Spring Flowers Bring Baby Showers: Favor Idea

Photos from my sister's baby shower; idea pilfered from my friend.

'Tis the Season for Showers

Tonight I bring you an idea that is both incredibly cute and delightfully simple. Introducing the baby bootie favor. I discovered this creative idea at my sister's shower last week. The instructions are simple.

Collect the following:

1. Paper ketchup cups (such as you might find at your local fast food store)
2. Cotton balls
3. Colored tissues (pink, green, blue, white, patterned)--travel tissue packs work well!
4. Goodies (trail mix, candy, mints)

Follow these instructions:

1. Glue one of the cotton balls to one side of the ketchup cup.
2. Take one tissue and wrap it around the ketchup cup (and the cotton ball), carefully tucking the ends of the tissue inside the cup.
3. Take a second ketchup cup and slide it inside and fill with goodies.
4. Use these cups as a centerpiece, display on a tiered tray, use as individual favors at each seat.

Enjoy!

Chasing Fireflies

Tonight, I bring you photos of a lovely outdoor celebration I attended on Friday night.

The party was hosted by my parents as a book launch. (Read between the lines: We wanted to celebrate with some of our dearest friends who have supported us during the past 27 months.)

Perhaps some of these photos will inspire some outdoor creativity ...

And what a night it was . . .

I Scream. You Scream. We All Scream (for Gourmet Caramel Corn).

Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Today I got to participate in the creation of 2 new ice cream flavors to be sold for charity at an ice cream shop in the city where I work. I love when my job involves test kitchens. (Almost seems criminal.)

Because I have sweetness on the brain, I bring you a recipe that can be served before a meal, after a meal, or in lieu of a meal at any hospitality event. Taste it and weep.

Baked Caramel Corn
(from The Joy of Serving Others By Pat Ennis, Lisa Tatlock, Dorothy Kelley Patterson)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
24 cups popped popcorn

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prepare 2 shallow baking pans, with sides, by spraying with baking spray or buttering.

Sort popped corn to remove any unpopped kernals. Put in a large container. (I purchased a large plastic dish pan that I save for big mixing projects.) Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soda a vanilla. (You'll get a reaction similar to one of your chemistry labs.) Gradually pour over popped corn, mixing well.

Turn into 2 large shallow baking or roasting pans. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Trade oven rack position each time the mixture is stirred.

Remove from oven. Cool completely. Break apart and store in a tightly covered container.

Makes about 5 quarts of caramel corn.

Rumor is, it tastes gourmet.

Wreath: (noun) A Decorative Arrangement

Photo by besighyawn

Now that the Internet offers a plethora of online dictionaries, the question remains:

What to do with the tomes that used to be our only link to legitimate grammar?

Answer: Make a wreath.


Photo by Debbie Marrie

The above photo was taken by a fellow editor. The owner of this wreath used a paper plate and torn pages from a dictionary to craft this lovely door decor.

This is what it means to be 100% recycled.

I love it.

Hello, Cupcake!

Photo by Trisha

In the words of NPR, "There's a nationwide cupcake boom
underway."

What's new, right? This "cupcake proliferation" has obviously been baking for the past few years. You can hardly visit a bakery or bookstore (or convenience store for that matter) without being inundated by these tiny orbits of sugary goodness.

But after attending a recent wedding where the bride served "Mr." and "Mrs." cupcakes at her reception, I began thinking about why cupcakes work so well in terms of hospitality.

Consider the following. Cupcakes:

1. are relatively cheap to create
2. are versatile
3. (usually) come in healthier proportions than planet-sized pieces of cake
4. are easy to make
5. are completely customizable

I think I am going to consider making cupcakes for my next gathering.

And now for some (actual) flavors I am not ready to try:

Red velvet cake with chili powder
Chocolate macadamia with sea salt and olive oil
Chocolate and bacon
Vanilla and green tea

Happy Cupcake-ing,

The Paperless Post

Photo by kimubert

So perhaps I am opening a can of worms today, but I am interested in discussing the advent of online invitations.

Ten years ago, I doubt online invites even existed. (Perhaps they did and I was living under a rock. Feel free to enlighten me.) But it seems--at least when it comes to my own e-mail inbox--I am receiving more of these paperless invites all the time.

And truly, I don't mind.

Maybe it's a sign of my age. Maybe it's an indication of the times in which we live. Perhaps I have a raging desire to preserve the trees. Chalk it up to whatever you like, but I think online invitations are the way to go.

Consider the following online invitation sites:

Anyvite (Import your guest list from your address book)
Atomeet (Full party planning features)
Evite (Lots of designs to choose from)
Paperless Post (Great "stationery" feel--envelopes included)
Pingg (utilizes Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and other options)
Smilebox (includes music and photos)

Perhaps, for that little summer shindig you know you want to host, you can try the paperless post and let us know how it goes . . .

Take One Down and Pass It Around.

Photo by Dawn Huczek

As far back as I can remember, my parents have entertained in their home.

Growing up, I knew the tell-tale signs that company was on its way.

My mom had a standard "hospitality meal" that she served on Sunday nights after church when company came to the house. (Think sloppy joes, chips, vegetables, pickles, and cookies).

Mom always dabbed a few drops of scented oil on the light bulb ring--which thereafter became known as the "company smell"--and the whole family was given instructions on our roles for the evening.

Some of my clearest and fondest childhood memories resolve around Sunday nights.

Mom and Dad still entertain. And recently, they've added a game to the mix that I want to pass along to you. At some point during the evening, Mom passes a bowl of M&Ms around the circle of guests and instructs everyone to take a small handful. After the bowl has completed the rounds, she explains that each color M&M represents something the guest will have to tell about himself/herself.

For instance:

Blue = favorite book
Red = favorite food
Yellow = favorite hobby
Green = favorite place
Brown = item for which to be thankful

Depending on the number of M&Ms each person took from the bowl, he/she will have to share a corresponding number of answers to the question.

The goal of hospitality is simple. Get to know your guests. And there's no better way than with a bowl of candy . . .

Hospitality File: (Bridal) Showers Bring May Flowers

Photo by Trisha: This was the travel table


Photo by Trisha: This was the math table


Photo by Trisha: This was the heritage table

Does anyone say "stoked" anymore? Because I am pretty happy about kicking off this new hospitality file.

According to the dictionary, I am intensely enthusiastic, exhilirated, and excited.

(In short, I am stoked.)

On Saturday I had the opportunity to host a bridal shower for a friend who is getting married in June. I decided to go with the theme: A bride's life in 10 tables.

I rallied a group of girlfriends (who are also friends of the bride) and we each decorated a table or two. The themes were: childhood, heritage, high school, music, college, engagement, favorites, math (she's a math teacher), school spirit, and travel (she loves to travel).

Walking into the room where the shower was held, it was a giant museum of the bride's life. Each table reflected a different facet of her life. (Which, consequently, led to a lovely mixer!)

Here are 2 things I learned through this shower:

1. Pick a posse. Hostessing a shower takes a village. Don't try to do it alone.
2. Write out your minute-by-minute schedule for the day of the event. Less to think about when your knees are knocking.

Welcome to the hospitality files.

Introducing: Hospitality File

Photo by LifeSupercharger

I almost cried today.

Which, I realize--for some of my friends (particularly those who love Oprah and the Hallmark Channel)--isn't that big of a deal. But understand, I almost sat down in the parking lot and wept like a fool.

The cause? The sun was out, the breeze was blowing, and spring was in the air.

After months of surprise blizzards (and not the kind made with mint and chocolate chip) I am ready for green grass and flowers . . . and outdoor entertainment.

Which leads me to this. After serious contemplation and conversation with some of you who frequent this site, I have decided to swap out Wednesday's "Book of Mom" for a new weekly theme.

Introducing Hospitality File.

Each Wednesday, we'll discuss hospitality ideas: meals, guests, entertainment, and decorating. We'll talk timelines, strategies, timesavers, and conversation starters.

You are invited.

No RSVP needed.

Favorite Things: Mexican Train

Photo by DoubleM2

Mexican Train.

Quite simply, it's one of my absolute favorite activities. Gather around the table with friends, put on some tunes, and start laying the domino tiles down. Whether or not you win, it's a fun game that allows for lots of conversation. (Though winning is a helpful bonus!)

It's a great game for adults and children alike. And it's a game that can be learned in under five minutes.

Simple game. Easy entertainment. Good time. Read the instructions here.

Worked for my guests and me tonight. I'm beat. Literally--

Show and Tell

Photo by Trisha

I have been excited for months over the prospect of debuting this (really cool) guest book.

My dear friend, Laura, is a creative genius. (No doubt it is why she became a teacher.) After visiting her home three years ago, I knew I had hit on entertainment gold when she brought out her little book for me to see.

Recently, I asked her to bring her brilliant book along on a car ride and I snuck pictures of it for your reading enjoyment.


Photo by Trisha

Check out what she does for her guest book:


Photo by Trisha

On pages she pre-prints on her computer, she asks these questions:

Our Name(s):
Relationship to [the hosts' names]:
Where we traveled from:
When we visited:
Why we came:
Highlights of our visit:
Additional comments:

Having filled out this page myself, I can vouch that the process is brief and fun. She then snaps a picture of the guests before they head out, and over time, she compiles a tiny guest book full of all the memories. Just sitting in her car and flipping through the pages, I felt like I was re-living years of celebrations.

How cool is this?! Leave it to a teacher . . .

Knock, Knock. Who's There?

Photo by thepinkpeppercorn

It's time to scrub your pie plates and flex your cookie-making fingers.

We've been talking about goal setting this month (more on that to come this week) and I have a goal for YOU! September 26th is nationally recognized as "Good Neighbor Day."

It's time to plan some great ideas!

The beauty of this relatively obscure holiday is that it combines so many of our initiatives here at HouseHoncho. For one, it enables us to practice our hospitality. For another, we can establish some traditions. For yet more fun, we can set goals of how we're going to appreciate those who live around us.

If you've wanted an excuse to knock on your neighbor's door and deliver that plate of Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, this is your golden opportunity. (Likewise, if you've wanted an opportunity to toilet paper their tree or criticize their lawn, this is not the date to do it.)

Neighbors are such an important component of our home life. And while air conditioning has replaced the need to sit out on the porch and chat...and while fast food and take-out has replaced the need to borrow a cup of sugar...ignoring the people next door isn't beneficial to anyone.

So let the conversation begin. Let's give each other the nudge we need to meet and greet our neighbors. Ideas? How can we celebrate September 26th?

39 days and counting...

The Ants Went Marching . . .

Photo by Magnus D

There is no better backdrop for a dinner party than the great outdoors.

Earlier this week, I mentioned here on the blog that I invited more people into my home. (For those of you unaware, I recently set as my goal to have 52 people into my home by 7/22/11.)

By the way, I was so proud of this goal that I told my grandma about it on the phone last week, to which she replied, "I used to have 52 or more people into my home on a Sunday afternoon for lunch."

Thank you, Grandma.

Actually, I love my grandma and know that she is absolutely telling the truth! Hospitality is a cakewalk for her--and likely--for many who were homemakers before guests and home-cooked food gave way to Lean Cuisines and social networks of a whole new kind. What I would give for a slice of her ambition when it comes to opening her home...

But back to my measly effort. I invited 5 new people into my home last week. We ate outdoors and talked until the sun sank behind the trees. The topics ranged from sports to history to arts/entertainment to inventions. No joke.

Takeaway: It is best to have the home fully prepared for company the night before the event. You will sleep better and can focus on the last-minute, necessary tasks the day of the occasion.

7 down. 45 to go.

Christmas . . . in July

Photo by TinyApartmentCrafts

I am exhausted. I had company over tonight.

My eyelids are heavy. I could easily lull myself to sleep with the sound of my own typing. Even the dog is snoring on the floor beside me. But it feels good to have invited people into my home.

BUT. Before I tell you about that (later this week) I need to tell you that today I bought my second Christmas present. I saw a good deal and snapped it up for my Christmas closet. While I am not a fan of the department stores dragging out the Christmas trees during the second week of August (doesn't it seem to get earlier every year?) I am a fan of thinking ahead and saving time, money, and budget by forecasting my Christmas list and buying throughout the year.

My hope: that I will have my list completed by December 1st this year.

More on Christmas later. For now, I am seeing visions of sugar plums dancing in my head...

(Come back Monday to see who won the contest.)

The Hospitality Diaries

Photo by ume-y

This post isn't for my vegetarian friends, my apologies.

On Saturday, I waded into the hospitality waters. And it was eerily . . . perfect.

I decided to invite two people over who wouldn't care if I burned dinner. In fact, they wouldn't care if I burned down the whole house--so long as everyone was safe, of course--because they are two people I know well and love much.

And since several of you have written and asked me to share details, I will tell you plainly: I cooked ribs. And the secret to my success was this: Ginger Ale. I set the oven to 350, cooked the ribs completely submerged in the Ginger Ale for 2 hours, removed and placed them on my famously foil-covered cookie sheet, coated each side with BBQ sauce, and baked for 15 minutes on each side.

And then I delivered this heaven on a platter to my guests.

And that is all I will say about food for the present. (I won't tell you about the hand-picked corn or the blackberry pie.) Because this is not a cooking blog. But let me just say--you can't go wrong with easy recipes. Now if I can tweak them to make them healthier, everything will be perfect.

Takeaway: It is best to involve each family member in the hospitality plan--as much so that they will receive enjoyment from it as so that you will not be left to accomplish the tasks alone.

2 down. 50 to go. (No repeat guests will be counted.)

First: Love Them

Photo by sunshinecity

This comment on a recent post caught my attention:

I'm a homeschooling mom of 10 kids who has people over a lot. My perspective is this: I think the most important thing we have to offer people when they come over, is love. Yes, I want my house to look neat and I really enjoy serving people food they like, but the best thing we have to give them is love. And they come, and they come!

And I began to think of places Jesus spent time with people in the Bible: the muddy seashore, the house with society's cast-offs, the storm-battered ship...

And I agree with the comment above. People are drawn to love. They may or may not notice that the cups and plates don't match or that the living room chair has a stain on the cushion...but they will absolutely notice if love is missing.

This week, let's endeavor to love people.

You Are Cordially Invited

Photo by shimelle

Confession is good for the soul.

So they say, right?

I have a confession. Hospitality scares me to death. I love people, make no mistake of that. In a crowded room, I enjoy meeting and greeting and everything that comes with it. I am not scared to be with strangers. Not a bit. But I am petrified when it comes to preparing a meal or actually going out on a limb and inviting someone into my home to eat that meal!

It's like the phantom monster under my childhood bed grew into a giant hospitality beast. And I'm pretty freaked out! "Would you like to come into my home and eat my potentially overcooked, under-worthy meal while I ask you fifteen extra times if you want something else to drink?!"

The reasonable part of me knows that there is nothing to be afraid of. The other half isn't reasonable.

It sounds crazy, but I'm guessing there are others like me. Considering I have hundreds of friends--literally--and have been invited into the homes of maybe half a dozen of them in the last year. (Or maybe two total.)

Well. I am prepared to conquer this fear. Because I believe that hospitality is a critical component of good home management. It's the part of our homes that exists to serve others. So part of this blog--over the next year--will be dedicated to journaling my steps toward becoming a confident hostess...

I will share with you the tips and tricks, the recipes (some for success and others for distaster) that lead the way. Want to come over?

My goal: inviting 52 people into my home during the next year. Hope you're ready.

You're Invited!

Photo by e pants

Tonight I was a guest in someone's home.

And by "guest" I do not mean that I was "just someone invited to dinner." I was a guest. Do you know what I mean? There's a difference. After dining on homemade crab cakes and cupcakes the size of my car, I drove home, (in pouring rain), watching the windshield wipers do their magic...and pondering what, specifically, made me feel like I was an honored member of an exclusive dinner party.

Here are the things that I experienced and plan to try with my own guests.

1. The hostess greeted me at the door. She invited me to remove my shoes, (soaked through from the rain), or leave them on, assuring me it didn't matter to her. She wanted me to be comfortable.

2. She asked if I liked dogs. (Consequently, she owned a dog that resembled a cartoon--and she wouldn't let him out unless every member of the dinner party liked dogs.)

3. Within two minutes of entering the home, I was offered something to drink. And as far as I know, my glass never went empty.

4. The host and hostess announced that it was their goal to spend the evening serving their guests. And they did!

5. At the end of the meal, I was thanked for coming, hugged, and invited back.

Had this host and hostess actually rolled out red carpet, I'm fairly certain it would have blended in with the treatment they were already giving their guests.

Who wants to come to my home for dinner? I've got some things to try!

When the Bathroom Calls

Photo by emdot

It's a fact.

Depending on how your home is laid out, there are two places you can count on visitors seeing if you invite them into your home. The first is your living/family room—where the primary visiting will take place—and the second is your bathroom.

You could probably get away with closing bedroom doors, avoiding the kitchen like the H1N1 virus, and denying you have a basement. But, unless you want to be known as “that family without indoor plumbing,” chances are great you will need to show your guests that you do, in fact, have a restroom.

So how can you make it guest-friendly?

Keep it clean. That’s rule number one.

Fill a basket with items they may use. Consider toothbrushes, soaps, sample bottles of products, and fresh towels, for instance. (Of course, the length of the stay will determine the items that might be needed.)

Always have back-up supplies on hand. Toilet paper, towels, and soap are a must. Guests will likely not want to ask for these things. (Go out on a limb and display these items in a cute way.)

And finally, consider keeping a room spray or scented candle in sight for guests who…well, perhaps they found that H1N1 virus after all.