Start the New Year The White Way

Wow, if anyone is giving out awards for the worst blog post title, I would like to nominate myself.

More to do to get ready (like take a nap because I'm old) but here's a sneak peek of our Winter White NYE Dinner Party table. I'll share and post more pics tomorrow since it's something you can recreate for any winter dinner party. Until then, have a safe and happy night!

(And, sorry but I got a new camera for Christmas and haven't read the manual yet to turn off the date feature. My husband better not be reading this since I married Mr. Read the Manual. But, just in case, hi honey, you're cute and smart and funny and have really good taste in women.)

Wedding Feature

Hopefully I can get more pictures soon from the photographer (since someone - me - didn't have time to take a single picture) but until then, here is a great snapshot of the wedding, as featured in Alive Magazine, that I had the pleasure of working on in November.

[Click on the above image to read the details!]

Thanks again to Ginger at Serendipity for helping tie all the elements together with your awesome paper skills and congrats again Andrea and Brad. Love you guys!

Wedding Paper Diva Winner!

Oh, bubblegirl, are you out there? You are the lucky winner of the $100 gift certificate from Wedding Paper Divas.

Please email me at stemparties@gmail.com so I can coordinate your winnings with you!

Best wishes and wonderful weddings to those that entered and big thanks to Wedding Paper Divas for the generous gift!

No Time to Decorate?

Gasp! Don't say such a thing. La la la...I can't hear you...

If you're hosting a holiday get-together and are out of time to shop for those last little touches to spruce up your table or your home, relax. Take a deep swig of egg nog. I mean take a deep breath. Look around your house and I bet you can recreate some of the images seen here. Who doesn't have various bowls, containers, extra ornaments and some ribbon lying around?

Don't thank me, thank Better Homes and Gardens. Unless you are the type that says "thanks" with chocolate or cash.

I'm off for the Christmas holiday but will be back soon. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. Safe travels. Happy moments.

Seriously, chocolate or cash.

Cheers,
amy

Running Out Of Gift Ideas? You're in Luck.

More than any other year that I can remember (because I'm just a baby...ahem) so many people could use some extra holiday cheer. Times are tough for so many and it's often one simple thing that can brighten their day.

Take a second and check out a post I had the pleasure of doing for Real Simple about a, dare I say, "simple" way you can not only exchange gifts with friends, but share a gift with perfect strangers.

Only A Few Hours Left

If you haven't already done so, please stop on over to Hostess With The Mostess and vote for your favorites in one of the best contests I've seen online! You may just have the deciding vote that helps the lucky winner have a very happy holiday indeed! Look at you spreading cheer...

Helping narrow down the finalists was incredibly difficult and my hat goes off to everyone that entered. You certainly inspired me!

Contest Reminder!

Don't forget to stop by here and enter the $100 Wedding Paper Divas giveaway! The hardest thing you'll have to do is decide how to spend your prize!

Winter Flower Ideas

I have the bug. Not just the flower bug but the sickness bug going around.

So please excuse me if:

A) I've posted these before.
B) I did these last holiday season and am posting them now.
C) The pictures on the candy cane flowers are bad phonetography shots from my phone.

Now, I'm back to the couch to watch one of the any given 237 wedding planning shows you can find on tv.

St. Louis???

Do not adjust your screen. This is December and this is St. Louis.

Last weekend I coordinated a company holiday party at a very cool venue here in St. Louis. If you are in the area and haven't been to Flamingo Bowl yet then you should plan a trip now. Better yet, you should plan a private party in the Palm Room. Your guests will love you for it.

I mentioned earlier that I got busy and didn't take pictures of the actual set up. I've already kicked myself so don't worry. I recreated a centerpiece, some goody bags and a shot of some of the various printed materials, so hopefully this will give you a feel for what it was like.

Throw in good food (not your typical "bowling" menu), great staff and amazing bar service from TJ (mentioned here) and Matt, and you absolutely cannot miss by booking your next event at Flamingo Bowl. I guarantee.

some images courtesy of www.flamingobowl.net

Centerpiece for Dummies

So while I made this arrangement for office holiday decor, you could easily recreate this for your home or for a holiday party centerpiece. It wouldn't work well for a sit-down dinner centerpiece unless you are trying to avoid the people on the other side of the table, but it would work great for a buffet table!

All you need is some type of urn or base vessel, a block of Oasis floral foam in an inexpensive globe vase placed inside that, some greenery, a few hypericum berries, a few poms and some ornaments and you're ready to go. I realize now when you type that out it doesn't sound like a short list, but really, this could not be easier. Honest. I only lie about my weight.

Insert the foam block vertically into your globe vase and start cutting and placing your greenery into it. Fill in with the berries next. Attach the ornaments to some floral picks with wire and fill those in next. Lastly add in the poms or other flowers of your choice and you're done. I added the poms to pull out some of the green used in the wrapped faux presents and other furnishings in the office. What you use is completely up to your imagination!

Cheating. Totally Cheating.

I should have a couple of original photos of a corporate holiday party up this week (but I got busy and forgot to take pics of the centerpieces and need to recreate them and take pics..I know...durrrr), but until then I am cheating and pointing you back over to Tangarang. Tangarang rocks and once again has made your life easy for the seasy. Holiday Season that is.

Super cute FREE holiday cookie labels in one of my favorite color combos!


As if that wasn't enough? Check out the Paper & Cake etsy store to get your digital downloads for this gorgeous holiday table! Loves it.

Simple Indeed

Better Homes and Gardens (www.bhg.com) has an endless amount of inspiration all year long and the holidays are no exception. There are so many great ideas that anyone can recreate. Here is just a sampling of some I'm loving right now.

Aren't those gazing balls in the first picture fantastic? Cookie cutters in the kitchen...adorable. A simple table runner of these ornaments in grass would look so fresh.

Oh, and expect to see "Happy New Year" in Scrabble in the entry at our house this year as I lovingly force people to play board games with me on New Year's Eve. Yes, I'm that girl.

Peppermint Party on The Web

Just a quick couple of additional peppermint posts from the creative minds at The Finer Things and Hostess With The Mostess. Love.

via The Finer Things



via Hostess With The Mostess

Holiday Cocktail Party With A Twist {Part Three}

We have our invitations and our drinks. What else do we need? Favors, of course.

No party is complete without parting gifts. Shower your guests with any of these peppermint inspired gifts from Crate and Barrel. (With some extra touches thrown in from around the interwebs.)

These peppermint spoons would not only be great on your hot chocolate bar but would also make a simple favor for your guests. Just bag up your favorite cocoa mix, place it in an inexpensive white mug, tie on one of these spoons with some red and white striped ribbon and send your guests home with their very own treat. Bonus: Your favors will serve double duty as some seriously cute decor if you group them all together or in smaller groups throughout your party!

No time to make your own peppermint bark? No problem. Crate and Barrel has done it for you. If sending each guest home with their own box isn't in your budget, then bag some up in a cute cellophane bag (shown here from Container Store) or put some in miniature takeout boxes and tie off with red ribbon.

Serve fondue in these adorable little snowflake fondue pots and then gift your guests with some yummy fondue to use at home.

Enough of the sweet stuff? These miniature striped candles might just be your bag then. Customize the gift with some personalized matches and let your guests know you went that extra step to show how glad you are that they took the time to join you.

At the rate this season is flying by we might have this party complete by next year....

$100 Wedding Paper Diva Giveaway!

With the snow falling in St. Louis today, I can't think of a better day to introduce this destination wedding inspired contest from Wedding Paper Divas.

One lucky Stem reader will win a $100 Gift Certifcate to help in planning their dream event. The contest will run from December 8th through December 22nd and here's all you have to do:

• Envision your perfect destination wedding and head over to the Signature Collection of wedding invitations to select the design that best represents your ideal destination.
• Save your design in the free account you can create on Wedding Paper Divas.
• Share your destination and the card of your choice by leaving a comment here on Stem.
• While it's not mandatory to enter, feel free to create an inspiration board and email me the .jpg file if you'd like and I'll share them with Stem readers!

One random winner will be chosen on December 23rd. Good luck!