Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Western Retirement Party

Event season has started, folks. Most likely, graduations, weddings, and bbq's will fill up every weekend.

This past event I decorated for was a retirement open house. The retiree is a horse-riding cowboy, so what better theme than 'western cowboy' is there?!


The western backdrop served as a focal point behind the dessert bar where 4 types of desserts were served vintage cake stands.






The rustic centerpieces featured tall sticks in mason jars and twine wrapped bottles. Both were surrounded by old medicine bottles, candles wrapped in paisely, antlers, and fresh flowers.



Photos of the retiree and funny retirement quotes were placed around the space in frames or anchored by red horse shoes.




I have a wedding this upcoming weekend, a graduation after that, and more wedding following!
Stay tuned for more photos :)

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Spring Centerpiece

March may be the 'official' the start of spring,but in my neck of the woods April is more like it. It's the season to put away those heavy sweaters and bring out your bright colored dishes!




To create a simple centerpiece, spray paint random size bird cages in the same color(s) as your dishes and linens and spread along the center of the table.




After the company leaves and the extra table comes down, these cuties are going to be hung from the ceiling in a cluster of the dining room :)



Thursday, April 12, 2012

Spring Tablescape

This year I hosted Easter at my house and would love to share my 'woodland' themed tablescape.

My inspiration came from a wedding that I am executing this coming year.  This event will be full of moss, bird nests, burlap, and touches of whimsy such as butterflies... a perfect theme for the season of new life.






To recreate a mossy, garden-themed table, dessert bar, or part in general, look around your house. Stick rocks or bird nests under cloches.  Group herbs or plants in old pots.  Layer neutral toned linens on top of burlap. Fill mason jars or twine wrapped bottles with wildflowers or greenery. Scatter branches randomly.  The best part is that if you need extra inspiration, just look outside.

I will share my other Easter tablescapes this weekend :)



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

DIY: Twine Wrapped Bottles

What do you get when you have leftover bottles, twine, and hot glue?


An easy, inexpensive DIY project!




I love how these twine-wrapped jars add texture and something natural to a room. (Side note: whether it be a wood side table, a bamboo place mat or a plant, I believe every room needs something 'from nature' in it.)



One of my favorite parts of design is mixing rustic, rough pieces with delicate items. Opposites attract...look how the pink flowers and twine complement each other :)


Mix it up by wrapping unexpected pieces such as wine glasses, use different colored twine on the jars, or gluing a strip of moss or fabric in between the twine.





What do you think? Have you ever made any?

Friday, March 30, 2012

Easter Eggs- with a Surprise

Look at my pretty little eggs I dyed.  Do they seem extra special to you?


Maybe not from that angle, but now can you see? There are brownies baked inside!!


I used the directions from la receta de la felicidad (scroll down for the English version), but tweaked them to what worked best for me. Here is how I did it...

What you need

1 Brownie recipe or box mix
12 Eggs
Corkscrew bottle opener
Piping bag
Paper towel
Muffin tin with aluminum foil or mini muffin tin
Dye kit or food coloring and vinegar

Directions
  • Dye uncooked eggs. Let dry.  (This is optional: colored eggs are not necessary)
  • Carefully poke a small hole at the bottom of each egg, using a corkscrew bottle opener.
  • Once you have poked a tiny hole, peel back the edges of the hole to expand it a bit. The holes need to be large enough to fit the tip of a piping bag inside.
  • Turn the egg upside-down and dump out the contents. (I saved the innards to use/cook with)
  • Rinse the insides of the eggs out thoroughly under the faucet.
  • Immerse eggs in saltwater for thirty minutes. Eggs need to be filled with the saltwater in order to sink.
  • Rinse the egg shells in cold water and lay the eggs hole side down in the egg carton covered in paper towel.

  • Prepare the brownie batter. I used Betty Crocker's Gluten free mix but you can use another mix or your homemade version.
  • Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil in each egg and turn it in your hand until the inside is completely covered. Dump out any excessive oil.
  • Load the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Make sure that the tip can fit the egg hole. If it can’t, expand the hole a little bit at a time until it fits. Fill your eggs about 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter.

This part gets tricky! If you overfill, the batter comes out of the egg (see below) but if you under fill the egg will crack.  You may want to try a 'test' batch like I did.

  • Place the prepared egg shells into a mini cupcake tin or use aluminum foil in a larger tin to help them stand upright.
  • Bake the eggs at 350º F for 15-20 minutes.


Learn from my mistake below! I obviously overfilled them a bit. Although it looks ugly right after baking,  just remove the excess cake and clean the shell with a damp towel. It is important to do this when the cake is still hot, because if the egg is cold it is almost impossible to get off without the shell breaking. Or you can avoid it all together by not filling up as much :)


 

After your eggs are done baking, remove them from the oven, let cool, and eat.

I placed 2 to 3 in mini bird nests on each place setting... full tablescape coming up later!

Have a great weekend!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

A front yard update

We had an old, warn out front porch that was original to our home.  It was a real eyesore- chipping paint, sagging wood planks, and rusty iron rails.  Our home doesn't have the most curb appeal in the first place and this definately didn't help.



After getting a quote for maintanance free decking vs. cedar, I had to go with the cedar. It was half the amount and I couldn't justify the other (hopefully I didn't make the wrong decision!)


I left for work at 7am with this...

 

and came home at 6pm to find this...


I call them the porch fairy :)  I wish everything around the home would go this easy...

The house is so long that the previous porch's iron railing didn't provide substance.  The new one may not be the most unique design ever but it grounds the home by providing a focal point and balances out the horizontal lines. It is also timeless and will be great for resale in the future.


Now I'm going to wait a few weeks for the wood to dry before I stain it.  Any color thoughts?

Friday, March 16, 2012

St. Patrick's Day Round-up

I'm not Irish but I sure love green! In honor of the holiday that is full of rainbows, leprechauns, shamrocks and well, GREEN, feast your eyes on these...


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Have a wonderful weekend!