T Minus 9 Days!

I cannot believe the engagement that would never end is finally coming to an end, in 9 days no less! I still have some last minute things to take care of and the candy station is one of them.

We have six different jars / holders for the candy and we're I'm trying to figure out what type of candy to put in them.

I have a couple narrowed down but need some help with the rest. Here are the ones I know for sure: candy canes, little and big; hershey's kisses in the silver wrapping and red smarties. What other three types of candy would you serve at a romantic, wintery wedding?

For some inspiration, check out some of these great candy stations I found on Pinterest.

VIA Martha Stewart

VIA Luxe Finds

VIA Daisy Pink Cupcake

Basic Pasta Sauces

What a crappy weather day here in Toronto; it's cold, damp and pouring rain. When the weather is crappy like this my stomach craves comfort food and pasta is one of my favourite comfort foods.

I found this on Rachel Ray and immediately thought this would be great for a day like today.

VIA Rachel Ray

One of the first things I want to do when we're settled into our house make a big pot sauce and freeze it.

What type of pasta sauce is your favourite?

New House Love

Our house closed on Friday and I am just head over heels in love with it. My body is sore and I'm exhausted from all the moving but I would do it again in a heartbeat. We're still missing a few key pieces like a mattress and sofa but other than that it's coming together very nicely.

I think this poster is a great description of our love for our new and first home.

VIA Etsy

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Holiday Party Dip Ideas

Hosting a holiday party and bored of serving the same old onion dip? Why not try out one of these delicious dips that I found on Confessions of a Gluten Free Mom. Your guests will love them and you'll be a star.

Click here to find the recipes for all the dips.

Which dip will you be trying? The tomatoe and avocado looks amazing!



Wedding Crazies!

It's two and a half weeks away until the wedding and I have a case of the wedding crazies! I don't have time for an insightful post today but think this is cute and worth sharing.

VIA Style Me Pretty

Festive Cocktails

One of my favourite thing about hosting events is finding fun and delicous drink recipes for clients and myself.  I've stumbled across these festive drinks that I think would be perfect at any Holiday 2011 party.

I have a serious love for Candy Canes and think this cocktail would be a great delicious addition to your next cocktail party. For the receipe please click here.

How about this Cranberry Ginger Fizz. The cranberries and mint add a Christmas flare and the recipe sounds delicious too. For the recipe please click here.

What do you think, something you'll be tackling at your holiday party this year?

Making Use of Space

As I was scanning pinterest last week I stumbled upon these neat ideas and I just had to share them. With all the excitment of our house closing on FRIDAY, yes, this FRIDAY, I am giddy when it comes to home decor.

VIA Pinterest

I love how the above picture makes such great use of space.  This is something I am definitely going to consider for our ensuite.

VIA By Your Hands

I am a big fan of wreaths and displaying a wreath year round on a beautiful rod like this just seems like a no brainer to me.

VIA Pinterest

I love the use of the rod to create this great, simple gallery.

Do these seem like ideas you would try?

Waffle Cones & Candy Oh My!

Do you remember back in the summer when I did this post about waffle cones and fruit?  Well check out this jazzed up idea - waffles cones and candy!

Candy is one of my favourite foods. If it wasn't for the enormous amount of sugar and potential cavities I would eat it every day.

VIA Caramel Potatoes

I love the idea of place cards attached to the cones. Is this something you'll be trying over the holidays? I definitely plan on trying this out.

Toast Toppers

This past weekend Lipstik Events hosted a fabulous cocktail party and one of the menu items were indivdual panini's. I created two different paninis, warmed them on a panini press and served them. Keeping with the theme of my new favourite app, I thought I'd share a fun variation to the panini.

VIA The Food Network

How delicious do these look. Great for a small party and / or lunch.

Is this something you'd try?

Be Kind

Simple words to live by today!

VIA Life Rearranged

Eating Healthy With Fruit

I am trying my hardest to eat VERY healthy over the next few weeks before the wedding. Say what you will about crash wedding diets, I'm going to Italy & Paris the next day and will stuff my face with delicious pizza, pasta, breads and of course lots of vino!

All in the name of the couture, right?

That being said, I've found some great fruit ideas to help get through the next few weeks.

VIA Pinterest

VIA Pinterest

VIA Quick Dish

VIA Fueled By Photo

Up For Corn on the Cob?

I know this recipe Friday post isn't very fitting with the season we're in but I figured, what the heck, something to look forward to for next year.

I'm a big lover of corn on the cob. I'll only eat corn if it's on the cob, without a cob I have no time for it. Weird, I know.

VIA Hostess With The Mostess

How great would this be at a summer bbq or served late night at an outdoor wedding? All of the food looks delicious but the corn is what caught my attention.

Have a great weekend!



Yogurt Dipped Strawberries

Two of my favourite snacks are yogurt and strawberries. I typically have a bowl of plain yogurt every morning for breakfast and it's delicious. When I stumbled upon this I knew I had to share it with you.

VIA Glamour

All you have to do is cut the strawberries in half and dip them in vanilla yogurt. Lay parchment or wax paper on a cookie sheet and place the strawberries down. Let them freeze and voila, you have yogurt dipped strawberries.

How wonderful would these be at your desk mid-day (if your office has a freezer to keep them cool) or served with wine at your next ladies night?

Holiday 2011

Is anyone else excited for the holidays this year? I have acutally already finished all my shopping since I won't have time to do it December 20th like I normally do.

That said, I have holiday 2011 fashion on my mind all the time, 24/7. I love the idea of wearing beautiful hats, bold colours, festive makeup and flirty skirts.

1. Gold Earrings: Etsy
2. Black Dress & Gold Tutu: Pink Tartan
3. Red Shirt & Black Pants: Alice & Olivia
4. Anything I haven't mentioned was found on Pinterest

What's your favourite Holiday 2011 trend?

What Colour Would YOU Paint This?

The count down is in full force in regards to the closing date of the house and the wedding. With that said I am in the midst of having a holy crap week, I have SO much left to do!!

One of the things of my 8 page to-do list is paint this table. I bought it at a garage sale in the spring and love it. At the Christie Antique Show in September I bought some great drawer pulls for it too.

The walls in our great room are a sunflower yellow colour. Our fire place mantle will be white and our couch and coffee table are brown, as is our hardwood.

The Great Room



Coffe table bought at the Christie Antique Show

Advice and input are greatly needed!

Bachelorette 101

This past weekend was my Bachelorette party and may I just say it was the bachelorette to end all bachelorettes! My sister and Maid of Honour gave me a night I'll never forget!

The theme was Sex and the City, my favourite TV series and movies, and it was fabulous. Remember the scene from the 1st movie when Carrie and Miranda are having Valentine's Day dinner in the restaurant with all the balloons... Well my sister, with the help of her roomate and my best friend, re-created it. They blew up, knotted and put ribbons on over 200 ballons! And they have the war wounds to prove it!

She had games, a couple bartenders and some fabulous food! Some of the food items were items I've featured on the blog in the last few weeks. Remember the Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries and the Chocolate & Fruit post, well she had them and they were delicious!

Everything was perfect, she didn't miss a beat! If anyone needs any bachelorette party tips she's your gal!

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

Recipe Friday... Cake Pops!

I've we've decided not to have a traditional wedding cake at our wedding so I am constantly looking for ways to serve cake type options to our guests. Cake pops are super trendy right now and very fashionable - as fashionable as dessert can be!

VIA Pinterest

I've never actually had a cake pop but they look delicious! I found a recipe for everyone that seems very simple and quick.

Check out the recipe here and let me know how it goes!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Michael has gone to Montreal for his bachelor party and my ladies are taking me out tomorrow night for my bachelorette! Should be a great weekend all around.

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

Wine & Cheese Party Anyone?

I don't know about you but I'm a sucker for a wine and cheese party. I mean who doesn't love wine and cheese - together they're perfection!

I plan on hosting too many wine & cheese parties when we have our house. They're fun, great for mingling and catching up with people and you get to try cheese you may not have otherwise.

VIA Veranda Interios

I also have a serious love for chalk boards and think the presentation in these two pictures is fabulous. It's creative, easy and your guests will love it.

VIA Rock Ur Party

Next time you're hosting a wine and chesse party consider calling Lipstik Events so you can enjoy your night as much as your guests!

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

How Do You Decorate Your Walls?

I am just giddy with excitment because Michael and I get our house in three and a half weeks. It seems like just yesterday we were at the Decor Centre picking everything from wall colour to granite and now it's finally here.

Michael and I want to make sure our walls have some serious loving. How do you decorate your walls? What type of art have you hung? We're on a tight budget art wise so we're looking for an inexpensive way to add some art love to our house.

Here are some pictures I found on pinterest that I really like. Let me know your thoughts!

VIA Horchow

VIA The Organised House Wife

VIA Curbly

I can't wait to hear your suggestions and comments!

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)