It's Raining, it's Pouring...

I have been busy, busy, busy, and my blog hasn’t gotten much love, let alone a recent update.  I have the honor of being the MOH in two of my best friends’ weddings…on back-to-back weekends (yeah, I know).

One was last weekend and I have another coming up on Saturday. While I am flattered that I have been picked to stand up for two of my best friends—it’s a lot of work. (Work that I was more than happy to do for both girls, because I love them and couldn’t be more excited to share their special day[s].)

Jenn got married last weekend at Debordieu, a beautiful Country Club in Georgetown (or maybe Pawleys Island…I’m not exactly sure) either way, the natural scenery is breath-taking, a perfect backdrop for a perfect day. Jenn and Lee thought so too and planned an amazing outdoor ceremony on the lawn in front of the marsh and oak trees.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned.

The beautiful Bride and Me outside before the flood.

It rained, and rained, and rained, and rained. Did I mention it rained?  It rained so hard that I thought for sure when I looked out the window, I would see an arc floating where the ceremony chairs were supposed to be. So, in a brilliant attempt to keep the bride calm, it was decided that since she was in a room with no windows (and couldn’t come out and peek) that we just wouldn’t tell her for a little while in hopes that it would pass…well, that worked for about 10 mins, until someone (who obviously wasn’t let in on the secret) busted through the door and loudly let the room know that it was “raining like hell outside”. 

I must say, that initially, I didn’t give my friend enough credit; she handled it like a pro and was virtually un-phased (when I thought for sure she would have a meltdown). Instead, she calmly sat and asked for more Champagne (which I am convinced is a bride’s REAL best friend).  Jenn and Lee ended up getting married in the foyer of the country club and it was absolutely beautiful. The wedding planner, Kellie, was prepared for anything. She lined the guests around the spiral staircase looking down and there truly was a palpable energy in the room as they exchanged vows. 

The party afterwards did NOT disappoint either. The food was incredible and we got the speeches over with quick (I cried my way through mine, which is no surprise to those who know me). Then we danced and drank all night long--it was pretty epic

… Can’t wait to do it again in a couple of days!

A Cake for September

I’ve decided to do at least a cake a month to practice.  September’s cake is a Flourless Chocolate Cake with raspberry and currant filling and covered in fondant.  I tried a new fondant recipe this time and I didn’t love it, but the cake turned out beautifully.  Can’t wait to see how it tastes, but I need to enjoy the hard work for at least a day before we cut into it!

A Damask Surprise

When I re-did the old dresser/tv stand (here), I left the drawers inside original.  

But, when we got it in the room, I realized it needed a little something more.  Remember how we had a wedding shower for my bestie, well one of the presents was wrapped in the most amazing wrapping paper ever! It gave me the idea to line the inside of the cabinet with something equally amazing (I ended up finding the exact same paper). 

It was super duper easy…with a little help from my beau.  I went to Michael’s and bought some spray adhesive and two rolls of the wrapping paper (from Tuesday Morning).  I removed each drawer and all of the hardware (later to be replaced with fun little pulls from Anthro.  I cut a piece about the size of the surface, sprayed and stuck it on.  Then I (aka Seth) trimmed it with a paring knife.  And…Wha-la…

 I love, love, love the way it turned out.  Such a cool pop of fun when the doors are open—it’s like a little surprise.

Lost in a Blue Glaze

Seth and I moved in together about two months ago and it was interesting to say the least.  Not in a bad way—just in a co-habituating with a partner for the first time kind of way.  We had to sort through a ton of furniture and a few headaches to create a livable space that is still a work in progress.

Anyway, our “family room” is where all the left over furniture came to die, I mean found a home. On top of that, the lay out of the room is super awkward.  So, this is what we ended up putting the (huge) TV on…

It was in Seth’s Kitchen, but is originally an old dresser.  The drawers inside are perfect for all of the electronics and it is a neat and tidy throne for the monster.

But, I was dying to get my hands on it, re-do it, and add a little vavoom to the room.  I finally had some time to play this weekend and armed with some advise from two of my favorite blogs: Vintage Revivals and All Things Thrifty—I hit the yard with some old clothes and a drop cloth. 

First, I primed it:

Then I spray painted it:

Then I tinted a glaze black and glazed it to give that aged look and it looks great in the room!

A Cake for Sal

My second attempt at cake baking/decor was a bit aggressive.  As I mentioned in the first post, I decided to bake a cake for my best friends bridal shower; complete with three tiers and her corresponding wedding colors. 

This time, (with some convincing from Seth) I baked the cake from scratch…find the recipe here.  The cake was phenomenal—thanks to Ina, she never fails.  I also decided, if I am going to do this cake decorating thing, then I am going to do it right, so I bought my very own big girl Kitchen Aid stand Mixer—in Ruby Red, because its pretty.

Basically, it saved my life! The cake was so Delish, but would have been really hard to pull off without at least three hands, so the mixer was a lifesaver.  After hours (and I literally mean hours) of working the fondant and cutting dots and applying beads and making bows… this is the finished product.

It was a big hit and tasted much better than the tester I made the first time from the box!