Brunch with a Preppy Twist

Finally, I downloaded my pictures from last Sunday's 80's/Preppy Party. I had so much fun planning this event!

Here's the details:

• This was my first attempt at florals for an event and I learned a lot about time management and how to NOT transport the arrangements. I used pink and green grosgrain ribbon tocreate a "tablerunner". I also used CB2 White Square Plates and Verde salad plates(no longer available :() for the table.
• Hot Pink floral arrangement on tray for ottoman
• Custom Invitation and Alligator Stamp
• Kelly Green Napkins and Pink and White Grosgrain Napkin Rings
• "80's Movie Trivia Quiz" in Silver Frame
• Guests in their 80's attire!!
  

Swanky Deal: Wisteria Flute & Sea Breeze Mimosa

Wisteria Flute on Sale at CB2 for $1.95! {Sorry, Martini no longer available}. Love the modern shape with a vintage pattern.

Try out this Sea Breeze Mimosa with your new flutes!

Ingredients

1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup pink grapefruit juice
Champagne or sparkling wine, enough to fill champagne flute

Preparation

1. Pour cranberry juice and grapefruit juice into a champagne flute or a thin glass. Fill the remaining flute or glass with champagne or sparkling wine. Serve immediately and keep the juices and bubbly chilled for refills.

Yield

Makes 1 mimosa

Sunset, MAY 2008
Picture: Leo Gong

White Wedding Inspiration

Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine is one of my favorites for inspiration. I found these fabulous white(with hints of blue) wedding shots from their website. Beyond chic!

Pictures:{Victor Sizemore, VCS Photography} {BB Photography}{Mike Colon Photographers}{Ron Manville}{Yitzhak Dalal Photography}(Jamie Watts Photographs}

2 day Summer Sale at Rock Scissor Paper

Check out the summer sale at Rock Scissor Paper! Today and tomorrow receive 20% off when you use coupon code "SUMMER". If you are looking for modern stationery or invitations with a vintage flair, this is the place to go. I especially love their personalized stationery; makes a great gift for the person who has everything!

Picture: Rock Scissor Paper

Max's First Birthday Favors from EM Tanner Designs

Loving these cute birthday favors from EM Tanner Designs! This is just one of the collections in the running for The Bachelorette Baby's 1st Birthday Party from MomLogic. EM Tanner has fabulous personalized items with a modern twist. Definitely a site to check out!!

Picture: MomLogic

Swanky Deal: Cube Vodka Shot Glass

Fab deal on super cute shot glasses! 95 cents each at Crate and Barrel!

Happy Hour: Frosty Lemon Martini

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sugar

Lemon wedge

1 cup crushed ice

6 tablespoons chilled lemon-flavored vodka

2 tablespoons chilled lemon-flavored liqueur

4 teaspoons lemon juice 2 thin strips (3 in. long) lemon peel

Directions

1. Pour sugar onto a small, rimmed plate. Rub rims of two martini glasses with lemon wedge to moisten, then dip rims into sugar to coat (see notes).
2. Place ice in a cocktail shaker. Add vodka, liqueur, and lemon juice. Shake until mixture is very cold, about 10 seconds. Strain into glasses. Garnish each with a twist of lemon peel.

Yield
Makes 2 servings

Recipe: Sunset Magazine

Picture: James Carrier

Modern Simplicity

Love this simple, but elegant, arrangement from the Knot. Gorgeous!

Picture: Love Life Images

Bamboo Centerpiece

For this fabulous outdoor centerpiece, six tealights are nestled in rock salt in a piece of timber bamboo. Great centerpiece to use all summer long! Click here for how-to.

Centerpiece: Peter O. Whiteley, Sunset Magazine
Picture: E. Spencer Toy

Fruit and Flower Centerpiece

I love stacking cake stands for serving dessert or appetizers. I love the idea of creating a centerpiece with these same elements. Floral Designer, Oscar Mora, stacks three cake stands to create this centerpiece of fruits and flowers.

Picture: Oprah.com

Fire and Water Centerpiece

I'm on vacation in Central Oregon this week and have limited access to my laptop. I'll be posting some of my favorite centerpieces each day this week. This one from Martha Stewart is super easy and gorgeous! Love the caribbean blue color!!

Swanky Deal: West Elm Lanterns

Great Deal at West Elm on these lanterns! 19.99 - 29.99

Happy Hour: Cosmic-Politan

Cosmic-Politan

Ingredients:
- 1 cup ice
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 tbsp grenadine
- 1 cup watermelon puree

Garnish: 1 mini skewer of a small piece of watermelon, pineapple and a small strawberry

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fruit skewer.

Recipe and Picture: Cocktail Times

Succulent Accents for your Event

Succulents are a great modern accent for your event! I love that they can easily be used as decor and as a favor.

Pictures: {marthastewart}{fioredesigns}{succulentla)

Swanky Deal: Spark Platter

I just received this platter and love it! Especially the price! On sale at CB2 for 5.95, reg. 14.95.

Decorate-Your-Own-Rim Bar

I love the idea of a DIY Rim Bar. Sounds like fun, and it saves me time!

From Rachel Ray:

Spice up your cocktail party with a garnish-your-own-rim bar. Just put out a bowl of lemon wedges (for wetting the glass rims) and plates of flavored sugars, salts and crushed candies. For Basil Lemon Gimlets: Hot and salty: A few dashes of cayenne pepper mixed with coarse salt Sweet and sour: Sugar In The Raw mixed with lemon zest Lemon drop: Crushed lemon candies (use a food processor)

Picture: Rachel Ray Magazine

Gourmet Dishware: Lorena Barrezueta

Can you believe these porcelain works of art are slipcast in the forms of disposable aluminum containers? I love the vivid colors of the Fresh collection from Lorena Barrezueta. These pieces would make amazing and unique gifts for friends and family. Definitely enjoy her whole collection!

Picture: Lorena Barrezueta

Modern Take on Chip & Dip

Here is an update on the classic onion dip recipe from iVillage:

Warm Scallion Dip with Salt and Pepper Potato Chips

Prep & Cooking Time: Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 0.500 cup

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Zest of 1 lime 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 bunches scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, both green and white parts 1 red or green jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional) Salt and pepper potato chips, for serving 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 cups sour cream

Directions 1. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a medium-low flame. Add the scallions and cook until soft, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly in the saute pan. 2. Stir in the lime zest and juice, sour cream, salt and pepper. Serve warm with potato chips. Recipe by Rori Trovato; photo by Luca Trovato

Happy Hour: Celebrity Signature Cocktail

Adding a signature cocktail to your event is a fabulous way to add a personal and festive touch. Here are three signature cocktail's from celebrity weddings:

Scott Wolf's Kir Royale
½ oz. Chambord
4 ½ oz. brut champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Pour Chambord into flute glass and top with champagne. For an optional garnish place partially split seedless red grape on rim. From Vince Pianalto, La Maison des Tartes, Fayetteville, Ark.

Katey Sagal's Blood-Orange Martini
3 oz. Charbay blood-orange vodka
1 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. blood-orange juice

Combine ingredients in shaker filled with ice; shake well. Strain into chilled martini glass. If desired, garnish with orange twist or blood-orange slice. From Peggy Dark, the Kitchen for Exploring Foods, Pasadena, Calif.

Tori Spelling's White Orchid
2 oz. vodka
2 tbsp white-cranberry juice
1 tbsp triple sec
1 tbsp lime juice

Combine ingredients in shaker filled with ice; shake well. Strain into chilled martini glass. Place small orchid on rim as optional garnish.

Instyle Weddings, From Mindy Weiss, Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, Beverly Hills
Photo: David Lawrence

Party Like a Swede!

Stacy at InkSpot Workshop turned me on to these great cocktail twists from Party Stockholm that she found at the International Gift Show in Atlanta. They are little candy twists that hang on the rim of your glass with one end dipped into your drink. As the candy dissolves, it flavors your drink. So clever! Choose from four flavors{espresso, citron, apple, and peppermint} or make it simple and pick up a Cocktail Twist Four-Pak. Cheers!

Backyard Brunch for the Family

Love this family friendly brunch from Blueprint/Martha Stewart Magazine.

The colorful kids Grazing Table idea is a fabulous idea and I dig the Toast Station! The recipes look delicious, and they give you step-by-step instructions for the day of the party, so it makes it super easy to pull off!! This is a great idea for a family reunion.

I'm off to Class Today...

I'm off to my all day Floral Design Class today. In honor of class, here's a fabulous floral design from Alana Rose Designs. Love the contemporary feel, vivid colors, and the container. Gorgeous!

Picture: Alana Rose Designs

A Bowl Full of Cherry Love...

What could be sweeter than a Cherry Theme for a summer event? I absolutely love the wedding cake inspired by a fabric with a calico cherry print. A Paper Cherry Blossom Display would look stunning on a buffet table. Don't forget a Cherry Gift Tag and Invitation from Tiny Prints.
Yummy Cherry Treats:

Cherry Favors Love the scalloped bags!
Sour Cherry Gin Slings
Sour Cherry Turnovers
The Cherry Bomb A perfect mocktail for the Mother-to-Be!





Pictures: {marthastewart}{TinyPrints}{Gin Slings:John Kernick}{FoodandWine}

Fabulous Pink Rose Cake

How fabulous is this Pink Rose Cake by Ron Ben-Israel? It is made up of 150 individual petals? It took 4 people two days to hand make and paint this cake. Be sure to check out more of his brilliant cakes at Ron Ben-Israel cakes. You can design your whole event around one of his works of art. Amazing!

Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
From InStyle Weddings
Picture: Ngoc Minh Ngo

Swanky Deal: PBK Baseball Table Runners

Super Cute Table Runners for your Baseball Birthday Party! On Sale at Pottery Barn Kids for $8.99 - $9.99!

b|e creative Etsy Store OPEN

Hope everyone had a fabulous 4th! FYI The b|e creative Etsy Store just opened. New items will be added all this week.

Pink Peony Flower Boxes

Pink Flower Boxes Centerpiece/Favors from Martha Stewart. Smashing!

Happy Hour: BlueTini

Happy Fourth of July!
Kick off your holiday with a Bluetini!!

Bluetini

Crushed ice
3 ounces (1/3 cup) vodka
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Hpnotiq liqueur
Lemon, lime, and orange slices to garnish

Fill shaker with crushed ice. Add liquors. Shake vigorously, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with sliced citrus. Makes 1 serving

Recipe: Coastal Living, Picture: Colleen Duffley

Pimp your Table with NEW items from CB2

Fabulous new colors and designs from CB2 for entertaining. Above are some of favorites from their new collection.

{top row}
Morocco Dinnerware:: 4.95-7.95 Love this orange Moorish tile design! Gorgeous!
Morocco Platter:: 12.95 Great as a charger too!
Subliminal Dinnerware:: 3.95-4.95- Great price and love the bowl!

{second row}
Comic Appetizer Plates:: 2.95 Fun for Super Hero or Comics Party too!

{third row}
Gigi Stemware:: 4.95 The perfect modern stemware!
Gem Martini:: 4.95 So festive! I must have the pink for my "Pretty in Pink" party!
Ibiza Wine Glasses:: 3.95 Do I buy all one color or mix it up?

{bottom row}
Curve Appetizer Spoon:: .95
Valencia Flute:: 4.95 Matching Martini Glass also. Love the flourish design.
Subliminal Cooler:: 4.50

Pictures from CB2

A Perfect Combination: Lemon-Lime

Such a Fresh and Sunny combination, Lemons and Limes just make me think SUMMER!
Lemon and Lime Ice Cubes
Lime Centerpiece
Citrus Decor
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Night Light Tables
Mint Lemonade
Citrus Programs

PICTURES: {Martha Stewart}{the Knot, Chris Bickford Photography}{RachelRay}(Sunset}{Cocktail Times}

Yummy 4th Treat: Berry Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

This yummy 4th of July treat sounded too good not to share!

Berry Cakes with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Recipe by Tara Bench(Rachel Ray Magazine)
Makes 9 Cakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup mixed fresh berries, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon



1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a muffin pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons cream, the vanilla and the salt and mix until combined, scraping as necessary. Beat in the flour until incorporated. Using a spatula, gently stir in the berries.
2. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, about three-quarters full. Top each cake with a few berries and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over the cakes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan, then run a knife around the edges and remove.
3. In a small bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cream with the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon until soft peaks form. Serve with the cakes.

Picture: Cedric Angeles

Custom Stamps for your Invitation at Zazzle

I was working on a July Preppy Party and thought it would be fun to design a stamp to match the invite! I had so much fun designing the alligator stamp for the party that I designed a few more on Zazzle(see above examples). For 14.95 - $18.95 for 20 stamps, (discount if you order 2 or more) you get a fabulous accent to your invite. Zazzle makes it really easy by providing a template for you to download, just add a graphic or photo and you are ready to go! Happy Designing!