Fabric Corsages

Not sure what it is, maybe it's because Valentine's Day is near, but we are loving all things wedding right now! Of course we love when brides incorporate DIY projects into their weddings, it makes things seem so personalized and special. We are just loving the idea of a fabric corsages! They are just as beautiful, if not more, than using real flowers. What a fashionable gift/keepsake to give your bridesmaids or flowergirl! If you are not a corsage person, wear it as a bracelet!






Images via: Martha Stewart (1-3), EmersonMade, Etsy: Nova of Love

Elegance and Charm...

This wedding is the perfect mix of elegance and charm! We love that it is set to such a graceful tone; the colors are just dreamy, the cake is perfectly classic and simple, the florals are stunning and the bride are groom are radiant and gorgeous! Oh and those Badgley Mischka's....ummm, yes please! How can you not adore a heart-shaped balloon release...wouldn't that be fun for a Valentine's Day wedding!













Photography: Youkeun Oh Photography
Flowers: Commerce Flowers
Event Design + Planning: Catherine Cindy Leo
Invitations: Christine Park
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Dress: Tomato Wedding
(Found on stylemepretty.com)

Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I have this cute little cookie book called, "The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook" by Elinor Klivans. It is filled with the cutest photos and recipes, all featuring the always popular...chocolate chip! Genius, right!?! I am such a sucker for meltaway cookies. So I decided to try the chocolate-chip filled melting moments recipe. They were so good, I had to share the recipe with you! And of course I had to share some cookies with Kellie!


Cookies
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter and room temp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Position rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift both flours, cornstarch, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth and lightened slightly in color, about 1 minute. Scrap sides of bowl. Add vanilla. On low speed add the flour mixture, just mix until incorporated and a smooth dough ball forms.

Roll a level tablespoon of dough between palms to form a smooth ball. Place cookies on a prepared baking sheet, space 2 inches apart. Use a fork to flatten the cookies leaving an impression. (I rolled the dough and used a cookie cutter and pricked the cookies with a fork)Bake the cookies oven sheet at a time until the tops are firm and the cookie bottoms are just slightly browned, about 30 minutes. The tops of the cookies should not color. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

In medium bowl use a wooden spoon to stir the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together. Add chocolate chips and stir.

Turn half of the cooled cookies bottom side up and use a thin metal spatula to spread a rounded teaspoon and filling evenly over each one. Place remaining cookies right side up on the filling and press gently.

*Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days*

These would be so cute turned into heart cookies for Valentine's Day...wouldn't they!




Ivy & Aster + Elizabeth Messina= Dreamy Perfection

This year we are wrapped up in all things whimsical and romanic; lace, ruffles, rosettes, pinwheels and glitter....of course! This photoshoot that the brilliant Elizabeth Messina, of Kiss the Groom,did for Ivy & Aster pretty much combines all of those things perfectly. How timeless, greaceful and beautiful are these photos and those dresses!?! We think we want to get married again (to our own husbands of course)! What is inspiring you this year?












Dresses: Ivy & Aster
Photographs: Elizabeth Messina
Styling: Jacqueline Weppner, Merci New York
Hair: Elina Pinkhasov, Signature Styles Salon
Makeup: Jacqi Kotran, Facetime Beauty Concierge
Location: Ukranian Institute NYC

New York Wrap Up...

On Tuesday the event started with a beautiful little breakfast reception. We had some amazing guest speakers throughout the day that were really inspiring and left us with a sense of motivation and encouragement! The speakers included: Gael Towey (Chief Creative and Editorial Director of MSLO), Terri Trespicio (Senior Editor, Whole Living Magazine), Terri Shapiro (Executive Director, Brand Media Relations for Deluxe Corporation), Brenda Dargan and Marc Ganem (Martha Stewart Living) and Danielle Leveal (Etsy). All of the speakers messages were so practical and we were able to take something concrete away from each of them. We left with some really good ideas on how to structure our business. At the end of the first day we were all anxious to see and meet Martha. She gracefully came in with Susan Soloman, who is the co-founder and CEO of the NY Stem Cell Foundation. We really enjoyed listening to Martha and Susan, as they are both such innovators.







Wow! The first day was so amazing we had so much to reflect on over dinner and a stroll through Time Sqaure. Of course we HAD to have NY pizza while we were there, and we were lucky enough to have one of our newest friends, Jasmine Clouser of The Couture Cakery, join us! We had such an amazing time getting to know her, she was such a doll. You must check out her site and the gorgeous cakes that she creates!

Wednesday it was Martha time! We were so excited to get to the set and of course meet Joey Kola, Martha's warm-up comic for the show! He was hilarious and kept the audience upbeat and excited throughout the show! The set was gorgeous and being there was almost sureal. It was a really incredible experience! As the show ended Martha was open to some question from the audience. She was really warm and generous with her answers. We were greeted back at the Martha Stewart headquarters (which is a few blocks from where the show is taped) with a beautiful lunch and guest speaker, Maria Otero, the Founder and President of Women’s Venture Fund. This wonderful experience ended with a cooking demonstration from Sarah Casey, Food Editor for Martha Stewart Living. We adored her, she was funny, charismatic and charming! Overall, this was one of the most memorable things Kellie and I have done together, not only as business partners but as friends. It gave a true sense of what we wanted out of our business, the direction we wanted to go and the brand we want to create. We feel so incredibly blessed to have had this experience.








 
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