Bright Lights, Big City

As long as I can remember, I have felt a pull between two opposites- a love for the countryside and a love for the city. While I am completely at peace in the country, there is something about big cities that makes my pulse race in the most exhilarating way.

Helena Palazzi Photography

The traffic. The noise. The people. The lights. The buildings. All of these things and more capture a piece of my heart.

Martin Rusch

I love staring out a window many stories in the air, taking in building upon building with skyscrapers lined up as far as the eye can see.

Helena Palazzi Photography

Especially at night. When light and darkness meet halfway.

Troy House Photography

For the next few days I will be in and around New York City, and my heart is filled with happiness. I have a weekend filled with not only the excitement of the city, but also the company of family and friends, ones who it has been too long since I've last seen.

Midweek, I move on to Massachusetts to spend time with some more close friends who I also haven't seen in far too many years, and I most likely will be MIA for a little over the next week; I hope during that time you have many moments of sweet bliss, as I intend to enjoy many of the same.

Happy weekend!

We are in NYC this weekend meeting up with some of our 2010 couples for some fabulous photodate sessions, 8 to be exact (we're sneaking in one pregnancy portrait and one sexy session too)!

Can't wait to see everyone and snap it up in the city!

So not to worry if the blog is quiet for a few days...it's going to be blowing up soon enough!

University of Cookie: Royal Icing

Hey guys! A quick note to let you know there's a new vlog over at University of Cookie. This one is called "making royal icing."

Come take a peek! {I may or may not have invented a new drinking game to go along with it!} ;)

Wags 'n Whiskers flower challenge, a sale, and news about the next release!

Yay! It's Friday! :) Hope everyone is having a fabulous week! It's time for a new Wags 'n Whiskers challenge, and this week, the fabulously talented Jeanette is asking us to use flowers. I was commissioned to make a Mother's Day card with two boys with skin of color. So I chose both Super Ryan and Just For You. Aren't they too cute? I love these two together, because "Just For You" does indeed look like the older brother, don't you think? I stamped them in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with Sketch Copics. I then cut them out and double popped them off the card.

And right now, both of these stamps, as well as all the Wags 'n Whiskers stamps illustrated by Crissy Armstrong, are on sale for 25% off!!! How cool is that!! If you've been wanting to get some of them, now is the time!

Please be sure and pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the Divas fabulous creations! We're sadly saying goodbye to Bree from her GDT spot, and welcoming Melanie on board as our new GDT. We'd love it if you played along with the challenge, and this time you have two weeks to play along, because next week is the NEW SUMMER RELEASE of Wags 'n Whiskers! So hope you stop by on Wednesday and Thursday for the sneak peeks, and then again on Friday for the celebration blog hop for the new release! The new stamps are sooooo CUTE, and I can't wait for you to see them! Thanks for stopping by to see me today, and hope to see you back again soon! Hugs!

Nikki, Lacey, Chris, Michelle, Karen, Jacqui, Tina, Jeanette, Christa, Bree, Debbie, Melanie

Images: Super Ryan and Just For You - Wags 'n Whiskers; background and sentiment banner - Magnolia-licious

paper - DP - Nitwits; cardstock is Bazzill

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Sketch markers

Misc: silk ribbon, charms, machine stitching, oval Nestabilities, dimensional tape

My Top Three Asparagus Recipes

Spring asparagus at Santa Monica Farmers' Market

Asparagus. The queen of spring. Elegant, fresh- and addictive. For many of us, the primavera arrival of asparagus is big news. Huge. Exciting. We simply can't get enough. You see, there is something magical about asparagus. Maybe it's the sexy reputation. Isabelle Allende describes asparagus as phallic in her memoir,  Aphrodite, describing gardens lush with it, and stalks thick as trees. She throws in a few maidens with obvious oral fixations and well. You can guess the rest. 

To be honest, the whole thick as a tree trunk thing, though, is a bit much. Big stalks? Not gonna impress me. I tend to gravitate to the slender young asparagus, myself. The slimmer the better, in my gluten-free part of the world. Why? I barely cook them. It's more like a coaxing. A gentle flash in the pan with some fruity olive oil and a kiss of balsamic vinegar. A pinch of sea salt. Nothing fancy. Keeping them tender-crisp is the key to maximum enjoyment-- for me. But I know some folks prefer long, slow roasting. 

And that's what makes the world go 'round, darling.

Continue reading

Inspiration from Sarah + Sean

Last August Mariah and Lisa shot the wedding of Sean and Sarah...hello pink and green details! Sarah is a Lily Pulitzer kind of girl and carried that style throughout her wedding, a georgeous day indeed!Venue: Blithewold Mansion
Flowers: Sayles Livingston
Caterer: Morin's

Mother's Day Cards By Andrea

Oh Hello!  Guess who entered her photos  but forgot to type in the text??  Yes, that would be me!

This is a lovely card designed by my neighbor, Andrea.  Andrea had the scrapping ladies over to make Mother's Day cards.  Andrea has a plethora of stamps and ink pads; the woman could easily start her own store!  Or maybe start giving stamping lessons!

I only made one change on Andrea's design, I added doodle dots.  But even then Andrea made suggestions.  I am so lucky to have such a talented and super-nice neighbor!!

For a very POPular Teacher . . .

Can it be? Summer is almost here? But before summer...it's time for teacher appreciation gifts!

Welcome to those of you coming from Woodlands Family Magazine (and to everybody else, too)! I'm so happy to be working with Melissa of Domesticated Lady (you're going to love her!) to bring you not only a how-to for cookies, but an adorable FREE printable topper as well!

Let's get started on the cookies (you can make these NOW and freeze them until the end of school!):

• Make sugar cookies using a candy corn cookie cutter (it's a multi-tasker) and let cool.
  

Using red royal icing and a #3 tip, pipe the outline of a popcorn box (AmeriColor Super Red).

• With a #2 tip, pipe a wide oval in yellow icing (AmeriColor Egg Yellow).

• With another #2 tip, pipe the outline of popped popcorn above the box in white (add AmeriColor Bright White for extra white).
• Thin the yellow icing with a bit of water, stirring gently until it is the consistency of thick syrup. Let sit several minutes covered with a damp dishtowel (see a video of this process here).
• Gently stir the icing with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles that have risen to the surface and transfer to a squeeze bottle.

• Fill in the oval and part of each popcorn piece.
• Thin the white icing in a similar fashion.
  

• Fill in the popcorn box and the remainder of the popcorn. Swirl the yellow and white icings together on the popcorn.
• Let dry at least 1 hour.

• Using a #5 tip, add wide red stripes to the popcorn boxes.
• Switch to a #2 tip and pipe "POPcorn" in red on the oval.

• Outline the oval in red using the #2 tip.

• Let the cookies dry overnight before packaging.

My favorite part? The swirly popcorn pieces:

The free printable topper is available from Domesticated Lady here.

Melissa, of Domesticated Lady) has so many wonderful ideas...I know you'll want to check out the rest of her darling blog while you're there! (And the online version of her article about the toppers/cookies is here.) It was a pleasure working with Melissa...this theme was all her idea...she is so creative!!!

If you want to make a few individual popcorn pieces to go along with these, check out these too cute cookies from The Decorated Cookie! Is that the cutest idea, or what?

You know what? I made popcorn cookies about 5 years ago and I am so glad to get a chance to update them. Wanna see?

I like this year's version much better!

I'll be linking it to TidyMom's I'm Lovin' It linky party. :)

Have you planned your teacher gifts yet?

Going to the Dogs

I've mentioned before how head over heels E and I are for our two dogs, so it might not be surprising we both desired to have them be part of our wedding celebration. While we weren't able to make it happen, I still love seeing when couples do include a furry, four-legged family member in their big day!

Christophe Photo


Carrie, Brock & Sailor- Echard Wheeler Photography


L: Paloma Images. R: Jonathan & Becca- Ryan Phillips Photography.


Paloma Images


L: KT Merry via Style Me Pretty. R: Lauren & Chris- Laura Novak Photography.


tm photography

Nila and Eric (+Sienna) Photodate in Providence

It was a gorgeous afternoon for a portrait, we met at Prospect Park on the East Side and Sienna the dog was raring to go! Nila and Eric are getting married in June and Sienna is going to be the 'ring dog'...of course!




Normally I would feel funny about posting more photos of the dog than of the couple, but in this case I believe that the couple will be excited to see so many photos of their dog, she is fabulous after all...

What's cuter than a dog bum?

She was all crazy when they first got there, but after a few minutes off the leash fetching her ball and she chilled right out. I love her ears.

A little snuggle.

Oh look, here are the people finally!

What a classic portrait, and thank you cherry blossoms in the background!

These two are so nice! They are both ER doctors, so I knew I was in good hands in case I incurred some kind of photo injury during the shoot.

I had to resist the head scratch since I am allergic to dogs, but you can almost feel the fur in this one...

The East Side has such great little scenarios such as this garage door here. Sienna is being such a good subject!

Adorable!

...and very much in love! They were locking lips every other shot, it was crazy, but so nice to see! This is my favorite from the session...

Here's your classic newspaper 'we're engaged' shot.

All of the blossoms were awesome! Spring is so fabulous when the sun is out...

Thanks guys! See you soon for the big day!