Hostess with the Mostess™

One of my favorite online shops, Zanisa, has some great entertaining finds for spring right now…like this bright kiwi serveware set from Bambu ($45/set), fun & slightly off-center euro sphere vases ($12/ea), Rae Dunn porcelain herb markers with dots & stripes ($25/set of 8), and hand-painted, translucent botanical glasses ($56/set of 6).

…and I’m especially loving these cute …and I’m especially loving these cute test-tube magnet vases! With fun spring-y colors and at only $15/set of 5, these little guys are a great way to add a splash of color and modern decor to your refrigerator or office magnet board, as well as a great gift idea! (Available in round or square.)

Moving into a new home is a time for celebrating, but many people seem to be stumped when it comes to figuring out the "perfect" housewarming gift for others. In reality, there are lots of items that would make great housewarming gifts - so don’t stress so much about finding the "perfect" one…just remember to consider your recipient’s sense of style when choosing the gift. Things like kitchen tools, barware, serveware, plants, and candles are always smart choices for a housewarming.

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The winner of the Satinbox giveaway is anne - who said ” OMG so cute! I want this for my Easter brunch :)”. Congrats, Anne! Please email your shipping info to jennifer@hwtm.com so we can send you your new Rosanna Tea set and Butterfly Dish Towel!

If you have kids or are just looking for something simple and fun to do for your Easter tabletop, here are some quick, easy ideas for a cute tabletop design, utilizing a few inexpensive elements that can double as gifts and treats for your loved ones…

These adorable little stuffed bunnies (purchased in-store at These adorable little stuffed bunnies (purchased in-store at Hallmark for $8 each) were the inspiration for this tabletop and immediately give it a playful feel. To give the table height and help the bunnies sit upright, set them on top of little pails (available at Michael’s for $1 each). The pails were embellished with fabric ribbon and cute little self-adhesive chick decals from The Container Store, which were also affixed to green ribbon to create coordinating napkin rings. Colored eggs in white ceramic egg cups are an easy, fitting decorative accent. (Egg cups from at IKEA for $1 each.) The lime “table runner” is actually a folded twin sheet and could also be used as a full tablecloth!

Salad plates and place cards are great places to add a pop of color to the place settings. The contemporary Salad plates and place cards are great places to add a pop of color to the place settings. The contemporary wire flower placecard holders pictured here are available at weddingfavorites.com for $2.50 each. Purple, yellow, and lime flowers make for a beautiful “springy” arrangement. For the tabletop, a couple stems of gerberas and tulips in a glass vase is all you need to make a refreshingly simplistic statement.

Last but not least, whether you’re a fan of the taste or not, a tray lined with neat little rows of brightly-colored Last but not least, whether you’re a fan of the taste or not, a tray lined with neat little rows of brightly-colored Marshmallow Peeps makes for a super inexpensive, yet ultra-modern display!

Now here’s a simple, yet incredibly clever idea! With The Edge Brownie Pan, those of us who love the chewy edges of homemade brownies don’t have to settle for just the “border” of the pan anymore…the unique zig-zag structure of this non-stick pan gives you 2 chewy edges on every serving! (Use it for your favorite cookie bars too!) $39.95 at The Baker’s Catalogue.

{via boing boing}

I was so excited to see these bright & cheery glazed ceramic eggs in my inbox this morning. What a fantastic centerpiece these would make…especially with each one in a white ceramic egg cup, all lined up in a neat little row.

Also found some other fun easter treats on the red envelope website: {clockwise from top left} easter cactus (LOVE the colors in the arrangement!), chocolate egg & chick, spring egg candies in pretty soft pastels, and easter cookies by Eleni’s.

Happy Friday! Got another great surprise giveaway for you today. This time it comes from Happy Friday! Got another great surprise giveaway for you today. This time it comes from Satinbox, a stylish online shop (that also recently opened their first brick-and-mortar store in Cambridge, Massachusettes!) - which offers everything from home decor and entertaining products to fashion accessories and beauty products. For their giveaway, Satinbox is generously offering up this cool, vintage-modern “Tea’s Me” Teapot and Teacup Set by Rosanna™ - in addition to the adorable Polka Dot Butterfly Dish Towel pictured above. Such a fun gift!

To enter simply post any comment - we’ll keep this easy since it’s Friday and all Remember to use your blogger login, full name, or first name/last initial so that we can identify you if you win. Giveaway ends at midnight PST on Tuesday, March 27th. Good luck!

Also - if you’re on the market for wedding or party favors - Satinbox also recently launched a Favor Salon with tons of favor options for a variety of themes and budgets. Click here to check it out!

Removeable vinyl wall decals are an easy way to make a big decorative impact without long-term committment - which also makes them a great candidate for party decor! For example, how cute would these pink & red Hybrid flowers or Eiffel Tower/Butterflies look behind bride-to-be as she opens her gifts, or imagine the blue and green “Jungle” wall decals “growing” on a sliding glass door that opens to a party you’re hosting on the backyard patio. Now there’s a cool way to greet your guests

All of the decals pictured above are from All of the decals pictured above are from Urban Outfitters and are available online only. The “Dot-o-Rama” decals (right side, bottom pic) are listed as “reuseable”, meaning you can move them around to your heart’s content or change them from day to day or party to party, but everything else is just listed as a “one time use” with “time to reconsider your application” before they set - so I emailed Urban Outfitters to make sure that the one-time-use decals would not damage the walls and here’s what they said: “The wall decals should not ruin your walls. They easily peel off of most wall surfaces. I hope this information is of assistance. If you require additional assistance, please feel free to email us at service@urbanoutfitters.com.” However, if you’re still leery of adhering things to your walls, you can email them yourself for more info, or just stick with decorating the windows or other “safe” surfaces you have available. (Decals range from $49/set to $98/set at service@urbanoutfitters.com.” However, if you’re still leery of adhering things to your walls, you can email them yourself for more info, or just stick with decorating the windows or other “safe” surfaces you have available. (Decals range from $49/set to $98/set at urbanoutfitters.com)

The current issue of O At Home features some of the cutest kitchen tools I’ve ever seen - they make me happy just looking at them! From monkey peelers and “punk-u-pine” scrubbers to hippo clips and shark-shaped paring knives, these witty “AnimalHouse” gadgets are guaranteed to make your time in the kitchen a little more fun! 18 different AnimalHouse tools range from $5 - $20 each at kitchenkapers.com. (A few of these little guys would make a clever housewarming gift too!)

How cute are these personalized melamine plates from Fontaine Maury?! Aptly named “Parker’s Plates” after the son of Fontaine Maury’s founder, Haile – these sturdy little plates sport your little one’s name and choice of several adorable illustrations, surrounded by fun, modern patterns. A few of the available designs are pictured here, but be sure to visit the Fontaine Maury website to view all of them. At $20/each or $60/set of 4, Parker’s Plates make a super-cute and thoughtful gift idea too!