valentine's day doughnut party

February can be a grinding month if you live up in the great white north because it's been cold for awhile now and people are getting a little sick of it. The upside is that Valentine's Day is next week. You know love is in the air and spring is right around the corner.

Valentine's Day can come with many expectations which makes the whole holiday not that fun sometimes. We all know what the typical evening consists of - going out for a pre fix dinner at $100 a pop and having some ordinary love-enfused dish that you will probably hate. Why not stay in and have a doughnut party with your true love? Let's think about how cute this would be for a second - you get to hang out at home, you can bake whatever cute dish you like and get to use your fun and colourful china! 

{Images via The College Prepster}

xo sara

chic sunday dinner

Whether you live in your family home, with friends or your hubby, Sunday night dinner is something that can be enjoyed by everyone. It's the one day of the week that in my personal opinion has been selected as family day. It also is the meal that will prepare you for the week ahead so make sure it's a good one. 

How do you make your Sunday night dinner spectacular? Get a few short vases and make an assortment of different flower displays, mix and match your plates (keep with the same colours) and don't forget to accessorize with a few candles!

{Image via Lonny}

xo sara

let's celebrate 2013

2013 has been an awesome year and one I will never forget - I have learned more than I ever thought I would I have a handful of people to thank. I hope you all surround yourselves with friends this evening as you welcome in the new year with a glass of champagne in your hand!

{theglitterguide}

xo sara

summer drinks | gin, lime + mint

There are two kinds of people - those who love gin, and those who don't. I happen to love gin and always enjoy it in the summer mixed with mint and lime. What is your favourite summer drink?

{fete}

xo sara

cheers to a mexican easter

Before each holiday, my mom always asks the family what we would like to eat. The menu is usually lamb, roast beef, turkey, etc. This year, I have been coveting tacos and can't seem to get enough. I asked my mom if we could have fish tacos for Easter dinner (thinking she would laugh and we would have something else). She lit up, smiled and said, "yes!"

My mom is a wizard in the kitchen and can make anything. She has never made fish tacos before so she looked up a recipe, we went to the grocery store and she made absolutely everything from scratch! 

Tip: Put a few rasberries in the salsa before you blend it together - it adds a sweet delicious kick!

Here's to a new tradition . . . Cheers to a Mexican Easter! Hope you and your family's had a delicious one!

{Images taken by Sara Russell Interiors}

:: For more Easter posts, please view here ::

xo sara

colourful easter brunch

Easter is one of my favourite times of the year. Spring has just begun and the flowers have almost sprung!

My family is a big fan of Easter brunch so below are some ideas on how to make your Easter table vibrant! The key ingredient to making an inviting table is colour so use it where ever you can. I always adore the mixture of vintage and new china and glassware. Our table is mixed with items my mom and I have found at antique markets and items that were passed down from generation to generation. It is always fun to reflect on these fond memories!

Use different textures, shapes and colour with food and beverages and be sure to scatter them around the table. Don't worry about keeping food with food and drinks with drinks - it's more interesting when there isn't a pattern!

See this post featured at Style at Home and see some other great blogger Easter ideas!

Since it's Easter, fill the table with eggs! 

Place a bundle of them on a decorative paper napkin 

(I purchased all of mine from the Jacaranda Tree on Mt. Pleasant in Toronto) in a chunky glass bowl. 

At each place setting is a vintage liquor glass and a few stacked plates adding a nice height to each place!

This yummy lemon loaf cake is from The Flaky Tart

{All images taken by Sara Russell Interiors}

Click the picture below to see the post at Style at Home!

I wish you and your family's a very Happy Easter!

xo sara

i'm 23

Happy birthday to me! 

{one, two, three}

xo sara

superbowl sunday

The most important Sunday of the year has arrived! It's common to serve burgers, hot-dogs, fries, etc., when it comes to watching any kind of sporting event. Why not make this one fun by designing chocolate covered strawberries with football designs on them! They are delicious and I'm sure you're friends will get a real kick out of them!

What you will need:
1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
12-14 large strawberries
1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
2 coffee mugs
piping bag
parchment paper

In a microwave safe coffee mug add the dark chocolate chips. Don't use a wide bowl otherwise it will be hard to dip the strawberries! Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. Don't over heat or your chocolate will burn.

Grab the strawberry by the leaves and dip into the chocolate and swirl around carefully until fully covered. Wait over mug until chocolate has finished dripping. Place on a sheet of parchment paper to dry. Push forward slightly to avoid a pool of dried chocolate forming in the front of your berry. Allow to dry for 15 minutes.

In a separate coffee mug, add the white chocolate. Microwave on high for 20 seconds and stir, repeat until melted. Careful with the white chocolate as it can burn easier. Pour the white chocolate into your piping bag. 

Tip:

- Let the white chocolate cool a bit, but not harden, before piping. If it's too hot, it will be very runny.

- When piping the lines, double back a bit to avoid the "strings" of white chocolate from dripping down the sides.

- Serve chilled

- Don't make more than 24 hours in advance, strawberries tend to shrink a bit as they age

{Images & Baking Instructions from Domestic Fits}

festive friday | cranberry christmas

I had the pleasure of meeting with Emma to photograph a "Cranberry Christmas" inspired party. Emma has a delightful catering company, "Emma's Eatery" located in Toronto. She specializes in personal catered dinners, lunches and breakfasts which are custom created in the comfort of your own home. Welcome to the blog Emma!

Three Ways to Highlight a Totally Seasonal Ingredient!

Tart, but beautiful when sweetened, 

cranberries can be shown off in so many ways during the holiday season. 

Here are three quick ways to please your family and friends!

Bar Style: champagne + cranberries

In the bottom of your glass, place a few fresh cranberries, 

fill with champagne, ginger ale or sparkling water.

Serve at any holiday gathering!

ps. don't you love the stamp below? It's from Jacaranda Tree & Co in Toronto!

Entertaining: cranberry brie bites

Serve these cranberry brie bites at a cocktail party or a holiday dinner. 

This simple recipe's prep time is max 20 minutes from start to finish! 

In a mini muffin pan, place a buttered square of phyllo pastry. Fill with 1-2 cranberries and 1-2 cubes of good quality brie cheese. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until the phyllo is golden brown and the brie has melted and oozing. Serve warm and drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of pepper.

Festive + delicious, these treats will not disappoint!

Presents: cranberry + ginger jam

Give the gift that says you care the most - something homemade! This cranberry jam is quick and amazing. The addition of ginger elevates the jam from your standard cranberry sauce. 

(In a sauce pan, mix together equal weight cranberries & sugar. Grate in a knob of ginger and cook for about 45 minutes - 1 hour or until jam consistency is achieved)

Book your next holiday party with Emma's Eatery!

All images taken by Sara Russell Interiors

- For more Festive Friday posts, please view here - 

festive friday | nutcracker party

I have paired up with Linda Claire for a "Festive Friday" series to get us all in the holiday spirit. Be sure to visit every Friday for more festive ideas for the holiday season!

With the holidays coming up and Christmas carols filling the air with a delightful and comforting sound, I have been craving a night at the Nutcracker Ballet! Friends of mine went on the weekend and I can't stop thinking about it. This adorable Nutcracker themed party looks like the perfect idea for a holiday celebration. 'Tis the season!

[hostess with the mostess]

festive friday | hot chocolate party

I have paired up with Sara Russell for a "Festive Friday" series to get us all in the holiday spirit. Be sure to visit every Friday for more festive ideas for the holiday season!

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up this winter and host a cozy Hot Chocolate Party! I found this fun idea from A Pair of Pears blog. It is a great way way to spend time with friends, eat delicious treats, and sip on some heart warming hot cocoa. 

A quick and easy DIY: Plain white mugs + Porcelain Pen

Great way to personalize each mug and it can be used as a take-home gift for your guests!

They created a treats table that including yummy s’mores, frosted sugar cookies, candy canes... etc. They also served pretzels to had some salt to all the sweetness. 

In another area they created “the hot chocolate bar” where ingredients were displayed for guests to help themselves and create their perfect cup of hot cocoa. 

A Pair of Pears, is a blog created by a lovely couple Jake & Jaime who do an excellent job at organizing fun parties. They are talented graphic designers and I love what they created for this hot chocolate themed party. From the invitations to the decorative labels, the graphics really add a personal touch! They are also super generous, and provide printables to their readers so anyone can organize a themed get together just like this one! 

Happy Festive Friday!

xo LC