Video courtesy of Chronicle Books
Authors Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, founders of Hello!Lucky, along with stylist Shana Faust, combined their expertise to create one of our favorite DIY books, Handmade Weddings. To celebrate the bountiful inspiration of this new book and video, we are partnering with Chronicle Books for a special DIY event.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 4 from 1:00 – 3:00pm and join us for A Midsummer’s Eve Affair, happening at all Paper Source store locations. Sign up and enjoy making a wonderful collection of make and take projects, while enjoying refreshments and participating in raffles throughout the day.
While we continue to prepare for what will be our biggest event of the year, we wanted to kick start the DIY enthusiasm with a special giveaway. Comment to this post with your best hostess advice or favorite hostess gift and one lucky Paper Source fan will receive a free copy of Handmade Weddings.
The winner will be selected at random on Monday, April 25th.
my favorite hostess gift is a set of handmade stationary. It takes the pressure of the hostess to serve what you brought in the case of wine or desert.
My favorite hostess gift is always a small, simple bouquet of gerber daisies, with a nice handwritten thank you note on a postcard that has been “dazzled up” with an embossed stamp that reflects the host’s personality. It’s not expensive, relatively simple, but enough to say thank you with a personal touch.
As a constant hostess, my advice is too always have the major stuff ready for company (cleaning, large furniture movement, etc.), but leave the non-essential stuff for the early comers. This way, your hands are busy setting table, gathering silverware, etc. while trying to keep up a casual conversation; and it allows them to feel like they’re part of the action. It also helps to take over the awkward moments if you don’t them too well!
I often get the hostess a gift card for a mani or pedi. This is useful since most of my friends are DIY gals, so they likely chipped a nail in all the prep work for the party. Congrats on such a great book!
I love to have one of my guests come early and give me a hand, someone always offers and I like the company and support. It also give us time to chat and visit before the rest of the guest come. And they usually think of something I forgot or missed in my frenzy to get everything ready. Then I return the favor when they entertain. Gift of friendship can’t be beat.
My hostess tip is to have small tasks ready for guests. They will ask to help you, and if you can give them something easy, like rinsing berries or unwrapping cheese, they won’t feel awkward standing there watching you work.
Best hostess gift for sure: a giftcard for a mani/pedi or spa treatment in a handmade, custom DIY card with a special handwritten message and note of thanks.
I think a small but colorful flower arrangement is a great hostess gift – I know that’s my favorite thing to receive when I host! And, speaking of that, I get all of the prep work out of the way the week and days leading up to an event. Chopping food, cleaning bathrooms, taking out the trash, etc. etc. Everything is ready so I can enjoy the party!
My favorite hostess gift is something handmade. For all my wedding showers and parties I chose a different gift from an Etsy artist – monogrammed tea towels from @SimplyFrenchMarket, mini pillows from @joom, custom handmade purses from @MadameCupcake, and fabulous jewelry from @psalm27designs. Plus, it’s always a wonderful thing to support artists (of course, I’m a little biased)!
If you live in a small space like I do, having enough surface space for snacks and treats and everything is a hassle. I say get creative with your serving space. Since I only have one small actual dining table, I can usually clear off a bookshelf to “display” appetizers on elevated trays of different heights and if necessary pull in a desk from the other room for drinks to be served on. As long as the food is all in a collective space guests won’t care what kind of furniture it is on.
Hostess advice: take out all serving dishes the night before, clean because they get dusty and then label each with a sticky note to show what’s going on the platters. That way you don’t have to scramble for a platter when you are cooking.
Hostess gifts:
-Homemade cookies or sweets on a platter the hostess can keep.
-a cocktail recipe accompanied by a liquor like rum or vodka and mixers/ingredients to go in the drink. I try to pick a cocktail that goes with what they are making-like mulled red wine for thanksgivig.
My best hostess advice would be to try and get as much done ahead of time as possible & then right before the party is to begin, take ten minutes or so to just pause & relax…..you’ll greet your guests refreshed & ready to enjoy the party!!
i love bringing over wine for parties – because who doesn’t like wine?? this book looks amazing, thanks so much for the giveaway!
Hostess advice: Prepare as much as possible prior to guests arriving so that you can enjoy your company!
Hostess gifts: Wine bag with bottle of wine, Decorative dishtowels, Flowers, Candle, Stationary
The book looks great!
These are all such great tips! I like the idea of planning on having a few small tasks for the early comers who might want to help out! I think my favorite hostess gift is stationary or a small arrangement of flowers (in a vase to avoid making them have to dig around for something).
I favorite hostess gift is that I always leave the kitchen spotless! I never leave a party without cleaning up the house for the hostess. That is what my mom taught me<3
I love the idea of giving the hostess a bouquet of flowers. Who doesn’t love flowers?? I also love the idea of a spa treatment of some kind like a massage.
My favorite hostess gift is cupcakes because who doesn’t love cupcakes? 🙂
Best hostess gift, sign her up for a fun workshop at Paper Source, of course.
Ohhhh great book ! I take either a small potted orchid, fresh flowers in her fav colour or handmade stationary for those wee thankyou notes … best tip for being the hostess – chill baby chill ! – cheers le
I usually pick out varied things for friends I know well (my friends and I love to read, so it is usually a book we have been wanting to read), but for those who I don’t know as well I usually either bring cute stationary or a gift card for a local spa or coffee shop.
Hostess Gift – I always call or text on the way to a party to ask if they need anything last minute. It’s such a stress reliever when you you realize at the last minute you need something but don’t have time to get it – and someone reaches out to offer a last minute pit stop. I always bring a bottle of wine for the Hosts and make sure they know it’s just for them if they want it to be.
Hostess Tip – Ask for help. No one is going to be upset if you don’t have every last touch finished when the first person arrives. Don’t be afraid to give someone a task if they offer while you are finishing everything up.
I like giving the hostess a bouquet of flowers or some homemade greeting cards.
I love just a simple, fun handmade card. 🙂
gift – my go-to gift is a bottle of wine. if i have some extra time to do some personalization – i’ll pick up a scarf in her favorite color or style. you don’t have to worry about the right size and who doesn’t like an additional accessory.
tip – don’t work the entire party (i need to take this advice myself!).
Hostess Advice: Make a list of everything that has to be done before the party. Break it down into categories of ‘important’ and ‘nice extras’. That way if you get in a time crunch you know what can be left off. Don’t b e afraid to ask for help, ladies love setting up and decorating for parties, maybe ask a close friend to come over an hour early to help set out the appetizers.
Hostess Gift: I always like to bring a small bouquet of flowers for the host. Sometimes if I know they are into stationery and such I will bring some handmade cards as well.
My favorite type of hostess gift is a bottle of wine or something small and personalized.
I’d love a DIY book to help me figure out a hostess gift. I usually hand make a few cards and tie them together with ribbon.
One of my favorite hostess gifts to give is homemade wineglass tags (or charms). Most people bring a bottle of wine, so why not give a creative and useful accessory!
Love this. BTW you guys need a store in Florida (preferably northern florida)
I don’t really have a go-to hostess gift – because what’s best really depends on the hostess! Chocolate is always a good last minute gift though – I especially like Choxie from Target because they have cute packaging – and yummy flavors!
i stock up on $1.00 vintage vases/ glass vessels found at tag sales throughout the year~ instead of bringing the host a bunch of flowers which requires that they: stop what they are doing,unwrap, make a mess, cut & arrange & then hunt for that appropriate sized container for the flowers~ i come with a beautiful bouquet already arranged inside yet another gift, an lovely little antique vase. Oh, but i’m not done yet, 😉 i am an artist & enjoy layering my bouquets with any & everything … ribbon, glittered butterflies, an insect brooch/pin, branches from my yard, etc… & then top it all off with a handmade tag that is custom design with clipart for the event, i print it out on cardstock that i always purchase from this wonderful ‘paper source’ i have 😉 then quickly punch a hole in the top and slide through the ribbon and VIOLA!
Gift….I love giving (and receiving) dishtowels! Who doesn’t need a beautiful new dishtowel!
Seasonal ones or for a special occasion are perfect! I have used them as a wine bag or to wrap a box
of candy too.
Tip….set the table a day ahead! It leaves you plenty of time to rethink the details. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought I was going to use a particular color scheme and tablecloth, only to find it had a stain,
or was the wrong size. It would push me over the edge to deal with that at the last moment!! I love fussing
with unique centerpieces and table ideas!
I love giving handmade hostess gifts, especially handmade soaps, candles or stationary. I usually call prior to going to see if I can pick anything up on the way and stay a little later to help the hostess clean up a bit.
Either a bottle of GOOD champagne, or my next favorite gift would be a nice cheese board and knife set. Great for cocktail parties!
For a hostess gift, I’m a big fan of giving flowers. If I know the person well, or know scents they love I’ll pick a scented candle for them- great to light either during the party or afterwards when you want them to relax! I also think the greatest hostess gift is the offer of help before/during/after the party- it takes such a load off to know friend will help out!
The best hostess gift is a nice perosnal thank-you card a few days after the event. I love to host and just love the sincere thanks from a friend!
It may take extra time and sometimes add some “hmm wonder if this will work or look good”, but in the end it isn’t right if I didn’t/don’t add a DIY touch to everything I do in life. It makes life more fun and tends to be a great conversation piece. 🙂
I love DIY and often create my own invitations and announcements!
I like to give a pretty picture frame, followed up later by a photo from the party – lovely memories preserved!
One of my favourite hostess gifts is a journal book, I like to make these hand made using beautiful papers, ribbons and stamps. I make sure to use colours that are important to my hostess, and I always like to do the first entry, dating and thanking them for having us and if by mistake I don’t thank her for the great evening or day I always make sure here. Then I like to encourage other guests to do so also, as a memory of night. I like doing this as I truly believe that today so many things pass us by and we need to stop and remember these moments by journaling them even just one word, one sentence, or one paragraph. Memories should be remembered even the small ones..
Love it!
I LOVE all things Paper Source and can’t wait for this workshop! 🙂
Hosting a party requires attention to detail more so outside of the kitchen. Setting the table or creating the decor for any home event is my fave part. I usually have an idea or two when I plan a party that I want to try out for the party. Maybe a one color theme, fun centerpieces, new placemats, homemade napkin rings, something that I can use my creativity on. Then I spend a day before the party planning those details. For me as a hostess that is the fun part.
I LOVE Hello!Lucky and LOVED Handmade Hellos. I know this one will be great too! Posts like these make me wish I lived closer to a PS Store. Closest one is 5 hours away in Atlanta. But thanks for the video and giveaway! Molly in Florida (where we’d LOVE to have a PS!!!)
Since I love to scrapbook and I love giving personalized gifts, I always think a cute hostess gift is handmade stationary or if it’s someone I am very close with, I like to scrap a page and frame it for the hostess. As a hostess, I am always grateful for a bottle of wine.
My favorite hostess gift is anything cute and handmade! I love DIY projects!
This books looks both pretty, fun and educational. My favorite hostess gift is a gift card to Paper Source!
A favorite hostess gift… a DIY card, a small vase with candle … Place in a gift bag and tie
Bag with card and ribbon.
I love bringing homemade treats along as a hostess gift. And a bottle of liquor. 🙂
A small bouquet of garden flowers tied with raffia and an embossed hang tag that says, “Merci”. I would also give a small handmade paper box filled with warm chocolate chip cookies. Mmmm!!!
love it…..
What a fun video! Thanks for the opportunity to participate. I hope a store in south Florida is in your plans, soon! 🙂
I agree with the idea of handmade stationery, but I take it a step further. I go on to my hostess’ Facebook page and download some of her vacation photos to use on the cards. Then it’s very personal, and something she may have wanted, but never found time to do. Other times, I embroider a special dish towel with her kitchen colors or a favorite saying or motif.
My favorite hostess gift is bringing flowers, of any kind, real, paper, fabric, etc. Who doesn’t love flowers? :o)
Fun Fun Fun!!!
I agree with handmade stationery. I’d make personalized cards and thank you cards too!
I even like to make my own paper for some projects, but have put that aside to expand my creativity to use PS Products. I love them. Yes, they ARE for guys too. Thank you Paper Source!
I wish I’d had this book when I was planning my wedding back in 2009! Looks like some super fun/cute ideas! Can’t wait for the Paper Source in Nashville to open this summer!
My best hostess advice is to leave fresh towels and a pitcher of water and glasses in your guest room. It makes guests feel welcome, no matter how crazy the rest of the house is!
So impressive!
I love just giving a pretty bouquet.
The best hostess gift is for sure cupcakes! Who doesn’t love a good beautiful cupcake!
And the book looks cool too!
I really enjoy giving potted plants like an orchid, hydrangea or perhaps a poinsettia during the holidays. They are relatively simple to take care of and a great reminder of how friendship deepens and blossoms over time.
My favorite hostess gift is a basket containing homemade crackers and a jar of homemade jam with a pretty little spoon attached. I like to scour garage sales and flea markets for little sugar or condiment spoons and tie them on with a pretty ribbon.
With three weddings on the horizon, all of which involve bridal court responsibilities, this would make a great gift and idea generator!
Loving this!!
Love the video, love the book!
For my hostess tip, one thing I love to do is make handmade cards detailing the name and main ingredients of each dish or hors d’oeuvre I have set out. It just adds a warm touch to your table scape. As for a hostess gift, I generally think you can’t go wrong with wine. I try to personalize it a bit with a handmade card.
Love Hello!Lucky!!!! Thank you for sharing!
Love it! My favorite hostess tip is to make sure you enjoy your guests!
I love to make a set of notecards for hostesses too, to bring along with a bottle of wine.
That looks lovely!! <3
I think one of the best hostess gifts is something small and handmade.
Always add a personal touch when you host to make it memorable, may it be flowers gathered from your own garden arranged loosely on glasses wrapped in japanese paper, personalized notecards using paper source’s wide array of craft goodies for guests to take home, and most of all prepare scrumptious food!
I love to give a flower arrangement in a martini or wine glass. It’s a nice gift or the party and can be used after or re-gifted.
Love the paper chains—so simple, so beautiful….plus the red suitcases—i got some of those for my high school graduation 40 years ago—again—so simple, so beautiful!
Love the new Paper Source handmade brooch kit! you can pair it with a flower kit (my favorite is the poppies!), a sheet or two of handmade paper and a jar of PVA for your favorite crafty hostess! if diy isn’t her thing, the new Nathalie Lete journal pack is beautiful!!!!
My best hostess advice is taken from my own experience for my recent wedding. We had an international wedding (Bogotá, Colombia) and for our guests that were coming from the States, we prepared a welcome basket. It included everything from anti-bacterial gel, personal tissues and bottled water to snacks, a map of the city, paper and pencil as well as personal travel size Charmin toilet tissue and advil. Hey it’s South America, don’t expect tissue paper in the stalls. Welcome baskets are the best. Your guests will LOVE you. Oh, and why not put all this in a nice bag that they could carry around while they´re on vacay? That’s what we did.
Another idea, is sending a picture of the bride and groom-to-be in the invitation. We had pocket-fold invites with directions and invites to our shower and response cards. But since we knew many wouldn’t be able to attend an international wedding, we included a picture of us in the invitations so that they could have a keepsake of us. They went crazy for it.
a pretty candle.. 🙂
When I have friends from out of town stay, I make them a little basket with pens, candy, local postcards and stamps, and a mug from the area. Since we live near the sea, I sometimes put in a few shells or a tiny stuffed seahorse or sea otter. A few tiny treasures for them to use and take home with them.
Congratulations to Rebecca H., the lucky winner of a free copy of Handmade Weddings. Thanks to everyone for sharing great tips on how to host/hostess in style.