Got my new PB catalog this weekend and was loving the new collection by Ken Fulk – so fun and spunky for Pottery Barn! Check out my favorites.
Loving: Day Beds in Living Rooms
So I have started thinking about how I want to lay out my living room. It is long and medium in width, and it needs a lot of furniture.
velvet calypso blue day bed, plum tufted daybed, linen floral printed chaise, blue printed daybed, zebra print long bench
I have been loving the printed zebra number on the bottom…….
Wallpaper Wednesday: Floral Bathroom Heaven
loving this bathroom by Shophouse Design.
heaven!
Mini Lemon Meringue Pies
So I love lemon desserts, I must get it from my dad.
So for my 30th birthday I decided – what could be cuter than mini lemon meringue pies. After a bit of googling I found this Epicurous Recipe (here).
I pulled it apart a little and ended up LOVING the result. First I used my Grandmothers Pie Crust Recipe.
2 sticks butter, 2 cups flower, 4 tbls ice cold water – don’t you just love the recipes you memorize off the top of your head?
I used the filling from the original recipe but then instead of using their traditional meringue I used and Italian Meringue recipe. For those of you that have never made and Italian meringue your life is going to change. A traditional meringue you have to make on a perfect day, with the perfect humidity, and hope all the moons align in order for your meringue to get nice and tall and fluffy (it often falls down or never gets fluffy at all). However tada! If you use an Italian Method it creates the same tall fluffy consistency by using sugar and water and getting it to a soft candy stage on your candy thermometer. I first used this method while trying to figure out how the heck you make french macaroons. Try this recipe here.
Works perfect! Look at that height – and it never fell either it stayed that way.
If you are making these for a party there are a couple things you can do ahead. First you can roll out your crust and bake them in your tins a day in advance. You can also make your lemon curd and hold in the fridge a day in advance. Then all you have to do is make your meringue and assemble the day of your party. They are the best when you make them a couple hours ahead so they have time to chill back down.
Also you will notice here that we used a larger tart tin vs the recipe calling for a mini muffin tray. Both work wonderfully. I have done them both ways. The mini muffin tray is nice for a standing cocktail appetizer house because they are more bit size.
They were a delight – and a huge hit! You should try them sometime.
Design Crush: Summer Thornton
I recenlty discovered Summer Thornton and just fell in love instantly. Her traditional styles mixed with fun spunky colors and prints is my kind of heaven.
Such bold color in this room and love the gloomy mysterious walls
Who wouldn’t be happy waking up in this room every day? Love the print mixing.
Love the whimsical zebras – I have always loved this wallpaper, but you don’t’ usually see it in brown, nor do I usually like brown, but I guess she could convert me with this room.
I would die, seriously die, to cook here – please invite me down (I mean chicago is pretty close) I make a mean chocolate chip cookie.
What a welcoming entry way! That’s what I call pink walls!
Boho Bash
My dear friends Mary and Megan hosted a beautiful Boho Glamour Chic Bash this weekend and I was lucky enough to help with the flowers and setting the tables (the best part of a party in my opinion).
I love all the print mixing we did. The girls both brought any fabric sample, scarf and table cloth they had so we could add interest with mix and match prints!
We set up the tables low to the ground and piled pillows all over for people to sit. We propped the tables up on cinder blocks to get them a nice height – genius!
We did the party on a screened in porch which was perfect to be outside a bit, but protected us from bugs!
We used Mary’s vintage blue willow plates, which I love. They always end up matching any table she puts together. You can see a pick of her Friendsgiving table here.
We first made flower crowns because every good boho bash needs them and then we used the left over flowers for table arrangements. I made the big one first and then used the extra flowers to make the wild whimsical little bouquets in mason jars. I added a feather because why not?
Here I am in my flower crown (instagram pic sadly however I am pretty much that pale)- It was so much fun making them and fun wearing them!
We had a great night – and it will certainly be remembered! I will be sharing more details on the flowers this week!