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Archive for the ‘Entertaining at Home’ Category

Welcome to Willow House

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , , , on July 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

Last week, I traveled to Milwaukee for the first-ever Willow House National Conference.

To say it was amazing, fantastic, inspiring and fabulous doesn’t even do it justice.

Conference is a place to plug in and recharge, to network with great people who understand the concept of building relationships and helping one another, and to get great ideas to jump-start our businesses for the fall season.

While I was at conference, I noticed that what was offered by the corporate staff and other consultants was basically the same things we want to offer guests in our home.

A Warm Welcome

I don’t know about you, but I like to feel welcomed when I am visiting someone. A genuine smile and a warm hug or handshake goes a long way in making someone feel welcome. Even a  “hello, I’m so glad to see you,” when said honestly makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Acknowledge people in a way that says “I remember you, my friend.”

Servant Mentality

“Won’t you come in and make yourself at home?”

“How can I best assist you?”

“Is there anything I can offer you?”

All those questions, whether spoken or implied, mean that you are there to provide assistance and help to someone. I can’t tell you how many times I was offered care and support through similar words. When people come to your home, offer them no less. Let them know you are there in the moment to make them feel at home.

Encouragement and Acceptance

We all need encouragement and acceptance. Even if the words aren’t spoken, we need to know that other people accept us for who we are and support us in our pursuits. It is human nature. The people at conference have this down to an art. We can take a lesson from them. When people come to your home are they accepted and encouraged? Your job as a host is to make sure they are. A few words  spoken from the heart offering encouragement or acceptance can mean the world to someone.

Joy

These conference attendees know how to have fun. In class, at general session or even celebrating to a 1950s themed party, they celebrate, embrace joy and have a great time. When you  entertain guests, do you have a go-with-the-flow and enjoy the moment attitude or are you flustered and frustrated that things didn’t follow your perfect party plan? Learn to let go and enjoy the guests in your home at the moment they are there. They won’t remember if the bread got a little too toasty or the punch wasn’t the exact shade of pink you wanted or if the centerpiece candle refuses to stay lit. What they will remember is if you set the tone for a fun evening by surrendering your plans and just enjoying the evening and them.

Entertaining your Heart Out

Give it your best and then enjoy the results, whatever they may be. Laugh, hug, cry, smile, be present in the moment, dream for the future and celebrate what makes each person unique and special.

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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Creating a Summer Beverage Station

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , on July 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

“Summertime
And the living is easy
Fish are jumping
The cotton is high…”
When George Gershwin penned those words so many years ago, do you suppose he knew we’d still appreciate them today?
Summertime is all about living with ease and simplicity, particularly when we entertain. It is hot, backyards and pools call out to us and the last thing we want is to be tied down to a stuffy kitchen.

Make things easy on yourself when you entertain by making it easy for your guests to self-serve.

One really simple thing you can do is create an outdoor beverage station.


Start with the one thing you will need in outrageously plentiful amounts – ice. I can’t stress this enough, but have twice as much ice as you think you will need. Running out of ice is like a death sentence to your gathering. No one wants to sit around and drink luke-warm or hot beverages when it is 90 degrees outside. So buy ice, lots of it!

Have a party bucket or container that you can fill with ice and put in individual-sized bottles, like pop, water or juice,  or keep larger bottles chilled.

For a pre-mixed beverage, serve it in a pretty glass beverage server so guests can see of what delicious drink they are about to partake.

Always, always, always have water available. Serve it in icy cold pitchers or have individual bottles, but make sure you have it out and available.

Set up an area at the station with glasses. If you have a variety of different drinks that require a variety of glasses, set the glassware next to the beverage. If it is one-size-fits-all, place all glasses together. Offer charms or cute little stickers to put on glasses so each person’s glass is easily identified.

A tray set with fun little extras like fruit or olive accents on picks, little umbrellas, swizzle sticks and more can add a fun finish to most any beverage.

Remember to relax and have fun and connect with your guests. That is what savvy entertaining is truly all about!

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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The Sweetest Wedding Favors

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Family, Musings, tagged , , on July 8, 2010| 6 Comments »

A few weeks ago Hubby and I escaped, ran away, packed our bags and got out of Dodge, made a mad getaway…  we went on vacation! And it was awesome.

But before our official vacation fun began, we made a detour of a few hundred miles so we could 1. spend Father’s Day with our dads and 2. attend the wedding of my cousin’s first born, dearly loved son. I’m so glad we did.

As you may or may not know, I love weddings. Absolutely, cotton-picking love weddings. I love the emotion, the joy, the laughter, the wedding songs, the beautifully-wrapped gifts and the cake, particularly if it is chocolate.

This wedding that united Chance and Veronica in wedded bliss was so much fun – and so very sweet.

Mother of the Groom, my cousin Julie, is on the right - the cute one laughing. If I had to get stiffed on all the good genes, I'm glad she's the one who got my share.

The mother of the groom, my sweet cousin Julie, was very gracious and lovely. Not that I’d expect her to be anything else. She is one of those people you’d love to hate because not only is she is perky and gorgeous, she is also hysterically funny, sweet, sincere, genuine and beautiful. Yeah, I’m not sure how we could possibly be blood relation because looking at us you’d see absolutely no family resemblance at all. I think Julie got my share of all the cute and fun genes.

The newlyweds prepare to leave the church via a buggy ride.

Anyway, the wedding was casual, relaxed and lovely. Then we all loaded up in our cars, left the church and drove out to Julie’s home. Not everyone could accommodate several hundred guests descending on their home like ants on a picnic, but Julie and her husband Wally did a swell job of making everyone feel welcome.

The first dance for Chance and Veronica.

We enjoyed a splendid feast, cheered as the newlyweds cut the cake, listened to amusing and touching toasts from the best man and maid of honor and watched the first and second dance. It was fantastic.

The groom and his mother share a dance while the bride danced with the father of the groom.

I think my favorite thing of all were these little packets of seeds that were handed out as we signed the guest book.

The front of the packet has their names and wedding date.

But the back is what made my heart melt. It says "Everytime you give these flowers a glance, please remember that Veronica loves Chance." Not only sweet, but what a clever idea!

Thanks to Julie and Wally for welcoming us to your home and being so gracious. Thanks to Chance and Veronica for allowing us to be a part of your special day,  and for the flowers that will indeed make me remember this special wedding every time I see a bloom.

Best Wishes!

Shanna

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Summer Entertaining Essentials

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , on July 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

If you are planning to do some entertaining this summer, make sure you have a basic “toolkit” of summer entertaining essentials. It will make your life so much easier and your entertaining efforts so much simpler.

Ice and Beverages – I can’t stress this enough, but make sure you have plenty of ice and beverages on hand. When you think you’ve purchased all you need, buy a little bit more. You’ll be glad you did. In addition to whatever fun summer beverages you are serving, make sure to have an ample supply of ice water available – be it in pitchers or bottles. Encourage guests to stay hydrated. If you are serving one specific beverage, try a beverage server. It will keep your drinks cold for a couple of hours, make self-service a snap and it looks really nice! Also, if you are intointeresting party drinks, keep some fun sugar on hand to rim the glasses and offer lemon wedges, maraschino cherries, peach slices and mint to garnish drinks.

Chairs – Again, when you think you have all you need, set out a few more. There is nothing worse than being at a party and not being able to sit down to chat. Create groupings or set them around a fire ring, but just make sure you have enough.

Trash Cans – If you put them out, people will use them. One easy way to clean up after a party is to have a trash station set up. Have a trash can and another container for recyclables (lined with trash bags, of course), provide a pan or basket to collect dirty utensils and have a tray or container to hold used plates and glassware. Your guests will gladly  throw away their trash and pile in their plates and forks if you give them an easy way to do it.

Shade – If you are entertaining outdoors, check out what shade is available at the time you have designated for your party a few days before the event. Is there adequate shade for everyone. Do you need to get a few lawn umbrellas or maybe invest in or rent a tent? If your yard is lacking in shade think about how you can create some. If you are on a tight budget but have the willingness to get creative, something as simple as a sheet tacked to corners of the house and some stakes in the yard can create temporary shade.

Barbecue Grill – Make sure if you are barbecuing that the grill is in a safe place. Do not reuse plates or utensils that touched raw meat.

Napkins, Towels and Hand-Wipes – Between drippy hamburgers and juicy watermelon, summer entertaining seems to call for more napkins. Have plenty available. You may want to also have paper towels on a stand set out or a container of hand-wipes. A great place for the paper towels and hand-wipes is at your trash station.

Keep Food at the Right Temperature – A good rule of thumb is to never let food sit out more than two hours and in the summer heat, that time frame should be even less. Keep cold foods cool by nestling serving bowls into bowls or pans filled with ice. If you don’t want guests to see the ice pans, put a drape over them before setting in bowls. This not only keeps food cool, but also creates a nice element of visual interest on your buffet table. Keep hot foods hot by bringing out a hot plate, using a crock pot or warming bricks and laying them under the warm dishes. My own rule of thumb after a party is “if in doubt, throw it out.” Don’t try to save food, especially containing things like mayo, if it has set out too long.

Condiments are Important – Have a variety of condiments including everything from ketchup to pickles and keep them well-stocked. And for goodness sakes, buy mayo not salad dressing. Your guests will definitely thank you!. For the 10-rules of condiments, check it out here.

The Extras – If you do a lot of outdoor entertaining, have a basket that contains bug spray, hats, fans and sunscreen and set it out where guests can easily find what they need.

Happy and Safe Entertaining!

Shanna

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