Such Pretty Things

My Vintage Valentine

If you've been reading my blog for sometime now, you probably know how much I adore these old vintage valentine candy boxes.

This one is a favorite of mine - I love the pretty pastel floral print and the velvet millinery flower.

This year, I thought I'd be "green" in my valentine gift-giving and re-use some of my lovely old boxes. I made sure to only use boxes that were clean and in good condition. Then, I removed any existing liners and replaced them with fresh parchment ones (you can use the bottom of your box as a template).

Then I simply filled my box with yummy chocolates placed in gold-foil candy cups.

You can buy chocolates by the pound at your favorite chocolatier (or even grab some from a Whitman's sampler!).

And, if chocolate isn't your thing, you can fill your cups with any candies you like - as I did here.  Re-using these beautiful old boxes is good for the environment and makes for an extra- special presentation for your extra-special Valentine!

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Organized: Cupcake Cases

I am of the belief that pretty things should be seen and not stashed hidden away in a drawer or cabinet somewhere.  "Case" in point, there pretty cupcake cases...

I bake a lot of cupcakes, so I've managed to amass quite a collection of them over the years.  I like to keep them displayed in this big glass jar on my kitchen counter...

The cases are so pretty and colorful - it would be such a shame not to see them on a daily basis.

The jar is practical, too. It has a wide opening, so it's easy to reach and grab just what I want. And because the glass is clear, I have no trouble finding exactly the ones that I need.

Plus, the best part is that they look like a jar full of beautiful candy...but without all the calories!

 :-)

Jessica

Valentine Meringue Hearts

We are iced-in today.  No school, so the girls are mighty happy.  Thought we'd make some heart-shaped meringues - a trial run for Valentine's Day next month...

I used a new (and very simple) recipe that I found on Epicurious.  I followed the recipe exactly, but colored the meringue two pretty shades of pink. I piped out my meringue hearts free-hand, but if you are a perfectionist you can trace cookie-cutter hearts onto the back of your parchment paper and use them as templates to follow.

I also sprinkled them with a few of my favorite pastel non-pareils.

As if they weren't sweet enough already. :-)

Happy Tuesday!

XOXO

Jessica

Winter Peonies

I know it's only January, but it's about this time of year when I start to feel that I am really over the whole winter-thing.  The holidays have come and gone, taking with them that initial wintery excitement and exhilaration.  Instead the days now seem short and dark. Cold and gray.

I find myself desperately longing for light and warmth.

So, I sit by my largest windows, wrapped in as many bright, flowery quilts as possible, and daydream about Spring (my favorite season).

I also make sure to keep fresh flowers around the house.

Their mere presence makes me smile...and reminds me that warmer, lighter days are on the horizon.

:-)

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Party Plates

Look what I found in the Dollar Spot at Target this week...

These adorable little plates!  There were several patterns to choose from, but this design with the sweet little deer and fanciful butterflies was my favorite. They are perfect for everyday, but I also love the idea of using them for a children's birthday party.

And at TWO for a dollar, they are almost as inexpensive at paper plates!  There are cute matching cups as well...

For an easy party treat, try decorating plain store-bought cupcakes with some colorful sprinkles and fun toppers!

I gussied up my deer with a little bow. :-)

Happy Tuesday!

Jessica

Pretty Popcorn Favors

I recently discovered this gorgeous popcorn...

It's just so colorful and fun!

And it tastes good, too - wonderful flavors like strawberry and cotton candy. I used it for these party favors recently.

I just placed some in these adorable miniature popcorn boxes (purchased at Michael's). So simple and easy...

Aren't they cute!

***Pretty popcorn coming soon to the Such Pretty Things Shop.

:-)

Jessica

The Cake Decorating Party: Part I

I can't believe it's that time of year again. Time to plan the girls' birthday parties.  With their birthdays just two weeks apart, I am always a bit stressed trying to plan and execute two fabulous parties in such a short amount of time.  Plus, lately it seems that I have a million, zillion projects going on.  So, this year I'm shaking things up a bit and trying to take some of the pressure off myself.  For one, I am not having any parties at my home.  I feel guilty just saying it.  :-) I love having at-home parties, but they are sooooo much work.  I am also...oh, horrors....repeating a theme from a previous party for Mini-Mini-Me's birthday.  But, lest you think that I am truly copping out, I must tell you that it was a really, really good theme.  It was a "cake-decorating" party and we did it for Mini-Me's sixth birthday.  Sadly, it took place before I began blogging, so I don't have much in the way of documentation (although I will try to dig up some pictures). But, I figure, by repeating the theme, I get a chance to do it again...maybe even better this time around! 

So, over the next month, I will be periodically sharing my party plans with you. Today, I thought I would show you my invitations for the Cake Decorating Party.  I spent about three hours on the Internet searching for the perfect cake-themed invitation, but I just didn't find anything that I loved.  So, I decided to just make the invitations myself.  I drew my inspiration from these pretty cake stickers by Martha Stewart that I found at Michael's.

I knew they would be perfect, as I just adored the yummy, bakery-hued colors and sweet design.

To make the stickers "pop" on my invitations, I decided to place them on some pale aqua-blue scrapbook paper.

Then I glued them to these pretty pink and white polka-dot cards that I found at Paper Source (LOVE that place!)...

They came with plain white envelopes, so I wanted to spruce them up a bit.  I bought matching polka dot scrapbook paper and used it to make envelope liners.  You can buy an envelope-liner template kit at Paper Source.  It's a great investment - it comes with many different sized templates and you will find that you use them over and over again.

I printed the party details on more aqua paper and glued them inside the card.  These were so simple and easy to make.  I am quite pleased with how they turned out - so bright and happy and girlish!  Just the look I was going for!

More party details to come...

XOXO

Jessica