Celebrate Halloween!
September 18, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Guess what’s on newsstands!
This is such a beautiful issue. Even if you’re not big on Halloween, it’s still full of fabulous entertaining and decorating ideas and amazing recipes. Go pick up your copy now!
wedding festivities: lingerie shower
May 21, 2012 § 3 Comments
Well, my sister Brynn Bralley is now Brynn Campbell. She and Tyler were married on Saturday. It was a stunningly beautiful ceremony and a fabulous reception. I can’t believe my sister is married!
Brynn and Tyler’s first dance
The weeks leading up to the wedding were exciting but busy! I’ve been swamped, but I wanted to back track for a bit and share some of the lingerie shower my sister Brass and I hosted for Brynn. We served brunch with coffee and mimosas and had a bit of fun with the decor.
I draped the table in lace fabric and placed purple flowers in a green vase (purple with pops of green were Brynnie’s wedding colors).
On the menu:
~ Doughnut Holes from Shiply’s Do-nuts
~ Hashbrown Bake (Recipe via Celebrate‘s Spring 2012 issue)
~ Fruit Salad (fresh fruit drizzled with honey, tossed with sliced almonds)
~ Pink Panty Mimosa (See recipe below)
Then comes our favorite part…
Panty bunting! We raided the clearance bin at Gap Body and found a supply of sheer panties that would go lovely against a window.
We hung them with string and tiny clothespins (which we found at Joann’s Fabrics). Extra panties were sitting in a basket on the floor, so girls got to grab one as a favor as they headed out.
Ok — recipe time! Here’s how you make our signature cocktail.
Pink Panty Mimosa
Makes 8 to 10 servings
1 bottle champagne
3/4 of 1 (128-ounce) raspberry lemonade*
1 cup raspberry liqueur
Fresh raspberries
Combine champagne, lemonade, and liqueur in a large pitcher. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
*I used Simply Lemonade Raspberry.
Serve this cocktail in little mason jars for an extra dose of vintage elegance.
So happy for my sister!
valentine’s love
February 7, 2012 § 3 Comments
What are you doing with your sweetie?
Image credit: A Subtle Revelry
This Valentine’s Day, James and I are heading to Nicks in the Sticks. We’ve talked about going far too many times, so I told him all I want for Valentine’s Day is to enjoy a beautiful steak in this off-the-beaten-path locale.
But, perhaps after our dinner, I might take a cue from Victoria from A Subtle Revelry, and snuggle up with a sweet and nostalgic dessert with just a twist of creativity. Maybe we’ll toast marshmallows in our fireplace, and melt our s’mores with peanut butter cups and berries. Oh how romantic!
Image credit: A Subtle Revelry
Combine this with blankets, pillows, and love, and what a great Valentine’s Day to celebrate with my betrothed.
What are you planning for this Valentine’s Day? A romantic night out with your sweetheart? Or will you be cozying it up indoors?
a beer & cheese christmas party
December 13, 2011 § 3 Comments
James and I hosted a little get together over the weekend in Tuscaloosa. The theme? Beer and cheese (two of my favorite things, of course).
This party is quite easy to throw, especially if you’re on a budget, like we are. We asked our friends to bring their favorite craft brews of choice, and we supplied the cheese.
My tablescape was easy. I used wooden cutting boards to create a rustic feel and allow the cheese to be the stars of the show. I put out a few more items (cherry tomatoes, olives, pigs in a blanket for a hearty snack) and I designed my own little cheese labels. I purchased a small rosemary tree (which I see as an investment because I can cook with it!) to bring the holiday spirit to the table. And I was inspired by the tree to pull off sprigs and use them as skewers for mozzarella (Thank you, Celebrate, for teaching me that little trick). And finally I created and printed out a sheet that suggested beer pairings for guests to use as a guide.
I also set up a bar, and asked everyone to place their empty bottles so we could admire what each person was drinking. And I set out a bottle opener and a little bowl for caps (to add to my collection, of course).
Host your own party! It is easy and inexpensive to pull off this time of year. And you can use my printables. Click here to download them.
Also — don’t forget to participate in my first giveaway! One lucky reader will win a $15 gift card to Whole Foods. Contest ends soon, so get your entries in asap. Check out the details here.
wine & cheese
November 1, 2011 § 2 Comments
Yesterday’s post got me thinking about trying exciting and new cheese all day long. I can’t begin to describe what a great time I can have at the cheese section at Whole Foods. No matter what I go into that store for, I must make a stop in that beautiful corner just to sample something fun.
I feel like a wine and cheese party would be a fun idea sometime soon.
Image credit: The Pretty Blog
Image credit: The Pretty Blog
The Pretty Blog has some absolutely adorable and free downloadables to jazz up a great wine and cheese party. Aren’t those cute? Now I just have to figure out when to have my party—and what kind of cheese to get.
