Hostess With the Mostess

{domino magazine}

We don't ALL have the money to stay in a hotel room every time we get outta town, but don't we ALL just love the getaway?
If you're lucky enough, you have friends living in great places.
I know we do.
If you're lucky enough, you have friends who are willing to share their homes with you.
Again, we do.

I was raised in a family of extremely gracious hostesses.
A family where a guest is made to feel like they are at a hotel.
Fresh cut flowers in the rooms, freshly made beds, laid out towels and personal toiletries, little snacks and drinks easily accessible in your personal space, and breakfast buffets laid out in the morning.
With hostesses like that, trust me, you don't want to leave!

{flower arranging gift kit}

An important thing to do for a gracious hostess is to share your gratitude.
Something I often do
(shame on me that it's not always)
is to bring a hostess gift like the one above.
When I don't bring a gift, we try to make sure to do something else to express our thanks!
And, in the end, you always follow up with your hostess with a thank you card!
I keep many on hand for these circumstances.
{anjie joon}
Hosting guests in your home is a TON of work whether it is one guest or more.
I have been a guest so many times and I have hosted quite a few as well.
Hosting means you're giving up your privacy, you're sharing your space, you're ultimately changing your routine for someone else!
That is A LOT to ask someone for and even MORE to give!

So, keep a small shelf with ready made hostess gifts.
Check out Martha Stewart's ideas.
Keep a desk drawer stocked with nice cards that you can express your thanks with.
A little love goes a long way!

To all of the hosts in our lives, THANK YOU!
Thank you for making us feel at home in style!