don't try to get fancy on this fun-filled day.  It is best to stick to foods that don't require utensils so that people can grab a plate and take a seat to cheer on their favorite team.

Bake cupcakes and split them into two teams....frost them in opposing team colors and top them with a plastic toy whistle.

Put the decor emphasis your coffee table.  Purchase Wheat Germ grass from your local florist and have some fun with it!  You could add flowers to it in your teams colors or serve the cupcakes from there.  You could also place a simple football in the center for a simple modern look.

Holiday Party Etiquette

Chances are you mail box will be filling up with invitations to holiday festivities and office parties soon! Here are a few of the things I learned from Etiquette and Protocol Expert Colleen Rickenbacher at our Feather Your Nest Luncheon last week!

-Always reply to an invitation with in three days of receiving it!

-Arriving fashionably late has gone out of fashion!  Never arrive right on time but try to enter a party about five to fifteen minutes after the starting time.

-Obey the 45 minute rule for cocktail parties.  Be sure that you appear for at least 45 minutes at a two hour party.  It is perfectly fine to "party hop" but make sure you spend enough time at each event.

-It is a known fact that most guests at a party first hit the bar, then the buffet, then their own friends.  Make a rule that you will always greet your host before you go anywhere else.

-Always carry your glass in your left hand so that you can shake hands with the new people you meet!

The Photo Stand

Can you tell that we had a lot of fun at Justin's fortieth?  The Photo Stand has provided lasting evidence! The Photo Stand is the perfect element to add to any get together and I must say that I am glad I took DJ Lucy Wrubels advice and set out some props for people to play with.  Each of the photos comes out of the machine 4x6 and can have a logo or date on it.  We also had the images flash up on a TV that was in the room.  It was so much fun!  The bonus is that we get a CD of all of the images as well as a web-gallery!!!  What a blast!  Too book ThePhotoStand for your next party check out www.ThePhotoStand.com

Can your dog sing like Katy Perry?

If you had the Woofer it could!  This hilarious contraption was created by Matthew Baron of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so that your dog could add more joy to your life than it already does. The Woofer is a dog coat with speakers that lets you play your favorite songs from your Ipod or other MPS player.  Each one is hand made to order and the website even includes a sizing chart.  You can share your music with friends during your next party, jog or doggie play date in the dog park.  It would also be an easy solution to Christmas Carols!
I met Matthew at the Texas Pet Expo last weekend and he told me that most fun feature of the Woofer is the wireless microphone hook-up you can request.  You could send your dog around and hide in the bushes and talk to people through the speakers!
Check out TheWoofer.com to order or call 323-314-2305.

Our Black and White Night

I had so much fun working on my wonderful husband's fortieth birthday party.  He had so many ideas about the type of party he wanted to have so I was quite disappointed when he told me that he wanted to take a trip instead of have a party.  When our plans for a trip fell apart, I decided to surprise him and combine all of his ideas and tie them together with a Black and White theme. Here are a few of the highlights:

Our friend Lyssa enjoying the view from the terrace at the W.

Black and White flowers greeted the guests with a guest book and candle.

Our guest book table featured black and white photographs of Justin throughout his life.

One of Justin's original theme ideas was a Geisha Theme!  I hired this model to dress as a Geisha and ask the guests to write Justin a message in the guest book.

The Photo Stand was a hit and the props I set out really helped our guests loosen up for the pictures!

I interpreted Justin's idea of having birthday burgers in the backyard by having them made served as mini-burgers on modern sparkly silver trays. 

Justin suggested a break-dancing theme at one point too!  I had a break dancer escort his cake out and then he did an amazing performance!  He made Justin get out there with him.

The servers at the party wore black and white and aprons with childhood photos of Justin in black and white.

As our guests got off the elevator, they saw black and white photos of Justin "wallpapering" the walls.

My uncle and my dad had a lot of fun with the photo booth and props!

That is a sign that our guests had fun right?

Our amazing dj Lucy Wrubel kept the Monday night party going! 

 Looking for a fun way to celebrate an upcoming birthday, bachelorette party or couples night out?  Look no further!  I have a fun new party idea for you that is rapidly becoming a new trend across the country. Amateur Bartending Class will help you become the next Tom Cruise from Cocktail!  This is as simple as party planning can get. All you need to do is call to schedule your class and gather up your friends.  JC Bartending, Inc will host your two hour amateur bartending class. They have all of the equipment required to learn how to make hundreds of drink recipes.  They supply everything including a gift bag and recipe book that you and your guests can take home.  There are demonstrations, practice time and fun games for all!

Call 972-786-1310 or visit www.jcbartending.com to set up your class

Feather Your Nest!

It is Feather Your Nest time again and this luncheon is going to be wonderful!  I can hardly wait to hear my good friend and etiquette expert Colleen Rickenbacher speak.  Colleen is certified in so many ways.  The letters CMP, CSEP, CPC, and CTA all follow her name so you know she is an expert among experts!!!
I truly hope to meet you at our next event!

Colleen A. Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC, CTA
November 12, 2010

Etiquette and Protocol:
Just in Time for the Holidays

Holidays should be a time of togetherness with friends and family, but so many of us associate the holidays with stress, excessive spending, too many trips to the mall, fighting for a parking space, crowds, airplane trips with overweight luggage, attending all those holiday parties and trying to figure out what to wear.

Holidays should be a wonderful time, but at times we let the moment get away from us.

Colleen would love to help with a few suggestions to help bring back the holiday cheer:

• The holiday office parties including exchanging gifts, gifts for the hosts, what to wear,
  and when to arrive (and leave), or should you even attend?
• RSVPs and thank you notes
• Gifts for your children's teacher for the holidays
• Having gifts in reserve and "regifting." What happens if you are given a gift and do not
  have one in return?
• Holiday cards
• Tipping for the holidays

All of this and much more can be very tricky including how much do you spend, do you continue to give a gift to a person you are not as close over the past year, do you give the boss a gift and does the boss give his/her employees a gift? Remember that this special time of the year is shared and celebrated differently by various cultures and religions, so handling them properly will help avoid any faux pas.

Come and share this interactive luncheon to ask questions you have always wondered or to gain a little insight to help make this time of the year more enjoyable. Keep the holidays fun and a time to share with family and friends.

Colleen A. Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC, CTA

Colleen Rickenbacher is a business owner, author, speaker, trainer and consultant.

Speaking engagements on the importance of protocol and etiquette in your professional and personal life have taken Colleen around the World. She can be seen and heard regularly on national television and radio.

Colleen was recognized by Meeting News Magazine as One of the Top 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry. Most recently she was inducted into the Hall of Fame and awarded the Lifetime Achievement designation by Texas Meetings & Events magazine, which is their highest honor.

Her book Be On Your Best Business Behavior covers all areas of practical business and dining skills. The tips she provides will strengthen your image and provide the necessary guidelines to you and/or your organization.

Be On Your Best Cultural Behavior covers the proper etiquette and protocol in 33 countries. These guidelines will allow you to navigate globally in our international climate whether you do business in other countries, visit for pleasure, work or entertain guests in your own backyard.

Her latest book with co-author Edward Scannell is The Big Book of People Skills Games(McGraw Hill). These quick and effective activities are designed for making great impressions, boosting problem-solving skills and improving customer service.

Colleen has achieved her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), her Certified Protocol Consultant (CPC), and most recently her Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA).

Click here to register!

Girls' Night In

Recently, one of my girl friends decided that for her birthday she definitely wanted to celebrate, but she didn't want anything too elaborate- to be quite honest, she really preferred not to go out at all. My first thought was, how are we going to celebrate without going out or throwing a dinner party? But then I thought about how we used to celebrate our birthdays before we got to the point in our lives when dinner parties were common and going out for drinks wasn't an option, due to legal restrictions, of course. Then the idea sparked. We can have a girls' night in! We're never too old for a girls' night and I don't think we'll ever forget the essentials for throwing a successful girls' night in...or even a slumber party! If I think back to the last time I attended a planned night in, completely dedicated to relaxation and indulgence, with only girlfriends, the first things I remember are movies, chocolate, and comfy nightwear. So here are some suggestions for how you can throw a proper girls night or slumber party for you and your friends!

Shoe Check: Instead of a coat check have your guests check their shoes at the door for a more comfy pair of slippers or flips flops. When purchasing the footwear keep in mind your friends’ sizes, but don’t stress if the size isn’t perfect. Slippers aren’t restricting so you can even find slippers that come in sizes small, medium, or large. If you are really unsure about the sizing always get a larger size to be safe.

Chocolate!: Chocolate is a must at any night with girlfriends. Whether the night consists of you and just one friend, or in this instance, a whole party of girlfriends. Spoon Fudge is a delicious chocolate treat that I came across and let me tell you, it is almost dangerous! All it is, is a jar of smooth, decadent fudge that can be paired with fruit or baked in with snacks, but the best part of all is the spoon that comes along with it! Why is that the best part? Because it's inviting you to eat the fudge right from the jar, guilt free! You can have one 5oz. jar for just $5.95 or if you plan on having a party, you'll probably need two jars for only $10.95...oh, and the yummy fudge comes in 15 different flavors!

Drinks: The drink options have changed a bit. Our list has expanded beyond colas, juices, and hot chocolate. It might be nice to still include those beverages, but what I love for a girls’ night, and think would be perfect for a birthday occasion, is individual size champagne bottles. Champagne is always festive and these mini bottles are just so easy, and cute!

Sleeping arrangements: Invite your friends to spend the night. After a couple of champagne minis it might be a must! But if the girls do not feel like reverting back to their high school and college days (or should I say, nights) of sleeping on couches, then it is just as cute to suggest to have their husbands pick them up at the end of the evening. Sort of reminiscent of when our fathers were responsible for that task.

Movie list: Let's just have on record, all of these may not be my favorite movies but they are great movies to watch with your girlfriends!

-Pretty Woman

-Bridget Jones' Diary

-When Harry Met Sally

-My Best Friend's Wedding

-The Holiday

-Sleepless in Seattle

-Terms of Endearment

-Breakfast at Tiffany's

-or you could do a marathon of a season of one of your favorite shows! I spent a whole night watching season one of Glee with a girlfriend!

Goody bags: I can't sleep with out an eye mask over my eyes! I travel with them and have a few in my bed side table! I was so pleased with the unique shape of a silk one I recieved as a gift one time. The shape was perfect because it didn't leave little lines on my cheeks! I haven't been able to find any more to purchase so I had some made instead! I used vintage silk scarves that I found at the flea market in Paris and new silk on the back. The fun color combinations and unique shape have been so popular that I started selling them! If you want one for yourself, you can email me at rsvp@rsvpcalendar.com or stop into the Linen Boutique at 5500 West Lovers Lane in Dallas. ($65)

Now that you had a little sneak peak into my planned girls' night in, maybe it's time for you to throw one for you and your girlsfriends! It will be so fun and you deserve it!