Hip Tip: Clean Sweep Your Bathroom Before Parties November 30, 2012

This isn’t a glamorous or creative tip, but it’s a very practical one that many people overlook when entertaining.  Do a sweep of your bathroom the day of your party to stash anything you wouldn’t want your guests to see.  Check your medicine cabinet, under your sink and empty the bathroom garbage right before guests arrive.  I don’t think most people purposely snoop in your bathroom, but looking for the spare roll of toilet paper or a feminine product may lead to an embarrassing discovery.  Your friends would likely rather not find something so personal, so do them a favor and stash it in the back of your linen closet or another discreet place.

If you’re curious, that is my bathroom pictured above.

Hip Tip – Dress Up Your Chairs for Christmas December 2, 2008

Who says you have to be at a formal event to have a beautifully decorated table?  This holiday season, dress up your tablescape with inexpensive slip covers and festive ribbon sashes for your chairs.  Using a 4″ thick satin ribbon, some clippings from your tree and a pine cone (faux snow frosting spray paint optional), you can make your own chairs look event-worthy.

 

-If the ribbon slips down the back of the chair use a safety pin to secure it to the fabric cover.
-If you are using fat pine cones that are too thick to stay on the ribbon without any help, use floral wire or brown string to tie around the tip or bottom of the pine cone.  Make a loop and string the loop onto the ribbon before tying a bow.

 

Copy this look with simple chair covers from the following stores:

Pottery Barn ($9.99 each) – http://www.potterybarn.com/products_g/p2160/index.cfm?pkey=cchairs

Target ($12.99 each) – http://www.target.com/Cotton-Short-Dining-Cover-Natural/dp/B000GUAVHQ/sr=1-2/qid=1228252222/ref=sr_1_2/186-9856728-8858520?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Achair%20covers&page=1

Bed, Bath and Beyond ($7.99-9.99 each) – http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/search/search.aspx?nty=1&dim=1&Ns=P_Price%7casc&sstr=chair+covers&order_num=-1