Chinese New Year Count Down!

Okay, so I've been invited into this dinner club. Quite intimate-14 couples! A bit overwhelming, but it sounded like lots of fun. The only stipulation was that I host the first month. Well, that was January. On the heels of Christmas? Really? I finally pulled it together for February and, in an effort to redeem my tardiness, I promised a themed blowout-- a Chinese New Year extravaganza. Really I just wanted an excuse to indulge my love of all things Asian and to do a cute evite with that beautiful watercolor of a tiger. But it seems people took statements like, "surprise guests will perform ancient Chinese arts" to heart. I was referring to my 11-year old son, who has just learned the Chinese Diablo yo-yo in P.E. class. Anyway, needless to say, pressure is on to really bring it for this party. I think somewhere in my party planning euphoria I even asked everyone to come in costume.

So...I took a first trip to LA's Chinatown with my girls a couple of weeks ago. The boys were happy to stay home and watch football. We picked up lots of cheap, pretty things and for a week or two I basked in the glow of my good time management. But somehow my complacency has caught up with me so here I am hoping to pull it together in the next 4 days! Last night I sketched out the tablescapes. We'll set up the buffet in the dining room which, in this new house, has to double as my studio/home office. (Yes, reorganizing all that for the party was just loads of fun.) I've done my usual: made lists, sketches, resisted the urge to shop without very specific plans (must watch over-spending), and hopefully it will all turn out.