{Hand-Painted} Monogram

I love getting inspiration from every-day items (fabric, decor, etc.) and creating something unique.  I made this brightly colored "P" for my sister-in-law's family room.  She actually owns some of these items, like the orange Moorish Tile Rug from Pottery Barn (love it).  Her family room is modern, bright, and fun - with accents of turquoise, lime green and orange.  The "P" looks great in her home!

My sister-in-law happens to be the mommy of precious little Ella whom I made this Anthropologie-Inspired Cross for on her Baptism.

If you're interested in a unique hand-painted cross or monogram for your home, contact me at

thesweetlifestudio@gmail.com

I can match any fabric or design of your liking.  These make great gifts!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Must-See Show: DC Cupcakes

Set your DVRs for Friday at 10 p.m.!

"TLC's Summer slate just got sweeter with the arrival of DC CUPCAKES, the latest treat in the network's growing menu of food-themed programming. Tune in Friday, July 23 and July 30, for back-to-back episodes at 10/9C. The six-part series follows sisters and business partners Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis as they run Georgetown Cupcake, a small cupcakery that they've transformed into a sweeping success." (TLC)

I caught a glimpse of this TV Show this week and fell in love with it!  I love the idea of two sisters giving up their corporate careers to pursue their dream job.  To top it off, these sisters are Greek - just like me!

The actual store, Georgetown Cupcake, in DC

Hope you can catch an episode or two of this show! This weeek they invented the lavendar & hibiscus flower cupcake - who would have thought?

Happy Watching!

{Sweet Weddings} Wine-Themed Inspiration Board

I'm so excited to do this wedding in October!  The couple is going for a wine theme, using shades of green and orange.  It was hard for me to envision this color scheme working...until I saw the beautiful invitations.  Now the ideas just keep on coming! The bride requested a cupcake display similar to my Crystal Cove Wedding cupcake display.  I think the wine theme is going to be perfect for this fall wedding at The Summit House in Fullerton, CA.

Invitations custom made by the bride and groom's friend, Josh

Lots of ideas so far!

Thank you, Danielle and Kyle for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

Ashley

100 Cupcake Recipes!

Get out of your cupcake rut!

Click here to browse Food Network's 100 most popular cupcake recipes!

Ashley

Remembering Our Wedding Day...

So a couple of days after we got back from Europe, we had our second anniversary!  We have come to the conclusion that our trip will basically serve as a gift for every anniversary, birthday, and holiday for this year (but it was so worth it!).  So we kept it simple and did dinner and a movie - eating some good American food and getting to finally see Eclipse was the perfect way to celebrate two years with my honey.

My husband and I are at the age where we attend a wedding every other month (so it seems).  I found myself looking through old pictures on my computer and getting a little sentimental about our own wedding day. It was my favorite day to date!

Details

 Wedding Fun

I still can't believe that two years have flown by!  We're still so thankful to everyone who helped make our wedding day so special and memorable, especially to my MOM who kept me sane and was my assistant crafter/decorator for the wedding.

Love...how sweet it is!

Ashley

Credits

Venue:  The Muckenthaler Mansion in Fullerton, CA

Catering & Cake:  Colette's Catering Extraordinaire

Photography:  Edna Eudave at Square Eye Photography (she's awesome!)
Dresses:  J.Crew & Marisa Bridals

Flowers:  Raindrops on Roses (Chino Hills, CA)

Decor:  My mama and me!

Schneeballen!

I mentioned Schneeballen in my latest post.  While in the quaintest little German town of Rothenburg I came across these delicious little balls of goodness.  I am a cupcake girl at heart, but when I saw these mysterious ball-shaped treats I was intrigued. The displays were so cute!

When I asked what Schneeballen were, I was told that they were essentially "left over pie crust rolled up into a ball, fried, and dusted with powdered sugar (or dipped in chocolate)."  Yum!

As it turns out, they are a bit more complex than that.  The easiest recipe I could find (with pictures) on the internet was here at Recipes from a German Grandma. 

Happy Schneeballen making!

Ashley

Home, Sweet Home!

My husband and I are back from our Europe escapades!  We had a blast traveling through Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.  I was blown away by the vast green fields of Germany, the enormous Alps in Switzerland, and the living history of Italy.  We made lifelong memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

My husband and I are both teachers, so learning is one of our favorite things about traveling to new places.  But let's be honest...sampling the food is right up there, too!  The food was simply DELICIOUS!  Here are some food shots of our trip. 

And of course...

(ok..a lot of things sweet)

Thanks for all the well-wishes and prayers for a safe and fun trip.  Although Europe was amazing, it always feels great to come home.

Stay tuned for a post featuring the German treat Schneeballen (top right photo of "Something Sweet")!

Ashley