Holiday Hostess Gift Ideas

I am all messed up without the seasons here. The fact that it is November 11th and I was wearing a tank top last night is crazy and the holidays have really snuck up on me! We are celebrating Thanksgiving in LA with some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins, parents, siblings and grandmother. It's going to be a full house!

 

I love the idea of giving a unique hostess gift that the recipient will use all the time and love. They don't necessarily have to be holiday themed and it makes them want to invite you to more parties! What are your favorite go-to hostess gifts? I love the gorgeous and hilarious cocktail napkins by August Morgan. I've given out the "seeing double" ones and I'm thinking the "overserved" and "lightweight" napkins would go perfectly on our bar cart. Also, nothing better than a Frasier fur candle from November through December (and beyond...).

 

 

 

1. Cake Stand

2. Monogrammed Leather Pouch

3. Iomoi Custom Glass Coasters

4. Love Matches

5. Engraved Mint Julep Cup set

6. Aerin Coaster Set

7. "Seeing Double" Cocktail Napkins

8. Custom Acacia Serving Tray

9. Verbena & Sage Handsoap

10. Iomoi Custom Ice Bucket

11. "Owl Have Another" Cocktail Napkins

12. "Light Weight" Cocktail Napkins

13. Boxwood Tabletop Topiaries

14. "Naughty or Nice" Candles

15. "Evil Genius" Notebook

16. "Busy Buy" Notebook

 

 

Peacock and Gold

Loving this color combo right now. It's not to "springy" and far away from "wintery." Peacock and gold look gorgeous in the home or in an outfit. 

 via House & Home

 via

 via Vogue

 From Vogue - check out the rest of Karlie Kloss' Nate Berkus designed West Village apartment - it is to die for

via (how about those hands??)

My First NYC Apartment

After I graduated, I was so excited to get a New York City apartment and make it my own. I lived at home all summer and commuted so I couldn't wait to find a place. The truth is, as all New Yorkers know, you don't get a lot of space for your buck. I did luck out with the size of my bedroom but it is still significantly smaller than the rooms I had in college and at home. I wanted to decorate with a somewhat neutral palate and decided on a tan/oatmeal and blue color scheme. There are pops of gold and silver and a little bit of pink from art and decorative accents, as well. It was a big project finding things that were in my budget. I knew I wanted a nail head headboard but the ones from West Elm and other store were too expensive.  

I found my headboard on overstock.com and it was a real steal at less than $200. I got a lot of great things from Home Goods like my bedside dresser/table and a lot of decorative objects in my living room. For the rest of the room, I looked on Etsy, Joss and Main and One Kings Lane for weeks before deciding on my lampshade, decorative pillow, etc. I've already been in for a month and still haven't found a rug (or a price) that I like. If anyone sees one they think would look good in my room let me know!

Below are some pictures from my apartment bedroom and then links below. 

 

 This one is a bit blurry but wanted to show my great beside table!

West Elm dresser // Lamp Shade Designs from Etsy lampshade // Art from 20x200.com here and here // Decorative pillow from Urban Pillow on Etsy // Headboard from overstock.com // Bedside dresser from Home Goods // Frames from Pier One // Tray from C. Wonder // Bowl from Anthropologie // Smaller tray from West Elm // Bedding (old but similar from Restoration Hardware)

Trendy Trays

Metallic and lucite serving trays are all the rage right now in home decor. I got silver one at C Wonder and it definitely spices up my otherwise boring white dresser. Dress it up with decorative bowls, candles, perfume bottles and jewelry. You can also fill it with personal mementos. I have a tiny, pink, glass elephant that I got in Venice this summer, a mirror my brother got me in Asia, a piece of sea glass I found a few summers ago in Michigan and lots of scattered jewelry, candles, a decorative bowl and a smaller tray. Below is a picture of mine and some of my favorites on the web.

 C. Wonder

  Zhush

 

Diane Von Furstenberg  

Iomoi

 Plantation

 West Elm 

**Photos taken from pinterest.com