HF4F

Today I am linking up with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk Blog for this weeks Top 5! This past week was an extra special one... why you ask? Let me explain.

1. I turned 22 years old.

2. I started my new job in the 1st grade!

3. I went back to school shopping. (It's fun getting to do this as an adult. Perk of working at a school right?)

4. Finished & shipped a huge wedding invitation order that I've been working on for over a month. More pictures to come soon!!

5. Saw my brother & sister in law say "I do."

I am looking forward to a weekend filled with...well nothing. Mhhhhm relaxation!

Sweet Day Friends!

Registered

Well, we are all done registering! The whole process was amazing, but definitely more work than we imagined!

We registered at Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and Macy's. If you are interested in seeing some of the items we chose, you can visit our wedding website.

Before we went, we had an idea of what we needed, but once we got there, we were lost.  Luckily, my fiance and I have the same style so it was easy picking things out like table linens, towels, bed sheets etc. The not so easy part came into play at the fine china section. We compromised.

By far, my favorite store was Pottery Barn. It has always been on the top of my list, and getting to spend 4 straight hours there made my weekend.  Aside from Pottery Barn, Macy's provided us with a very nice experience too. I wasn't expecting a lot from Macy's, but when we got there, they handed us Godiva and a goody bag filled with lots of treats! How can you not like that??

If you are planning on registering anytime soon, I would recommend having a clear idea of housewares you will be needing ahead of time. Knowing how many wash clothes, pillows and plates will cut your registering time in half.

Overall, the experience was great and I loved using the scanner. I did leave all of the scanning up to my fiance though, in case I accidentally deleted the entire list. I totally would do that sort of thing! So while he was scanning, I was dreaming & planning! Exactly what I do best!

Now that the registering is over, we are off to do the next thing on the list: Complete Wedding Invitations!! I can't wait to share them with you! We have been working really hard & I think you are going to love them!

Sweet Day!

Cupcake Topper Tutorial + Printable

Have you seen this new fad lately?

These babies are everywhere & I'm infatuated with them! 

For all those DIYers who want to make their own...let's get started! I think you will be surprised at how easy they are!

Supplies:

Cardstock

2x2 image

Shape Puncher

Clear Tape

Lollipop Sticks

Scissors

1. Create a 2x2 image with any theme that you would like. I use Photoshop for my images, but you can pretty much use any program.

2. Print out your image on cardstock. I usually have 12 images per page.

3. Cut cardstock into rows.

4. Next, cut your strips into individual pieces.

5. Center your image with the puncher. This tool has been a life saver!!

6. Next, place a lollipop stick behind the shape and stick on with a small amount of clear tape.

 Download Mr. & Mrs. PDF free here.

Good luck on your toppers & Happy Party Planning!

...............

*If you aren't feeling crafty, custom orders are always welcome too!

Have a sweet day!

Bachelorette Red Velvet

Two weeks ago, I celebrated my future sister in law's bachlorette dinner! We kept the night pretty simple and went to EDGE Steakhouse at the Four Seasons.

In honor of her last fling before the ring, I made some red velvet cupcakes! They were quite yummy and totally adorable.

Red Velvet & Cream Cheese Icing:


Recipe originally adapted from Annie’s Eats
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

2½ cups all purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I use Madagascar Vanilla)
1 tsp. white vinegar
red food coloring (I use gel)

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Enjoy!

What a wonderful night it was!! Happy Baking!

End of a Season...

Believe it or not, summer is coming to an end around here. I know that sounds silly because I live in Miami, but I actually feel fall in the air. Not literally in the "air" of course, just around the corner. You know what I mean.

Along with saying goodbye to summer, I'm also saying goodbye to my job in the Event Planning Office. Don't worry, I'm not going far. I'll just be across campus at the elementary school working with the first grade!

I'm actually very excited for this new journey.

Have you ever felt the Lord calling you to do something outside of your plan? Well, I did. My mind was no where near teaching 1 year ago. It's funny, when you ask the Lord for guidance, how willing He is to give it. You just have to make sure when you ask, you are ready to take the plunge.. whatever it may be. Although it might not make sense at the time, He knows the bigger picture.

So, may your end to this summer season leave you calm and refreshed for the months ahead.

Sweet Day!