Hafner Holiday Tablescape

Check out my Pinterest board, Food For The Party and Event Inspiration, for more party ideas

Hosting parties is, as my friend Molly says, my bliss. I really love it! It must be a heredity thing because I grew up with a mom who was the same. She is infamous for her parties. People still talk about when we see them. They were absolutely fabulous and her guest knew they were always in for a really fun night. The two things she taught me about hosting a great party: create a beautiful table and always put your guest first.

My mom has created some of the most gorgeous tablescapes I have ever seen. She has a real eye for it. Everything from the china, to the silver, to the candles and flowers is all perfectly placed. When I decided to host a holiday party for a small group of our friends I decided to make the tables decor minimal. I had seen this live garland at Trader Joes and knew it would be perfect on the center of the table. Since there were 19 of us fitting into my home I knew the table needed to feel open and minimal so the guest didn’t feel squished. The garland ended up being the perfect touch. I added a few ornaments from Target and some glitter branches from West Elm to add the finishing “festive” touches.

To ensure the guest enjoyed their evening we tried to think of everything. We found a bartender (thank you Ashley) who was the perfect touch! He made amazing holiday drinks and really added to the overall vibe of party. If you can find a local bartender for your party I really recommend it. They ease your stress of making drinks and pouring wine during dinner and really set the tone for the party! Since we wanted our guest to feel taken care of we had him pass out dessert drinks in small shooter glasses the guest could sip on while opening their White Elephant gifts. And to end the night with no hangovers we handed out bottled water with Aspergic (a swiss remedy) attached to the top. These small details really let your guest know you were thinking about them. Putting them first when you are planning your event is so important for the flow, atmosphere, and overall success of the party. It is all about the little details!! Lesson numero uno!

While I still think I have a lot of lessons to learn from my mom (and mother-in-law who also throws the best of the best parties) I consider the evening a success! We all had a lot of laughs and memories were made! Until next time…

Holiday Makeup with BUXOM

BUXOM Lip Kit, BUXOM Eyeshadow Pack, BUXOM Holiday Kit

My 12 year old self still comes out when I receive a box of make-up. I immediately pull everything out of the package and start playing. I can’t help but test out each individual product: mixing the colors, the feel of them, and how they look together. At the end of it, I look like a 12 year old who just got her first box of make-up.

The other day I received my box of BUXOM Make-up and I was intrigued. All I knew was that it is an extension of Bare Escentuals and I believe everything they do is gold so I was eager to get trying! The colors and texture of each product are just as the Bare Escentuals (which I love). The lip polishes are a bit thicker than regular lip gloss and the lipsticks are less matte more moisture. All of these are a preference in what you like in your make-up. I tend to lean toward matte lipsticks but these were amazing and stayed on longer that I expected! I even went straight to the bright red and was really pleased with the tone of it! As for the eyeshadows (which are removable and replaceable) I was blown away. The deep greens and golden browns were STUN-NING! They make for the perfect winter palette! Since I really loved each product I thought it was my duty to share it with the other special women in my life so my mom, sister, sister-in-law, and grandma all got a little bit of BUXOM. And from all age groups – the feedback has been exceptional!

The Town of Marfa Texas

as always, you can follow along with all my journeys, past and present, via Instagram (click here to follow @sothentheysayblog)

I had been dying to visit Marfa for quite some time. The famous Prada store, a thriving town full of artist in the middle of no where, El Cosmico, the stars, the photos, etc. It all had me dreaming of visiting. I knew I would eventually go but never knew exactly when. It was on a girls trip to California that Eva, Jena, and I all decided that had to be our next trip. We whipped out our calendars and put it on the books.

When the time came to go I was really excited. We decided to meet in Dallas (they live in Chicago) rent a car and drive to Austin and from there road trip to Marfa. I wish I could say the road trip was magic but after one encounter with the cop and turning a 5 hour trip into 10 (from driving the wrong way for two hours) it was hell on wheels. Okay, okay, I am lying. The drive really wasn’t bad and we laughed, chatted, and slept our way to Marfa. It is something I will look back on and laugh! I mean, friends where you can say, “pull over!” just to take a photo in the middle of a deserted street and they totally understand it. Let’s just say they are girls I am hanging on to!

When we finally arrived in Marfa it was dark and we were hungry. Our mission: to find food ASAP! Since we were tired and hangry we didn’t explore the city too much but saved it for the following day. Let me tell you – Marfa shuts down at night, especially on Monday’s. So we didn’t feel like we were missing too much! Once the sun rose, we were out of our beds and off to breakfast (city guide coming soon). I found the city of Marfa to be quite surreal. You literally have a ghost town that has been repainted into bright colors and redone to look almost like the set of a movie. It was crazy cool and a bit odd. That is honestly the only way I can describe it. The buildings looked brand new but the town itself is incredibly old! It is like you stepped into an artists painting. It didn’t feel real!

I am excited to bring you more on Marfa in the coming weeks but for now, take a photo journey through The Town of Marfa, Texas!

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