{table for two: call me cupcake}

. . . frilly cakes and raspberry icecream, rainbow cakes with swiss meringue frosting, chocolate cakes with fudge icing, and walnut, caramel and chocolate ganache tartelettes . . . the fanciful creations of call me cupcake are like warm summer afternoons beneath the willows and sparkling breezes along the water's edge . . .















{p.s.} amazingly, the cake in the second last was her first & don't you just adore all the pink?


{images: call me cupcake via simplesong}

{late spring + a new month}

"The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May."

~ edwin may teale

. . . bright mornings and starlit nights, shades of green and lily of the valley, breakfast on the terrace and afternoons in lacy dresses . . . the month of may is filled with promise and drifts closer each day to summertime . . .

happy may! wishing you a month lost in happiness & beautiful things,
~ roséline xo

{p.s.} more spring greens: here & here

......................................................................................................

{images: country home via greige; mocking bird; martha stewart via snippet & ink; valentina zelyaeva and andreea diaconu by david burton for elle russia, may 2011 via oh fashion models}

{the royal wedding: with this kiss}

. . . must confess, still a little caught up in the romance of it all, the stolen glances and secret smiles, the horse-drawn carriages and chantilly lace, the balcony kisses and moments so breathtakingly lovely, can barely stand it . . .




prince william & catherine, the duke & duchess of cambridge




detail of the exquisite wedding gown, put together by hand by sarah burton of alexander mcqueen, it is a perfect intermingling of tradition and modernity, with a bodice of ivory satin made of hand-cut english lace and french chantilly lace, over ivory and white satin gazar {a sheer, lightweight silk organza with a glaze-like sheen and moderate stiffness}; individual flowers were hand cut from lace and hand-engineered onto the ivory silk tulle to create the design, which features rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrocks, the national flowers of england, ireland, scotland, and wales; 58 gazar & organza covered buttons ran up the back




the eight-tiered royal wedding cake was decorated with 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers, including 17 different blooms and foliage for their meaning and symbolism, known as the language of flowers


the veil was made of layers of ivory silk tulle and trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers, sewn on by the royal school of needlework at hampton court palace



the bridal bouquet included myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, hyacinth and sweet william blooms; in keeping with royal tradition, stems from a myrtle planted by queen victoria in 1845 were also added; according to tradition, the bouquet of a royal bride will be left on the tomb of the unknown solider in westminster abbey; the late queen mother began the ritual by leaving her wedding bouquet at the grave in 1923 in memory of her brother, fergus, who was killed in the first world war






. . . and of course, with all of this week's talk of tiaras . . . kate's 'something borrowed' was the cartier halo tiara, made in 1936 and purchased by king george VI for his wife queen elizabeth {the queen mother} three weeks before he succeeded his brother as king; the tiara was presented to princess elizabeth, now the queen, by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday; the new princess catherine matched the tiara with earrings by robinson pelham, a gift from her parents inspired by the new middleton coat of arms

{p.s.} for the royal wedding reception, catherine changed into a second alexander mcqueen gown, and her sister pippa changed out of the stunning mcqueen into temperley london


{credits: one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine | ten | eleven}

{always elegant: classic camellias}

. . . have always thought that cake and champagne are perfect anytime, especially for unexpected occasions -- the near arrival of spring, saint patrick's day, or a sunny thursday in mid-march -- and especially if the champagne is vintage and the cake is tiers of pink fondant trimmed with royal icing, beautifully topped, of course, with wonderfully vibrant and beathtakingly lovely camellias . . .

{image: wedding cake with gum-paste camellias via martha stewart weddings}

Valentines Favorites

valentine arrows tutorial by the thompson family via design sponge

As with all holidays, I enjoy learning a bit of the history, who was the Saint, what were the pagan beliefs, how was it commercialized and spread worldwide? Go here for some excellent reading on Valentine's Day.

 But I also love the treats, the warm feelings declared by not only lovers, but friends and family as well. The decorations and of course, the treats are definately a huge plus as well! What is your favorite association or anti-reasoning of this holiday?

valentine cookies by i am mommy ... cookie and frosting recipe here

valentine fort tutorial by justina blankeney via design sponge

shakespearean paper garland by bookity

 valentine heart cake tutorial by i am mommy

vintage inspired paper heart garland by edge inspired

love swan valentine shadow by by jessica jane

 lots of free valentine printables  complied at living locurto (those shown by pepto girl)

valentine cards free pdf images and garland idea from vanessa of a fanciful twist

 valentine mice by betz white

valentines mantel by the stories of a2z linky

(her mantle here

valentine strawberry chocolate cupcakes recipe by tidy mom

*Bakerella's valentine baking round up. 

*Living Locurto's valentine baking round-up

*I am mommy valentine baking round-up

{oscar party inspiration: buttercream}

. . . gold buttercream frosting . . . can you imagine? sheer brilliance.

{image: photography by heather waraksa for style me pretty via pinterest}

Not so Boring Whites

light locations

 I just wanted to let the world know, that a room with a mixture of whites, blacks, grays and beige can still be warm, inviting and full of personality. Add a tiny pale splash of any color you wish (like the light blush pillows and throw above) for a touch of warmth and charm.  Need more color? With a white palate, it's easy to add colorful pieces anytime you wish, I like to rotate things out according to my mood and seasons.

ice puppet

get it girl style

 Guinness Chocolate Cake Recipe by Katie Quinn Davies via Design Sponge

 

gingerella

marie claire maison

desire to inspire