Decorations for Every Holiday! Halloooooooween

I love decorating my apartment for every holiday.  I don’t have very many festive pieces quite yet, as I am just beginning to collect.  I started by actually going shopping at my mothers house.  She is always known for decorating the house head to toe for every occasion!

 

Fall is here, and the excitement of Halloween is just around the corner! Nearly everyone enjoys dressing up and celebrating with spooky tricks and sweet treats, but the fun does not have to end on the front porch! It is possible to decorate your whole home for this festive fall holiday — without making a frightful mess. Think outside of the box and create tasteful Halloween decor with these easy steps.

Smart and Simple: Do not just waltz down the Halloween decoration aisle in your local big-box department store and grab one of everything. Instead, collect a few items that particularly strike your fancy. Try to find items that are somehow similar, as these will serve as the base of your Halloween decoration theme.

Accentuate Your Space: Inside the home, your Halloween pieces will look best when presented as a part of a room’s decor. Rather than masking your home with bright orange and green decorations, consider a more subdued approach. A classic black and white theme sets an inviting backdrop for festive pops of orange, green and purple. Use various shapes and patterns to give a classic black and white theme holiday appeal, and integrate color with bright candles or glassware. Deep hunter green is a gorgeous backdrop for autumn reds, golds, browns and oranges. If using this classic harvest theme, avoid busying the space with purples and black.

Group Like Items: Now that you have your base set, get out those fun decorations you picked! Put witches with witches, pumpkins with pumpkins and ghosts with ghosts! Select a variety of different glass dishes or vases and arrange them on a mantle with a different Halloween candy in each. Create a harvest centerpiece with gourds and harvest corn. An excellent and classy idea comes from Martha Stewart. Glitter pumpkins are a unique accent for any Halloween decor, and they can last through Thanksgiving.

Avoid covering every square inch of your yard with spider webs and gravestones and give your house festive flair that is inviting to visitors of all ages. A natural leaf garland or wreath is a beautiful accent to your door in the colors of the season. Place a hay bale on your porch upon which to display pumpkins or jack-o-lanterns. Consider the use of dried corn stalks and golden autumn flowers to accent your entryway. Use lanterns and flameless candles to illuminate your doorway for visitors.

Live – Laugh – Love – Travel

AJ

How to Throw a Wine and Cheese Party

I talked a little bit about throwing your own wine party in my previous post. But here is a little elaboration on how to have a fancy wine and cheese party! (Riesling is my absolute favorite) Enjoy

Hosting a wine and cheese party is a fun, intimate way to spend an evening with friends. Luckily, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be a memorable and elegant event. Here are a few tips for throwing a wine and cheese party on a budget.

Plan Ahead
Setting the date in advance will give you time to watch for sales. Skip specialty wine shops and head to organic grocery stores or import shops instead. Look for two-for-one deals or 20-percent-off six bottle sales. You’ll need an assortment of wines for a successful tasting, so stock up on a variety of wines ranging from crisp whites through robust reds. If you live in an area with active wineries or dairies, consider using local vintages or cheeses to cut back on costs.

Send Invitations
A party of six to twelve guests will provide lively conversation while keeping costs in check. Save money and add a personal touch by making your invitations, tasting cards and introduction cards at home. It’s easy to print computer-generated invites on generic card stock, but plain white linen hand-lettered invitations and tasting cards lend a taste of old-world elegance. A package of blank four by six inch cards can serve as invitations. Use the extras as introduction cards for your pairings.

DIY Décor
Luckily, a wine and cheese tasting party is an understated event with no need for elaborate decorations or trimmings. Crisp white tablecloths, sparkling glassware and a few pretty candles in decorative holders set the scene. For a centerpiece, let the season be your guide. Cut a bouquet of flowers from your garden, gather an assortment of autumn leaves and seedpods or use a few sprigs of evergreen and holly berry to form an attractive focal point on your table.

The Pairings
Wine and cheese have the ability to each bring out hidden flavors in the other. You’ll want to plan your pairings accordingly. Acidic whites generally pair better with soft cheeses like Camembert or Brie. Hearty reds stand up to stronger flavors like sharp Cheddar or Parmesan. Consider regional pairings, such as teaming a Riesling with Havarti or Swiss. Sweet dessert wines make music with robust, salty cheeses like Roquefort. Ask at your local wine shop for suggestions. Buy the cheeses the day before the party to ensure they are fresh and plate them separately to prevent flavors blending. Chill the wines, label the pairings and prepare for guests to arrive.

Must Haves
You’ll need a glass for each guest along with a pitcher of water for rinsing and a receptacle for disposing of old wine. A silver or cut glass ice bucket works well. When guests arrive, supply each with a tasting card for noting impressions. Gold or silver scoring pencils are inexpensive and classier than cheap ballpoint pens. Provide plain French bread for cleansing the palate before and after tasting, as well as fresh fruit, crackers, nuts and olives for noshing. Put on some soft music and let the tasting begin.

Live – Laugh – Love – Travel

AJ