Candy on the Brain

I'm working on a candy station that I'll be doing at a wedding show next week, so I
have some serious sugar on the brain. I ordered my candy from Bulkfoods and Ohnuts. Both orders arrived well packed and candy was very fresh.(Of course, I had to have a sample) Above are some of my favorite candy pics from Brides and Miette. Love those blue star lollipops. You can find them at Candy Warehouse. Happy New Year!! Cheers!

Swanky Deal: Serving Stands

On sale at Crate and Barrel for $9.99 - $19.99. Get them while they last.

Swanky Giveaway: Win 200 Save the Dates!!

What better way to start the week then with a fantastic giveaway from Magnet Street Weddings! If you are looking for a memorable and unique Save the Date card this is it!! All of the Save the Date Magnets, Mini Magnets, Photo Booth Magnets, and Cards can be customized with fonts, colors, and text to perfectly match your event. To enter the contest for 200 Save the Date Cards (any style/color), head on over to Magnet Street Weddings and pick out your favorite design. Leave a comment here stating how you would customize the design or if you like it as is. Please leave blog or email address so we can contact you also. The contest ends at Midnight Pacific Time on January 4th. The winner will be announced on January 5th. Good Luck!!

Quick Ham, Egg, and Cheese Bake

Just threw this little casserole in the oven. Super easy!! Click HERE for the recipe. Hope its yummy.
Merry Christmas!
Image + Recipe: Everyday with Rachel Ray

Swanky Deal: 9.99 Shaker

My favorite shakers on sale for $9.99 at Pottery Barn. Happy Holidays!

Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Wedding Paper Divas Giveaway is ABBIE who commented:

The damask wedding invitation is very tropical to me... it'd be a great invite to a wedding in Hawaii! Love it!

Congratulations, Abbie!

Last Day of the Wedding Paper Divas Giveaway!!

Last Day to Enter!! Click HERE for details!

Just Married Car Magnets

Don't forget to decorate the send-off car!! Forget the cans, shaving cream, and toilet paper.
Love these fun magnets from Magnet Street Weddings. You will find many styles and colors that will coordinate with the wedding theme and can be personalized!!

Image{MagnetStreetWeddings}

Yummy Appetizer:Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread

Ingredients

• 4-ounce bar of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 ounces (1 cup) cold crumbled blue cheese, such as Stilton
• Crackers or crostini, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese with a wooden spoon until softened. Mix in walnuts; season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in blue cheese, breaking up as little as possible. Transfer mixture to a small bowl; smooth top. Serve with crackers or crostini. To store: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, up to 1 week.

Image + Recipe{Martha Stewart}

Happy Hour: Lollipop Cocktail Stirrer

Add a colorful lollipop to a vodka tonic and you have a fun and festive cocktail. Find old-fashioned lollipops at Candy Creek and TOUCANDY.

Image + Idea{Real Simple}

Wedding Paper Divas Contest Reminder!

Don't forget to enter the Wedding Paper Divas Contest HERE. Wedding Paper Divas is the site to go to for Wedding Invitations, Wedding Announcements, and Thank You Notes.
You will find gorgeous personalized stationery and invites, even if you are not a Bride-to-Be. Contest ends at Midnight Pacific Time, winner will be announced on 12/23. Good Luck!!

Platinum Vases from Pottery Barn

These Platinum Bosphorus Vases from Pottery Barn add a great contemporary sparkle to the generic cylinder vase. They would make fun containers for a candy station also.

Image{PotteryBarn}

Snow Day Save the Date

We are becoming quite familiar with snow days around here. Thought this was such a cute winter wedding Save the Date from Red Bliss.

Image{Brides.com, Dasha Wright}

TABLETOPICS TO GO Sale

These TableTopics to Go are a fun stocking stuffer for the Hostess in the family. I love the WineTopics for a wine tasting party or NewYearsTopics for toasting in 2009. TableTopics.com is offering a Buy 3, Get one FREE on all TableTopics to Go with promo code 08ss. Today is the last day, so click on over.

Image{TableTopics}

Happy Hour: Mocha Nog Punch

This is a yummy take on the classic egg nog punch. Cheers!

Mocha Nog Punch

10 parts Kahlua Mocha
5 parts Absolut Vanilla
20 parts Egg nog

Combine ingredients and serve in a punchbowl with a floating ice block.

Hint: freeze ice with coffee beans for decoration.

Recipe+Image{Marie Claire}

Swanky Tables on A Savvy Event Blog today

I'm guest blogging over at A Savvy Event today for DIY Thursday. Go check it out!

Table Details:
Glass Vases {CB2}
Save the Date Cards {Wedding Paper Divas}
Place Card Holders {MyWeddingFavors}

Ginger Pig Favors

Here's a fun little favor for the holidays. A ginger pig tied with ribbon from Rachel Ray Magazine. So cute, yet so easy. You can find pig cookie cutters HERE. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 stick (4 ounces) chilled unsalted butter 2 tablespoons dark molasses 5 to 7 tablespoons cold brewed coffee

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and flour. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (If you prefer, do this in a food processor.)
2. In a small bowl, combine the molasses and 5 tablespoons of the coffee and add to the flour mixture; blend to make a smooth but stiff dough. If the dough is too dry, add more coffee, 1 teaspoon at a time. If the dough is too soft, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured board, roll one-fourth of the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness; refrigerate the remaining dough. Use a pig (or any other shape) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies; space the ginger pigs about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Image and Recipe: Everyday with Rachel Ray

Holiday Mantels from Oprah

Love these holiday mantels from Oprah Magazine. You could easily transport these same color schemes and decor to your holiday table. Love the silver balls in the apothecary jars and the red and white modern mantle. Gorgeous!

Swanky Giveaway:$100 Wedding Paper Divas Gift Certificate

What better way to start out the week than a fabulous Destination Wedding Invitation Contest from one of my very favorite stationery sites, Wedding Paper Divas! One lucky Swanky Tables reader will have the chance to win a $100 gift certificate for a fantastic shopping spree at Wedding Paper Divas. The contest runs from today, December 8th, through Midnight, December 22nd. Here's how you enter:

• Envision your ideal destination wedding and then visit the Wedding Paper Divas Signature Collection of wedding invitations and select the design that best represents your perfect destination.
• Save your design in an account you create at Wedding Paper Divas.
• Lastly, share your ideal destination and the invitation design you picked in the comments here at swanky tables.
  

A winner will be chosen at random on December 23rd. As you can see from the pictures above, my perfect destination would definitely be warm, surrounded by turquoise water and umbrella drinks. Good Luck everyone!

Images{WeddingPaperDivas}{theknot}{InstyleWeddings}

DIY modern lights for your holiday soirée

These DIY string lamps from ReadyMade Magazine will send you back to the days of paper maché in elementary school. A fun accent for your Holiday or New Years party just make sure you place the bulb in the middle of the globe(you don't want to cause a fire) Yikes! Click HERE for instructions. I think they would be fabulous with or without a light, actually. Happy Crafting.

Image{ReadyMade}

Happy Hour: Pomegranate Key Lime Cocktail + Planning a Party from your Cube

Doesn't this cocktail sound festive and refreshing? Perfect drink to start your weekend. Also, check out this great article at Career Overview: 100 Web Tools to Plan the Party of the Year From Your Cube. Ahh, some days I miss that little cube, with no windows, in the basement of adidas. Ok, not so much, just the people that surrounded my cube. Happy Friday, Cheers!

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup club soda
• 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice (about 3 limes)
• Crushed ice
• Key lime slices (optional)

Preparation

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool.

Combine sugar syrup, club soda, pomegranate juice, vodka, and lime juice. Place crushed ice in a martini shaker; add about 3/4 cup pomegranate mixture. Cover and shake. Strain into a glass. Garnish with lime slice, if desired. Repeat procedure with remaining pomegranate mixture.

Image + Recipe{CookingLightMagazine}

Swanky Deal:: Free Shipping at beau-coup!

Starting today, free shipping when you spend $50 or more at beau-coup. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful holiday favors. I especially love the mini holiday brownie pops.
They would be perfect for a dessert bar too.

Image{beau-coup}

Swanky Deal: Marie Antoinette Coup Glasses

Love these glasses in bright colors from Pottery Barn! On special for $18 for four, reg $28.

Custom Bridesmaid Clutch

Looking for a fabulous gift for your bridesmaids? How about a custom clutch that your girlfriends will love, and you can design to match your event. Create your perfect bag at Dylan & Dillion. You can even choose the color of swarovski crystal for your charm. What a lovely holiday gift for your girlfriend, mother, or daughter. Happy Shopping!

Image{Dylan&Dillion)

Black + White Party Pics

Finally, pics from the Black and White Party. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so I had to use my iphone. I had so much fun putting the dessert bar together with black licorice and white and dark chocolate goodies. My favorite dessert was the devils food and eggnog mini cupcakes from cupcake jones in Portland. Delish. Guests wore black and white attire and the signature cocktail was a white cosmo served in black martini glasses. Guest took home black and white treats in little favor boxes. I used black and white fabric from IKEA for the tablecloth. For the dessert bar I turned over white ceramic vases and decorated them with black rub-ons from Paper Zone. I'm definitely using those rub-ons in the future, they are pretty easy to put on and add a nice detail, to what would have been a boring white vase. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Cheers!