Holiday Entertaining

In another life I think I was a party planner. I love everything about planning a special events, creating invitations, deciding the menu, decorating the space, securing entertainment, I love it all, because party planning combines my two favorite activities, making lists and shopping!

One of my resolutions during my Dominican trip, was to plan and host more parties, so as soon as I returned I got busy working for the details of my Winter Wonderland party. I decided to have an elegant dinner party and not an "Ugly Christmas Sweater" Cocktail party (Click here for a planning guide). As a side note, growing up my three siblings and I always had matching outfits including Christmas sweaters, and my overzealous mother (whom I love and respect dearly) would often convince us to wear entire outfits complete with white turtlenecks and tights.


Thrift stores are great for everything and at affordable prices. Most thrift stores support churches and charities, and are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, by re-using an item that would otherwise be discarded. So for my party shopping, I scoured local thrift stores, where I loaded up on silver plated serving bowls, elegant winter themed dishes, assorted Christmas decorations, crystal and glass candle holders of all shapes and sizes and even some artificial snow.

M is for Mama, who does a weekly 30 Minute Goodwill challenge, notes that pricing has gone up due to the popularity of thrift stores, but sometimes you just have to know where and when to shop, have patience, and like she says "whatever you do, don’t reveal your secret thrifting treasure trove, or pretty soon it’ll be over-run and overpriced." Unfortunately I am failing at this since I am sharing all the goodies I got from the new Goodwill in Lansdowne.

When you donate stuff to your local Goodwill—a sweater, CDs, furniture or electronics—you support Goodwill’s mission to provide a variety of employment services to people in need in your community. This holiday season, we are encouraging everyone to donate goods to one of Goodwill’s 2,700+ locations throughout the country.

What have you found at your local Goodwill?

Winter Wonderland

I will admit that I went overboard...coffee filter snowflakes, garland, fake snow, hanging snowflakes, silver painted animals, silver serving dishes, homemade marshmallows, snowflake cookies, assorted candles (you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find taper candle holders), wall sticker trees, balls of yarn and string, vases of tree branches, mini evergreen trees, hanging pompons (thank you Free People on Walnut Street for the inspiration), twinkling lights, and a vintage aluminum Christmas tree. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Roundup

This is cool.

ALC available at Intermix

My life's mission is to find this!

 

Thank you Mr. Goodwill Hunting

MSGM and Toilet Paper

It's HERE!!!

Today's the big day; after watching with eager anticipation, hearing the local gossip. My wildest dreams are coming true...well almost, maybe not really, but the new H&M is opening today at noon on 69th Street in Upper Darby. Hope to see you there!

Weekly Round Up

These are to die for!

Rag&Bone Leather Overalls

Equipment does Python

Magic Lipstick brought to you by the daybook

Sydney Before Magic Moroccan Hare Color Changing Lipstick

Sydney After

I  love my city: Cheesesteak Tacos at Union Taco

Graphic Gray

Top: Theory, Pants: Robert Rodriguez, Shoes: Charles David

All Photos by Ivan Hicks Photography

Back to Normal

No one tells you that when a loved one dies the hardest part isn't the initial notification, but trying to go back to your routine afterwards. Trying to go back to work, to the gym, to normal eating habits even is hard when all you want to do is be alone and not have to answer questions. Friends and family mean well but they can only imagine what you're feeling and thinking, and often try to relate to you by thinking about the person that they lost or how they think they might feel if they lost that same figure in their life, but no one really knows the relationship except you and the person who has left. And absolutely no one is capable of ellimg you how to put the pieces of your life back together. 

My grandmom was 90 years old, tired of watching her friends fade away, tired of feeling old and constantly spoke of her readiness to go. Every birthday was her last one and she was preoccupied with her legacy. I knew she was ready and I thought I was ready to let her go when the time came, but I was wrong. I knew that she may not see me get married or meet my children, and I made my best efforts to take care of her and have a meaningful relationship with her that I didn't realize that I would miss that relationship or that I had taken for granted the lessons she taught me or the wisdom that she shared with me or her stories, or even the character traits I inherited or learned from her. 

I'm not going to wax on and on (ive always wanted to use that word as a verb) but both of my grandmothers taught me how to design and be creative, and I wouldn't be who I am without them. After struggling through five and a half days after bereavement leave, I hopped om a plane to the Dominican Republic, where I am currently writing. Ive spent the days tanning, planning and reading a gift subscription to Cosmo (if its from you, thank you.) Ive decided to start entertaining, Ive come up with a few projects and made myself a new work/gym/social calendar to fake normalcy until I feel more stable. I was so relieved to leave home, but now Im excited to return and start implementing my plans! Ill post more when I can, but Im excited to prepare for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years/my sibling's 30th birthday, and all of the parties in between!

Talk to you soon!

JRochelle

P.S. I love blogging and design, but my spark is taking a little while to come back, please bear with me as I rebuild my world.