Hosting has always felt like a creative love language to me – another way of bringing a vision or idea to life through the use of decorations in order to create an experience. So when I hosted my first Girlmas in the apartment, I couldn’t help but dedicate time and love to it.
The idea for the day – an afternoon decorating gingerbread houses with three of my friends. However, I approached it the same way I approach any creative project. I wanted the experience to feel festive, lively yet elevated and inviting.
From Pinterest Inspiration to Real-Life Styling
Browsing Pinterest to draw inspiration from, I knew the goal was to focus on pinks and reds with a touch of white. Subtle festive details throughout assisted in creating a table setting that felt considered and playful.
Once the vision was in place, the sourcing for pieces begun. My go to was Kmart as I wanted pieces that were simple, accessible and affordable. As I was hosting Girlmas in my apartment, this meant working with the space I had, keeping everything functional while still visually cohesive.
What Went Wrong (and Why It Actually Worked Out)
Of course, not everything went to plan. In true creative fashion, there was a moment where I had to completely pivot.
For some reason in my mind the table I was using – the same table I shoot all of my photos on in studio – was wider than it actually was. Once I placed the placemats down, I realised how little space I had for everything else. Standing in slight disbelief, the beautifully styled table I had envisioned felt too cramped and I knew wasn’t going to work.
So I adapted, utilising my studio desk as a dedicated gingerbread house decorating station. This actually worked even better. Allowing more space to create and it felt far more intentional.
It’s a reminder that hosting, much like creative work often requires flexibility – and sometimes the best outcomes come from last-minute changes.
Creating a Gingerbread Decorating Experience
With the layout adjusted, the gingerbread decorating station became the heart of the day. Bowls of lollies, my photography props wrapped as presents and festive accents were styled around the space to make the activity feel like an experience.
I knew I wanted the space to feel soft and relaxing, so I opted to utilise my photography background stand and hang Kmart curtains from it. This also created the perfect place to put a balloon garland adding more colour and joy to the space.
Each of us had our own Gingerbread decorating station, signified by a pink and red placemat where our creations came to life. Of course, it isn’t Christmas without crackers and the ones I sourced from Kmart intertwined into the theme perfectly.
As it was a Gingerbread decorating day, the most important part was finding a Gingerbread house kit for us to use. I knew I wanted to support an Australian small business and the kit from Gingerbread Folk – a business based in the Blue Mountains of NSW was ideal. This kit made the entire day seamless and the process so much fun having a base where our minds could go wild with creativity.
More Than Just a Festive Afternoon
Girlmas was a reminder that meaningful moments don’t need a big space or a perfectly executed plan. They need intention, creativity and the right people around the table.
Spending time bringing the concept to life to some may seem extra, however it is something that truly brings me so much joy and is my way of showing the people in my life that I care about them and their experience. It was about slowing down, creating something thoughtful and treating what most would consider a simple afternoon with friends as something worth celebrating.
Hosting feels like an extension of my creativity, and this experience reminded me how powerful and rewarding it can be. Safe to say this won’t be the last time I open my home for moments like this.
