Please don't make me choose!

It has now been 14 months since my wedding and I am just now getting around to choosing the photos for my album. I blame my photographer, Leigh Miller, she was just too good. How on earth am I ever going to choose the select few that make it into "The Album"? This is going to be difficult! Below are some of the highlights and some of my favorites.

Rachel McGinn Photography

Maybe it's because photography is one talent I truly do not posess, but sometimes I visit a photographer's site and I just feel full of joy, like I could sit and look at a thousand of their pictures and still want to see more. Trust me, you will know what I am talking about when you browse the galleries at Rachel McGinn's site. Want to feel even more giddy? Click over to her children's site.

Happy Birthday

There is something to be said for simple family parties complete with good food, screaming children, and double dessert.

Happy Birthday Gabe!

Martha, you know I love you, but...

sometimes I just can't afford you. When I saw these candles mentioned on Oh Happy Day earlier this week I had to have them for Gabe's birthday cake this weekend. That was until I realized they were $12.95 for only 12 candles! In my book, that's no small chunk of change for candles that have a lifespan no longer than the length of a few bars of "Happy Birthday". "Sorry honey, I couldn't afford to buy you a gift, but look at these great candles!" Somehow I just don't think he would find the humor.

Enter Target. For $2.95 I found these 2 great sets of birthday candles, both in sets of 24. That's right, twice as many candles. Though not quite as long as Martha's (hers measure in at about 15 inches while the solid colored Target candles are only about 8 inches), they have a very similar effect for nearly a tenth of the price. Now I can afford to buy myself a little something, too! I'm so glad I solved my candle canundrum.

OK, so I'm not Martha...

...but I can pretend, can't I? Come on, admit it, you have all had those moments in the kitchen when you imagine the cameras being there as you non-chalantly add a pinch of this and a dash of that, all the while smiling at the camera and maintaining an heir of perfection and never dirtying your apron. Oh, you have never done this? Then you, my friend, do not watch enough Food Network.

I recently had the pleasure of "taste-testing" (terrible pun intended) this fantasy by hosting a cooking party for a group of about twelve twelve year old girls. It seems the birthday girl and guest of honor Caroline is a budding chef and came up with this theme on her own! So clever! It was a night full of giggling, cooking, more giggling, gossiping, a little bit of learning, and a ton of fun!

When planning the party, it was stressed that the girls did not want a demonstration on cooking, they wanted to cook! They wanted to prep, chop, measure, bake, and fry. Although a bunch of highly excited pre-teens wielding knives around was a bit frightening, all fingers remained in tact and the meal turned out great. While parents and grandparents stood on the sidelines sipping wine, the girls worked diligently (most of the time, anyway!) to prepare a three course feast. On the menu were raspberry Italian sodas, tomato and basil bruschetta, chicken parmigiano with homemade marinara, and tiramisu.

Photographer Natalie Moser was on hand to capture all of the hysteria.

This will be the cover of my next, I mean first, cookbook!

These girls now know how to separate eggs, beat the whites to semi-firm peaks and fold them so as not to deflate the mixture. Pretty impressive! Caroline took her duties very seriously! I can't remember the last time I had this many people actually listening to me!
I made these recipe cards for each guest. They also took home cupcakes in customized take-out containers reading "From Caroline's Kitchen".
There's one in every group! Ready for the fry pan.Lesson's over, it's time for ping pong!

This was so much fun that I think I may have to do another. I am thinking adults, wine, gourmet ingredients- well, you get the idea. I think I may have found a new niche!

It was great meeting you and your friends, Caroline. I hope you had a memorable party and I thank you for letting me celebrate with you!

CB2 I love you

We're ordering about 40 of these "whirly hanging candleholders" from CB2 to hang from a huge tree for an outdoor, modern, all white winter reception. I cannot wait to see how amazing they look when lit. The chrome has just been added for the Fall and, at $4.95, they are a sophisticated alternative to hanging paper lanterns.

top image: CB2, bottom image: ?

School's in session

All of these "back-to-school" sale commercials sparked a memory of this grade-school inspired wedding of Paper+Cup owner and designer, Minhee. I love carrying a theme through to every detail including the dessert cups! And the chalkboard photo backdrop- well, that's an A+ and a gold star for creativity. I wish I had liked school this much!

From Martha Stewart Weddings, Fall 2006.

A few of her favorite things

While I was out of town a few days ago I got a call from my husband that I had received a package. Could it be? Could the anticipation be over? In the excitement of assembling my favorite things package for my swap partner Jihan, I had almost forgotten that I would also be receiving my very own brown paper package tied up in string (OK, so it was a paper envelope sealed with adhesive, but that's not the point!). My package of goodies came all the way from Ms. Caitlin in New York. In case you can't tell from the not so great photo (sorry, I was excited!) inside was an assortment of vintage post cards, blue scalloped stationery, cocktail umbrellas, a very cool striped to-do list, a package of pep-o-mints, and a fabulous pomegranite candle. It's amazing how much you can tell about a person from just a few of their favorites! Thank you so much Caitlin-this was a blast!

Wondering what I sent? My buddy won't be opening her package until tomorrow so I don't dare spoil the surprise, but I will tell you it was very difficult narrowing it down and I have thought of about a zillion other items I could have sent. Maybe there will be a next time!

Egg Press

Oh boy do I love quality letterpress! As a matter of fact, I think I have kept every letterpressed card or invitation I have ever received. I'm an admitted paper junkie. Just knowing that letterpress generally comes from small companies owned and operated by admiringly creative individuals preserving an art form they love makes it all the more special. Egg Press is one such company that you have probably already fallen in love with through their line of cards and goodies available at fine paper stores, but did you know they can also be commissioned to do custom work for weddings, birth announcements, and the like? Who wouldn't love to receive one of these in the mail?

Social Couture

Sometimes I am amazed at the brilliant ideas people have! Social Couture is a website dedicated to helping you achieve perfectly wonderful table settings for any gathering. You can serve store bought chicken and canned vegetables and your guests won't even notice because of how incredible your table setting is. OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but this is truly a clever company. You can mix and match the elements of the table settings that catch your eye with items you already have or just choose one of their pre-designed little numbers and you're good to go. It arrives in the mail before your last RSVP. Genius!