If that means you’re starting to stress about people coming to your house (and maybe THAT LOOK from your cousin when you pull out the same ol’ stained napkins from last year) then keep in mind that you have until November 10th to secure my services to whip together a Thanksgiving tabletop that will have everyone oohing and aahing.

In fact, my pal Laura got a head start this year, and we assembled  the pieces last week so I could show you.

The “placemats” are pieces of purple linen cut to size (no hemming required).

I kept it simple for the place setting, Laura’s simple white plates with heirloom glasses and silver. Napkins are from Target. Pumpkins from the grocer (varying sizes). Mixture of votive holders with tea lights.

We bought two yards of this pleated satin and velvet ribbon to make “napkin rings” (a dab of hot glue to the back).

I commissioned these place cards from the oh-so-talented Tobe of Because It’s Awesome. They turned out SO beautifully and she had many different styles of calligraphy to choose from. A low-cost way to add some glamour to the table.

It turned out so beautifully.

(Reminder: you have until November 10th to schedule me to do your table!)

As part of the bachelor pad project, I’ve gotten to shop for cocktail glasses for the bar. I always check etsy when I’m shopping for anything vintage, and was amazed at the variety of beautiful glasses. Not all of them are right for my client, however, so I thought I’d share some of the spoils with you. Look at these beautiful options! Someone please snap some of these up (click on the photos to view listings)!

Some of the gold is fading but I love the various shades of blue. $16.

You could repurpose these as candleholders if you’re not a drinker. $19

These are ridiculously charming. Such a gorgeous classic touch! $32

Roadrunners! Looks like one is pretty damaged, but there are still four in tact. $26

This gold and red Moroccan-esque set comes with an ice bucket. $62.50

This is the set I really wanted for the bachelor pad but they’re out of our price range. So cheeky – the ladies are (ahem) naked on the reverse. $90

Can’t go wrong with a classic tortoise shell look. $24

Very Palm Beach. Pretty caning look and monochromatic. Looks like great texture! $15.85

These teal beauties might just be my favorite. What a beautiful color they’d bring to the bar! $48

To search for these on etsy and ebay, I use search terms like “cocktail”, “tumbler”, “bar glasses”, “highball” and of course, “Mad Men” (although that will get you results of practically anything manufactured between 1940 and 1985).

As you can see, the paint can become damaged, so if you pick up any of these pretty pieces, be sure to treat them well! Don’t let them sit in direct sunlight or they will fade, and don’t put them in the dishwasher! Hand-washing a few glasses once in a while is worth the style and charm they’ll bring to your entertaining.

I’ve been dying to set a table with my Mom’s Laura Zindel bird plates. They inspired a colorless palette and a juxtaposition of natural forms and modern patterns.

A mix of metallics -gleaming silver, gunmetal teacups, and shimmering vessels- give this table sparkle for an intimate date night.

Each place setting has a bowl for miso soup and a beautiful black backdrop for colorful sushi. The silverware isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s like jewelry for the table (and some of us aren’t so good with chopsticks).

I couldn’t resist adding the artsy crow salt & pepper shakers for a whimsical touch. Aren’t they a handsome pair?

I’m all set to celebrate six years of good food, love, and laughter!

Elizabeth Lockhart is an events & interiors stylist living in Berkeley, California with a mad scientist (her almost-husband) and two bad cats (Matilda & Phineas). She delights in flea markets, curiosities, old-fashioned design, and blogging about all of the above at Shock the Bourgeois.

I had a birthday last week, and a very sweet friend brought me a bouquet of sunflowers (just the thing to brighten the transition into my late twenties, right?).

They were a happy addition to my decor, but eventually the stems wilted and they could hardly hold their pretty heads up. The flowers were still so vibrant that it seemed a shame to toss them out, so I found a way to enjoy them for a little longer- and then designed a tablescape to match!

Tall green martini glasses served as elegant new stems for the sunflowers and made a statement at each place setting. A loose scattering of tissue paper petals was a fun way to continue the sunflower theme in lieu of a table runner.

The result is a summery tablescape that puts a new spin on “cheers!”

Elizabeth Lockhart is an events & interiors stylist living in Berkeley, California with a mad scientist (her husband) and two bad cats (Matilda & Phineas). She delights in flea markets, curiosities, old-fashioned design, and blogging about all of the above at Shock the Bourgeois.

The simple shine of my glass bottle collection was beautiful, but I had to cut down on clutter to make room for our culinary presentations. I selected a variety of laboratory glassware, some with elongated shapes perfect for showcasing individual blooms. A bouquet of pink spider mums caught my eye at the grocery store- and at only $6, they left some wiggle room in my budget for a nice bottle of shiraz!

Splitting up the bouquet gave each flower a truly dramatic presence, making the most of tall stems and bursts of color. It also gave me plenty of options for arrangement. Instead of just one bundle of flowers in the center of the table, I could have have a cluster or line with different heights and interesting silhouettes.

Best of all, when dinner was over, I had a flower for every table in the house!

Elizabeth Lockhart is an events & interiors stylist living in Berkeley, California with a mad scientist (her husband) and two bad cats (Matilda & Phineas). She delights in flea markets, curiosities, old-fashioned design, and blogging about all of the above at Shock the Bourgeois.

An assortment of glass bottles makes for an easy but stunning centerpiece, catching light and casting sparkles. Best of all, it’s easy to dress up should you make last minute dinner plans. The array of vessels will look even more lovely with a few blooms- and spreading out a bouquet can make the most of your flower budget.

Clear glassware is something everyone has in their china cabinet, and probably their refrigerator, pantry or recycling bin as well. To create a cohesive but eclectic collection, stick to colorless glass and play with shape. My own collection includes vintage laboratory glass (a nod to my fiancé’s chemistry career) a rescued vinegar bottle, a grim skull stopper, and flea market finds with personality (like the seltzer bottle that bears my name!). Even with such a simple tablescape, our style shines through!

Elizabeth Lockhart is an events & interiors stylist living in Berkeley, California with a mad scientist (her fiancé) and two bad cats (Matilda & Phineas). She delights in flea markets, curiosities, old-fashioned design, and blogging about all of the above at Shock the Bourgeois.

When I visited this week, I found the table decorated with a leafy runner and a flower-shaped bowl with purple petals. It seeded an idea for a summer supper setting.

Glasses with etched vertical lines recall the spindled chair backs and establish a modern aesthetic. Though the reclaimed wood tabletop is scarred with rifts and wormholes, I’m sure my Mom would like to keep it free of water marks. Coasters stop drips, and are a spot of complimentary color.

Plates with fern-like swirling patterns are layered over flat dinner plates and napkins in garden green. I imagined serving a fresh and simple meal to match: greens from the vegetable garden, chicken with goat cheese and strawberries.

The table wouldn’t be complete without a blowsy bouquet of blooms that Mom cut from her own back yard. I had some major peony-envy!

It’s the perfect setting for a casual family dinner- sure to highlight Mom’s cooking!

Elizabeth Lockhart is an events & interiors stylist living in Berkeley, California with a mad scientist (her fiancé) and two bad cats (Matilda & Phineas). She delights in flea markets, curiosities, old-fashioned design, and blogging about all of the above at Shock the Bourgeois.

I’ve done the facebook invite thing and am over it – people don’t take them seriously, don’t RSVP, and the RSVP’s you do get often can’t be trusted for accuracy. Not a great help for a hostess planning food and drinks.

If you want a “take-me-seriously” invitation, paper is the way to go, especially with the benefit of setting a unique tone for the party’s style and tone. But the cost of the invitation and envelope is just the beginning. Once postage is factored in, you’ve spent a pretty penny right from the get-go. Not to mention the hassle of getting people’s mailing addresses.

The world of evites is tricky (many free but tasteless options), but Paperless Post has risen to the top. It’s not totally free, but it is definitely affordable. To send 52 invitations for my party in June, I think I spent $10 and still have points left over to use for my next event. Once you join, you can browse hundreds of unique designs, customize text, choose an envelope (and customize it for additional points), manage a mailing list, and track RSVP’s.

I pulled a sampling of my favorite cards for you, but there are many styles:

Aren’t they lovely? Definitely consider them for your next shower, shindig, bash, or even just sending a sweet note. And yes, they have wedding options too… but I might still stick with traditional paper for that!

Maggie Rose was not compensated in any way for this post. Maggie is simply an enthusiastic Paperless Post customer who wants to see more pretty invitations in her email inbox.

Not only is it Birthday Week (the big 2-6 is next Sunday!) but I’m also in the midst of planning my end-of-the-job/entrepreneurship party for June 11th. For which I have saved the above image as inspiration. I’m loving the streamer idea but think I might change up the colors a bit. We’re looking for inexpensive with big impact (that’s the name of the game around these parts!)

For Birthday Weekend, I’m not doing a party, but Ryan and I will be hitting up some of my favorite things in Seattle (and if I work up the energy, we’ll take the camera!). Not only do I want to visit some of my off-the-beaten-path faves, but it will be fun to play tourist and swing by the Seattle Art Museum and get flowers at Pike Place. My birthday also happens to be the annual Cheese Festival (couldn’t have timed that better) so we’ll also be munching on some yummy local cheeses.

But back to party planning. Any favorite hors d’ouevres stand-bys you want to share? We’ve asked guests to bring a bottle of bubbly but we’ll be taking care of nibbles. I’m tired of having to heat things during the evening. Besides hiring someone to be bringing out warm appetizers all evening (tempting…), what room-temperature-make-ahead treats do you recommend?

I’ll have kind of a loose party-theme going on this week so be sure to check back for my favorite digital invitations, what to wear to your next bash, and more!

Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings, seen on Oh Happy Day.

It was a lovely welcome to spring!