Welcome to the second installment of JMS HEARTS! With Easter this weekend and Spring around the corner, I am getting so excited for the entertaining season to start up again. I always feel there is a lull between Christmas and Easter (I mean sometimes we do need a break!) but the warmer weather has me excited for patio season, summer brunches and all things entertaining!
If you are new here – JMS HEARTS is a monthly feature that I have created which showcases all my entertaining favourite finds from the month….aka everything that I heart ♥!
One of my favourite things about Easter (aside from the delicious food!) is getting our family Easter basket ready. Easter is all about gathering with friends and family and traditions like these get me excited for the holiday every year.
Coming from a Polish background, the Easter basket is enriched with old traditions that have been passed down for centuries. The basket is filled with the typical goodies (chocolate, decorated eggs etc.) but additional items are added in which each represent a specific meaning (described more below). As a child, I always loved the trip to the European grocery store to help pick out all the items we were adding in. Obviously I would always sneak some additional chocolate in – for good measure of course. Once the basket was put together, it was taken to be blessed before being used for Easter morning. Another favourite memory for me was the drive home after blessing. That Easter basket never stood a chance! My brother would go straight for the meat, my sister and I would split up some chocolate, someone got the bread and that was usually how it went down every year. We all had good intentions – but it never made it home in one piece!
I love planning all aspects of a party (hello food!) but one area I truly enjoy is decor. Now decor can add up super fast (HOW much for those cake stands?!) therefore I try to throw in some homemade options when possible to keep the cost down. One of my fav items to make for a party are tissue flowers!
There are SO many cute, unique, gorgeous, amazing entertaining finds out there that I am surprised I have any money to my name. Thankfully we live in a small townhouse otherwise I would own about 73,432 cake stands and serving platters. The struggle is real folks! HA! On top of all the awesome items out there I am constantly inspired by the amazing things I see from girl bosses (and guy bosses!) on the daily.
JMS HEARTS is a new monthly feature that I have created which showcases all my entertaining favourite finds from the month….aka everything that I heart ♥!
1. MUD PIE LIME & SALT RIMMER SET ($24.50) – Heart ♥ it here!
This set would have been perfect for my “build your own Caesar cocktail bar” post that I created earlier in the month. It even provides instructions on where things go – very important if the pre-drinking has already begun! Found at Indigo Chapters.
How absolutely gorgeous is this gold flatware!? I fell in love the minute I saw it and have already dreamed up various tablescapes that involve them. Also the price is quite reasonable because I have seen them prices for over $100+. Found at Ikea.
3. LONG MARBLE & WOOD BOARD ($39.50) – Heart ♥ it here!
I feel like you can never ever have enough long boards for entertaining. Whether setting up a cheese board or using it as a plate for your appetizers – they are so universal for entertaining. Plus the marble and wood combination is just perfect! Found at Indigo Chapters.
When planning a tablescape there are many items to think about including place cards/name cards around the table. Instead of the typical paper place cards that normally show up at table settings, I have rounded up a few different ideas for your next gathering. Bonus points – they all double as cute favours for your guests to take home with them! Just personalize them slightly and they are ready to go for your next party!
1. Mini Candle
My first suggestion is a mini sized candle that you can theme to your party! Having a summer luau theme – pineapple breeze scent is the way to go! Bundled up around a cozy fire at Christmas time – twisted peppermint is my jam. I think you get the point – there are SO many different flavours that you can customize them for your specific gathering. Also you do not necessarily have to have the same scents for each guest – there are so many fun options out there that work well together. I’m assuming you are not pairing together tobacco smell with lavender lilacs and hot chocolate rum cake scent ha! Stick to one grouping and you will do great! Once you have your selected candles, the final step is to customize them with a first initial (or first and last depending on the group) of the people attending the party. I got these gold monogram letters as a gift for Christmas but they originally came from Michaels and can also be purchased at other craft stores.
