HAVE A SWEET WEEKEND

{photo via Vintage Rose Garden}

WEDDING WEDNESDAYS: CREATIVE SAVE-THE-DATES

Here is a round-up of some creative save-the-dates I thought you might enjoy...

1. Pencil Save-the-Dates, 2. Balloon Save-the-Dates,  3. Handkerchief Save-the-Date, 4. Matchbook Save-the-Dates, 5. Filmstrip Save-the-Date

PIE PIE AND MORE PIE

In case you haven't heard, the next wave of popular sweets is the pie. There is nothing better than a great home baked pie; warm and perfect just out of the oven. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you're transported to another world. It can take you back to those weekends you stayed with grandma as a kid or those summer nights when your mom made a fresh berry pie, or perhaps even Thanksgiving with the family. There is nothing better than allowing food to take you to another place and fill you with joy.  Here are some fun not so traditional ways to serve this time honored dessert...

{photos via Individual Whole Pies,  Individual Pie Shaped Packages, Pie Table,  Pie Pops, Pie in a Jar, Pies in a Cake Stand}

EMERSONMADE THIS SPRING

I am loving EmersonMade this spring! How do they always manage to get it so right? Just adorable!

{photos via EmersonMade}

WEEK NO. 6: PULLED + BLOWN SUGAR

We had another week of sugar work this week. My rose was much better this time around (thank goodness). We also made ribbons with the pulled sugar which was quite an experience. Today we worked on blown sugar. Our assignment: to make blown apples, pears and bananas. I made a lot of pieces but most of them didn't survive the blowing. You see, the sugar becomes very fragile and can either collapse or explode. It's a lot like blowing glass. My fruit that survived: two apples, a banana, a pomegranate, a lemon and a pear. 

{photos by Julia Ferguson of Room for Dessert}

LIVE THE LANGUAGE

Ok. You're going to love this! This "Live the Language" Campaign has been making the blog rounds, and I'm obsessed. How fabulous is the typography? Click here to check out even more.

WEDDING WEDNESDAYS: GUEST BAGS | SAN FRANCISCO

It is always important to care of your guests at your wedding. There's no better way to do so than by having a welcome bag waiting for them in their hotel room upon their their arrival. This weekends guest tote: San Francisco. Along with the weekend itinerary (not pictured), here are a few items that will help your guests during their stay in the city by the bay...

1. Arrowhead Water: sourced in California

2. Replica Ray Ban Sunglasses for those rare but beautiful SF days

3. A local postcard with stamp is always a nice gesture

4. California oranges

5. A cute city Map Tote bag. Customizable ones are also available for your event.

6. San Francisco's famous sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery

7. San Francisco's own Ghirardelli Chocolate

8. The most amazing cheese from the Cowgirl Creamery (a perfect snack with the bread)

9. Advil for the day after the wedding

10. Pretty tissues for the ceremony

11. A bottle of the adorable Pop Champagne: perfect for two

12. Local transportation tickets to help your guests explore the city

13. A local map to help your guests get around (I think Streetwise Maps are the absolute best!)

VIVA MEXICO

Break out of black....it's time to embrace color. Be bold this season with vibrant prints, solids and stripes. Vogue Australia takes us to Mexico to celebrate these bright rich tones that make us feel alive.

{photos from Vogue Australia March 2011 issue via Coco + Kelly}

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

{photos via ban.do}

VALENTINE'S DAY TABLE STYLE

Here are some adorable Valentine's Day tables to help inspire you for Monday...

{photos via Southern Weddings, 100 Layer Cake, Toddler Approved, pom pom heart topper, This is Glamorous, Little Lovely, Southern Weddings, Tumblr, heart cupcake,  Ruffled, Southern Weddings, Grey Likes Weddings}

WEEK NO. 5: PULLED + POURED SUGAR

Boy are my fingers blistered. After a week of working with poured and pulled sugar, my hands are in need of some TLC. I would equate hot sugar to napalm. If your lucky, you'll only get nice big blister. When it sticks to your body, it actually pulls off your skin leaving you raw. At 165*c (or 330*F), it is seriously painful. The reason for inflicting this torture upon ourselves? Sugar sculptures and sugar roses. We made the sculptures three times (all pictured below) in order to practice for our final which is why they all look so similar (I was refining my design each time). They are very fragile and so only one of my three made it's way safely back to the flat. This morning we started making roses. I made two, the first of which (the smaller one pictured) turned out okay and the second one was marginally better. Definitely in need of some more practice which I'll be getting next week.

{photos by Julia Ferguson of Room for Dessert}