Christmas, Cocktails and Crafts

My crafting and cocktailing ladies got together at the beginning of this month for a holiday themed morning of creating.  We couldn't let this season pass us by without some crafting, but we needed to keep it simple, focusing more on getting together and less on set up.


How we kept it simple.

1.  Use the crafting supplies to set the mood and set the space.  Set the table with all the goodies needed.  This also includes the utilitarian stuff... wire, pliers, and snippers, spools of rope, etc.  Yay Parties of course came through with all the supplies and DIY idea.  What I love is that the crafting project was wreath making, so the supplies made decor a breeze.  The table is set with everything we need.  Simply light some candles.  And done.  These macrame and brass hoop wreaths can be made any time of year, so keep this idea in mind.

2.  Go with paper plates.  Our plates are from Harlow & Grey, they have so many chic styles you won't even notice they are paper.  Want to be green, I love these palm leaf plates, so much I even used them for Thanksgiving one year.

2.  The spread. 

Pop some popcorn.  Then sprinkle with some truffle salt and fresh parsley.  It looks chic and tastes even better.  Gourmet in the easiest sense.  Even easier buy a bag of popcorn and sprinkle with fresh herbs.  Who doesn't appreciate popcorn?  Put a few bowls around for snacking with creating.

Shop your favorite cheese aisle, we love Trader Joe's for fun seasonal cheese to inspire a yummy spread.  We found stilton cheese with cranberries, so pretty and my favorite way to eat. 

Shop for seasonal produce.  Jenn found Persimmons and Golden Apples, they look beautiful and taste delish in season.  How pretty are those persimmons on the cheese plate?

3.  Cocktails.  Chill something bubbly and simply add a splash of liqueur or bitters and garnish.  Sally came with a local organic elderberry liqueur, and we garnished with rosemary and pomegranate seeds.  So easy, and festive.  Or just chill bubbly.  And chill.  I'm always in. 

4.  Sweets.  Treat yourself to a favorite dessert.  For us, Trophy Cafe Macarons.  Not only are they delicious, they are stunning, works of art - which can't help but inspire creativity.  Thank you Trophy Cafe for providing our sweet treats. 

 

Merry Christmas from the Cocktailing Crafters.  You can now follow instagram hashtags, just saying.

Photos by Kristen Honeycutt

Hope this week is gloriously slow and magical and sparkly and full of lots of yummy treats.

best,
Kirsty

Help Me Choose Our Christmas Cards With Paper Culture.

Do you start with a card, or with a photo?  With a photo or a card?  Some years we nail that holiday card photo without even trying, in August.  Slam dunk.  Some years I'm inspired by a card design, and I peruse an endless feed of photos - surely something works??

Whether it begins with the card or the photo.  Chicken or the egg.  Is actually starts with Paper Culture.  How was that intro?  But, really - it's true.

I love Paper Culture for a number of reason. 

Their card designs are on trend, ranging from classic to of the moment.  I am loving the foil cards this year, especially the rose gold option.  And if you're feeling the need, you can get rounded corners or even have them mailed out for you.

start harp dream music now.  I mean what if I was ever that organized person with my list of addresses first of all even on my computer (nope still in my two decade old address book, want to see the house address you lived in 15 years ago, I got it scribbled out).  Then I could simply SIMPLY upload my address, and voila!  push of a button.  end harp dream music.

Reality is that I'm enticing my boys to write the cards this year, think advent activity number 7, card writing party.  Hot cocoa with whip cream and candy canes solves a world of to-do list problems.

Back to why I love Paper Culture, did I mention their prices?  Can you say 50% off your holiday card purchases thru 12.7.  Early birds get the worm gals and guys - because in some households I've heard men actually care and participate in holiday card giving.  Can this be true?  Not in this one.  That's ok.  We all have our gifts. 

Can you tell it's suuuuuper late and I have been playing with designing my cards way too long.  It's so fun though - you can save and edit over and over and over...  Another tool I love.

But the finale is Paper Culture's mission.  I wrote about it last year, gosh darn it's so important to me to be stewards of the environment we live in.  I'm thankful Paper Culture agrees and works to reduce it's carbon footprint using post-consumer waste for it's card production and planting trees.

So now it's time to please help me choose our Christmas cards this year.


1.  Merry & Bright.

2.  It's a wonderful life.

3.  Falalalala

4.  Merry Christmas

Really indecision is my weakness.  Help a girl out and tell me your choice.  

Don't you worry, in the mean time I'm gonna come up with something witty and thoughtful about the year that has passed, without saying the same thing as last year.  No problem.

Happy Thursday

Kirsty

This post was done in partnership with Paper Culture but I've been ordering my cards from them long before, sometimes I pinch myself that brands I love want to work with me.  Thank you Paper Culture.  

The Vampiro. A Halloween Champagne Cocktail

So yes, are you over my over sharing of our fun crafting afternoon?  That is why I saved the best for last.

If you know or follow me at all.  I love sparkling beverages, mainly my Soda Stream and Champagne.  So whenever I am left to cocktail duty it will most definitely involve one of these two.

For this one I had a bunch of Italian plums that my dad had brought me from his tree.  This is what Jenn and I came up with.

I love the color of this cocktail.  I love the bubbles.  It's slightly sweet but the Aperol gives it the perfect Je Ne Sais Quoi balance.  And the foam at the end with a flower on top.  Yep.

I'm not a food blogger so maybe have a glass of bubbles while you make these cocktails and relax, don't worry about the recipe details.


The Vampiro

Ingredients
Chilled Prosecco or Champagne
Italian Plums, or regular will do or even berries.
Sugar
Aperol
Edible flowers for garnish like Pansies.

So I prefer to macerate my fruit rather than make a simple syrup, I think the flavor stays truer rather than having to cook it out into that fake candy flavor.  Plus why add water to a cocktail unless it's extra ice.  IMO.  But it you are making this quickly just make a 1 cup water: 2 cup sugar simple syrup and add plum puree.  Google it if you need directions.

To Macerate:  Chop up plums, add sugar.  Mix, let sit on your counter for a couple hours then transfer to fridge until ready to use.  Depending on the sweetness of fruit will determine sugar amount.  I did 1 teaspoon sugar per Plum.   Puree.  You can strain but I like the little chunks.  Personal preference.

Also this is why I could never be a food blogger.  None of this is exact it's all personal preference.

To assemble.

Pour Champagne into glass 2/3full.  Do this first - key to the champagne not overflowing.
Add a good splash of aperol
two spoonfuls of plum puree.
Stir - this gives you a lovely foam on top
Garnish with Flower.  Because even Spooky can be Sweet.

Cheers.

How to Dress a Halloween Party Just Right. The Cocktailing Crafters Part 3

 

  

 

 

The moon, Halloween, Erin, it just made sense.  Knowing that Erin of YayParties loves Halloween I was thrilled to let her take the lead for this Cocktailing Crafters get together.  I couldn't wait to see what she created.  I'm so stoked to celebrate her vision on this blog and share with you all.  It was outstanding.

What I love and why this works so well.

1.  Florals, that moody inky deep color combo mixed with the freshness of vibrant green.  I just can't get over how beautiful the arrangements were.  Such a sophisticated and modern way to do Halloween.

2.  Mixed Materials.  This palette was mirrored in the green glassware and napkin settings, silver serving ware and candelabra.  Except then she added cement candles holders to keep everything from getting too stuffy and haunted.  Right?  That cement touch was just right.  

3.  Details Details Details.  The layers continue from animal bones housed in cloches to vintage frames and toe tags as menu cards, old books used for height on the food table (genius) and mudcloth upholstered chairs.  

4.  Perfect Backdrop.  The Anders Shop is the perfect space to let this concept shine.  Light and bright with well thought out furniture and smart minimal touches.  

 

If you live near or are visiting Seattle, both these gals are local gems.  YayParties specializes in vintage party rentals and event planning.  Anders Shop is the stylish new spot to be in Ballard.

Tomorrow, I saved the best for last, our signature cocktail!  It's worth an exclamation point.

Happy Thursday.  Photos by Kristen. 

Best,
Kirsty