So, even though I’ve been MIA for quite some time due to technology issues. I can’t leave you completely empty handed. So currently I leave you with this fun DIY project.

I’m sharing this project now, thanks to Yours Truly G of a d|i|y Gift Bag. This time of year, especially, there’s lots of gift giving and wrapping! What a perfect way to use your extra newspapers (since the weekly papers are almost doubled inside due to Holiday Ads) and get a creative, fun & cheap holiday bag! You can even tailor make your bags to fit whomever your gift is for! Sports section, fashion, art, community, comics, etc. There’s a lot of options when designing this fun, reusable and recycled Gift Bag!

Hope you enjoy!

be creative!

Well the weekend has come and gone, hope you all found time to relax. That being said, my weekend wasn’t horrible, but not fantastic either. See, in the grand scheme of things called life, I’m just at a point in my life where I can afford to host nice get-togethers with friends and have “open houses” where friends can just come and go as they please. Needless to say, this excites me majorly because I’ve always had a secret desire to be a great hostess. To have family parties, holiday parties and summer cook out parties, etc etc. I’ve been eagerly waiting when it was an option for me. So, since the time was now, I decided now was as good a time as any to begin.

So Saturday morning I did some shopping, got the house organized and cleaned, and spent the afternoon cooking/baking. (Well, most of it was baking). I was very excited about the evening, made all my dips, got the cookies finished and then arranged the kitchen so food could be easily accessible and presentable. Honestly, it was quite fun for me!

The table looked like this:

There was more on the counters by the sink, but this was the only picture I snapped before changing.

Now, normally someone wouldn’t want to brag about this, because well techinically its embarrassing and frustrating for the person all in one. But, it happened to me and I don’t have any issues with sharing it. Sometimes, we accept our failures, clean up and move on, while learning from them.

That all being said, no one came to my party. Yes, it’s a blow and kind of a smack in the face after people said they would come, or come by, but it’s how it happened. Despite how it made me feel personally, it is what it is. Around 11:03pm I kind of packed up some things, changed and went to bed feeling totally defeated and slightly embarrassed. But, it’s ok.

Things happen and we can clearly never control it. So, I’ve slept off my personal feelings, and shaken off the dud of a party and have made a list of a few things for next time, because yea I totally plan on trying again.

Improvement List - Throwing a Party Edition:

1. Plan plan plan. Probably the most foundational and most obvious. But, I won’t lie there was some serious procrastination on my part about this. Plan in advance, plan menus in advance, and plan on invitations in advance.
2. Talk about this with your invitees, whether friends or family as soon as you know the exact date. This may sound weird, but everyone is busy with a loaded “To-Do” list for their own personal lives. Schedules, appointments, soccer games, family events, work, school, etc etc etc. Our lives are busy and endlessly keep us moving. Knowing this allows us to plan in advance (restating rule #1) and in a friendly way, “warn” our friends we’re planning an event.
3. Send out invites. I’ve always loved snail mail! I think its a lovely way to reach your friends and family for a party because, well most people think its out of date. Our mailboxes get over full with advertisements, junk mail, bills and random postcards. However, can you honestly deny that when you open your mail box and there’s a personalized envelope inside from someone you personally know you aren’t just a bit excited? I AM! I love mail, especially personal mail. Sending out invitations, real paper & ink invitations is a good way to grab some attention too.
4. Plan your menu in advance, and purchase ingredients as you get closer. Now, technically in my budgeting for the month I had worked it to pay the way I did. However, it would have been nice to be slowly purchasing ingredients to make sure I was ready.
5. There’s no such thing as too many dips. I love dips, and they are super easy and fun way to feed your guest some snacks. I present three at this party, however I think there could have been room for more - if the party was successful.
6. If the party is a dud again, accept it, it is NOT a reflection of you.

So, this is the small list I’ve come up with as to what happened Saturday night. It was embarrassing and completely hurtful, but it happens and needless to say I have no idea what was going on in anyone’s night and there could have been some valid reasoning. However, I’ve accpeted the outcome, and cleaned up the house and am now ready to try again. There’s something planned for December 2nd, so I am hoping this will be an excellent second attempt!

Hope you find something encouraging from this post!

Today’s pre-eats simply because, well I’m so excited I feel the need to share all of it now! None of it’s even made, or really even bought for that matter, everything’s happening tomorrow. And that would be, our Halloween Open House.

We had thought about a Halloween Party, but come on, a house party on the same night as Springfield’s Halloween Pub Crawl? It’d hardly be successful. Mostly due to the fact that the even which will take place tomorrow down town in Springfield, MO is the largest Halloween Costume Party in Missouri and the largest Pub Crawl in Missouri. So needless to say, people go to it. But in attempts to not battle the crowds, the roommates and I have decided to have a little party ourselves. Or rather, and Open House.

We’re using the term “Open House” for the sure fact that we’re telling our closest friend and family around that our doors are open for the evening. Starting at around dinner time, our lights will be on, our doors will be open and we’ll have food on the table. We wanted to encourage our friends to come and go at their leisure and stop by on the way to dinner, or on the way to Pub Crawl or after either! We were hoping this would ensure more visits from our friends, and more chances for good conversation and a Happy Halloween!

So, we made the plans, made the lists and set the menu. Now all we need is tomorrow to get here, people to dress up, and the evening to begin.

I’m pretty pumped about this menu, granite, it’s not healthy really at all. But, it’s delicious and I love dips! I could write a whole section just on dips is kind of ridiculous. You bet I’ll be sharing them. But…for the time being…

We’re starting with this dip. A Classic.
Rotel. Simple easy, we’re just adding a bit of meat!

Next we’re going to enjoy some Calico Dip.

If your tastebuds have never experience Calico Dip. Get to your local grocery store now. Better yet, find someone who has the recipe. I’ll share it after tomorrow. But, it’s simple, easy and taste and made with fresh ingredients.

Finally, another great classic, French Onion Dip. (we’re not talking store bought tubs here - home-made style French Onion Dip.)

Two ingredients and you’ve got a classic dip whipped up in minutes.

Finally, for the sweet treat side of Halloween, we’ll be devouring some pre-made Pillsbury Pumpkin/Ghosts/Bat cookies. Ok, laugh all you want, but anyone who tries to claim they do not like Pillsbury simple break-n-bake sugar cookies with the solid color designs on them that change every season, is a liar. They’re delicious and necessary every holiday season. But, outside of those…

We’re having Pumpkin Cookies - With the Icing this time!

Ohhhh happy day. I am super excited about all of this. I just hope my food turns out the same way!!! Regardless I’m excited for a full day of baking and sharing afterwards.

Have a Happy Halloween Pre-Weekend. I’m sure you’ve got plans if you’re celebrating this year, Enjoy It!

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