Celebrate Spring Event

After picking up some fresh flowers today for our newly remodeled kitchen, I found this in my email inbox. I am so tempted to do this, considering my flowers look a little out of whack.


Celebrate Spring!

Flower Arranging Pastry Class
Saturday, April 25
(312) 324 4000

Allow Sofitel's resident floral designer, Colin Collette, to walk you through the methods and techniques that consistently help him create the renowned arrangements that adorn the hotel's lobby.

After a delectable lunch in Le Bar, the afternoon will include a hands-on experience with Executive Pastry Chef Suzanne Imaz as you learn how to create pastries that thrill the taste buds. She will demonstrate how to create her famous chocolate ginger soufflé with lemongrass ice cream.

10:00 am Flower Arranging Class with Colin Collette
11:30 am Prix fixe lunch
1:00 pm Pastry class with Executive Pastry Chef Suzanne Imaz

$60 per guest
Participation limited to the first 25 guests
Price includes a glass of wine, soft drink, coffee, or tea
(excluding tax and gratuity)

Etsy Find of the Week

(Le Papier Studio)

I have caught myself while on etsy, specifically doing a search for Chicago artists. And it is amazing how many awesome folks we have out there. I am in love with Le Papier Studio. I would love for her to do a silhouette print from one of our wedding photos. She also has some beautiful custom stationary. How cute are these gerber daisies. She has some great listings on etsy, but also a wonderful blog!

(Le Papier Studio)

My Beloved Peonies

(source)

I am ready for spring and I am ready for peonies. Don't they just brighten your day when you have these sitting in a room?

Back in the Swing of Things..

(Crate and Barrel)

I am so sorry, blog. I have completely neglected you. But it has been a crazy time. My job is a kick in the rear, always has been and always will. I know, I know. I am so happy to have a job right now.

Oh in other news - we should make President Obama so proud as we definitely have been doing our part for the economy. We decided this month to redo our whole kitchen with our tax check. New cabinets and new countertops. Oh and here is the other really cool thing - my husband did it all himself. I don't want to jinx it, but the countertops are coming in tomorrow (hopefully). The one issue - it was suppose to be a two-week project that unfortunately, turned into a six-week project. The issue was not that my husband fell behind it was that our countertops were delayed for delivery, so it has been so much fun fixing dinner on nothing but a slab of plywood.

This has made me go crazy in anticipating a brand, new beautiful kitchen. I think I am also yearning for spring to get here, because I find myself heading straight to all the beautiful, bright colors at Crate and Barrel. I do love these plates.

Etsy Find of the Week

(Etsy)

I love these because they are so simple. Check out the designer here.

Bargain Books

If you know someone who is planning a wedding, RUN to Borders and check out the bargin books. I found this one - Style Your Dream Wedding by Susie Coelho. Usually is runs for $50 bucks, but at Borders it was $5.00. Never do I see wedding planning books on sale. And what I loved about this one is that it had beautiful, stunning photos,, but also broke down the wedding planning process. It even had these special features (a CD of wedding songs, a color palette booklet to help in what your style is, and a ton of other nifty extras). I am so miffed that I did not have this sucker a year ago when planning my wedding!! I am picking up a couple as engagement gifts...

Random Thoughts...

I actually am quite happy for all the new brides-to-be, but there was a little sting of jealously when I saw Tina's post.

I realized I needed to work on my new year's resolutions so I used my Kitchenaid Mixer this weekend and made inauguration cupcakes. I then realized I pretty much cancelled out another resolution which was to eat better....

Any who - it was the first time I used it and I probably did not need to register for one. But I had it in my head that if Martha Stewart ever showed up at my door, she would see I was part of the "club" when she saw my bright red artisan mixer in my nicely coordinated kitchen.

In other news- six months ago, it was Google Reader...now I have a new addiction - facebook. I can't stop reading my friend's status updates. I need help.

Frozen Gramwiches

I know...seriously two posts in a day? It is a new year, my friends.

So I have decided that this crap about a diet needs to go out the window and I just need to eat better and exercise more. As much as I contemplated staying in bed for another hour today, I ended up running for three miles instead. And it felt good.

One thing I have noticed is just my love for sweets. I cannot not have them. So I ended up finding this recipe from The Biggest Loser cookbook. Oh I am in love with Frozen Gramwiches...

Frozen Grahmwiches

2 whole low-fat graham crackers1/4 cup light or fat-free frozen whipped topping (any flavor)

Break each graham cracker in half to get four halves. Spread two of the halves evenly with the whipped topping. Top with the remaining cracker halves to make sandwiches. Transfer to an airtight plastic container. Cover tightly and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 1 month. Serve frozen.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 150 calories, 2 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 polyunsaturated fat, 0 monounsaturated fat, 0 cholesterol.

Getting Back my Mojo...

I seriously have been in a fog for the last seven months. I think work has kicked my rear over the last couple months. I have been overwhelmed trying to pay off anything wedding debt related, while also trying to save for a new place but heck with this economy, we might be stuck in his bachelor "Old School" house for a while.. Ugh...but don't get me wrong. I am quite happy as a newlywed, I just can't seem to play catch up with all my real life issues. And I think my blog has shown this the most, because I can't seem to find much inspiration or if I do - it does not last. Ok, so instead of writing this crazy post - I am heading to Arizona for some R&R...and wine. Lots of wine. Happy 2009 - I am hoping this blog and myself - gets its mojo back!

In other news, my husband received the DVD box set of The Office Season 1-4. Seriously, why had I not watched this? It is the best show ever.