Celebrate White on Labor Day!

Labor Day is upon us! Do you have barbecue plans for the weekend? Kick it up a notch with a clever theme! My favorite Labor Day theme is the "White Party"-celebrate your right to wear white! This theme is so simple because you can use the things you already have! Cover your tables with white table cloths, and scatter white flowers around the tables in a variety of white and clear vases. Pull out all of your white casserole and serving dishes and serve white meat with a variety of white sauces. Try these recipes for white barbecue sauce or a white pizza! You can purchase these white paper lanterns for next to a dollar at party stores and even dollar stores. Want to really step it up? Tell all of your guests to wear white! Happy Labor Day!

Show Grandma How It's Done!

Wallpaper isn't just for Grandma anymore! These days, wallpaper is found in the most customized, beautiful homes and is the statement of the space. There are so many patterns and textures to choose from, you're bound to find one that's just perfect to fit your style! Worried about resale value of your home? New wallpaper is easily removed when you're getting ready to sell. Choose from formal to casual patterns. Textures like grasscloth really give dimension to a room, making it appear larger. Metallics also have a space-amplifying effect, similar to what we already know of mirrors.

No-Melt Cupcake Cones!

I'm in love with this new cupcake cone trend! If you've ever tried having a sundae bar at an outdoor party, you know how hard it is to keep the ice cream frozen and presentable. And if you have guests like my grandmother, they will have ice cream dripping down to their elbows!

Cupcake Cones

These adorable cupcake cones are easy to make, fun to present, and won't melt! You can set them out as guests arrive and enjoy them throughout the party.

Just make your favorite cupcake recipe(dry mix from a box will work just fine) and place flat-bottomed cones in a muffin pan. Fill the cones half way with the batter and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and frost and decorate as you would your favorite ice cream cone! For added effect, spread M&Ms or sprinkles on the plate you are serving them on.

Mirror, Mirror

Neiman Marcus

 

Neiman Marcus

Neiman Marcus

My favorite design element of all is the timeless mirror. I love wall mirrors, floor mirrors, antique mirrors- but above all, I have an obsession for mirrored furniture! It just brings an elegance that doesn't come with any other finish. It can be traditional or contemporary, casual or formal (Of course I go more toward the formal side, but that's just me).

The biggest mistake made with mirrors is the placement, which dictates what the mirror reflects. Being that mirrored furniture sits on the floor, place a simplistic rug in front of it for an even reflection across the piece. This will accentuate it, not overpower it. Just remember, mirrors are used to amplify your current design, so mirrored furniture is best used with more simplistic design schemes and solid or monotone patterns.

Z Gallerie

When Life Gives You Lemons..... Make a Centerpiece!

I love the bright and natural look of lemons. They give the illusion that you just threw something together, but it somehow came out fabulous! There's no fussing with stems and falling petals. Plus, at my house, this is one thing the cat won't try to eat...

They can be dressed up.....

Lemon

Or dressed down.

Whole.....

Or sliced.

For Weddings

Have your centerpiece and eat it too!

The best part of using whole lemons is that you can use them when you're done! Put fresh lemons in pie, water, lemonade, sorbet, chicken, fish, beer, soups, cakes.....*gasp for air*......ANYTHING! Enjoy!!!

The Hunt for a 5-Table Ring

As I'm coming up on my third anniversary with my wonderful husband, I am in need of a new wedding ring(No, really! Mine broke!!). To describe the sparkle and wow factor of a ring, we developed the "table test"- where you can describe a ring by how many tables away you would notice it at a restaurant. If you have a five-table ring, that means that it would be noticed by people 5 tables away from you. Like any dreaming little girl, I went straight to Tiffany & Co. for ideas. I have narrowed it down between a Cushion cut, Radiant cut or an Asscher cut. Mine will be significantly smaller than the ones pictured, but I just couldn't resist posting everyone's dream come true- a table of Tiffany's......I'll keep you updated on the progress of shopping this week.

"Raspberry Garden" Baby Shower

I love fruit themes for showers. Peaches and Cream, Strawberries, watermelon..... For this baby shower, I went with a "raspberry garden" theme. I found this real moss table runner at a craft store, and set the cupcakes directly on it. I used heather in a raspberry color and put them in different vases I had around the house. One is actually a kleenex holder upside-down! The other was a Goodwill purchase :). Using plants is a good way to get maximum impact for a minimal price. They are often less expensive and have more blooms than bouquets. These heather plants were $3 each, and I planted them in my garden when I was done!

I used chocolate cupcakes to make the red raspberry color really pop.

My 4 layer raspberry jello cake was the hit of the party. This is my favorite recipe passed down from my mother. We used to make this cake every Valentine's Day in a heart-shaped pan. It's super easy, and super delicious!