5.18.2009

Silhouette appliques...my new fave!


I was making black and white skirts for the girls, and needed an idea for a shirt...somehow I came up with the silhoutte idea and I think I'm in love! I just googled "silhoutte of little girl" and then put a paper up to my computer screen and traced. I love the little girl blowing bubbles and just shortened her hair to look like Elle's. I am not sure how the sewing part is going to go to keep all the details, but Ill do my best!




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Spring Bridal Shower with flower "undertones"

I didnt know what to do for the invitations, but I remember a conversation I had with the Bride about how she was including orchids in her arrangements...so, I google "drawing of an orchid" and found this beautiful drawing. Perfect!
Since it is flower planting season (something I know nothing about), I picked up these adorable pots at target to double as favors and decorations. The day before the shower, we planted little flower in them and topped the soil with green moss.
The bride loves cheese, so I had cheese and crackers on the table for guests to munch on. I also had a barefoot contessa cookbook for guests to write advice in (I used some recipes out of the cookbook for the shower)
I love pastry-wrapped brie, more than many things...it is so easy too! Buy puff pastry sheet, let it thaw, cut off the top rine of the brie, spread raspberry jam all over it (or sliced pears, brown sugar, nuts...pretty much anything yummy) place brie in the middle of the pastry sheet and fold corner over the brie. Brush with milk if you want a shiny glaze...bake at 400 for 25 minutes!
The other cheese is a goat cheese rolled in cinnamon and cranberries. I will never be the same after discovering this at costco...it is amazing!
So here is the spread...since it was 2-4 in the afternoon, we kept it light and simple.
My signature salad that I make for everything (see recipes at the side) and rolls that I am just learning to perfect...I have made them successfully twice now!
raspberry lemonade and water with lime
Annilee made these cupcakes...chocolate cupcakes with, get this:
white chocolate raspberry cream cheese frosting! AMAZING! Ill get the recipe and try it and share!
She also made the chocolate dipped strawberries. She said she just used the Godiva milk chocolate chips, they were divine!
So, my sister gave me this idea as a shower activity. We made drink glass charms! I found a selection of different pewter charms that reminded me of the bride and groom (golf clubs, church, dog bone, flip flops, etc) When people were through eating they came and picked out colors of beads to string on the wire and the charm they wanted to add. So the bride had a little set of 10 drink charms to take home with her!

There are tutorials online as to how to make them. I bought "memory wire" in the ring size and cut loops that were 1 and a half loop in length. Then made a little loop on one end and after the guests strung the beads, made a little hook on the other end.

The of course we had to play the traditional "how well do you know eachother game" I had asked the groom all the questions before hand and wrote them on tags with the answers on the back. I tied them to little bags of candy so the guests could take turns asking the questions.

I had an empty vase that I used for a "meter" with different levels marked by ribbons.
(level one "did you even ask his name before you said yes?" etc.) If she got the question right the guest poured the candy in the vase, if she got it wrong they kept their bag!

Then for the shower favor I sent each guest home with a potted flower. The tag read "bloom in the shelter of eachother"

5.09.2009

Changing up the packaging


Sometimes I feel like cellophane bags are too cliche, especially when I use them ALL of the time. This was a fun way to branch out. To celebrate Teacher Appreciation week, I used these colored chinese take-out boxes from Michaels. Sometimes I just need to think outside the box!
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4.13.2009

Easter Adult Table


My friend Kathy always decorated the table with a big bowl of strawberries...I had to continue the tradition this year.


I fretted and fretted over "favors" or something cute for each place setting...and in the end decided to really keep it simple.


My new trick to make a quick bowl stand is to turn one bowl upside down and set the other bowl on top of it. I have been doing that more and more lately and it worked perfectly for the sour cream in the strawberry bowl.


and, this year I lined up my strawberries and bananas in the trifle! It is so much cooler looking this way! (and probably takes 2 minutes longer!)
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Easter Kids table


When you make the kids table fun, they stay there longer so YOU can relax at the adult table.

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4.05.2009

Nest Cupcakes!

I have been dreaming of these for weeks! We finally made them for Jane's blessing...and I think Ill make a couple batches more this week.

These ones are
-lemon cake mix
-sprinkles recipe cream cheese frosting
-toasted coconut
-cadbury mini eggs

the cream cheese frosting is:
1/2 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
3 3/4 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla

I always double the recipe...but then I have leftovers for weeks!
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3.23.2009

Easter in Europe...

No, there really is nothing better. I think I've ended up there twice in March..once in London and York, and once in Paris and Brugge...and the chocolate shops are MAGICAL! Anyone have any cool easter ideas this year, besides nest cupcakes? I love the enchanted egg at William Sonoma.



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