Whenever I get a little restless with my decor one of my first go to spots for re-decorating is my mantel, for multiple reasons. One, it’s one of the first things people see when they walk in our home. Two it’s easy to change up (partly thanks to the fact that it’s a chalkboard). Three, it’s one of the most charming features of our home, with the old built in glass cabinets on either side, mini windows, and beautiful crown molding. Such a nice focal point, and the perfect spot to create a vignet of holiday decor. I thought a heart would be perfectly appropriate for Valentines Day, and it was super easy. I even was able to use supplies I already had around the house (all I had to buy were the nails).
Here’s what you’ll need:
A piece of plywood. Mine was a 24×48 that I had cut in half at Home Depot awhile ago to make a 24×24 square.
Hammer
Ruler
Pen or pencil for marking
Nails. I used these fun copper slate nails that I found. I liked their large heads and of course their color. The larger heads are nice for string art, as it keeps the strings from sliding off as you work.
String or twine. I used some red twine that I purchased at Joann Arts and Crafts or another project. Yarn would work as well.
I began by drawing a heart onto my wood with my pencil. I measured 2 inches in on all sides, then found the center of each side to use as guide points to make my heart nice and even. I free handed it from there. If you are afraid to draw your own heart I’d suggest finding a template to print and trace. After I was satisfied with my heart outline I began adding my nails. They’re space about an inch and a half apart, but you don’t have to be exact.
Once the nails were all securely hammered into my plywood it was time to start stringing. I tied the twine to one nail, making sure to triple knot it for security. First I went all the way around my heart with the twine, weaving in and out. I did that a few times just to get an outline to start with. Then I began to randomly wrap the twine nail to nail, going across, diagonal, etc.
This creates a fun, random, geometric pattern, and fills in the shape of your heart with some nice color. I continued to wrap back and forth until I felt that my heart was filled in enough. After awhile you just start duplicating your patterns over and over, so I found that as an indicator of a good stopping point. I wrapped the twine three times around the very bottom nail at the point of the heart, and then tied it tightly, again triple knotting for security. I left the tail a bit long, and wove it into the outline of my heart.
I placed it on the mantel and added some of my other favorite elements for additional styling, like the gold heart print from Ampersand Design Studio. Hope you guys enjoyed my string art tutorial. Keep in mind that you can use your imagination to create any shape that you want with your nails and string. It would also make a perfect addition to wedding decor, and you can add it to your home later! Have fun, and if you give it a try be sure to send me links to your projects, I’d love to see them.
Looking for other Valentines Day inspiration? Check out the "Valentines Day" category all month long for more projects, decor, and recipes or my Pinterest Valentines Day board.
There’s no way to deny that chocolate is the official food of Valentines Day. In fact for the past two years my husband has given me a box of delicious Christopher Elbow Artisan Chocolates, and trust me, I enjoy every single one of them. I decided to share one of my favorite desserts on the blog today, chocolate espresso lava cakes. The first time I decided to make it I was surprised by how simple it was. You’d think for something so decadent and rich it would be a complicated recipe, but it’s just a few simple steps, and very quick. Plus I think it’s great that you can make little individual serving sizes, so if you’re trying to impress your friends at a dinner party this would definitely be the perfect dessert!
Here’s what you’ll need:
5 ounces Bittersweet (NOT unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped.
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brandy
4 eggs: 2 whole eggs, and then just two yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or instant coffee powder if you can’t find the espresso)
large pinch of salt
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Optional: vanilla ice cream, raspberries, or whipped cream.
Butter four ramekins and place them on a baking sheet. In a medium saucepan over low heat melt your butter, then add in your chocolate bit by bit. Slowly and continuously stir and keep adding your chocolate until it’s all smooth and melted. This next parts important, REMOVE FROM HEAT, then add in your brandy. Otherwise it may flair and bubble up on you. Continue to stir until smooth. Let it cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this 10 minutes you can blend your other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add your two eggs, plus two egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and pinch of salt to a mixing bowl. With a beater on medium or high blend for quite awhile, until you get nice ribbons that fall of the beaters when lifted from the bowl. I beat mine for about 4 or 5 minutes. Sift your flour over this batter mixture, and fold it in with a spatula. Add your chocolate mixture and also fold in. Now you’re ready to divide it into the ramekins, they’ll end up being about 1/2 to 3/4 full (and probably try to be a little neater than I was).
I only cooked two ramekins for my husband and I. The others can be stored in the fridge overnight and cooked the next day. Just make sure you pull them out of the fridge and warm to room temperature before putting in the oven. Baking times will vary. For two I’d recommend 10 minutes, for four 13-15 minutes. You want to bake til the tops are just puffed and dry, but a toothpick inserted comes out with batter still attached (that’s the lava part). You don’t want them baked all the way through, but moist and gooey in the center, so the chocolate oozes out.
Let them cool for about 5 minutes. You’ll want to serve them warm. I take a knife and loosen mine from the edges, then dump them in a bowl. Add vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries. You can also add whip cream instead, or a great Christmas variation is peppermint ice cream. It's one of my husbands favorites, and he's not a big dessert eater. Enjoy your decadent lava filled goodness with your sweetheart!
Looking for other Valentines Day inspiration? Check out the "Valentines Day" category all month long for more projects, decor, and recipes or my Pinterest Valentines Day board.
Michelle and Ed were our first couple of 2013. As a second wedding they wanted to keep things super simple, and intimate, with small group of family and friends. However Michelle knew just what she wanted for flowers. Bright, bold jewel tones in a range of purples, and she really loved the classic look of the Picasso Calla Lily. I was also excited to learn that Michelle's family actually owns Cal-Ann Farms which grows and sells one of my favorite products, Living Basil, which I use all the time for recipes. Images by A Day to Adore Photography and Invitations, and emmy-ray.
The boutonnieres were made up of deep purple, and white ranunculus blooms. Michelle provided me with sterling silver charms for her, and all the bridesmaids bouquets to make them special and personalized.
The bouquets included tones of dark purple, magenta, white, and even the Pantone color of the year, Radiant Orchid. I was so excited about the quality of the lovely purple blooms that were available, especially the huge, gorgeous dahlias.
Michelle and Ed included their daughters in the wedding as bridemaids, which I thought was so sweet and personal. I loved how their dark eggplant dresses, with silver sashes looked with their flowers.
Such a lovely day, and a great way to start our 2013 wedding season! A huge thank you to Michelle and Ed for letting us take part in your day.
I’ve always wanted to host a Valentines Day party for all my friends and family. It might not be the most romantic way to spend the holiday, but I can think of nothing better to celebrate all the people you love all at the same time. I wanted to create a party set-up that was graphic, and modern, using lots of bold black, white, and red, and fun patterns like stripes, polka dots, and chevron.
I also have been dying to try my hand at making a polka dot cake, which I spied on Pinterest awhile ago. I thought it turned out pretty cute, not bad for a first try at least!
Paper straws are always a favorite way to add a fun touch to a drink or cocktail station, and mason jars are a blank canvas for tying decorative ribbons or tags. As we all know Valentines Day (second only to Halloween) is all about the candy, so I picked up some Sixlets in coordinating colors, and even used them to decorate the cake.
Yay! It makes me want to send out invites right now. I don't know why but Valentines Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. Looking for other Valentines Day inspiration? Check out the "Valentines Day" category all month long for more projects, decor, and recipes or my Pinterest Valentines Day board.
As promised today we've got Part II of the highlights from our 2013 wedding season. I hope you've enjoyed checking them out as much as I've loved sharing them, and remember, although I've gotten way behind I'm going to be doing extended posts about each of this years events in the months to come. Cheers to a fabulous 2013, and we can't wait for our 2014 season!
Unfortunately for Jillian and Jacobs wedding I don't have pictures yet of the bride and groom, or their wedding party. This is mostly because theirs was our last wedding of the season, in early November. They got married at Stony Point Hall near Lawrence, Kansas, and the drive out was simply beautiful with all the colorful leaves as far as the eye could see. Jillian wore a vintage style tea length dress, and I just loved the navy and white striped touches that ran throughout their event. (images by emmy-ray)
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Laura and Tim couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous spring day for their wedding. It was warm, but not hot, breezy, but not windy, and the sun was shining. Laura wanted to keep her bouquet natural and organic looking, in a pale palette of blush, pink, and coral, but really wanted to go all out with bright hues at the reception. Her beautiful vintage style beaded gown was the perfect match to their lovely venue the Simpson House. (top images by mon photography, bottom by emmy-ray).
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Laurie and Andrew wanted fun, playful color for their wedding and that's exactly what they got. I love the top image of the bouquets. With the bright blue bridesmaids dresses it really is a perfecty show stopping image. Laurie put tons of thought into the details of their day, making custom table numbers and pinwheel escort favors for every one of their guests. So cute!
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Marissa and Johnny's day was another one that was very dear to my heart. Marissa and I have been friends for 17 years now (wow that sounds like a long time), so when she asked me to be part of her wedding day, and in her wedding I of course said heck yes! I'm so happy that she met the love of her life, and that they let me help them make it beautiful. Again this was a DIY wedding, her parents busted their butts (along with my mom who did most of the reception set-up on her own) to make The Red Barn at Weston look beautiful. (images by Lemon Lime Photography).
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Michelle and Ed were our very first wedding of 2013, on a chilly (but not to cold) January day. A second wedding for both of them, I loved that they included their girls in their day as bridesmaids. Another beautifully colorful wedding Michelle wanted a deep, bright mix of beautiful purples for her bouquets and bouts, and we were happy to oblige! (top image by emmy-ray).
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This was our very first event at Amigoni Urban Winery. In fact before agreeing to do Sarah and Shane's wedding I'd never even heard of it, but now it's definitely on my list of favorite spaces in Kansas City. Sarah was my very first friend in high school, and I honestly never would have thought then that I'd be taking part in her wedding day. Sarah is such a wonderful person, and Shane is a perfect match. When they're together you can just see the love they have for each other, and I'm so happy that we were able to create beautiful flowers for their wedding. (images by emmy-ray)
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It's weird sometimes how the internet brings people together. It's such a vast place, but it connects people and often makes me realize just what a small world it is. Shea and Brian were a referral from my friend Ellen, who she met via blogging. Shea is a California girl, and she wanted all of her flowers romantic, clean, and classic. Although there were some complications just days before their event (sleet in May for an outdoor wedding), everything ended up working out and came together beautifully. (images on top by Adam Hanly, bottom by emmy-ray)
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We've never done an event at Powell Gardens before, so Stephanie and Cory's event was a first for us. We had some down time between delivering the personals and when we could set up the reception so of course we spent it exploring the gardens, a floral designers dream right? Stephanie wanted bright oranges and greens for her flowers, lots of texture, and succulents. I think her flowers definitely delivered we absolutely loved creating her fun bouquets, bouts, and corsages. (Top image by Rivas Media Photography, bottom by emmy-ray)
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There's still two events I'm waiting to get images from, but I hope to have them soon because they're both such beautiful events. I can't forget to say thank you to each and every one of my clients for the 2013 season. It's because of you that we can continue to do what we love. We hope that every single one of you loved your wedding flowers, and that they helped bring a little something extra special to your big days!
I have gotten sadly behind on posting our floral work, so far behind in fact that I haven't even shared anything from our 2013 season. This is especially shameful because I feel it was one of our best seasons ever as far as our work, and design goes. However have no fear, these images are just a taste, I'll be sharing full posts of each event hopefully in the next few months before our 2014 season starts :)
This post has been a bear to put together. First there was a matter of collecting images, some of which I am still missing from certain weddings, then narrowing down said images, followed by editing and collaging, and deciding what to say about all the wonderful events and clients we've worked with in 2013. Phew! There was just too much flower goodness to put into one post, so here's part I (and I'm going in alphabetical order so I don't forget anyone).
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2013 was our very first year to work at Lone Summit Ranch, and we had more than one event there. They have such a beautiful outdoor space, with extensive grounds for taking lots of lovely pictures. This is where Amanda and Gary decided to get married. I absolutely loved working with Amanda, and her parents were awesome too! Don't you just love the different shades of bridesmaids dresses, with pops of turquoise as an accent running throughout the event. So perfect for a summertime wedding. (Top photo by Main Street Studios, bottom photo by emmy-ray).
If I could pick one word to describe Ashley, it would be bubbly. Her personality is so sweet, and I think it shows in all the pictures from her and Duane's wedding day. Overall their day was very classic. Wine colored floor length bridesmaids dresses, and she carried a beautiful white bouquet. However they definitely injected some elements of fun into their event, such as a wreath of flowers for their corgi Rooster, a sprinkle send off from the ceremony, and brunch for dinner. Plus it didn't hurt that when she went into the President Ballroom for the first time she was over the top excited, even twirled around because she loved it all so much. I wish all brides would express as much enthusiasm, it definitely made my day!
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2013 was definitely the year of the blush and coral wedding, and Audrey and Daniel's event utilized this trend in such a lovely way. Spring is the perfect time of year if you love coral because those coral charm peonies are to die for, and readily available. There were so many details that went into creating their lovely event, I cannot wait to share it all in their extended blog post. (image bouquet and bout/corsage image by emmy-ray, bridal image by Becca Spears).
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So I always hate to play favorites, but if I had to choose just one single wedding of 2013 it might have to be Brooke and Thomas. I think it's for a few reasons. One, they're an awesome couple. Brooke is so creative in her own right and understood that giving us freedom to work, would yield the best possible results. Two her vision for their day was beautiful, and three it included so many floral details that we loved creating. There were flowers everywhere! This was also the first year we've worked at The Hawthorne House in Parkville, another beautiful venue we'll be heading back to for 2014. (Image above by Becca Spears, below by emmy-ray).
The bouquet above was a last minute job for a client. Her mom called me just a few days before the wedding and asked if I could create this bouquet for her daughter, and I said sure. It was a little outside what we usually do, with pearls, and rhinestones added in with the flowers, but I definitely had fun putting it together. (image by emmy-ray)
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I had the priveledge in 2013 of working with several of my very good friends and family for their special days. One of these was Chelsea and Elliott. I won't get too mushy just yet, I'll save it for their extended post, but I've known Elliott since I was 15 years old, and he's such an important friend to me. Chelsea is amazing and I couldn't be happier that they are married (plus my handsome husband was in their wedding party). We always try to create our very best work for our clients, but of course when it's for friends and family we give 1,000,000% of our energy to making it amazing! (images by Brooke Vandever Weddings).
When working with flowers we always try to select the very best quality blooms for our clients, but sometimes nature's like "Hey, here's some really amazing stuff for you to use." Thanks nature, you are awesome! That was the case with Ellie and Jeff's wedding. The garden roses, clematis, cafe au lait dahlias, blushing bride, I could go on and on, all of it came in perfectly. Ellie also worked so hard on all the details for their event. She collected tons of glassware before we ever met, created her own table numbers, and their guest book was...wait for it... a ping pong table. Very cool indeed! 2013 was also the year of the Tuscan Style head table. These extra wide set-ups leave a lot of room for decor, and we created many runners filled with flowers and greens like the one above. (images by Sharaya Mauck Photography)
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I went to high school with Fiona, and it always makes me extra happy when I get to work with former classmates on their special days. She and her husband Brian kept things simple with personals, and cake flowers. When we first met Fiona mentioned that she loved poppies, and their early spring wedding happened to be the perfect time of year for these delicate, gorgeous blooms. I think the colors just pop next to the emerald green bridemaids dresses. (images above and below left by emmy-ray).
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Heather and Nick's color palette could best be described as candy pastel. We used pinks, blushes, peaches, ivories, lavenders, and mint greens. I'm a huge fan of light grey suits, and the bright pink of the bridesmaids dresses were the perfect match with the bouquets. Heather was another bride who did lots of DIY projects and work to make their day special, providing me with all the containers and bird cages for their centerpieces. (image above by Studio Chyree, below by emmy-ray)
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Last, but definitely not least for Part I is Jessica and Nathan, our second Lone Summit Ranch wedding. They were so easy to work with, and I loved that Nathan was so involved in the whole process, something that we don't always see with grooms. Jessica fell in love with Kelli and Nathan's wedding, so we used it as our jumping off point for her event. Decorating the gazebo for their outdoor ceremony was my favorite part of setting up, I love creating gorgeous backdrops for a couples vows. Plus I got to work with one of my absolute favorite photographers (and friends) Jana. (photos by Jana Marie Photography)
That's it for Part I. Stay tuned, because on Wednesday I'm going to be sharing Part II, which will be packed full of just as much florally goodness.
xo ~ Emily
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