Sunday, September 23, 2012

Party planning and mission accomplished!

One thing to my fellow bloggers...nearly had a heart attack when I signed on this morning to feedburner to change my delivery time to my subscribers and saw my thousands of subscribers GONE! Apparently this is a known problem that they are working on...so don't be alarmed if you sign on and see the same thing.


Wow what a weekend! We had to go to the city Friday night for a function, but it was far from relaxing as the entire time my head was spinning with all had to do for my family party on Saturday....the drinks I still needed to buy, a market list a mile long,  figuring out if I had the right amount of plates, do I have silverware for 50? Yep......panic mood ensued. Getting home never felt so good as I sprang into action to do damage control. Things were better than I expected and I went to bed thinking I could pull it off. 
Sat woke up to beautiful skies and a fair dose of anxiety. Several hours later, after lots of little last minute errands and prepping, the party started coming together. I always allow myself to run around and stress up to a certain point, but I always (and this really works for me) set a time where I must be done with any errands and a time where I get my rest time. My 'cut off" was 1 pm....and sure enough by that time I had no need to get back in my car. Everything I needed was done and at home.....woo hoo.
My other cutoff time was 4 and like clockwork I went up to my room and took a power nap (yes Mom I can admit that after all these years of you drilling that into me, they really do work)! So at about 5 I started prepping, getting all my appetizers under way, placing all the flowers where they needed to be, and basically getting the house all "prettied up". I always get in the party mood when I get to this stage.......
I do not have any pictures to show you of the actual party......everything I must say looked so pretty. But I was so busy playing hostess that there wasn't a second to reach for my camera and sneak a picture besides think it would have been awkward to be running around on a photo shoot....lol. Next time I need a photographer:) But here's a recap of everything leading up to it...........
WARNING EXTREMELY PICTURE HEAVY, SIT BACK, GRAB ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE!!

Any time I want to entertain it always has to start with the flowers. Always. Any excuse to buy flowers, especially my beloved white orchids! I do have a local florist who carries beautiful ones but I have taken to doing them myself lately......I get a lot of pleasure out of it. This time I actually did them in the trunk of my car.......yep it became a makeshift florist:)
Batch one of my flowers ready for their makeover.......

Containers galore and here we go!


A big bag of moss to the rescue....

And we are done.....time to bring them inside
Finding their new "homes"







All the silver getting wrapped up in pretty napkins...
Guess whats getting hung!!!! My new chandelier.............

Using the sideboard as a buffet for the dinner plates
And my new sconces got put up in the living room....well two of them, rest this week!
Got a mirror hung behind buffet

Moving to the front of the house........
Of course I decorated the front of the house too....simple but I think very pretty





Loving the new softer colors of pumpkins...white, celadon and a pale melon....such neat colors!


And moving back  inside.........

 Even my two new dog paintings got hung...........










Love "dressing up" a vanity with all kinds of pretties........

Don't you love my new little cherub soap dish! Just added it to my online store.....


Peek into the pantry which was being used as a bar



One of my guests sent me this magnificent floral arrangement, its about 3 feet tall!




Surprise! Got my new chandelier up in the dining room and its perfect!!!!! I really love it.....brought down a pair of lamps from guest room just to use for the night





Another surprise...got my new sconces up in the living room....LOVE them!




Stunning aren't they?


The room is far from done, you have to imagine it with the right chairs, getting a mantle finally and the gorgeous chinoiserie paper that will grace the walls



Used this small English console as a table to hold the appetizer plates
First tray getting put out....sushi always one of the first things to go


I had a small round table for a few stationary appetizers and we had passed hor deuvres too (thankfully some left over for a serious eating session later today)

Icing on the cake...waking up to some goodies waiting to be opened, flowers enough to open up my own little florist and a box of chocolates from one of my favorite shops..........





Look at the mini bananas in this arrangement!


So that's a wrap for how things were on Saturday leading up to my family party. It was a lot of fun, all except for my poor sore feet that are paying the price of standing on them for too many hours so I will prop them up and take it easy today (of course while I am picking at all the leftovers lol). Hope you enjoy your day...gorgeous fall weather over here, loving it! Now excuse me while I go take inventory of the leftovers............(absolute best part of a party)!
Photobucket

62 comments:

  1. Love your flower arrangements and the new sconces are sooo gorgeous! I'm so jealous you get to decorate for fall! We move this week and it's so hard not to nest. Seeing your house gives me hope that we will be all settled in and cozy soon! Hope all is well! So sorry I haven't stopped in to say hi in a while. I'm still visiting everyday!

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  2. Holy cow- the house looks INCREDIBLE! I don't know what to comment on first, starting from the outside, your fall decor is perfect, understated but so elegant. All your flowers and containers are also incredible. The house, leaves me breathless!
    The chandelier, sconces, your powder room, it is all so spectacular. What a feast this post is, Tina. Thank you for sharing your wonderful event with us, you have such amazing style, ever think of a coffee table book?

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  3. Wow wow wow wow!!!!! Your house is meant for entertaining (and clearly built for that purpose)! It is absolutely gorgeous dressed up in it's party finery. I am so happy for you that the party went well.

    I have been buying orchids at Trader Joes and arranging them myself - for some reason they make me smile a little bit more when I only paid $12.99 but they look like a I paid hundreds of dollars! Mine are never quite as pretty as yours are, though (I think it's those incredibly cachepots!)

    Enjoy this beautiful fall Sunday!!!

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  4. Really fantastic, I am happy to see classic traditional alive and well in your home! I will be ordering a few more blue and white pieces from you very soon after seeing the amazing displays you put together! Orchids are such a great choice as well, hopefully you where able to relax and enjoy after working so hard to put it all together!

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  5. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous...I know lots of hard work went into pulling this off...I'm very impressed that you can take an hour nap and get up and finish...I could never do that...obviously works really well for you...you did an amazing job. XO, Mona

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  6. OK, that was splendid, JUST FABULOUS! Oh Tina, you are so generous to share every detail with us, for I feel as I am there! Each new sconce, OMG, what beauty. And your NEW CHANDY IN THE DINING ROOM! YES! Sometimes I just enjoy putting candles on the table UNDERNEATH the chandelier, and not even light the chandelier, but allow the light of the candles to reflect on the crystals....I sit there and just stare.

    Oh dearest, you will need to rest today, and yes, ENJOY THE LEFT OVERS!

    Your kind comments are always a welcomed gift to me dearest Tina. Hugs to you and TEDDY! Anita

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  7. Tina- the hostess with the mostest!
    Just when I think things over there cannot get any more beautiful, you come and shock me again. Tina, what you created is a modern day work of art. You are a master entertainer and obviously really enjoy it (helps if you are good)! All of your elegant touches are so superbly done. I am in awe of it all. I love the fall decor outside (so appropriate for your style home) to all the gorgeous new lighting and flowers in their beautiful pots all your stunning china and silver. Its like a fairytale!
    Thank you for sharing. I really hope you got to enjoy yourself and that you give those feet of yours a "day off" and enjoy those leftovers, I agree, they are the icing on the cake of any party!

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  9. love what you did on the front porch! Your home looks ready for a party. Susan at Romancing the Home

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  10. YOU always get everything done to perfection. I hope you had as much fun as all the guests!!
    xx's

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  11. Your guests mouths must have been hanging open to walk into such grandeur! Reminds me of the beautiful chateaus of France, did you have to kick anyone out of your bathroom? It is so gorgeous!
    I love it all, your taste is IMPECCABLE, Tina. I so love seeing all that you do, please keep on sharing.

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  12. Nicely done Tina! I knew you'd pull it off just perfectly! Every detail from the front entry to the lighting.. the tables, the china, and I'm sure the food was fabulous and everyone had a ball !!!

    Enjoy your Sunday ...hopefully filled family and some r&r

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  13. I love this post and even though I know my invitation was lost in the mail I feel like I was there anyways. ;). The chandelier is gorgeous as is the entire house. You've done such a beautiful job, Tina. I am in love with that little cherub soap dish. I'll see you in the shop today. Rest well. If you're like me, the day after I cannot even move but it is so much fun to entertain on a big scale. Enjoy the special treats left behind.

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  14. what an amazing party you made for your family--all those details add up to a gorgeous mix, tina.

    the sconces and new additions add so much! i bet you are lovin these rooms at night now.

    smiles from sunny arizona where i'm visiting family and pretending it is still summer.

    michele

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  15. Your home is so lovely! This time of year I can see it in its glory! I, too, get frantic right before any gathering that I host. I want the ambiance to match the deliciousness of the food. I want every sense to be impacted. And, to top it off, to be a lovely host that makes everyone feel they are welcome. I see you are the same! I love your entrance! That set the feeling of warmth when entering your home! Love it all! xo

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  16. The bath vanity looks great with the drawers fitted in place, and I like the cherubs supporting the soap dish.
    ....... and a wonderful time was had by all!

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  17. Wow, your house is gorgeous, and very stylish, but it feels like home...and looking all the love you put in that family party...it's really a home, not just a house!

    I've been checking your blog, and I really liked it!
    I'm following you, of course!
    I invite you to stop by my blog, I really hope you like it,
    A big hug!

    Inés
    SimplyClassyMe.blogspot.com

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  18. Hi Tina-
    What a treat this post is. You are certainly one stylish hostess! I love it from the outside fall decor to the inside and all the special touches you added. The new chandy and sconces are specatcular! I love all your orchids and how you planted them in the beautiful planters and all that food is making me hungry.
    Your powder room is fit for royalty. Hope you got to enjoy yourself and are resting up today. Throwing a big party is no easy feat but looks like you pulled it off beautifully.

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  19. Tina,

    You are the hostess with the most exquisite taste! Love how it all comes together and how you keep some (much needed) rules for party prep and timing on schedule. Hope your spa day afterwards is a must as well. Thanks for sharing all the entry decor, flowers and food. I bet it was a divine party...bravo!

    Bette

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  20. Am a huge fan of your blog and always leave so inspired. This is one of my all time favorite posts of yours. You do know how to throw some shindig! I hope one of your kids will get married in your house, it is meant for a large grand wedding. I love all the attnention to details from the fall planters, all the orchids to the beautiful new lighting.
    I laughed reading over your "timeline" and cutoff, I do something simliar though I don't entertain very often anymore, but I always am sure that everything is bought by the day before so the day of can be as stressfree as possible. My husband retired last year but prior to that, we entertained often (he was an entertainment lawyer) and I have to say though its a lot of work, I always got very excited over planning a party, the menu, the flowers, etc..its all in the details and you certainly have it down pat Tina. Beautiful job, your guests must have been overwhelmed by the beauty and graciousness.

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  21. Tina I swear every time I see new pictures of your home it's prettier and prettier and all those flowers really set things off nicely. Your powder room is stunning and I love all your new light fixtures, you must be over the moon. I know about entertaining and thankfully since leaving NYC I don't have to do much of that in the country, to stressful. Glad to hear your party went off well and you had so many nice treats left so you don't have to cook.

    Enjoy your evening!
    XXX
    Debra~

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  22. Tina, it looks like it was a perfect day. Your home looks beautiful and the flowers added a nice touch. Hope you enjoyed you self and your feet survived! Now sit down and pour your self a glass of wine!

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  23. Sweetie,

    I love everything!! Including the sushi!!! :-)

    Oh, let me say something... I think we all love your home in a very special way, since we have seen being built from the very beginning. It feels great to see you enjoying it now. :-)

    Have a blessed week, Tina.

    xo

    Luciane at HomeBunch.com

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  24. Tina,
    It all looks divine. The front outside decor! The orchids that you "dressed"! The food. The chandelier!!! I'm sure it was a special evening for every person who crossed the threshold! I, too, love to prep and then take a little break before getting ready. I'm hosting a couple of things...a morning coffee for 2nd grade parents and then a small dinner party later in October and will have to remember this. I think a rested hostess is a gracious hostess!

    xoxo Elizabeth

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  25. Beautiful ! I loved the tole planters on the buffet.

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  26. Thank-you for sharing your party with us. Beautiful photos. Don't know how you do it. That's a lot of work. Your home is drop dead
    gorgeous. You are doing a great job decorating it.

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  27. This party could not have been any prettier. You are a master at dressing up a home and the way you did your powder room is just perfection. You have such wonderful taste, very timeless and everything came together magnificently. I really really enjoy your blog since I found it through Pinterest. You always share such beauty and I have gotten many great ideas.

    Do you have a background in garden/landscaping? I ask because you are really good and what you put together is so professional looking. And last I agree, the best part of any gathering is the leftovers! Hope you enjoyed yours.

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  28. what a bash of smashing glamour!!!
    your home looks amazing.....AD will soon come knocking!!!

    and isn't wonderful what a pretty container does for
    an orchid or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or ....20?
    the powder room is beautiful as well.

    xox

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  29. The flowers look amazing! Sounds like you have the routine down. So excited to see the fixtures going up! Love house updates.

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  30. What a beautiful job you did, your house is wonderful. May your home always be filled with family and friends.
    Melanie O.

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  31. Wow, totally fabulous! The house looks incredible. It has come such a long way under your discerning and loving care.

    I tell my husband I could move in your house exactly as is, it's so perfect I wouldn't change a single thing except for the toothbrushes, haha!

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  32. The hostess with the mostest always!!! Loved all the flowers and pumpkins!!! Your food always looks like perfection!!! xo Leslie

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  33. Hello! I just came across your wonderful blog! my congrats! this post is CHIC AND STYLISH!

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  34. Wow, the chandelier and sconces look wonderful. I adore Chinoiserie paper in a diningroom and can't wait to see what you choose. It is on my diningroom wish list too!
    The orchids are a wonderful flower idea and last so much longer than cut flowers. I love the 'florist in a boot' production line you set up. They look so lovely in their pretty containers.
    Thank you for sharing this all with us.

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  35. Tina your home is party ready with all of your fabulous flowers and accessories. The lighting is stunning. All of your guests should be so honored to be on your guest list!

    xoxo,
    Karena
    2012 Artist Series

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  36. Tina, so that is just one more of your talents!! Impeccable taste and decor as always...
    Looks like the perfect background for a party - hope it was lots of fun!

    xoxo
    http://acasadava.blogspot.com

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  37. Oh Goodie, I love it when you open up a post by telling us it's PICTURE HEAVY. That means good times ahead for me. There is SO much to love here. Everything looks so inviting, starting right at your front door. I'm glad you got your chandelier and sconces up in time for your party. They are lovely. You really did a great job with all your orchids....great advertisement for all the goodies you offer in your shop.
    I'm sure your guests had a wonderful time ooohing and aaaahing over all your beautiful decor. And if I can't be there in person, taking the tour through your camera lens is the next best thing.
    Hugs.
    Terri

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  38. Ha! I love the leftovers, too! Such a wonderful aspect of entertaining! Your house is absolutely breathtaking, Tina! Wow!

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  39. Tina I AM BLOWN AWAY. The beauty here in this one post is like all my favorite design books, decoratoring shows and interiod design magazines all rolled into one. AMAZING JOB on every single inch of your incredible home!

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  40. What an amazing blog! I just held a party for my child and used so many of your ideas as a reference. We also hired a Magician Perth who brought a lot of entertainment to the party. What an amazing day! Thank you so much.

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  41. Great post Tina! I'm sure your party was a smash. Love the fruit platter and the flowers in all of your containers were lovely. Funny, I do the time cut off too. It somehow makes things more manageable in my head!
    Really great..get some rest!

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  42. Absolutely stunning!!!! Love all the detail that makes it all so lovely. Marlene

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  43. Good morning!

    I hope this comment finds you still relaxing with your feet up and a cup of coffee. The house looks fabulous!!! I love the chandelier and the sconces. I cannot wait to see more of the dining room with the wall paper.

    Your flowers look beautiful, and I agree with many others it is because of your beautiful pots.

    Thank you as always for your kind comments...I would be more than happy to make you a pumpkin or two!

    Take care and have a fabulous day!

    Elizabeth

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  44. Tina, everything is gorgeous! LOVE the new lighting. I did want to comment on the feedburner thing, though. Hate to be the bearer of (possibly) bad news, but I've read a lot about it and ask some IT techy friends, and I wouldn't be so sure that feedburner isn't going away for good soon. Google hasn't confirmed that they are going to keep it, and abandoned over 10,000 feeds last week with .it addresses. I hate scare tactics, but I'm wondering if this is worth really considering (changing providers I mean) instead of being trusting and complacent like I usually am! I'm publishing a post on how to recover your email addresses today :)
    Stacy

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  45. Everything looked *just fabulous* Tina, really beautiful. The orchids are perfect, you did such a stellar job with them, and the new chandelier is ideal in that space. While you hate to read about friends being stressed, I did identify totally with the timing for everything on Saturday, I do the same thing, "backtiming" (old tv producing term) events so you know how much time there really is to accomplish tasks.

    Congratulations on what must have been a sumptuous occasion!
    tp

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  46. The leftovers are definitely the best part of hosting a party! So fun! Everything looked incredible and I'm inspired to finally go out and get some fall flowers for the front of my house now! The orchids and all of the flowers were truly stunning as was the whole house! So glad you enjoyed it…it's always nice when you have a party because it makes you finish up so many things that you've been wanting to get done anyway! Glad I got to see this as we have been overwhelmed with packing up my daughter to move for good to New Orleans. First time they've had their own "stuff" out of storage in 2 1/2 years! It will be like getting wedding gifts all over again since they've only been married for 3 years! Can't wait to see how their house turns out! Thanks for sharing your lovely party with us! now I'm hungry, though! LOL!

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  47. Agree with all of the above....except - plastic drinks cups in all of that gorgeous detail?

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  48. Well, there is not much more that I can add to the adjectives that have been used to comment on the post. Absolutley breathtaking is what comes to my description! YOur home is breathtaking and that powder room is one that I envy. I could spend an entire night in the room! LOL Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us...you deserve a rest and have a nice cocktail too!

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  49. JUST GORGEOUS!!!!! Isn't fun when your house is sparkling and beautiful with fresh plants and flowers...even my little home feels great!

    So, it will be interesting to see what happens with Feedburner. Scary. My subscribers are gone, too.

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  50. PS, La Maison du Chocolat....lucky you :)

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  51. TIna, I'm exhausted just looking at those photos, can't imagine how you must have felt after your big family party. Everything looks absolutely gorgeous and that bathroom is just beautiful beyond words. I love your stunning drapes as well as every little detail and that mirror! Your orchids look fabulous and much more fun and rewarding doing them up yourself.

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  52. LOVE the chandelier in the dining room and that little cherub soap holder! You certainly know how to throw a party. The clean up must have been exhausting. I would be happy to come take photos of your next soiree - I only require appetizers! xo

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  53. The chandy in the dining room is magnificent! Your home has come so far in such a short time. I oooohhhhhh and aaaahhhhh over every new detail! I'm sure you hosted the party of the year!!! Look at your wonderful attention to detail and all the preparation. I guess my invite got lost in the mail... well maybe next time!!!!
    Reading your blog is like reading a real life fairytale... I get so inspired!

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  54. Absolutely gorgeous! I could look at pics of your house all day long. Can't believe how "together" you have everything already! Love the chandelier :)

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  55. I am not surprised at how gorgeous everything looked Tina...your flowers were wonderful...an orchid is so classic and of course the plus side is that they will last so much linger than flowers! I bet you throw the best parties and everyone wants to be on your guest list :)
    Sherry

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