Tuesday, May 21, 2013

live to create : fringed streamer backdrop

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So, I should have shared this during birthday countdown, but I ran out of time. Sort of wish my birthday was at the end of the month rather than the middle because my imagination hat was going crazy with ideas! This is just one example and the rest of the ideas I still had are now stored away for next year. I think fringed, festive backdrops are the perfect way of setting the mood for a party. I like the idea of designating a corner of the home as the "birthday corner" and this backdrop can really help pull that off. 

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{you will need}
streamers or ribbons
painters tape
scissors

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{step one} 
measure out streamers or ribbons to your desired length and fold them up. Tip: I like to have one strand as the ruler for all my ribbons so that they're consistent.

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{step two}
Cut barely to the center on both sides of the folded streamer with a centimeter or so space between each cut. You don't have to be perfect on this, the more inconsistency the better the fringe.

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{step three}
Rough up the streamers so they look like the bottom half in the left photo as opposed to the upper half. Then gently unfold so your streamer doesn't tear and use painters tape to tape onto your wall or wherever you're decorating.

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For more DIY projects with c&é visit here!

Monday, May 20, 2013

the joy of : wanderlust

{via}

As I meander the streets of London, I am itching to go somewhere different. Somewhere raw. Somewhere organic. With a unique culture, language, just to get lost. There is something about getting lost in country where you are absolutely vulnerable and have to adapt to its surroundings. It is exactly what I need right now, a great escape. A chance to re-energize my deep notes of wanderlust.

Friday, May 17, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : it's my birthday + Topshop Giveaway!


Today is the day, my friends! Spending the day in London and then frolicking off to dinner with friends and family. Lots of love and thank you all so much for the warm birthday wishes!

But, before I leave a little present for you!...

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Before I head off, I thought I would host a little Topshop giveaway from me to you! I am giving away five 100 (USD)/100 (Pound Sterling) giftcards to any five lucky readers! All you have to do is leave a comment below on which birthday countdown post was your favorite AND your email address!

Best of luck to you all!

* * *

Winners will be individually emailed on 31 May. 
Giftcard can be used for Topman. 
Only one entry per person.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : spice-infused sangria


A 'midnight in Madrid' themed birthday party cannot happen with lots of sangria. I've made this spice-infused sangria before and it was such a hit! Since the tapas and paella have subtle flavors of spices and herbs, it marries well with each and every tapa and the paella I shared here! Of course if you're not a red wine fan, you can always make another one of my favorites and that's the Cava sangria of Catalonia, which you can find the recipe here. Scroll down below for the spice-infused sangria recipe!

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For more recipes visit the interactive recipe index here!

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Click on the image to enlarge the recipe.
Print on a 3 x 5 index card setting and store with the rest of your recipes!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : the party playlist


{via}




I loved the music when I was in Spain. I did Indian classical dancing and I've heard Flamenco has lots of Indian classical elements in both dance and music. I was easily drawn to it. Actually, cool story. When I was backpacking through Spain, I spent a few night in Cordoba and realized I was running low on cash in a city without my ATM. I participated in a dance off that evening with a Flamenco dancer and won the 100 euro prize! The energy, attitude, and romance will get you in the mood. I put together a play list for the party. It's a bit more energetic than what you may be used to for a dinner party, but just have it low enough to set the mood. You will truly enjoy it.




A Night in Madrid Playlist [on Spotify]
Popurri - Raya Real
Sevillanas - Raya Real
Andaluz - Chiquetete
Una Lagrima - Peret & Los Amaya
Cafe Siena - Armik
Mi Mundo - Armik
Estrellas - Armik
Besos - Armik
"Tango" Maria - Celedonio Romero
Jacaras - Jordi Savall, Gaspar Sanz, Temb
Catalan Folk Songs - Miguel Llobet, David Jaggs
Barrio Negro - Tomatito
Amanecer En El Campo - Tomatito
Porque To Lo Vales - Tomatito
Leyenda - Andres Segovia

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If you've got any music suggestions, please leave them in the comments for everyone to see! More music the merrier, am I right?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : tres leches cupcakes


I'm pretty sure, out of this entire birthday countdown series, the best part is the cake! This year, I changed it up and made cupcakes. Though tres leches is a Mexican delicacy, the Spanish influence truly exudes these little cakes of deliciousness! 

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* * *
For the tres leches cupcakes, I used this recipe from Bakers Royale.

See that cupcake stand? Well, it's a DIY from Oh Happy Day!

And those cupcake flags? Shared just a few days ago here!

Happy cupcake-ing, my friends.

Monday, May 13, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : birthday flowers
whitney of the curtis casa


I am so incredibly lucky today {and so are you} to have Whitney of The Curtis Casa here to share some inspiration for the birthday florals! I am a big fan of flowers and the bold Spanish colors allows you to decorate your party with them quite beautifully. Whitney has put together a lovely arrangement!

* * *

Hi Chevrons & Eclairs, readers! I'm Whitney, from The Curtis Casa, it's great to be back here again!

I know we’re all wishing Supal a happy birthday month! Hasn’t this countdown been fun?! I love that Supal always celebrates her birthday the whole month long and she puts so much time and energy into her theme! I’m here today to share some floral inspiration for the birthday girl's party. With Supal’s Spanish theme, I knew right away the colors should be bold and bright.



 I love the look of this test tube centerpiece arrangement and used it as my inspiration for choosing the florals. Using these attention-getting blooms with the simplicity of glass tube vessels and the addition of a little background greenery creates a really striking arrangement.


I would suggest these gorgeous blooms below.


I love the way ranunculus stems swerve all around and give a whimsical, airy feel to any arrangement. Anemones flow well with ranunculus because their stems are a bit wild, but their petals and colors draw a nice contrast. Craspedia, or billy ball, is interesting and unique with its straight stem and ball bloom. Peonies and dahlias are wonderful attention-getters, for different reasons. Peonies are loose and frilly while dahlias petals are strict and straight. These two look great together or they can be spaced out around the centerpiece. Eucalyptus leaves are a popular greenery that lends a relaxed feel to a bouquet or arrangement. Put all these lovely blooms together and you've got quite a beautiful floral centerpiece - fit for the birthday girl!



inspiration images via

Friday, May 10, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : the sangria kit party favor

As a party favor for our Spanish themed birthday party, I thought a sangria kit would be appropriate! For the party, I plan on making an authentic sangria made of red wine so naturally I wanted to do something different for the party favor. For the favor, we'll put together the ingredients for a simple sangria blanca or white wine sangria.

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{to make one favor you will need}
350mL bottle of dry white wine
50mL bottle of Bacardi orange
basket
sangria printout
linen dish towel
festive table napkin
lemon
2 apples
peach

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{step one}
Get a decorative basket, which can be found at thrift stores and craft stores. Be sure its tall/wide enough to fit the wine bottle. Remember, I am not using the average wine bottle size.

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{step two}
Add the linen dish towel. These can be found for really reasonable price at Ikea in packs of three. This will elevate the items in the basket and it will prevent the fruits from getting bruised against a hard surface.

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{step three}
Add a festive table napkin or fabric. This adds some nice color to your basket! Remember you want to be as colorful and vibrant as possible. I prefer getting fabric squares from JoAnn Fabrics.

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{step four}
Add the booze! We're giving your guests a sangria blanca kit, so give them a nice dry white wine. I prefer Chardonnay since your fruits and the orange rum will add citrus to the sangria. Then add the Bacardi orange. This size is the perfect amount for a 350mL bottle of wine.

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{step five}
Add your fruits to the mix! I prefer to give a peach, lemon and two apples. Those are the best for the travel home. Make sure to get peaches that are not too ripened so your guests can wait a few days before making the sangria.

Finally, I didn't add this in the photo but in the last minute I put together a little print out for your to add to the basket! You sangria blanca recipe card!



Thursday, May 9, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : the party invites





When I was trying to come up with the design for this invitation I wanted something bright and colorful. Something a bit vintage, a little homemade, and of course shabby chic. I drew inspiration from  Spanish weddings around the web and came across beautiful blooms. Spanish inspired blooms of vibrant and always include a unique color combination. In the end, I drew inspiration from vintage Spanish and Italian tomato sauce cans and came up with this...


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And as promised, you can printout this invitation for you own use! Just click on the download link below, print on card stock, cut out as a 5x7 card and place in a 5x7 envelope.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

birthday countdown 2013 : tapas & paella menu and recipes


The first rule when cooking for your own dinner party of 8 or more is to choose a dish that is simple, delectable and unique. Since we're going with a 'midnight in Madrid' themed party, you can't go wrong with a little paella! Since I was catering to a partially vegetarian crowd, I made a vegetable paella. 

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{the tapas menu}
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Luckily, I shared these few tapas options ahead of time, so you're not too overwhelmed with a plethora of recipes charging at you. Scroll to the bottom for the links to the tapas and the recipe card for the paella and enjoy the culinary experience! 

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{tapas recipes}

{some older c&é tapas favorites}

{vegetable paella} 
Click on the image to enlarge the recipe.
Print on a 3 x 5 index card setting and store with the rest of your recipes!
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