We have been in that stage of life for a while now where there is a lot going on: bridal showers and weddings, baby showers and housewarmings, first birthdays and Christmas parties… Along the way there have been a lot of last minute texts asking who the friend is that has a galvanized bucket for drinks? Do you still have that ice bucket? Was it you who borrowed my big platter serving tray? Along the way I have accumulated a lot of entertaining necessities and while there is still an item or two that would be handy to have, I found myself saying to my friends and my mom that I think I have just about all of the necessities now—just as this phase of life may be winding down!
If you are someone who loves to host, even if it’s not as often as you would like, check out this post to see what could make your life a little easier the next time you host.
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
Before You Buy
Before you run out and start buying items at random, pause for a moment and envision how all of these pieces will work together when you host. That bright red serving set might be great at Christmas, but will you also love it in the spring if you host Easter? Wood, white, and metal work well together, but so does pottery if you have accumulated a large array of items of varying colors. A through line, such as everything being made out of pottery, will help your serve ware to look cohesive and bring an extra touch of classiness and elegance the next time you host.
Platters and Trays
My trays and platters are some of my most used pieces. I would aim to have at least one large tray and platter, as well as at least two or three smaller platters. I commonly use my large tray for carrying plates, serveware, and napkins outside if we are eating outside, but that is if it is just the two of us or a small get together around the campfire. On the other hand, if we are having more people over and eating something that requires buns, sloppy joes, ham BBQ, etc., then having a large tray to corral all of the bread comes in very handy! Two to three small platters for cheese and meat on one, a variety of crackers on another, and some fruit or veggies on the third. It is also nice to have a bread basket on hand.
Bowls
You want a wide variety of bowls. I have a very large serving bowl I use all the time. I have another set containing a somewhat large bowl and a smaller bowl for chips and dip, and a few medium bowls for pretzels, other chips, or fresh fruit. I would have at least one very large bowl, two medium bowls, and one small bowl—these are the ones I need most often and see others using when someone else is hosting.
Place Settings
Some people prefer to use disposable serveware if they are having more than eight people over but for our lifestyle we decided to invest in a larger set of real dishes. We started off with eight and then upgraded; we currently have 16 place settings and yes, we really do use all of those dishes! We purchased plain white; it works with everything and can be dressed up or down. Target and Ikea have decent quality and reasonably priced dishes and Ikea has a lot of open stock dishes, meaning you can buy an item at a time if a bowl or plate gets broken.
Serving Utensil
I would have at least three, and one slotted spoon at least among them. If you are someone who hosts a lot and has people contribute potluck style, I would have more like five or six—someone is always forgetting their serving spoon—it’s not just me right?! Also, don’t forget utensils for serving salad!
Pitchers for Drinks
The gallon size mason jar-looking pitchers with spouts on the bottom are nice for large gatherings, but having two liter-size pouring pitchers will work for most home gatherings also.
Dessert Serving Stands
Again, using one of your trays will get you through many instances but you may want a cake stand or a tiered serving stand too.
Paper and Cloth Ware
Growing up we always had paper napkins on hand. Now we always have paper towels on hand, but never napkins! While I generally don’t notice this lapse in housekeeping, there is one time when I do, and that is. of course, when we have company over. The other day while walking through TJ Maxx, I stopped to admire the beautiful paper napkins on display and sighed to myself wishing I had a good reason to buy them—then it hit me. I always want napkins when we have people over! So I bought those napkins and it makes me so happy to pull out these pretty napkins whenever we have guests coming over!
Charcuterie Ready
I know not everyone is a charcuterie board fan but it is one of my life’s goals to try to change that! Having a cheese or two on hand, a meat, and some crackers are things I try to keep as a staple around our house. They are great things to fall back on in a pinch. That being said, it is also nice to have a small array of cheese knives, a spreader, and a cheese slicer on hand.
Mugs
Do you have coffee mugs that you aren’t embarrassed to pull out to serve coffee with dessert? I don’t believe they all have to be matching; in fact I think it’s a great conversation starter when they are all different and have a more collected feel. But make sure you have several to pull out and use—you can always pull them out ahead of time and set them on your large tray so people can admire them!
Accents or the Miscellaneous
These are the little things, the ones that are really nice to have, that someone always needs to borrow for their get-together; if you don’t have these you will find yourself always wanting before your next get-together.
Creamer
Sugar Bowl
Tea Kettle
Pie slicer
Pretty Dish towels to line a bread basket
Ice Bucket
Beverage Tub
So there it is! That is my list of the things I use regularly to entertain, as well as a few things I always find myself wishing I had when it comes to hosting. What do you use most? Is there anything not on this list that you use? I’d love to hear from you; connect with me on FB or Instagram @essentiallyemmamarie.
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17
I felt like I stepped into a movie set. It reminded me of the book Gone Away Lake with how deserted it looked. A forgotten village in the middle of nowhere, dropped at the bottom of a steep and narrow lane. This place was built in the 1930s and, oh my goodness, those chandeliers had to be original—wagon wheel-looking wooden structures hanging horizontally with lights in hurricane glass at the end of each spoke! This wasn’t just one old house but an old lodge, two cottages, and outdoor space with two fireplaces (one of which you could bake in), a small stage, and a pool built so as to jut out into the creek that flowed at the bottom of the cliff that this little village was perched on.
It wasn’t gorgeous; but the thing is—it could be. The pool could be absolutely breathtaking. The lodge is so quaint and charming, the cottages absolutely Pinterest worthy. But not yet. The one cottage was fixed up, but the shower in the lodge still had mildew growing in it, the floors needed to be redone, and the junk, dust, and general filth needed to be removed. The moss growing over the stone patio area would have to be scraped away, and the chimneys and the fireplaces cleaned of years of bird nests before fires could be lit.
The new owner saw the potential in it. She saw all that was hidden beneath the dirt and grime to what had been, and would and could still be. It’s anything but fancy right now—in all its broken, neglected decay. But. With lots of patience, with lots of elbow grease, with lots of tears when yet another thing is discovered broken, it could be so beautiful. What potential the new owner saw when she plunked down her money for this decrepit property! The dream was etched on her soul before she even knew it and it felt like a travesty to walk away and say no. She felt like she had to make it happen.
One of the things people most often cite as a reason not to follow Christ is that they have to get their life together first. They have to clean up their act, put away their sins, and then when they are all set, they will invite Him into their lives. But it doesn’t work that way. Instead, these dear people end up becoming as decrepit as this property, never being able to straighten themselves out.
Friend, if you or someone you know is using this line, it’s time to come to terms with the truth. God loves you the way you are. He sees your potential and wants to be part of your transformation. Just as the owner saw the houses falling apart and saw what they could be once restored to their former glory, so God sees what you could be, what He made you to be, if only you’ll invite Him to be part of the process.
You might only see the mess when you look in the mirror, others might say that’s all you’ll ever be, but you don’t have to believe it. God didn’t create you to be a throw away project. He didn’t make you only to get frustrated and throw you in the trash heap. If we as mere mortals can take dilapidated buildings and breathe new life into them, how much more can God do for us?
Please don’t live in the lie that you have to get “cleaned up” for God to want you, or that you were only destined to be a mess. The God of the universe decided that the world needed one of you and He wants to be part of your refining process. Won’t you let Him?
Hey! May I Send You Something?
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
You have Successfully Subscribed!
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
This time of year I always get into the mood for a cozy fall read. What exactly qualifies as a cozy fall read? To me a cozy read varies from season to season but in early fall I typically just want to read something good, with a strong sense of place. One of those books where the story consumes you and the characters come alive. I heard someone describe it once as an Agatha Christie type of book—only without the murder! Here are several books that fit this description that are perfect for curling up in your favorite chair with a blanket as the nights turn cooler!
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan
This one pulled me right in with its bright away array of quirky characters! This story takes place in England during World War II and alternates points of view from several of the women who make up the Chilbury Ladies Choir. Kitty is 13, a very grown up 13 she wants to be sure we know, who brings a bright naiveté to the story. There is Mrs. Tillsbury, a widowed nurse whose son is currently overseas fighting. She is lonely though she doesn’t want anyone to know it. We meet Edwina who is hatching a scheme she is sure is going to make her a wealthy woman—but only if she doesn’t get caught! And there is Venetia who has her eye on a very eligible bachelor who is new to town; however, in getting involved with him she may also be getting in way over her head! Through the eyes of all these women we see how a town banded together during the difficult times of World War II and bought a bright spot into the war-torn gloom.
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
I talked about this one in my post Books I Have Been Enjoying this Fall. What do a farmer, an American actress, a young widow, and a doctor all have in common? Why their love of Jane Austen of course! This is the charming fictional story of a real society founded in England shortly after World War II to preserve Jane Austen’s home and heritage. I read this book shortly after it came out in 2020 and it is one of those rare books that has a strong sense of self that I find my mind still wandering back to the English countryside depicted within its pages.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
This is a perfectly delightful and enjoyable read which also takes place in England at the of World War II. Both The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society spotlight what England was like in the wake of World War II, especially in a part of England that had been occupied by the Nazis in World War II. The title “Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” is thusly named because there was still no sugar to make real pie immediately following World War 11. Pies were scraped together with whatever ingredients were readily available at the time! This is the story of a young journalist who is trying to rebuild her life after World War II. She comes to Guernsey and starts to find her place again as she is slowly able to connect with the inhabitants of Guernsey over their mutual love of books.
Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
Most likely you have at least heard of Anne of Green Gables—this is a sort of prequel, if you will, about the Marilla we know from Anne of Green Gables in her formative years and the events that transpired to make her the Marilla we know and love. I have to be honest, this probably is not the most compelling book on its own merits; however, for those of you who are Anne of Green Gables lovers and just want more, I urge you to pick this book up and be embraced back into the character you know and love from Anne of Green Gables. If you are not familiar with the story of Anne of Green Gables, I think you may actually end up enjoying the plot of this book even more and that it may just inspire you to read the actual Anne of Green Gables!
Hey! May I Send You Something?
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
When I hear the word longsuffering, I think of my husband—no jokes please—but it is true! He is very patient and there are days (sometimes a lot of them…) when I am not as lovely of a person as I could be and my husband very patiently puts up with me. Let me tell you a story to demonstrate.
It was several years ago during an exceptionally busy stretch of life when we were both going 100 miles per hour just about all the time. We had gotten up early to go to our church’s early service and were talking about plans for the day. I was listing off item after item and my husband grumbled and kind of snapped at me. “Whoa!” I said exaggeratedly, someone is in a bad mood this morning!” He laughed and said that he would probably need a nap when we got home before he launched into all the things I wanted to do that day. My exaggerated-toned comment had made him laugh and snapped him out of his bad mood.
The following week we were again on our way to church, having a similar conversation as we had the week before, when this time he said something and I grumbled back at him. “Whoa!” he said, “Someone is in a bad mood!” I responded in decidedly not my best customer service voice, “Well you would be too if you had had the week I did!” My husband ducked his head and looked at me out of the corner of his eye before quietly saying that he had just been trying to make the same joke that I had made the week before—the one that had snapped him out of his bad mood. Whoops! The poor guy couldn’t win! I sheepishly squeaked out a laugh and said I had just been kidding when I bit his head off a second before—just to see if he would believe that line. He did not, but thankfully he accepted my apology and I was better after I took a nap that afternoon!
I am not a naturally patient person, which can be good when it comes to getting stuff done and setting plans in place, but generally when I am interacting with others, it can just cause problems. I have been blessed to know several very patient and long-suffering people in my life. These are people who despite having been dealt a tough hand in life still cheerfully keep keeping on and being a blessing to others. While they may have more to complain about on any given day than do I, they don’t. Instead they show up calmly, kindly, with seemingly endless capacity to deal patiently with others, and whatever else life decides to throw at them.
I can’t imagine what Jesus would have been like to be around. I cannot imagine how soothing it must have been to sit in his presence and listen to his teaching, and watch Him interact with others with grace and kindness.
When I come in contact with people to whom God has given a larger portion of gracefulness than He has me, it serves as a good reminder to me that we are to work on developing all the fruits of the spirit to become more like Christ so that others will look heavenward to Jesus who is the only perfect example.
Hey! May I Send You Something?
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
Have you decorated for fall yet? It always amazes me the cascade of fall photos I see flooding my social media as soon as the calendar flips from August to September, especially since it’s not like the weather flips at the same time! Regardless, by the middle of September I find that I too am ready to start pulling out my fall stuff and preparing myself for the fact that yes, summer is just about over (according to the calendar) and colder but cozier days are ahead.
Color
One of my favorite things about decorating is the array of colors. I love seeing the different color palettes for each season, as well as how they change from year to year. I tend to be a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to the seasonal color palettes. I like the traditional red and green at Christmas—fall is the only time of year when you will find orange in my house. I am really not the biggest fan of that color!
However, this year I have decided to stay a lot more neutral. Perhaps life seems a bit more chaotic this year but I am wanting calm and simple in my décor so for the first time not a speck of orange will make an appearance. Instead, whites and creams, muted shades of green, and just a touch of amber brown will be in my color palette.
This year some of my favorite fall color palettes are:
· Creams, whites, greens, and navy
· Whites, creams, browns, and burnt orange
· Whites, creams, and deep purples
· Very saturated burnt orange, wine red, and mustard yellow—because it is fall!
Going Simple but Keeping the Details
I’m not going crazy this year creating elaborate vignettes and looking for more surfaces to decorate; instead I’m keeping my vignettes simple (check out my post Vignettes: Tell Me a Story for details on what exactly a vignette is) and adding a few subtle touches such as a dried sprig peeking from under a pumpkin, or just dried wheat rather than a flower arrangement in a vase.
Limited Color Palette
I have talked a lot about color palettes, (see my post about creating a cohesive color palette here, and how to use a color palette here) but this year I am really keeping it simple with just neutrals, and a touch of brown and green. If you are feeling the need to bring cohesion to your decor, or to simplify your decorating, just pick 3 colors, and only use decor if it is in that color family.
Bringing in Nature
Nature never goes out of style and thank heaven for small blessings like that! Take a walk outside and gather some branches, acorns, and pinecones and use them in a vase or an accent bowl in your house. I can get carried away adding different elements and colors to my accent bowl but this year I did reel myself in and stuck with my color palette and am very happy with it.
Lights
Whether it’s real candles, lanterns, fairy lights or cafe lights, a little bit of light added in small doses can go very far in creating a cozy feel.
Creating One or Two Showstoppers
Rather than creating a bunch of different small vignettes, create one or two really nice ones and let the rest go. I really enjoy creating a centerpiece. Our home is fairly open and the table is visible from every living area in our house so a fall centerpiece goes a long way to adding the seasonal element to our home. Check out my post on Fall Centerpiece Ideas for more fall decorating inspiration.
I hope this helps give you some fall decorating inspiration! What are some of your favorite fall decorating ideas this year? I’d love to hear from you! Connect with me on Pinterest and Instagram where im@essentiallyemmamarie. I look forward to hearing from you!
If you are here, chances are you just might like my writing. (wink) If you Drop your email address in the box below I’ll save you time by emailing you the link every time a new post comes out!
