Inspiration, the details.

This first blog post was all about what happens when you bring together some creative, entrepreneurial souls, giving them a bit of guidance (in this case creating a mock party with the color scheme being lavender, green, white and cream….blush and pink were later added) and let them loose with their creative juices!

Once the theme was decided for our event, in this case it was the colors, I gathered my supplies and started planning. The following list of items that I regularly use when entertaining.

Apothecary jars: great for colored candies, fruit, flowers, etc. I often fill one with homemade, color-coordinated marshmallows, which is a hit with kids of all ages!!
Ribbons of all colors and fabrics. And yes, I have a designated ribbon drawer to keep myself organized.
Crepe paper streamers: once you see these is a festive display, you know that the fun has started.
Balloons, which happened to be the festive punch of color that we used for our debut post.
Glassybabies of all colors add the right touch and each one is made with love!
Seasonal flowers. This truly brings life to the event. I brought violets, that I added to the grapes. They also added a fun element to the champagne. Natalie, from Pozie by Natalie, spread floral joy throughout the space.
Bowls, bowls, and more bowls! I love bowls and have them in all shapes and colors. They are perfect to hold nuts, candies, crackers, dips, etc. One of my favorite adult candies are the champagne gum drops. They are white and go with any décor. You can find them here: https://www.candywarehouse.com/champagne-bubbles-gumdrops-candy/
Vintage glass plates, inherited from the kid’s great-grandmother. I love surrounding myself with treasured pieces that have been handed down the generations with love.

Any and all of these make up the details that add something special to any event. I also like to create a signature drink or whip up a decadent dessert for my guests. This lets them know that I did something special for them. At the same time, I buy something easy from a local grocery store or order some cupcakes or macarons from a local bakery, such as Antler Baking Co., Sot Bake shop or Gathered Confections. Thus demonstrating that entertaining doesn’t have to be difficult. What truly matters is making your guests feel welcome and having a great time.

When I’m in the process planning a big event, I often decide that I ‘need’ something new to add to my collection (incidentally, my husband and I have different meanings for the word ‘need’, but that is a rabbit hole that I won’t venture down at this time). My usual go-to place for something fun is the Greenhouse. Whether it is seasonal paper or cloth napkins, mercury glass votive holders, a colorful vase or some new wine charms, the Greenhouse never fails! For this event, we used a lavender Le Creuset cake platter from the Provence collection and adorned it with beautifully decorated cupcakes from SOT Bake Shop. Bre Green, the new owner of the Greenhouse, used this collection as the inspiration for the color scheme for our event. We also gathered an assortment of accessories from around the store to complete the look.

As I mentioned in the “Inspiration” post, my new favorite store is Ormolulu. Ormolulu had these vintage margarita glasses that also functioned as oversized champagne glasses, as you can see in the pictures. These glasses are classic and versatile and just the thing that my entertaining cupboard was missing. So, after the photo shoot these babies came home with me and I can’t wait to use them.

Building an Entertaining Cupboard:

There are many local stores, such as the Greenhouse, that have a great selection of quality basics that are ideal for entertaining. From glassware to table linens to serving platters, the choices are endless. Find a collection that you like and slowly build upon it. You can even put the pieces on your Christmas list, so your friends and family know exactly what to get you!

Become friends with your local antique store and let them know what you are looking for. The vintage glass dessert/appetizer plates that I have are a perfect example of something that has history while being very versatile. I have over 20 plates, of varying sizes and designs, they take up very little space, and I can use them at almost any event that I host. Since they aren’t a matching set, it’s easy to add to the collection.

By taking the time to slowly build on your collection, each piece can literally be the cost of a cup of coffee.

I look forward to sharing more ideas on how to build an entertaining cupboard in future posts.

Contributing Creatives:

Sot Bake Shop, Jennifer Johnson:

IG: www.instagram.com/sotbakeshop/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sotbakeshop

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/sotbakeshop

Pozie by Natalie, Natalie Ransom:

Website: www.poziebynatalie.com

IG: www.instagram.com/poziebynatalie/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PoziebyNatalie/

Ormolulu, Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau: