Embrace these Wintery hues and check out this blue and green holiday table style. We are loving these picks on Amazon along with our Signature Olive Green Dinner Napkins from SimuLinen.com!

Vintage Wine Glasses

Glitter Berry Stems

Plate Set

Wooden Slice Placemats

Disposable Gold and Navy Silverware

Capri Candle

Artificial trees

SimuLinen Olive Green Disposable Signature Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – OLIVE GREEN

We searched high and low for our favorite HOMEMADE Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe.  We stumbled across this delectable treat from Ambitiouskitchen.com.  The recipe is linked below. Make sure to head over to their site for the full recipe with pictures!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Here are our picks for a classic Thanksgiving style. Have you signed up for our newsletter? Copper is our color of the month. Check out our newsletter to find out how you can arrange your table to impress your holiday guests this Thanksgiving!

Vintage Goblets

Copper Signature SimuLinen Disposable Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – COPPER

Woven Placemats

Ceramic Plates

Gold Candelabra

Leaf Napkin Rings

Artificial Pumpkins

Enjoy this Halloween table style and the links below!  Don’t forget to order our SimuLinen black or black and silver Elias dinner napkins for your occasion!

Disposable gold-rimmed plates and utensils

Black Candelabra

Gold Pumpkin Napkin Rings

Black lanterns

Vintage tumbler Glasses

SimuLinen Signature Black Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – BLACK

SimuLinen Elias Black and Silver Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Gallery Dinner Napkins – ELIAS Black & Silver

Candles

We found the most delightful recipe from Ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com for mouth-watering apple cheesecake bars.  The ingredients are below but for the full tutorial with pictures, head on over to her site!

Apple Cheesecake Bars

Who doesn’t love a Fall tablescape?  In order to fully embrace all of the crisp and spicy orange hues of the season, we created this Fall harvest table style inspiration board just for you. Look out for our Halloween table style inspiration board coming out soon! Be sure to include our napkin color of the month: our SimuLinen premium disposable dinner napkins in Terracotta! Super absorbent and soft!

Candelabra

Pumpkins

Ceramic Plates

Candles

SimuLinen Terracotta Signature Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – TERRACOTTA

Plaid Table Runner

Stoneware Mugs

Gold Napkin Rings

Here is a simple guide to saving serious money on your big day.  If you are a frugal bride or know of someone who is, these six key elements are a game-changer for cutting costs.

Also, remember to choose SimuLinen’s premium disposable dinner napkins rather than paying for overpriced one-time-use cloth napkins.

1. Rent rather than buy
2. Borrow or thrift
3. Shop sample sales
4. Choose silk over real flowers
5. Change the day of the week
6. Go digital

Ever wonder what the proper etiquette is when it comes to being an outstanding guest?  Check out these essentials and make sure you always put your best foot forward when attending a formal gathering.

The Fall wedding season is here and so is the returning bohemian theme.  Bohemian style is known as a carefree style with layers of pattern, texture, and color. Bohemian themes involve a free-spirited aesthetic that mixes different cultures and artistic expressions into an eclectic style with an emphasis on organic elements and nature. Let loose and check out some of our favorite decor items for a bohemian-themed shower below!

Gold Votive Candle Holder Set

Bliss Collection Share a Memory Watercolor Cards

Green and Brown Paper Lantern Set

SimuLinen Signature Gold Feather Guest Towels

12″x17″ SimuLinen Signature Gold Feather Guest Towel 25 count

Bliss Advice and Wishes Watercolor Cards

Eucalyptus Floral Garland

The Fall is here and our picks (pictured here) for a hostess gift guide are linked below. Any hostess would appreciate our durable high-end disposable napkins for her next dinner party or holiday event.

We have so many Fall colors! Head over to our homepage to view the entire collection!

Ceramic Coasters

Boho Napkin Rings

Hostess Apron

Bosmarlin Ceramic Mug

Cheese Board

“Thank You” Candle

SimuLinen Signature Olive Green Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – OLIVE GREEN

Wondering how long is too long for wedding stationery?

Many people have difficulty figuring out the proper amount of time to give guests notice for special wedding-related events. Here is a quick cheat sheet for the most common time frames so that everyone has plenty of time to prepare and RSVP.

1. Save the dates should be sent out approximately 4-6 months before the wedding
2. Engagement party invitations should be sent out 4 weeks before the event
3. Bridal Shower invitations should be mailed out 6-8 weeks before the event
4. Wedding invitations with venue information and response cards should be mailed out 6-8 weeks before the wedding or 3 months before a destination wedding

Be sure to follow us  @simulinen.napkins on IG for more wedding, etiquette, and entertaining tips.

Here is our handy list to help you remember simple yet effective etiquette tips for your next dinner party, event, or special occasion. Remember that the smallest attention to detail makes a big impact.

1. Set the table before guests arrive
2. Plan ahead for coats and prepare your washroom
3. Chill white wine in your fridge and always have extra ice on hand
4. Always be on time and ready for your guests to arrive (it is impolite to make your guests wait)
5. Consider music and lighting according to the proper ambiance necessary for your occasion
6. Be aware and notice when drinks need refilling and always have extra napkins on hand

Ingredients:

Choose elegance without the clean-up. All of these lovely products are perfect for a chic yet disposable event. Here are some of our favorite disposable products in a rose gold and champagne color scheme.  Party planning never felt so easy. We understand that sometimes it’s nice to just click and be done! 

Be sure to follow us on social media @Simulinen.napkins for more inspiration!

Here are all the links for the style board: 

Links:

Balloons

SimuLinen Signature Champagne Dinner Napkins

16″x16″ SimuLinen Signature Color Collection – CHAMPAGNE

Cups

Flatware

Straws

SimuLinen Signature Gold Feather Guest Towels

12″x17″ SimuLinen Signature Gold Feather Guest Towel 25 count

Plates

Candles

The Fall wedding season is approaching and we made a list of our top five quintessential love songs.  Every wedding has guests that have gotten married long ago and probably appreciate these classics. Each one stands the test of time and invokes nostalgia and romance. Play these and you’re sure to get all of the generations on the dance floor swaying with their love.

Here are the links:

1. “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole

2. “We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters

3. “As Time Goes By” by Jimmy Durante

4. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis

5. “When I Fall In Love” by Nat King Cole

Boy or girl, this trend is a must-do if you are serving a classic baby shower brunch menu.

It’s as simple as 1-2-3. Here are the juices and fruits that go together well:

1. POUR THE BUBBLY: Pick your sparkling water (or champagne) of choice 
2. SPLASH IN SOME JUICE: Orange, pineapple, strawberry kiwi, and mango juice are all great choices
3. GARNISH WITH FRUIT: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries along with a few slices of tropical or citrus fruit work best

Remember that whatever baby shower theme you choose, be sure to check out all of our amazing napkin colors and selections to match your perfect day!

Be sure to follow us on social media @simulinen.napkins for more inspiration.

It’s wedding season and it’s important to remember your napkin manners at the table.  Whether you’re planning a dinner party or even attempting a DIY wedding, these four tips will help you to perfect your napkin game. 

Take it from us, napkin etiquette is essential for a well-mannered meal.  Here are our four easy-to-remember napkin etiquette tips:

• PLACEMENT

Napkins will either be placed on the left side or on the top of the dinner plate

• DURING DINING

Lay your napkin across your lap while seated, either immediately or following the blessing

• EXCUSE ME

Place your napkin on your chair when leaving the table temporarily

• ALL FINISHED

Fold and place your used napkin on the left of your plate at the end of your meal

Bon Appetit!

Nothing says 4th of July more than our Red Bistro Stripe Classicpoint dinner napkins! Do you prefer hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill or a chic picnic blanket spread? Either way, we love ourselves a good table inspiration board.  We thought it would be fun to gather some of our favorite products and create a simple and clean 4th of July table style for you.  Sometimes it’s nice to just click and be done! 

Be sure to follow us on social media @Simulinen.napkins for more inspiration!

Here are all the links for the style board: 

Links:

Folkulture Salad Bowl or Wooden Bowls with Serving Tongs, Large Salad Bowls for Fruits, Cereal or Pasta, Large Mixing Bowl Set, 12″ Diameter x 5″ Height, Mango Wood, Blue

Drinique Elite Tall Unbreakable Tritan Highball Glasses, 4 Count (Pack of 1), Red

Artera Round Woven Placemats – Set of 8, Natural Wicker Placemats, Water Hyacinth Straw Braided Placemats, Heat Resistant Non-Slip Weave Placemats Handmade (11.8″ Round, Style 1 – Set of 8)

CLASSICPOINT DINNER NAPKINS – RED BISTRO STRIPE – DECORATIVE & DISPOSABLE 15.5″X15.5″ – PACK OF 50

India Craft Nautical Napkin Rings Set of 6,Jute Rope Rustic Farmhouse Napkin Ring -Burlap Napkin Rings Set for Harvest, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Farmhouse, Beach, Party Decoration, Wedding, etc (6)

Creative Co-op EC0125 Distressed Wood 2-Tier Tray with Metal Handle, Cream

Fancy Disposable Plates with Cutlery – 125 Piece Blue Plastic Party Plates and Silverware for Weddings, Party, Baby Shower, Birthday, Holiday – Service for 25 Guests Disposable Dinnerware (Blue Rim)

1-Gallon Glass Beverage Dispenser with 18/8–Stainless Steel Spigot – 100%Leakproof – Wide Mouth Easy Filling – Drink Dispenser with Ice Cylinder Keeps Beverage Cold For Outdoor Parties and Daily Use

When I was growing up I wasn’t too fond of vegetables. I much preferred fruit as I have a wicked sweet tooth.
But Grandmama Dottie was a true Southern lady. She had a magic touch. Everything she made seemed to taste better than anyone else’s. This was true with scrambled eggs and it was definitely true with green beans.
I was even known for getting Grandmama to make her green beans for any potluck I attended. They were always the first dish to vanish!
Before she passed away I realized I’d never learned her magic so I asked her to teach me. Although she loved the attention when she made them for me she knew I needed to learn for myself. Now Jackson is grateful that she taught me!

The recipe is embarrassingly easy:
Bacon (duh, it’s a Southern dish!)
Onions
Green beans

Really, it’s all to your preference as to how much of each but I typically use 2 slices of thick bacon – cut up into bite sized pieces and cook about 5 minutes then add about 1/2 cup of diced onions. When the onions are translucent and smell amazing, add 2 cans of green beans (including the juice) and salt and pepper to taste. I like to have leftovers as my almost-one-year-old would eat these at every meal if we’d let her!
I hope you love them as much as we do!

One of our family’s favorite things we’ve done the past few months is get our produce from a local farm. When I tell you it’s fresh, I mean it is picked just hours before it ends up in my kitchen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The colors are deeper and the flavors richer than any vegetables I’ve ever eaten. Many times there are some roots still attached. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Let It Grow Farm is our local farm we support and when we get our carrots, they always have their leaves still attached, since the whole carrot is edible I decided to try making a carrot top pesto with The Endless Meal‘s amazing recipe. You should check her out, you will immediately develop an appetite, her food looks amazing! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Here’s her recipe: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 2 cups carrot top leaves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 1/3 cup salted, toasted cashews⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 1/3 cup mild flavored olive oil (I used avocado oil)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 1 clove garlic⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

– 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Blend in food processor or blender until smooth and toss some roasted carrots in! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I had some pesto left over from last night so for lunch I added it to some veggies and feta over some pasta. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Try it once and you’ll never buy topless carrots again!

Is it too late to say, “Happy New Year!!!”??? Probably, because it feels like we should be at least 25% through the year by now, but that’s how January always is, right?

I’ve started working on my goals and priorities for 2020 and am still holding firm to my intentions. I am not always on target but if I keep trying to hit the mark and miss, at least I’m still trying. One of my goals this year is to spend less and at the same time make my home prettier. “How’s that?” you ask? Well let me tell you…

I’m so excited to introduce you to Angela Chantell, of Angela Chantell Interiors is an interior designer I met online, who inspires me to make things prettier. I reached out to her because like me, she’s a girly-girl all the way. She loves all things glam and has great taste but also understands how to keep a budget.

I reached out to Angela Chantell (she goes by her first and middle name, so being a true Southern girl, I knew I’d like her!) and asked her for some tips to set a glam table without the glam price tag. What I love is that she sets her table intentionally and leaves it for a full holiday season. What I REALLY love is that she used the same tablescape for Thanksgiving through New Year which means she doesn’t have to have multiple sets of holiday dishes to store the rest of the year.

She likes to style her table to last for months and she shares her tips with us!

First, choose the color and theme. This is the very first thing you need to do. It will determine the overall look and feel and will help you keep focused when picking out the dishes and accessories. She chose Modern Glam for this setting. (I LOVE this theme!)

Next, add table runner and linens. Angela Chantell says that the runner is definitely worth a splurge; you want high quality neutrals that are versatile so they can be used for multiple themes and occasions and will last for years to come. When picking out the runner, make sure it’s long enough to hang over the ends of the table. Place it down the center of the table and let it be the foundation of the decor. “The table runner brings a base texture to your table, this is important because we want a mix of textures to create a beautiful pop! Napkins are also a vital part of the table. Cloth napkins are great however changing colors and designs is cost prohibitive. This is where SimuLinen comes in. The napkins are high quality AND disposable! They also have so many different colors and styles that I can change them out whenever I want. Since they are disposable I don’t have to wash, dry, iron or find a place to store them.” For this setting, she layered SimuLinen’s Pink Dots Guest Towels and Magenta Dinner Napkins.

Speaking of texture, in colder months, she put sheepskin rugs on the benches for added layer of texture. I just love that idea! 

Set the spacing of the settings by adding the plates. Angela Chantell  got this versatile set of dishes from Ikea. The pale pink color, surprisingly, works for most holidays throughout the year. It’s a set and has everything you need, plus it’s inexpensive ($34.99)!

Add large focal points down the middle of the runner. Vases are always a good option and give the table some height and you’re able to add greenery or flowers for more texture and color. It’s always fun to have gorgeous flowers on the table but that can be very expensive. “One thing I love to do is bring my outside in to my table. Most of us have something we can cut outside; we just have to look for it. For this table I used pompous grass I found growing outside. Once you place the vases you can add candles between them. I added in two glass domes with candles between the vases for another bit of texture. Can you tell I love texture? Once your large items are in place, it’s much easier to add other accessories to give the table dimension.”

Finally, tie design elements into the rest of the room. The last touch is to make the rest of the room accentuate the table. create a style worthy room that is often overlooked, is to tie in design elements cascading to the floor. You could use a glass jug and add to it the greenery that is on the table or you could tie in the color of the table in the windows like this flower curtain.

Is this table gorgeous, or what?! Thanks so much for sharing your tips, Angela Chantell! I’ve always loved setting a beautiful table but often struggle to make it all look cohesive. This step by step guide will ensure my next table will (hopefully) be as gorgeous as yours! 

After years and years of being the bridesmaid, my turn finally came 4 years ago. By the time I got engaged I had probably attended over 50 weddings as an adult guest and I can’t even remember how many weddings I’d actually been in.

All those years of hoping and longing for the day it would be my turn weren’t lost as I took lots of great notes about what I did and did not like about different weddings. I kept programs, menus, and favors. I took pictures of table settings and dresses, centerpieces and flowers. I knew that one day, when I finally got married I’d know exactly how I wanted my wedding to be.

On thing I love to do is save money. In fact, my two favorite words are “sale” and “clearance” so when we got engaged, I looked for all kinds of ways to save money. We designed our own wedding programs and used a website to create our save the date cards and invitations. Of course, I’ve always Googled coupons for any site where I am considering ordering something.

Below are some of the ways we saved the most money:

We had a short engagement!

Here in New Jersey the typical engagement is over a year long. Being a Southern girl who was, ahem, a few years older than the typical bride, I wasn’t interested in waiting another year to become Jackson’s Mrs. Our engagement was only four months and four days long. This meant we had to find good deals and make decisions quickly. We didn’t have time to keep adding on more and more things to our wedding.

We got married on a Friday.

Listen, I’m the first one to get annoyed by a Friday wedding. It means that I must take at least half a day off work, if it’s a local wedding. However, this was the biggest, most memorable day of my life and I needed to make sure it was good for Jackson and me.

Turned out, with our venue, getting married on a Friday was about 20% cheaper per person less than getting married on a Saturday. Also, since our engagement was short, they had one Friday open in the time-frame we wanted, and they wanted to fill it. They told us if we took that date we’d get another 15% off.

We bought our candle stick centerpieces and then sold them after the wedding.I had a 3.5 hour daily commute for work, so I spent my whole commute each day searching the internet for all the things I could buy online. We got married at a venue with a view of NYC and floral centerpieces would have been way too expensive and they would have been over-kill for that room. With all the lights of the city flickering we decided that adding candles to our tables would be the prettiest. Of course, the elegant, three-tiered, glass, floating-candle sticks cost $75 per table to rent but I found them online to purchase for $30 per table! After the wedding we sold them all and made our money back.

We used SimuLinen Disposable Dinner Napkins!

I know what you’re thinking… disposable dinner napkins do not go with a venue overlooking NYC, and elegant glass candlestick centerpieces. This is probably the most shocking thing you’ll discover. Cloth napkins at venues, or provided by caterers, are NOT nice napkins. Their napkins are typically cheap polyester that do not absorb a thing and are rough to the touch. Add to their lack of elegance, the price for renting these cloth napkins can break the bank! On the contrary, SimuLinen’s Signature Colored Dinner Napkins are thick, durable, absorbent and far softer on your mouth. They also come in 21 different colors so there will definitely be one to match your color scheme, AND they are quite reasonably priced.

What I learned from my wedding planning days was that the best ways to save money came from thinking outside the box (purchasing glass candlesticks I could later sell). I didn’t settle for what was expected (Friday night wedding) and I dared to venture away from the norm (disposable dinner napkins). To this day friends still tell us ours was one of the most beautiful and fun weddings they’ve ever attended.

What are ways you’ve saved money for your wedding? Share in the comments so others can use your ideas!

The first huge snow storm of the year is coming and I’ve decided to have some friends over. What better way to spend a snow storm than locked inside with a bunch of friends. When having friends in my home I want everything to be clean and tidy. While cleaning and getting the house ready for the influx of friends I realized the hand towels in my bathroom weren’t fresh. Sure to the eye they may be fresh and clean, but for how long? Whether you’re having two friends or fifty friends over its inevitable that they are going to be using the powder room, and while doing so I hope they are washing their hands afterwards. Did you know that even after washing your hands when drying them with the same old cloth hand towel you could be spreading just as many germs as you would if you didn’t wash your hands? Think of all the places that hand towel could end up besides your guest’s hands. How many people wipe their faces in the hand towel, or if it’s dropped on the floor after someone uses it.  Think about all the times you’ve gone to use one and it was still damp from those who used it before you. YUCK!! You may also think that the only alternative is to keep a big bulky roll of paper towels on the sink counter. We all know how that looks in the bathroom and can agree that while entertaining guests it’s not so attractive. Disposable hand towels would be perfect in the powder room.

i recently started working for SimuLinen so I figured I’d give their disposable hand towels a try. I was already such a fan of their Premium Disposable Linen napkins. They are the perfect replacement for my standard cloth towels. SimuLinen’s guest towels are disposable which is great for one time use. I no longer have to worry about drying my hands with a damp cloth hand towel. These guest towels are the perfect size – one will get the job done. I can’t believe how soft they are, either. Truth is they are not even like the disposable 2-ply ones I’ve seen. These are just amazing!

You have to try these, you’ll love them.

Alright I’m off to build a snowman and drink hot chocolate.

– Emily

The holidays are here and parties are in full swing, but it’s never too late to have a quick refresher of party etiquette. We all want to be gracious guests, but sometimes it’s hard to remember how to handle certain situations.

First and foremost, always RSVP. To be a gracious guest, it is important to RSVP for the party within one week of the invitation. Remember, only reply for the guests on the invitation; it is impolite to include other not directly invited by the hosts.

They are not required, but if you choose to give the hosts a gift, the best options are consumable, such as chocolates, wines or lovely guest towels or napkins. Make sure to add a personal note with the gift.

Talk to people you don’t know. Compliments are great ways to start conversations. Everyone appreciates a compliment and they tend to set people at east.

Avoid grinches, gossips and gross-mannered people and their conversations. When you’re approached by an unpleasant person or someone wanting to have a less than merry conversation, it is best to avoid them. Be polite but find a way to excuse yourself. Parties can quickly become less than festive when inappropriate conversations are had.

Many schedules make it difficult to stay the length of a party and it is often quite tempting to just slip out unnoticed but be sure to always say goodbye to the hosts. This is the most polite way to leave, but it will also prevent everyone from wondering where you are. It is not necessary to make your way around the room and say goodbye to everyone, but please make sure to tell your hosts.

Remember to follow up with a hand written thank you note after the party. This does not need to be lengthy, three lines is sufficient, but please, do not send an email as it is quite dismissive and impersonal.

Have fun and enjoy the merriment of this season! 

Thanksgiving is wonderful for so many reasons: joyful time with family and friends, great food, fun shopping with great deals. The most wonderful and important part of Thanksgiving is just that, giving thanks. We all have so much to be thankful for, and sometimes we are so busy we forget to ponder the blessings that have been bestowed upon us.

During this thankful season, we pause to reflect on the blessings we experience every day and those we have had throughout the year. So, with this reflection, we want to thank YOU.  Thank you for appreciating the SimuLinen difference and choosing SimuLinen over other brands. Thank you for continuing to help share our product with your friends and family. And thank you for your support throughout the year.

The SimuLinen Team wishes you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving season. May you, too, have a moment to reflect on the blessings of the year.

I don’t know about you, but every single time I have people over for dinner I call my mom and ask her how much I should make of each dish. I’m from a very large family so I’m used to cooking for several people, so somehow hosting a smaller number of people makes it even harder for me to figure out how much to make. Knowing how much too serve at Thanksgiving stresses me out even more because being a Southern girl I learned that food is one of the love languages so we definitely cannot run out of food for Thanksgiving. That would be like running out of love! The problem with a Southern girl hosting Thanksgiving is that we tent to have so much “love” that we eat left overs for weeks, until my husband tells me he never wants to eat it again.

Imagine the stress I have thinking about Thanksgiving this year as it will be the first Thanksgiving for me to host my husband’s family at our home. As much as I adore my in-laws, I still feel pressure to make it the best Thanksgiving they’ve ever celebrated. Even with the pressure I’m quite excited, and this year I’m determined we won’t be eating left overs in some variation until Christmas. Thanks to this chart I saw from Whole Foods I knew this might actually be the year we won’t have a freezer full of turkey and stuffing begging to be eaten. I hope that you find this chart below useful, too. May you always know how much to serve at Thanksgiving and may you only have the leftovers you want to have!

Cheers!

Here at SimuLinen we are loving this fall weather and all the changes this season brings. With this new weather we need to make space for the new napkins. Lucky you! All of our Seasonal Napkins are on sale for $12. This is a great deal as they retail for $20 per pack. Hurry and get yours because supplies are limited.

Click for Seasonal Napkins

Wow, have you felt the cool in the air and smelled the crisp hints of fall? We sure have up here and I’m loving it! I keep thinking about all the fun fall activities I can get myself into. We are going apple picking on Saturday and will carve pumpkins on Sunday. Next weekend I’ve decided we have to have people over so I can decorate the table all fancy like I have been seeing in all the magazines. I just love the fall!

As I was browsing through the magazines and searching Pinterest for all the fall decorating tips I started wondering why I don’t decorate for the seasons. I realized two of the biggest reasons I don’t are 1) money – I don’t want to spend money on things I will only use for a few weeks; 2) storage – I don’t want to own a bunch of seasonal things I have to find storage space for. I just don’t have enough space as it is.

Here are two of the inspirational tables I saw:

As I was looking at the pictures I realized that I don’t have to make my table look EXACTLY like theirs, I can use it as a general guideline and make it MINE! I can also take ideas I like about one table and marry them with parts I like of another table. Here are my pictures:

Yesterday I ran into Dollar Tree to see if I could get something for my fall table. I got that “vine” for $1 and then I went to a little market and bought those squashes (which will be dinner next week). The table cloth is just a drop cloth I bought a few months ago at Home Depot and hadn’t used yet. The Gold Runner is SimuLinen’s disposable table runner and the pretty burgundy napkins are SimuLinen’s disposable Burgundy Flat-Pack.

Here’s another setting I did. Again, I just used the drop cloth for the table cloth and a piece of fabric I had in my fabric closet. The plates were ours and all I bought for this setting was the green leaf bowl and the pumpkins – $1 each! I love these Brown Flat-Pack napkins because they are so versatile. Brown goes with so much, and I can fold the napkins anyway I want! Even better, look closely at them… they don’t look disposable at all! SimuLinen has several flat-pack colors to choose from and they are all 16″x16″. They are definitely a strong go-to option as they come un-folded so you can fold them any way you like. As with all the SimuLinen products, they are always disposable, super absorbent and soft!

7 Tips for an Easy Baby Shower

I’m not sure what was happening a few months ago, maybe it was the super frigid winter or Valentine’s Day or maybe just something in the water, but all of a sudden it’s time for lots of sweet babies to start coming! Without thinking about it I can count 8 friends who are about to have new babies – what a fun time!

With all the baby showers to plan I thought it would be a good idea to make a list of what needs to be done, in the smartest order, so I can think clearly about each shower while I’m planning it.

1. Theme: Besides the date, I’d say the first step would be to decide on a theme. Is your friend having a boy or a girl? Will it be a co-ed shower or just ladies who are invited? Does the mom have a specific nursery theme that you’d like to use? I like to keep it simple. This first shower I’m going to throw is for a baby girl. We are going to use white and light pink as the theme.
2. Invitations: Now that you have the theme, how are you going to invite people? Typically people receive invitations in the mail, which is nice as they can be put in the baby book, and they set the tone of the shower. Etsy has some really fun shower invitations. Don’t you just love these?
3. Decorations: Look to the invitations for inspiration for the decorations. Use the colors, and the design. For this shower, with the sweet invitations above, we will stick with white and pink, add a little gray here and there and throw in some flowers as the main decorations. *Hint* SimuLinen has high-end disposable napkins, table cloths and table runners – they are AMAZING! They’re relatively inexpensive and make cleanup such a breeze! These are so much more economical and absorbent than cloth napkins. Add a flower or baby rattle and make the napkins part of the decor.

   

4. Food: Keep it simple. Time of day will help determine the food, but personally, I love a shower at brunch time: muffins, mini quiches, banana bread, fruit and cupcakes or a cake make a lovely brunch, and they are all relatively easy to make. I’ve also been to a shower with an oatmeal bar – oatmeal, brown sugar, milk, granola, craisins, etc. I think it was my favorite part of brunch! Add a yummy juice concoction (OJ and cranberry juice is a delish!) and some coffee and you’re done!
5. Schedule: Generally speaking, showers should last about 2 hours. If the invitation says the party starts at 10, then at 10:05 you should get people to start eating, this way it’s not obvious when guests who are a little late slip in. Games should come right after the food and then the gifts. If the shower runs long, people can slip out during the gifts.
6. Guests: Have you ever been to a shower and the new Mom was the only one you knew? I have. Not so much fun at first. My suggestion: Name Tags (no, seriously!) Have all the guests write their first name and then one word telling how they know the new Mom, for example: “Kate, running”. Now it’s so much easier for less outgoing people to introduce each other and ask something about each other. “Hi Kate, so you run with Liz?” And there ya go… a conversation has started. 🙂
7. ENJOY!!!: Throwing a shower can be stressful, but once everything is set up and the guests arrive, relax and enjoy the celebration! What a great gift you’ve given by throwing her a shower, step back and watch her face as her friends and loved ones talk to her and celebrate this new chapter in her life! She will always remember this time with great joy.

It’s Time for Summer Parties!

Looking through all the decorating and lifestyle magazines, it looks like this summer could be called the “Summer of Color”. From what I can see, this summer will be bold. The brighter the better, which is fine with me!

I’m not sure how your winter was, but here in New Jersey it was brutal. Besides the bitter, frigid temperatures, it was gray and black. I don’t mean the NYC kind of gray and black that’s trendy, but the dirty, dingy, gloomy kind. So when I saw the color trends for this summer’s fun activities, winter now seems like a small price to pay for such a fun and lively season that’s upon us!

My favorite article I’ve seen lately is from Domino. This article features bright, colorful decorations and place settings while the decorative napkins are actually plain. Who knew? I’ve had a tendency to try to dress up a table by using printed cloth napkins, but this setting is gorgeous and these decorative napkins are actually plain white and the perfect touch. This proves that napkins don’t have to be loud to make a statement.

As much as I love throwing a dinner party though, I just can’t stand the clean-up. Add to that being a Southern girl at heart, until recently I’d have never considered using paper dinner napkins for a party. That was, until I saw these disposable napkins. They are elegant, yet simple. They let the decor and the food speak for themselves, and they practically clean up after themselves. When the party’s over, this will be the easiest part to clean up, no laundering needed, just toss them into the trash or compost bin!

Here are Domino’s tips on prepping for the perfect party:

Enjoy your parties and send us some pics!