Shower the Bride with a Bed and Bath Themed Party

women laughing

Help the newlyweds get cozy. Credit: Getty Images


Throw the bride-to-be a bed and bath bridal shower.

Your engaged friends are looking forward to making a home together -- so why not give them a head start with a bed and bath shower? Help them stock the bath and decorate the guest room -- or their room -- with everything they need to sleep (ahem) in peace.

Invitations: Send guests invitations for the bed and bath bridal shower so they know the theme. For a very girly bride-to-be, check out these Pink Bubbles Bed and Bath Bridal Shower Invitations. If she is more of a traditional bride, you may want to pick these Bed & Bath Wedding Shower Invitations. If the bride-to-be is a very modern lady, send out these Bed & Bath Bridal Shower Invitations. Make sure to include who is throwing the party, the place, date, time, how to RSVP, and where the bride is registered.

Decorations: Set the bed and bath theme by creating a relaxing environment. Place these Robin's Egg Bridal Shower Soap Centerpiece on each of the tables. You can also put a few Yankee Candle Lavender Vanilla Small Jar on each of the tables for a pretty scent. Finish off the table decorations by sprinkling Nirvana Mix White, Cream, Blush, and Red Rose Petals around the table.

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Stolichnaya White Pomegranik Gimlet and Greyhound

Filed under: Entertaining, Food + Libations

cocktails

Stoli White Pom Gimlet and Greyhound. Credit: Stolichnaya

It won't surprise you to hear that, here at Holidash we love to entertain. Meticulously planned parties, impromptu soirees -- we love them all. And one of our favorite things to do when we're holding a get-together is introduce our friends to a fabulous new cocktail; one that will tickle their taste buds and leave them wondering what exactly went into that delectable concoction.

With the recent hot weather, we've been seeking something slightly sweet and fruity, and luckily for us Stolichnaya Vodka came to the rescue. In honor of the release of Stoli's newest flavored vodka, White Pomegranik, they sent us recipes to a couple of cocktails we're dying to try. If it's "research for work," do we really have to wait for happy hour?

Stoli White Pom Gimlet
1 ½ parts Stoli White Pomegranik
¾ part fresh lime juice
¾ part simple syrup
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a basil leaf and pomegranate seeds.

Stoli White Pom Greyhound
1 ½ parts Stoli White Pomegranik
1 ½ parts pink grapefruit juice
½ part fresh lemon juice
½ part simple syrup
Shake and pour into an ice-filled tall glass. Garnish with raspberries.

 

Chocolate Handbag Giveaway!

Filed under: Style

Chocolate Handbags

What's a holiday without some Chocolate? Whatever it is, we don't want to be a part of it and neither should you! That's why one lucky Holidash.com winner is going to win this beautiful bag from Chocolate Handbags. It's sweet and decadent, and this kind of Chocolate won't melt in your hands.

Whether you're standing beneath the ooh of fireworks or the ahh of mistletoe, you'll always have Chocolate handy, and you'll look great in the process. In fact, let's just pencil in the mistletoe.

Enter Now!
Here's how you can enter:
  • Enter your name and email in the form below.
  • The entry must be left before 5 pm ET on Friday, August 6, 2010.
  • You may enter only once on this post.
  • Winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Winner will receive a white Chocolate bag (value: $110)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.
We'll notify the winner by email, and you'll have 24 hours to respond. If we don't hear back, we'll pick a new winner, so remember to check your email!


 

Mind Your Manners: Emily Post Launches 'Etipedia' Search Function

Filed under: Holiday How-To

laptop computer

The new Etipedia on Emilypost.com answers all your etiquette questions. Credit: The Emily Post Institute

It's wedding season! Time to brush up on your etiquette -- and luckily, Emily Post offers a new way to tackle all your tough questions about manners.

Since 1922, polite party-goers have been relying on "Emily Post's Etiquette" to answer their most pressing questions about how to behave. But now the Emily Post Institute has introduced a new way to search its annals of manners, beyond the big blue book. The institute revamped its website and developed the "Etipedia," a search function that acts as an incredibly thorough encyclopedia of etiquette.

Daniel Post Senning, the institute's Webmaster, spokesperson and great-great-grandson of Emily Post herself, focused on improving the readers' experience when looking for etiquette guidance. The Etipedia brings together advice from all Emily Post sources, from the revered blue tome to podcasts, so that readers will have the fullest possible results from any given search. This database became the cornerstone of the website's new design.

"For us, it was a leap of faith," Senning told Holidash. "[We've] been in print for almost 90 years... to make this move into the digital realm represents a real generational shift as a company. Already, the response has been incredible."

One aspect of the Etipedia recalls the traditional etiquette book: Its categorization tabs. These categories, such as Everyday Manners and Getting the Job, correspond to the terms used in the main "Emily Post's Etiquette" guide.

You can also search the Etipedia using keywords or phrases, just as you would with Google.

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CanvasPop Gift Certificate Giveaway Winner & Discount!

CanvasPop.com

Congratulations to Karen T., the winner of this week's Holidash giveaway, a $200 gift certificate to custom canvas printing service CanvasPop.

CanvasPop lets you turn photos of special celebrations or vacations into long-lasting, high quality piece of art that you can proudly hang in your home or office. You can use any image, get a digital proof, and it's a snap to create.

Even if you didn't win, you can still be a creative genius! AOL readers get a special 10% discount when you use this code:
AOL3422.

Enjoy!

 

The Best Party I Ever Threw: Present-Themed Birthday Party

Filed under: Entertaining

birthday present

Celebrate your little one's birthday with a present-themed party. Credit: Getty Images


We all know that a toddler's favorite part of the party is the presents -- so why not make that the theme for his party? Here's how one clever mom did just that.

For my son's first birthday, my husband and I toyed with party theme ideas for weeks before settling on a gift box theme. As a 1-year-old, my son was only beginning to show affection for certain toys or shows, and there was no clear winner. Instead, we decided to model everything after a giant present -- something we were sure any child would love.

My first task was the cake. I wanted it to be a statement defining the theme of the party. I decided to design the cake, but I hired someone to bake and decorate it because I had no personal expertise in that arena.

The cake was built as two large boxes piled on top of each other, with the top one slightly smaller and rotated at a 45-degree angle relative to the bottom one, so that it looked like a small stack of presents. The bottom cake was red velvet and the top cake was white (to appease picky eaters). The entire thing was covered with orange and yellow butter cream frosting.

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Yummie Tummie Gwen Racerback Tank Giveaway Winner!

Yummie Tummie

Congratulations to Tracy M. of Sylan Lake, MI, the winner of this week's Holidash giveaway, the Yummie Tummie Gwen Racerback Tank.

Tracy will be the belle of the ball -- or the disco, or the pool party -- wherever she finds a good time, she'll look fabulous, chic and slim!

 

Happy National Scotch Day!

Filed under: Food + Libations

dalmore scotch whisky

Credit: The Dalmore

Raise your (tulip-shaped) glass for a toast -- July 27 is National Scotch Day! Whether you're a novice scotch enthusiast, a true connoisseur or are using this "holiday" as an excuse to try scotch whiskey for the first time, we want you to do it right.

There are thousands of different brands of scotch from all around the world, each with a unique flavor, and it will take quite a bit of research on your part to figure out exactly which is your favorite. Sorry about that -- you'd better get to work.

Many scotch-lovers believe the beverage should only be consumed straight or with a bit of water, but if you're more of a mixed drink fan, check out these fabulous recipes. And, for more information on how to drink scotch, be sure to watch the video below!

Blood and Sand
3/4 oz The Dalmore 12 Year
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
1/4 oz cherry brandy
1 1/2 oz orange juice
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glasses.

The Godfather
1 1/2 oz The Dalmore 12 Year
1/2 oz Amaretto
Prepare an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes. Stir well.


 

Crafts With Kendra: Simple Picnic Caddy

Filed under: Decorating + Crafts


Throwing an outdoor party? Tote your supplies in this super stylish DIY picnic caddy. Crafter Kendra Smoot shows you how to pull it all together.

picnic caddy

Credit: Kendra Smoot


A simple metal bucket and cans provide an organized solution for hefting supplies and condiments to your next outdoor meal. Keep it stocked with all of the essentials so next time you're headed to a picnic or BBQ you'll have everything at the ready.
picnic caddy

Credit: Kendra Smoot


Supplies:
metal bucket found at garden supply or hardware store
washed metal cans
12" ribbon

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Southern Comfort Party Pack Giveaway!

Filed under: Entertaining, Food + Libations

Southern Comfort

How we love summer nights, hanging out in the backyard, or on a stoop, watching fireflies and drinking lemonade. Of course, we grown ups like our stargazing beverages with a little something extra, like Southern Comfort Lemonade, or the surprisingly tasty Southern Comfort with Lime!

We can't give you a bottle of booze, but we can equip you with all of the paraphernalia for you to create your own Southern Comfort Patio Party, including:
  • Soco Pitcher
  • two SoCo Mason Jars
  • six Stir Sticks
  • six SoCo Lemonade Recipe Cards, with recipes from celeb party planner, Jes Gordon!
  • $25 AmEx Gift Card (so you can pick up a bottle of Southern Comfort...or chips, whatever works for you!)
  • SoCo Cocktail Napkins
Enter Now!
Here's how you can enter:
  • Enter your name and email in the form below.
  • The entry must be left before 5 pm ET on Friday, July 30, 2010.
  • You may enter only once on this post.
  • Winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Winner will receive a Southern Comfort Party Pack (value: $50)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 21 and older.
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.

We'll notify the winner by email, and you'll have 24 hours to respond. If we don't hear back, we'll pick a new winner, so remember to check your email!


 

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