On Wednesday I held my first ever Stella and Dot trunk show for my most gorgeous friend and uber stylist Patricia McGinnis, it was absolutely brilliant, the most fun I’ve had in ages.

It was effortless to organise too, all I did was decide on a date  with Patricia, who was endlessly patient when I changed it three times and even managed to grit her teeth and smile when I changed the time without telling her (sorry!).

There is a lovely email invite and , if you are particularly organised, paper invitations so your guests can feel even more special (I think Patricia realised I didn’t fit in this category so offered to send mine for me). I chose the lazy girl option of thinking I had lots of time and panicking the week before when I realised I had done nothing then frantically sending out text message so I was thrilled (and definitely relieved) when almost everyone said they would love to come. A few had already heard of Stella and Dot and those who hadn’t were equally enthusiastic after a quick google.

Patricia’s advice was to concentrate on the booze and not to worry too much about food as nothing gets eaten and it was very true, I picked up a few cupcakes and my  friend Sarah brought the most fabulous cake pops (these could be my new obsession). The champagne flowed and cake pops were immensely popular,  there were none left by the end of the evening, these are the easiest party food as they are small, manageable and come on a stick, cupcakes are just so passe now (although I would never say no).

This is the only photo of the evening as I was having too lovely a time to even think of my camera, I am wearing my amazing Indira and Patricia is modelling her Graceful Nomad.

Patricia arrived 30 minutes before the party was due to start and set up her display of the most inviting jewellery, then the fun began. I had been a little nervous about hosting a trunk show as I was worried people would feel under pressure to buy but it was just brilliant. The jewellery was so accessible and the guests who ranged from mummy friends to my (well into their 60s) mum and aunt really enjoyed trying the different pieces on. This is were Patricia came into her own, she floated between groups offering advice, helping with different looks and making suggestions but never ever being pushy or intrusive.

The jewellery aside it was so lovely to have some child free time with my mummy friends and to chat over a glass of champagne,  it was just a great excuse to get together. I think more Wednesday evenings should be dedicated to champagne and cake pops.

As a hostess you receive fantastic rewards for hosting a trunk show, I was so busy having such a lovely time last night that I wasn’t really aware of how much was being purchased so when Patricia told me today what my reward was I nearly fell off my chair. Plus there is currently an extra reward of £50 for trunk shows hosted in July and August so I foresee beautiful, free (if you are reading Mr Belfast Mummy) jewellery in my future but to be honest I would have done it all for nothing as it was such a wonderful event.

Patricia slipped off into the night while we polished off the rest of the champagne, the only downside being it was a weeknight so it meant an early start and rather unproductive day at work, which I suppose really depends on your definition of unproductive as I did peruse the Stella and Dot website at length trying to decide on my reward pieces.