Vintage Circus Cupcakes
March 28th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I am so psyched about how these turned out. They were a ton of work but well worth it! Half the effort was making all the paper designs in Photoshop which could have been avoided by just buying the paper at Michael’s.
Here are the basics:
- Circus striped cupcake wrapper download the template here
- To make the clown hats I first printed this harlequin print
- I found the hat template here and used it to cut out the cones
- I glued on the gold ric-rac trim, mini white pom poms, and red pom (all from Joanne’s) with craft glue
- the flag was made with music notes paper and toothpicks (the music notes paper turned out blurry so I’m not going to give it to you!)
- the little glitter “E” was easy to make, I just drew the E with pencil and went over it with a glue pen, the immediately dusted with glitter
…aaaaand they tasted just as good as they looked. I used the vanilla cupcakes and chocolate buttercream recipes and added some extra fun by filling them with raspberry puree (1 cup of fresh raspberries smashed and whisked with 2 tablespoons baker’s sugar.)
I owe the gorgeous frosting job to my $15 decorator from Target which also came with a special tip for injecting the filling. It’s not at Target anymore but posted here if you want to try to find something similar. The best part is the trigger so you only need one hand to decorate.
My brother in law has a soy allergy so I reserved some of the buttercream before adding the chocolate and mixed it with fresh raspberries and topped it with a berry. I love how pretty it turned out.
If you are into the Vintage Circus party theme, Hostess with the Mostess had a great feature on a circus themed baby shower here.
DIY Gold Chain Statement Necklace
March 26th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Ever since seeing the gorgeous statement necklaces in Confessions of a Shopaholic I’ve been obsessed with them.
I stumbled upon a DIY posting for this super cute one made from two gold belts and some ribbon at the fashionista blog Behind the Seams. Click here to see the full instructions. I know what I’ll be up to this weekend!
Somethin’ Bit Me!
March 25th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Trying to remember what movie that line was from but that’s what popped into my head when I saw this amazing piece from Over the Top Studios. I’m baking and decorating cupcakes for my adorable nephew’s first birthday and was perusing for inspiration when I came across this vintage Circus display.
wow.
Intense details.
This is where I’m drawing most of my inspiration from for the cupcakes- lucky me the site owner is from Seattle and gave me some great pointers on where to buy supplies. Click here to see the full posting. What kind of cupcakes am I making you ask? Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting and raspberry puree filling!
Guacamole with Cumin-Chili Chips
March 23rd, 2010 § 1 Comment
After trying about a million guacamole recipes I found a winner. This stuff tastes EXACTLY like the kind they serve table side at Rosa Mexicana. If you are entertaining- the key is to cut and mash the avocado at the very last minute so it is as fresh as possible. Some recipes tell you to make everything ahead of time and store in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld- not true.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 1/4 teaspoons jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning if desired
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- 3 large flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- cumin
- chili powder
- salt to taste
To make the guacamole:
- Mix together the cilantro, onion, jalapenos, salt and lime juice and muddle with a mortar and pestle or just a spoon handle (you can do this well ahead of time)
- Add the avocado and mash into the mixture, making sure to leave nice big chunks of avocado
- Stir in the tomato and serve with chips immediately
To make the chips:
- Brush tortillas on both sides with olive oil and cut into wedges
- Add chips to a large skillet on medium-high heat and season with spices and salt
- Cook until golden brown, flipping periodically- remember to turn on the fan as the spices tend to burn!
For a healthier alternative, lightly spray tortillas with olive oil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
Design Makeover- Laurie and Dave’s Bathroom
March 19th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Recently my cousin Laurie asked me to help her take on the master bathroom in the fixer-upper house she bought with her husband Dave. I took some pictures and used Photoshop to lay out photos of products I found on the web. I love using Photoshop to design room layouts and decorating schemes- all you need to do is copy and paste the images into the tool, then cut away and background color and ctrl+T to begin resizing to fix the perspective.
Not bad by any means but Laurie and Dave are a young couple and the 90′s theme doesn’t fit them- time for an update!
I like to call this the “potty nook.” My motto is “a place for everything and everything in its place”- and that place is out of sight. I recommended Laurie replace the shelves with a floating cabinet to conceal clutter.
Laurie loves Paris and wanted her bathroom to match the style and colors of a print she had in the room.
Ta-da! Here the what and why:
- replace the flooring with slate tile and the counter tops with crushed recycled glass
- sand and stain the cabinets and add updated handles
- the long mirror made the room look narrow, so I broke up the space by having his and hers framed mirrors with floating shelves below
- the main elements of the room are dark with the rich blue color of the walls, espresso wood, and the slate tiles- I made a contrast by adding decorative elements in white and glass that really stand out in the room, such as a cascading fall of CB2′s hanging globe candle holders, white vases, and apothecary jars
- The white medicine cabinet had to go- I was not a fan. I found a floating espresso cabinet to go in between the sinks so both Laurie and Dave can reach it easily and once again clutter is hidden.
- I am in love with vintage bathroom fixtures so I added the cute faucet I found at VintageTub.com
Laurie’s favorite piece was the Eiffel Tower bookends I used on either side of the white towels. The floating cabinet I found at Ikea as part of a TV storage system. The right side of the picture is Laurie’s shower curtain from Crate and Barrel. I can’t wait to see the finished product and post the before/after pics!
St. Patty’s Day Cupcake Outfits
March 15th, 2010 § 1 Comment
After seeing blogger Jeanne Benedict’s adorable St. Patty’s Day Cupcakes I had to try some myself. The great thing about it is now I have this handy little pattern to make cupcake wrappers for every occasion! To make the pattern all I did was cut the shape below and trimmed to fit the cupcake. Because of the tapered sides you don’t even need to attach a bottom.
I am so sorry for the horrid picture quality- I took the pics with my Android. When inspiration hits I don’t always have my camera with me!
Leprechaun-style: I used green felt, a small length of black velvet trim, and shiny gold paper to make the buckle
I made the pot-o-gold wrapper out of this really cool black paper I found at Michael’s which had a rough texture that made it look like cast-iron. I next added gold sprinkles and a paper rainbow. If I had it my way I would have sprayed the frosting with edible gold spraypaint and made the rainbow out of a sugar cookie.
The cupcakes had to fit the theme so I found this great recipe for Bailey’s Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting. They were not as sweet as I would have liked but my family sure loved them!
Alice in Wonderland Theme Parties and Tea Parties- best on the web
March 11th, 2010 § 2 Comments
Earlier this year I posted on my Mad Dinner Party with an Alice in Wonderland Theme which was an unbirthday for my real birthday. Now that the genius Tim Burton has taken the magical story into his own hands everyone seems to be throwing unbirthday parties and Mad Hatter tea parties and royal croquet tournaments. I have compiled my favorite ideas and saved the best for last (seriously it will knock your mismatched socks off)
Cute hand-painted oversized teacup tower makes a big statement- this is something you can make from teacups from the thrift store, some paint and a glue gun. This post came from a kids party featured on Party Wishes complete with a white-roses-painted red bush and a croquet court.
This rose wreath is adorable. Way to stay on theme. This one is from a toddler Alice party on Lark and Lola Idea Blog- even better they have detailed how-to instructions (with pictures!) here.
Classic Sir John Tennian style cupcake toppers from Fancy Flours
http://www.cupcake-decorating-ideas.com/mushroom-cupcakes.html
“One side will make you grow taller, the other side will make you grow shorter”- The Caterpillar. Mushroom cupcake how-to featured on Cupcake Decorating Ideas.
Seriously? You people and your darn creativity. See the full details on the birdcage bird at The Mama Dreamalogues.
“A” for authenticity! Alice in Wonderland decorating ideas from Instructables
The Queen of Class Amy Atlas had to join in on the fun. See the full posting here- love it!
Another darling kids’ party featured on Hostess with the Mostess, Japanese lanterns are key.
Ok here’s my all-time favorite and you’ll see why…
I couldn’t just pick one picture so I have a few
This was from a teenager’s coming out party
If this party wasn’t featured on MTV’s “My Super Sweet Sixteen” it should have been!
I don’t even want to know how much this cost but it leaves for fantastic ideas. See the full article at Trendhunter.
And of course we can’t forget the fabulous Miss Gwen Stefani’s take on the tale- so what you waiting for? (skip ahead to 3:30 to bypass the intro)
Add a little Spring to your space
March 9th, 2010 § 1 Comment
Today I’m saying “hello!” to my old friend color. Despite the fact it snowed today in Seattle- the sunshine that followed inspired me. You don’t have to go out and completely redecorate to perk up your pad- little touches like textiles, knick knacks and wall art can really transform your space to make it fresh and light- hopefully the weather will follow!
Jar fillings are an inexpensive way to add flavor- like sprinkles. I found these inexpensive Apothecary Jars on a discount crafts website. I love the fresh roses they used in the picture- keep the same organic look but save money by using dried flowers. Other springy fillers include lemons and limes, brightly wrapped chocolates or m&m’s (order from 22 different color plus 3 “shimmer” colors here), or bright colored bath balls for your bathroom.
Birdies! Nothing says springtime like chirping birds. Vinyl wall decals are a cheap way to add a dramatic effect that can be applied and removed easily- most of these you can even customize the colors to match your home. These were all from Etsy and all under $50.Clockwise from top left:
Ruffles! One of this season’s hottest trend in fashion has hit interiors. Urban Outfitters went ruffles crazy this Spring with their duvet ($128), pillow shams ($38), windows curtain ($68) and my personal favorite, bath curtain ($68). So pretty!
…and of course what’s Spring time without greenery and flowers! The bottom three pictures are all the same type of branch that is my new obsession- Manzanita branches. They are like a mini tree you can hang heavy objects from, adorn with flowers, crystals, butterflies, moss (seen right with Hanging Amaranthus) or hanging votives (See the florist’s blog post here on diy hanging votives) You can buy them at a local florist or online from Nettleton Hollow- they also have a really inspiring blog. Mostly wedding and event decor but their ideas can be used every day too.
Top two: mossy greenery makes me think of an enchanted forest or even a beach at low tide, also an inexpensive way to make your house floral and fresh without having to purchase short-lived fresh flowers. Chestnut Branch from Crate and Barrel (19.95), and Organic Moss Balls from Etsy ($22.50).
Happy decorating!
Grown-up Disney Princess Party
March 5th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
For my last birthday I thought I’d combine my three favorite things: Disney, theme parties, and great friends.
I started with the Disney Scene Setter; two plastic rolls that turned my apartment into an illustrated Disney wonderland. The rolls combined came up to be eight feet wide and covered twenty-three feet of wall. The five-ft castle and princesses were add-ons that I simply taped to the background you can find an entire party package here. Its not just for kids- all of my friends loved it!
Here’s my Snow White theme bathroom. I cut the mirror frame out of a large sheet of gold poster board and used a sharpie and acrylic paint to make it look just like the one in Snow White. Using an exacto-knife and a cutting board made cutting out the center a breeze.
“Mirror Mirror on the Wall” was written with a glass market bought at Michael’s
Glittery “poison” apples were placed on the sink to complete the scene. Click here for full instructions to make your own.
A pink-themed dessert bar was set up featuring chocolate covered strawberries and other sweets. The cake stands I made from candle holders and glass plates I picked up at a thrift store. See how-to instructions here.
I made “Princess____” drink tags- guests put their real name and princess names on the tags before tying to the glass stem with the ribbon.
Activities included coloring (I found Disney Princess printable coloring pages here)Princess crown making (I used the Princess Tiana Tiara cutout for my pattern) as well as a Disney Princess Trivia game- the prize was a Snow White DVD.
Other party elements:
- I served champagne with strawberries and Snow White’s Apple Potion (Absolut Pear, Absolut Peach, Cranberry juice, Apple juice, and lemon-lime soda)
- White tissue paper poufs hung from the ceiling to look like puffy clouds (click here for the how-to)
- Pop-up tiara invitations were sent to the guests (click here for the how-to)
All of the guests came dressed as their favorite Disney Princess would have if she lived in 2010 (this was my Snow White costume)
One of my girl friends Holly was so sweet and made cupcakes just for the party. I wish I had thought to take pictures before they were gobbled up! She put in the cutest Princess cupcake toppers she found at Williams-Sonoma. The party was so great- an excuse for a bunch of almost grown-ups to have the dream princess party.
Tissue Paper Poufs
March 4th, 2010 § 1 Comment
It’s the new, cheap Japanese lantern! And much more eco-friendly as you can recycle these when you’re finished or simply disassemble them for gift wrapping or packing. I would love to re-use this idea using newspaper, maybe for a black and white party, a New York party or a 20′s era party.
I hung about a dozen of these from the ceiling at my Disney Princess Party to create the feeling of puffy clouds. You will need eight sheets of tissue paper in the color of your choice and string or floral wire. Idea inspired by Martha Stewart’s Tissue Paper Pom-Poms.
- stack all eight sheets on top of one another
- fold lengthwise back and forth accordion-style until you have one small long stack
- tie around the middle with the string or wire
- turn the stack on its side and begin pulling the sheets apart and to the center until you have one giant sphere of paper
- tie around the middle and hang from the ceiling
