The Hostess // Books for Every Lady on Your List // Holiday Gift Guide // 2014

The Hostess

The hostess is the one who is always organizing all of your social plans, inviting you over, inviting you out, sending you mail, giving you gifts... etc. She is happy to have you over at a moment's notice, she always has snacks and drinks on hand, and manages to look anything but flustered in any social situation. She might be an incredible cook or bartender. She knows how to set a theme for even the smallest gathering. She might also be crafty, creating centerpieces, handmade invitations, paper decorations, or wrapping a present like a pro. No occasion is too big or small to celebrate for her. Her Instagram is a collage of invitation designs, seasonal holiday details, pretty cocktails, and impressive desserts.

1) What's a Hostess to Do?

I recently picked up this fun little book while we were in Seattle.I picked it out because I enjoy entertaining, but even when I have the best intentions... I am not the best at planning ahead. So I thought, this book just might have some tips for me about how to be prepared, keep organized, and not go kinda-sorta-crazy when having guests over. So far, I love this book! It contains recipes, organization tips, prepping tips, nice things to do for your guests, different types of parties to host, as well as clean up tips, and ideas for all of those leftovers. Great for anyone who entertains, even if it isn't very frequently!

2) Camille Styles Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings and Effortless Style

You're going to notice right away that many of these books are organized seasonally, which I personally love, but can be great for people who want to entertain more at different times of the year! This book is so beautiful, the images are just breathtaking! Styles has an earthy meets glamorous vintage style - that gives such a youthful vibe. Along with recipes Styles shares tablescape, floral, and home design tips and inspiration. This book would also be great for DIY-er and the Foodie.

3) Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand

This lovely book gives in depth instructions on how to make beautiful paper blooms. Described as surprisingly easy-this book is for anyone who enjoys a good craft. From simple to complex there are 75 ideas to choose from in this book that would enhance any gathering or event. Also a good choice for the DIY-er.

4) The Cocktail Club: A Year of Recipes and Tips for Spirited Tasting Parties

This 5 star rated, seasonally divided book is perfect for the mixologist in your life. Within each chapter is a month where a type of alcohol or type of drink designated. Within each of those chapters are drink recipes that fit the theme and appetizers to pair with them. It also includes bartending basics and tips. This might also be a good choice for the Foodie in your life!

5) 101 Sangrias and Pitcher Drinks

Kim Haasarud is the queen of alcoholic beverages. This book is particularly good for anyone because pitcher drinks are always festive, always delicious, and fairly simple to execute. Who doesn't love a good sangria?!? In case you are interested... she also wrote: 101 Tropical Drinks, 101 Blender Drinks 101 Margaritas, 101 Martinis, 101 Mojitos, 101 Champagne Cocktails, and 101 Shots. - Like I said, the queen of alcoholic beverages. So go with your bliss here, or your friend's I guess! -Another good selection for the Foodie. 

6) Meals in Heels

A fun book with hostess tips, recipes, and styling tips for days. With very high ratings on Amazon and fun illustrations to-boot this is a must-read for hostesses everywhere. Many of the reviewers rave that they use this book more than their dozens of cookbooks at home! With starting tips for both novices and seasoned veterans, as well as seasonally divided menus, there is something for everyone here. Also great for the Foodie.

7) Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends

Did you guys know that Pippa Middleton was an editor for an online party magazine?! -Me either. This is her first book, which is another seasonally divided resource for party planning and cooking. There are gorgeous pictures, many pages of crafts, recipes, and activities to entertain guests. Many parents are raving that this book is excellent for children's party ideas! I also like the nod to the past with pieces on after dinner games, old fashioned recipes, and beverages. This book would also be good for the Momma or the Girly Girl.

8) Cooking with Flowers: Sweet and Savory Recipes with Rose Petals, Lilacs, Lavender, and Other Edible Flowers 

This book is a treat for the senses for any creative entertainer. It contains over 100 recipes that utilize edible flowers. Not only do the recipes sound scrumptious, (daylily cheesecake! rosemary flower margaritas!), they are equally beautiful. This book is sure to excite gardeners, entertainers, and creative foodies alike. I think it's fair to say that this, is on my own personal wishlist! Also great for the Foodie.

9) Relish: An Adventure in Food, Style, and Everyday Fun

You might remember my review of this book... you might not... but I love everything about Daphne Oz's love letter to life. The recipes are inventive, exotic, and fun - but also extremely approachable! In addition to the many recipes shared here, there is a wealth of advice and knowledge shared about entertaining, traveling, fashion, decor.... you name it. Oz feels like an old friend when you read this, and I benefited greatly from her wisdom, and have loved EVERY recipe that I have tried so far! She even shares funny anecdotes about entertaining woes, and how she's learned from her mom to go with the flow. Also great for the Foodie.

10) Sugar Baby: Confections, Candies, Cakes & Other Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Sugar

For many entertainers dessert is the best part. It's tasty, but it is also a good chance to show off your culinary expertise, and wow your guests. This cookbook is perfect for one such advantageous hostess. A recipe book full of lovely sugar recipes from cotton candy to rock candy, marshmallows to chocolate mousse and everywhere in between. Another great choice for the Foodie, or a Girly Girl who loves to cook!

I hope that this list has given you some book ideas for your favorite party planner!

Interested in more?  Check out this post to view my book recommendations for other 'types'.

Happy Gifting!

Alexandra

The Homebody // Books for Every Lady on Your List // Holiday Gift Guide // 2014

The Homebody

When you walk into her home, you feel like you've walked into a magazine, or Pinterest. Every time you visit, her furniture is in a completely different configuration. She's the one who is always changing her wall art with the seasons, dreaming of paint colors, and DIYing thrifted furniture. She probably has an affinity for throw pillows, rugs, and lampshades. HGTV is her jam. Her Instagram is made up of snapshots of wreaths on front doors, paint color swatches, holiday decorations, and bookcase designs. - this is definitely my momma!

1) Create the Style You Crave on a Budget You Can Afford: The Sweet Spot Guide to Home Decor

This is the ultimate inspiration guide for a bohemian home decorator. It is filled with quirky interiors, vintage pieces, DIYs, and great planning resources. The focus of the book is on creating 'sweet spots' in your home, so it is also for your friend who wants to have a meaning behind the things in her life. This is a really fun creative home decor resource! Also a good choice for the DIYer or maybe the bohemian Green Queen.

2) Design*Sponge at Home

This book is an all-inclusive guide to decorating your home. By the blog of the same name, the book includes before & afters, basic decorating skill tutorials, home tours, 50 DIYs, inspiration, and ideas for your home. Because this book is such a great compilation of styles, it is a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys home decor.

3) Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love

Another from the blog of the same name. Young House Love is a treasure trove of home DIYs from now season experts Sherry & John Petersik. Cleverly organized and including cost and work levels as well as time commitment make this book a new home owner's BFF. Though it is just as useful for the apartment dweller! Also a great choice for the DIYer!

4) A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home: Painting, Crafting, and Decorating a Cheerful, More Inspiring Space

A Beautiful Mess's second book is specifically based around decorating and DIY projects for your home. From styling tips and tricks to DIY projects to complete the look, this book is full of inspiring ideas! I own this one... and ABM does not disappoint! While this book would be great for anyone, many of the ideas are achievable in an apartment. :) Also a great choice for the DIYer!

5) Furniture Makeovers: Simple Techniques for Transforming Furniture with Paint, Stains, Paper, Stencils, and More

Dumpster divers & thrifted furniture enthusiasts alike will love this book. Detailed how-to's on various methods of furniture painting, restoring, and decorating. Also including a visual glossary, this book is perfect for beginners and seasoned furniture DIYers alike! Another great choice for the DIYer!

6) The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well

A number one bestseller from the editor at Domino magazine. This book is similar to the Design*Sponge one above, a great resource on everything you need to know about in your home. From choosing quality furniture, to shopping at thriftstores for your home, a whole chapter on lighting and a section on 'Tissues, remotes and other useful things.' I also love the artistic layout of the book, and the pretty water color illustrations. This one is on my wishlist! This book would be great for anyone, but especially the Girly Girl.

7) Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy

This book, also by Deborah Needleman, the editor at Domino, this is a much  more interior design-y approach to decorating your home. It has a similar feel to the Perfectly Imperfect Home, but is laid out in swatches, floor plans, and budget lists. The focus is also on different configurations within the same room. So I suppose you could decide which type of layout and art appeals most to you. Regardless, either book would be a fantastic design resource for someone interested in home decor!

8) The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful

This book based on the blog The Nester, is about embracing a functional, and imperfect home spaces. This book is geared toward design for 'real people' - people who want to have a beautiful home, but not one that looks overly designed or that lacks utility. After living in 13 different homes Myquillyn Smith has learned a thing or two about purposes of rooms and how to be creative on a budget. Her interiors are beautiful, but lived in, and functional for a mom of three. This might be good for the person who is trying to keep organized, or incorporate storage in her space.

9) Home Style by City: Ideas and Inspiration from Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, and Copenhagen

Being more of a Wanderluster than a Homebody... I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! - just a bit excited. This book is basically a physical Pinterest of design in these cities. There are beautiful pages of design inspiration, tips, and projects by location, as well as a list of books, movies, music that will inspire you by city. There is even a section about flea markets in each place! This is much less of a how-to, as it is a book of majorly swoony travel and home photos, but it is very well done. There were pieces from each city that appealed to me, and just as many books I now want to read, movies I now want to watch etc. Beautiful, Beautiful book! Also on the Wanderluster's list!

10) Bright Bazaar: Embracing Color for Make-You-Smile Style

This book is going to be your color-loving-friend;s new favorite inspiration. It goes through steps of how to choose colors, where to use them, and how to be confident in using color. There is then a lovely section of inspirational designs followed by colorful pallettes put together for inspiration and your home use. The author, blogger Will Taylor, again from a blog of the same name, has a brilliant eye and is followed by over 2 million people on Pinterest! -He knows his stuff!

I hope that this list has given you some book ideas for the redecorator in your life!

Interested in more?  Check out this post to view my book recommendations for other 'types'.

Happy Gifting!

Alexandra

My Wishlist & Holiday Gift Guide 2013

I LOVE giving gifts, so Christmas is heaven for me! Here are some fun things I've found online, all on my own wishlist that would make lovely little gifts for the ladies on your list this year!

It's not too late to order online for Christmas yet, and some of these items are available in stores!

1) Bee Bobby Pins, $18 via Etsy. Buy here.

2) Love Letters of Great Men & Women, Various Prices via Amazon. Buy here.

3) French Lilac Art Print, $26 via Etsy. Buy here.

4) Soy & Natural Fragranced Candles, $18 via The Honest Company. Buy here.

5) Red Blazer, $69 via Piperlime. Buy here.

6) Necklace, SOLD OUT! :( via 31 Bits. Buy & Browse Others here.

7) Hello T-shirt, SOLD OUT :(  via Piperlime. 

8) Downton Abbey Nail Varnish, $15.50 via Marks & Spencer. Buy here.

9) Braids, Buns and Twists, $12.44 via Amazon. Buy here.

10) Bra Travel Case, $37.50 via Beleza Boutique. Buy here.

11) The English Major Print, $26 via Etsy. Buy here.

12) Golden Wine Rack, $30 via World Market. Buy here.

See the rest of my wishlist and get more ideas here.

What are you excited to give this year? 

What is on your wishlist?

9 Days Left!

XO,

Alexandra