[planning my holiday party, with you]

well the holidays are right on our heels. halloween, thanksgiving, kwanzaa, christmas and hanukkah all perfect holidays to create memories that will last forever...on facebook. LOL.

this year i am having a small private cocktail party. i already know only 30% of my guest will show up of the 50% that will RSVP. perhaps this year will be different. LOL.

the most important thing when entertaining is to make sure you have enough serving pieces for the entire evening. if you are shopping thrift stores, NOW is the time to began collecting for the holidays. 

if you like the collected and eclectic look, choose a color scheme or pattern for the holidays and began collecting pieces as you visit thrift stores. this will immediately create visual layers in your serve ware. if you start collecting now you will have them for many years to come and can add to them as you see fit.

my silver edged glass plates were not thrifted. i did however, buy them from target at the end of the 2009 holiday season. when i first saw these plates i knew i wanted them. i also knew i didn't want to pay full price. since i like to plan in advance, i waited until they went on sale and visited 5 targets in my local area to acquire 35 of them. i put in a little effort, but i knew i could use them year after year. 

target (for me) is an excellent source to buy high end looking pieces in bulk. there are in total, about 10 target stores within a 15 minute drive from each other. so if see something i desire i will take an entire day and focus on that one purchase. OCD?

anyone remember the global bazaar target used to have? each year target seems to lose a little of their tar jayness. i have a number of great looking target buys from years past. 

one of the benefits to thrifting is that you save money and can spend it on pieces that you may not find at a thrift store. like the above 3 tiered stand. this wasn't cheap and perhaps i didn't need it, however when i saw it i knew i had to have it. i wanted 2 but one sold, before i could return, so i immediately bought the other one. its pretty tall at 29 inches. 

entertaining should take effort. planning. presentation is everything. so a little investing will create lasting memories. 

well this my start to my holiday party planning. will you be entertaining like i hope to?

dont forget about the HOLIDAY advertising/sponsorship going live november 1, 2011. email rashon@rashoncarraway.com for more details.