Monday Monday

Okay so it's Monday & I'm finding myself saying, "Wait. What the heck happened to my weekend?"  The answer is I worked thru Saturday and Sunday flew by so fast before I knew it, it was time for bed.  I'll be honest. I'm not in the greatest mood this morning.  Our Mayday in Minneapolis was a frightful 34 degrees and there were even a couple snow flakes spotted.  On this gloomy Monday it feels more like October than May!  So to add some cheer to the day I'm swiping some beautiful floral photos from 100 Layer Cake's post of an Atlanta wedding.  The flowers are just too pretty for words and you can see the full post here.

Thinking Spring!

It may only be 18 degrees as I write this but the forecast says it's finally going to warm up this week, possibly reaching a high of 50 with a chance of rain (not snow!) one day!  I've been thinking about spring and summer lately especially because for the first time in 3 years we have a backyard!!!  I'm fantasizing about gardening, grilling, and especially about backyard entertaining!   Today we're even picking up a super cute teak patio set!  I've been collecting many inspiration images to help me plan what I want from my precious little plot of yard in the city...

lots of lush plants!

a lounge-y place to relax...

Festive lights to keep the party going...

A place to share a meal with friends!

Playful outdoor textiles!

& last but not least, a fit pit to gather around when the night air gets chilly!

Summery Tabletop

If there is one thing we need right now it's images of summer!  In MN yesterday we were "blessed" to have temperatures as high as the mid-teens!  So, yeah, it's cold & I find myself wondering why the heck I live here.   But my heart was lifted a little when I saw these wonderful table-scape images from Snippet and Ink!   The flowers were done by Claire Bean.

Random Bits of Pretty

It's a new year and I'm finding myself unusually unfocused today.  I just can't seem to find my creative inspiration.  Maybe it's just the unwind from all the holiday parties.  Maybe it's because once again, it's gloomy and snowy outside my window.  In any case here are some random bits of wedding prettiness to brighten your Monday.

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Fresh from the Garden

It's summer time and one way to bring summer into your wedding is by using flowers. I know you're thinking, "Gee Laura, flowers at a wedding? Boy, how original! Duh..." But I'm not talking about bouquets or center pieces. I'm talking about edible flowers! There are actually many different edible flowers and beautifully shaped herbs. In the days before elaborate fondants, shaved chocolate, and spun sugar sculptures it was common to decorate cakes and garnish food with flowers fresh from the garden. My 92 year old grandmother still presses Black-eyed Susan's into my mothers birthday cake each summer. You can even freeze tiny blooms into the ice cubes for cocktails! Not every flower is safe (or desirable) to eat but Better Homes and Gardens website has a great list of edible flowers. (And of course never use flowers that were treated with pesticides.) Using edible flowers can give even simple foods a home-spun feel that's also very elegant! Below are a few examples.

Lavender Ice Cream

Flowers garnish champagne cocktails and daiquiris.

Rose petals on white chocolate fudge, marigold vanilla cupcakes, violet topped meringues, & sugared rose petals on almond cupcakes.

Mint is a delicious & beautiful addition to lemon bars or vanilla ice cream.

Touches of Black

We usually envision pretty pastels when we think about wedding colors, but black is back in a big way! Black and white weddings are nothing new, what with tuxedos having been the standard for several decades, and the whole damask trend that hit a couple years ago. But now black is hitting the wedding industry in a completely different way. Personally I credit Vera Wang's fall 2010 collection which features lots of black accents, like on the dress below, & even and entirely black wedding gown! No, it's not about an overbearing theme that's everywhere you turn (again, remembering the damask trend!). The modern use of black is more subtle, and understated. It's a light touch. It's a whisper of darkness that adds poetry, not drama. Add black to your wedding sparingly & you'll still achieve a look that's sophisticated but not one that's pretentious or imposing.

Ruffle Knickers by LoveBabyGrand and Black Wedding Invitations by ModernGirlInvitations.

Oh So Pretty Flowers!

I first came across Saipua's floral designs on the blog Sunday Supper, which sometimes features beautiful tablescapes along with amazing recipes. I have no association with them, they're not paying me to do this post, but I am so much a fan of their flowers I feel compelled to share them with you! Saipua is based in Brooklyn and started out selling handmade soap(still available) but began doing flowers in 2004. They do some of the most beautiful bouquets and arraignments I've ever seen. Their style is completely unlike that of chain florists, selecting a mix of traditional and non-traditional plants for a look that is wilderness tamed. Designs feature such blooms as dahlias, English heritage roses, and (my favorite) ranunculus. You'll not find the tired and overused carnations & baby's breath here. A bridal bouquet by Saipua looks as thought it was just freshly gathered from the prairie or from a Victorian English garden. They feel like they were plucked out of an impressionist painting. They are simply dreamy!