'Cause it's Ladies Night

Last Friday evening I had a few ladies in for a little soiree.

We were celebrating... lets go with good company. We shared laughs and many a story over snacks and drinks while admiring and trying on pretties from the latest Lia Sophia jewellery line.

Now typically when hosting a get together at my house I do well to get the floors scrubbed and the counters cleaned off - any company that comes by on a regular basis can attest to that. Our house is a home and is most certainly well lived in. You know what I mean? Which is the very reason why I decided to pull out some irregular stops and took this evening to the next level. We all need a change of scenery sometimes. And what better way than an elevated evening out for my guests.

My inspiration came from the Lia Sophia Spring and Summer Catalogue itself.

Pinks are not usually my style - I am definitely beige in life - but they were just the ticket to pulling the evening together. And as it turns out they brought Spring into my kitchen on an otherwise dreary rainy night.

With just a few simple steps I was able to pull my home together. Here are a few hints to help with your next shindig:

1. Pick a theme/colour palette for inspiration.

• As previously stated, I went with pinks overall but also added pops of green.

The colour scheme is evident in this bouquet.

2. Collect pretties from around the house that can be incorporated.

• For those of you who are on a budget like me, shop your house. Find things that can be incorporated with your colours and theme without going out and getting everything new. Unless of course you can, then by all means!

Drink Station

I incorporated my old dresser {that seriously needs a facelift in the near future} that usually acts as the computer desk and converted it into a drink station. My regular clear dishes did the trick keeping things crisp without competing with the colour scheme.

3. Get Shopping.

• You don't need to go overboard. That goes for food, drinks, and decor. Just take your time and pull things together in the details.
• Clear and white dishes are great staples to invest in along the way for just these occasions. But no need to splurge all the time, great things can be found at thrift stores and yard sales. My friend Leanne over at The Fancy Life just posted recently about a simple jackpot find she stumbled across for a mere 49 cents! 
• If you are going to splurge, I recommend doing it on flowers. They make such a statement no matter the size of your budget.

Using clear and white dishes, with the exception of the green vase, allowed the dishes to neutralize the background and let the food, drinks and of course jewellery take centre stage.

I chose to do fresh fruit, cranberry cream cheese pinwheels {the green spinach wraps fit right in}, pink lemonade cupcakes, a roasted red pepper dip with pita, and a sweet courtesy of Meema - which honestly are my new obsession! I am officially not getting the recipe because I wont be able to control myself. 

Things are simple at the drink station as well. A basic punch, Perrier flavours, and wine selection is all we needed. Water was in the fridge. And we just gussied it up a bit with tulips, berries, and the setup itself.

4. Pre Preparation.

• Once you have the whole picture in mind and the menu set, do as much preparation in advance as possible. Go ahead and do your cleaning the day before. And if your house is like mine, you'll need to do a scoop of the floors the day of but that is much less daunting than a deep scrub.
• Same goes for food items. Anything that can be done in advance, go for it! Then you are able to plate just before your guests arrive. Much less stress!

I baked the lemonade cupcakes the day before the event. And since my neighbour Janine and her sweet family were coming for dinner she volunteered to make decorate them with those darling flowers! Love them!

5. Enjoy Yourself.

• Dont put too much pressure on yourself. I know, easier said than done. But seriously, this is good advice I offer. If you follow the previous steps and keep it simple and organized, you can have everything out and ready before your guests arrive {or at least shortly after}. Then let it go. Check in of course but don't allow it to monopolize your night.
• Cheers yourself to success. Simple elegance.

Have any of you been taking your events to the next level? Any tips to share with the class?

And if you are in the area and want to book a party, check out our host Sherri here.

Chat soon!