Galentine's Day Party

When Galentine's Day first became a "thing", I fell in love with the idea! I am all about empowering women and spreading girl power, so what better way to celebrate the holiday of love and friendship than with your best gal pals? 

To celebrate the holiday, I wanted to use as much pink in my design as possible! I am such a girly-girl, and I love the color pink, but rarely get to use it in my home because I am married to the world's most masculine guy. I can at least get away with pink flowers and small details, but if I ever got one of those trendy pink turkish rugs, he would ask where the receipt was, because it wouldn't be staying long.

I couldn't wait to create a girly-themed party! 

While I love keeping things bubbly and cute for this girly holiday, I wanted the theme to feel elegant rather than look childish or cheesy. Below are my tips on how to accomplish your own feminine-themed party! 

To accomplish the look:

Ditch the idea of pink garlands, and swap it with a boxwood wreath or other greenery for balance. For added flavor and garnish, grab some fresh raspberries and toss them into glasses of rose' for a feminine touch. 

I love the look of small flowers frozen into ice cubes for the champagne bucket, but in an effort to keep costs down, swap the entire flower for petal cubes! They give you the pop of color you need without using tons of flowers.

Keep the heart shapes to a minimum. To accomplish a polished look, create a color scheme that creates a feminine and festive look rather than Valentine's Day themed decor. This will make your party more unique and less cheesy.

Less is more. By concentrating on quality over quantity, guests will be able to appreciate the individual pieces. Cluttered carts will look tacky and awkward, so ditch the excess and keep things simple.

Dress code? Encourage your friends to wear hues that compliment the theme!

Did you know Veueve has a brut rose'? It's absolutely delicious!

I always offer non-alcoholic beverages for guests who don't drink. Pink-colored carbonated beverages add the perfect feminine touch!

You can also layer additional petals over the top of the ice cubes for a pretty pink touch.

Placing a petal on the sides of each glass helps to tie in your flower arrangement and acts as a unique garnish for the drinks.

What would a Galentine's Day be without something covered in chocolate? Grab mini heart chocolate boxes to give out as party favors!

Let your guests build their own beverage. Offer berries and mint as options to add to their drinks.

I hope you enjoy this holiday with your best girl friends! 

Galentine's Spa Day

Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away and what better way to spend the day of or day before with your best gal? I decided to put together a spa cart for me and my bestie to enjoy a day of fun and relaxation before we went to dinner with our husbands. 

I grabbed some clear glass jars from Target and filled them with plain epsom salt. I love to use essential oils to relax, so I infused each jar with a different scent for different purposes. In one, I mixed 2 tbsp of dried lavender I found at the grocery store, and a few drops of lavender essential oil for relaxation. A little bit goes a long way! In another, I blended in some pink Himalayan rock salt and lemongrass for energy and detoxification. In the last one, I blended in dried rose petals with jasmine and orange blossom for the yummiest smell you've ever smelled! You can easily dry rose petals at home by popping them in the microwave in between a paper towel for about 1-2 minutes and letting them sit out.

I purchased small glass jars to fill with bubble bath, because most of the bubble bath containers on the market look like they are for kids! I wanted to keep my spa cart looking elegant and stylish. I found the spa candle at HomeGoods, and it smells amazing! It smells just like a spa, and helped us to relax.

To celebrate Galentine's Day, my bestie and I put on our coziest robe, grabbed a bottle of rose', and started off with a clay mud mask. 

We decided to spend our spa day with facials, a hair mask, and aromatherapy. To create an instant steam room, we put the shower on high and lit the spa scented candle to allow the steam to open our pores and help with deep breathing. For an easy hair mask, you can use items found in your kitchen! Our hair has been dry from the weather so we used coconut oil as a hair mask.

Here are just a few of the benefits coconut oil has on your hair:

• It gets rid of dandruff
• Protects your hair from losing protein when you wash it (result: thicker, healthier hair)
• It strengthens your hair with it's fatty acids (result: less split ends)
• Gives your hair a gorgeous shine

Simply melt 2-4 tablespoons of coconut oil and massage the mask into your hair, concentrating on the ends of your hair more than your scalp. You can also add a few drops of an essential oil to help with repairing your hair problem. Cedarwood helps with dry scalp and dandruff, while peppermint helps if you have an oily scalp and/or hair loss. 

Leave the hair mask on for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. It may take a few washes to get all of the oil out of your hair, but I find using castile soap helps speed up the process. Some people use an egg wash, which is just as effective.

For our facials, we used a charcoal mask with aloe to start. There's a reason activated charcoal has been getting so much hype! It draws bacteria, chemicals, and dirt out of your skin and brings them to the surface, helping you fight acne and giving you a gorgeous glow!

After our face mask, we used a homemade exfoliant:

1/2 fresh lemon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp olive oil

This exfoliant is great for getting your glow on! Lemon juice brightens your skin and the olive oil helps restore moisture to dry skin from winter weather.

We followed with a light serum moisturizer and a warm, damp towel to open our pores and refresh our skin.

My skin was glowing after our spa day! Just in time for date night with my husband! Our Galentine's Spa Day was a success. We both agreed this is a must-have tradition for years to come. 

Do you have any DIY skin and hair recipes that you swear by? Let me know in the comments!

Elegant Halloween Dinner Party

There are so many Halloween decor and party ideas for kids, but I rarely see a great idea for adults. I wanted to give you guys a little inspiration for a beautiful Halloween dinner party! What better to do with your friends than get together and listen to Monster Mash as you delve into a moody charcuterie.

Check out my decor ideas and a menu example below!

Put together an elegant and dark cheese plate like this beauty from Camille Styles. Using figs, dark salami, pumpernickel bread and concord grapes, you can accomplish this sophisticated look.

RECREATE THIS ELEGANT HALLOWEEN LOOK

I purchased red roses a few days before I put together this look to allow them to die a little. Cruel? Maybe. Beautiful? Absolutely. I love how the edges of the petals blackened and how they became veiny. This simple trick made all the difference in this spooky look. 

Next, for the place setting, I purchased black plates from Ikea and used clear glass chargers from Michael's. I made these hand-lettered name tags on my computer and printed them out on printer paper. To lighten up the look, I added dark grey napkins that I found at HomeGoods.

I grabbed blood red taper candles and pushed them into old wine bottles that I spray painted black with chalkboard spray paint. The result was a matte finish with dripping red wax down the sides of the bottle. 

MENU IDEAS

So let's talk food. You don't have to keep everything super thematic...believe me, that is a lot of work. However, I scouted out a few easy and beautiful recipe ideas from fellow bloggers. Red wine is a great beverage of choice. Place a custom wine bottle label on the top of your current bottle, or get a spooky-looking wine such as 19 Crimes or Tribunal. Add food coloring to egg yolks to make simple deviled eggs sinister. There are so many simple tricks that can take your Halloween soiree to the next level. Check out these great ideas:

Black Widow Cocktail

Dark Deviled Eggs

Black Linguine Pasta with Kalamata Olive Pesto

Spiderweb Cheesecake

Hosting a Fall Soiree + Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

IT'S FINALLY FALL!

I love spending time outside when the fall air turns chilly and crisp. The fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves turning hues of yellow and orange, baggy sweatshirts and of course, pumpkin spice lattes. What's not to love? 

If you're like me, you love to host a great dinner party at home. Ever since we received our new outdoor dining set, I envisioned myself hosting a fall dinner with all the likes of fall: pumpkin beer, a heavy red wine, and great company. If you're planning on having an outdoor dinner party, read on for my no muss, no fuss tips for throwing together an effortless and cozy look.

Decor

First things first: decide on a color scheme. Find a fall item you love to set the color palate for your table. I decided on using the colors from my favorite tartan scarf to inspire my scheme. In an effort to keep my look cozy and relaxed, I placed pillows at the backs of every other chair and added a few blankets. Don't worry if they don't match perfectly, as this will make your table look more effortless. Providing blankets will also allow your dinner guests to linger and stay warm as the sun goes down. 

Drape your table with a beautiful floor-length tablecloth, like this one from Market Linen to add an extra element of warmth.

For the place settings, keep things simple. I used classic white dinnerware and added a pop of color using gold flatware that can be found for as low as $2.00 each at Target. As a simple and affordable alternative to napkin rings, tie twine around the napkins for a rustic look.  

A good hostess knows that guests can get embarrassed to ask for more, so to keep the evening carefree, place several bottles of wine on the table and your stockpot. Guests will be able to easily help themselves to seconds without disturbing the dinner conversation.

Food & Beverage

My next tip is to serve a large portion and a meal that will stay warm. I used my stockpot from Le Creuset to serve my soup in because the stoneware keeps soups and stews warm for up to an hour. You don't have to serve an elaborate meal to have a great dinner party. Something as simple as fresh bread and soup is such a comfort that your guests will feel satisfied. In an effort to have plenty of food and keep everyone warm, I made classic chicken noodle soup and served a crunchy french baguette with each bowl. 

Keep your guests in mind. Is anyone a beer drinker? What about those who only prefer their bourbon on the rocks? Remembering your friends' and family's preferences will show that you were mindful of them while planning the evening and leave a lasting impression. More over, it will keep everyone at the party in a pleasant mood as they imbibe their favorite drink. 

I tend to serve more red wine in the colder months, as they pair better with heartier dishes. However, as a sommelier candidate, I also recommended an unoaked Chardonnay to pair with the soup as they are a great match.  

Chicken Noodle Soup

Preparation:  15 min

                  Cook Time: 30 min  Total Time: 45 min                       

Ingredients

        

          2-3 chicken breasts (depending on size of the breasts)

          1/4 cup white wine

          3/4 cup chopped white onion

          2 cups of rotini noodles

          4 tbsp butter
          2 tsp chopped garlic

          3/4 cup chopped carrots

          3/4 cup chopped celery

          1 1/2 -2 (32 oz) containers of chicken broth (depending on how chunky vs soupy you like it)

          1 tsp fresh lemon juice

          2 tsp Italian seasoning
          1 bay leaf

          2 tsp chopped italian parsley

          Salt & Pepper to taste

      

Instructions

1) Over medium heat in a large stockpot, melt butter. Add your chopped onion and wine and allow to simmer for 2-

    3 minutes. 

2) Add chopped vegetables, bay leaf, garlic and chicken broth, raising the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

3) Once the broth is boiling, add in your raw chicken breasts and allow them to cook all the way through.

4) While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles.

5) After 25 minutes, your chicken should be cooked thoroughly. Take them out of the pot and place them onto a 

    cutting board. Lower the soup's heat to low/medium. 

6) Cut through the middle of your chicken breasts. If they are cooked thoroughly, begin cutting each breast into 

    cubes. (If they need more time, add them back and turn the heat back up.) Once finished, add them back to the 

    soup.

7) Add lemon juice, noodles, italian seasoning and salt & pepper. Stir until combined. 

8) Serve immediately. Place a piece of french bread on a plate next to each bowl. 

Outdoor Space Refresh

One of the most attractive features of where we live is our backyard. There are trees scattered throughout that provide great shade and pretty songs from what I believe to be dozens of different types of birds. I love spending time out in our yard and our friends love it too. Up until a week ago, our outdoor space consisted of iron chairs that I spray painted black, given to us by old neighbors. Now that we have such a beautiful spot to host friends and family, we decided an upgrade was in order. 

If you follow my Instagram, you know that I have been dying to share our new outdoor dining space.     

I found this outdoor table from Ballard Designs and instantly fell in love. It is so unique and classically built. The teak is perfect for an outdoor table built to last. We considered buying an iron set, but it didn't have the warmth I desired. When I pictured myself entertaining outside, I saw myself with a weathered wood table and tartan blankets draping over the arms of the end chairs. Can you tell I'm ready for fall?

To break in our new table, I decided to host a wine and cheese party. I recently discovered a local cheese shop that makes all of their own cheeses in house. They specialize in goat cheese and blue cheese so I picked up a few of each along with some other favorites like brie and havarti.

{  Tip  }

I love serving fig cake with my cheese boards for added sweetness without a big mess. Another yummy addition are cold grapes for a perfect palate refresher in between bites.

I came up with this salad recipe as a pairing for wine and cheese. Using the crumbled blue cheese I purchased and some fresh boiled eggs, this salad has it all - salty, sweet, crunchy, tangy.

I love a good flatbread pizza. To save time, I picked this one up from a restaurant nearby. By alternating the slices on a long platter, we saved space on the table and created a sophisticated look for an old classic.

Honey may be messy to pass around the table but boy is it worth it. I love drizzling a small amount of elderflower honey on blue cheese and brie. I recently purchased this olive wood honey drizzler and it does a great job of controlling the amount of honey you'd like to use. 

See something you like? 

Shop this look:

Honey drizzler / Decanter / Cutting board / Wine bottle coaster / Placemats / Pots / Glassware / Cheese knives / Fig cake / Long platter / Salad servers

How to: Create the Perfect Gift Basket

Create the Perfect Gift Basket

It's that time in our lives where many of our friends are buying their very first home together. It seems I've been stuck in a rut with what to give our friends, and it's always a bottle of wine. Our friends of course always welcome the bottle with appreciative open arms. 

We are celebrating two months of married bliss this month. While writing our thank you letters, I began reflecting on some of the gifts we were given. Many of the presents were from our registry, and  several were not. It got me thinking about how nice a simple gesture of gift-giving brings such long-lasting joy to people - or at least to me. I've taken the 5 Love Languages quiz, and as you might guess, gift-giving ranked pretty high on my list.

Here are a few chic ideas from fellow bloggers that inspired me:

The Polished and Pink Basket 

{ for Spring, Bridal Shower, etc. }

Girly and practical, this basket is a home run styled by Camille Styles.

The Foodie Farmer's Market Basket 

{ for Fall, Housewarming, etc. }

Colorful and delicious, I love the mini jars of olives and pop of red from the ranunculus.

 Source

The Every Girl Basket 

{ for Summer, Bad Breakup, Welcome to the Neighborhood, etc. }

Julie Blanner does it again with this simple and beautiful basket of goodies that would make any girl squeal with joy to receive!

Little House of Chic's Basket

{ for Foodies, Cooks, and Summer gifts }

I just love heirloom tomatoes! They are not only beautiful, but very tasty! Terrain has been one of my new favorite wine finds under $10. You don't have to spend a fortune to make a meaningful, great-looking gift basket. These tomatoes are from our local farmer's market. I paired these items with fresh lavender for a bath, satchel, or to make lavender ice cream. The honey is orange blossom from Bee Cause. I packaged my homemade rosemary bread in a plastic bag and tied it off to keep it fresh. What's more endearing than something homemade as the icing on top?

Make your own:

Basket / Filler / Wine / Container for Lavender / Honey / Bread