Hostess Gifts 101

Spring is almost here! So what does that mean? Parties, events, barbecues, get-togethers, lots of time spent with friends and family celebrating any and everything in the coming season. A hostess gift may seem like a simple gesture of gratitude but more and more I notice that it has become an after-thought or something only done for special occasions. Hopefully with this post I can show you how simple it is to put together a really thoughtful gesture to say thank you to whomever is hosting.

Who, what, when, where, these should all come into play when thinking about a hostess gift. Maybe its a southern thing, but my mom always taught me to never go anywhere empty handed. Baking is most definitely my love language so even if I am going somewhere that no additional food is necessary, some type of cookie stash that can be put straight in the freezer for those moments of desperation, a container of brownies, some kind of baked good is always a go-to for me. Another simple but thoughtful option would be a nice bottle of wine, or beverage that you know your host/hostess would enjoy. Make sure when you are picking out the beverage that you consider if you want it to be opened then or saved for later. More often times I have found that beverages are normally opened during the gathering, rather than after - which is totally fine with me. But if you want them to be able to enjoy it without sharing it with all the guests then you can specify that when presenting it. 

Some options for small gift ideas: a set of coasters, picture frame, some kind of small board game, or set of linen napkins are always good options no matter the type of get-together. This little spring basket that I put together was so inexpensive and most of the items came from the target dollar bin. Don't you LOVE the target dollar bin??? 

When I put together some type of hostess gift I try to think of a theme that makes sense - or at least think of the things I know the host/hostess would like. For this basket I centered it around indulgence, because who doesn't love a nice glass of wine and some double chocolate chip cookies? 

I love this little tin - it would be the perfect vessel for condiments or utensils at a BBQ, It would hold some succulents or flowers beautifully. It could even be an Easter basket if you needed one for the upcoming holiday. 

I chose a rosé to put in this basket because I think rosé screams Spring. I nestled it into the basket and added some stemless wine glasses. I told you that I rarely turn down an opportunity to give people baked goods so for this particular basket I added some double chocolate chip cookies with icing and festive spring-colored sprinkles. I had originally found a sweet little linen table runner that I added to the basket but I felt like it might be too much so I took it out. But you could easily take a small table runner and wrap up a bottle of wine, tie it with a bow and call it a day. 

Lastly, and probably my favorite find and gift since I discovered them were wine glass markers! How genius!! I know the whole craze of marking wine glasses with rings, straws, and little things that hang out of the glass but how do you drink with all of those? I found these markers at target and was sold!! Also - if you are anything like me and only have one type of wine glass because you like things to be uniform and you like what you like - well, these little guys will make your heart happy! No more trying everyone's glass to find your drink, or having 1234835034 different types of cups/glasses because no one knows whose is whose. I love to take these markers and write little things on each of the glasses as people arrive so they feel special when picking their drink of choice. This girl right here loves to add personal touches to as many things as I can.

 

That is it people - it just takes a little thought and effort. I can promise you that whoever is hosting and whatever they are hosting will be more than appreciative for the creativity or effort that you put into saying thank you for having them.

Let's Party - Happy Spring!!

XO

Elizabeth 

Lunch At The Lodge

If you have ever wondered if Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman was as beautiful, sincere, funny, and charming in person as she is on TV I am here to tell you she is not. She is MORE than all of those things- she is an actual dream! She graciously opened her lodge to some ladies of the Thunder for one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten - no surprise there. I could just hear the intro music from her TV show on Food Network playing in the background as we arrived on the ranch. I have to say that driving down the dirt road my heart was beating nearly out of my chest. I can remember an exact conversation with my husband the day he put living in Oklahoma on my radar. It went a little something like this.

Jarell: "How do you feel about Oklahoma?"
Me: "To be honest I don't even know where that is on a map" - yes I understand that is embarrassing.
Me: Googles Bristol, VA  to Oklahoma City OK  - 967.9 miles/14 hours.
Me: 14 hours from home. Not thrilled about that
Me: WAIT! The Pioneer Woman is in Oklahoma
Me: Googles Oklahoma City, OK to Pawhuska, OK - 147.3 miles/2 hours 20 minutes
Me: I think Oklahoma would be great idea!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be in her home - eating lunch that she prepared - talking about our beloved Thunder basketball, all things BRAVO, and how browned butter makes the world go 'round.

It was a magical day with Ree and her sweet assistant Haley. We came, we ate, and we laughed hysterically. She showed us around the lodge, talked about her love for cooking and how her brand has evolved throughout the years. It was so inspiring to see that behind the camera she was mostly importantly mom and wife, a well-respected ranch assistant, and downright lovely. I may have blacked out at some point during the day, probably right after I forgot how to speak during the introductions - but I could have sworn that she invited us back for a sleepover? So Mrs. Drummond, I'm holding you to that one of these days ;)

Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!!

This is the moment all my food dreams came true and she asked me if I wanted to help plate dessert!! I may have fumbled my words when we first spoke at the beginning of the day but I know my way around a brownie sundae so let's just say I had this one in the bag :)  So thankful for my girlfriends who know what this moment meant to me and caught it on camera!! 

XO,
Elizabeth

How to: Hostess with the Mostest

I love having house guests! There is just something so fun about hosting people for a day, weekend, or extended stay in your home. For me, it is a chance to cater to, bake, pull out my fancy plates, and feel like our home could be a swanky bed and breakfast. With no children and a hubby who works basically all day every even in the small apartment that we are in now it can feel empty at times. I have been looking forward to hosting some girlfriends for the weekend since we moved to Oklahoma City back in October. At my "going away" dinner in Virginia we got out the calendar with my friends and began to plan a visit. The time has finally come (and left :/ ) and I have to say it was an amazing weekend filled with great food, drinks, basketball watching, star gazing, unlimited laughs and sassy dance moves.
I love to think in advance about having people come stay with us and think of little things to do to make them feel at home, away from home. I created a cookie recipe last weekend for Cookie Sunday (Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt) with this stay in mind and they were such a hit. I used my freezer stash of cookie dough to have handy for some freshly baked cookies upon arrival and a then few again for some lazy couch time (or recovery time) on Friday afternoon. Basically...cookies on demand. Which could possibly be the greatest creation ever. or worst...as my pants like to remind me! 

But don't you worry that pretty little head of yours because that is not all the sweet treats that we indulged in. Who can pass up the Hot Donuts Now sign calling from the Krispy Kreme drive through??? Well not these gals! 

In addition to a homemade (or not so homemade) treat for your guests I think its nice to have some fresh flowers in the room that they will be staying in. Nothing says Hi! I'm so glad you are here like fresh flowers. 

Another little thing I like to do for my guests is spray the clean sheets|pillow cases with some Aromatherapy mist. The one I have been loving is a pillow mist from Bath and Body Works with lavender and chamomile oils. Lavender is such a soothing scent and I want my guests to feel as relaxed as they can when they lay down for the night. 

And of course a stocked bar is always a must for our grown up guests :) My girlfriends and I love a good glass of wine...or 5 so I wanted to make sure to have a couple different options from a good sauvingnon blanc, pinot grigio [my personal favorite], merlot for the red wine lover in the group & of course champs which is chilling in the fridge. 

In addition to these little treats for your guests, fresh sheets & towels as well as a variety of toiletries and extra blankets are a nice way to make them feel at home. I am a foodie at heart so in my opinion having good food in the house is a must! Whether you like a nice veggie tray, artisan cheese board, or some yummy chips and dip, food is an easy way to please and impress your guests. 

I had SO much fun this past weekend!! I miss VA and being around all of our friends and family but this little visit from a few girlfriends was so very appreciated. Here are a few pictures of our weekend.

XO.

Elizabeth

             

Here there hubs on NBA TV!!!