Mini Spa Morning, A Girlfriend Get-together and Giveaway.

The Holidays are a wonderful time to get together with all those you love.  If only the holidays were spread out over a few months instead of a few weeks.  Schedules fill too fast and sometimes the holidays end up being more about your calendar than those you care about.  Frazzled over festive.

Weekend nights are a hot commodity, why not plan a soothing morning retreat instead?  This year Jenn and I dreamed up a spa morning for our girlfriends, complete with our favorite treats, a festive cocktail and our favorite type of pampering.

When creating a spa morning, these few things were key...

Food - what to serve?  Keep it simple but it's gotta be memorable, and delish.  I'm sorry, but when Martha, or whoever frankly, suggested buying your dessert to save time and energy, this is where my horrified and appalled emojies (is that plural for emoji??) comes in.  Dessert is the fait accompli.  How dare you.  However when you find a dessert that is as amazing as Pie Babies, it becomes not only acceptable but necessary to purchase dessert.  So we served our favorite cheese along with healthy, and beautiful fruit -remember you eat with your eyes first - nuts for protein, with the sweetest little pies to finish it off.

Drinks - Dry Sparkling has released two fabulous festive flavors for the holidays, cranberry and ginger.  And these make your life so easy, not only are they the perfect mixer or non-alcoholic option (did you know Dry was originally started by a momma who was pregnant and tired of all the sugar laden non-alcoholic options?  agreed.), but their holiday bottles look the part as well.  So we served up our latest fave cocktail.  Check back to the blog Wednesday for our Ginger Glow cocktail recipe.

Finally, create the mood...

Flowers - always flowers.  And my favorite trick is to have posy bouquets (think mini lovelies) that serve as decoration, and then every guest gets to take one home.  These darlings are from Thatch Floral, I love the departure from the typical, who doesn't love pink poinsettias?

Lots of Christmas lights.  Everywhere.

Candles.

Calming Spray - It's amazing what a spritz and a couple of deep breathes can do for your state of mind.  Ours was simply Doterra lavender essential oil and filtered water.

Nail Soak - Warm water and any sort of aromatics, some ideas are rosemary, lavendar, lemon peel, peppermint, rose petals...

Sugar Scrub - This is my faaaaave.  Check back tomorrow for the recipe because it just deserves it's own post.  Put this by the sink, throw some lemon halves in your sink to scrub with too.  Really the sky is the limit.

Polish - Currently, Julep is our polish of choice.  Not only do they have the best colors, and their polish lasts y'all.  Its also 5-free and vegan friendly, and their Brave Pretty campaign is all I want in advertising,

"All that matters is that you are trying it.  And having fun with it.  Knowing that there are no mistakes.  No judgements.  Because pretty shouldn't be something we define for you.  It's whatever you choose to show us."

right?

And then just for fun, we decided Tattly temporary tattoos.  Because it's fun, and festive.  and why do the kiddos get to have all the fun?    Bonus:  if kiddos are in tow, besides a key Christmas movie, temporary tattoos occupy their time well.

That's our formula.  Easy right?  And a sweet way to pamper your village.

**Giveaway Time**

What a year of growth 2016 has been.  I'm so grateful for the community that has loved and supported me, and been patient with me.  For my blogging community who faithfully checks in to see what outfit I am loving, and what ways I am telling you to step outside of your comfort zone.

So to say Thank You Thank You Thank you for this year, and in lieu of having you all over for a spa day, which of course you know we would if we could, we are doing an amazing giveaway with Julep nails for you and your bestie.  Enter to win a whole bounty of beauty products from Julep (valued at more than $100.)

Prizes include a
3 piece Eye Essentials Set with Cosmetic Bag.
Royal Suite 6 piece mini polish set.
5 piece eyeliners with sharpener
Gloss Menagerie 6 piece mini gloss set.

3 ways to enter:
1. Sign up for my mailing list (upper right column, just below my intro) and leave a comment below (simply choose OpenID option if you don't have one of the other account choices)
2. Sign up for Jenn's newsletter and leave a comment on her blog.
3.  Follow theKirstyfiles, WhatJennWore, and JulepMaven on instagram, and leave a comment tagging your bestie on either of our entry posts.  (no limit to each additional comment and bestie tagged.)

Contest ends 12am PST Friday Dec 23rd, 2016.  Winner will be announced 12/24.  United States entries only.

  find hexagon dishes (used for nail soak and ring holder), cement candles, cheese platter, wire string lights, and tattoos at Queen Anne Frame.

Photos by Jessica.

Cheers to 2016.  

best,
Kirsty

Thank you to Thatch Floral for providing the wonderful flowers, contact her for special events and find her Pop-up shop Filson Flagship Dec 20-24th.  A La Mode Pie for providing their crazy good Pie Babies, they are available for special order in the greater Seattle are, check out their holiday Egg Nog flavor.  Dry Sparkling for providing their new holiday flavors for us to mix, you can check here for availability in your area, and Julep for sponsoring our giveaway.

All opinions are absolutely my own.