Holiday Up Your Bakery-Bought Cakes

Posted on December 23, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

Few things are as sweet as old friends…but this Society Bakery-bought vanilla Christmas cake came close. I didn’t have time to bake for a holiday tea party with girlfriends, as I had planned, so I just hopped by Society, bought a cake and a gingerbread man and put that little guy right on top for a little additional holiday whimsy. Really easy way to dress up your holiday cake? Christmas cookies as toppings! #ItLooksLikeHesStuckInSnow

Fast, easy way to decorate a bakery-bought cake? Christmas cookies.

xoxo,

BF Asks: How do you “holiday up” your desserts?

A Festive Fête Full of Heart: Cocktails With Caravents at Mr. C Beverly Hills

Posted on December 16, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

Is there any gift more rewarding than the gift of giving back?
Not in my book.

Photobooth fun at Mr. C Beverly Hills

So I was delighted a few weeks ago when Caravents invited me to their #CocktailsWithCaravents holiday party (co-hosted by Sazan Barzani and Sheryl Luke) benefitting Dress For Success.

The co-hosts of the evening Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

Not only was it a meaningful night, but it was a beautiful one to boot, thanks to the delicate details that Caravents is famous for.

Mingling and merriment occurred. Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

To welcome us at the exquisite Mr.C Beverly Hills, we were greeted with mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.

Chestnuts roasting by..a brass punchbowl of mulled wine? I'll take it.

Then, there was – of course – photobooth fun.

Photobooth fun at #CocktailsWithCaravents

Another round of cocktails by Mr. C Beverly Hills, featuring Absolot Elyx – the oh-so-delicious cranberry ”Holiday-Thyme” cocktails that we couldn’t stop staring at and sipping.

Holiday Thyme. Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

And, as if the evening wasn’t gift itself on its own, we were given luxe, overflowing Gift Bags By Rachael.

Gift Bags by Rachael Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

To cap things off? How about cookies and milk and mini ice cream cones?

Sweets as nightcaps Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

The sweetest of all though was that, thanks to the generosity of all the guests, they collected over 250 pieces of clothing, accessories and beauty products to donate to Dress For Success, helping disadvantaged women gain the skills, confidence and attire needed to gain economic independence.

The collection of all that was donated in the lobby of Mr.C Beverly Hills Photo Credit: @paigejonesphoto for #Caravents

And it is such a gift to all of us who attended that we were able to use the power of our voices for good by properly kicking off the holiday season! We even raised awareness for Dress For Success by making over 2 million social media impressions over the course of the evening.

Thanks for hosting such a festive holiday fête, full of heart, Caravents!

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: How will you give back this season?

A Very Beautyfrosting Brandywine Rustic Thanksgiving

Posted on December 3, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

Thanksgiving for 15? In a 1000 square foot apartment? What to do, what to do?!

The chalkboard greeting guests on the front door *chalk art by Yumarie Morales

Why, we’re gonna do it al fresco, of course, darlings!

A Brandywine Rustic Thanksgiving with old friends & new friends alike!

And the theme? Wellll…Back in October in Dallas, I fell in love with a turkey. No, I’m being literal here. It was at my fave home furnishings & decor shop, Uptown Country Home, in University Park. I saw her, decided her name was Brandywine and had her shipped to me in LA.

I kissed a turkey…and I liked it

My piece of advice for holiday tablescapes? Let one piece of holiday decor guide the rest of your table. In this case, it was Brandywine and she inspired my Thanksgiving theme, Brandywine Rustic. I decided to opt for rusty rose and gold as my theme colors, and then proceeded to find the perfect dishes and glassware at HomeGoods.

My Homegoods Happy finds! (With Brandywine, the star of the show, of course)

I let the Brandywine Rustic theme dictate my tablecoverings – and decided to do just a large piece of Burlap (7 yards, thank you very much), topped with Paper Source chalkboard wrapping paper ($34.95) as a table runner.

Burlap fabric table covering (straight from the fabric store, y'all!) and a chalkboard paper table runner

That way, I could write “So grateful for…” and my guests could write their gratitude down as they ate and drank and mingled. BF Tip? Supply gold chalk markers and gold rolling ball pens so everything shows up in the most beautiful of ways! Many of the pieces became such beautiful little works of art that I couldn’t bear to part with them!

So grateful for…the art that this table runner inspired! *succulent ℅ Rolling Greens

Next, flowers. I chose to keep with the rose and gold theme with simple floral arrangements DIY-style from Trader Joe’s. But my real centerpiece showstoppers were succulents from Rolling Greens in beautiful, gold rustic pots.

Beautiful succulents c/o Rolling Greens - the perfect masculine element to my overtly feminine tablescape

After all, when you live in a place that’s called The Cupcake Palace, things can get a little too feminine, when having a coed dinner. Adding succulents brings the perfect harmonious balance of masculine and feminine to the table.

Speaking of harmony, how about a little social lubrication? Well, that’s exactly what my Thansgiving cocktail, Brandywine punch, offered. **and yes, the recipe will be up tomorrow!)

Sipping on my Brandywine punch, thank you very much. *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

As for the food? Oh, the glorious, glorious food!

For appetizers, we had a vegetable tray, my homemade ranch dip, Matt Marr’s legendary deviled eggs, and a Hickory Farms Signature Party Planner Box ($45). I emptied the box and set them out on a graphite tray, to keep with our rustic theme, and labeled each piece of deliciousness.

Hickory Farms Party Planner Gift Box ($45) made all pretty-like on a graphite, chalkboard tray from World Market

For the main meal, we had Jake’s Famous Turkey (and it’s famous for good reason), a dressing showdown (Matt’s vs. Jake’s!), southern pea salad, my drunk green bean casserole, my Cowboy corn casserole, Nanny’s creamed corn, brussels sprouts and bacon, winter slaw and cranberry sauce. And who could forget the delicious beet and goat cheese terrine that Amy made?

Two turkeys with two turkeys. That's Jake on the right, who crafted that beautiful bird and stuffed it. I'm not talking about the turkey I'm holding here. *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

The al fresco spread...

For dessert? How ’bout my buttermilk lemon chess pie, my pumpkin eggnog bread pudding with spiced rum sauce, fudge pie, pecan pie, coconut cream pie, pumpkin pie and snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches with homemade cinnamon ice cream?

Dessert!! Reminds me of an old church social!

Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches, pumpkin eggnog bread pudding and utter deliciousness.

Yep. That happened.

A special surprise? When my favorite neighborhood squirrel, Pepper, visited. Love that little lady!

Well, Happy Thanksgiving there, little lady! The friendly squirrel, Pepper, makes an appearance! *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

And, don’t you just love when a dreamy day party turns into an enchanted evening?

When daylight turns to candlelight… (photo by Matt Marr)

It’s a Thanksgiving we’ll never forget, and I’d like to think Brandywine the Turkey for that.

Toasting to Brandywine…and other friends! *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan

xoxo,
BF

*To buy that melting, bronzed gold dress that I love only SO much? Visit Donna Morgan

BF Asks: How did you spend your Thanksgiving this year? Any friendly squirrels visit?