Arrangement of the Month: May

 

Just under the wire, I thought I'd share my arrangement of the month for May! I made some bouquets for a photoshoot with my talented friend McKenzie- (she'll create beautiful vacation, wedding or honeymoon photos if you're planning a visit to the Big Island!). I wanted some fresh photos for Becky Kazana that showcase my wedding cake toppers in beautiful Hawaii and with a bride and groom to add a little context and pizazz.

Staging a little mini wedding with Eric was a blast- I can't wait to share the photos with you. I made a few sets of bouquets and bouttonieres in case they wilted quickly in the hot Hawaiian sun. I just used flowers and greenery from around my condo- bouganvailia is everywhere here as well as astilbe and lots of pretty feathery ferns and greens like those cool palm tree tendrils.

I worked outside so that I wouldn't bring all sorts of creepy crawlies inside with me and just swept my leaf mess into the bushes when I was done. I kept the bouquets & bouts at room temperature in glasses of water, and they looked great the morning of the shoot. My favorite part is that I had gorgeous lush flowers for my shoot that didn't cost me a penny.

What's blooming where you live?

Movie Review: The Five Year Engagement

Source: impawards.com via Mariana on Pinterest

Have you seen The Five Year Engagement yet? Eric and I went to a matinee on a whim the other day (don't you love going to the movies in the middle of the day? It feels so decadent and you often have the theater practically to yourself!) and though it wasn't perfect it was very enjoyable.

The story follows a couple who are engaged but have to keep postponing their wedding, first due to a big move, then due to grad school, and then because they both begin to wonder if they are right for each other after all. 

Emily Blunt was delightful to watch and the film told a story that felt authentic in it's strangeness. Real life is wierd and it was nice to see a film that understood that. However, this film was made by Judd Apatow and company and I felt as I usually do about these movies- when you are doing improvisation instead of following a script, there is a lot of material, and not all of it is solid gold. I would have had no trouble cutting about 20 minutes out of the movie, which dragged oddly in many places.

The costume design was one of my favorite elements of the film. The characters are all nerdy/cool, well educated, San Francisco types, so the aesthetic was quirky, sophisticated and cool. Turns out the costume designer, Lisa Evans has been working with Jason Seagull for years. She was also the talent behind the looks in Bridesmaids and Get Him to the Greek. Here are some fun interviews about her design process.

Have you seen any good movies lately? I'd love some suggestions!

Packing up!

Source: notetosarah.tumblr.com via Devon on Pinterest

School has ended at last, I've just tapped in a spring recital for the Dancing Tree, today I'm baking a cake for a going away and engagement party for some dear friends and I've been slowly but steadily taking down the tent poles around here while also packing for my summer adventures in Oregon, New York and Minnesota. Whew! I will get back into my blogging routine in earnest as I travel. (We did have fun together last summer in Vienna, didn't we?)

Do you have any summer vacation plans?

Cake of the Month for May: Orange Chiffon Cake

Cake of the Month for May is this lovely Orange Chiffon Cake!

I'm cheating a bit posting this, since it was actually baked almost a month ago for my friend Anna's birthday, but here we are. I used this Orange Chiffon Cake recipe from the always excellent Joy of Baking and it was just what they described: light, airy, moist and delicious.

I glazed it with a little icing made with powdered sugar and orange juice just to accent the decoration from the pan. If I were making it again, I'd add more orange zest to give it more intense orange flavor. I'm also kicking myself for not adding nasturtiums for decoration. The orange color of the flowers would complement the orange flavor inside and they are edible! Perhaps I can use edible flowers in my cake for June. What are you baking this week?

Mumu to Robe!

What possessed me to buy this insane mumu at Ross a few months ago? Besides my fixation on caftans for the beach, I kinda dug the psychedelic print and magenta crocheted trim on the collar and cuffs. Oh yes, and the six dollar price tag. (It's my emotional price point!)

I snipped off the bottom, gave it a hem, turned the extra fabric into a sash belt and it's my new bathrobe! Not perfect, but quite Anthropologie-esque, wouldn't you say? What's the craziest garment you've bought impulsively? Did you end up regretting it? (Or did you secretly love it no matter what anyone else said?)

Becky Kazana Cardinal Wedding Cake Topper featured in Kentucky Bride Magazine!

Remember Gloria & Ryan's lovely wedding? Well, their pretty wedding cake featuring Cardinals from Becky Kazana has just been featured in Kentucky Bride Magazine. I'm so delighted! Don't my Cardinals look sweet perched on their wedding cake?

The Cardinal is a very popular state bird; Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia have all honored this dapper pair as their official state bird. I think giving a little nod to your home state with your wedding cake topper is an adorable idea. I have Quails for California brides, Loons for Minnesota brides, Pelicans for Louisiana brides and Ravens for Maryland brides. What's your favorite bird? Does it have special symbolism for you?

DIY with The Fab Miss B: Make Your Own Vanilla Extract!

All you need to make your own vanilla extract is a bean, a knife, some booze and a bottle!

Did you know it's easy to make your own vanilla extract? I didn't until we visited The Hawaiian Vanilla Company and they told us how to do it. All you need is a cured vanilla bean, an 8oz. bottle and alcohol of your choice. (Rum and Vodka are most common.) Momma D gave me their little kit to try and we had fun preparing it together.

Simply split the bean in half with a knife to allow the seeds to infuse the liquor. No need to scrape or mash the bean- the liquid does the work of pulling the seeds and flavor out.

Slip the bean in the bottle and fill it with the booze. Let it sit in a dark cool place for three months and you'll have your very own home made vanilla extract! I can't wait to try mine, which will be ready around when I come back from New York.

Isn't it fun to discover that something you thought you had to buy is very simple to assemble yourself? I've learned how to make my own granola, bread, croutons and even chocolate sauce, and it's fun to taste the difference in food without chemicals and preservatives. Next on my list? Making authentic maraschino cherries myself!