entertaining
Go Ahead, Invite Your Friends Over And Throw A Delicious Crowd-Pleasing Brunch this Season with Zero Effort
This post is sponsored by Harry and David. All opinions are my own.
Give me a reason to entertain and I guarantee you I'll jump right on it! So, when my birthday was rounding the corner I thought it was the perfect time to invite some friends over for a mini-celebration of adding another year to the marks. Since it was my birthday, I wasn't feeling up to the task of creating everything from scratch so I enlisted the help of Harry and David to make my life a lot easier.
How To Throw An Easy Last Minute Brunch Birthday Party with The Cutest Mini Breakfast Bites
A few weeks back we decided to throw a last minute surprise party to celebrate Evan's 8th birthday. Honestly, I just threw it together with a little help from Coterie Party and Whole Foods on Prime Now.(honestly it's my new best friend to have groceries delivered within a two-hour window, for free).
Shop and Create The Easiest Easter Brunch You'll Ever Make from Whole Foods & Prime Now Delivery
We talk about Brunch a lot here on TfDiaries. It's no secret that I love a good brunch especially when it happens to fall on a special occasion. So, when Whole Foods wanted to team up to create the perfect Easter Brunch, you know I hopped right on board!
Must-Haves For Packing The Perfect Picnic
This post is sponsored by AVA Grace Vineyards. All opinions are my own and as always, drink responsibly.
I'm going to start by saying that picnic season is my favorite season. It's been a tradition since David and I were first married with limited funds. We would pack a picnic, head to the park and just sit under the trees for hours people-watching, snacking and catching outdoor movies. It's one of my favorite memories from our life before kids and has become a large part of our lifestyle when the spring and summer temperatures arrive. These days we have three kids in tow but it doesn't make it any less amazing, just a little louder, messy and chaotic maybe?
The Lazy Girl's Guide To A Clean House
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lysol®. The opinions and text are all mine.
5 Easy Ways To Wow Your Houseguests
This post is sponsored by Charmin; however, all opinions are my own.
The middle of April through the end of June is a crazy busy time in our house. We have three birthdays back to back and are regularly entertaining guests. As you already know, our two bedroom is TINY but that doesn't necessarily steer us away from having a handful of parties as well as house guest or three here and there.
So, how do you make your small home feel welcoming to incoming guests?
It's the little things, pun intended.
First of all, yes, we don't have a lot of space but taking those extra few inches of space and making them more welcoming to whomever is coming into our home makes a huge difference.
Always Have The GOOD STUFF.
Yep, I'm talking about toilet paper. I stand firmly by the idea that a nice toilet paper makes a world of difference in the bathroom. It's funny, I love soft and cushy rolls like Charmin and David for who knows what reason prefers the thin, papery rolls. You can always tell who was the last one to pick up toilet paper because our picks are such polar opposites. So, when guests are incoming, there's no chance that the papery stuff is on our roll or anywhere near our bathroom. Sorry, D.
Tip: Always have extra rolls within reach to avoid the dreaded 'You're out of toilet paper' call.
I'm currently stocking in our bathroom and I'm never looking back. It's irresistibly soft to touch and has just enough cushion to make 'getting the job' done more comfortable. I actually just got a HUGE Family Mega Roll pack (24ct.) on Amazon using a promo code and coupon for just under $30. If you hate the physical task of going to get TP and then lugging that big thing home, then this Amazon deal is right up your alley. Use promo code: 3MEGACHARMIN for $3 off your order. Plus, right now they have an additional $2 off coupon that can be applied at checkout for $5 off savings!
Now, I just have to figure out what to do with all the rolls... (baskets for the win).
Always Have Extra On Hand
My beauty cabinet is filled to the brim with just about any toiletry you can think of, so you better believe I have an extra toothbrush, shower cap or mouth wash on hand if anyone ever needs it. I always try to have, at the very least, a selection of travel size shampoos, body washes, lotions, and lip balms in the jars for when someone comes over. I always encourage them to take it with them when they leave.
Tip: I like to collect (unused) hotel shampoo and washes from my travels for when I have company over.
Their Own Linens
Obviously, they get their own linens. My suggestion? Get a set of towels and sheets and only use them for guests, that way you'll never confuse them with the ones you use on the regular, and when someone is visiting there won't be a mix up over whose towel is whose? Same goes with hand towels & washcloths.
Tip: Skip white towels for guests, go with a darker or printed option to avoid visible stains.
Make Something Delicious
Ok, not all of us have time to bake something amazing for guests but I always try to have fresh bagels and cream cheese or something similar waiting for when they arrive. For instance, my mom and dad LOVE the bagel place around the corner and I almost always have their bagel picks and favorite specialty cream cheeses waiting for them when they land. It's that extra inch of being thoughtful and welcoming that drives it home...
Keep in mind and food allergies or preferences.
Tip: Not a from-scratch kind of gal? It's ok! Head over to your favorite bakery or grocer and pick up your favorite treat and just arrange it on a pretty plate. Even baking cookies from the package counts and you get the added bonus of the smell of fresh baked goods.
Get Yourself Some Flowers
Flowers are welcoming and instantly brighten a space. Having an arrangement here and there when company arrives immediately changes the overall vibe and makes it more inviting and welcoming for guests.
Tip: You don't have to buy expensive bouquets. Grab pre-wrapped flowers from your grocery store and spice them up with a fun vase.
So, how do you make your home more welcoming for guests?
Colorful Fiesta Themed Birthday Party
Leave it to me to go to Mexico once and come back and throw a full on fiesta themed birthday party for Evan's 7th birthday. In my defense he requested a brunch, which was fine, but we needed a theme and he was not down with the bougie brunch theme I had suggested. Thus a compromise was made and we decided on a Cinco De Mayo themed birthday brunch. All things considered I kind of love how it turned out. I definitely didn't get to take pictures the day of so I had to re-set up and take pictures the next morning.
Build Your Own Toaster Pastry Bar
This post is sponsored by Walmart.com. All opinions are my own.
Oh hey spring, it's good to see you!
7 Tips For Preparing For Last Minute Guests
Just when you think the holiday chaos of blown fuses and dropping an entire tray of cookies into the oven floor was over, you still run the risk of having to entertain on short notice. Don't get me wrong, I love having people over, but If you're anything like me, your house post-holidays is nothing short of a hot mess: new toys sprawled out, dishes and clothes piled into mountains. Chances are we're still in our pajamas and binge watching The Good Wife.
Same page, right?
I thought so…
Before you go into a panic at the thought of guests arriving in less than an hour, I put together a checklist to make life a 100% easier for prepping for last-minute, unexpected guests with a little help from Progressive (Homeowners) Insurance ((Did you know they offer home insurance too?). Sure, it's going to take some effort but when you open that door they're never going to know your house was a disaster zone up until 45 minutes ago...
Oh, and here's a video to make sure you're doing it right ;)...
7 Tips For Preparing For Last Minute Guests
1. Bake Something
Before you dive into deep cleaning, grab a ready-to-bake package of cookies and throw them into the oven. If guests have food to focus on, the odds are better that they won't be focusing on the state of chaos in your place Plus, fresh baked goods are an instant air freshener. Nothing says home more than the smell of fresh baked goods. I always have a package on hand for when I need them and they only take 13-15 minutes to bake.
7 Tips For Preparing For Last Minute Guests
1. Bake Something
Before you dive into deep cleaning, grab a ready-to-bake package of cookies and throw them into the oven. If guests have food to focus on, the odds are better that they won't be focusing on the state of chaos in your place Plus, fresh baked goods are an instant air freshener. Nothing says home more than the smell of fresh baked goods. I always have a package on hand for when I need them and they only take 13-15 minutes to bake.
2. Get To The Dirty Work First
Next, ask yourself what rooms are going to be the most traveled? The answer is almost always: the bathroom. I share the bathroom with two boys and a David, and as you can imagine, it's a constant effort to keep it clean so it's definitely first on my list for cleaning when I hear someone is coming over. Strap on the gloves and dive right into cleaning the toilet, sink, and floor. You can skip the shower, unless you're looking at overnight guests.
Next, ask yourself what rooms are going to be the most traveled? The answer is almost always: the bathroom. I share the bathroom with two boys and a David, and as you can imagine, it's a constant effort to keep it clean so it's definitely first on my list for cleaning when I hear someone is coming over. Strap on the gloves and dive right into cleaning the toilet, sink, and floor. You can skip the shower, unless you're looking at overnight guests.
3. Ditch The Clutter & Conceal
Like I said before, clothes, toys, and random items are a veritable explosion, with debris spread from room to room. The clutter is in full-effect, so playing a quick game of clean up, pick up, put away, is exactly what you need. Even if you don't have time to put the items in their rightful home you can still give your home the illusions of being tidy. All you need is a quick storage solution. I'm all for filling up baskets and throwing a neatly folded blanket on top and putting in a corner somewhere. No time to fold the laundry? Throw your clothes under the bedspread is a great storage option in a bind (just remember to take them out before your jump in bed after your guest are gone). Don't have time to put the dishes away? Throw them in the oven, clean or dirty. If Carrie Bradshaw taught us one thing, it's that ovens are also for storage...
Like I said before, clothes, toys, and random items are a veritable explosion, with debris spread from room to room. The clutter is in full-effect, so playing a quick game of clean up, pick up, put away, is exactly what you need. Even if you don't have time to put the items in their rightful home you can still give your home the illusions of being tidy. All you need is a quick storage solution. I'm all for filling up baskets and throwing a neatly folded blanket on top and putting in a corner somewhere. No time to fold the laundry? Throw your clothes under the bedspread is a great storage option in a bind (just remember to take them out before your jump in bed after your guest are gone). Don't have time to put the dishes away? Throw them in the oven, clean or dirty. If Carrie Bradshaw taught us one thing, it's that ovens are also for storage...
4. Spot Clean
There's no time for a full on home cleaning spree so save yourself the effort and spot clean. Deal with the dishes (even if you are just putting them in the oven), vacuum high-visible areas, wipe-down the countertops and clean a couple of mirrors.
There's no time for a full on home cleaning spree so save yourself the effort and spot clean. Deal with the dishes (even if you are just putting them in the oven), vacuum high-visible areas, wipe-down the countertops and clean a couple of mirrors.
5. Deodorize
Open a window, turn on a fan and give your space a little spritz of deodorizer. The above will circulate the stale air out and keep things fresh. Have a litter box and no time to change it? Add some baking soda to the box before the guest arrive and it will help neutralize the odors.
Open a window, turn on a fan and give your space a little spritz of deodorizer. The above will circulate the stale air out and keep things fresh. Have a litter box and no time to change it? Add some baking soda to the box before the guest arrive and it will help neutralize the odors.
6. Set The Mood
Whew! Everything is cleaned up and now you just have to set the mood. Set out refreshments, snacks, and your freshly baked cookies. Light a candle, fluff some pillows, and put some music on.
Whew! Everything is cleaned up and now you just have to set the mood. Set out refreshments, snacks, and your freshly baked cookies. Light a candle, fluff some pillows, and put some music on.
7. Throw Something Fabulous On
No, you can't answer the door in your robe. Leave your guests guessing when you answer the with something fabulous on, fresh baked cookies and a seemingly clean house.... How does she do it all?
As much as I love entertaining guests, it’s never easy getting ready for them. But, creating memories with the people you love make all those last-minute cleaning efforts and the general chaos leading up to the moment you open the door, totally worth the effort.
And after all, a home is where you make most of your fondest memories. Whether it’s first steps, birthdays, or last-minute guest entertaining, your home is one of your most prized possessions. So it makes sense to consider the best ways to protect it.
Progressive knows there's a million situations that can go right, and wrong during the holiday season. While they can't save you from unexpected guests they CAN protect your home and auto year round. Yep, you read that right, Progressive coverage doesn't stop at protecting your car from life's little mishaps, Progressive is also there to protect your new home and everything you cherish within it.....
So if you've just bought a home or are looking to buy, pop over to Progressive.com and get yourself a quote. They're #1 in online home insurance quotes, so they must be doing something right...
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Progressive Insurance. The opinions and text are all mine.
Colorful Halloween Decorations & Treat Ideas
If you've been following along at all for the last month you might have guessed I love Halloween. It's true, I do. So this year we figured let's up the ante and throw a Halloween party to properly celebrate. After going back and forth with color schemes, ideas and decorations I decided it would probably be best if I skipped the dark and spooky halloween theme in favor of something more bright and colorful. I LOVED how it turned out. I didn't love super-dark rainy weather the day of, making lighting and shooting less than favorable but, I couldn't not share.
First off, I hit up Target for some colorful favors. They had a ton of neon halloween goodies so I scooped up some spider rings, bright straws and creepy skeleton hands to keep things colorful. Obviously I had to get add spider webs, mini pumpkins and the oversized googly eyes to my cart before heading into Michael's. There I snagged skull glasses for $2 and stocked up on acrylic paint to give my mini pumpkins a colorful update. Two coats later they matched right up with the color scheme of purples, turquoise, neon yellow and orange.
Next, the snacks. The night before I whipped up "Monster" Rice Krispie Treats & Oreos, "Brain" Chocolate Cupcakes, Mummy Dogs and Pumpkin Shaped Pizza Bites. The Rice Krispies and Mummy Dogs barely made it through the first hour. Thankfully I had endless bowls of chips to keep everyone fed while they waited out the storm.
Brunch with Columbia Crest Crowdsourced Cabernet
This post brought to you by Columbia Crest Winery. The content and opinions expressed below are that of TfDiaries.
When Columbia Crest asked me to host a party to celebrate the launch of their 2014 Crowdsourced Cabernet I got excited. Not only did it give me a chance to round up some of my favorite ladies to spend the afternoon drinking wine together, but it also challenged me to find a creative way of doing it. I only had about a week to put things in motion so I got right to work brainstorming ideas to showcase this beautiful 2014 vintage cabernet in the best possible light. So, I decided to host a brunch where almost every recipe was infused with the flawlessly integrated and layered Cabernet Sauvingon. From a Raspberry Thyme Sangria all the way down to Blackberry Cabernet Chocolate Cupcakes, almost everything had a hint of the crowdsourced cabernet. It was an afternoon of adventurous, full bodied flavors packed into delicious combinations such as cabernet infused berry french toast, which by the way is even better than it photographs. Of course the usual Cabernet pairing suspects were there; tons of cheese piled on a charcuterie board served with an endless supply of toasted french bread, pasta salad, and tasting glasses for the wine before it became a winning sangria for the party of 6.
Of course one of the hot topics of the afternoon had to be 'How did the Crowdsourced Cabernet come to life?' In 2014 Columbia Crest embarked on an 18 months journey to become the very first winery to crowdsource a wine from vineyard to table. Everything from bud break, to the harvest to the final blend, even the label was put in the hands of the online community. The process brought together wine lovers as co-creator and honorary winemakers, bringing everyone to a deeper understanding and connection to the craft of winemaking. The end result? A delicious cabernet worth bragging about. Columbia Crest is actually the 1st Washington Winery to receive the honor of Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine in the World in 2009 for their 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Which is why it's not a surprise that this wine hits it out of the park.
The 2014 Crowdsourced Cabernet Sauvingon Vintage released on June 3rd, 2016 and approximately 1,000 cases of the 2014 Crowdsourced Cabernet will be available for purchase at http://www.crowdsourcedcabernet.com (or in the Columbia Crest tasting room in Paterson, Washington) for $30/bottle.
Grab The Recipes:
Raspberry Thyme Sangria
1 8ml bottle of Columbia Crest Crowdsourced Cabernet
1 liter of Sparkling Limeade
1 Cup Frozen Raspberries
3-4 Sprigs of Fresh thyme
Combine wine, raspberries and thyme in a pitcher and chill for at least an hour (overnight is preferred). When it is time to serve, add the sparkling limeade and garnish with sprigs of thyme. (Makes 8+ Servings)
Cabernet Soaked Blackberries & Baked Brie
8 oz Fresh Blackberries
3/4 Cups Columbia Crest Crowd Sourced Cabernet
1 Tsp. Sugar
*1 Wheel or Wedge of Brie, rind removed from top.
In a small bowl add the blackberries with the wine. Cover and let soak overnight.
The day of, bake the brie at 350˚ for 8-10 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from oven and spoon on 1/2 of the blackberries mixture and serve with warm, crusty baguette slices. (Reserve the wine from the bowl and remaining blackberries for Blackberry Cabernet Buttercream, below.)
Blackberry & Cabernet Buttercream
1 Cup Of Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Cabernet from the Cabernet Soaked Blackberry Mixture, liquid only (Recipe above.)
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
In a chilled mixing bowl cream the butter until smooth, slowly adding in powdered sugar.
Add vanilla and wine, and mix until smooth. Add the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe on the cupcakes of your choice. I opted for mini dark chocolate. Garnish with remaining cabernet soaked blackberries and thyme. (Yields 16 Frosted Cupcakes)
Cabernet & Berry Infused Baked French Toast
1/2 Cup Columbia Crest Crowdsourced Cabernet
3 Cups cubed Bread, dry/stale
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup of milk
1/4 C Sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
In a greased baking dish (I used two 9x9's) add bread and frozen berries.
In a small bowl combine milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Pour over bread and berry mixture, coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Remove from fridge and preheat oven to 400˚. Pour the 1/2 of cabernet over the mixture and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and crisp. Enjoy alone or top with whipped cream.
For more information and to participate in the virtual winemaking experience visit: http://www.crowdsourcedcabernet.com
