Kentucky Derby Birthday, Part I: Making Plans

This past weekend, I hosted a Kentucky Derby party to celebrate my 27th birthday.

It was probably my favorite party that I've ever hosted.

I've recently received a lot of requests for a few detailed posts about how I plan my parties.

So, consider this your first tutorial! 

I'll take y'all step-by-step through how I bring my party plans to fruition.

Of course, every party for me starts with a little tiny spark, a baby idea of something I want to do.

Sometimes these ideas hatch WAY before I host the actual party.

For example, I know that I want my Bachelorette Party to be Bar Golf themed,

and I know I want my 30th Birthday to be a Gatsby soiree to say goodbye to my Roaring Twenties.

I'm quite far from either of these things, but I just know I'll make them happen in due time! 

Four years ago, in 2009, I knew I wanted to host a Kentucky Derby party after seeing the gorgeous photographs in Essentially Lilly: A Guide to Colorful Entertaining.

Honestly, right after my Golden Birthday last year, I set my sights on a Derby theme for lucky 27.

Here's my first party-planning tip: 

Start your party prep so early that people think you're a nut for doing things that early.

To me, fabulous parties are in the little tiny details.

Little tiny details happen by starting early. 

On any given night, I'm working on some random little project while I'm watching TV.

It's nothing big.

I'm stamping macarons onto placecards.

I'm tying bows around silverware.

I'm spray painting plastic horses silver. 

I'm making pink chocolate horses with a candy mold.

These are all very small things that make a party fabulous.

But, they're also the things that don't make the cut if you're in a rush or doing something last-minute.

So, pick a theme. Pick it early.

Now, keep your eyes peeled over the next six months. 

About nine months ago, I found gorgeous equestrian Threshold vases in the shape of trophy cups on clearance. 

Buy them! 

I found bulk plastic horses for CHEAP on Amazon. 

I thought they'd be cute painted silver and placed at each place setting.

See the perfect party favor at Forever 21 for $3.80/each? Buy 20. 

This also helps me space out my spending. 

I'd much rather spend $50 a month over six months than drop a quick $300 at one time.

Know what I mean? Things are easier to swallow in small doses!

Truth be told, very often I pick a theme based on a cute invitation that I found.

So, when it comes to the chicken or the egg, sometimes the invitation comes before the theme for me.

For the Derby party, I found these adorable julep invitations from Twist Paper.

I loved the invitation so much that it also determined the color scheme.

Not that I vary too greatly in my color preferences, 

so (surprise, surprise!) I went with pink, green, silver, gold & a touch of blue!

I'm a BIG believer in sending real invitations (boo to evites!), and I try to send mine out four weeks in advance. 

For holiday parties, I'll even send a save-the-date three months out since December fills up so quickly for most people.

OK, that was party tutorial numero uno!

Next up? The who, what, where.

xoxo

April Book Club: Bringing Home the Birkin

Stamp of Approval: Pond's Luminous Collection

POND'S recently contacted me about their new collection & posed a simple question...

What makes you feel luminous?

For me, I feel luminous when I'm celebrating the little things in life. 

I live a celebratory life & find joy in making anything a party!

Bronzed skin & a happy glow after an afternoon by the pool in the hot Texas sun

Buying a special dress even before I have a special occasion to wear it to

Stepping off an airplane in a new city to explore

Checking an item off of my bucket list

Celebrating with a glass of bubbly & a slice of cake

An unexpected compliment from an unexpected source

As strange as it sounds, the two things I receive the most compliments about are my hair & my skin.

Thankfully, I've been blessed with skin that never breaks out. It's not oily. It's not dry.

As a result, people often ask me my skin regimen. The sad reality is that I don't have one. Or, I didn't have one.

Until now!

Enter POND'S Luminous Collection.

You should know by now that I never promote products on Southern Vogue that I don't absolutely love.

Well, I've spent the entire month of April using POND'S, and I can honestly say I'm obsessed.

My skin has never looked better.

There are four products in the new Luminous collection: 

Cream Cleanser, Daily Exfoliating Cleanser, Day Lotion with SPF 15 and Cleansing Towelettes.

I use the Exfoliating Cleanser every day when I'm in the bath or shower. 

I like how I can feel it exfoliating my skin, but it doesn't feel gritty. 

It's the perfect hybrid of getting a good clean and still feeling like a treat for my face!

Day Lotion with SPF 15 is enriched with illuminating minerals. 

The weightless formula contains UVA and UVB sun protection against skin-damaging rays

{and we all know we need to be protected against those bad boys}.

The Wet Cleansing Towelettes are my absolute favorite of the collection. 

The Towelettes are enriched with moisturizing ingredients and soft white Kaolin clay known to act like a magnet, to gently draw out dirt, makeup and deep-dwelling impurities leaving skin bright and luminous.

Since I have a history of being fairly.... lazy... with a skincare routine, these are the answer.

I don't have to dunk my face under the faucet and risk getting my hair wet. 

I get my day's makeup off & clean my skin all in one swift swipe.

I could even keep a pack in my purse if I wanted to. They're perfect.

GIVEAWAY!

OK, it's your turn now. I know you want to try these goodies.

The good people of POND'S are giving away all four products in the collection to one of you!

Simply leave a comment with your e-mail address, and a winner will be selected on Monday, May 6.

{Contest officially ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 5.}

Cheers to feeling luminous, y'all!

xoxo

**I participated in this sponsored campaign for One2One Network. I received monetary compensation and product to facilitate my post, but all opinions stated are my own.**

{Second Annual} Shift Into Spring Brunch

A few weeks ago, I hosted my second annual "Shift Into Spring" Brunch!

 I host the party on the Saturday immediately following the first day of Spring, which falls in late March.

This is typically the smallest party that I host since

I only invite the girls I know who are fellow Lilly Lovers!

If you’ll remember, for last year’s party I made the invitations myself from some unused Lilly stationery.

This year, though, I purchased darling shift invitations by Twist at Paper Source in Dallas {on sale!}.

They fit the theme quite perfectly, & I loved that the shifts could be personalized with a monogram.

The most important detail, of course, was the attire!

Last year, since it was the first time I hosted the party, the décor was shift-centric.

I needed to mix up the décor to keep things fresh, so I kept the traditional pink & green Lilly colors, but I also added some fun prints & patterns.

My favorite element was the “Chin Chin” napkins that I received as a GWP during Lunch at Lilly {I only have one set, so Helen let me borrow hers, too!}

Again, I tied the napkins like a bow tie and used these darling dotted pink Julie Brown napkin rings that I purchased last year at Horchow.

I went through my cave of party supplies & found these wooden utensils that I bought years ago on clearance at Anthropologie.

I decided to use them and thought they looked totally darling!

Once again, I pulled out my darling hot pink scalloped Matouk placemats that Miranda gave me for my birthday last year.

{I’m desperately seeking two more sets if anyone knows where to find the hot pink!}

I think the tablescape came together beautifully; I love all the pink & green!

Because what's a party without French Macarons?

Katie & Helen

 Andrea & Miranda

Le Menu

Pimento Cheese on a Croissant

Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese on Wheat

Spinach Quiche

Fruit Salad

Spinach Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Feta Cheese

Vanilla Thumbprint Cookies

Celebrity Bakery Iced Sugar “Carrots”

Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream

Pink Fizzy Punch

The sweetest little thumbprint cookies

A carrot a day keeps the doctor away.

Miranda, Andrea, Katie, Helen & Emily in their shifts!

I sent each guest home with a framed Lilly Pulitzer print that I thought suited their personality.

Big hit!

Bringing back pink mini carnations in my 1960s Fitz & Floyd planter!

The perfect hostess gift from Katie!

Putting my hobnail milk jars to good use!

I hope you enjoyed Shifting Into Spring with me!!
xoxo

February in an {Instagram}

For your enjoyment, a few pictures from the prettiest month of the year!

I took adorable anniversary pictures for my sweet friends, Katie & Jeremy.

Their hua Lilly was pretty adorable, too.

A biography of Zelda Fitzgerlad, Diet Coke & English Garden Roses.

These are a few of my favorite things.

A naughty gift for our girls' only White Elephant Valentine's Day Party

Katie's gorg bar cart (& lipstick art!)

For a girl who has never painted my own nails, I sure do own a lot of $24 nail polishes!

Camel & Red was my go-to color combination for February. Love it.

Naturally, no month is complete without a blowout!

Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday

Valentine from Helen

Obviously I had to dress up the dogs on Valentine's Day...

... and have a little something sweet!

Not having a boyfriend does not equal not having a Valentine!

{I'm obsessed with this wrapping paper with gold foil hearts.}

J'adore les souffles.

Goodies for the kids at church!

Lilly wall art

Valentine Presents!

Then, on February 16, I added a stamp to my passport and visited a new continent!

Peru was everything I dreamed it would be... & more.

I didn't pass up macarons at the Miami airport.

Nor did I pass up two pairs of Kate Spade Keds.

Polka Dots & Gingham? Come on.

Can we all just agree it was a pretty, pretty month?

xoxo