Happy Mardi Gras!
Click on this link to find out how to make this beautiful king cake. The site includes nice pictures and instructions for baking and frosting.
Be sure to remember the baby!
Sweet Treats!
We can't think of any better cure for a case of the Mondays than plates of gorgeous cookies - can you? Our lovely Kelly has been baking up a storm lately and treating us to heaps of delectable goodies. So sweet on mismatched vintage china, we can just imagine these pretty cookies as part of a wedding dessert bar!
Chocolate Chip with Toasted Almonds and buttery Shortbreads with Macadamia Nuts... and oh yes... dipped in more chocolate! Yum, pass the milk please!
Jude's Big Top Birthday!
Saturday was Jude's first birthday party, and what a fun little fête it was!
We served fresh popcorn in vintage style popcorn boxes, sugar cookies frosted with royal icing (so fun to paint!) and delicious cupcakes with chocolate frosting with little flags made from ribbon and satay sticks - classic birthday treats!
The cake was a yellow cake with buttercream frosting, with a cute little banner (it's been a hot trend this year, and I couldn't help myself - so perfect for the circus theme!) And how perfect were these napkins? I found them (as well as stripey straws, paper fringe and more) at a super adorable little shop called Shop Sweet Lulu!
We provided clown noses, for those who didn't happen to have any appropriate circus attire on hand...
...or who just happen to look ridiculously cute in one...
We made these charming birthday hats out of pom poms, ruffly paper trim, stickers and poster board - so fun!
One of Jude's birthday presents was this amazing Schylling baby piano that Sabrina picked up at the super marvelous shop Paxton Gate's Curiosities for Kids which was a big hit at the party - she brought over hers too so we could have dueling pianos...
Jude, striking a pose...
One of Jude's friends, the ever charming Miss Eva, arrived dressed as a tiger! How apropos, given the presence of this Ring 'o' Fire - hilarious!
We painted an upside down flower pot to look like a circus pedestal - a perfect place to pose this vintage Dumbo doll and his strong man friend...and I made simple striped slip covers for our ottomans to transform our living room into an instant big top!
Now, a great party is all about enthusiastic guests: Sabrina's son James, seemingly unperturbed by his amusing head wear and sporting a natty suit! Quite the sartorial splendor!
Darling Hugo, who's half French, looking very adorable as a tiny French clown!
Our friends Jillian and Toast of Because We Can, came in hilarious cowboy attire...(props to Jillian for staying up 'til the wee hours the night before decorating cookies!)
The whole family, getting our circus on...
Alas, the birthday boy was a little less than enthusiastic about sporting a birthday hat!
Sabrina and her son Alex, having a jolly time! (How could you not, while double fisting kazoos??)
The party reached it's peak with an all kazoo birthday salute!
Happy Birthday, Jude!
We'll be posting tutorials for the Ring of Fire, Pennants, Circus Sugar Cookies, the cake topper and more, all week, so stay tuned!
Heart Cake
Speaking of Valentine's day treats, how sweet is this Heart Cake?!
Click here for the tutorial. Via Swiss Miss.
Pantone Cookies
Apologies in advance but we couldn't help re-posting these ridiculously adorable Pantone Cookies featured on Design*Sponge. Designer/baker Kim Neill created the cookies as gifts for her clients, using as edible marker to delineate each spot color. Apparently, pink, red and silver were the most popular! Click here for more info.
Pretty, Hearty, Valentine's Cookies
We've been thinking pink around here— our super cute new Valentine's cards seem to be popping up everywhere and Valentine's Day is just around the corner!
Love, icing and typography! The best combo, and just our cup of tea!
But Linzer Hearts might just be our fave.
Happy holidays to you and yours!
We're taking a few days off to enjoy the holidays - hope you do the same! Some potential activities include making these cookies:
Seeing this movie:
and working on projects from this book:
Have a great holiday!!
Maggie Austin Cake
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we've got food on the brain! These stunning cakes from DC-area pastry chef Maggie Austin are almost too pretty to eat!
Via Oh, Joy.
Tartine Bread
One of our favorite local bakeries, Tartine, is coming out with a new book - Tartine Bread. Check out this cute video from the baker!
Letterpress Cookies!
Speaking of wood type, how sweet(!) are these letterpress printed cookies?! They'd be so cute for a kid's birthday party! Just be sure to clean the blocks thoroughly before stamping!
From With Style and Substance via Creature Comforts.