Host a Holiday Cookie Exchange!

Last year I hosted my first Holiday Cookie Exchange with my girlfriends. It was so much fun and I think all the guests enjoyed their time (and all the goodies they got to take home). Here's how you can do the same!

1. Send out the invitations well in advance so people have time to choose their cookies and bake them. I think three to four weeks is enough notice, but I know how my friend's schedules book up, so I sent mine out for the "2nd Annual Exchange" about eight weeks ahead.

I used this fun template from Evite.com

2. Tell guests how many cookies to make. Final numbers will be determined by RSVPs. I'd been to one cookie exchange where we had to make 10 cookies per person. That was too much. So for my parties I say 2-3 cookies per guest. So if there are 12 guests you'd be required to make 24-36 cookies each. That's much more doable.

3. Have guests print their cookie recipe for everyone. I didn't do this my first party but I think it's a really nice touch.

4. Here's the fun part!! Decorate and make appetizers!! Last year I made meatballs, crostini, a veggie tray and fried (baked) ravioli. We had hot chocolate, coffee, wine and a few sodas to drink.

The cookie exchange savory snack spread!

5. Set up one big table or several smaller tables for the cookies. Make sure there is room for guests to walk around in a circle and gather their cookies.

6. Have plenty of saran wrap, wax paper and some extra containers on hand. (Guests should be instructed to bring their own empty container, but it's always nice to have some on hand, just in case).

7. Entertain, mingle, take pictures, have fun!

8. When it's time for the formal exchange I really enjoy having each guest share which cookie they made and a little bit about the cookie--why they chose it, what's in it, how hard was it, etc.

9. Go around in a circle and have each guest take the given number from each container.

10. Mingle more, take more pictures and then sit back and soak up the success of your party.

Love these ladies!

I can't wait for this year's party. I've started a group Pinterest Board with cookie recipe ideas and I've got great plans for making the party even more fun.

Happy (early) Holidays!
Karli

Kindred Style Duo Hosts a Tea Table

I promised I would report on the tea table that Karli and I hosted at her Church this last weekend. So this is me "making good" on all my promises!

Here we are all ready to go to the Tea.

Karli's yard wasn't "blooming" yet, but it was a beautiful day!

The Tea was a lovely afternoon event with delicious food, wonderful entertainment, and more than 120 ladies in attendance. Each of the tables was decorated in a creative way. Karli and I had fun making ours a little "organic" with the use of all the burlap.



A few shots of our table

We had a white cloth covering the large round table. To that we added a square topper of burlap, with a cream vintage linen cutwork cloth in the very center. We used a large ironstone pitcher from the late 1800's filled with fresh white hydrangeas as our centerpiece. We then scattered several of the burlap flowers I had made. To see how these are made, check out the earlier post.


A close up of the burlap flowers

We used Karl's white dishes, cup and saucers, and white teapots. We added three small pots of green herbs. This touch of green tied in nicely with the green leaves of the hydrangeas. These tiny nests added even more "natural spring" flavor to our table.

The precious little nests with birds and eggs--very spring-like!

Everyone loved the bow details we added to the folding chairs.

 

We tied "recycled" laced (from an old curtain panel) and burlap bows

Even the napkin holders were burlap flowers glued onto burlap ribbon.

The napkins were paper, doily like.

Our table was #7 so I had painted a small frame white, distressed it and covered the inside with what else....burlap. I glued on a small black paper clip to hold our number.


The frame can hold a picture or special postcard later

Karli and I had such a good time planning and hosting our tea table, I am sure we would love to do it again next year. 

Right now I am making plans to "reuse" all those burlap flowers.

Happy Spring,
Kandy (and Karli too) 

Getting Crafty with Burlap Flowers

Karli and I are going to decorate/host a tea table for a function her church is having. We brainstormed how we wanted our table to look (color, texture, theme, etc.) and we loved the idea of using burlap and getting crafty. It seems only fitting that our Spring Tea Table should include flowers. 

So, we bought several yards of the natural color burlap and then I checked out different blogs and sites for flower making advice. I found some wonderful ideas and instructions, but after trying several methods, I ended up doing my own thing! 

Let's get started making "Kandy's Burlap Flowers":
Here is what you will need:  burlap, scissors, sewing machine, glue gun, cardboard circles (cut 2" diameter for small or 2 3/4" diameter for large), an old magazine (for gluing on top of...tear off page when gets messy), the lid of a spray paint can (works well to glue on, turns easily), clothespin (and anything else you see in the photos that I failed to mention). 

Here are the steps:
1. Cut fabric into strips 2" wide 44" long (the width of the fabric). 
Tip:   Pull a thread just beyond 2", then cut along this line. This helps your fabric stay square and straight.

          

2. Cut this strip in half (22") for a small flower or leave the full 44" length for a large flower.

3. Fold the strip in half lengthwise and sew along the two edges.

              

4. Fold one end over and use the glue gun to glue it in place. 

Tip:  Use a clothespin to hold it in place while it dries. This end will become the center of your flower

 

5. Pull one thread (from the other end) and start gathering or ruffling up the fabric. 
Tip:  Pick a thread above your line of stitching. Don't pull it completely out. Your clothespin and glued end should hold it.

 

6. While keeping tension on that thread and keeping your fabric ruffled up, fold the remaining end under and glue it. 
Tip:  This is going to become the bottom of your flower.

7. Now glue that edge onto the outside edge of your cardboard circle. Your cardboard circle should be sitting on your spray paint can lid. You can take the clothespin off of the other end. It should be secure by now.

8. Continue gluing that ruffle onto the circle, turning as you go, working your way inside your flower. (Be careful not to burn yourself.) You can cut off the end of the thread that you gathered with. You may also need to trim some threads as you work...burlap frays out easily.

 

9. Continue gluing, forming the center of the flower with the very end of the fabric. This should look somewhat like a flower by now.

10. Carefully hold the very center for a while till the glue has all set up.

If all went well, you should have a flower that looks like this or similar!

If this hasn't been enough steps for you, we can keep going.....

You can cut a circle of burlap, the same size as your cardboard and cover the underneath side of your flower (just so it looks nice on the bottom).

You can also glue on a magnet or whatever else your little heart desires (like a clothespin or brooch pin or hairclip), depending on what you plan to do with "your" flower.

Karli and I are using our flowers on napkin rings and for table decor. We'll be sure to take pictures and make a post about our tea table.  I bet you can hardly wait to see it!!!

Later, Kandy