DIY With Star: Easy Peasy Envelope Liners

Lined envelopes make a statement.  This simple detail makes a big impact on the recipient of your invitation, letter or card and gets them excited about whats inside.  Many high end invitations come with lined envelopes or offer them at an additional cost; however, if yours don't come with them, consider doing them yourself.  They are super simple to make and can be customized to any occasion.  They are great for invitations and cards of all kinds - weddings, showers, birthdays, thank yous and love notes :)  You can even spruce up store bought cards by adding liners yourself.

In addition to the envelopes, all you need is pretty paper (thinner is better, card stock isn't a great option for this project), a pencil, scissors and glue.  If you've ever perused the scrapbook isle at your local craft store you know there are tons of specialty paper options out there.  Paper Source also has stunning printed papers!  Wrapping paper is another great option and is actually what I used for the DIY photos below.  

DIY Instructions

1.Open your envelope and place it on your paper.  Using a pencil trace the envelope onto the paper (its fine to start about three inches from the bottom of the envelope).  Cut the traced portion out.

  

2. Slip it into the envelope and place it just below the adhesive strips.  

3. Carefully fold the envelope flap over and gently press on the crease.  This will crease the           insert.  

4. Glue the edges of the top part of the creased insert (do not glue the portion below the crease).  Make sure the glue is permanent (I used Zig 2 way glue).  Close the envelope and press down firmly. 

1. I recently purchased this adorable black and gold wrapping paper and thought it would be perfect to line an envelope with.  This paper is playful yet chic and would be perfect for a birthday party invitation!

2. I used a book page for this one and love how it turned out (for more inspiration see my previous post on using book pages in your wedding decor).  Sheet music or maps would work well too.  How cute would it be to line a destination wedding invitation with a map of the wedding location?! 

3. I love the way this silver glitter paper looks with the gray envelope.  It would be perfect for a holiday card or New Years Eve party invitation.

4. I used understated shimmer velum paper for this one.  It is elegant and would like nice lining a wedding invitation.

I used a neutral palette with black and metallic accents for my envelopes but consider using a bright envelope with a contrasting pattern.  Line your envelopes with a coordinating solid color or simple pattern for a more understated look.  For wedding invitations, consider using a variety of patterns in the same hue for the various envelopes (invitation, response card, etc.).  The possibilities are endless! 

Below are a few cute liner ideas that are totally doable!  Can you see what a difference they make on the overall presentation of the invitation?!  

Photo courtesy of Etsy shop Puddleduck Paper Co.

Photos courtesy of Etsy shop lanyapstudios

Happy crafting!

-Star

Star's Favorite Sweets: Meringue with Fresh Berries and Chocolate

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of meringue (you can find my previous meringue post here).  It is light, fluffy and just the right amount of sweet.  Topped with whipped cream and berries, it is a home run in my book and the perfect summertime treat.  I recently tried out a unique meringue recipe and loved it so much I made it twice in one week!  It oozes with chocolate, cream and fresh berries and is so  SO delicious!  This recipe is quite simple, although a bit time intensive, and is quite the show stopper.  It definitely looks more difficult to make than it actually is.  I promise you will wow your friends with this one!

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Apples for Jam, by Tessa Kiros

Meringue:

4 egg whites

3/4 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or hazelnuts

1/2 cup finely crushed unsalted crackers (I used saltines)

Topping:

1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fruit (I used a combination of hulled and quartered strawberries, blue berries, and pitted and halved cherries)

confectioners' sugar, to serve

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Cover the bottom of a 9 1/2 inch springform cake pan with a sheet of parchment paper before clipping the side into place.  The paper will stick out of the side, making it easier to remove the meringue later.  Grease the side of the pam (I used non-stick coconut oil spray from Trader Joes).

Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they lose their foaminess and look like very, thick stiff shaving cream.  Whisk in the sugar bit by it until it is all incorporated, then whisk in the vanilla and the vinegar.  Gently but thoroughly fold in the nuts and crackers.  Spoon into the pan and level the surface, making a slight indent int he middle.

Bake for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until the meringue is lightly golden and coming away from the side of the pan.  Turn off the oven, prop the door just slightly ajar, and leave the meringue inside until it is completely cool.  Take the meringue out of the pan and put it on a serving plate or cake stand.  Remove the paper.

Melt the semisweet chocolate in the top of a double broiler, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.  Drizzle over the meringue in a criss-cross pattern and then leave to harden completely.  

Whip the cream with the vanilla until it holds thickly on the beaters.  Dollop onto the meringue, leaving a small border to show off the chocolate.  Dot the berries on top and cover with a gentle shake of confectioners' sugar to serve.  Serves approximately 8 people.  

Give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Happy Baking,

Star 

Star's Inspirations: The Perfect Five Year Anniversary Gift

Last week my husband and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary.  It was a wonderful day filled with love, memories, talks of the future, and gifts we will both treasure forever.  When we told people we were celebrating our five year anniversary, they congratulated us.  We appreciated the congratulations and agreed that being happily married for five years was definitely something to be proud of and celebrated!

In previous years we kept our anniversary gifts fairly simple but this year I knew I wanted to give my husband something special for this milestone.  Having just celebrated his birthday and Father's Day, I was feeling a bit stumped when it came to choosing his anniversary gift.  I wanted to get him something symbolic and sentimental - not necessarily expensive or luxurious though.  I knew there were symbolic gifts for every anniversary and thought that would be a good place to start (see infoplease.com for a complete list).  The gift for five years is "wood".  Kind of a tricky one in my opinion.  I was recently in Chicago and was fortunate enough to stumble upon Stitch - an amazing designer furnishings and accessories boutique in Bucktown.  There I found various cool "wood" options including clocks, bottle stoppers, and coasters; however, my favorites were their wooden boxes.  They come in a variety of sizes, wood types and finishes and to say they are gorgeous is an understatement!  Each box is unique, finished with a high gloss lacquer, suede lined and hand made in Italy.  They are stunning yet very masculine at the same time.  I ended up choosing a small and simple box with a dark finish.

My husband absolutely loves it!  He likes to empty his pockets as soon as he gets home from work and now he has a nice place to keep his things until morning.  I love that it is a beautiful piece of home decor that will always remind both of us of this milestone.  It was the perfect five year anniversary gift if I do say so myself!  If you are engaged and don't want to wait five years to give one of these beauties to your man, consider giving one as a wedding gift or even as a thank you gift to your groomsmen!

XOXO,

Star

DIY With Star: Creating a Kiss Board

I wanted to share with you a fun little DIY project you could incorporate into the next bachelorette party, bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party you throw.  Create a kiss board for the lovely woman you are celebrating!

A few months ago I threw a baby shower for one of my best friends who was pregnant with a baby girl whose name would be Isla.  In addition to the games I'd planned, I wanted to do something interactive with the guests so I decided to create a "Kisses for Isla" station.  I included various shades of pink lipstick and cotton swabs for applying it, a small mirror, small pieces of paper for each kiss, a pen for labeling the kisses, tissues and instructions.  The shower guests had a great time!  They compared their kisses, took pictures of each other wearing fuchsia lipstick and said to each other jokingly "wow, that is really your color!".  After the shower I collected all of the kisses and framed them for my friend.  She loves this keepsake and has it hanging in her daughter's room.  How sweet that Isla has "kisses" from the most special women in her life all in one place!

This was a perfect project for a baby shower, but would also be great for a bachelorette party or bridal shower (it could say "Kisses for the Happy Couple").  How cool would it be to have a kiss board with all of your Bridesmaid's kisses?!

I loved the project so much I decided to incorporate it into my birthday celebration.  I recently turned the big 3-0 and thought it was the perfect milestone to capture "kisses" from my best girl friends.  These are the girls who have been my friends through thick and thin and I love that I now have their kisses all in one place.  Everyone's kisses are so unique and individual which is what make this project so cool!  I will forever treasure it along with the memories of the fun night we had when we made it.

I hope I've convinced you to make a "kiss board" for an upcoming event with the girls!  A few things to remember: make sure to have plenty of extra papers for the kisses because I can guarantee you that your guests will want a "do over" to get the perfect kiss :)  You could also skip the little pieces of paper all together and just have guests place their kisses directly on a larger piece of paper.  That would look cool too!

XOXO,
Star

Star's Favorite Sweets: Smore Pops

Summer is right around the corner which has me craving smores!  The combination of gooey marshmallows, creamy chocolate and crunchy graham crackers is just perfect and the ultimate American classic!  I happen to think everything is better on a stick so I thought I'd give smore pops a try.  I must admit they were quite delicious, super simple to make and really pretty!  These smore pops are less messy than camp fire smores and can me made ahead of time which makes them the perfect party treat.

To make these pops, I simply stuck lollypop sticks into marshmallows, dipped them in melted chocolate and rolled the bottoms in crushed graham crackers.  Thats it!  These would be perfect to serve at a Memorial Day BBQ, bridal shower or birthday party.  You could even wrap them up in little cellophane bags, the the with a pretty ribbon and use them as favors.

To make the little flags, I wrapped a bit of washi decorative tape around the tip of the lollypop sticks before I inserted them into the marshmallows.  Washi tape comes in every color an pattern you could imagine so its really easy to customize this treat to your event.  I happen to love the blue and white, especially for this time of year.  Enjoy!!

XOXO,
Star

Star's Favorite Sweets: Meringues Topped with Lemon Cream and Fresh Berries

Meringues are melt in your mouth delicious - and topped with berries and cream are the perfect spring time dessert!  I love that I can whip these babies up any time because they require ingredients that I almost always have on hand and they are surprisingly simple to prepare.  Once baked, meringues are crunchy on the outside and bit chewy in the middle.  They are delicious by themselves as a fat free, low calorie snack or dessert; however, I prefer them topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Using my recipe you can make either one one large meringue, four individual dessert size ones or about fifteen minis that can be easily popped into your mouth :)  This recipe can also be easily doubled.

Ingredients
Meringues
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
A quarter teaspoon of white vinegar

Lemon/Berry Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons of lemon curd
1 1/2 cups fresh mixed berries
a bit of sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  If making small meringues, use a drinking glass to trace circles onto a piece of parchment paper (if making a large meringue, use a bowl).  Flip the parchment paper over so that the circles are facing down but you can still see them through (you don't want ink on your meringues!) and place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

For the meringue, put the egg whites into a wide bowl and using a hand mixer, whisk until they are white, firm and glossy.  Add a third of the sugar and continue whisking until they are stiffer then add another third of the sugar.  Continue mixing for another minute or so.  Once the meringue is very stiff, add the remaining sugar, vanilla, and vinegar.

Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper, using your circles as guides.  Make a slight indentation in the center of each.  Place in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes or until they are firm.  Turn off the oven and leave them inside for about 30 minutes with the door slightly ajar before removing to cool completely.  Meringues must be cooled gradually; if they cool to quickly, they will deflate and crack.

To make the lemon cream simply whip the heavy cream until it reaches your desired consistency and stir in the lemon curd.  Add a bit of powdered sugar if you prefer a sweeter cream.  

I heated my berries for for a few minutes with about a tablespoon of sugar which created a bit of a sauce, but you could skip this step and leave the berries just as they are :)

Once the meringues have cooled, pile them high with the lemon cream and berries.  Enjoy!!

Happy Baking,

Star

Star's Favorite Things: A Garter Toss with Flair for the Sports Loving Groom!

The "Garter Toss" is a fun wedding tradition where the Bride's garter is removed by her husband and tossed into a group of single male wedding guests.  Legend says that whoever catches the garter will be the next of the group to get married.  The prospect of being the next to get married terrifies some men and they often do their best to not catch the garter or tend to accidentally drop it if they catch it!  It is all in good fun of course, but if you think you'll be dealing with a group of guys who may shy away from the garter, consider wrapping it around a football before the groom tosses it to his boys.  I don't know many men who would drop a football (not on purpose, at least).  It is also a fun keep sake for the "winner" :)  This is such a unique and fun idea, especially for sports lovers!

Photo Courtesy of Southern Weddings

Photo Courtesy of Look Book

This idea is just too fun not to share!  

XOXO,

Star

Star's Inspirations: Personalize your Big Day with Photos!

We have seen photos used a myriad of ways as a decor element at weddings and events.  No matter how they are used, photos add a nice personal touch and a bit of uniqueness to your Big Day.  Whether you exhibit a bunch of photos or just a few favorites, your guests will enjoy the opportunity to view them at your wedding.  If you've had engagement photos taken, consider using them as wedding decor - it is a great way to show them off to your friends and family!  Another idea is to display childhood photos of you and your fiance or maybe use a variety of photos taken at various times throughout your relationship.  Some couples choose to display their parent's wedding pictures or photos of loved ones who have passed.  Whatever you decide will be perfect!  Display your photos in elaborate crystal frames for a formal look or string them along a clothes line for a casual garden wedding.  Below are just a few of our favorite ways to display personal photos at weddings.

Amanda and Hal, one of our September 2012 wedding couples, displayed their parent's, grandparent's and great grandparent's wedding photos on a table at the entrance of their venue.  A little sign naming the couple and their wedding date was placed next to each frame.  This was such a sweet touch and we loved how they included a photo from Hal's propsal to Amanda in the center.  For more on Amanda and Hal's big day, see this previous post.

  

 

 Photos courtesy of Callaway Gable Photography

Another one of our couples displayed various family photos to create an ancestry table.  Guests enjoyed  perusing these photos during the reception.

Photo courtesy of Callaway Gable Photography

Jessica and David, one of our October 2012 couples, used framed photos from their engagement shoot as table numbers.  This was a clever way exhibit their favorite engagement shoot photos!  For more on Jessica and David's wedding, see this previous post.

Photo courtesy of Docuvitae Photography

One of our October 2011 couples also used photos as table numbers.  For more on Stephanie and Darren's stunning wedding see this previous post.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Phillips Photography

We love how this couple displayed a variety of photos at their bar.  They included baby pictures of the bride and groom as well as a few quirky and sweet photos of the couple together.

Photo courtesy of Found Vintage Renals

Stringing photos around a tree (or fence, or wall, for that matter) is such a simple way to utilize your personal photos. 

What a great photo op!  Love this!

Photos courtesy of Simply Chic Events

We love the look of black and white photos strung across a mirror.  So simple yet elegant!

Photo courtesy of Ashley Bee 

xoxo,

Star

Star's Favorite Sweets: Dark Chocolate Love Cookies

Today I am sharing with you one of my new favorite cookie recipes: The Perfect Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookie.  This recipe comes courtesy of Rosie who is the author of one of my favorite blogs, Sweetapolita.  This blog is constantly inspiring me to bake.  My mouth waters just looking at the pictures of her amazing sweet concoctions!  The Perfect Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookie recipe was posted just before the Holidays and I knew I had to try it.  Adding chocolate to anything, even a traditional sugar cookie recipe, is bound to produce delicious results, right?  Let me tell you, it did!  These cookies were such a hit at my annual holiday cookie exchange party that I decided to make them again for Valentine's Day.  My husband loves having home baked cookies out on the counter so I thought I'd surprise him with these love cookies for Valentine's Day.

I must admit, this recipe is quite tedious as it has various steps involving chilling dough, rolling it out, re chilling, cutting shapes, re chilling, etc. but let me tell you, it is well worth it and all of the steps really do matter!  If the steps are followed correctly, this recipe produces the most amazing dark chocolate sugar cookie (which must be why Rosie named them "The Perfect Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookie").  These cookies keep their shape and are an awesome blank canvas for decorating!  They are firm enough to hold together nicely when you pick them up but have a bit of chewiness when you bite into them.  You'll thank me for this one!

Ingredients

      6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
      1-1/4 cups dark cocoa powder
      1 teaspoon salt
      2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
      2 cups granulated sugar
      1 cup light brown sugar
      3 eggs, cold
      2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1. In large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
2. 2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs until just combined.
3. 3. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla and blend.
4. 4. Remove 1/2 of dough from bowl, make a ball, and place on a large piece of plastic wrap on counter.Wrap the sides of wrap over the ball, then press down with the palm of your hand and make a disc about 2" thick. Finish wrapping the disc with the plastic wrap. Repeat with 2nd half of dough. Chill both discs of dough for about 45 minutes.
5. 5. Remove one disc and remove plastic wrap. Place on top of a large piece of parchment paper (I use a silicone rolling mat underneath to ensure it doesn't slip while rolling, but you can even dampen counter so the parchment sticks a bit.), then place two 1/4" wooden dowels on either side of your dough, then another sheet of parchment paper.
6. 6. Roll dough (this will require a bit of elbow grease for the first few minutes until it softens up a bit) so it's flush with dowels--they will ensure that your dough is even thickness.
7. 7. Preheat your oven to 325° F. Slide your parchment paper and dough onto a board, then place in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
8. 8. Remove from fridge, and cut your shapes using the cutters of your choice, placing them on a baker's half sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (or parchment), with 2" clearance around each one and the edge of sheet. Place sheet with cookies into freezer for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until cookie edges are just crisp, about 16 minutes.
9. 9. Cool sheets on wire racks for 10 minutes, then gently remove cookies and place on wire racks to finish cooling.

Photos courtesy of Sweetapolita

Happy Baking!

-Star

Star's Inspirations: The Perfect Valentine's Day Card

Valentine's Day is right around the corner which means I am on the hunt for the perfect card for my  dear husband.  Cards have always meant a lot to me, even back when I used to adorn them with macaroni.  I enjoy perusing the card isle of my favorite stationary shops and choosing the perfect card for the perfect person on the perfect occasion.  From time to time I even enjoy making my own cards.  

According to History.com, Valentine's Day has been celebrated for centuries in various countries throughout the world.  By the mid 18th century, friends and lovers of all social classes exchanged handwritten notes or small tokens of affection in the name of St. Valentine.  "According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent each year... Women purchase approximately 85% of all valentines" - History.com.  Although Valentine's Day can often seem like a cheesy holiday, I must admit, I love it!  I like the idea of taking one day in the middle of cold, gloomy February to express your love for others and feel loved as well.  It's also a good excuse to get a mani-pedi, wear a sexy red dress and if your lucky, get flowers and chocolates!

In previous years, my husband and I exchanged cards for every major event: birthdays, holidays, graduations, promotions, anniversaries, etc.  My hubby always chose a nice card and wrote a thoughtful message in it and I did the same until a few years ago when he suggested that we stop giving each other cards.  He felt that since we'd been together for a number of years, that a card for every occasion was unnecessary.  At first I was disappointed and a little sad, but when I really thought about it, I understood and actually kind of agreed; however, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to exchanging cards forever!  We compromised and decided on two cards a year: One for Valentine's Day and one for our Anniversary (the occasional love note is ok too :).  I kind of enjoy this new tradition because it makes these two cards mean so much more.  Now that we have a little one, I know I may not have the time to peruse the card isle like I used to, so I am shopping online.  I've found so many I love but I've narrowed it down to the following:

I'm slightly obsessed with Paper Source products, and their cards are no exception.  Love these! 

How fun is this check box/fill in the blank card?!

Photos courtesy of Paper Source

Papyrus' cards are always stunning.  They are so detailed and intricate that the recipient of the card can't help but feel special!

Photo courtesy of Papyrus 

Etsy is a great place to find super unique cards.  A few of these are sweet and a few are silly. Love them all!

Photos courtesy of (1) Etsy Shop PABD Elegance, (2) Etsy Shop jdeluce, 

(3) Etsy Shop StrangerDays, (4) Etsy Shop PABD Elegance

Whether you are single, in a relationship, engaged, or married, I hope you'll enjoy choosing the perfect card for a special someone.

XOXO,

Star

Star's Favorite Things: Photo Booth Fun!

Photo booths have become quite popular at weddings, and for good reason!  Whether portable, digital, or no walls studio style, photo booths add fun and excitement to your big day.  Guests welcome the opportunity to interact and be silly so consider providing props such as boas, hats, wigs and mustaches (most photo booth companies include these props in their packages).  Guests love being able to take their photos home which makes them double as a favor!  Request multiple copies of each photo then ask guests to place a copy of each picture in a scrap book with a note.  Or, ask them to hang their photos on a wall or along a clothesline for decoration during your reception.  Many photo booth companies will also provide you with a CD of all of the photos taken at your event which is a great way for you to have a picture of each of the guests present at your wedding.

Photo courtesy of Scott Langley Photographer 

If you decide on a studio style photo booth and your budget allows for it, consider having a custom backdrop created. This adds a personal touch to the photos and allows your wedding concept to shine.

Here at Sterling Engagements, we happen to be big fans of studio style photo booths because they allow for uniqueness and creativity; however, we also love the nostalgic aspect of portable photo booths.  We've worked with some amazing photo booth and custom backdrop design vendors! 

We love this custom backdrop which has been designed to look like a giant chalk board.

Photo courtesy of My Modern Met

We love how these couples utlized picture frames.  So fun!



Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Photo courtesy of Angel In The North

Photo Courtesy of Belle The Magazine

This custom background of red poppies is stunning and so elegant.



Photo courtesy of The Wedding Planners

If you are a DIY bride, you may want to create your own background.  We love the texture and romace of these DIY backgrounds.

Photo courtesy of Ruche

Photo courtesy of Ruche

This photo illustarates how the photos can be used as decor throughout the reception. Doesn't it look fantastic?!

Photo courtesy of The Wedding Galleria

Check out one of our Bride's photo booths in action.  We absolutely LOVED her custom background which was created by Shawna Yamamoto Event Design!

Photo courtesy of Callaway Gable

As I mentioned, props are a great way to add fun and humor to the photos.  You can go big with hats, glasses and boas, or you can go a bit simpler and go with the mustaches, lips and glasses shown below.

Photo courtesy of EPLove Photography

We came across these photos and had to share them with you because they are so unique and fun!  This Bride and Groom had life size cut outs of themselves in their wedding attire made and had them avaialble for guests to take photos with.  It gave every guest the opportunity to take a photo with the Bride and Groom.  Such a silly and creative idea and they look pretty life like in my opinion!  The photo on the left is of the Bride and Groom with their cut outs.

XOXO,

Star