The idea of how to host a successful home party for 200+ high schoolers and their families sounds like an enormous task, doesn’t it? Just the thought of it can give anyone anxiety!  So, how did I create a large home party (64 kids and 140 parents and grandparents) seamlessly with grace, fun and calm for ... Read More about You Can Host a Successful Home Party

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Popcorn, potato chips, french fries, hot dogs and birthday cake – these junk foods conjure up memories of movie theaters, spring training baseball games, or maybe a child’s birthday party complete with balloons, pinata and birthday candles. Normally these foods don’t recall thoughts of delicacies like champagne, pinot noir, or caviar. But why can’t ordinary, ... Read More about Junk Food and Champagne? How to Pair Fun Food and Wine!

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I’m always looking for inspiration when it comes to setting holiday tables. Sometimes it’s a certain floral arrangement that inspires me, sometimes it’s a color palette and sometimes it’s a vintage entertaining piece that I want to incorporate into my tablescape. This year, I wanted to be able to use my DIY fabric charger plates ... Read More about My Unique Thanksgiving Table: Blue, White & Straw

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If you followed me for anytime now, you may have noticed that alfresco dining is my absolute favorite way to entertain and serve a meal. Most of the year in Phoenix, at least, it’s possible to do this and it’s uncommon to find a restaurant here that doesn’t have some sort of outdoor patio or ... Read More about Alfresco Dining: How to Set an Easy Table

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Here in Phoenix, we are coming into prime alfresco dining season – Spring! Our weather is warming up, but the nights are still cool, so everyone (and their mother!) is yearning to get outside and enjoy dining outdoors. I absolutely love this time of year and take every chance I can get to have dinner ... Read More about How to Dress up a Backyard Patio Table

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Sometimes one of the most effective ways to create a dramatic centerpiece is actually by using something very simple. I’m talking about wood branches and how these can be incorporated into any tablesetting, or home decor, for an amazing affect with little effort. A great example is my purple country table that I set recently ... Read More about Purple Country Table: How to Use Wood Branches

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While things are still looking a bit different this year as far as celebrations go, Valentine’s Day will be no exception. Instead of a restaurant date for two, my husband and I decided to turn it into a Family Valentine’s Day Dinner for all of us, Grandmas included. Perhaps not quite as romantic as it ... Read More about A Family Valentine’s Day Dinner

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If you followed me for a while now you know that we have a tradition in our family called Grandma Dinner Night. Every Tuesday, my husband and I have our moms over to our home and we have a lovely meal in our dining room with our kids. It’s our time to reconnect, three generations, ... Read More about Grandma Dinner Night #1: Simple French Flair

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Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only about 6 weeks away? Have you started planning your table decor yet? Maybe not, but for decor geeks like me, I’m always looking for ways to plan ahead and take one thing off my list so I can focus on what really matters: my guests. The inspiration for ... Read More about Time to Plan Thanksgiving: A Purple Table Idea

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If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I’m going to apologize in advance, because it may be the greatest store for seasonal finds ever! Imagine my surprise when I walked in the other day and found these gorgeous blush-colored gourds – perfect for my pink pumpkin table! They had them in all ... Read More about Pink Pumpkin Table: An Unexpected Twist on Fall Decor

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