Green and Grand

Champagne Glass Cupcakes

2012-02-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing cake pops and push pop cakes everywhere and I love how festive and different they are, but the only problem with them is that they don't stand on their own. I randomly had this idea while looking at sprinkles online (yes, sprinkle-shopping). It turned out to be really easy to execute and didn't take long to make at all. If you are wondering, a spoon does fit into this champagne glass from zgallerie.

Heres how I made it...

I started out by baking a plain yellow cake in a large glass pan. My cake came out of a box but you could get fancy and make something homemade or even use brownie mix instead. When the cake came out of the oven I crumbled it by hand to the size of say, oatmeal. I sprinkled it into the bottom of the champagne glass and packed it down a bit so that it was level and flat using the back end of an ice cream scoop. I used a piping bag to layer in the icing and continued this process until it was close to the top of the glass.

To get the sprinkle "salted rim" effect, I dipped the top of the glass in a bowl of icing and then dipped it into a bowl of sprinkles. Voila!

ALL photos by me and are © Copyright. Please link back to this page if you would like to use them, thanks!

Alameda Flea Market

2012-02-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend I finally went to the Alameda Flea Market and like many other bay area activities, I couldn't believe I hadn't done this sooner. The greatest thing about this fair is that they are really strict about everything being at least 20 years old - so there isn't as much junk to sift through as there tends to be at most flea markets. It was SO huge that I feel like I barely scratched the surface and am planning on checking it out again next month. It only takes half an hour to get to from the city and parking is free and unlimited. It happens on the first Sunday of every month and is located on 2900 Navy Way in Alameda, CA (we got pretty lost on the way using iPhones, getting directions ahead of time is a better plan). I highly recommend checking it out!

ALL photos by me and are © Copyright. Please link back to this page if you would like to use them, thanks!

Little Reminders

2012-01-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

A little jewelry bowl that reminds me of someone I miss a lot. My dad made this bowl for me for Christmas this year.

A cow on the side of the road in Point Reyes reminding me of the state fair in New Hampshire I used to go to every fall with my family.

A bowl of shells, reminding me that summer is not that far away.

Its easy to get homesick when you live 3,000 miles from home. I do find however that focusing on small moments that bring me happy nostalgia is what keeps me going.

ALL photos by me and are © Copyright. Please link back to this page if you would like to use them, thanks!

Quirky Etsy Finds

2012-01-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

1. Vintage African Gazelle $685
2. Custom Shoes by Suzywan Deluxe $150
3. Paper Gold Bowls $25-68
4. Strange Planet Painted Elephant - sold
5. Aqua and Gold Stripe Vase $62
6. Vintage Tennis Raquets $25 each
7. Brindle Cowhide $310
8. Vintage Coca Cola Crate - sold
9. Pendleton Wool Laptop Case (this color sold)

4 Must-Try Bottles of Prosecco

2012-01-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

As much as I love Veuve Clicquot, it isn't economical to buy a $50 bottle every time you want to have Champagne (which for me is pretty often)...Italian Prosecco is a great alternative. Below are four different brands of Prosecco that have quickly become my favorites (all under $20 a bottle).

What I love most about these four is that they aren't overly sweet to the point of tasting like liquid candy - they are pretty dry. Despite very appealing branding and packaging, Im not a huge fan of super-sweet sparkling wine brands like Sophia Coppola, which give me a headache after the first sip. These four brands of Prosecco are light, dry, and crisp. They are also great for making Bellinis or Mimosas.

1. Borgo Magredo Prosecco Spumante
2. Il Sogno di Annibale Prosecco di Conegliano -Valdobbiadene
3. La Marca Prosecco di Conegliano -Valdobbiadene
4. Mionetto Prosecco Brut Valdobbiadene Spumante

(Valdobbiandene is the region in Italy where the grapes are grown, Spumante signifies that it is a fully sparkling wine)

Is It Spring Yet?

2012-01-12T18:58:00.000-08:00

This bout of warm weather has been getting me extremely antsy for my favorite season. Seeing swimwear and sundresses already on the shelves is torturous since the "rainy season" in SF really hasn't even begun. With any luck we will miss it all together and it will stay 70 degrees until June...highly unlikely but I have my fingers crossed.

DVF Hatsu Dress, Sass and Bide New Renaissance Tank, Sass and Bide Introduction Color Block Pants, Kimberly Taylor Peru Dress

French Macarons

2012-01-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

Lately Macarons have been EVERYWHERE and I've been developing a rather unhealthy obsession with them. They are not to be confused with a coconut macaroon, Macarons are a French pastry made of egg whites, almond flour, and confectioners sugar and resemble a mini hamburger or oreo cookie. They form "feet" while baking which gives them the frilly edge around the base. They are filled with jam, ganache, or buttercream and are completely gluten free. They can be made in ANY flavor - and I mean any - I've seen a recipe for tikka masala macarons (gross).

They are considered incredibly difficult to make and temperamental to humidity, oven temp, bla bla bla. I honestly think that this is a rumor started by French bakeries so we would be in awe of their "masterful creations". I tried making vanilla macarons and they turned out perfect the first time.

I speckled them with a brush dipped in food coloring but this ended up making them look a little diseased because of my color choice (should have gone with black).

You do need the proper tools to make these little suckers but it is possible. I'm working on a post that will have a video showing you how to do it with the recipe I use. In preparation you must have a kitchen scale ($25 @Target) and a piping bag (which you can also make out of a ziploc bag). I would also say a Silpat is necessary. I use a Silpat and I don't know how they would turn out if you didn't, they might be overcooked directly on a pan. You also have to separate 5 eggs and put the egg whites in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator and age them for 4-5 days (make sure there are no yolk traces). It sounds like a lot of effort but it's really not... you will really impress yourself when they come out of the oven and you will be hooked just like me.

Original Artwork by Jen Ramos

2012-01-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

As someone who LOVES bright colors, naturally I have fallen in love with Jen Ramos' original artwork. I love that these pieces are SO simple but have the most beautiful impact because of her use of color. Check out her site for new pieces...they sell out quickly!

Cocoa & Hearts

Design Inspiration: Pink and Gold

2012-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Thank-You Notes

2012-01-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season comes to an end, there are just a few things left hanging over your head...Returns/exchanges, taking down the tree, and THANK YOU notes. Maybe I'm old fashioned (It's a tradition that is somewhat lost on my generation) but I think that it is much more polite, charming, and memorable to send hand written notes than it is to just email or verbally thank your friends and family. Here are some ideas for classic style thank you notes.

1. Many Thanks, Sugar Paper, $24
2. Thanks A Million Foldover, Kate Spade, $25
3. He's Here Flat Card, Fine Stationary, $33
4. Tickled Pink Stationary, Kate Spade, $25
5. Party Palms Note Cards, Fine Stationary, $23
6. Rose Print Thank You Notes, Kate Spade, $20
7. Classic Thanks Blush, Sugar Paper, $24
8. Pink Tulips Thank You Note, Fine Stationary, $23

2012-01-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Champagne Tasting Party

2011-12-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

Something that I've wanted to do for a long time is host a Champagne tasting party. With the help of a friend we organized a little soiree for a few of our good friends. Everyone brought their favorite bottle of bubbly and we tasted and scored each one. We filled out score cards with comments and ratings and at the end passed our card to our neighbor and everyone read the comments aloud (the commentary was pretty entertaining). When we were done reading, we tallied the scores and picked a winner. The one who brought the winning bottle won a party favor.

This party was really fun and easy to plan and could be done with really any type of alcohol (or virgin drinks too!) Since this theme was Champagne I chose to use really girly colors, decorations, and pastries.
A lot of people have asked me how you make the DIY tissue tassel garland (which is easy!), so I will make another post on that soon.

ALL photos by me and are © Copyright. Please link back to this page if you would like to use them, thanks!
Macarons from La Boulange, Cupcakes from American Cupcake, Glassware from ZGallerie

5 Days Till Christmas!

2011-12-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

I got inspired to have some arts and crafts time last night and wrap presents. I actually tried to recreate a paper trick I remember doing with my extremely creative mother but I couldn't figure it out so I shredded the mylar paper and tied it with hemp...easy!

Here is what inspired me, I love the non-traditional colors...

2011-12-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

Louis Chair Restoration Project

2011-12-15T21:43:00.000-08:00

As luck would have it these chairs basically "Fell off the back of a truck".

Well, not completely...My boyfriend's mom came across them on the side of the street, about to be put in a dumpster! Of course she snatched them up immediately and was kind enough to give them to me since she already had a similar pair.

These style of chairs are named after the not so popular Louis XV, King of France from 1710-1774. Although regarded as an ugly period in French history, many furniture pieces created in this era are held dearly and are recreated by many furniture companies today. They are usually very expensive if bought new and hard to come by as antiques which is why I'm putting a fair amount of thought into this project. These ones need a little love so I'm planning on sanding the wood, repairing a few minor dings, painting, and reupholstering.

The fabric possibilities are endless and we are moving this spring so my gut is to go with something relatively neutral as I will probably change my mind (or decor) after I finish... Or at the last minute go with Lipstick Red or something equally obnoxious. Piping options make my head spin so I won't even go there for now. I also have to keep my boyfriend's opinion in mind (he's a designer) and can't go feminine crazy. Here are some fabric swatches I'm considering (the wood painted black, white, or clear coated after being sanded)... Stay tuned

COLOR INSPIRATION: Cobalt Blue

2011-12-14T15:47:00.001-08:00

Decorating with BOOKS

2011-12-13T11:18:00.000-08:00

Most books I see in houses sit unused on bookshelves collecting dust. Decorating with books is an awesome way to add a pop of color or texture to any room without having to commit. It's easy to change (if you are like me and change your mind every minute) and it adds personality to any room. Bindings come in every color under the sun but you can easily make your own covers - remember covering your school books with a brown paper bag? You can use colored, textured, or even glitter paper to cover the books you already have. You can then use paint pens to write the titles on the back on the bindings. Personally, I love color blocking our bookshelves but it drives my boyfriend nuts as he has a harder time looking for specific titles. Here is some inspiration...

Photo Credits (Left to right, top to bottom)

Honey We're Home, Lonny Mag, Design Indulgences, Kelly Wearstler, Ana Antunes, Elle Decor, Pinterest, Design Indulgences

Gift Guide: Under $50

2011-12-12T12:37:00.000-08:00

Gift ideas for the gals all under $50!

1. Temperley London Amnesty International Candle $32.50
2. La Marca Prosecco (comes with cute holiday packaging) $15
3. Chevron Pillow $49
4. Spike the Punch Painted Crystal Necklace $42
5. Noir Small Cone Earrings $35
6. YSL Touche Eclat $26
7. Forrest and Bob Filipe Gold Ring $35
8. DVF IPhone4 Case $28
9. Forrest and Bob Laguna Gold Ring $35
10. Nars Love Yourself Duo $49
11. C Wonder Dopp Kit $48

Gift Guide: Ultimate

2011-12-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

My favorite *ultimate* gift picks for 2011 for the ladies...A lot of these have commas in the numbers so this one is for Santa...

1. Proenza Schouler PS1 $1,995
2. Cartier Panthere Ring $23,700
3. Equipment Blouse $208
4. French Sole fs/ny Drama Velvet Flats $140
5. Veuve Clicquot $40-50 (Always a perfect hostess gift)
6. Dannijo Naomi Collar $172
7. Pacific Connections Laquer Boxes $90-325
8. Theyskens' Theory Ayla Platform Booties $425
9. YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 1 Le Rouge $30
10. Hermes Collier de Chien $2,400-5,000
11. Vintage Hermes Tray Table (if you find one of these, I offer you my personal congratulations)
12. Tartan Plaid Scarf