here is a sneak peek at a very festive, very girly, christmas party table that i will be sharing early next week.
featured: desire martini glass, polka dot dinner plate, ice blue salad plate
sneak peek: making spirits bright
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, christmas, color themes, ingredients, party prep, real inspiration, seasonal, winter Tagged a h.o.t.t. rental, christmas, color themes, holiday, real inspiration 1 Comment
holiday flashback: a retro party
if you’re searching for a unique theme for your holiday party- retro is the way to go! a couple years ago i hosted a 1959 new years eve celebration and it was a hit! check it out here!
so when i saw rue magazine recently featured a 1959 christmas party it made me want to tease my hair big {like i don’t already}, pour something fizzy, throw some tinsel on the tree and party like its 1959 all over again!
watch the behind the scenes of the magazine shoot here to gather inspiration:
Rue Magazine: Ribbons from Shark Pig on Vimeo.
or the music video to put you in the mood:
Rue Magazine: Marshmallow World from Shark Pig on Vimeo.
rue mag even gives you printables that you can use for your party or just for your gifts!
to download the retro gift tags visit rue magazine here. to read the article and the incredibly stylish magazine click here.
setting a retro table will be key to making your party seem like a legit flashback. not everyone has vintage, or vintage-looking plates laying around though…luckily {for those hot 1959 st. louis hostesses} head of the table has just the salad/dessert plate:
available to rent for $1/each
or if you want to recreate the rue magazine christmas party, these green and blue polka dot plates would be perfection along with stainless steel martini glasses:
available to rent for $1.15 (plates) and $1.00 (martini glasses) each.
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, christmas, flipping pages, retro, seasonal, winter 1 Comment
just add spice {ideas for your thanksgiving table}
the turkey isn’t the only think you need to think about if you’re hosting thanksgiving this year! here are some ideas on how to add spice – not to the thanksgiving dinner, but to the thanksgiving table.
idea #1: the hidden message
my mother-in-law loves to hide little games and messages under our dinner plates. it’s a fun way to get the table talking and plus, who doesn’t love a little surprise! that’s why when courtney winet designs offered to do these striped-placemats i knew the hidden message under the plate was a perfect surprise for guests. 
idea #2: a talking centerpiece
okay, so it doesn’t actually talk but it gets the table talking. again, from courtney winet designs comes thanksgiving sentiments that you can cut out and attached to your centerpiece, stemware, or even as napkin rings. 
my favorite is the one that says “i’m thankful for______” – have guests fill in the blank and get the conversation flowing at the table.
idea #3: unique tableware
if one thing is for sure, this table wouldn’t be quite as striking without the stylish plates and colorful stemware! all tableware items are available to rent at www.headofthetablerental.com. plates are $1.15 (dinner) and $1.00 (salad) each. stemware is just $1.00 each. plus they can be returned without having to wash them! to add some more interest to the table, i alternated the salad plates – green and brown – at each placesetting. don’t be afraid to mix and match complimentary plates.
idea #4: fruit centerpiece 
is there anything that doesn’t look better without some sequins? i think not. i added sequins and puff-paint to these pears i had in my fruit basket. 
other ideas: oranges, apples, gourds, oh my! don’t be afraid to get the glitter out either. another great thing is that by simply lining your table with your bedazzled fruit, you can easily clear it when its time to put the turkey down!
to print your own placemats and sentiment tags visit courtney winet designs here.
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, centerpiece, ingredients, real inspiration, seasonal, thanksgiving 1 Comment
transformation: a cold to cozy table in 5 steps
does your thanksgiving table look something like this: 
having thanksgiving dinner around a table that looks like that is like serving a turkey without any sides…blah, boring, and no one wants to come back next year. in 5 steps you can transform that snoozy-table into this cozy, woodland-themed table:
step 1: 
add a colorful blanket or cover. ordinarily, i wouldn’t choose a plaid, fleece blanket as the perfect table covering. but just wait- it’s the perfect backdrop and they are easy to find. if you don’t have a blanket, fabric stores sell fleece by the yard.
step 2: 
nothing transforms a table like unique tableware! 
adding these pinecone salad plates on top of the white dinner plate sets the entire mood of the table! {they were actually my inspiration for the table!} also, spice up your utensils! instead of silver flatware, these wooden-esqe handled fork, knife, and spoon all help to create that woodland’s feeling. the white coffee mug is set on top of a small bowl. this makes for an interesting presentation when it comes time for coffee & dessert- simply turn over the bowl and serve your pumpkin-ice cream.
all items are available to rent at headofthetablerental.com – items start at $.50-$1.15. it makes for a cost-effective way to stylishly set your table.
step 3: 
add some dazzle to a boring pinecone centerpiece by spray-painting the cones. i also added a square of burlap under the vase to tie the table together and add some great texture. pinecones are an excellent centerpiece option for fall & winter tabletops 1. because they have an interesting shape and can be spray-painted to match your theme and 2. they are inexpensive! just a hike through the park and you’re set!
step 4: 
i love these menu cards create by courtney winet designs. you can download the template here. courtney simply used a hot-glue gun to add the sticks around the perimeter of the cards. details are what make this table cute & cozy!
step 5: 
a final touch that really makes you feel like you’re dining all ugg-clad, furr-baby, cabin in the woods-like, is to add blankets, throws, and pillows to the chairs.
watch the table transformation take place on great day st. louis here!
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, fall, ingredients, real inspiration, seasonal, thanksgiving, winter 2 Comments
more than turkey…preparing thanksgiving tables
last week i filmed a segment for a local tv show, great day st. louis about thanksgiving tablesettings. it will air on monday – so if you live in the lou, set your tivo! if you don’t, no worries, i’ll post a link here on monday. in the meantime, here is a sneak peek at the tables.
table #1 – how to transform your thanksgiving table from boring:
….into a cozy, woodland’s themed table:
i can’t wait for you to see more of this table because once you see it, you’ll be inspired to recreate it for a winter-themed or christmas tabletop…is spans november-february dinner parties!
featured: pinecone salad plate (rent for $1/ea), white dinner plate ($1.15), cosmo wine glass ($1), white mug for your coffee ($.75)…placed a top a petite bowl ($.75) that you can flip over and serve your pumpkin ice cream or other dessert in, bamboo flatware ($2/set).
table #2 – simple solutions for setting a unique table. one of those tips, i’ll share now – bedazzle your pantry for an easy centerpiece…
great day st. louis will air the inspiring tabletop how-to’s on monday, november 22 at 10am.
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, party prep, real inspiration, seasonal 1 Comment
doing the mashed potato with a twist!
i’m loving this idea from the today show! don’t just plop those mashed potatoes down on your thanksgiving table…serve ‘em right!
the perfect mashed potato martini glass:
desire stainless steel martini glasses from head of the table
rent for only $1/each!
cheers!
Posted in party prep, real inspiration, seasonal, smells delicious Leave a comment
a classic summer soiree
somehow we managed to creep right into august now didn’t we? and although we probably have another good 1.5 months left of hot days, i can’t help but already start missing summer! i was thrilled this past weekend to design a poolside dinner party that was such a classic summertime soiree, it almost felt like the kick-off to summer, not the winding-down. this is so summer-chic that every party diva will be inspired to squeeze in just one more party by the pool…
when guests arrived: champagne for sipping…
the champagne glasses are available to rent for just $1/each! chic! i wish i had been around to get some shots of those full of bubbly and the candles lit…
the dinner table…
the placesettings were rented from head of the table and included the swirl dinner plate {that acted as the charger/ $1.15/each}, cosmo wine glasses {$1/ea}, white wine glasses{$1/ea}, and euro flatware {$.50/ea}. the meal consisted of 5 courses that were served on tableware including ice blue salad plates {$1/ea}, white salad plates {$1/ea}, ice blue bowls {$.75/ea}, and my favorite – dessert in a stainless steel martini glass {$1/ea}.
some details…
the florals are from belli fiori in st. louis and consisted of white roses and succulents – which turned out to be the perfect complement for an elegant but casual summer dinner outdoors…
menu cards, invitations, and fans were done by courtney winet designs…the blue and white stripes not only were nautical chic but also brought out that beautiful blue in the plates…
i had a custom tablerunner created out of blue & white striped fabric, which like the menu cards just brought the entire look together…
some other elements that i didn’t get to capture on camera included using raffeta to synch the linens around the cocktail tables and the use of candles – including floating ones in vases on the bar to bring the pool-element indoors.
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, color themes, ingredients, real inspiration, seasonal 8 Comments
you’re invited {to send free invitations!}
hosting parties is one of my favorite things to do. but lets be honest – they can get pricey. no matter what you’re celebrating, budget is always something to consider. you cut costs here and splurge there…trying to never sacrifice the style of your party. i’m always thrilled to find party basics that are cost effective and super chic, which is why i have a new favorite go-to for invitations – paperless post! so some parties require invitations to be printed and mailed, some parties do not but why sacrifice style for some generic-looking electronic invite? let me show you the new, modern, and stylish way to send electronic invitations….
have you ever seen such cute e-invites? i love, love! not only are they chic but more eco-friendly than paper invites…kinda like real plates and stemware are more eco-friendly {and stylish} than paper plates. after you customize your invites on paperless post you send them using “stamps”. and party divas, it’s your lucky friday…paperless post is giving head of the table hostesses 35 free stamps! that means you can send 35 incredibly darling electronic invites for free….meaning you can spend that money on more wine for the party. win-win. click here to redeem!
cheers!
Posted in invitations 6 Comments
camping in style
i don‚Äö√Ñ√¥t particularly like camping. there, i said it. i think it‚Äö√Ñ√¥s the whole dirty part of it. nothing is ever clean in a campground. for not liking camping i do enjoy the things that are part of the deal ‚Äö√Ñ√¨ nature, s‚Äö√Ñ√¥mores, the smell of firewood, grilling‚Äö√Ѭ∂.if only it were cleaner. i got the best of both worlds when i decided (at the very last minute) create a camping-themed tabletop for my father-in-law’s birthday dinner. not only is he a fan of camping but his menu request was ribs‚Äö√Ѭ∂i hardly break out the uber-fancy placesettings for ribs people. so my challenge was to create this tabletop in less than a day, using everything i already had! while this freaked me out, i imagine its how most people prepare for a party. get out the bug-spray and prepare to sweat, a camping-themed (in one day) tabletop‚Äö√Ѭ∂.
the placesettings consisted of plates available to rent from head of the table – brown dinner plates ($1.15 each) and icon green salad plates ($1.00 each)that were the perfect color combo for a camping-themed table. bamboo flateware ($.50 each) and green stemware ($1.15 each). if i can take a minute to point out that although it was a camping-themed dinner it was still a nice dinner, no paper plates allowed! i think paper is an insult to the chef. there, i said it.
a closer look at the place-cards ‚Äö√Ñ√¨ marshmallows on wooden skewers (easy and straight out of my pantry!) placecards from the pantry if you will…
the centerpiece – a tabletop grill….
…that also served as the bread basket in the center of the table…
more details…
cheers!
Posted in a h.o.t.t. rental, ingredients, party prep, real inspiration 4 Comments
Q&A
interested in reading my interview with st. Louis entertains magazine about being a business owner? become a fan of head of the table on facebook or follow @headofthetable on twitter. link to the interview is posted on both!
cheers!
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