Hostess with the Mostess®

Let’s Eat Cake, an amazing fundraiser hosted by the equally amazing Melissa Margarita-DiStefano, is coming up quick: Tuesday, February 17th at the Plaza Paramount Hotel! Let’s Eat Cake is a cake decorating competition with all proceeds going to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Learn more about the fundraiser right here.

In an effort to make sure we get the word out to everyone (and raise money), we are starting this chain-blog (Ok, not sure if that is correct terminology. But it’s like a chain letter so let’s just go with it, shall we?)

Here’s what we need you to do…Repost this post (or create your own new version) on your blog and ask others to post it on their blogs. Melissa will donate one dollar to the fundraiser for EVERY BLOG that posts on Let’s Eat Cake this week! With the power of the blogosphere, that can QUICKLY add up! Let’s make Melissa Pay! Once you have reposted it, leave a comment letting us know that you posted it along with the url to the blog. It’s for a great cause and it will be fun to see how far it will go! So lets do it… Lets blog it forward and raise money for a great cause!!!

**Kudos to Unique Designs for creating this fun chain-blog effort!**

P.S. Ok, Melissa… time to kick in another $1!

P.S.S. If any business wants to help out with a matching challenge, Melissa would love to hear from you!

I’m finalizing the details for the upcoming Hip Hostess Event in Boston (January 15th) and thought I’d share one of my favorite “Stylish Entertaining on a Budget” tips with you today - which is the theme of the Boston event.

Scrapbooking materials are a great resource for budget-friendly entertaining - and this extends way beyond paper! Rub-on transfers are also a great way to dress up glasses & dishware. They’ll stay on well at the party, but they’re also removeable from glass, ceramic, and plastic – so you can customize the drinkware you already own for each special occasion!

The glasses in the image above are a great example of this technique. These are embellished using the “Catwalk” MiniMarks rub on transfers from American Crafts - and the fun “wine charms” are were created with “Fashion Flair Cool” Flair adhesive badges - also from American Crafts.

(Tip: To remove the transfers when done, use scotch tape to lift and/or hot, soapy water.)

The tag line for Ann Kelle Designs is “Paper to Make You Smile” - and their bright, fun, and oh-so-modern products definitely do just that!

Want to bring a little more cheer to your office this year? Check out the new Ann Kelle 18 Month Mousepad Calendar - featuring tear off calendar pages with a different design for each month. (It can also be mounted as a wall calendar.) $20 at Anne Kelle Designs - and 20% off through January 9th with discount code “HWMsmiles”!

I’m also loving these adorable Doodle Books, List Pads, and Mix-n-Match Note Card Sets, perfect for shopping lists, day dreaming/goal planning, and that new year’s resolution you made about making more time to correspond with friends…

Read More…

There are tons of ways to decorate for New Year’s Eve, but shimmery gold and silver will always seem especially appropriate. Here are a few simple, sparkly ideas from Martha Stewart…It’s not too late to pull any of these ideas together tonight or tomorrow during the day before your festivities begin!

Pictured above: Countdown Decor (gather up all your clocks, hit the discount stores, or borrow from friends!), Sparkling Centerpiece (glass vases filled with shiny ball ornaments leftover from Christmas), and Countdown Champagne Flutes. Pictured below: A Metallic Serving Tray and DIY Shimmering Streamers are created from festive gift wrap.

Sometimes I get so caught up browsing all the fantastic ideas ’round the web that I forget to mention the ideas from right here at HWTM… For example, our Gold & Silver Shimmer party theme, which is full of plenty of sparkle for a New Year’s Eve bash!

And for something sparkly to sip or munch on, try a bubbly Ritz 75 or a Glitzy Chocolate Pudding!

Check out our New Year’s Eve section for more NYE party themes & ideas!

Can’t get away on a fancy trip this holiday? Why not bring the destination to you?! This is the concept behind the “Staycation!” feature in People magazine’s special Holiday 2008 Extra issue, which included  3 “dream destination” vacation spots - Aspen, London, and The Caribbean - and I was super excited to be asked to create the London theme!

I think the issue only went out in the mail, but you can click here to view a jpeg of the full spread at a legible size - or check it out online at people.com (although most of the images are only in the print version).

I also designed some printable invitations to go with this party theme, which are pictured in the top image. You can download them below for free (pdf format). There are 2 versions - the first is exactly like the version pictured in the article and says “HAPPY HOLIDAYS” at the top - and the second says “YOU’RE INVITED” instead of “Happy Holidays” so that it can be used anytime of year…

Get the links to download both invites - and additional British-themed tabletop & party decor ideas - after the jump! Read More…

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I took a much-needed break from the computer for a few days, which was the best Christmas present ever - it’s amazing how different the world can look after a few good nights of sleep! Speaking of which… catch some extra zzz’s tonight and tomorrow night if you can - because we all have a good excuse to skimp on them again come Wednesday!

For the next few days we’ll be focusing on some fun ideas for ringing in the new year… starting with a few dessert recipes featuring one of the key ingredients for new year’s eve celebrations: champagne, of course!

Champagne Dessert Recipes:

1. White Peach, Cassis, and Champagne Floats - a super-easy & refreshing dessert that’s part Kir Royale, part peach parfait, and looks absolutely gorgeous!

2. Pink Grapefruit, Strawberry, and Champagne Granita with Sugared Strawberries - This granita recipe garnered rave reviews at Epicurious!

3. Champagne, Darling? Freezes - features lemon sorbet, champagne, and citrus vodka or limoncello…a true dessert cocktail!

4. Jelled Champagne Dessert - This glass of bubbly is served with a spoon!

Read More…

There’s something so inviting and “wintery” about the look of white chocolate, which makes it perfect for holiday treats! Here are a few yummy recipes links for all my fellow sweet tooth friends out there…ENJOY!

Pictured above, clockwise from top left:
• White Chocolate Truffle and Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake
• White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle with Spiced Pears
• White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
• White Chocolate Amaretto Cake

Read More…