My Mother in Law made the cutest napkin ring holders for Thanksgiving. She got the idea from the Family Fun web site. They were SO SUPER cute! Here they are:
I wrote this last year, and I think it is my most helpful, holiday dinner prep post . So here ya go, an oldie but goodie =)
Do you ever wish you could pull off a holiday dinner and still have a smile on your face at the end? Well, it's really not that difficult, and we can help you accomplish it!
For years, my mom has been coaching me on how to give a dinner party (or any party for that matter) and enjoy it, enjoy my guests and finish it off without stressing out. I have watched, learned and help my mom put on many dinner parties and they were all fun, enjoyable and stress free.
How you ask? By following a few simple rules:1) Deep clean your place a week before, and do touch ups the night before. This means you can't wait until the last minute to clean, it has to be ALL DONE a week before. This includes your laundry!
2) Do all of your food and decorative shopping 4 days before your party. When you get home, organize all of your party items off to the side (possibly on a dining room table or in a spare bedroom). Don't put them all away, keep them out and together.
3) Have your menu completely planned out. This includes appetizers, drinks, salad, bread, main course, sides, dessert, coffee, condiments, etc. Leave nothing to think about!
4) Set all of your table(s) the night before. In fact, put out as many of the decorations you can the night before (as long as they will not get ruined or fall).
5) Always have a "Plan B". If you are planning to eat on your patio, plan for what you will do if it's too cold, too windy or too hot. Now you will not be frantic when you have to use it!
6) Have all of your meals, desserts, etc. made the day before or the morning of your party if possible. By doing this, you can have your dishes all done, and the mess cleaned up. All you will have to do is pop it in the oven, and not have to spend time preparing things, and you get to be with your guests, not in the kitchen.
7) If any of the food can be cooked in a disposable dish, DO IT!! Then you can just toss it when you are done, thus eliminating the need to clean it.
8) Label what dishes will hold what items. This way if your guests help you, they will know where things go.
9) Have plenty of seating for all of your guests. If you invite 10 people to dinner, have a table set up to hold 10 people. If this requires you to borrow tables and chairs, get them a few days before hand, not the day of.
10) Enlist the help of a friend for clean up. Having someone to help you takes the pressure off of you to be the hostess Or host with the most! 4 hands are always better than 2, and much quicker. Be sure to have plenty of containers for left overs. This helps aids in a quick clean up.
11) 30 minutes before your guests are scheduled to arrive, light your candles, turn on your music, ice your drink glasses, and put out your appetizers. Sit down, pour yourself a drink and have a great time!
Well, there you have it. I am sure I could have gone on for DAYS!!! I love to entertain, and I love it when my friends say I make it look so easy. The truth is, it's not easy, I just am well prepared! If you take a little time to organize, plan, clean, and prepare, you can have a successful, stress free event that you will actually enjoy!
I hope this helps, let us know if there are tips you can add to aid our readers in a stress free holiday. I look forward to hearing from you!
Happy Holidays!
Denice
Looking for fun Halloween ideas? Here are some of the sites I have been using all month for my little ones...and ME!
We are at it again with the tropical themes. I guess we love them and they come easy to us! So here we go...
We recently put together a bridal shower for a great friend. She is getting married in July and lives at the beach so the Tahitian/Tropical theme just just fit. We were able to recycle a lot of our decorations form past parties (50th anniversary, birthdays etc). It was a small, so we were able to go a little over the top on food and drinks.
We simplified the centerpiece to be functional and fun. We used sand and HOMEMADE bamboo, flower pens. Yes...homemade! Sometimes Katie and Cindy get so creative I could just die. Where they come up with these things is beyond me. But hey, that's why we are a good team, they are creative and I help organize and execute! Anyways, back to the pens:
Part of my 31 Day Build a Better Blog Challenge, I needed to create a list post, so here is my attempt: 6 Great Ideas for a Summer Party! Have fun reading =)
There are only a few more weeks of Summer left, it has gone by so fast. I can't let Summer come to an end without one more blow out, so I started thinking up some ideas. I narrowed the list down to 6, super fun, summer party ideas. Check them out and let me know which one sounds like the most fun. 
- Margarita Tasting
Summer BBQ Pool Party
Christmas in JulyWe have joined on to the SITS Girls & ProBlogger-31 Days to Build a Better Blog Summer Challenge! Our goal is to make KDC Events and our blog a better, more informative place for YOU, our valued readers and followers!
Please feel free to tell us how we are doing. You may notice small changes here and there, it is a month long process! We appreciate your feedback, so tell us how we are doing.
Interested? Here is some information for you to check out:
Blog Frog- Info from Darren
Problogger
SITS Blog Frog Community
hugs!
Denice
KDCEvents is hosting another giveaway! This time, it is for something that I simply can't live with out. What is that you say? Well, if you know me, you know I can't live without my Gold Canyon Candles. I am so addicted to them that I became a demonstrator just to support my habit. I know...who can burn that many candles? Well, I CAN!!
Ask anyone, these candles are fabulous! One little candle can make your whole house smell amazing for HOURS. Yup hours. The biggest draw to these candles for me is that they have a cooler burning wax, so I don't have to worry about my little ones burning themselves if accidentally spilled.
My new favorite product from Gold Canyon is the Scent Pod Warmer. I have two and I LOVE THEM! I can leave these babies on and not worry about burning my house down. =) They come fit with a timer (4, 8 & 12 hours) and are so easy to change out the scents, see:
I also love the Auto Fresheners. They help keep my car smelling way better than the baby formula it is masking. I have also used the Sachets as a freshener in my car, I just throw it under my seat.
NOTE: These candles are great for events of ALL KINDS!! Weddings, showers, parties, receptions, you name it. They make great shower prizes and gifts, if fact, I am giving away 4 different candles at a baby shower tomorrow. I also used the tealights at my wedding. So check them out for your upcoming event.
Here is what we are giving away to a lucky reader:
~ 16 oz Bella Candle
~ Pack of Auto Fresheners
~ Wick Dipper (scents to be chosen at random)
How do you enter? Just leave a comment on this post as to why you need this fabulous candle, and follow our little blog =) That's IT! (comment is required)
Additional entries you say? Well, here are a few ways to earn them (please be sure to do a seperate comment for each):
~ Follow our little KDCEvents Blog
~ Become a Fan on Facebook
~ Follow KDCEvents on Twitter
~ Retweet this giveaway
We will choose one lucky reader on April 23. Good Luck!
**Must be a US Resident to enter
*hugs*
Denice
Photo Credit: Gold Canyon Candle
Today's brides are not holding to tradition of the plain white heel for their wedding day. They are kicking it up a notch and expressing their individual personalities through their foot wear. Brides everywhere are keeping with there sassy shoe styles. I spoke with a few brides and here is what I found:
Honestly, I didn't care about the pain, it was SO worth it. I did change into flip flops for most of my reception until the garter toss. But all in all, I absolutely loved them and I feel it totally made my ensemble!! :) 
Comfortable... oh yes I was! I just got the shoes that I would have worn any other day. I felt like "ME" wearing them, and that's all that matters. After all it was my day and I didn't want to be something I wasn't and wearing heels would have done that!"
Are you concerned about comfort? hahaha No, comfort is never part of my thought process for shoes lol, so why start now?
" A classic white heel makes for a great prop in showcasing the rings"
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