Happy Mother's Day!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day. Get inspired for this weekend with these stylish moms.

Petite: Sophisticated Baby Showers

She's having a bebe, baby! Time to get ready for a posh baby shower. Image via Pinterest.

What would a Mother's Day week be without a nod to all the new moms out there? While we will always love the tradition of pink and blue baby showers, we'd like to shower new moms with a truly posh feel. A sophisticated setting of black, white, and gold is perfect for modern moms and a Coco Chanel inspired shower is just the thing for the slightly more traditional yet stylish mother-to-be.

Chanel Bebe No. 2 inspired shower. / Design and photography by Pixy Studios. Image courtesy of Belle the Magazine.

Pixy Studios threw the adorable shower above for a friend, and we're taking note. We love the nod to "bebe" number two with the Chanel No. 5 inspired invitations. If you have them, vintage Chanel pieces would be fun additions to the centerpieces. We also like the idea of milk glass on the buffet of what are undoubtedly the most craved foods - salty french fries, bread, Oreos, and donuts! See the full gallery here.

Milk and cupcakes served by the hostess (left) and a sweet note for the mother and child (right). Design and photography by Hazelnut Photography. Images courtesy of on to baby

Black and white sophistication for an elegant baby shower. Design and photography by Hazelnut Photography.
Images courtesy of on to baby.

How about the sweet sophistication of this elegant black and white shower by the ladies at Hazelnut Photography, who both designed the shower and took the cute images above. Our favorite part is definitely the incorporation of a wooden train throughout the tablescape. This shower is perfectly styled to honor both mother and child in a cute and stylish way. For more images, click here.

Style your own sophisticated shower with P.O.S.H.: Gold Chiavari Chairs, Black Scalloped Edge Charger, White Chloe Goblet, Gold Parisian Flatware, Milk Glass, Black + White Striped Linens, Baily Stripe in Black or White.
xx

Toast: The Grand Dames

Today we're toasting the grand dames in our life - the matriarchs. Who would we be without the eclectic upbringing our grandmothers provided, the wisdom of our older aunts and female friends, and the unconditional love of our mothers. Their support comes in different forms, sometimes in ways we will never understand, and cannot be defined by any phrase or saying better than that one huge little word - love. We celebrate their uniqueness and originality; their quirks and their quips; and, especially, their love of celebrating life. It would be an injustice to not toast them with anything less than a fiercely fabulous tablescape. Tap into the personality of the grand dame in your life and set the table according to the style you see them exhibit in their daily lives.

Left: Mod squad meets modern elegance. Don't you want to meet her? | Right: A Jordan Payne designed tablescape featuring Mottahedeh Lace Charger, Loren China, Floral Elegance, Silver Rimmed Water Goblet, Silver Floral Lace Wine Goblet, Turquoise Trumpet Flut.

Women of a certain age are, in our opinion, the most beautiful beings on the planet. They have come into their own and ushered in new generations along the way. They haven't lost their love of all things pretty and pleasing and no longer get hooked on trends. So, how to set the table for them? We matched images of our fab ladies (including the awesome Iris Apfel) to tablescapes perfectly tailored to their looks. Both are at once traditional and elegant, yet exotic and textured; a perfect dichotemy for a well-rounded woman.

Left: Oatmeal Mesh Linen by Resource One, exclusively at P.O.S.H. Couture Rentals; Jan Barboglio Hammered Copper Charger, Barcelona Gold Charger, Mahogany Rose Dinner and Salad Plate, Exotic Bird Salad Plate | Right: The fabulous Iris Apfel

Tabletop Tuesday: A Nod to Tradition

Nice stems! Blue + White China meets its match with our Blue-Green Swirl Stem Glassware.

 Oh, how we love blue and white. This traditional combo has made the rounds from head of state dinners and society functions to Mother's Day lunches. We love the idea of toasting our beloved matriarchs with this classic collection.

Don't stop with china and linens. Mom deserves the best seat in the house with our ivory chiavari chairs and tufted cushions.

This is a gorgeous formal tablescape designed for the SMU Meadows Museum grand opening (read more about here). Opulent centerpieces and cut crystal chargers keep an air of luxury. For a more casual affair, keep the gorgeous glassware but switch out the linens and use rattan chargers. Any way you set the table with blue and white china is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.

Our Lily Sorbet Server gets prime seating atop Blue + White China, Hand Cut Crystal Charger, and Michelangelo Flatware.

Design, Marin Fiske-Rankin for SMU Meadows Museum
Floral, Junior at The Garden Gate
China, Linens, Tabletop, Chairs, P.O.S.H. Couture Rentals
Photography, Tamytha Cameron Photography
 

Setting the Table for Mother's Day

You're setting the table for the most fabulous woman in your life. She's your best friend, your hero, your biggest fan; she's your mother. (And if she isn't any of those things, then for one sweet day, do pretend!) Polish the silver and get out your finest china. Pick a pretty Spring palette and supplement your collections with accents from P.O.S.H. You're sure to have Mom singing your praises, again. {Clockwise from top left, Sevres China Collection is a precious pattern that is a must for such a significant day. / Silver tea service is perfect for brunches and lunches. Add a touch of elegance to your home buffet with our best silver tea pots and serving pieces. / Go green for Spring to jazz up a tired tabletop. A fun and fantastic mom will appreciate the change from traditional to whimsical polka dot patterns and scalloped edges. / Chloe Goblets are the perfect way to punch up your tablescapes with color.

Toast: Super Mom

For all those superhero moms out there, we're toasting all of you next week. Be sure to check back for tips on entertaining for Mother's Day, fabulous tablescapes, gifts to give, and more.

"A mother is she who can take the place of all others but
whose place no one else can take."
-- Cardinal Mermillod

Agenda: Balance

BalanceEnergy Health and Yoga studio owner and teacher Lisa Breitenwischer strikes a pose.

Did anyone else get the memo that April was Stress Awareness Month? It should be every month in the event industry, but we digress. With a busy month behind us and the beginning of another wonderful month ahead, we thought it would be nice to take time this May to stop and smell the roses. Cue to our Design District neighbor, BalancingEnergy Health and Yoga. Owner Lisa Breitenwischer's mission is to help people reduce stress, increase energy, and support and coach working women and men with their dietary needs. (Looks like she came to the right neighborhood!) Her 45-minute $5 lunch time flow on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s for those in need of a little stretch and movement during the day. The room is set to 80 degrees as many people who attend go back to their offices. We asked Lisa to share a few tips to stay sane and healthy while working long hours that will be a life savor for those of you (like us) who are tied to the desk. 

BalanceEnergy yoga instructors in the Dallas Design District.

1     First of all, tell us a little about yourself and how you came to BalancingEnergy.

I’ve been interested in health and fitness most of my life. After completing my first (and last) marathon in November 2005, I decided to run less and devote more energy towards yoga by increasing my practice to 4-5 times per week. After several months of practice, I noticed my muscles became leaner, longer, and stronger and my mind became calmer and more focused. What began as a way of staying healthy and fit soon transformed into devotion and a way of life. I became a Certified Yoga Teacher in 2005. Since that time I’ve accumulated 500 hours of teacher training under gurus Rod Stryker and Rusty Wells. In 2010, I became a Certified Holistic Health Counselor through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC and created BalancingEnergy Health and Yoga Wellness. I worked out of my house to support & coach working women and men with their dietary needs. I opened BalancingEnergy Health and Yoga Center in 2012. It is my mission to help people reduce stress, increase their energy, and bring balance to their diet and lifestyle. I feel so blessed to be living the dream!

What kind of yoga do you teach?

The style of yoga we teach is called Vinyasa Flow Yoga. It is a sequence of poses synchronized to the breath creating a flow, or meditation in motion. The room is heated to a comfortable 85 degrees and includes music.  We offer classes for all fitness levels, including All Level Vinyasa Flow, Intro to Vinyasa Flow, Core Strengthening, and Stretch and Restore classes.

What are some ways we can pause throughout the day?  

One of the best was to reduce stress and increase energy throughout the day is this simple breathing technique: Sit up tall, close your eyes, and take a deep inhale in through your nose, filling your lungs from top to bottom and side to side, and then pulling the navel towards the front spine to exhale all the air out through the nose. Repeat five times. Studies have shown this breathing technique can change beta brainwaves (fight or flight- stress) to alpha brain waves, which bring mind and body into relaxation. Not only do alpha brain waves create relaxation, but can also access creative states and enhance problem solving.

What are the best stretches for desk time all day and long nights on our feet for events?

Many of my nutritional clients are professionals that sit at a desk all day and sometimes all night; for them I recommend to get up periodically and walk around as this will help release tight hips and get energy flowing. Walking up and down the stairs if that is available to you or do seated twists while in a chair by placing the right hand outside left knee then twisting torso to the left and repeating on the opposite side. Extending arms overhead, interlacing fingers, then stretching up and over to right then over to the left is great for the upper body as well as interlacing fingers behind low back and extending hands down while drawing shoulder blades together will stretch out the neck and shoulders. You can always lower the chin down to the chest for a deeper stretch. Finally, forward folds with a soft bend in the knees are a great way to release the spine and stretch out the hamstrings.

Anything else you wish to share regarding yoga and your studio?

Our goal is to bring community together and provide ways to bring balance to body, mind and spirit through Yoga, Workshops, Nutrition, and Infrared Sauna. Check us out at www.balancingenergy.com for more info.

Thanks for sharing, Lisa!