Showing posts with label Backyard Parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Backyard Parties. Show all posts

Friday, August 10, 2012

Raspberry Sorbet In Lemon Bowls

Holy moly this week took a long time to end, too long! We have a very busy weekend but thankfully nothing on the schedule for tonight. I need a night to decompress.

I came across these the other day and thought they'd be perfect for a hot summer's day. I know it's raining and gross right now but imagine how perfect these would be at your next bbq!

You'll need to make sure your lemons are a decent size and not too small.

Via
What do you think, something you'll be adding to your next menu?

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Backyard Smores Bar

Happy Hump Day!

Can you believe that 1. It's summer and 2. It's almost the first long weekend of summer! Where the heck is this year going?

When I came across this backyard smore idea I immediately fell in love. If you've ever been to a cottage with me you know I have a serious love for roasting marshmellows. This smore idea has me giddy with excitment!

Via

How amazing is this? I need to have this in my backyard now!

So tell me, are you a smore / roasting marshmellows lover like me?

Thursday, November 24, 2011

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!




Friday, September 16, 2011

Lipstik Events in Action!

Back in August Lipstik Events hosted a very large Celebration of Life Party for a very close friend of my family. The homeowner/host hired a videographer to capture the day and all its memorable moments. Here's the video, I hope you like it!



Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Happy Canada Day!

Since tomorrow is Canada Day and I will be sleeping in I figured I'd write my Canada Day post today! This weekend I have a lot of relaxing and hanging out with friends planned, what about you? Are you doing anything special for Canada Day?

Check out some of these cute Canada Day inspired pictures I found on Pinterest.

Strawberry Shortcakes via The Bakery Spot
Via Bloggin with Bobbi

Canada Day Cupcakes via Etsy


I hope you all have a safe and fun long weekend!

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

Monday, June 27, 2011

Weekend Recap

Usually I'm not very good at posting on Monday's but I made sure to find some time so I can fill you in on how the party went on Saturday.
Let's begin with Friday night where I prepped some of the food I was taking care of for Saturday. I was incharge of the salads, veggies, four pizzas and dessert. I spent about four hours Friday night cutting lettuce and strawberries, rolling out dough and making pizza sauce. Thankfully I had some great help from Michael and my lovely grandparents so it ended up being a fun night!


Fresh Ontario strawberries - They were to die for!


Saturday went off without a hitch! Thankfully the rain held out and it ended up being a beautiful day. It seemed like all 160 people had a great time, in and out of the pool and enjoying the food and drinks!



The flowers were from Metro Florist in Markham


The food tent
 All in all a great day!

Enjoy the Party,

Nicole :)

Friday, June 17, 2011

Recipe Friday.... Cool as a Cucumber

It's Friday! Today's recipe is coming at your from Rachel Ray's website. I am always looking for fun, new drinks to try and I think this one sounds delicious. It's the Cool-As-A-Cucumber-Sparkletini - doesn't that sound delicious?!

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed

  • 1/2 cup ice water

  • 1/2 cup Skyy Infusions™ All Natural Ginger Vodka, chilled

  • 1 cup Lipton® Sparkling Diet Green Tea with Strawberry Kiwi or Lipton® Sparkling Green Tea with Strawberry Kiwi, chilled.


  • Preparation:
    Puree the cucumber with water in a blender. Line a strainer with a wet paper towel and strain the cucumber pulp over a bowl – about 20 minutes. Gently squeeze to reserve the cucumber liquid; discard the pulp.
    Stir the vodka and Lipton® Sparkling Diet Green Tea with Strawberry Kiwi into the reserved cucumber liquid. Serve in a chilled martini glasses.
    For a non-alcoholic version or this recipe, substitute 1/2 cup Lipton® Sparkling Diet Green Tea with Strawberry Kiwi for vodka and add 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger.


    I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Tonight I am prepping for a big event we have next weekend and tomorrow I have a wedding to go to.

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, June 16, 2011

    Margaritaville Party!

    This past Saturday Lipstik helped host a 60th birthday and the theme was Margaritaville! There was a margarita station, Jimmy Buffet Music, bright clothes and lots of fabulous food! Check out pictures from the party below.

    The host hired a street meat vendor to cook dinner right out front of their home!

    Don't you love the blue granite?!

    Preparing dinner

    Margarita Station / Bar
    They live right on the water which made for a fabulous view!

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole

    Friday, June 10, 2011

    Recipe Friday... Cilantro Citrus Grilled Chicken

    Hi friends! Anyone else super glad it's Friday?!

    Here's your recipe for the day from The Food Network - Cilantro Citrus Grilled Chicken.

    Ingredients

    Cilantro Citrus Grilled Chicken

    • 2 boneless chicken breasts

    Marinade

    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped (basil will also do well)
    • Juice of 1 orange, 1 lime and 1 lemon
    • 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    Directions
    Marinade

    1. In a large bowl combine marinade ingredients and add the chicken.
    2. Marinate the chicken either for at least 2 hours (more is better, up to 24) in the fridge.
    3. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking. Gently flatten the chicken breasts so that they are of even thickness. This allows for better cooking – you won’t get the "one half too dried out and the other side not quite done" effect that happens because the breast is thicker at one end than the other.
    4. Of course, I choose barbecuing even in the winter, but you can pan grill, use an electric Griddler or your broiler. It usually takes 5 minutes or so per side depending on the thickness of your chicken. You can tell it’s done when the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink.

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, June 9, 2011

    Theme = Colour

    Instead of coming up with a traditional theme for your party this weekend, why not make a certain colour or two the theme. Check out these pictures below, aren't they amazing?! I found them on Style at Home!




    Hope you're as inspired as I am!

    Enjoy the Party,
    Nicole

    Wednesday, June 8, 2011

    Be safe when it comes to the SUN!

    Everyone these days needs to be careful when in the sun. I myself, at 25 have noticed sun spots and it freaks me out! Here are some great sun blocks recommened by The Kit Magazine to help protect your body.

    1) Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Daily Face Sunscreen SPF 60.
    2) Clarins UV Plus SPF 40.
    3) Nivea Sun SPF 30 Lip Balm.



    
    Stay safe from the sun everyone!

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole

    Friday, June 3, 2011

    Recipe Friday...Apricot & Raspberry Frozen Mousse

    I am so glad it's Friday! I have weekend planned starting with a trip to Clarity MedSpa tomorrow morning. I'll tell you about my treatment next week.

    Now onto today's yummy recipe courtisy of Style at Home. I hope you enjoy it!

    Ingredients
    • 3 eggs
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
    • 1/3 cup (100 grams) apricot puree
    • 2 cups (450 ml) heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
    • 1 tbsp sugar

    Directions
    1
    Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    2 Puree the raspberries and the sugar and set them aside.

    3 Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Place the bowl over a water bath and whip the eggs and sugar mixture for about 5 minutes until they thicken. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and continue whipping in high speed until the eggs have cooled. It will be thick. Fold in the apricot puree, followed by the soft peak cream.

    4 Transfer the cream to a glass or metal baking dish or small jars. Spoon in some of the raspberry puree and make swirls through the apricot cream with a spoon or wooden skewer.

    5 Transfer to the freezer and serve frozen.


    How yummy does that look?!

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, June 2, 2011

    It's Cottage Season

    I love heading north to a cottage a couple times a year. Unfortunately my family doesn't own a cottage and I'm not super close with anyone who does but I love it nonetheless. I thought I'd share some gorgeous cottage pictures to get us in the summer spirit!





    Do you have a cottage or a friend who you can tag along with frequently? Have you done a neat reno on the cottage?? I'd love to hear about it!

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Wednesday, June 1, 2011

    Cool Off!

    Isn't this weather AMAZING! Aside from the AC being broken in my car I am loving this weather. I don't know about the rest of you, but the when the weather is this glorious all I want to do is hang out outside. That said, here are some yummy outdoor ideas for this week and weekend.

    Idea 1: To add some flare to your bbq this weekend why not dress up your bottles?! It's simple, quick and will make your water bottles stand out for sure.


    Idea 2: Instead of having four people sit around the table holding down the table cloth why not try this neat and cute trick?


    Both of these ideas came from Country Living.

    Happy hump day :)

    Nicole

    Wednesday, May 25, 2011

    Outdoor Summer Weddings

    I have a huge fascination with outdoor weddings. I think they're glamorous, lovely and fun, to say the least! I am getting married in a banquet hall in December, therefore I drool every time I see pictures of outdoor weddings. Being that this past Saturday was such a gorgeous day it had me thinking more and more about outdoor weddings. I thought I'd share a few outdoor wedding ideas with you!
    Beautiful table decor featured on Wedluxe.
    I'm not nearly crafty enough to do this but I think it's super cute and cool! Featured on http://www.styleandsensibility.com/

    How lovely is this sweet table?! Featured on The Wedding Co

    


    I don't know about you but I love the second picture so much! Did you have a backyard/outdoor wedding?

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Friday, May 20, 2011

    Recipe Friday....Champagne Peach Punch

    Need a punch recipe for the BBQ you're hosting this weekend? Look no further, here's a yummy champagne peach punch recipe just for you from All Recipes.


  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup peach brandy

  • 1/4 cup grenadine syrup

  • 1 (32 fluid ounce) bottle carbonated water

  • 3 (750 milliliter) bottles champagne

  • 3 (11.5 ounce) cans peach nectar

  • 1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate


  • Directions:
    Chill all ingredients. In a large punch bowl combine peach nectar, concentrated orange juice, lemon juice, brandy and grenadine. Mix well and pour in the carbonated water and champagne.               

    I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend. Stay safe!

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, May 19, 2011

    Dressing for the Weekend

    Probably like most of you, I have a busy yet fabulous long weekend instore. Basically my weekend is filled with eating, drinking and being with friends, does it get much better than that?
    I'm always looking for fun, seasonal and trendy outfits to wear when I'm out and I thought I'd highlight some great pieces for the summer months.
    I love this BCBG dress

    My favourite summer trend is Jumpers. This one is from Anthropologie.

    Another Anthropologie find. Long dresses are another of my favourite pieces for the summer!

    Blazers are perfect for work and play. This one is from Aritzia.

    I'm in love with pants like this. They're so comfy yet trendy and stylish. These too are from Aritzia.

    
    So can you see yourself wearing any of the above?

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Friday, May 13, 2011

    Recipe Friday....Roasted Chicken with Lemon & Artichokes

    Happy Friday! Is anyone else thrilled it's the weekend, cause I am.  I stumbled across today's recipe on Rachel Ray's website in the figure flattering section. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could sure use some figure flattering recipe ideas these days.

    Ingredients

    • 4 artichokes
    • 2 heads garlic, top 1/4-inch of stem end sliced off
    • 4 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
    • 3 cups white wine, divided
    • Salt and ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 4 to 5 pound roasting chicken
    • 1 small onion, quartered
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
    • 3 lemons, 1 halved, 2 sliced

    Preparation

    Preheat oven to 425ºF.
    Step Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze the juice from the halved lemons into the water. Cut each of the artichokes into quarters, scrape out the inner choke and remove the tough outer leaves from each piece. Reserve the artichokes in the lemon water to keep them from turning too brown while you work.
    When all of the artichokes are clean, arrange them in a roasting pan along with the sliced lemons and both heads of garlic. Drizzle everything with about 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 cups white wine and season with salt and pepper.
    Step In a small bowl, combine the fennel seeds, poultry seasoning, onion powder, some salt and pepper. Stuff the chicken with the onion pieces and tie up its legs. Rub the spice mixture on the outside of the bird and place the chicken into the roasting pan on top of the veggies. Drizzle the chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the bird is cooked through, about 1 hour.
    Step Remove the roasted chicken, veggies and garlic heads from the pan, and reserve warm on a platter. Place the roasting pan over medium heat and sprinkle the flour over the pan juices. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the remaining cup of wine to the pan, cook until reduced, about 30 seconds, and then whisk the stock in, stirring well to break up any lumps. Squeeze the cloves from the reserved heads of roasted garlic into the gravy and break them up with a wooden spoon or whisk. Simmer the gravy until thickened, about 2 minutes, and season with some salt and pepper.
    Serve the chicken with the roasted artichokes and garlic and pan gravy alongside.

    So what do you think, easy enough, right? I hope you enjoy it!

    Enjoy the Party & Have a Great Weekend,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, May 12, 2011

    Tabletop Ideas

    Hosting a dinner party or brunch this weekend and want to jazz up your table, well look no further. Here are some great tables I found on the Style at Home website.



    Can you see yourself doing any of these?

    Enjoy the Party,

    Nicole :)

    Thursday, March 31, 2011

    Spring is almost here...hopefully :)

     


    With the bright, sunny, warmer weather we've been having this week, today excluded, I thought I'd talk about the seasons changing and how that affects us.  When the sun shines longer people are happier, relaxed and refreshed. Some of my favourite things to do in the spring are go for walks and spring cleaning. What are all of you doing to enjoy the beginning of spring?

    With spring comes summer, and outdoor parties. Last July my parents hosted a fabulous engagement party for Michael and I in their backyard. Everything was beyond lovely, we couldn't have asked for more. I thought I'd share some pictures for backyard party, decor inspiration.

    Enjoy the Party,
    Nicole :)