Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From all the girls at You're Invited Gifts, Paper and Events, we want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  

Stephanie, Ashley, Yvonne, Anna, Lori and Sarah

Deck the Halls...

I wanted to share some pictures of a client's house who hired me to decorate for Christmas and the holidays.  I've posted the "before" pictures first, followed by the "after/decorated" pictures.

I absolutely love decorating for the holidays!  I especially love taking items clients already have and using them in new ways!  This particular client already had some wonderful pieces to work with, so I just had to get my creative juices going and see how we could use them in new and fun ways.  Please write and send pictures and let me know how you decorated for the holidays.  I'd love to share them with my blog readers.  Pictures can be sent to events@yistationery.com

View of the Kitchen Windows

View of the Kitchen Table Before

View of the Kitchen Table After...I changed the linens and used

a container she already had for the fresh arrangement.

I incorporated linens she had in storage, as well!

View of the Upstairs Mantle Before

View of the Mantle After

View of the Downstairs Mantle Before

View of the Downstairs Mantle After...

(Notice I moved the copper pot and replaced it

with another container my client already had.

I filled the container with Christmas color

flowers, greenery and berries).

View of the upstairs sitting area before...

View of the upstairs sitting area after...simply added

a fresh floral arrangement in red and green.

Same sitting area with another fresh arrangement

View of the Dining Room Before

View of the Dining Room After

 

Before pics with silk arrangement

After pic with fresh flowers

Before picture of outside balcony

After picture of outside balcony

I hope you enjoyed these "before" and "after" Christmas decoration pictures.  

Please don't forget to share your holiday decorations and tablescapes!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Stephanie

Christmas Tablescapes

Now that you have seen some ideas for place settings, I thought I'd post some ideas for Christmas centerpieces and table settings.

Images from www.lowes.com and www.hgtv.com and www.digsdigs.com

Christmas Place Settings

Christmas is one week away!  Can you believe it?  Where did 2009 go?

I'm posting some ideas for fabulous Christmas place settings.  I hope you enjoy!

How simply elegant is this placesetting?  Deck the halls (and your table) with this inexpensive design.  Purchase holiday shaped cookie cutters (which guests can take home as a party favor) and tie a tag with each guest's name.  Place wineglass upside down to create a "snowglobe" effect.  You can finish it off with berries or artificial snow you can buy at craftstores.

(Courtesy of fancyflours.files.wordpres.com)

Winter Scene Favor / Placecard by Erin Godbey (Courtesy of www.designspongeonline.com)

This DIY miniature winter scene is sure to delight! It serves as a placecard, and doubles as a favor when you tuck a sweet Christmas treat inside.

Materials: Miniature trees and deer, artificial snow, favor box (party supply store), ribbon style paper tag 

Instructions: Attach trees to box top with hot glue. Attach snow to surrounding box top with spray fixative. Attach deer with hot glue. Fold tag in half, attach to sides of box top with white glue or hot glue. Place Christmas candy inside box. Your guests of all ages will love this!

Photo www.southernliving.com

This is a double-duty place setting.  It not only functions as the guest's napkin and name, but inside it hides a take-away favor for each guest.  Simply find a whimsical napkin and tie with a fun ribbon.  I love how they used black and white polka-dot fabric and gave it a pop of color with the teal ribbon.  Finish it with a gift tag featuring the guest's monogram.

If you are using red for your holiday table, consider accenting with gold.  This place setting is simply a small gift-wrapped box tied with festive red and gold ribbon and adorned with small berries.  You could easily add a tag with the guest's name on it.

Photo www.housebeautiful.com                    

Are you using gold or metallics in your holiday tablescape?  If so, this is the perfect addition to your holiday table.  Purchase gold chargers and use with gold-rimmed china (platinum would work as well).  The napkins are tied with inexpensive gold ribbon and a single jingle bell.  Notice the pinecone spray painted gold and the small placecard with the tree stamped on it and the guest's name.  Your guests will be in awe of how beautiful this looks, and think how easy it is to pull together!

(Photo courtesy of www.countryliving.com)

Happy Holidays (and Happy Friday),

Stephanie

Featured on Ashley's Bride Guide

We were so excited to see You're Invited mentioned not once but twice on Ashley's Bride Guide (www.ashleysbrideguide.com).


The Holiday Open House at You're Invited that we hosted in November was recently featured on ABG.  Click here to check out the link.


Also You're Invited was featured yesterday as a great choice for...

Exquisite Wedding Finds for Nashville’s Luxe Bride - Unique Gifts for Your Registry, Bridal Party

Click here to check out the link!

Let us know what you think!  We'd love to hear from you.  Happy party and wedding planning,

Stephanie

Cookies with Santa and Mrs. Claus

Last Saturday, December 12th, Santa and Mrs. Claus made the rounds in Music City.  They were excited to get to visit with some wonderful children.  Santa and Mrs. Claus even shared cookies and milk with children (and adults alike) in hopes that on Christmas Eve, we will all return the favor!
We were also happy to collect new toys for Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

Here are pictures from that event!