And no I’m not getting paid to say this (unfortunately). Here are some things I’ve been indulging in and just wanted to spread the word!!
Pop Sugar Must Have Boxes – I will be on my soapbox for these things for a very long time… because each month my obsession is confirmed! For $35 a box you can’t go wrong with the goodies… Lately I’ve been turned on to:
- SuperGoop Face Sunscreen (doesn’t make me
- NCLA Nail Polish (I have bought 4 more polishes so far! – super shiny and doesn’t chip easily)
- Lulah Body Wash (I bought 2 more scents – Peony and Fig)
- Dermalogica Precleanse and Special Cleansing Gel (I rarely stray from my beauty routine… but this has converted me!)
Make sure to join the PopSugar Box train and sign up here! They also make great gifts!!!
SkillShare – I had heard about this awhile back, but just was reintroduced to this cool site. You can sign up for classes for as low as $15, and they provide online video classes for everything from food photography to sketching your favorite runway looks! You take all of the classes on your own time… and have lifetime access to the materials! Sign up here!
The B Bar – My girlfriend Kelsey got me turned onto this and I couldn’t be more appreciative… any bloggers (or want to be bloggers like me) – this is a great resource! You can purchase individual “classes” of downloadable PDFs, that walk you through the in’s and out’s of everything from how to assemble a media kit to how to report income from gifted items!
Here are some things I’ve researched lately and wanted to share:
1. How do you store your linens and keep them fresh?
- Wash your sheets and fold them. Insert them into a pillowcase of the matching linen set.
- Store in a bedroom or hallway closet (or somewhere dry).
- For added freshness place a dryer sheet inside as well.
2. Do you need to buy a sifter?
- Save your money and whisk your dry ingredients instead. It should aerate everything sufficiently.
3. How often do you have to replace your cutting board?
- 1st it’s best to keep one cutting board for meat and one for fruit/veggies (some even suggest a separate board for chicken). The meat boards should be plastic and a bamboo board is fine for produce.
- It’s a good idea to replace plastic boards once they have deep grooves in them, because it’s a great place to harbor bacteria.
- I recommend washing your cutting board then sanitizing it in the dishwasher. Also, it’s very important that your cutting board is 100% before you put it away.
4. How do you keep your hands from getting sticky when rolling cookie dough?
- I have a couple tips for this – 1. don’t use your hands and use an ice cream scoop like this (it helps to keep measurements the same also!)
- Wet your hands before working with dough (this is also great for making meatballs or anything that requires you manipulate sticky dough)
I believe preparation is key. My sisters and I were fully able to enjoy the day and even spent the afternoon poolside – and not running around doing last minute errands (for the most part :)!
This is the first event where I delegated more tasks, and although financially it may not be the most sound choice, I HIGHLY recommend it for special events (ie. a cleaning lady, a caterer). But we did take on a lot of tasks ourselves, but with 3 helping hands and months to prep we were happy with the turnout.
Here was our checklist and preparation schedule:
I also created a binder for this event (surprise! surprise!) with tabs for the following:
- Menus (contained dinner menu, appetizer menu and grocery/shopping lists)
- Rentals (contained contracts, rental invoice for tables, flatware, linens, etc.)
- Invitations (contained invitation, guest/RSVP list)
- Timeline (contained to-do lists, timeline, schedules, checklists, etc.)
- Inspiration (contained Pintrested images of ideas we wanted to implement)
- Layout (contained backyard layout of stations, tables, etc. and seating chart options)
Having everything in one place (contracts, images, lists, etc.) is super helpful to me and something I REALLY recommend. Plus after your party is complete you have a guide on how to replicate your event!
I also wanted to share some little details that we were proud of!
Place Cards – we searched long and hard for a clever, fun idea on place cards and couldn’t find one we liked! I had read in Lisa Vanderpump’s entertaining book (don’t judge) that she uses little framed photos of her friends for place cards and I thought wouldn’t Polaroids be a fun, contemporary spin on this!? When each guest arrived we had them pose for a quick photo and then we added the image to their seat before dinner. It made for an amazing conversation starter and a great keepsake! (I recommend letting guests grab a cocktail or two before… makes for better pictures 🙂
Personalized Details – I love the idea of a few personalized details at an event and I felt for this party, a modern, metallic monogram would be just the thing. I found a website called Society Social which makes very high quality, custom items and we were excited to grab up the matchboxes and napkins for the party!
Menus: I’m also a huge fan of printed menus. Whether that is a large sign, or individual settings, it makes it much easier than explaining which each course is. I downloaded a fun font via DaFont.com and printed the menu on some gorgeous, heavy stock. I cut it down to plate size and used it as part of our table setting.
Menus: I’m also a huge fan of printed menus. Whether that is a large sign, or individual settings, it makes it much easier than explaining which each course is. I downloaded a fun font via DaFont.com and printed the menu on some gorgeous, heavy stock. I cut it down to plate size and used it as part of our table setting.
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Flowers: I will go to my grave repping Costco flowers… all it requires is a little planning and you will save oodles on gorgeous blooms! For the party I bought 200 white roses, 100 calla lillies and 100 hydrangeas for under $400! I mean you can easily spend $200 for a couple dozen roses at Valentine’s Day! Such a joke. Anyway… You have to order them precisely a week and a half before your event date, but you can pick which date you’d like them delivered in a two day window and once the blooms arrive channel your inner Martha and get to designing. I have been collecting glass vases the past few months, so I made sure to follow my flower prep guide and make arrangements accordingly!
With a little planning, some preparation and a few little details I believe you will have a slam dunk party every time! Entertaining is a love language, and what better way to share the love than going the extra mile? Happy planning!
images via The Mason Family Blog
Wow… I can’t believe a year has already gone by since I started Laundry in Louboutins! 365 days, 197 posts, and countless memories shared. Thank you so much for reading and joining me on this adventure!!