Cheers to the Season of Champagne

Certain things come to mind when thinking about the holidays….twinkle lights, sparkles and snowflakes, decadent décor and of course, bubbles!  Holiday celebrations call for Champagne, and being the “host/hostess with the mostest” requires attention to details like providing new twists on Champagne classics.  Incorporating a little bubbly into your affair will allow your guests to celebrate in style and toast the season with smiles on their faces! 

Here is our guide to incorporating champagne into your holiday festivities in ways that are certain to make the best impression on your guests!

Brilliant Bubbly Décor?

No one can deny how beautiful a glass of champagne looks on its own….but this unexpected twist will have your guests buzzing from bubbly!  These Champagne jello shots not only please the pallet of the hardest to please, but will sparkle bright on your menu, creating a sophisticated & visually appealing tabletop element.

Champagne Jello Shots

Delicious, Delicate & Decadent

Give your cupcakes a punch by adding a little bubbly, and give your party a boost with these yummy treats! Satisfy everyone these delicious cupcakes topped with champagne-buttercream frosting on your menu. These tasty treats will leave everyone wanting to spread good cheer!

Champagne Cupcakes

Offer a cocktail or a glass of Champagne?  How about both in one!

Restaurants in the know and chic bars around the globe are constantly creating fabulous combo-cocktails, melding flavors, fruits, infused alcohols and even Champagne into jaw-dropping concoctions.  The beauty of the holidays is that YOU can get as creative as you want with your cocktail menu! Embrace the unexpected and wow your friends & family with your own signature drink.

Pomegranate-Champagne Punch    

Stand out & shine!

Champagne is often sipped in standard long stemmed flutes, but if you do a little homework you can find some flutes with pretty incredible styles and designs to serve your guests in this season. Offering family and friends their holiday bubbly in a specialty flute will set the wheels in motion for conversation and fun for the night!

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Digital vs. Paper Invitations

Should I send a digital invitation to my event?

In today’s digital, eco-friendly age event planners and party throwers are sending digital invites to attend everything from baby showers to family picnics to weddings. While Emily Post, the etiquette authority, does not approve of digital  invitations for the likes of weddings, black tie galas and momentous family occasions, many are thumbing their nose and are going with the digital option for budgetary reasons, eco-friendliness and efficiency.  

Our advice? Know your audience! If you know your family would cherish your wedding invitation as a keepsake- go paper! If your crowd is known to be eco-friendly and a bit more cutting edge - go digital!

A few questions to ask yourself when deciding paper vs. digital invitations:

• What are the expectations of my guests, family or friends? Families who love keepsakes and tradition may prefer paper. For small get together of contemporaries in their 20’s or 30’s, digital may seem the natural choice.

• Are my guests active on email? If it is a party for teens or young adults, go digital! If it is your parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary, it may be best to go paper!

• Is this an event that I am charging guests for a ticket? If it’s a free event- go digital! If you are charging $1,000 a plate- go paper!

• Do my guests know that I am eco-conscious? If your crowd is often discussing global warming and the latest Prius- go digital!

• Will I regret not having a printed keepsake of this invitation in the future? Weddings, birth announcements and other milestones like Bar Mitzvahs are often still celebrated with traditional paper invites. If you are sentimental and enjoy tradition- go paper!

• Will a digital invitation exclude a portion of my guest list from even receiving the invitation? Small children and those that grew up pre-Facebook and Twitter may not ever see your email if it is not sent via snail mail! If your guests are not exactly “tech savvy”- go paper!

Once you assess your guests’ expectations, you will be well equipped to make your decision!

If you decide to “go digital” here are some fantastic options:

• PaperlessPost
• Smilebox 
• Tiny Prints *Tiny Prints also offers affordable and adorable paper invites as well!

Paperless Post Digital Invite

If you decide to “go paper” we love:

• The gorgeous and elegant Create Studios 
• The fine paper boutique, Nota Bene
• The eco-friendly Minted.com
• The One-stop shop Wedding Paper Divas

Wedding Paper Diva Paper Invite

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Eat Globally This Holiday Season

With so many holidays being celebrated throughout the world this time of year, traditional and exotic cuisines are gracing tables everywhere. Here are a few of our favorites from around the globe- with the perfect table settings to match!

The Traditional English Christmas Goose!

Gracing tables in Great Britain and beyond, the Christmas goose was brought to holiday meals by Queen Elizabeth I and was made the official tradition during her reign. The goose is often served with Brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes and followed by a traditional flaming pudding. Enjoy this fantastic roast goose recipe from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey 

To set the stage for your traditional English Christmas table, we suggest our Christmas Chenille Stripe linen.

The Popular Potato Latke for Hanukkah!

Those of the Jewish faith celebrate this eight-day holiday with many dishes cooked in olive oil, and latkes (potato pancakes) in particular, are celebratory symbols of this gift of sustenance. Latkes are probably the most popular side dish of Hanukkah meals and are served beside beef brisket, noodle kugel, green salads, and blintzes. We love this menu for Hanukkah dinner by Bon Appétit Magazine - especially their twist on the traditional latke combining potatoes and apples and topped with smoked salmon. Yum! 

To set the stage for your Hanukkah feasts, we suggest our Blue Rabanne.

African Peanut Stew Will Heat Up Your Kwanzaa!

First celebrated in the United States in 1966, Kwanzaa was created for those of African descent around the world to reconnect with their common heritage. The name is derived from traditional harvest celebrations in Africa called matunda ya kwanza, literally "first fruits," which were seven days of gathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration.  This recipe for African Peanut Stew is sure to warm up your celebrations with traditional African flavors. 

To set the stage for an unforgettable Kwanzaa celebration, we recommend our Orange Cascade linen.

Japan’s Toshikoshi Soba to Ring in the New Year!

Eating a plate of buckwheat noodles or “Year-End Soba”,  before midnight on New Year’s Eve to bring longevity and prosperity for the next 12 months is an age-old tradition in Japan. There is no one recipe for Toshikoshi Soba- they vary from household to household and family to family. Here’s a great recipe (with some history attached) to ring in the New Year a la Japan! 

To set the stage to ring in the New Year with traditional Toshikoshi Soba, we suggest our Champagne Iridescent Crush linen or Valentine Gold Circle Taffeta linen.

Toast the Holidays with a Puerto Rican Coquito!

Coquito is a popular holiday beverage in Puerto Rico. It has similarities to American eggnog, but the use of crème de coco or coconut milk gives it a unique island flavor. The delicious cocktail is served at functions throughout Christmas and New Years. To mix up the perfect Coquito, try this delicious and easy recipe from the Food Network.

To set the stage for a festive Puerto Rican- style holiday gathering, we recommend our Papaya Kaleidoscope linen Sunset Mayan.

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In 2013 It Will Be Easy Being Green

Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2013 - Emerald Green! Mother Nature’s great harmonizer in it's many shades of beauty will pop up everywhere next year from fashion runways to home decor.

"Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony."

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world.” (Source, New Jersery.com)

Emerald for Fashion
The prevalence of green has been steadily rising for several seasons, especially in the fashion and couture markets, and even on the red carpet. Appropriate for every occasion, Emerald’s classic elegance makes for striking and irresistible women’s formal and everyday wear as well as accessories. Emerald also makes a strong statement in men’s sportswear, knitwear and ties. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2013, including Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Barbara Tfank, NAHM and Marimekko, are incorporating Emerald into their spring collections. Balanced yet sophisticated, Emerald enlivens all colors in the spectrum and will continue to make a statement beyond spring and summer into fall and winter.

Emerald for Beauty

Equally harmonious on the cosmetic color wheel, Emerald dramatizes all eye colors as it beautifully enhances green eyes, is compatible to blue eyes, emphasizes the green undertone in hazel eyes and intensifies brown eyes to make them appear deeper. Emerald is also a perfect complement to peaches, pinks, roses, ruby reds and aubergines – offering a variety of lipstick and blush options. For those who want to sparkle and stand out, Emerald is the perfect punctuation point in nail color because of its complementary nature. (Source: Official Press Release for the Color of 2013 via Pantone)

Mosaic is thrilled to see the many ways that emerald green will take the main stage in 2013 from linens, event decor, home furnishings, to beauty and fashion.

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Get Crafty with the Kids this Holiday

During this busy time of year overflowing with shopping expeditions, endless gift wrapping and holiday parties, let’s not forget the importance of involving our children in the festivities. Below is a list of holiday craft ideas to keep your little ones engaged this holiday season so they can share in the fun.


Paper Bag Reindeer

The paper bag reindeer, a simple craft that will keep the kiddos entertained this holiday season is fun to make and can double as a puppet. Make a puppet for each reindeer that pulls Santa’s sleigh, and encourage the kids to perform a puppet show for the family after dinner with their own narrated story. Click HERE for easy instructions.

Holiday Gift Tags

Instead of purchasing tags for every present, spend a few hours with the kids and create handmade tags that will not only be unique, but will allow your children to contribute their artistry on every gift you give! Click HERE to learn how.












Paper Plate Angels

At Mosaic our days are filled designing décor for events and parties. We feel there is no better way to engage your little ones than to work together to fill your home with decorations and ambiance. Work with the kids to create DIY place setting decorations like these Paper Plate Angels by Martha Stewart- perfect for the kid’s table this holiday. Click HERE to learn how simple white paper plates can be
transformed to a fun craft for kids.












Glowing Snowman


All you need are a few half-gallon jugs of milk, white lights, and a few art supplies, and your kids can create their own glowing snowman that can be on display inside or outside of your home! This recycled craft project is easy to construct, and fun for all ages. Click HERE to get your list of supplies and instructions.

New Year’s Resolution Magnet 

Send off 2012 by making New Year’s resolutions as a family! Discuss with your kids the importance of setting goals and then make a list of resolutions together for 2013. This magnet is easy to make and has a pouch so each family member can contribute their resolution on an assortment of paper strips which can be used as reminders throughout the year. Click HERE to learn what you’ll need and how to make the magnets.

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