Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Holiday Family Fun
12.17.2012
Eclectic Hay Loft Wedding Inspiration
3.01.2012
Love everything about this rustic winter wedding shoot, submitted by Erin Johnson Photography. Inspired by books, candlesticks and a pug named Hank, this eclectic collaboration offers much eye candy and some truly unique inspiration. Read on below for all the details...
photos © erin johnson photography
We centered the dining table on top of our black and white cheveron rug and covered it with a steely-lavendar pin-tuck tablecloth. We set the table with a neural floral arrangement dotted with succulents and dogwood, striped black and white candles in mercury glass candleholders, vintage mis-matched china and silverware.
The invitations are based on the 9ft sign and pull in Hank, the pug. The RSVP offers guests the chance to “enthusiastically decline” or check a box that says, “think you’re just out for the gift."
The escort cards were strung up on old birdcage stands. Every escort card has a personalized button for each guest and the table number and book title to help them find their seat. Local artists, Allison and Rachel Pegoraro made a thumbpring guest book.
We put together a type of “Smash Book” as a more organic type of guestbook. Lots of sentence starters, fill in the blank decals and loads of stickers allow guests to put their own spin on the guestbook. Pictures of Hank, the pug, are in frames near the seating areas with piles of our favorite books. The postcard carousel on the coffee table holds cards for the bride and groom.
We collaborated with some of our favorite vendors in the Twin Cities to bring this shoot to life...
Seven Oaks Farm: Venue- opening in 2013
Erin Johnson: Photography
From Erin + Carly: The inspiration for this shoot came from some black and white striped
candle sticks, our love of books and my pug, Hank. {Check out the canvas
of Hank!} In Seven Oaks Farm's huge hay loft, we hung a 9ft love story
poster between huge, velvet drapes. {The 9 foot banner is Carly's love
story--it tells how she met and dated her now husband. It has some great
lines...she tells how he drove on their first date and says: "What was
she thinking?! He could have been an axe murderer!" He taught her to
shuffle. She watched Lord of the Rings.}
We centered the dining table on top of our black and white cheveron rug and covered it with a steely-lavendar pin-tuck tablecloth. We set the table with a neural floral arrangement dotted with succulents and dogwood, striped black and white candles in mercury glass candleholders, vintage mis-matched china and silverware.
The centerpiece stood atop a covered coffee table book and
"The Dangerous Book For Boys." Inside the glass cloche stood a handmade
"6", a bingo card with the 6 highlighted, a domino adding up to six, an
old six of hearts playing card and more... The escort cards were strung
up on old birdcage stands. Each escort card had a personalized button
for each guest, the table number and a book title to help guest find
their seat.
Sarah, from On Solid Ground Vintage Rental, and Ashley,
from Simply Elegant Bridal Consulting, put together the darling dessert
table and seating area. Our set-up is inspired by our love of books,
typeface or fonts, black and white stripes, and Carly's pug, Hank.
The invitations are based on the 9ft sign and pull in Hank, the pug. The RSVP offers guests the chance to “enthusiastically decline” or check a box that says, “think you’re just out for the gift."
The favors are handmade key chains with each guests
first inital. The brown boxes are die-cut boxes from Archivers. We
folded them, filled them with excelsior nests and our favor. The
handmade tags say "thank you for joining us today."
The escort cards were strung up on old birdcage stands. Every escort card has a personalized button for each guest and the table number and book title to help them find their seat. Local artists, Allison and Rachel Pegoraro made a thumbpring guest book.
We put together a type of “Smash Book” as a more organic type of guestbook. Lots of sentence starters, fill in the blank decals and loads of stickers allow guests to put their own spin on the guestbook. Pictures of Hank, the pug, are in frames near the seating areas with piles of our favorite books. The postcard carousel on the coffee table holds cards for the bride and groom.
We collaborated with some of our favorite vendors in the Twin Cities to bring this shoot to life...
Seven Oaks Farm: Venue- opening in 2013
Erin Johnson: Photography
Girl Friday: Design/ Production
Simply
Elegant Bridal Consulting: Coordination
On Solid Ground Vintage Rental: Rentals and Styling
On Solid Ground Vintage Rental: Rentals and Styling
Lime Canary Vintage Rental: Rentals
Festivities: Rentals
Chowgirls Killer Catering: Catering
Brides of France: Estate Furs and Vintage Jewelry
Brides of France: Estate Furs and Vintage Jewelry
Something Borrowed: Headpieces
Jen Mar Creations: Designed the dress for the occasion
Rosan Konieczny: Calligrapher
Sweet Peas: Florist
Sweet Peas: Florist
Allison and Rachel Pegoraro: Custom thumprint "guestbook"
Salon Rox: Make-up
Salon Etica: Hair
Models: Maggie Klein, Hannah Jackson and Nina Jackson
A Brunch Picnic
2.23.2012
Hello again from Caroline of Coeur De La! Going on a picnic is one of my favorite past times. I love filling up my basket with an assortment of delicious foods and heading out for a relaxing afternoon. Well, it also just so happens that I love to picnic when the weather is cool and crisp, and a wool blanket is not only a must have for sitting on but to snuggle up and keep warm. Lucky for you, February and March happen to be some of the best months for a winter picnic.
Now when most people think of picnic foods they think along the lines of lunch, but I am going to change your way of thinking and entice you to plan a picnic brunch. Brunch foods are perfect for a winter picnic as they involve coffee, scones, and breakfast sandwiches that will keep you nice and warm while you picnic outside.
The Perfect Picnic Brunch Menu
Scones
I planned our picnic brunch menu around seasonal ingredients and what I love to bake at the cafe I work at. I found a cute box to line with parchment paper for my box of scones. My scone of choice right now is a maple date walnut scone that is perfectly sweet, warm, and all together perfect for a chilly afternoon. The morning of our picnic I woke up early, mixed my dough, and stored half the dough in the freezer for another day, and baked a half dozen maple date walnut scones. I love the way my kitchen smells while baking scones. Even when these scones cool they still have the ability to keep you warm, and when served with a piping cup of coffee, you will never want to leave your picnic blanket.
Greek Yogurt Parfaits with Granola
I love making simple yogurt parfaits in mason jars as they are easy to transport, look cute, and are a great alternative to scones. I found some tasty granola at the Davis Co-Op (you can easily make your own granola), layered a mason jar with granola and yogurt, capped my mason jar, and had the simplest and tastiest yogurt parfaits for our picnic.
Breakfast Baguette Sandwiches
with smoked bacon, chevre, fried egg and arugula
I love having a fresh sandwich on a picnic and even though it was a brunch picnic, I knew a breakfast sandwich would be easy to transport, filling, and satisfying. My husband and I love breakfast sandwiches, so when we unwrapped our parchment paper and took our first bite into our sandwich, warm egg yolk dripped all over our hands while chevre, crispy bacon, and arugula popped with flavor ... we knew that these sandwiches would be a picnic brunch staple. You can easily adapt this recipe to your liking and make a just as tasty vegetarian option with sun dried tomatoes, chevre, and arugula.
Coffee or Tea
We filled a thermos with Guatemalan coffee (a gift from my husband's brother) and brought two mugs so we could enjoy coffee. For me, there is nothing quite like sitting on a blanket in the early hours of a crisp cool morning drinking a hot cup of coffee. If you like cream and sugar just pack two small mason jars with cream and sugar and you are set ... morning coffee perfection while you picnic.
Seasonal Fruit
To balance the meal out we chose to bring seasonal fruit for dessert. We brought several dates and deliciously sweet pears that capped off our morning picnic. We packaged our fruit in small brown bags and made sure to bring a knife for slicing.
There is nothing quite like savoring the last few sips of coffee, sitting outside on a crisp cool morning, and truly appreciating a good meal. A meal that transformed our winter afternoon and brought warmth to the rest of our week. So, the next time you are in a mood for a picnic, plan a picnic brunch with those you love.
photos © coeur de la
Breakfast Sandwiches on Baguettes
with chevre, arugula, bacon and fried egg
Ingredients
-one small package of chevre
-a bundle of arugula, no more than a handful
-4-6 strips of bacon
-2 farmers' market eggs (or any egg)
Directions
1. Beforehand, cook your bacon till nice and crisp, pat dry as bacon is greasy. Then fry two eggs till over medium in a small pan.
2. Slice a baguette into thirds ... use two for your sandwich and save the other to slice into pieces for jam. Toast your baguette ... we like to do so in our oven for several minutes
3. Slice your two baguette pieces in half and spread a thick layer of goat cheese, then add your arugula.
4. Place three strips of bacon on your open sandwich with the arugula and chevre. For the final touch, add your fried egg. Place the other piece of your baguette on top and wrap your sandwich with parchment paper and tie with twine.
You can adapt this sandwich to your liking, but have fun making a savory brunch sandwich as they go perfectly with a warm cup of coffee!
Now when most people think of picnic foods they think along the lines of lunch, but I am going to change your way of thinking and entice you to plan a picnic brunch. Brunch foods are perfect for a winter picnic as they involve coffee, scones, and breakfast sandwiches that will keep you nice and warm while you picnic outside.
The Perfect Picnic Brunch Menu
Scones
I planned our picnic brunch menu around seasonal ingredients and what I love to bake at the cafe I work at. I found a cute box to line with parchment paper for my box of scones. My scone of choice right now is a maple date walnut scone that is perfectly sweet, warm, and all together perfect for a chilly afternoon. The morning of our picnic I woke up early, mixed my dough, and stored half the dough in the freezer for another day, and baked a half dozen maple date walnut scones. I love the way my kitchen smells while baking scones. Even when these scones cool they still have the ability to keep you warm, and when served with a piping cup of coffee, you will never want to leave your picnic blanket.
Greek Yogurt Parfaits with Granola
I love making simple yogurt parfaits in mason jars as they are easy to transport, look cute, and are a great alternative to scones. I found some tasty granola at the Davis Co-Op (you can easily make your own granola), layered a mason jar with granola and yogurt, capped my mason jar, and had the simplest and tastiest yogurt parfaits for our picnic.
Breakfast Baguette Sandwiches
with smoked bacon, chevre, fried egg and arugula
I love having a fresh sandwich on a picnic and even though it was a brunch picnic, I knew a breakfast sandwich would be easy to transport, filling, and satisfying. My husband and I love breakfast sandwiches, so when we unwrapped our parchment paper and took our first bite into our sandwich, warm egg yolk dripped all over our hands while chevre, crispy bacon, and arugula popped with flavor ... we knew that these sandwiches would be a picnic brunch staple. You can easily adapt this recipe to your liking and make a just as tasty vegetarian option with sun dried tomatoes, chevre, and arugula.
Coffee or Tea
We filled a thermos with Guatemalan coffee (a gift from my husband's brother) and brought two mugs so we could enjoy coffee. For me, there is nothing quite like sitting on a blanket in the early hours of a crisp cool morning drinking a hot cup of coffee. If you like cream and sugar just pack two small mason jars with cream and sugar and you are set ... morning coffee perfection while you picnic.
Seasonal Fruit
To balance the meal out we chose to bring seasonal fruit for dessert. We brought several dates and deliciously sweet pears that capped off our morning picnic. We packaged our fruit in small brown bags and made sure to bring a knife for slicing.
There is nothing quite like savoring the last few sips of coffee, sitting outside on a crisp cool morning, and truly appreciating a good meal. A meal that transformed our winter afternoon and brought warmth to the rest of our week. So, the next time you are in a mood for a picnic, plan a picnic brunch with those you love.
Breakfast Sandwiches on Baguettes
with chevre, arugula, bacon and fried egg
Ingredients
-one small package of chevre
-a bundle of arugula, no more than a handful
-4-6 strips of bacon
-2 farmers' market eggs (or any egg)
Directions
1. Beforehand, cook your bacon till nice and crisp, pat dry as bacon is greasy. Then fry two eggs till over medium in a small pan.
2. Slice a baguette into thirds ... use two for your sandwich and save the other to slice into pieces for jam. Toast your baguette ... we like to do so in our oven for several minutes
3. Slice your two baguette pieces in half and spread a thick layer of goat cheese, then add your arugula.
4. Place three strips of bacon on your open sandwich with the arugula and chevre. For the final touch, add your fried egg. Place the other piece of your baguette on top and wrap your sandwich with parchment paper and tie with twine.
You can adapt this sandwich to your liking, but have fun making a savory brunch sandwich as they go perfectly with a warm cup of coffee!
Vintage Winter White Desserts
2.16.2012
Spring is just around the corner friends, but before we say goodbye to winter I couldn't resist sharing this vintage winter white sweets table, designed for Gatherings magazine by the lovely Jessie of Shop Sweet Lulu. We finally had a chance to hang out at the Alt Summit in January, and she truly is as sweet as the products in her shop.
From Jessie: Winter in the Midwestern United States means piles of fluffy white snow, bare tree limbs dripping with icicles, and mugs of steaming hot cocoa enjoyed in front of a fire. These images inspired my Winter White dessert Table. The offerings included powdery white donuts, fluffy, coconut cake, enormous puffs of marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate, chocolate pirouette cookies, Oreos drenched in white fudge, white chocolate-covered pretzel rods, shimmery white chocolate candies, and of course hot cocoa with marshmallows. My approach to styling a dessert table is to keep it simple. I love to use easy to make (or easy to buy) desserts and accessorize tables with items that can be found around the house (easy for me to say, since I have a massive vintage collection and have an entire party supply shop at my disposal)! I stayed with the white theme, using various white cake stands and glass candy jars. I like to alternate heights, often stacking one cake stand on top of another for variation and visual interest. Lace doilies remind me of snowflakes in their beauty and simplicity, and I covered the table in doilies of every shape and size. I used bits of lace as ribbon ties for the marshmallow puffs, as well as lengths of various cocoa colored ribbons. While most of the table is white, I needed those little pops of dark chocolate for contrast.
A Vintage Winter One-derland
1.24.2012
Another stunning event submitted by Little Miss Party... this first birthday in soft pinks, white, gold and natural burlap is too pretty for words. Read on below for all the sweet vintage details...
photos © raquel bianca
For more from Little Miss Party, click here.
From Little Miss Party: Colette’s mom wanted the party to feel
soft, vintage and feminine and since the party was in the beginning of
January (when it usually is cold and snowy), we loved the idea of using
muted pink, soft gold, ivory and burlap brown for the color story. Above the food station our source of decor was a really pretty
bunting made out of many strips of fabric. We spent an
afternoon at Mood
in the garment district picking out fabrics that were unique in
texture, pattern and color making this banner different and interesting
against the large wrought iron windows that fit in so perfectly with the
vibe of this party. We also thought it would be fun to spruce up the
winter crudite by
serving in glass cubes that I covered with burlap fabric and decorated
with pretty ribbon. Above the bar we set a string of photos of the birthday
gal. Traci loves Coke so I thought it would be really cute to
get some of the
old school bottles to set out on a wood tray and they were a hit. We
also set out vintage looking milk bottles for the kids with C’s and 1′s
tied with ribbon around each. We had some fun with the coffee station as
well spicing up the design on our cups and serving hot cocoa for what
we thought would be a cold winter’s day. Last but certainly not least –
dessert. This table was my favorite. So
clean and pretty looking. We also took fabric and draped it over the stairs that we used for
gifts. This was a perfect way to keep the kids from climbing up to the
deck and trying to escape from the 13th floor of this loft…not to
mention looked very pretty! The party was timed nicely, the music flowed throughout and the guests
truly seemed to enjoy themselves. Most importantly, our guest of honor
Colette was happy and looked to have a smashing time at her first
birthday party.
Venue: Ramscale
Music: Appleseeds
Caterer: Cobblestone Catering
Cake Pops: Kreated by Kristan
Cake + Cupcakes: Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Favors: Vintage ConfectionsFor more from Little Miss Party, click here.
A Rustic Winter Tablescape
12.22.2011
A small touch of sparkle can be the perfect addition to a holiday table, and I love the effect of using Mercury glass in contrast to a natural setting like this one. It has a subtle shimmer that catches the light and compliments the earthy hues and raw materials. Mercury glass is currently trendy with major
retailers as seen here
and here
and can also be created as a DiY craft project at home, following this
tutorial.
Here are some styling tips for creating a similar tablescape:
1. Gather weathered branches and paint white. For a more rustic look, use a flat white spray paint and a gentle 1-2 coats of spray. To achieve full coverage, you'll be better off painting the branches with a brush and white primer or semi-gloss paint (as the wood tends to suck up the spray paint rather quickly).
2. Set your holiday table. This table is an unfinished wood, and the green patterned runner incorporates a subtle silver, green and blue color palette. Silver chargers add a touch of sophistication.
3. Add your branches and intersperse with Mercury Glass candle holders (found here) and other items. This table uses natural pine cones, but glass ornaments would be perfect for the holidays.
4. A pop of contrasting color like these red pomegranates adds an element of fun and can be used as a placecard (as shown here).
photos + styling © cake. 2011
Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark with Sea Salt and Pistachios
12.21.2011
Hello again from Caroline of Coeur De La! The holiday season has me craving long days spent baking with family and friends while drinking hot apple cider with a splash of caramel. Each year I go all out and make several holiday goodies to share with family ... peppermint patty cookies (that have now become a staple), meringues, dark chocolate truffles, peanut butter balls, and dark chocolate peppermint bark. I package the assortment of treats in boxes, tie ribbons around each one, and then happily give them as gifts. They are a hit! However, this year, I wanted to make a holiday bark that was a bit different. Something that was less sweet, but still would have friends and family asking for seconds. About a month ago I was immersed in Whole Living Magazine when I saw a recipe for a holiday bark that was made with dark chocolate, pistachios, and sea salt. Immediately I dog-eared the recipe and decided I had to make it. I love that the bark has only three ingredients, and being that I am a fan of savory desserts, I could not resist making it. The bark itself takes about six minutes to make and cooling takes thirty minutes. Afterwards, you will have the darkest and richest holiday bark that happens to pair incredibly well with a glass of red wine ... pinot noir to be exact.
I decided to package my holiday bark with simple twine as it will be placed in a box with other goodies. I made little tags, tied up the bark, and 1…2…3… I had a holiday bark that is sure to wow any foodie. Happy Holidays!!!! Bisous.
Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark
with sea salt and pistachios
(recipe found in Whole Living)
Ingredients
-1 package of dark chocolate 70% cacao (I used Scharffen Berger that was 68%)
- 1 cup raw pistachios
- 3-4 pinches of sea salt
- parchment paper
- 8 inch rectangular baking dish
Directions
1. Melt your chocolate over low to medium heat for about five minutes, making sure to stir frequently, keeping the chocolate from burning. I found that the Scharffen Berger chocolate melted very well.
2. Pour your melted chocolate into your baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper allows for you to easily pull away the bark after cooling.
3. Drizzle the melted chocolate with the pistachios. You can go with the amount of your liking. Next sprinkle the bark with sea salt.
4. Place in the refrigerator for cooling for 30 to 40 minutes. Afterwards, do note, warm hands will cause the bark to melt so, eat as soon as possible. For serving, the bark is fine on a cake stand and at room temp, but it is better to keep in a cooler place. For storing: keep in the fridge.
5. Pair with red wine, enjoy the bark on its own, or skip the pistachios all together and go with a dark chocolate drizzled with sea salt.
I decided to package my holiday bark with simple twine as it will be placed in a box with other goodies. I made little tags, tied up the bark, and 1…2…3… I had a holiday bark that is sure to wow any foodie. Happy Holidays!!!! Bisous.
photos © coeur de la
with sea salt and pistachios
(recipe found in Whole Living)
Ingredients
-1 package of dark chocolate 70% cacao (I used Scharffen Berger that was 68%)
- 1 cup raw pistachios
- 3-4 pinches of sea salt
- parchment paper
- 8 inch rectangular baking dish
Directions
1. Melt your chocolate over low to medium heat for about five minutes, making sure to stir frequently, keeping the chocolate from burning. I found that the Scharffen Berger chocolate melted very well.
2. Pour your melted chocolate into your baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper allows for you to easily pull away the bark after cooling.
3. Drizzle the melted chocolate with the pistachios. You can go with the amount of your liking. Next sprinkle the bark with sea salt.
4. Place in the refrigerator for cooling for 30 to 40 minutes. Afterwards, do note, warm hands will cause the bark to melt so, eat as soon as possible. For serving, the bark is fine on a cake stand and at room temp, but it is better to keep in a cooler place. For storing: keep in the fridge.
5. Pair with red wine, enjoy the bark on its own, or skip the pistachios all together and go with a dark chocolate drizzled with sea salt.
