Valentine’s Day Cookies

February 13, 2012

For the last two or three years, I’ve had full intentions of sending out Valentines and each year, regrettably, the holiday creeps up too quickly and I simply run out of time. This year I was determined to get it done and pretty pink frosted sugar cookies seemed too enticing to pass up. My mom and I made sugar cookies for Christmas and Valentine’s Day or Easter almost every year growing up and since I’ve been feeling a little homesick lately, I decided that using her recipe would be just the tasty pick-me-up I’ve needed. They turned out just as good as I remembered so I thought I’d share the love <3

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
¾ cup sour cream

Directions

Mix flour with the next four ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth
Add sugar to butter, creaming well
Stir in vanilla
Beat in eggs until fluffy
Add flour mixture, alternating with sour cream in 2-3 parts
Mix until dough is consistent
Cover and chill for at least an hour (but I chilled overnight)
Preheat oven to 450, roll dough ¼” thick and cut with desired cookie cutters
Bake on cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes
Wait for cookies to cool before frosting. I used the Royal Icing recipe on this Meringue Powder package.

Let your frosting set before placing them into your Valentine bags. I used these bags with this baker’s twine and these ADORABLE Kraft Martha Stewart for Staples labels.

Pack and ship… I threw in a bottle of my favorite wine 😉 And of course, save a few for yourself! Enjoy!

Katie + Chris

February 7, 2012

How gorgeous is this couple?! I had the pleasure of doing Katie and Chris’s wedding flowers last fall after meeting her through our mutual friend Tiffany. After anxiously awaiting the pictures from their big day (my camera was out of battery day of – worst luck ever!), Katie passed these on to me and I was too excited to wait for another Friday to come for a Friday Flowers post.

Now on to the love story! The perfect pair met while she was Coxswain on the Long Beach State Crew Team and he was her coach – adorable! The husband-and-wife-to-be were friends for about 4 years before their romance blossomed and now they both work for Los Alamitos schools – she is a speech language pathologist and he works for the auxiliary department. For their Dana Point nuptials, Katie wanted to stick with a laid back, rustic, nautical, beachy feel (L-O-V-E) and wanted a fairly simple color palate of white blooms and yellow Billy Balls… one of my favorite combos. Lucky for me, the bride was just as fun as her style and working with Katie and Chris was an absolute delight 🙂

Florals:
{Bride} O’Hara Roses, White Roses, Ranunculus, Dahlias, Gardenias, Billy Balls
{Boutonnieres} Billy Balls, Dahlia (for the groom)
{Bridesmaids} White Roses, Dahlias, China Mums, Spider Mums, Stock, Billy Balls
{Flower Girls & Flower Ceremony} Gerber Daisies
{Table Arrangements} Hydrangeas, China Mums, Spider Mums, Dahlias, Stock, Billy Balls

Venue: Ocean Institute – Dana Point, CA
Photographer: Mark Brook Photographers

The “Holy Crap I’m Fat” Moment

January 17, 2012

You people KNOW what I’m taking about… and if you don’t than you’re either 1) Miranda Kerr (a freak of nature) 2) a personal trainer and work out for a living so you can never, ever really feel fat or 3) lying to yourself. Life is going along its merry way, Halloween passes, the temperatures start to cool (so you’re embracing your fantastic layered fall fashions) and then BAM! Out of nowhere Thanksgiving rolls around and you WAY over indulge. But seriously, how many times a year do you get turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams or sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and PUMPKIN PIE ALL TOGETHER?!? So you justify and let it slide, tell yourself next week you’ll be better and then suddenly you’re in the midst of 700 work parties, company retreats, holiday gatherings, Hanukkah celebrations, shopping excursions, picking up a few last minute gifts instead of making it to yoga (or if you’re like me, having an absolute meltdown over finals and not enjoying a single moment of the holiday season AGAIN because for some reason you just HAD to go back to school to pursue your dreams). And then BAM! Christmas. Same story as Thanksgiving, but maybe worse because there are way more desserts at Christmas and by then your stomach is twice the size it was in June so you can naturally eat more. I know. Gross. Amongst all of the travel to see loved ones, you grab a snack in the airport, consume way more Starbucks than usual because the Peppermint Mochas only happen once a year and share your favorite restaurant hot spots “back home” with your significant other. And then you decide to throw a New Year’s party when you get back from the traveling, cook up a storm, drink way too much champagne and way over indulge AGAIN. Football bowl games (aka more food/booze) for the next few days (GO GREEN!), and then you hop on the next flight to Vegas because hey, who doesn’t need a little family birthday party/reunion in the CITY OF INDULGENCE after having just indulged your face off for the past MONTH?!? Of course you make lengthy (yet completely realistic and attainable) New Year’s resolutions (PUHlease), work out ten times harder than you have since October and then reward yourself with two brownies and a cake pop. I mean FOR REAL. It HAS to stop.

That being said, I spent last evening Pinning away healthy food inspiration to try to regain some sort of excitement for cooking, healthy, fulfilling food in my own kitchen and here are some of the images/recipes I can’t wait to try out. Don’t believe me because I’m always snapping shots of cheese, burgers and waffles? Here is the proof.

{Refreshing. Image via}

{Hearty looking smoothie. Image via}

{Fresh and simple. Image via}

{Avocados make me happy. Must try this one soon. Image via}

{Protein bowl. Image via}

{This looks so tasty, my stomach is literally growling now. Image via}

{Love salmon. Image via}

{Colorful and refreshing. Image via}

{Lovely salad. Image via}

Cheers to making 2012 the year of health and success!

Tangerine Tango

January 9, 2012

My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year. I have been OBSESSED with Tangerine for almost my entire life, even before it was deemed the coolest color ever by the center of the color universe (mainly because it looks so fabulous on red heads… wink, wink). Seriously though, how GREAT is Tangerine?! So cheerful, so fun and full of life, so warm yet fabulously tropical at the same time. Here are a few of my favorite tangerine hued items I just might have to make room for this year:

1. Imperial Trellis by Kelly Wearstler – Schumacher
2. Striped Paper Straws – $4.50 – GreenMunch
3. Saarinen Tulip Armchair – $1694 – DWR
4. NARS Casablanca Satin Lipstick – $24 – NARS
5. Compagnie de Provence Extra Pure Marseille Orange Blossom Hand Cream – $19.95 – Sur La Table
6. Jamie Young Lamp Base & Shade – $250 – Layla Grace
7. Swirl Tumbler Set – $24 – West Elm
8. “Colors 51” Acrylic on Canvas by Jen Ramos – $95 – Coco And Hearts
9. “Totally Tangerine” Nail Polish by OPI – $4.99 – Amazon
10. Bright Stockholm Letter Sorter – $9.99 – The Container Store
11. Orange Versa Rug – Madeline Weinrib
12. 111 Navy Chair in Persimmon – $260 – DWR
13. Butter Shine Lipstick in Ambrosia – $15 – Clinique
14. Scarf – Hermes

12 Resolutions for 2012

January 2, 2012

At this time last year amongst all of the chatter that 2011 was going to be the “best year ever”, I was quietly preparing for one that I knew was going to be trying and difficult. I was honing in on another career change, had just encountered a heart breaking falling-out with a close friend and was about to embark on a full year of design school that I had discovered in the fall of 2010 was not an easy walk in the park like I’d foolishly expected. Looking back at 2011, it was definitely one of my most difficult years, but also one of the most rewarding. I excelled in design school, managed to keep my head up during quarterly finals (thanks to an amazing and supportive group of star designer friends… and my boyfriend and mom), I started a blog to database and voice my love for my three favorite things in life: Design, Wine and Dining, I vehemently worked to turn our tiny beach apartment into a home (and I think I finally succeeded), we rescued an absolutely delightful kitten named Lily and with a ton of collaborative work with my favorite wine company, I designed, developed and launched this program… something I’m really proud of. Somehow in there, I managed to squeeze in some great traveling (Costa Rica, Tahoe, San Francisco, Austin, Palm Springs, and Michigan x 2), tried out several new favorite recipes, eateries and wine and remained healthy (albeit not in the best shape ever). Happily, my friends and family are doing the same and I think we’re all ready to take 2012 by the horns. Here are a few of my New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Wake up thankful every morning.
2. Work out at least three times a week and eat healthier (more salads!).
3. Take a few minutes a day to organize/clean something.
4. Entertain more.
5. Eat out less and cook at home more.
6. Connect more often with my extended family (and friends across the country).
7. Appreciate the process.
8. Travel more.
9. Wake up earlier every morning.
10. Practice punctuality.
11. Work hard, love harder.
12. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

J.Crew Christmas or Hanukkah or Whatever…

December 5, 2011

I’m OBSESSED with J.Crew, so if you’re like me, you’ll appreciate this sweet-as-a-sugarplum deal going on today only: 25% off and free shipping on ALL orders. Just use the code HOLIDAY and get holiday shopping away! Hint, hint, mom, boyfriend… 😉

LOVE it.
Favorite wardrobe staple.
Yes please.
Alright, alright a little much, but swoon!
Perfectly pretty and preppy.
Too much beauty to choose!

Stay tuned for some swell holiday gift guides… coming soon! Xo

San Francisco Weekend

December 2, 2011

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I made the short trip up to the San Francisco bay area for Thanksgiving. Since I go back to Michigan every year for Christmas, our Thanksgiving trip to northern California has become a little annual tradition that I completely adore. This year we spent a ton of time in the city, which I didn’t mind one bit and while most of our time there was spent working on projects (rather than battling the Black Friday crowds), the view we had from our friend’s work studio was absolutely breathtaking. Working is oh-so-much-better (and productive) with some gorgeous scenery to look out on. While the pictures I took while there don’t even begin to do it justice, I can’t stop thinking about our weekend this morning and just had to share.

{Base of the Bay Bridge}

{View of the Bay Bridge from the Rincon Building}

{Alcatraz in the distance}

{An assortment of fresh cheeses, bread, grapes, tomatoes and meat from the Ferry Building – one of my favorite places in San Francisco}

{Dessert! Fresh strawberries, cheese cake and a decadent chocolate cake. Mmm!}

{Quick festive break at Gumps to view their gorgeous Christmas ornaments}

{Couldn’t get enough of the avocados. How cute are these?}

{Bay Bridge at nighttime. Stunning}

{Stunning view of the Golden Gate as I was flying in – a sight rarely seen flying into San Francisco because of the typical fog. What a gorgeous day! Take me back!}

My Kind of Color

December 2, 2011

Confession: I’ve never once dyed my hair (unless you consider gold hair mascara in 8th grade “dyeing”) and up until a year ago, I absolutely despised painting my nails. I’m convinced the combination of these two characteristics means I’m a pretty low maintenance girl. “Haha,” says the boyfriend 😉 Truth be told, after a decade of having a ballet teacher tell you not to even think about a pedicure for fear of having your painfully earned point shoe calluses scraped off your feet, I didn’t even have a professional pedi until a few years back. I know, I know… GROSS. I don’t even want to know what my Thai manicurist might have been saying about my feet. That being said, I’m kind of a late bloomer in the nail upkeep department and I’m terrible at picking out nail colors to suit my skin tone. That all changed when I randomly and reluctantly toted home Mink Muffs by Essie on a CVS run last month. The color is absolutely gorgeous on and I’ve since seen several LA ladies flawlessly sporting it around town. I’m convinced it’s as close to a universal color as possible in the nail world and it looks just fabulous on everyone.

Essie Mink Muffs: Buy your own bottle here.

Mercury Glass

December 1, 2011

Last holiday season I went on mercury glass overload in our home and I can’t wait to do it again this year… It’s back with a vengeance and I simply can’t get enough! Table lamps and candle holders and ornaments, oh my! I love that the shimmery silver seamlessly integrates into whatever color palate you already have in your home. Whether you decorate with traditional Christmas reds and greens, cool oceanic hues, warm jewel tones, rustic browns or chic blacks and whites, even the tiniest bit of mercury glass accessorizing will add the perfect touch of holiday glimmer to your space. Check out a few of my favorites for this holiday season below.

1. Mercury Votive Holder – $5 – West Elm
2. Tall Candle Holder – $12.80 – Target
3. Etched Mercury Glass Ornament (Set of three) – $15 – Ballard Designs
4. Tall Mercury Glass Vase – $19 – West Elm
5. Industrial Pendant – $99 – West Elm
6. Pinecone Ornament – $6 – Target
7. Silver Pineapple Bowl – $32 – Jayson Home
8. Silver Ribbed Votive Holders – $18 – Jayson Home
9. Mercury Owl – $14 – West Elm
10. Antique Glass Silver Origami Ball Ornament – $3.50 – Crate & Barrel
11. Serena Antique Mercury Glass Hurricane Lamps – $89 – Pottery Barn

Fireplace Love

November 30, 2011

As the nights grow chilly and the days shorten, I can’t help but crave the warmth of a fireplace to curl up next to with a glass of wine and a good book. To me, there is nothing more inviting or romantic than a fireplace in a home whether minimalistic and modern or grand and traditional. I love to make fireplaces a focal point in whatever space I’m designing, either residential or commercial as they are such a beautiful and functional architectural element not to be overlooked. Unfortunately, a fireplace was one thing that our little beach loft didn’t have when we fell in love with the rest of our place so I think it’ll be that much more special once we have one again. Check out a few of the fireplaces that ~~have me slightly jealous~~ are inspiring me today… and while you’re never going to totally replicate one of the below with a wall mounted version, there are plenty of affordable and stylish options out there (starting at $139!) for you fireplace connoisseurs 🙂

{Cozy and gorgeous! Via}

{Black and white contrast + A little black on black +Gold + Animal Print = Sexy, Elegant, Glamourous and Dramatic all wrapped into one delicious room. Via}

{Who says you need a man to keep you warm at night? Perfect tiny, bedside fireplace for a city girl. Obsessed with this entire artful room. See it here}