Make it Memorable Monday: The Book of Love

Happy Monday morning my friends!

How was your weekend? The weather here was beautiful, a little crisp in the early mornings warming up to gorgeous Autumn days. Brisbane doesn't get much of the cooler months, and the Autumn/Spring usually lasts about 3 days as Summer extends it's long tentacles and starts really early.


But enough about the weather! Today's Make it Memorable idea is one for you and your true love. It's a little bit sappy and a lot sentimental, but that's the way I like it.

Each year my husband writes me a poem for Valentines Day. Sometimes they are funny, sometimes a bit naughty and always full of love. I have started to put these poems (13 of them and counting) into a scrapbook. When I am feeling glum or a little unloved (yes, don't we all have these times?!) then I take out my scrapbook and read some of the poems. It's a great way to reconnect. What I think would be better though, is if this were a two-way dialogue. Where I could add, in my not so poetic way, some words to him that mean something. SO this week's Make it Memorable Monday idea is the 'Book of Love'.

Allocate a special book, it could be a pretty one or just one that you have around, to be your Book of Love. Whenever the mood strikes take out your little pad and write a note, a love letter, a bit of poetry or just a word or two of thanks to your partner. When there's nothing new to add to the book, put it somewhere safe, but when you've added something to it, leave it out on your partners pillow. Encourage your partner to do the same (sometimes writing these kind of things can be a bit easier than saying them face-to-face). On your anniversary, bring out your Book of Love and read through the years entries and reminisce about the happy times.

What do you think? Is this something that you and your love could do? Something to help turn your love into long lasting memories?

Till next time

nb: the Book of Love concept has been taken from Make it Memorable by Robyn Freedman Spizman.

Make it Memorable Monday - in memory of...

Indulge me.

I know that my Make it Memorable Monday's are about helping you to celebrate the everyday but today I want to digress. Slightly.







Yesterday morning my husband's grandmother passed away a couple of weeks away from turning 93. It was a very sad, and emotional day for us all, so while very brief, I want to dedicate this post to remembering her - to celebrate her life and what she meant to me.



Nanna was a lady; a blue haired, stockings, pearls and lipstick kind of lady. She made me my Marilyn Monroe costume that I wore on the second official date with my husband (long story, for maybe another time).



She had a wonderful china collection, was a bridge player and dedicated Church goer.



I loved her for the crocheted coat hangers I got for my birthday,



and the fact that she needed to have a small glass of sherry to take the edge of her nerves before each State of Origin game (a Queensland Vs New South Wales football match), not that I know why, I clearly recall her saying that God was a Queenslander, so she really didn't have anything to worry about.



But most of all, I loved her because in my husbands eyes, she was the best kind of Nanna you could have. I love you my husband, and I share your pain.

Make it Memorable Monday: A dinner party with pizzazz

It’s Make it Memorable Monday again and today we are taking our little gem from Robyn Freedman Spizman’s book that inspired this column, Make it Memorable, and A – to- Z guide to making any event, gift or occasion dazzling.

I love to have dinner parties. They are one of my all time favourite forms of entertaining. They can be intimate, boisterous, casual or formal. Dinner parties are surprisingly easy to theme as well – a great way to take a normal evening and make it memorable!

So, how to throw a memorable dinner party?

Select a theme – consider a colour scheme, a cuisine, or even a season. The choice is yours! It doesn’t have to be over the top, but just a little extra touch to add some pizzazz. Below are some ideas from the book that might inspire YOU to create a dinner party with a bit of difference.

The ‘friend of a friend’ party Invite two couples to dinner and have them each bring along a couple that they know and love. What a way to get to know new people but ensure that everyone always has someone to talk to that they know!

An evening of ‘vine dining’ Can you guess what this might be? Try to serve as many things as possible that come from a vine; tomatoes, grapes etc.

The ‘Heart of Gold’ party. Celebrate someone who has done something great for others, lots of volunteering etc with a Heart of Gold party. The theme of the evening is gold, from gold napkins, place mats, gold wrapped chocolates – anything. Let them know you value their contributions.

…and some other dinner party ideas I found on my searches…

A band night: Why not choose a favourite genre of music? The 70s or 80s is easy, but what about a glam rock night or smoky blues? Get guests to come dressed in theme and make sure the ipod is stocked with some fabulous in theme tunes!

Classic pot luck dinner: Don’t forget to use the skills of your guests and have each couple to bring along their signature dish (maybe allocate a course so you don’t get too many of one type). This is a great way to take the load off you a bit but also to try new foods!

Dessert delights: Skip the dinner and go straight to dessert. Invite your guests over a bit later and serve up a range of sweet delights. Easier than a traditional dinner party, but still with real impact!

So, are you inspired? Can you think of some fabulous dinner party ideas that you could use? In Freedman-Spizman’s words:

“…remember the four P’s: plan, prepare and present it with pizzazz. Prepare everything you can ahead of time so that you can enjoy your guest”

And no, I didn’t copy this sentence for my blog banner – we must just think alike?!

 

I’d love to hear some of your ideas for fab dinner parties; what would you love to do? What have you done?