Coachella 2009

Friday, April 17th- Sunday, April 19th

If only I had an extra $300 I would be there in a heart beat!!! The lineup is insane this year!

The Pedestrian Project

Could you imagine walking down the street and stumbling across this art in motion?

• The Pedestrian Project consists of several performers wearing entirely black custom-made costumes modeled after the generic images of men, women, and children seen on public signs. Mimicking the lives of everyday people, the roaming sculptural forms inspire the imaginations of onlookers, who often find themselves mesmerized as these familiar icons assume busy lives of their own.--Source

Vintage Aprons

How adorable are these vintage aprons?

Source, Source, Source

House Of Blues--Free Lunch

The HOB is offering a Free Lunch tomorrow from 11:30am-1:30pm. Just print out this.

Headbands

I love these headbands by Jennifer Behr! They are so simple yet breath taking. I think I'm going to try my hand at replicating some of these beauties because they are lavishly out of budget!

Etsy Member

I am now a member of Etsy.com! This is a website devoted to buying and selling homemade and vintage items only. I have a "store" but I don't have anything listed yet. I will soon, promise!

You can reach it by going to: SweetSweezers.etsy.com

Addition To The Second Bedroom--Pardon The Mess!

I am so excited to announce our new addition, a beautiful stylist chair! Ted has been endlessly looking on Craigslist for a chair and he finally came across a deal that we couldn't pass up. The owner of a salon in La Mesa had changed all of the furniture and that meant he was selling all of his old chairs for super cheap. I wish we had a ton of storage room because I could have gotten a few more for the future : ) I am so happy that I don't have to use the computer chair in the kitchen for my at home practices anymore!

Vintage Wedding Dress Pieces

I just love the internet. You can literally find Anything! I stumbled across this amazing lot of vintage wedding dress pieces. They date back from early to mid-century vintage.

Jewelry

I love this delicate wedding band. It's simple yet I think it would showcase my engagement ring perfectly!

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I absolutely love this necklace and earings from Nordstrom! They're so elegant and have that "vintage" feel! They would go perfectly with my dream dress!

Happy Inauguration Day

Today is such an amazing day in history! I am so happy for the changes our country faces! Here you go in case you missed the speech

Vases

I went to the Dollar Tree today to just get some odds and ends and amazingly stumbled upon these pretty antique looking vases! I bought all of them (8) because I knew I'd regret just getting a couple. I think I can put just a single flower in them and they will be beautiful!

Happy MLK Day!

I found a very interesting and powerful video on The History Channel about the Civil Rights movement and the famous "I have a dream" speech.

Happy Friday and Happy Birthday... To My Brother

Ring Pillow

I'm pretty sure I can make my own ring pillow. It seems easy enough. I like the unpredictable fabric for both of these! And of course they tie in with my color theme.

Cake Toppers

Don't you just love the idea of using vintage salt and pepper shakers as a cake topper?
I thinks it's just too cute! I found them on Ebay for just $10.

Dessert

I love the idea of having a cake to cut and then cupcakes for the guests

So the cutting cake will be the infamous "yellow cake with chocolate frosting" (Ted's Favorite)

Oh, and I found a wonderful recipe for chocolate filled yellow cupcakes that I think may work!

Cupcake Batter

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup (8 ounces) yogurt, regular or low-fat, plain or vanilla
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Creamy Hazelnut Flavor or hazelnut flavor, to taste, optionalFilling and

Icing

• 12-ounce can Chocolate Schmear filling
• 3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Creamy Hazelnut Flavor or hazelnut flavor, to taste, optional
• chocolate sprinkles or jimmies, optional
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line 1 1/2 muffin tins (18 wells) with paper cups or silicone cups;spray the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until they're well combined.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Once all the eggs have been added, beat the batter at high speed of your electric mixer for 5 minutes, till it's light-colored and fluffy.
• Stop once, midway, to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, beating briefly to combine.
• Gently stir in the flour alternately with the yogurt.
• Add the vanilla and hazelnut at the end.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, using a muffin scoop (a scant 1/4 cup) of batter for each.
• Dip your fingertip in water, and make a deep indentation in the center of each muffin cup of batter; twirl your finger around a bit, to widen the hole.
• Scoop out about 7 tablespoons of the Chocolate Schmear, and set it aside.
• Drop the remainder, in 2-teaspoon-sized (3/8-ounce) balls, into the holes you've made in the cupcake batter.
• A teaspoon cookie scoop is the perfect tool for this job.
• Just drop the Schmear on top of the hole, and gently push it down a bit; it'll look like a partially submerged iceberg in the batter.
• Don't worry, it'll sink in as the cupcakes bake.Bake the cupcakes for 22 minutes, until they spring back when you press lightly on their tops, and they're just barely starting to brown around the edges.
• Remove them from the oven, and take them out of the pan as soon as you're able, setting them on a rack to cool.
• While they're cooling, prepare the icing.

To make the icing:

• Combine the remaining Chocolate Schmear with the confectioners' sugar, cream, salt, and hazelnut flavor, beating until smooth.
• Frost the cooled cupcakes, and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies, if desired. Yield: 18 filled cupcakes.

And these Nutella frosted cupcakes

• 10 Tbsp softened butter
• 3/4 Cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 Cup Nutella
• Preheat 325.
• Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
• Cream sugar and butter together, 2 minutes
• Add eggs, one at a time
• Add vanilla
• Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder
• Fill each liner 3/4 full
• Top each with 1/2 Tbsp Nutella
• Swirl in Nutella with toothpick, making sure there's some batter on top.
• Bake for 20 minutes
• Cool completely

What do you think?

Lighting

So here's my thoughts on lighting! I LOVE white lights. I think by using strands of Christmas lights and mason jars filled with candles, I can create "mood" lighting without the guests feeling like they're under a spot light.

What About The Centerpieces?

I love this idea. Mason jars full of buttons for centerpieces.

Also, fresh fruit and votive candles are a great idea too. Definately affordable!

Now The Fun Begins!

Here's what I've been coming up with as far as color goes!

So we're planning on having our wedding in the Fall and I know these aren't exactly "fall colors" but I'm in love with the blue, pink, yellow and cream color palate! I figure as long as we use subtle colors, we'll be all right!

{source Oh My Deer Handmades}

Good Bye 2008!

After visiting my family in Virginia, Ted and I met up with our best buds in New York City! We stayed at the swanky W Hotel in Times Square. What a place! We jammed in as much as we could during our short little trip but boy did we have a blast! We ended our Christmas vacation perfectly with a comedy show at Caroline's featuring Dave Attell. Our trip home was surprisingly easy and much needed!
With only one day to recooperate, we went over to our friend's place for a Rock Band New Year's Eve Fest! It was tons of fun!
Out with the old, In with the new!

I Am Back... And Engaged!

There is so much to write about but where to begin!

As you know, Ted and I went to the east coast for Christmas this year. Well the trip was an absolute disaster! Our "adventure" started at 4:00am on December 23rd. We were headed out from San Diego, CA to Norfolk, VA. Unknown to us, there was an ice storm in Chicago and of course that's where our lay-over was. LONG story short, our flight out of Chicago was cancelled and we attempted to get on 3-4 stand-by flights but had no such luck! After about 12 hours of this nonsense we both were mentally and emotionally exhausted. I was of course crying my eyes out and Ted was keeping his cool to keep me from going insane!

Here's where the trip takes a major turn!!!
We were sitting on a bench in the airport just watching the snow continue to downpour and I was just counting the minutes passing us by, realizing that I wasn't going to be able to see some of my family... so of course I was still crying. I sat on Ted's lap and just held him for comfort. He was trying so desperately to lighten the mood so he asked me jokingly "What can I get you for Christmas, little girl?" and I responded as cheesy as it is, "You". He then reached into his book bag and started saying some of the kindest words to me. I didn't quite know exactly what was happening but I figured it out very quick when he brings out a "box". I was exhilarated! He asked me to marry him, right there in the airport, and of course I said YES!

As you can see, my eyes are red and swollen but in this picture, it's because I'm so happy!

This ring is so special, it's Ted's Great-Grandmother's engagement ring. I think it's about 100 years old. It's absolutely beautiful and I'm honored to get to wear it!