Last Minute New Year's Decor

It is almost time to ring in the new year! Woo-hoo! You waited until the last minute to decide on what you are doing and now your closest friends and family are showing up to your door step. IT'S DECORATING CRUNCH TIME! Here are a few last-minute decorating ideas that you can put together in a hurry!

CHOOSE YOUR COLOR SCHEME

I love glam holiday decor especially for New Year's Eve. If you are not sparkling on NYE, you are doing it wrong. There is no better time to incorporate silver, white, gold, and black tones for a sophisticated evening.

MAKE A FESTIVE SETTING

After you have picked your color scheme, its time to decorate! Head over to your local dollar store or party store to pick up some small appetizer plates, a table cloth, party hats, noise makers, or even some glitter or faux crystals to sprinkle along the table. Arrange silver and gold Hershey kisses in a candy bowl on the table for a sweet treat for your guests. You can also add a serving tray to keep your silver ware and cups arranged nicely.

(Photo cred: simplyjessicamarie.com)

I love hurricane jars and lanterns. Twinkling candles always create a beautiful lit setting for any party or occasion. Arrange different candles heights on your table such as pillar candles and tea lights for visual interest. You can fill your hurricane jars or lanterns with gold stars or ornaments for a festive twist.

If your really in the New Year's spirit, plug in a strand of white lights to hang around your door and greet your guests as they walk into your home.

Don't forget adding some finger food to your table. If you have time to stop at your grocery store, run to the frozen section to find some appetizers to pop in the oven before your guests arrive.

POP SOME BUBBLY

What is New Year's without popping some Champagne (or sparkling cidar for the kiddies)? To make your drinks look more festive, I love to add fruit to my drink. Cranberries or raspberries make the perfect addition to any champagne glass. You can even add sugar cane sticks...but be careful, it will make your drink sweeter than it is (ideal for dry/non-sweet champagne).

QUICK CRAFT: Make your own drink toppers that make you look like you are the Queen of Hosting! Take barbeque skewers and glue tinsel around the end of the skewer. Wrap it around a few times, and glue to make sure it is secure! Pop it in the drink and ta-daaaa, you are one super hostess! ;) Rock on sista!

Happy New Year my friends! Wishing you lots of love, laughs, health, and success in 2015!

Warmest wishes,

Amanda M. Amato

AMA DESIGNS

Kick off the Holiday Season with STYLE!

In honor of Thanksgiving coming around the corner, I am surely in the holiday spirit! This year I will be visiting California and spending Thanksgiving with my cousins and family. I could not be more grateful to be celebrating with them this year! I am very close with my family but the distance hinders communication. I can't wait to spend quality time with them. Since I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year, I thought it would be nice to share gift ideas for the host to show my appreciation for having me. After all, it does take a lot of time, effort, and stress to be a host !! I feel they should be rewarded for their tremendous effort for putting together a wonderful evening. As it is the season of giving, I like to give gifts that are both functional and thoughtful.

Gift Ideas for the Host or Hostess

For the Wino (If you love wine say AYE! ..... Ayeeeee! ) - A bottle of wine with gourmet cheese, bread, and fig jelly spread. Or you can create this fabulous dinner basket with a pasta strainer and fresh pasta. Great idea for the couple who just moved in.

For the Tech Savvy - I have tech savvy people in my family. I found a list of cool tech gifts. I couldn't decide which gadget I liked most! Here is one of my faves. A charging case, which is totally needed for any person who is constantly on their phone (guilty).

For the Dream Chaser - Okay, I admit. I even want one of these beauties for myself! I found these mantra bands on Etsy.

For the Beauty - Create a beauty basket. It can be filled with nail polish, facial masks, or an amazing body scrub. Learn to make your own body scrub, here!

For the Cozy - A fuzzy blanket from West Elm paired with a great read, a fun mug, or a starter log if they have a fireplace.

For those of you hosting the part, I've got your tables decorations covered! The focal point during dinner parties is always the dining table or wherever you are serving the food. Learn how to create the perfect table scape for your dinner party!

5 Steps to a Fabulous Table Setting:

1. Candles - Nothing sets the mood of your evening than some candles burning! Place a couple votives or hurricane candles on the table as a centerpiece.

2. Linens - Add texture and interest to your table by layering linens. Add a table cloth to protect your table and to anchor the table with a basic color or pattern if you wish. Then add a table runner and contrasting placemats.

3. Glam Napkin Rings - I'm a sucker for some glamour! I am loving these brooches

4. Flowers and Naturals - I love fresh flowers but they don't have to be used for every holiday. Try using pinecones, white pumpkins, or gords for Thanksgiving.

5. Personalize It - If you are having a large gathering, sometimes it is easier to pre-determine where everyone is sitting first. This way you can avoid that awkward moment of people aimlessly standing around the table saying. "Where am I sitting?" or "I think I put my drink here...." Create decorative place cards or use Initial Ornaments that guests can take home after the party.