This flower pinwheel by Hello my name is Heather is so adorable!! The pattern, the colors… oh, I just love it so so much! Wouldn’t it be so cute to have your flower girls walking down the asile with a colorful-spinning pinwheel in their hands?!
Erin Jang from The Indigo Bunting made these adorable “OH Baby” shower favors for her friends, Albert and Tasha. She was inspired by the children’s rhyme: “What are little boys made of? Frogs and snails and puppy dogs’ tails, that’s what little boys are made of.” She rubber-stamped “OH BABY” onto the muslin bags (the baby boy’s last name is Oh!). Then She put a small thank-you note along with some Haribo frog gummies for guests to enjoy.
Yesterday, I attended my friend’s, Emily, bridal shower. The girls and I had sooooo much fun opening gifts after gifts and helping Emily to try out each of them. But nothing could compare to the gift that Emily’s sister had especially made for her little sister, a beautiful photo book. The tear were dropping down from Emily’s eyes when she saw the photos of her sister holding her, playing at the playground together, handing a bouquet of flowers to her during the college graduation ceremony. It was really a lovely gift.
I came across Good Stock Press & Bindery this morning, and their custom books were beautifully made. I included a few photos below. Enjoy!
This is such a simple & trendy way to dress up the table setting.
Spread a dinner napkin out, lying flat. Fold opposite sides in so they meet at the center. Then fold again at the center to form a narrow, ribbon like shape. Next, fold short ends in so they meet at the center. Cinch in the middle with a ribbon in a coordinating color, and glue at back.
Roasted apricots with chamomile
serves 4
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup fresh chamomile flowers or 1 chamomile tea bag
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
8 apricots, unpeeled, halved and pitted
1 cup water
Preheat the oven to 375°F/185°C. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the vanilla pod and seeds, chamomile flowers (or tea bag), then simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a baking dish or roasting tray.
Arrange the apricots in the syrup, cut side down, roast for about 10 minutes. Turn them over, baste with the syrup and roast for another 5 minutes until tender. Serve warm.
The apricots will keep for 3 days, refrigerated.
Vanilla spice poached apricot & yellow peach tarts
1/3 recipe of homemade feullitage or 2 sheets of store-brought puff pastry
1 large yellow peach, peeled, finely sliced and pitted
4 apricots, unpeeled, halved and pitted
2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
1 star anise
1 ¼ cups sugar
50ml white wine
200ml water
For the egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1tsp water
Some flour, for work surface
Remove the feullitage out the freezer 10 minutes before. On a slightly floured work surface; roll out the feullitage to a 5mm/¼in thick square. Stamp out 3in/5in ~ 7.5cm/12.5cm rounds using cookie cutters, prick all over with a fork then return the dough to the freezer to firm up. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Combine the sugar, water, white wine, star anise and vanilla pod + seeds in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to medium and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the apricots to the hot syrup and let poach for 3 minutes; removed. Add the peach slices to the hot syrup and let poach for 2 minutes, removed. Simmer the syrup down to two thirds of its original volume then strain, discard the solid and reserve the syrup.
Beat the egg yolk with the water to make the egg wash. Set aside. Take the feullitage out the freezer and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a knife, score but not cut all the way through a ¼ inch boarder all around, then brush with egg wash but avoid the boarders.
Arrange 2 apricot halves on each 3in rounds and peach slices on the 5in rounds (within the boarders), then dot with diced butter. Place in oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush the tarts with the reserved syrup. Serve warm.
A simple way to appreciate your friends & family (and your soon-to-be lovely wife) and tell them how precious they are in your heart.
Visit Lisa Leonard website to see more her charming designs.
Look what I found on Hostess. Love the colors combination… soooooo eye catching!!
“Treat Cones” are such a fun way to display candy & other goodies at a party. They’re easy to make and can be tailored to pretty much any party theme or color palette, so the sky’s the limit on the style!
The cones pictured here are from a French Circus-themed baby shower that I styled last month. We used zebra-striped wrapping paper, Crunch ‘n Munch (yum!), bright yellow Banana Heads Candy, and 6.75″ black and white shallow vases for these particular displays, but you can apply the same basic concept to any theme you like…
Here are the DIY details:
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You’ll Need:
gift wrap or other decorative paper
lollipop sticks
craft styrofoam sheets – approx 1″ thick
shallow tray or vase/container
candy/treats for the cones
candy/treats to cover the styrofoam
tape, glue stick & scissors
DIRECTIONS:
For the Paper Cones:
1. Download or create a template for the cones. (You can download the one we used here. It makes 5″ cones.)
2. Trace the cone template onto the paper, then trim out. Repeat as many times as you need.
3. Roll the trimmed paper into a cone shape, making sure there’s enough of a hole left in the bottom of the cone for the lollipop stick. Secure the cone shape with a piece of tape on the inside, and use the glue stick to make the outer edge lie flat.
For the Party Display:
1. Cut a piece of the styrofoam sheet to fit securely within your tray or vase/container.
2. Place the styrofoam in the container, then insert the lollipop sticks into the foam, leaving a few inches in between the sticks to make room for the cones. (You can insert the sticks in neat rows or in a random configuration – whichever you prefer!)
3. Pour candy or popcorn on top of the styrofoam until it is completely covered.
4. Fill each paper cone with candy, popcorn, or another treat, then slide them onto the lollipop sticks.
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Here’s a peek at our treat cones “in action” at the French Circus baby shower. They sat at different levels on the “dress” of the Dessert “Table Lady” that caterer The Party Goddess dreamed up!
Apricot and Matcha Tiramisu
makes 4 3in x 3in squares
Matcha génoise
100g granulated sugar
70g all purpose flour
15g matcha
20g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
Apricot mousse
350g apricots (after pitting)
250ml water
100g sugar
1 vanilla bean (cut lengthwise, seeds scraped out)
4g gelatine sheet
150ml heavy cream
2 egg whites
75g caster sugar
Mascarpone cream
100ml heavy cream
15g caster sugar (you may not need it if you’re using tinned apricots)
30g mascarpone cheese
For the matcha génoise:
Brings a small pot of water to boil, set aside. Melt the butter in a microwave, set aside to cool.
Lightly butter a 12 x 9in/28 x 24cm roll cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Sift together flour and matcha, set aside. Preheat oven to 360°F/180°C.
Using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs together in a heatproof bowl then add sugar and beat until blended. Place the bowl over the pot of boil water and continue to beat over medium speed until it is foamy and warm to the touch. Remove from heat, continue to beat in a circular motion until it doubles in volume and soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sifted matcha flour mix using a rubber spatula and fold gently until incorporated. Add in the melted butter, quickly fold until completely incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread and smooth out the batter using the spatula. Tap the pan slightly on the counter to release any air bubbles, place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the apricot mousse:
Soak the gelatine in cold water. Place the water, 100g sugar and vanilla seeds (as well as the pod) in a saucepan over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved, add the apricots and simmer for about 5 minutes until just tender. When cool, strain the apricots through a fine sieve (you’ll get about 250g purée) and add 50ml syrup from the pan. Reserve some syrup and discard the solids.
(If you’re using tinned apricots, puree 250g fruit and strain through a fine sieve then add 50ml syrup from the tin. Reserve some syrup for soaking the sponge.)
Squeeze out the gelatine, melt in a bain marie and stir into the puree. Whip the double cream into soft peaks (it’s important that the purée and cream have a similar consistency). Make the meringue with the egg whites and 75g sugar – whip the egg white until foamy, add the sugar a little at a time, whipping as you go along. When the purée is slightly set, gently fold the cream and meringue into it.
To make the mascarpone cream:
Place the double cream and sugar in a bowl and whip into soft peaks then mix the cheese in.
To assemble the cake:
Cut 4 pieces of sponge to the size of your mold. Place the sponge in the mold as a base and brush with the left over syrup, pour the mousse, then place the other sponge on top.
Freeze the cake until firm enough to slice (you don’t need to but it helps to cut neatly), layer the mascarpone cream on top and dust with cocoa powder just before serving.
Graham Cracker Tart Shells
makes about 10 (1 ½x4in) flute shell & 12 (2×4in) financier tart shell
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup Demerara sugar
¼ cup honey
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Place the butter and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in color. Add the honey and beat until combined; set aside.
Combine the flours, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl then add to the butter mixture in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Mix until the dough is well combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and form into a disk. Chill until firm, at least an hour and up to two days.
Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Use a rectangular cutter or knife to cut out the dough to fit the tart pans, press the dough gently into the tins, trimming away any excess dough. Prick dough all over with a fork and let chill for 20 minutes or until the dough is firm enough. Chill longer if necessary.
Bake tart shells until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. They can be made a day in advance. Also, they can be kept up to 3 months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container.
Cream Cheese Pastry Cream
makes about 4 cups
1 cup milk
5 tbsp sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 ½ tbsp corn starch
6 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Combine ¾ cup of the milk and 3 tablespoon of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk the remaining ¼ cup milk into the yolk mixture. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and add a little of the hot milk to the yolk mixture to warm it, whisking constantly to keep the yolks from cooking. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour.
Return the custard to the stove and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Let the custard cook for 1-2 minutes until it thickens. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Using a fine sieve; strain the mixture into a clean bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
Beat the heavy cream over medium speed until soft peaks form. Whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fold in the whipped cream until combined.
Blueberry Compote – 2 1/2 cups
2 ½ cups blueberries
1 tbsp sugar
In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of the blueberries with the sugar. Cook over low heat until all the berries have popped and the juices come out.
Strain the mixture into a bowl and discard the solids. Add the rest of the blueberries into the syrup and toss to combine.
Kumquat Compote
Make 48 halved kumquats
400g (about 24) kumquats
2 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cup water
Wash and pat dry kumquats. Remove calyces, cut them in half horizontally then pit with a fork. Bring sugar and water to boil, add the kumquats. Cover with a paper towel (directly on kumquats) and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Remove from heat and let sit overnight at room temperature. Trash the paper towel and remove the kumquats and transfer to a bowl. Reheat the poaching syrup to a boil then remove from heat. Add the kumquats back into the syrup and let sit overnight at room temperature. Place the compote (discard the syrup) in an airtight container and keep refrigerated; good up to a week.
To assemble:
Spoon the pastry cream into each tart shell and top with the blueberries or candied kumquats, sprinkled with finely chopped pistachios. Serve soon after assembling.
What a HOT-HOT-HOT idea for wedding favors!! Grafxcowgirl from Offbeat Bride created these fun matchbook favors just using cheap blank matchbooks. Three simple steps: print, cut and paste. Woo-la-la, you have something smoky-hot for your wedding day.
