I Can Make Your BedRock

Ideas can come from anywhere. Today I had something else planned for Thirsty Thursday and then I logged on to Google and saw this…

Today is the 50th Anniversary of The Flintstones.

So for today’s cocktail, I give you “The Bedrock” shot from shot-cocktail-recipe.com.

Bedrock
1 part Kahlua
1 part Sambca
Milk
Pour the Sambuca and the Kahlua in a cocktail glass, add 3 or 4 ice cubes and top with milk. Serve in a shot glass.
This shot will totally make Barney rubble. Ha. Cheers!

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Bubbling Over with Fun

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Oh man. If my thoughts were really put on bubbles, I would be in some trouble. People always wonder how I think up and say the strangest things…if you only knew what I didn’t say! (Side bar: speaking of things I will never say – I will never call out a girl for being too old to own an American Girl. That’s for you Spiel).

Well the latest trend in DIY photo booths at parties and weddings is chalkboard thought bubbles. While people are selling these Thought Sticks on Etsy, I’d imagine that they aren’t too hard to make with some wooden plaques, sticks, chalkboard paint and glue. Oh and don't you love the background in the photos above? All different colored streamers hanging down creates a fun, punchy back drop!

These things were also super popular on the mom blogs (I read them for work – let’s not talk about it. Mom bloggers are a scary breed). Anyways , mom bloggers would give these sticks to their kids with some chalk and take their “first day of school” pictures.

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Fashion Friday: Hello Dolly

Barbie, Cricket, Kitty Cary-All, Betsy Wetsy, the American Girls…there are a lot of famous dolls out there. Well now all of these dolls are about to get blown off the runway by a new line of dolls from Madam Alexander.

Styled by the remarkably fabulous Jason Wu, I love the faux fur, sunnies and the SHOES. I mean do these come in an 8.5???

However, for the price of one of these dolls, you could practically afford some real designer duds. Dolls start at $150+.

(Via Glam.com – Photos from Madam Alexander)

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Starting a Party Off With a Bang

Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots, Shots Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Everybody…

Now this is my kind of way to get a party started – appetizer shots. Today in the Colin Cowie newsletter, he featured the trend of appetizer shots. While Colin refers to giving gests these shots as they make their way to the reception room, I think they would make the perfect door greeter at any at home party. I mean what a way to set the tone at any party!

Here are some appetizer shot suggestions (almost all are paired with food to chase – we don’t want any party pukers)

· Blueberries with Whipped Cream & Blueberry Vodka (above)
· From Flickr, White Tea Vodka with Bing Cherries
· Sake & Sushi
· Oyster Shooters
· Lemon Drop – vodka with a sugar cube and lemon
· Coffee Liquor, like Kahula or Starbucks Liqueurs, in a chocolate cup and topped with whipped cream
· Jello Shots – DONE in a tasteful way!
· Limoncello
· And of course, TEQUILA!

There are so many shot recipes that could work, but these were just a few that I thought were event appropriate. Save the rest for a kegger. Oh and seriously – body shots are never acceptable outside of Cancun.

And don’t forget that presentation is important. As Colin states, “We dine with our eyes before we taste a bite!” Kinda like eye f*cking food ; )

(Image & Story Source: ColinCowie.com)

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Shoe Diva

If I could only spend a day in these shoes…or rather eating these shoes.

If you are looking for a party favor for a birthday or shower for your favorite fashionista, look no further than Gayle’s Chocolates.

I mean seriously. How cute are these? I don’t even care if they are good – they are certainly eye candy (pun intended).

(Images & Sources: Gayles Chocolates via Eventsualities)

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Falling in Love with Spring 2011 Fashon Week

Sometimes I sit and ponder if the internet was one of the best inventions or the worst inventions. For those of you who lust over the designer looks of fashion week – the internet is our friend, not our foe. In fact, the internet is our BFF.

While today marks the first day of fall, the fashion world is looking at designs for spring 2001.

Thanks to the amazing coverage by Style.com of Spring 2011 Fashion Week, today I bring you a recap of my favorite looks from the shows and presentations.

WARNING: This is one, really super long post! I didn’t intend for it to be this long, but there was just so much I loved!

White Hot

• Victoria Beckham: This collection will spice up your life. I love the dresses Posh sent down the run way – especially the LWD aka the Little White Dress. You would expect some curve hugging frocks from Vicki, but I love the way these dresses give you a waist and the full skirt. Oh and from what I am reading – white is the hottest color of spring 2011!

• Badgley Mischka: The theme of this show was “timeless glamour” and let’s just say that Mark & James (the designers behind the line) really brought that theme to life! I loved the flow-y simplicity of their designs.
• Adam: I love the wearability of Adam’s designs. This white frock was one of my favs from the line; however, other designs included day-to-night pants, dresses, jackets and shorts.

Purple Rein

• Jason Wu: The who is Wu was totally answered two January’s ago when Mrs. O decided to wear a white frock from this young American gent on Inauguration night. That dress launched Jason Wu into fashion stardom. I loved the bold colors and the asymmetrical designs from this line.
• J. Mendel: LOVE the drapery and rushing of J. Mendel. This collection reminded me of that one hot Ramy dude that was on Project Runway. I wonder what happened to him.
• Matthew Williamson: Each time I Googled my wedding dress designer, Matthew Williamson’s name would come up. So I looked into his designs and I fell in love with, as I started to call him, “the other Matthew.”

Orange Crush

• Tory Burch: Most known her trademark logo ballet flats, I love the ready-to-wear-ness in the Tory Burch line. While most of us will never hit the red carpet, I find the Tory Burch line as one of those things we could maybe wear in normal life kinda collections.
• Halston: True fashion confession – I’m not a huge SJP fan. So when she signed on to become creative director of Halston, I was like..yawn. While I do enjoy some of the vintage Halston designs, I am warming up to the newer designs – including this orange gem.
• Luca Luca: When I browsed the pics from the Luca Luca show, the mix of dresses, skirts and pants left me feeling refreshed. Most of the line included wearable pastel colors, but this blood orange dress was one of my favs. Next to the LWD, orange was the hot color of the runways.

Golden Girls

• Reem Acra: I call these next three dresses my golden girls. Let’s start with Reem Acra. My crush for Reem Acra started on the red carpet. I loved seeing hit looks by stars like Taylor Swift, Diana Aragon and Olivia Wilde in drop dead gorgeous designs. From the looks of this show, there should totally be some celebs rocking these designs during the 2011 awards season.
• Prabal Gurung: Oh man. Every blog I read covering fashion week mentioned this name – and it isn’t going to be the last time you hear this odd moniker. Aparently Prabal is the new darling of the fashion industry. And with people like Anna Wintour pulling for you and a potential Target line, Prabal is going to become a household name!
• Christian Siriano: I love this dress, but you’ll need to keep reading for my love affair with Christian.

Marchesa Maddness

• Marchesa: While Marchesa is a hot red carpet favorite of many celebs, I love the cool, pale looks of these ruffley dresses. I love the mix of red carpet stunners, but also very wearable party dresses.

Brilliant Basso

• Dennis Basso: When I used to walk to and from work in Chicago, the window displays at Dennis Basso would leave me speechless. I lie, they would leave me gasping aloud at his jaw dropping designs. I would stop and take photos, but I feared the PETA protestors. Dennis didn’t disappoint with his spring 2010 collection.

Crazy for Christian

• Christian Siriano: I mean what can I say about Christinan. I’ve been swooning over this little designer with big ideas since his stint on Project Runway. The architecture and creativity is practically unmatched.

While this post needed to come to a much needed end, I must say that if you interested in further drooling, I encourage you to check shows from Mulberry, Oscar de la Renta and Naeem Kahn.

All photos were borrowed from Style.com.

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Shake it, Shake it

Wreaths, lawn balls and Christmas ornaments…oh my!

Last month, my mom and I went to Ohio to the Shaker Woods craft fair. I assume a lot of you have never been, but basically in rural Ohio, crafters from all over the country get together for two weekends and display their crafts in various stations throughout the woods. While I saw a lot of “I can make that” things, here are some of the clever things I saw around the fair.

Studs & Stuff: Like a true girly girl, I obsess over almost anything with bling. Therefore, it was only fitting that I purchased a bedazzled flying WV shirt from Studs & Stuff. Jill, the owner, has a number of adorable sports-themed shirts, wine & cocktails and kid’s characters. She’ll also make custom designs.

Trimmers by MaryAnn: Looking for an adorable customized Christmas gift? Look no further than the ever-so-cute Trimmers (above). These wooden ornaments feature the most eye-popping colors and cheeky cut outs. Obviously I adore the shoes and cupcakes. Don’t worry – these gems are on my craft to do list.

Uniquely Crafted: Another wooden hit was Uniquely Crafted. Stepping into this booth felt like a trip to Margaritaville. From the array of bar signs to décor for all seasons, Uniquely Crafted had something for everyone and price points were perfect for the pocket book. These signs would make a great, personalized gift for newlyweds, new home owners or a new baby.

Boswell’s Beanery & Blends: For a quick and easy party dip, my mom bought a few blends from Boswell’s. This couple sells dip mixes that come as a powdery substance that you just add cream cheese or yogurt and mix. The cheese dip – unreal!

St. Johnsbury: A local candle destination, St. Johnsbury introduced an adorable margarita-scented candle in a margarita glass. What a cute gift to include with some chips, salsa, mix and a bottle of tequila.

Overall, I was impressed with a number of vendors that were using recycled goods to make new art. For example, old license plates, bottles, cans, etc.

Finally, I saw a number of cute vendors and inspirations that didn’t have websites. This list included:

• RPM Treasures: This vendor takes vintage record covers and turns them into handbags – complete with the matching record and all. At their booth, you could pick your own record from a plethora of albums and they would make it on the spot.

• Bedazzled Denim: A few vendors took basic jean jackets and added fabric sports logo and a fur/feather trim to the sleeves and collar for some more flair.

If craft festivals excite you, there is Christmas-themed show at Shaker Woods in October. For more information, visit: www.ChristmasOhio.com

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Twinkle Toes

Looking for a way to put your best foot forward? How about some fancy shoe accessories!

Shoe clips are one trend that I gave in to that I am happy to see return. I LOVE the concept of jazzing up a pair of plain jane shoes with some sparkle. What a way to extend the life your shoes!

Below I included some jems from Esty (L to R):
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

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Cocktails & Cocktail Dresses

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Break out your Blahniks, clean your Choo’s and fluff your von Feurstenberg…it’s Fashion Week Bitches!

Change is the unofficial theme for this year’s events. This year’s Spring 2011 start this week at a new home (Lincoln Center) with more seating and electronic invitations.

Going through some old materials, I found a story I saved from a pre-fashion week story in 2007 from the Vancouver Sun on “fashionable cocktails.” I felt this was a very appropriate time to reference that story. Reporter Joanne Sasvari put some thought to what cocktails could be paired with iconic fashion designers.

• Chanel: Ladies who lunch love them some CoCo. Go with a white wine spritzer.

• Prada: Those lusting over this Italian house can sip a Negroni – a lustful red drink that originated in Florence. This drink is created by mixing 1 part gin, 1 part sweet vermouth, 1 part bitters.

• Marc Jacobs: Nothing says more all-American like Manhattan (bourbon is the only spirit native to the U.S.) for home-bread boy Marc Jacobs.

• Burberry & Ralph Lauren: For these labels that are favorites of the country club chic, go with a classic gin and tonic.

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Candy Couture

Sugar…ahh honey, honey…you are my candy girlllll…..

On the list of things I like, this little PR program from a fav, Dylan’s Candy Bar, hits almost all my sweet spots. Fashion? Check. Candy? Check. Lots of Colors? Check. Sketches? Check. Ruffles? Check. Cute Stuff? Check.

As part of their feature during the upcoming Fashion’s Night Out, Dylan’s partnered with six students from the Savannah College of Art and Design to create candy-inspired dresses. The winner will be featured at Macy’s!

How scrumptious are these sketches. Being the daughter of Ralph Lauren has its perks, so Dylan pulled in some major fashion players to judge this contest – like Andre Leon Talley from Vogue and “America’s Next Top Model.”

If only these delectable designs were edible!

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Donna Martin Graduates

Dunn Na Na Na...Dunn Na Na Na (Brandon Walsh fist pumps).



Yes folks, its 9.02.10! September 2, 2010.

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To pay tribute to the famous '90's television show, today's cocktail is none other than The Peach Pit (recipe from iDrink).


The Peach Pit

12 oz Cola

1 oz Peach Schnapps

1 oz. 151 Rum

1 oz coconut Rum

1 oz Vodka


Directions:
Mix 1 oz each of the following: Bacardi 151, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Vodka and Peachtree with 12 oz coke. Serve with or without ice. You taste almost no alcohol but it's very strong and good.




Don't consume too much - you don't want to end up passed out like Donna Martin on prom night.

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