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Everyone is looking for that perfect cocktail.  The mix that will please every palette from the bourbon swillers to the tea sippers.  And ladies and gentlemen–This. Is. It.  Not too sweet, not too boozy.  Just. Right.

A friend of mine introduced me to the simplicity of this drink at Book Club one evening.  It is simplicity in itself.  Some pear nectar, something fizzy, some brandy or slices of fruit for extra credit and you’re sipping away at something that everyone loves.  It’s celebratory, tasty, simple and just perfect for most any occasion.  New Years Eve? Yes.  Your bridal shower brunch? Yes.  The signature cocktail at your wedding?  Of course!  It’s easy to make virgin–just offer up some sparkling cider or even some soda or seltzer in place of the sparkling wine.  As for which bubbly to use, I’m a big fan of prosecco for the combination of price point and taste.

It’s one of those divine combinations that doesn’t even need a recipe.  Just nectar topped with sparkle and sipped.  Love, love, love.

Check out this and other great drink ideas on our Pinterest Boards!

I love elements of handmade in any wedding.  But DIY flowers?  I never expected them to be as beautiful or colorful as the most recent trend of hand crafted paper flowers.  From swirly round solid ones to these fantastic origami creations like the ones in the picture below to repurposed books or maps, there are versions that could fit well into any wedding.

There are several great tutorials on our Pinterest Board, as well as sources and brilliant ideas.  So as the cold stretch settles in, is it time to take up a new hobby of paper flower making?  My particular favorites are the bright solid color ones, but I could imagine a bouquet made of floral papers for a very charming, meta bouquet.

Rumor has it that there is snow on the ground in spots around the country.  Rain, too.  The workweek has started again for many, others are headed out to make returns and pick up some bargains.  This week is always odd to me–I think it brings on a bit of the blues.  I’ll look forward to celebrating New Years and dream of vacations to pull me out of the little dip of holiday blues.

And dream I will…of seaside weddings with soft colors, light breezes on sunny beaches, the clink of a seashell bouquet, intimate gatherings of friends and family.  I’ll imagine the bleached seastars and sand under my feet and the salty smell of the sea.  So tranquil, so peaceful, so beautiful.  I’m feeling more serene already…

Check out the sources for these amazing and tranquil pictures on our Pinterest Board and feel calmer and happier already.

I hope y’all are in the midst of a festive and wonderful holiday, no matter what you are celebrating.  Around here, it’s Christmas with lots of pajama wearing and yummy brunch food.  Which made me think of weddings (I know!)  And it got me thinking about how much fun a brunch reception would  be.  Or even better, a BRINNER reception (Breakfast foods for dinner…we all do it, why did there seem to be no moniker for it until a random episode of “Scrubs”?) I hear the word bubbling up all over the place, usually with a tone of reverence and excitement.

Most everyone loves waffles or pancakes or eggs or bacon (!!!).  A Brinner buffet would work well for vegetarians and carnivores alike.  It would give a sense of whimsy, of fun, of deliciousness.  There’s a mood of relaxed, gracious hospitality to the idea.  You could make it relaxed and homey or the epitome of sophistication all by adjusting the presentation.  If it’s a bit too nontraditional for you, what about as a midnight snack for your revelers?  Some mini cinnamon rolls and ham biscuits and mimosas and coffee and donuts around 11pm as energy is flagging? Why, yes, I do believe I will…

For the sources for these pics, as well as a lot of other amazing brinner ideas, check out our Pinterest Boards!

It’s hard to believe it’s finally here!  Christmas has seemed so far off for so long now that I can barely believe it arrived.  Time to spend with family and friends. Great food. Twinkle lights. The smell of pine.  The taste of…

I’m drifting.  And dreaming of this kind of pink and hazy retro Christmas.  Full of glamour, full of fun.  Full of sparkle.  And full of love.

May all of you have the happiest of Christmases.  Safe travels, healthy and prosperous New Years.

Check out other bits of pink glittery holiday goodness on our Pinterest Board!

What a busy week and busy weekend!  I *know* y’all are done with your holiday preparations, right?  Right?? Well, if not, and you have a cook on your list, I would humbly and with greatest reverence recommend the cookbooks by Virginia Willis.  She is simply one of the most amazing and powerful forces in Southern cookery today.  I could name drop all the amazing people she has worked with, I could tell you all the amazing organizations she is involved with…or I could just tell you that the Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls recipe on her website were the.best.I.ever.tasted. Ever.  Put away the Sister Shuberts, these are worth the effort!

Her earlier book, Bon Appetit, Y’all! Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking is a great cookbook for the cook who is looking to build up that list of great recipes and techniques that come from her French training, Southern raisin’ and perfect execution.  The newer book, Basic to Brilliant, Y’all:150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress them Up for Company provides a host of great recipes that are wonderful “plain,” but easy to tweak, add to and fancify for special occasions.  Both are loaded with fantastic pictures, amazing recipes and  What a great gift for a friend who is setting up her household (or even for yourself)!

For other great ideas for gifts or ways to add to your special occasion, check out our Pinterest Boards!

Before I got into the wedding world I never would have thought to mix burlap and lace. And I never would have considered burlap for weddings, but it seems to be everywhere and the more I see the more I love it! It’s one of our most popular boards on Pinterest.

Wedding for You on Etsy has these AMAZING and sweet favor bags that would be right at home in just about any wedding that does the mash up of the rough rustic and the delicate refined. Fill them with birdseed or M&Ms…or something less expected? Truffles? Tiny bottles of bourbon? What would you put in them?

Check out this and some of our other great finds on our Pinterest birds.

Yesterday’s post on tulle was such fun! Today’s is a bit bolder, more pronounced. The peek of color under the skirt is flirty and whimsical, but tulle can have so many different iterations. Take these rich colors and dramatic shapes. They are a far cry from the ballerina dresses or princess gowns you may think of.

The not so secret secret is that the shapes are very elegant and dramatic to take advantage of the tulle’s drape. Then you add in a deeply saturated color and it amps up the sophistication even more. The result is incredibly beautiful and graceful. Would you wear a non traditional gown like this? Pick it for your bridesmaids (ooh, that purple maybe??)

I don’t know about the weather where you are, but the gray gloom of winter has been creeping in around here.  The days are short, trees are bare.  Know what I need on a day like this?  A pop of color!

I’ve always loved the idea of colored crinolines.  It was that secret that only the wearer knew about.  I recall some from two of the most formative sources in my life–the movie Grease in that amazing dance scene and in Gone with the Wind when Rhett brings a red silk one for Mammy.  And now I’ve started to see them more and more where they peek out and offer that pop of color, that something blue, that little bit of fun and frolic to a wedding dress.  Or it could be a great way to offer a bit of individuality to the uniform of the bridesmaid dress.  If you’re feeling crafty, it’s an easy project to undertake with your friends and helps to make your wedding very much you.  What do you think?  Cute style for you or for someone else?

But colored tulle isn’t only showing up underskirts–tomorrow we’ll check out some amazing tulle dresses.  For brides, bridesmaids, holiday parties…

For a sneak peak at tomorrow’s, as well as sources for these images, check out our Pinterest board!