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Posts Tagged ‘Savvy Entertaining’

Hat Day

Posted in Musings, tagged , , , on January 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Today is National Hat Day.

As much as I love hats, I’m one of those people who look even dorkier when I put one on my head. It’s sad, but true!

So even though I can’t wear them, it doesn’t keep me from admiring them.

In honor of the day, I thought I’d share some of my favorite  hats.

mary poppins

Let’s start with Mary Poppins. I have adored her white hat since the early days of my girlhood.  Light, breezy, feminine and lovely, I so wanted this hat (and dress, and to be Mary Poppins). Bert’s hat is snazzy, too, in its own colorful way.

scarlett ohara hat

Vivian Leigh could wear hats. As Scarlett O’Hara she wore them with a lot of attitude. My favorite is the big straw hat with the deep green velvet bow. Oh, how I longed to be Scarlett in her beautiful clothes, surrounded by adoring boys.

hat rose titanic

The moment I saw this hat, I loved it. The style, the elegance – the incredibly broad brim that said “make way, I’m someone special!” Although I did not want to be Rose on the Titanic, I did pine for her wardrobe, particularly this outfit.

hat jane russell

Jane Russell is another one who wore hats with panache.

hat marilyn monroe

I love the rose and drooping brim on Marilyn Monroe’s hat.

hat greta garboGreta Garbo made the slouch hat look stylish.

hat barbara stanwyckBarbara Stanwyck always looked so glamorous and well-dressed. Love the tilt of this hat and the attitude it adds to the outfit.

hat maureen oharaMaureen O’Hara was one of my favorites. She was so lovely and could make any hat look good.

hat doris dayOnly Doris Day could carry off those tall hats from the 1960s and make them look smart and sassy.

hat jackie kennedyJackie Kennedy gave a whole new elegance to the pill box hat.

hat kate middletonAs for modern-day hats, Kate Middleton carries off her hat selections with great style.

Lest you think I’ve forgotten an important category of hats, I must confess, I love all cowboy hats.

hat cowboyAnd there are a variety of styles to choose from. One of my favorites is the Telescope shape.

hats cowgirls 1920sCheck out these hats worn by some favorite western gals in the 1920s.

She Who Might Go Put on a Hat

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The Mixer

Posted in Home and Garden, Kitchen Tools, tagged , , on January 9, 2014| 6 Comments »

For years, I’ve dreamed of having a big stand mixer.

You know the kind that can mix bread dough, whip cream into snowy peaks, and make my life easier.

There were two problems with me acquiring said mixer:

1. I wanted a pick one and couldn’t find one anywhere.

2. Counter space is prime real estate in my kitchen and I wasn’t sure I had enough room for a mixer.

Problem is solved…

mixerCaptain Cavedweller got me one for Christmas and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have it.

Since he couldn’t find a pink one, he went with the Metallic Chrome, and I actually like it a lot. I have since decided the chrome model really goes with everything while the pink one would not.

As far that counter space, I think it took me all of five minutes to shuffle things around and find plenty of room for my mixer.

So, what I’d love to know is what those of you who have stand mixers like best about them? What is your favorite thing to make with them? What attachments to you recommend? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

She Who Is Ready To Get Mixin’

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Winter Party Ideas

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , , , on January 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

snowman

Wanting to get together with friends and family in a fun, relaxed way? Here are a few winter party theme ideas:

* Snowman Party – The fun can snowball in a hurry with a creative theme. Use a simple menu like Snowman’s Soup (Potato Soup), Snowman Rolls (shape biscuits or rolls into a snowman shape). Cut your favorite white cheese with a small snowman cookie cutter, and place on top of  nice green salad for Snowman  Salad. Finish the meal with a snowman shaped dessert, easily made by stacking varying sizes of cupcakes, covering in white frosting and finishing with coconut or by dipping Nutter Butter Cookies in melted white chocolate and adding a face and a hat with frosting. Use snowman decorations left over from the holidays to highlight the theme. You can even make an easy centerpiece out of white styrofoam balls (available at craft stores) placed in a pretty glass bowl.

* Snowflake Party – Get the kids in on the decorating for this party. Have them cut as many snowflake as they can and hang them all around your serving and gathering area. Chiffon, organza or even tulle can be a great and affordable way to carry out the theme, especially when you combine white and icy blue. Layer white lights under the chiffon for a warm glow. For this party you could make snowflake soup (tomato soup with a sour cream snowflake floating in each bowl – fill a sandwich bag, clip a corner and pipe it on!) and snowflake sandwiches (grilled cheese sandwiches made by alternating a dark bread like rye with a lighter bread like sourdough or white. Cut out snowflakes from each then put the cut out of one bread into the cut out area of the other.)  Serve Candy Cane punch (1 liter cranberry or strawberry juice, 2 liters of lemon-lime soda, 2 quarts peppermint ice cream. Just before serving, put chilled  juice in punch bowl, scoop in ice cream, top with chilled soda. Garnish the bowl with mini candy canes) with snowflake sugar cookies for dessert.

* Skating or sledding party – use mufflers and mittens for your decorations. Use mitten shaped invitations to spread the word. Serve hot cider and hot chocolate (if you are serving hot chocolate make sure you have fun add ins read like marshmallows, crushed peppermint, mini chocolate chips and long peppermint sticks to stir with), snack mixes, and something simple like  mac and cheese with warm bread and salad. Make ice skate brownies for dessert. Cut a small skate shape our of cardboard for a template then cut out brownies, flipping the template over for half so the skates or heading different directions. Frost with white icing, make laces from red icing and the skate heel from a touch of chocolate frosting. Add a mini candy cane on the bottom for the skate blade.

* Winter Animals  – this theme works well and is most fun for younger children. Using the theme of animals that make you think of winter, it can be a really fun meal for little ones. Penguins can be made from hand-boiled eggs with olive heads and arms (use a whole black olive for the head and the tip of a mini carrot for his beak. Cut an olive into quarters lengthwise for arms and use tips of mini carrots for the feet. Toothpicks will anchor on the head and limbs. Be sure someone removes the toothpicks for younger ones before eating!). How about polar bear sandwiches? Just cut bread slices in the shape of a polar bear. You could do peanut butter, grilled cheese, meat, whatever you want. Serve milk as “artic punch” and have popcorn balls for reindeer cookies for dessert.

* Escape to Paradise – for the adults who are tired of gray skies and freezing temperatures, tell everyone to come dressed in their tropical best. Turn up the heater, play the luau music and put out a feast featuring “warm, sunny” foods and drinks like tropical fruit salad, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken and veggie skewers, crab pasta salad, orange-avocado salad atop mixed greens and tropical sunrise drinks (orange juice and ice with a dash of pomegranate juice). Make sure everyone has a lei to wear. A parting gift to each guest could be a votive that smells “tropical” like pineapple or coconut, as a a fun reminder of the evening. Tie it in a circle of tulle with a bright ribbon and it makes a lovely little gift!

She Who Needs to Escape… or at Least Plan a Party

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Set Goals for 2014

Posted in Musings, Success Tips, tagged , , , on January 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I know I post this every year, but it bears repeating…

smart-goals

Yesterday, Captain Cavedweller and I sat down and made a list of individual and joint goals we want to accomplish for 2014.

We’ve long ago given up on making resolutions. They don’t last, and we know unless we set a goal, we won’t stick to it.

If you are looking to set some goals for yourself for the new year, think about making them SMART goals.

SMART goals are a good way to move from thinking about doing something to getting it done. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Actionable, Realistic, Timely.

To get a specific goal, ask yourself the who, what, where, when and why questions. Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish? Where will this take place? When will it take place? Why do I want this to happen?

A goal that is measurable is one that can be tracked by progress.  When you measure progress, track results and meet deadlines, it spurs you on toward greater accomplishment. Ask yourself questions like “How many?” “How much?”  “How will I know the goal is accomplished?”

Attainable/Actionable goals help you identify what is most important to you. Once you do that, you can figure out step by step how to make it happen. You will develop the attitude, skill and ability to reach that goal.  This part of goal setting requires planning. You need to think out each step of action you need to take to make the goal happen and the time frame in which you’d like to see the results. Even goals that are a stretch (ones that get you beyond your comfort zone) are attainable when you grow to reach them. If your goal is get out the door on time in the morning, what specific steps can you take to make sure it happens?

To be realistic, a goal must represent an end result you are willing and able to achieve. You can have a stretch goal that is up there in the stars and still have it be realistic. You are the only one who can decide how lofty your goal should be. Just make sure it represents progress. Some of the highest goals accomplished didn’t seem that difficult because they were a labor of love or evolved from a deep passion. If you honest-to-goodness believe your goal can be accomplished, then it is probably realistic. You can also determine if a goal is realistic by looking at past accomplishments or determining what conditions or factors need to exist for the goal to be realized.

A goal is timely when it is tied to a time frame and has a sense of urgency. The steps leading to the accomplishment of your goal will also be time-based.

So let’s look at a goal. You might set a goal  that states   “I will learn to cook this year!”

While that is a good start, when you make it SMART you make it doable and provide the basis to hold yourself accountable.  “I will make a three-course meal, from scratch, and serve it for dinner Dec. 31, 2014 at 6 p.m.” Anyone could show up at 6 p.m. Dec. 31, and see if you have in fact learned to cook and made the meal.

Create action steps. You might write down something like:

“To achieve this goal I will …

• Purchase a cookbook

• Take a cooking class

• Learn the basics of cooking

• Check in weekly with Susie and Jane to h0ld me accountable to my goals…”

You get the idea.

When you share this goal with at least two other people, it will hold you accountable and help keep you on track.

The last part of the goal is setting a reward for yourself when you achieve it. Put it in writing and hold yourself to it. What realistic thing would you award yourself for meeting the goal? A pedicure? A new outfit? A spa day? Think of something that will give you some inspiration to keep going when you feel yourself dragging.

She Who Is Ready to Make this Year Fantastic!

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