Thanks so much to Morgan from Pepper Design Blog for inviting me to be a part of her Friday Guest Interview series! Click here to check it out.

Morgan has featured many of my favorite design/party people already – if you have time, check out these fun interviews with the following lovely ladies: (the links will take you directly to the interview)
• Cortnie, Jen, & Vanessa from Lollipop Events
• Chris from Celebrations at Home
• Amy from Stem Parties
• Kim from At Home with Kim Vallee

Hi, I’m Beth Helmstetter of Beth Helmstetter Events and am completely honored to share some tips with all of you savvy hostesses out there! With all the reasons we have to get together and celebrate – from weddings and birthdays to holidays and other special occasions, your lives will be filled with amazing shindigs and hopefully you will even do a little entertaining of your own.

As your guests leave your fabulous parties, don’t forget to give thanks. My favorite thing to do when I’m feeling especially grateful for is to take the time to write a meaningful thank you letter to each guest. Not the, “thanks for being part of the day,” typical stuff you see everyday, but a letter that really tells guests what they mean to your life including lessons each person has taught you and favorite memories you share. Something really from the heart.

Once you put your truest feelings on paper, find a beautiful way to package the letter. Again, something that says, “this is more than your standard thank you note,” but instead screams, “there is something very special inside and it’s just for you.” A beautiful jewelry pouch, decorative box or even just a scroll tied with a luxurious ribbon, all work perfectly. In the end, you will be surprised how meaningful it will be to the recipient that they have been given something so thoughtful and unexpected.

One tip, however, is, give yourself PLENTY of time to write each note. Don’t try to do more than one or two letters per day leading up to the event. This gift only works well when done right. So take the time to really reflect on your relationship with each guest and let them know how thankful you are to have them both during the celebration and everyday!

Julie Mulligan, lifestyle expert for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, is here to share her ideas for creating a romantic, indoor Garden of Eden for Valentine’s Day! Scroll down for lots of fun tips from Julie, plus an Easy Chocolate Fondue recipe, a Valentine’s Day playlist by R&B singer Robin Thicke, & a discount code for Valentine’s Day flowers.

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DINING IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

Isn’t it wonderful that Valentine’s Day is in the middle of the winter? It’s such a great excuse to shut out the rest of the world and create a sanctuary where you and your love one can reconnect.

One of the most romantic ways to do this is to create your own indoor Garden of Eden. While this can be pulled off at the last minute the more prepared you are in advance the better it will be in the end.  Here is a list of items that will make for a smooth romantic evening set in your very own Garden of Eden (fig leaves optional).

Important elements:
• Picnic basket
• Blanket
• Oversized pillows
• Plants
• Flowers
• Candles
• Champagne or wine
• Ice bucket
• Glasses
• Music
• Sensuous finger foods

If you are going to set this up in your home and you have children make plans to have them spend the night at grandma’s! Of course in front of the fireplace works nicely but if you have the space in your bedroom that works too.  You really don’t need much space at all because you’ll want to have the feeling of being in your own little cocoon.

Following is an outline to help you get started and to provide some inspiration. This is all about you and the person you love so personalize as you go.  Choose foods that turn them on.  For example you might not think that chicken wings are romantic but if he loves them then they can be!

Step 1
Pull together all of the house plants that you already have into the area that you have selected for your Garden of Eden.  Use various size plants to form the perimeter of the space. If you don’t already have plants in your house this is the perfect excuse to buy a few. Growing and caring for indoor plants gives many a sense of pleasure, tranquility and peace. It connects us to mother nature in a desperate attempt to escape the chaos that we call life, but not only do plants calm our souls, they also bring us good health by improving the quality of the air we breath.

Step 2
Next you’ll want to layer on the blanket and pillows where the wining, dining, and games will take place!  Use as many pillows as you can in varying sizes and pleasing fabrics.

Step 3
A picnic basket filled with delicious fingers foods that are perfect for feeding to each other comes next.  Because you are setting this up in advance and don’t have to worry about carrying it to an outdoor space any kind of basket or decorative box will work fine.  The idea is to have it filled with special treats that can be discovered through out the picnic.  Remember to include a tray, plates, and any utensils you might need.

Step 4
Set up your wine or champagne close to your food basket.  Include the appropriate glasses, wine cooler, and ice bucket.

Step 5
Music will help to set the mood.  Making your own romantic play list ahead of time is ideal so that once you hit play and your set for the night.  Click here for some romantic music suggestions

Step 6
If games are your thing consider adding some to the night’s activities. A little variation to standard games can give them a whole new life.  Some examples would be Strip Poker and Sexy Scrabble.  Another fun one is to blindfold your partner and feed them various foods and see if they can guess what they are!

Step 7
The last step will be adding a few special Valentine décor elements.  These should include as many candles as possible and of course no romantic setting would be complete without flowers.

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WHAT TO EAT
Finger foods are definitely the way to go. And you’ll want to keep things light – the last thing you’ll want to feel is full!  Have a tray prepared in advance to start with so that you can begin to nibble as you are settling in.

Suggested items for your starter tray:
Figs
Prosciutto
St.-Andre Cheese – or other triple-cream cheese such as Explorateur
Crostini with Tapenade
Stuffed grape leaves
Olives
Crusty bread – ready for breaking apart and dipped in:
Herb infused extra virgin olive oil
Hummus

An iced tray of iced oysters with a spicy cocktail sauce would be a great addition to this decadent mix.

Moving over to the sweet side I would go for a chocolate fondue. They are so easy and so much fun.  Fondues come in various sizes from a sweet version made just for two to an over the top bubbling fountain and all are affordable.  There are many wonderful recipes online for making your own chocolate fondue sauce or you can make it really easy and buy a package of melting chocolate and your set to go.  Bite size pieces of fresh fruit, marshmallows, and pretzels are just a few foods perfect for dipping.  Have additional bowls filled with crushed graham crackers, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, and whipped cream for your additional dipping pleasure!

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Easy Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each
2 tablespoons Frangelico or Amaretto liqueur, optional
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Directions
Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.

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What to Listen to:

Robin Thicke created a custom playlist of smooth, romantic sounds for HWTM readers!  Here are his picks:

1. You’re My Baby
2. Magic
3. Dreamworld
4. The Sweetest Love
5. Hard On My Love
(all of the above are from Robin’s album “Something Else”)
6. Lost Without You
7. I Need Love
8. Can U Believe
(all of the above are from Robin’s album “Evolution of Robin Thicke”)

Log on to www.robinthicke.com/discography/ or listen to or buy Robin’s music.

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Thanks for the great info, Julie & Robin. To get more of Julie’s ideas, you can read her blog at www.1800flowers.com/julie

Special Deal:
HWTM readers can enter HWTM14 to receive 15% off the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM Valentine’s Day Collection through 2/15/09!

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Build a Bar at Home (Warning: Hangovers Ahead!)

Hi! I’m Carley from TheNest.com, the spin-off home site from the folks at TheKnot.com (every bride’s wedding obsession). We recently came out with The Nest Home Design Handbook, a cool 101 on everything casa-related. I’m thrilled to be guest-blogging on HWTM about building a bar at home—because c’mon, how many more times can you drag yourself to a hot, crowded bar and wait twenty minutes for your gin and tonic? Consider this your very own VIP lounge.

{photo by: Mark Lund}

Hook Up Your Cart

Okay, if you don’t mind plunking down a bit of cash, we love this sleek bar cart from Restoration Hardware. It keeps everything in one handy zone and can be rolled anywhere in the house.

Budget-conscious? Skip the cart and set up your bar on a side table. Another way to save is to skip a lot of pricey liquors and stick to just vodka. It’ll give you the biggest bang for your buck since it can be mixed with OJ, cranberry, Bloody Mary mix, and more. Download our Stocking the Bar checklist on TheNest.com and toss it in your purse so you don’t get amnesia at the liquor store.

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Fom left to right: highball, rocks, martini
{photo by: Ericka McConnell}

Don’t Go Overboard on the Glasses

All it takes to get those stiff drinks a flowin’ are three types of glasses: the highball (a Screwdriver’s best buddy), the rocks glass (holds scotch straight-up for Mad Men wannabes), and the martini (enough said). Find ’em for under $3 each at CB2.

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{photo by: StockFood}

Get Cool Tools for Shaking and Pouring
Skip all the frou-frou tools and get the basics: a good vino and bottle opener, a cocktail shaker (I like the flip-top one from Metrokane with a built-in strainer) and a jigger (fancy word for shot glass).

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{Photo provided by: Dabney Lee at Home}

Personalize Your Bar with Chic Coasters

Like Saturn rings on your coffee table? Thought not. Pick up these monogrammed drink coasters from Dabney Lee at Home and you’re golden. They’re fun, recyclable, and totally customizable. What’s not to love?

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{Photo by: Laurie Frankel}

Pour a Signature Cocktail

Here’s my secret to a successful party: one signature drink. I might have some wine and beer on hand, but those are kind of generic—at the end of the night it’s the signature cocktail that everyone will be talking about. This Candy Cane Martini is perfect for the holidays.

CANDY CANE MARTINI

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1 tsp. peppermint schnapps
1 oz. club soda
Mini candy cane, for garnish

Directions:
Pour vodka, peppermint schnapps, and club soda over a handful of ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until cold; then pour into a chilled martini glass. Hang mini candy cane over lip of glass.

From Holiday Cocktails by Jessica Strand with permission from Chronicle Books

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[WIN IT!]
Now that I’ve shared my favorite holiday cocktail, what’s YOURS? Post it in the comments here, and you’ll be entered to win one of TEN free copies of The Nest Home Design Handbook!

Giveaway ends Wednesday, December 17 at midnight PST. Good luck!

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WINNER UPDATE – 12/29/08: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone that entered! And the 10 lucky random winners are:

70 – Megan
43 – WVU-Mama
83 – Val
53 – LaurenB
69 – Jaime
78 – Heidi
4 – Sarah W.
56 – Shannon
85 – Whitney
72 – Shelley K

Congrats to all of you! You will be contacted via email for your mailing address. Hope you enjoy the book – it’s fantastic!

Hello everyone! This is Mel Lim, the founder of BACE – Business & Creative exchange, a blog for JOYBYMELLIM.com.

I am thrilled to be part of HWTM blog today. Though my blog is normally about business and design, I have money-saving tips to share on hosting super fun parties for both personal and corporate events.

This idea came about when a great friend of mine Cindy Ng of Origami Bijou told me her first book on origami which just came out! Since we both started our business with limited budgets, Cindy and I discovered we are quite resourceful, very creative and produce results when we have our thrifty-thinking-hats on. Despite some people thinking we are “cheap”, I insist that we are able to make beautiful things out of nothing, learn something valuable and have oodles fun!

This is when Cindy’s origami book comes in handy, with 20 origami models and 96 pages of origami paper, you’ll be the host to the most creative and entertaining party! Girligami is packed with the coolest ideas for both adults and kids. Ask her why she has all these crazy ideas, she will tell you it’s because when she can’t afford a pair of Manolo, she just imagines she can fold one of her own instead!

Girligami is now available in stores (as of the end of October). If you love this look and have a jewelry  budget, Cindy also produces the most adorable HANDMADE gold and silver origami earrings and necklaces.

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On the note of hosting, we at JOY recently launched our technologically advanced placemats, made from uncoated paper that is water, tear and grease resistant. The material is acid-free paper and contains 20% PCW, with designs printed in soy- based inks.

Many moms have bought them for their kids to color in during parties. Because of their durability and versatility, many have reused the placemats over and over again!

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While planning for our yearly tradition at JOY of sending gifts to our clients, we thought we would offer our personal ideas to our fans and their businesses, so we recently launched our very first CREATIVE GIFTING sets on our website.

Each set is packaged with cool gifts ranging from notepads to business card holders, letterpress goods and much more. All for $24, including free gift wrapping service and gift tags. (Bulk pricing and shipping services also available.) Now you can still make an impact during the holidays for your businesses and friends without sacrificing taste and quality at affordable prices!

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Happy Holidays, everyone!

Hi! I’m Rebecca Goering, author of Tastefully Entertaining, a blog providing ideas and inspiration for planning memorable events.  I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to guest post for HWTM today!

I’ve been extremely intrigued by the color gray lately.  It’s sophisticated, chic and compliments so many other colors – orange, green, white, blue, pink and lilac (just to name a few).  Today I’ve chosen a palette of gray and lilac for an elegant evening bridal shower.  Though bridal showers often occur in the afternoon why not host an nighttime gathering and take advantage of the glimmer of candlelight and the energy of evening.

Pictured above:
• Lovely table setting and room décor featuring gray linens, a chocolate table runner, square white plates, white candles and a lilac floral centerpiece
• This gray Adrianna Papell dress is perfect for the bride-to-be
• Mini cupcakes covered with white icing and flavored sugars for a unique sweet ending
• Lilac celery glasses are great for floral arrangements, candies or serving desserts

Pictured above:
• lavender satin heels by Glamour Original, accented with purple stone and pearl brooches. [via theknot.com - must be logged into their site to access the original page]
• Try this grape spritzer for a color-coordinated cocktail
• Letterpress invitation with a lilac antique lace design and grey text by Dauphine Press
• Lilac, purple and grey favors adorned with an intricate ribbon in a contrasting shade [via Elizabeth Anne Designs]
• Add some ambiance with votive candles in glass globes reminiscent of vintage candy canisters [via Elizabeth Anne Designs]

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Thanks for the gorgeous inspiration, Rebecca! Be sure to check out Tastefully Entertaining for more great mood boards like this!

Jen B. has 4 more tables (along with style steal tips) to share in her Dining by Design event recap, but this next one was so great that I couldn’t resist featuring it all on it’s own…with LOTS of pics!

Here are the details, as told by Jen:

This “Modern Tablescape” design by Jennifer Dyer of Design & Style is my absolute favorite from the event! I wish it was my dining room… everything from the “Hollywood Dazzle” wallpaper, suspended blown glass spheres chandelier, banquette sofa, white patent pillows with scorpion accents, and sparkly black, silver & white color palette, was pure perfection!

The skull accents on the plates and placecard holders added some edginess to the overall design. (These particular skull accents are fabulous but pricey… around Halloween you can usually find less expensive options – especially right now when most skull & Halloween merchandise is on clearance!)

Style-Steal Tips:
This design could be easily interpreted for a chic black & white holiday dinner party (sans the skull place card holders!), engagement party, or wedding. Use affordable silver chargers, black plates and wine goblets, silver chargers and several small glass vases lined with ti leaves and filled with pure white flowers like hydrangea and calla lilies.

I was lucky enough to attend Dining By Design’s Table Hop & Taste, in Los Angeles recently. DBD features amazing, over-the-top, and cutting edge table design installations created by talented & eclectic designers. Since there are so many inspiring entertaining ideas from this event, we decided to bring it to you in a three-part series. Here goes with part 1…

LOOK 1: Chic Aqua & Chocolate

I love the rich look of this first design, and the ultra chic chocolate and aqua color palette. The all-white floral centerpieces in various heights with wispy curly willow are simple & stunning…

Style-Steal Tips:

• A few drops of dye in the water of a clear vase adds a pretty aqua detail to a simple arrangement.

• Colorful square vases are elevated to new heights when stacked on top of candlesticks in varying lengths.  Secure vases with a bit of hot glue (which can later be removed), and add tea lights for a glamorous glow.

• Peacock feathers would be a nice compliment to this tabletop design.  Use them as floral accents, and tucked into folded napkins.

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LOOK 2: Spectacular Silver

This festive silver & white design looked so beautiful in person, yet seemed very easy to recreate. Stick with all white dinnerware, lots of clear glass, simple silverware, and mirror & crystal accents.

Style Steal Tips:

• For an interesting & inexpensive centerpiece, spray-paint different silk flower bunches in silver and group them together in tall, skinny vases.

• Set silverware in a short vase with a small opening at each table setting— it’s fun & unexpected!

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LOOK 3: Colorful Palette

Take a close look at this colorful, fun design for a Kids’ Party…  It’s created almost entirely out of paint chips! You know those little swatches of paint you get at your hardware store?  Well, this design is created by Benjamin Moore paint and it was truly incredible!  The walls, the cake centerpiece, even the fringe on the party hats are all made out of paint chips!

Style Steal Tip:

• This design could be interpreted for an “art day” children’s birthday party. Grab a bunch of bright colored paint chips and use them for placecards, gift tags, and as a craft element. Just provide poster board, paint & brushes, glitter & glue, and let the creativity flow…

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That concludes Part 1 of our DBD recap… hope you’re feeling inspired so far! Tune in this Friday for more ideas with Part 2!

Jennifer here from Create My Event, bringing you some ideas for a fun & fuss-free Halloween get-together!

Hard to believe, but in less than 2 weeks it’ll be Halloween – and what better and excuse to have a little soiree? (Especially since it’s on a Friday this year!) I’m not talking about a full on costume extravaganza, but rather a festive & chic Halloween-themed dinner party for all your favorite friends who still want to enjoy a little merriment on the spookiest night of the year- without feeling juvenile.

To start, the invites. Sendomatic has spooky Halloween Party Invitations – most including scary howls, boos and screams. And, ask everyone to wear a favorite, fun wig instead of full on costume!

For decorations, pumpkins are a cost effective and nostalgic way to go. Get several in various sizes and colors (I love the white ones) and invite a friend or two over to carve the morning of the party). They don’t all have to be faces, some would look great with just a slew of small holes carved in it like the night sky. Arrange them down the center of the dining table when lit.

Put out bottles of your favorite wine with new labels on them that you create that say “Witch’s Brew” or “Poison” with a skull and crossbones. Also, pick up some bottles of Spellbound Petite Syrah – the label and name fall right into the theme!  Use all black and silver table linens and, of course, the more candlelight the better! In fact, try not to have to use any lighting other than candles! Use small cut our gravestones again as place cards with names written in your paint pen.

Find a great Halloween CD or iMix (with “Thriller” on it, of course) and play it as background music while everyone is chatting. Or put some scary movies on a loop on your TV!

Fill some of those old school plastic pumpkin buckets (the kind we used to use for trick or treating) with individually-wrapped Halloween candy for people to munch on. Or pack up individual bags or baskets with candy and put at each place setting for people to take home.

You can have great fun with your food as well. Pumpkin or squash soup is a perfect way to start, followed by a great  beef stew. Martha Stewart had a great idea to make masked potatoes (Rusett and Sweet) and pipe them onto the plates next to the bowls of stew like ghosts and pumpkins. The ghosts’ eyes are black sesame seeds, and the pumpkins have stems of 1/2 pecans and leaves of basil or oregano.

Happy Halloween…have a ghostly event!

{A special Thank You to Erin Gates for her contribution and creative ideas.}

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Thanks for the Halloween inspiration, Jen! Be sure to visit Create My Event for more inspiring ideas!

Hello! I’m Kim from the stylish living and entertaining blog At Home with Kim Vallee. I thought of revisiting a classic autumnal family event for the HWTM readers.

Since everyone is pretty busy, it becomes harder for a big crowd to meet at the orchard. But there is no need to get together in the countryside. Instead, organize an incredibly fun apple harvest party in your backyard. I imagined a city bash where you serve apple desserts.  Prepare an apple basket for each family to take home. A DIY option is to sew jute or linen bags, and personalize each bag with a nametag.

Red hues, yellows and Granny Smith green set the tones. Do not be afraid to add organic shapes and a hint of modern rustic to your décor. If you wish to incorporate a piece of tradition, use the Defyra Tea Towel applen as placemats or hang them all around your buffet table.

Collect wild grasses to create a centerpiece that will look amazing next to these handcrafted reed candleholders. Continue the wood reference by serving the food with Bambu All Occasion Veneerware dinnerware and utensils.

For a fresh look, I went with the fashionable circles. The mix of curves, spirals and spheres is carried on with a chrome fruit loop bowl, a whimsical red-spiraled cake stand and Japanese curvy flower vases in red and yellow ceramic.

Kids and adults will have fun simulating a kaleidoscope when they rotate the swirl & spin cake plate. Appetizers or individual Tatin tartlets fit well on a large cake plate. You can bake the Tatin tart in crème brulee dishes dishes or small ramekins.

Plan traditional activities like catching apples in a barrel filled with water. Set up a station where kids can make their own caramel apples. Think about having some condiments if the kids wish to decorate their caramel apples.

An apple slicer comes handy for serving apple with cheese and nuts. Jessica Battram’s Apple Slicer is cute and practical. You can leave the disc pressed against the remaining apple and it will not dry out or turn brown.

Do not forget, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

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Thanks, Kim – for the wonderful party inspiration… as always!