Stella & Dot Party!

First of all, I am absolutely, irreversibly, utterly in love with

So, out of my love for this fabulous brand of jewelry, I decided to host a party with the help of a friend's mom. It was set for January 26th, from 6-8 p.m. at my house.

Here's what I served:

White & Yellow Cheddar on Wheat Crackers
Toothpick skewers of Grapes and Apples

Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies

Trail Mix: Sesame Seeds, Yogurt Raisins, Chocolate Chips, Banana Chips & Peanuts

1 1/2 cup white flour or oat flour (I think you can procure oat flour at supermarkets)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 sticks butter (I know this is a lot but there are no eggs or oils)

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup cooled strong coffee

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Cream butter and sugar together 

2. Beat in vanilla and coffee

3. Beat in the dry ingredients (except the oats and chocolate chips) a little at a time

4. Add the oats and chips and switch to stirring with a big ol' spoon

5. Transport dough to saran wrap and refrigerate at least two hours (I've chilled mine for a few days)

6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

If you want to get crazy, drizzle warm Nutella spread over the cookies. 

What I love about this recipe is that 1) it's easy, 2) I didn't labor over its creation, and 3) I know the nutrition facts. Apparently, there is 56 calories, 3 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of sugar per cookie. Take that as you will. An added bonus to this recipe: you could probably make it vegan if you found soy butter. 

We also served lemon water, sparkling grape juice and iced green tea. It was a simple meal, as to not overpower the fantastically stylish jewelry we had on show in the next room. 

The party was a huge success! Lots of friends and showed up and even brought some of their friends. Naturally, we all salivated over the fantastic jewelry spread out before us.

To the right is Courtney looking precious and fashionable as usual. Love you Court!

Rose gold is the new metal the geniuses at Stella & Dot implemented for the spring collection. The jade and semi-precious stones are intertwined with braided chains and 12k gold. Just lovely.  

Unfortunately, I was too excited to focus on taking good pictures. Oh well. Check out the website (stelladot.com) for close-ups and even videos that show you how to style their unique and gorgeous jewelry. 

  

What I learned from hosting a party:

1. Focus on what the party is for/about. A.k.a. don't overdo the snacks if the party is about jewelry

2. Invite lots of people in anticipation they all won't be able to come

3. Document the event

4. Just have fun! Parties are centered on the concept of bringing people together for any reason and luckily, jewelry happens to be a fabulous excuse to unite.

5. Thank your guests and helpers  after the party's over. Send text messages, emails, facebook messages, or call them.

6. Be excited about what you're selling/showing/having the party for; it is easier for people to take interest in something if you are interested.

If nothing else, I learned from the party that my friends and family have incredible style. My aunt bought these little blue gems above after scouring the look book and table for the stones she liked best.

 

   I hope you're not wondering how discussing my full-fledged love for jewelry is considered healthy. RETAIL THERAPY! In all honesty though, shopping, seeing friends, serving healthy-ish food, and hosting a party instilled a renewed, spa-like feeling in me. I was on cloud nine the whole night.

If you're interested in buying or selling jewelry, hit me up and I'll hook you up. Or, if you just want to order straight from the website, type in "Gayle Quillin" when it prompts you for a stylist's name. She helped me organize this party and was just fabulous.

Thank you to everyone who attended. I hope you aren't embarrassed by these pictures. I love you! For those of you who couldn't attend, I missed you!