I admit it, even my extreme enthusiasm for dressing up in the cold weather can reach a threshold. Screw it! Let’s stay in and have a dinner party – a warm-weather-themed dinner party with summer dresses, bare legs, tropical drinks and place mats made from paper bags – seriously! Read on for outfit, drink and table-setting inspiration!
DON YOUR FAVORITE SUMMER OUTFIT, FIRST
I always get dressed first when I’m hosting a dinner party because things can get stressful, especially just before your guests arrive. I take the time up front to put myself together so that I am not rushing, complete with hair, makeup, clothes and shoes. A tiki/luau themed party gave me plenty of inspiration for my outfit! This Peter Pilotto for Target dress has every bright color imaginable. I even went for blue eyeliner and a sparkly hair accessory to match!
THEN, MAKE A TROPICAL PUNCH
I can’t imagine a tiki party without a fruity rum drink. These vintage punch cups are among my favorite entertaining items. Whenever I host a party, I make a punch so that I can admire their irridescent yellow beauty. As for the punch, try this recipe from Bobby Flay and The Food Network:
Ingredients
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups grenadine syrup
2 cups Jamaican white rum
1 cup light rum
2 cups fresh pineapple juice
2 cups fresh orange juice
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Orange slices, for garnish
Pineapple slices, for garnish
Total Time:
1 hr 5 min
Prep:
5 min
Inactive:
1 hr
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Level: Easy
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher or punch bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with orange or pineapple slices.
NOW, Make your table a conversation piece WITH D-I-Y PAPER BAG PLACE SETTINGS
I got the idea for these out of complete and utter desperation. It was Thanksgiving and my guests were 20 minutes out. My table looked pretty but needed place settings to really pull it toghether. It was a casual dinner so I didn’t want anything prissy. Instead I wanted something creative, thoughtful and rustic – enter all the paper bags I had from grocery shopping. Eureka!
To try this yourself, you’ll need: twine, jute or ribbon; crayons or colored pencils; small filler flowers; scissors; tape
Grab those millions of paper bags you have piling up in the pantry and get to cutting, folding and decorating! Here’s how:
- Cut your paper bag along the seams. You should end up with 2 long, small rectangles from the sides (these will become the flatware packets), 2 large rectangles with handles (these will become the place mats), and the bottom piece (which you won’t use for this but can use for something else – maybe a coaster for the water pitcher??).
- Cut the handles off of the top of the 2 large rectangles. Your place mats are done, save for a little drawing and design. Seriously!
- To construct the flatware packets, hold one of your long rectangles vertically and fold the bottom upward, about 2/3 of the way up the length of the piece. Fold the top half to meet it. Folds should come out in a 1:2 ratio for top:bottom.
- Turn the packet over and fold the sides inward on a diagonal. Hold the two folds together with tape – sure it’s a little janky, but we’re using paper bags from the grocery store here – it’s not super fancy.
- Flip the packet back over and slip your napkin and silverware inside the fold.
- Tie a piece of cord or ribbon around the packet.
- Place a sprig of your filler flowers and a crayon under the cord. Et Voila! Done!
What’s the crayon for, you ask?! Your guests will use it to write what warm, lovely place they would rather be in than this cold, dark winter. When I first used these at Thanksgiving, I wrote “I am thankful for __”, instead. It was a great conversation starter!
FINALLY – EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY!
Let me tell you – we had the best time, cleaned our plates and felt significantly warmer than when we started the night!
XOXO,
Belle
P.S. In case you want to do this yourself, here are some of the things you might want to shop for to make it a success!
