Holiday Guests: Creative Thanksgiving Favor Ideas

Season inspired cookies

Trust us, you can never go wrong with leaf, pumpkin or turkey shaped cookies. Use a cookie cutter and then frost them with colored icing. If preparing for the Thanksgiving dinner is already too much for you, go ahead and purchase cookies from a local bakery and pack them in little pouches. Guests will be so happy to receive this pretty gift that they won’t care who made it.

Image via: Barbie Cookies

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Chocolate gold coins

Well, a bag of chocolate gold coins might sound very boring and usual. But, it gets very different and special when you attach a card saying, “If you want to feel rich, count all the blessings money can’t buy!”

DIY Thanksgiving favors

Spray paint mini pinecones in a metallic gold or silver color and fill a small glass jar with them. Place them at every setting for your guests to take home as a holiday decoration. Alternatively, fill small mason jars with a tea light candle and glue ribbon around the rim. Double them as a decor for the Thanksgiving table and have your guests take them home post dinner.

Image via: Brit + Co.

Mini cookbook

As the holiday season is almost upon us, why not create a mini cookbook with your favorite recipes? You can browse Stagetecture for tons of ideas and print them for your guests. Although there are a lot of cookbooks available that you can buy, we think there will not be any that will be filled with more love and comfort than the one that you will make by yourself.

Image via: Savvy Sugar

Thanksgiving favor is a way of showing your loved ones how much they mean to you. Use these ideas to create lovely presents that can double as party decor and thank you gifts at the same time.

For Thanksgiving host and hostess gifts on Stagetecture, click here.

Easy New Year’s Eve Buffet Setting Ideas

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Use Trolleys or Carts with Wheels

Trolleys or islands with wheels are great for buffet parties. They can be placed anywhere and they are easy to refill if needed. Also, they get out of the way real quick if you want to create more room for a fun game or dancing. There is a wide variety of trolleys for any home and the good thing that you can use them all year long. Having some kind of breaks can be a useful feature. You can find trolleys for any taste, from vintage or simple to modern and designer ones.

Make Themed Tables

If you have everything placed in one room, make themed tables and hang a cheerful banner above each one to announce what is on them. You can have different tables for cheese and fruits, for vegetables, dips and crackers, for appetizers, for party supplies, for other food and of course for the drinks and cocktails. Make sure everything is tagged nicely, so everyone knows what he can put on his plate. Making themed tables can help avoid creating crowds and lines and it can also help to keep an eye on where the most buzz is and what needs to be refilled.

Create a Dramatic Background

If you are going to place the buffet table against a wall, then you can create some great, glitzy background decoration. Balloons, bubbles, frames or clocks are all great ideas. Choose a color theme to make the most impact.

If the buffet table is placed in the middle of the room, hanging décor from the ceiling is a good way to go. Balloons, snowflakes, disco balls, even sparkling ornaments are perfect items to hang.

Take the Party to More than One Room

If you have the space, spread the party into different rooms, especially if you have many guests. This way you will encourage mixing and mingling and also avoid too much crowding. Choose to have one or two things in one room, for example, use the kitchen for appetizers, the dining room for deserts and the living room for drinks. Make sure to have a small number of the other foods or drinks in every room.

Use your Selves

If space is a problem, use your furniture in an unconventional way. Think about using your bookshelves, racks, cabinets, shelves or side tables for displaying foods and drinks. They can look great for the occasion if decorated appropriately.

Invite some great people over to your house to give the most cheerful welcome to the New Year. Prepare a sparkly buffet party for them and everyone will remember this year’s celebration.

For more New Year’s Eve ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The heat is on and it’s time for entertaining and enjoying party going. While summer parties are meant for having fun, socializing, and letting loose, you have an obligation to be a well-mannered, polite, and considerate guest. If you have been invited to a party; irrespective of how formal or casual the event is, abide by these etiquette rules for optimum summertime fun.

Image via: Amy Atlas

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RSVP

RSVP’s allows the host to effectively plan for the event by accurately amassing the head count. Not acknowledging or responding to an invitation is considered rude and inconsiderate. So, make sure to respond to an invite as early as possible. If you receive an invitation with a specific RSVP date, be certain to honor it.

Be punctual

Always be punctual and arrive at the time communicated in the invitation. However, for any reason if you cannot make it on time, any more than fifteen minutes delay is pushing it. On the contrary, even though being fashionably late by few minutes is acceptable, never arrive early and inconvenience the harried host, who may be busy doing last minute preparations.

Image credit: The Glitter Guide

Bring a gift

Bringing a host gift is a kind gesture and a great way to show your appreciation for being invited. It does not have to be ostentatious or lavish. A bouquet of flowers, bottle of wine or scotch, candles, chocolates, or assortment of fine cheeses are generally a safe bet. It’s also a good idea to throw in a small thank you card with your name written on it.

Don’t overindulge

Practice moderation when you eat and drink. No matter if the wine is flowing freely or how much you love that one particular snack, do not overindulge. Your intention should be to leave a positive impact on your host and fellow guests. One good way is to never come starving to a party.

Image via: Rachel Ray Mag

Say thank you

When it’s time to leave, make sure to personally thank your host for their hospitality. A second thank you by phone is considered polite the day after. If the event was formal, written thanks is always appreciated.

While displaying good party etiquette is a sign of courteousness and politeness, there is a more selfish reason to fit your behavior to the occasion; it ensures many more party invites coming your way!

For more summer ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

For the next 2 weeks the world will be eating, sleeping, tweeting, and drinking in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.  Whether you are a fan of sports or not, you can’t help to get into the spirit of the world gathering the best of the best to compete and have the world celebrate them!

Image via

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Today, as I gathered my snacks and drinks I thought – what a good idea it would be to have simple snack & cocktail ideas to cheer on the world with?! Here are a few I found, let me know if you have some great ones to add!

Having a big Olympics party? Bring on the finger foods!

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Having a sit down party – Use the drinks as a centerpiece

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Healthy finger foods displayed beautifully is a hit for any party

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For more entertaining ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Porch lighting is a great backdrop to lighten up your outdoor panorama. Your front porch provides the cozy ambiance as guests enter your home. One of the highlights of your front porch is the lighting. This is not only for illumination at night but for safety and security of your home from theft deterrents and careful walking to and from your home.

Image via: Southern Living

Front porch lighting evolved throughout the years. There are quite a number of lighting fixtures that come in different styles and designs.  There are also several eco-friendly lamps and fixtures that are readily available on the market. Depending on the architectural style of your outdoor home, and what type of light you want to emit, can be factors to consider when selecting an outdoor fixture.

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Here are some creative front porch lighting ideas to choose from:

Wall Sconces Lights

This type of lighting is one of the most practical and versatile front porch options. Wall sconces are available to fit your front porch themes like traditional and contemporary styles. With this type of lighting fixtures, you will never encounter problems in terms of suitability to your desired front porch theme.

Image via: Jenny Johnston Interiors

Overhead Pendant Lights

If you want something innovative, you can always depend on pendant lights. Decorating your front porch with pendant lights will save you space on your walls and add lighting from above. With overhead pendant lights, you can maximize the space you have at your front porch ceiling. It is similar to a chandelier but smaller and lighter. However, you will get the same elegance and style at a cheaper price.

Lantern Lights

The best thing with lantern-type lights is its simplicity and elegance. They create a great focal point when placed as decorative lighting in your front porch. This type of lighting is great for those who do not want it to be fixed and modified on a regular basis. Lantern lighting comes in different styles that can fit the theme of your front porch. You can also find lots of choices that suit your budget.

Gear up your front porch with decorative lighting and you will surely brighten up the front of your home and ensure safety while your guests enjoy your home.

For more porch ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Find more outdoor home inspiration in 111 Simple Tips for your Everyday Home Ebook here.

Thanksgiving is this week, and there is one room in the house that will get used more than any other, yes the kitchen! The kitchen is where all the magic happens for Thanksgiving, and it is also one of the rooms where most mishaps, accidents, and emergency room visits to the Hospital occur as well!!

Image via: Robert Rose

This week I thought it would be a great DIY Saturday to arm you with helpful tips to prepare your kitchen for Thanksgiving, so that you enjoy the holiday around the dinner table, and not in the ER. Whether it is taking extra care while cutting, talking, cooking while entertaining, here are tips to  consider.

Youtube video – Thanksgiving Cooking Safety

The Oregon Red Cross has assembled a Thanksgiving Safety List that is very helpful here:

‘Thanksgiving Day has more than double the number of home cooking fires than an average day according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In fact, each year more than 4,000 fires occur on Thanksgiving Day.’

To help prevent home fires this Thanksgiving, the Red Cross suggests the following tips:

• Keep potholders and food wrappers at least three feet away from heat sources while cooking
• Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves when cooking
• Make sure all stoves, ovens, and ranges have been turned off when you leave the kitchen
• Set timers to keep track of turkeys and other food items that require extended cooking times
• Turn handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents
• Follow all manufacturer guidelines regarding the appropriate use of appliances
• After guests leave, designate a responsible adult to walk around the home making sure that all candles and smoking materials are extinguished

Even with the best preparation and precautions, accidents can happen. Thanksgiving is high time for cooking related burns. Minor burns can be treated easily if you remember to save the butter for the rolls and not a burn. For a superficial burn, cool the area by running it under cold water until the heat eases and then loosely cover the burn with a sterile dressing.

Another danger that can interrupt a good turkey dinner is choking. The most common cause of choking is talking while eating. If you feel as if food may be caught in your throat, never leave the room, stay where others can see you and help if your airway becomes blocked.

Image via: Viking Range

To help someone who is choking, remember “FIVE-and-FIVE Can Keep Them Alive.” First, ask the person if they are able to breathe and if you can help. Once you know the person is unable to cough, speak or breathe, have someone call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number, lean the person forward and give FIVE sharp back blows with the heel of your hand. If the obstruction isn’t dislodged, give the person FIVE quick, upward abdominal thrusts. If you are alone, you can perform abdominal thrusts on yourself, just as you would on someone else. Thrusts can also be administered by pressing your abdomen firmly against an object such as the back of a chair.

Just because we get to take a break from dieting on Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean we can throw caution to the autumn winds. Remember these suggestions and have a happy and safe holiday.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and the dinner table is on all of our minds! Should you use a floral centerpiece, can you mix and match dinnerware, what type of table linen will you use? Today’s DIY Saturday is all about setting an inviting Thanksgiving table. I compiled helpful You Tube videos to help. They will help you get inspired and give you ideas for your own home!

Image via: Sheknows

For more Thanksgiving ideas on Stagetecture, be sure to look at ‘Thanksgiving Decor Ideas’ as well!

How to Set a Beautiful Harvest Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving Table Decorations

Food Network’s – Ina Garten  Favorite Thanksgiving Memories

While this one isn’t only about decor the Barefoot Contessa gives advice for a flawless Thanksgiving and strolls down memory lane of Thanksgivings past.. I enjoyed it!

For more Thanksgiving ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Before you know it – your home will look like a bed and breakfast due to all of the relatives, friends and family that come to visit at the holidays. Whether you have a designated guest room but more people than space, or you don’t have a guest room at all, this post will help.

Image via: Sea Side Inspired

One from the archives…. Finding an inviting area for your guests… without a designated guest room.

Original Entry #341, November 24, 2010

For DIY Saturday #25, I showed you how to create a welcoming guest room for your holiday guests. What if you don’t have a guest room? Here are some great suggestions from Apartment Therapy on what to do.

A guest room can be what you make it, and the physical walls of a room aren’t always necessary. Thanks Apartment Therapy, great information.

Sleeping surface

1. Pullout sofa

– Too hard or bar in the center? How about adding an egg crate foam mattress, a futon mattress or feather bed on top to cushion the blow?

2. Air mattress

– Is it easy to set up and take down? We have an Aerobed, and I highly recommend it. More expensive than some of the other versions out there, but it totally pays for itself in ease and speed of use. Also, think about what will need to be moved in order to make space for an air mattress in the room. Plan in advance where to move things so that when the time comes, set-up is a snap (and guests don’t feel like they’re an inconvenience).

3. Sleeping on the floor

– Sometimes, clearing a space on the floor is the best you can do…and that’s ok. Again, the trick is to make it as comfortable of an experience as possible. Do you have removable sofa cushions you could arrange into a makeshift bed? (Sounds crazy, I know, but a good friend of mine still raves about the sleep she got at another friend’s house sleeping on Ikea EXTORP cushions on the floor!) Or how about a feather bed, comforter, blanket or futon mattress to soften things up?

Linens, Blankets, Pillows & Towels

1. Linens –

Regardless of the sleeping surface, your guests are going to need ‘bed’ linens. Hopefully you have an extra set, but if you don’t – put them on your shopping list now. The problem with extra linens is that they usually aren’t used very often. Which means that no matter how clean they are, they’re likely to smell musty. Taking a few minutes to rectify this situation will go a long ways towards making your guest feel welcome. If you have a dryer, toss them in with a dryer sheet to fluff them up and rid them of their crammed-in-a-closet smell. If you don’t, spray them down with a little Febreze, air dry and fold.

2. Blankets–

If possible, it’s good to provide your guests with a couple of options when it comes to blankets. Having options allows your guests to balance the room temperature, their choice in sleeping attire and their personal comfort level for themselves. Blankets can also get musty, and should be freshened in the same manner as the linens.

3. Pillows–

Like sleeping temperature, pillow comfort is very subjective. If possible, provide guests with at least two pillows, of varying softness to use. Some may use one, and some may use two, but all will appreciate having a choice.

4. Towels–

If possible, provide your guest with a full set of towels. Freshen them if needed, as you did the blankets and linens. Let your guest know where they can hang the towels when they’re wet and make sure to review any peculiarities of your plumbing in advance.

Light & Privacy

Often the space that your guests will be using isn’t normally used for sleeping. As a result, it may be brighter or less private than would be comfortable that purpose. Analyzing the street lights outside the window at night, the daylight streaming in in the morning and the view into the space from outside can help you determine where to position the head of the ‘bed’ and let you know if additional window coverings are needed. My favorite solutions are temporary pleated paper blinds or expensive Ikea panels and tension rods. A panel and tension rod can also be used to create a privacy ‘door’ if one does not exist (i.e. in a doorway between the living room and kitchen, etc.)

Luggage & Clothes Storage

Even if you don’t have a guest room, it’s nice to give guests a little space of their own for their luggage clothes, and bed linens. An extra chair can easily be called into use as a luggage stand, and an over-the-door hook can provide guests hanging space even when your closets are filled to capacity. Designate an easy to access, but out of the way corner to tuck away linens, pillows, etc. when not in use.

The Extras

– It’s the little things that really make your guests feel welcome. Clearing off an end table or creating a temporary nightstand out of a stack of books and a tray gives you a place to provide some niceties and your guest a place to put small personal items.

2. Reading Material

– Select a few magazines and a book (short stories work best) for your guest in case they’d like to relax and read while staying with you. Help them get the lay of the land by providing a map and a guide of the area. I also keep a City Walks of my city on hand so that my guests can pick a card, pick a neighborhood, and venture out on their own if they’d like.

3. Flowers

-Flowers are the ultimate indulgence and a single bloom in a bud vase on your temporary ‘nightstand’ conveys a loving and thoughtful message to your guest. Don’t have any flowers on hand? Check the crisper drawer in your fridge. Fresh herbs are an excellent stand-in. I once used a handful of fresh poultry herbs in an inexpensive votive holder – it looked and smelled amazing!

4. Water

-You’ve seen it many times before, a lovely carafe of water and drinking glass on the bedside table in a guest room. It’s a great idea, and your guests will appreciate having their own water handy in the middle of the night. Rather than stress about having the perfect carafe though, be creative! I use an empty white wine bottle with the label removed and a cork. (You can buy reusable corks online for super cheap, or better yet, use the bottle stopper you already have!) For the glass, I use a small, trusty Ikea bistro glass.

5. Snacks

– It’s nice if you can leave a couple of non-perishable snacks like fruit, granola bars, pretzels, etc. at the ready for your guests. That way, if they get munchy late at night they won’t feel like they have to trouble you for something.

6. Breakfast–

-Depending on the occasion and your relationship to your guests, you may all eat breakfast together. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have several easy to prepare breakfast foods on hand. (If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people get hungry at different times in the morning.) Having cereal, yogurt or bagels available will allow your guests to grab something on their own (even if it’s only to hold them over until the pancake extravaganza begins). Also, review operations and options for coffee and tea with your guests the night before. Then, if they get up earlier than you, (as may happen, especially if their internal clock is on a different time zone), they can help themselves.

For more guest room ideas for your home, click here.

Every Thanksgiving, the main attraction is the dinner and the beautiful settings. Today, see beautiful table setting ideas. From floral to crafts, and a variety of table settings to fit every budget. Look at some of my favorites from Martha Stewart.

Feathered Friends

These handsome place-card gobblers add a burst of holiday cheer.

How to Make the Turkey Place Cards

Tabletop Collage

Display autumn leaves beneath a sheer tablecloth, and the dining room will look as brilliant as the maple in the front yard. Place leaves between paper towels or waxed paper inside a phone book for a week to dry and smooth them. If needed, use double-sided tape to attach foliage — in any grouping — to a standard white tablecloth. Then place a sheer cloth, such as organza, on top.

Speckled Place Cards

Flecks of paint on paper foliage mimic the mottled appearance of real leaves

How to Make the Speckled Place Cards

Paper Pilgrims Thanksgiving Table

Create a Mayflower centerpiece for the kids’ table by lashing a watercolor paper sail to wooden dowels and anchoring it in a small, pebble-filled pail. Paper pilgrim hats and bonnets are easy to craft with the help of our printable templates.

 Festive Foliage Placemats

Large trivets in leafy shapes add seasonal style while protecting your dinner table from piping-hot plates.

How to Make the Festive Foliage

For more Thanksgiving ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

A Guest room is a place that you welcome your guest showing your love and care. If there is an extra bedroom or living room you can create it as a perfect guest room by decorating and furnishing with all the comforts that you can provide to make your guests feel relaxed.

When you have guest, remember that they are way from their home and no one is comfortable outside. So you have to take utmost care to make them feel at home. There are many ways to make your guests to stay with you and enjoy their time.

Image via: Pottery Barn

Thoughtful Little Things:

The room could be filled with a sense of humor so guests feel very excited and glad to stay. The guest room could have a shelf with magazines showing your thoughtfulness of your invited guests as implying them that they are made bored even a second. You could keep extra pillows, blankets and extra toilet paper for their reach, so that they don’t have to ask you for anything.

Color:  

The color of the guest makes the guest extra impressive to stay. Different shades of colors can really give a great feeling of wanting to come often. When you make your home, you always wanted to color your house in different colors, but went for the more conventional ones just to be safe, right? You can use all your creativity in your Guest room and no one will complain!

Convenience: 

Provide the room with the all the required features which the guest prefer like, a desk or small table to write or keep small articles, provide with blankets, towels, and also a small dressing table with mirror to get ready, a spacious cupboard to keep their clothes and baggage.

Image via: Home Interior Gallery

Furnishings:  

Decorating or furnishing the room gives a delightful feeling. Cozy bed, and wardrobe, mirrored nightstands, bedhead boards, light fixtures. etc add more effect to room.

If you want to try something traditional, you could use some wooden furniture or maybe mirrored nightstands. Mirrored night stands are an important piece of furniture which classy and elegant look for the room. Its is a desk rather than in wood its made of glass on sides also maybe on top. The number of mirrors arranged differ as its a kind of decorative furniture which is made to impress the guests by changing the outlook of the room and making it spacious.

If you choose to use headboards for the bed, it should be designed in such a way that the shape, size, color, frame, etc should go along with the bed making it more appealing. Headboards in metal, leather, suede, pine, oak, white wood and upholstered fabric headboards are available.

Light fixtures are not only makes your room decorative but also just amazing with the effect of light. First you have to decide upon the light fixture that whether that should be very expensive or big one. It should suit the style of your room. Light Fixtures fall into the fancy department, and hence tend to be really expensive, but if you look around, you could find many cheap light fixtures as well.

Making a Guest Room could be fun for one important thing. You get someone to say, “We had a great stay, thanks for your hospitality” right from their heart!

The Author, Elizabeth Wilson is a freelance interior designer working from her home office. She has many portals on home making and related topics, she recently launched one on Fabric Headboards. Check it out. Thanks for reading!

For more guest bedroom ideas on Stagetecture, click here.