Creative Guest Book Alternative

Etsy Find.

Unique interpretations of wedding traditions can make some of the most memorable and creative aspects of your big day. And one of Hip Hostess' favorite things to switch up is the traditional guest book. And here's one of our new favorite ideas...

Cut the Cake Designs by Tara Lee offers a Guest Book Box that is sort of a take on a traditional recipe box. Each wooden address card box contains 26 beautifully designed dividers and 200 address cards for your guests to fill in and leave a thoughtful note. And Cut the Cake can do custom designs for the dividers to match your invitation suite as well.

And after the vows have been read and the dancing is done, you will have a very fashionable Rolodex all filled with your family and friends info and kind words. Love it!

PS. Make sure to check out the Cut the Cake blog. They are having an amazing giveaway next week from July 20 - 24th.

Spotted: Pocket Pie Molds at Williams Sonoma

I'm usually not a proponent of very specialized kitchen equipment. I find that all of those gadgets just take up space...why buy a mincer, chopper, and garlic press when I can use a chef knife and cutting board to do all three? But there are a few exceptions to my self-imposed rule, and I believe that I've stumbled upon another one.


Williams Sonoma's Pocket Pie Molds are so freakin' cute I can barely stand it. At Hip Hostess, we love to do individualized portions for our party guests because it makes even the most simple dish seem special (ex. pot pie is delicious, individual pot pies are cute and delicious).

That's why these pie molds are so awesome. With little extra effort, you can create such a special and unique dessert presentation for your guests. And the best part is that they are affordable - each individual design is $9.95 but you can buy a set of 2 for $17.95. Now I just have to make some room for my new kitchen additions...

Dress Dilemma

Advise Needed.

We recently received an email from one of our readers with a party fashion quandary. And while I definitely have my own opinion on this, I would certainly not consider myself a fashion expert. So we are seeking your opinions on this to best help our friend, Liz.

Here's the situation: Liz and her beau hold a Formal Black & White Party every year at their apartment. For the last 3 years, she has purchased a brand new dress. This year she is trying to be more frugal and would like to wear a dress that she already owns. She has a dress in mind (pictures below) that she wore on her birthday 1 1/2 years ago. Only about 10 of her closest friends saw it at that time...but of course there are probably pics on Facebook if someone really wanted to investigate. So here's the question:

Is it a fashion faux-pas to re-wear a dress? Should a certain amount of time pass before one should re-wear a dress to a special occasion like a formal dinner party or wedding?

It is the opinion of Hip Hostess that Liz can definitely re wear the dress (which is gorgeous, by the way). We don't think there is a stead-fast rule of time that has to pass, but instead it depends on the occasion and mix of people. In this case, there is definitely enough variance to make it work. What I would suggest is mixing up hairstyles, shoes, and accessories to make the entire overall look different. Below are some hair, makeup and accessory ideas that I think would look nice. But what do you all think?

1. Braided updo and drop earrings. 2. Crimson lips with subtle eyes.
3. More red lips and neutral eyes. 4. Cat Deeley's faux bob and fantastic diamante bangle bracelets.
All from Instyle.com

The Crispery

Fun Food Find.

Upgraded Rice Krispy treats…why didn’t I think of that? From the moment I saw all the fun choices that also sounded delicious I knew this was a company that had to be shared. The Crispery takes marshmallow crispy treats to a new level. You have a choice of flavors such as Chocolate Caramel and Marshmallow, Crispy S’mores, Chocolate Dipper Crispy and Peanut Butter just to name a few.



You can purchase the treats as individuals or in sampler gift boxes. They also offer Special Occasion Crispy Bars for birthdays, weddings and holidays. If you are in the market for a little something special they have a specific line in place for custom and corporate orders.



The Crispery offers a childhood favorite with intriguing additional surprises. Who wouldn’t love that?

Papeterie To the Rescue

Paper.

One of my closest and dearest friends is getting married at the end of July and she's really got her hands full right now. Besides concluding her school year paperwork (she's a teacher), she finishing up her PhD classes, taking her comprehensive test for the PhD, closing on a house...and oh yeah, getting married...all within one month!!Luckily, she's got everything for her wedding under control with a lot of planning ahead and some really amazing family help.

But it got me thinking, what if you were someone that didn't have that kind of support on those final details of a wedding? Anyone that's gotten married will tell you that all the planning in the world won't prepare you for the last couple of weeks of "putting it all together." You've got programs to finalize, table seatings to assign (once everyone finally gets to RSVPing), and much more.

So while we are normally a proponent of DIY, sometimes you have to call in for some professional help to alleviate your stress. Which brings me to one of our favorite vendors, Papeterie. Besides the essentials of Invitations, RSVP cards and such...they offer an amazing assortment of menu cards, table numbers, place cards, programs, and even gift tags. All of the things that you need to alleviate some of that last minute stress. And their prices won't put you in the poorhouse either. So take a deep breath. Go online here. And just point and click. No cutting, printing, or sweating is involved.

Link Love.

Tuesday Inspiration.

Loft Life
This loft conversion brings a whole new meaning to being “raised in a barn.”


Erin Ever After
These paper cutouts are a sweet and impressive way to make a statement at a wedding.

The Sartorialist
Take notes, gentlemen. This man’s Summer style is phenomenal from head to toe.

Tartelette
My diet says I shouldn’t wash down a cherry tart with a milkshake, but this picture makes me want to anyway…

Nimli Giveaway

Contest.

Here at Hip Hostess we love exciting giveaways! And we have another one to bring your way from an amazing environmentally-conscious retailer, Nimli.

Nimli is an online marketplace devoted to providing natural, organic, and sustainable lifestyle products while embracing style and aesthetic. Nimli offers clothing, accessories, home décor, beauty products and much more from independent designers. Nimli is firmly aligned with a lifestyle that cultivates a green conscious mind, body, and soul.

And speaking of green, one of our lucky readers is going to win 4 Azuri Feather Pashmina Shawls in Kiwi Green. They would be the perfect gift for bridesmaids, friends, and yourself! To enter, go to the Nimli website and take a gander. Then leave us a comment by July 31st letting us know what you love. We'll announce the randomly chosen winner on August 1st. Good luck!

Happy 4th of July!!

Some days it's hard to find anything positive in the news. Today is a day that you can celebrate all that we have and where our country came from. And it all started with a party...a tea party to be exact. Enjoy your day with family and friends!

The view from Federal Hall in NYC.
The site where George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States of America.

Easy Impressive Dessert

Recipe.

During the 4th of July weekend, I love pie and flag cake just as much as the next person. But if it's nice outside, I do not want to be stuck in the kitchen rolling out pie dough. So while going through some of my back issues of Everyday Food, I was reminded of a simple dessert that is very impressive to the eye and extremely easy to assemble - a sorbet terrine.

Below is the fantastic recipe that inspired me, but I think I might mix it up this year. To stay on the red, white and blue theme, why not blueberry and raspberry layers topped with layer of creamy vanilla ice cream? Patriotic and delicious...yum!

Tropical Sorbet Terrine
Serves 12


1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 pint coconut sorbet, softened
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
1 pint mango sorbet, softened

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 6-cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches) loaf pan with a long strip of plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; set aside.

Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool completely.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted coconut in prepared pan. Dollop coconut sorbet on top, and spread evenly; sprinkle with cup toasted coconut. Repeat with raspberry sorbet and remaining cup toasted coconut, then mango sorbet. Fold plastic overhang over sorbet, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.

To serve, unfold plastic, and invert pan onto a plate; remove plastic. Slice terrine crosswise with a serrated knife.

**Note: To give sorbet the right consistency for spreading, soften it at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or microwave it on high in 10-second increments, testing for softness in between. Don't overdo it: You want it spreadable, not soupy!

July Giveaway

Contest.

It’s July which means time for another fantastic giveaway. It is not secret that Hip Hostess loves Etsy the talent is endless and the price point is hard to beat. This month’s designer Darrah of briguysandgirls has both in spades.

Darrah’s pieces are not only beautiful and classic they are also symbolic. Receiving jewelry as a gift is always meaningful and reminds us of the special moment in which it was given, every time we put it on. Having a special message within the beauty of the piece gives it a little something extra for the person who is receiving.

For instance, the above piece is a lotus flower which starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the muck and mud. It slowly grows up towards the waters surface continually moving towards the light. Once it come to the surface of the water the lotus flower begins to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower. The accompanying freshwater pearl promotes personal integrity, soothes, calms and focuses attention.

Ever since I watched Wonder Woman use those cool silver cuffs for special powers I have been searching for my own signature piece. I can’t think of a better way to start my day than placing a necklace around my neck that not only enhances my outfit but also reminds me of the hidden superhero inside.

Briguysandgirls has offered our lovely readers a chance to win the above Quiet Om necklace. Check out Darrah's Etsy website and let us know which piece is your favorite and why in our comment section. We'll take entries until July 31st and we'll announce the winner (chosen at random) on August 1st. Good luck everyone!