Garden Party with a Vintage Vibe

For next to nothing! This is a great party idea if you have a tiny budget to work with and want to throw a luncheon or shower. I hosted this one in a relative’s backyard and spent a total of about $50 on the whole thing.

What you need

• Fresh Flowers- pick them up day-of from a local market ($10)
• Chair Covers and Table Cloth- made from bed sheets (thrift store- about$2 each)
• Chair Sashes- made from a cut-up sheer curtain (thrift store- $3)
• Vintage serving dishes- go for silver and mismatched from a thrift store ($3-$8)

What’s on the menu

• Egg Salad Sandwiches
• Caramelized Onion Tartlets
• Spring Greens with blue cheese, dried cranberries and balsamic dressing
• Sparkling French Lemonade

Creamy Mac n' Cheese with a kick

I made this for a “Back to School” party and turned it into appetizers by filling phyllo cups(find them in the freezer aisle with the pie crusts) with it before adding the breaded topping and baking.

Ingredients:

7 ounces macaroni
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour. 4. Cook for about 1 minute, until smooth and bubbly; stirring occasionally. 5. Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. 6.Add cooked macaroni and Cheddar cheese.
5.Pour into 2 quart casserole dish. In small bowl mix together bread crumbs, butter and parsley; spread over macaroni and cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

The Great Divide: Ideas for defining your space

If you are like me and live in a studio- you have got to set boundaries. Defining space is a crucial part of separating out the different functional areas in your home and will create the illusion of having more square footage. Here are some easy (and cute!) ways to separate your space.

1. Love Compartments: This space-creator does double-duty as both a defining and storing piece. These free-standing bookcases from Ikea come in different shapes and sizes you can stack or use alone.

2. The Naturalist: Line up four to five (depending how much ground you want to cover)large 2-3ft vases and fill with tall branches or grass to create a modern look.

3. Picture Perfect: Inspired by Apartment Therapy, drill holes through the top and bottom of picture frames (empty or filled with your favorite art or photos) and connect using fishing line or rope and hang. For a more polished look, purchase new frames (the dollar store or target are great places to go) and glue two back-to-back before hanging and paint any color you want.

4. Blind Ambition: My personal favorite- install wooden or metal blinds to your ceiling and you get a versatile removable wall. Keep them open to create the illusion of space, close them for privacy, or draw them all the way up!

decorating,space,walls,apartment,studio

Vintage BBQ Invitation for Evite or Printing

The sun has finally started to shine in Seattle and I can already hear the grill calling my name...

I created this design for a BBQ I'm hosting next month for the main image of my Evite (if you use Evite for your parties or get-togethers I think it always adds an extra sparkle if you design your own instead of using the templates.)

I have posted the image here for you to download and use in your Evites or print out- Enjoy!

For a printed BBQ invitation
Print the image and instead of trimming with scissors, rip along the edges to match the vintage look. Rip a blank piece of white paper the same size as the design. Glue the design to the outside of a folded piece of dark red or red and white checked paper and glue the blank piece inside. Write the invitation details inside. With a piece of distressed twine, raffia, or black ribbon; wrap around the closed invitation and tie in a knot in the front.

How to make REAL popcorn (no microwave involved)

Ever been to the grocery store and wondered why they just sell the kernels with no paper bag filled with waxy neon-yellow butter? Try making stovetop popcorn ONCE and you'll never want microwave popcorn ever again. You'll be surprised at how easy and fast it is.

Here's what you need:

- 2 tbs vegetable or canola oil

- frying pan with a lid

- 1/4 cup white or yellow corn kernels

1. Add oil to the frying pan and three kernels of popcorn, replace the lid and heat to medium high.

2. Listen for the three kernels to pop and then add remaining popcorn and the lid.

3. Imediately the kernels will pop- shake the pan to keep the popcorn from burning to the bottom.

4. As soon as the popping stops, transfer popcorn to a large bowl and add your favorite spices. With homemade popcorn you have the freedom to flavor it however you want. Besides the traditional butter and salt, here are some ideas:

- curry powder

- oregano and parmesan cheese

- cumin and cayenne

- truffle oil