Jack Daniels Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are perfect for Fathers Day!  Delicious, chocolate-y, with a hint of Jack Daniels flavoring....Dad will love 'em!  These cupcakes were featured on Style Me Pretty - skip on over to see the whole photo shoot.

Jack Daniels Whiskey Cupcakes:  

A variation of these: (http://fieldsofcake.blogspot.com/2011/06/fathers-day-cupcakes-just-for-dad-dark.html)

2 Cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup strong coffee

1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In separate bowl (I use a 4 or 8 cup measuring vessel) combine the eggs, coffee, whiskey, buttermilk and oil.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into prepared cupcake cups.

Bake in preheated oven about 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: (http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/356/Buttercream_Frosting59669.shtml)

6 tablespoons butter, softened

cocoa powder, see below

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For light chocolate frosting use 1/3 cup cocoa powder. For medium chocolate frosting use 1/2 cup cocoa powder. For dark chocolate frosting use 3/4 cup cocoa powder.  In mixer bowl cream the butter. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency adding more milk if needed. Blend in vanilla.

Photos by Teale Photography

HGTV Brother Vs. Brother: Styling a Room 2 Different Ways!

HGTV

I'm excited to finally announce my involvement with the new season of Brother Vs. Brother on HGTV!  I worked on HGTV Design Star last year, and this year HGTV hired me to work on Brother Vs. Brother.  We filmed the first couple months of this year, and the new season starts on Sunday, June 8th!

Check out this video below that we styled in partnership with Home Decor Website Wayfair.  I'll share more details of my specific role with the show as we get into airing it (Oh confidentiality agreement :).  But here is a video we made using Wayfair goods to spruce up your living room 2 different ways - A Summer Look and a Fall Look.



Here is a direct link to the video:
http://www.hgtv.com/video/wayfair-home-furnishing-tips-video/index.html

It's been a fun first half of the year working with HGTV!  I can't wait for you all to see the show!

xo,
Kate

DIY Fabric Fringe Bunting

Rachel Moore Photography

I made this pretty silk fringe bunting for a DIY Wedding style shoot awhile back, however it would be perfect for all the upcoming baby showers we are hosting!  It's a simple project that makes a BIG impact.  Buntings, banners, whatever you call 'em - they are a lovely addition to any festive occasion!

DIY Silk Fringe Bunting

Fabric in colors of your choice 

(we chose ivory and champagne)

Scissors

Twine

Hot Glue

1.) Cut fabric into 17 inch squares.  

Then cut each square along diagonal to make 2 triangles.

2.) Lay the hypotenuse of the triangle facing up.  

Cut fringe strips, leaving a 1 inch border along top.

3.) Hot glue the top border of triangle to a long piece of twine,

allowing the fringe to hang  down.

4.)  Continue gluing bunting on twine until your banner is as long 

as you wish!

Hang over dessert tables, gift collections, cribs, kid's rooms, your bed!  Endless options await you!

xo,

Kate

Fresh Basil Pesto

Fresh pesto is one of my favorite springtime and especially summertime recipes.  Made with home grown basil straight out of the garden? Delish!  As we are all coming down off of the St. Paddy's day high, I thought we could usher in almost Spring with some fresh pesto. Store bought basil will do the trick until your fresh basil grows a little bigger in the garden.

This pesto goes great on paninis, crostinis - basically anything ending in "ini" :)  This recipe is simple and so much tastier than store bought pesto.  It makes quite a bit, so be sure to freeze left over pesto in ice cube trays.  Then you can pop them out whenever you want to whip up a quick batch of Pesto Chicken Pasta, or make Chicken, mozzarella and pesto paninis  (check back tomorrow for that recipe!)

xo,

Kate, Kara, and Kacey

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese or parmesan reggiano

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.  Using a food processor, combine the basil and pine nuts. 

2.) Add garlic and pulse

3.) With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

4.) Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the cheese and pulse.

5.) Toss in salt and pepper to taste and pulse to desired final consistency.

Linking to:

Mabey She Made It

HGTV Design Star!

You know those events in your life that you have to keep mum about? Especially mum since you signed a confidentiality agreement to keep mum about it?

That's been me for the past 5 months.  At the beginning of this year I began working on a TV show - the 8th season of HGTV Design Star!  I was hired as an Associate Producer, which I admit, is slightly shocking considering I've never before worked in television production.  This position, however, had to do with design, interiors, and styling - which I do so love :)

This year Design Star is partnering up with the amazing One Kings Lane.  Each episode features a One Kings Lane "pop up boutique" - sort of a "bluefly accessory wall" for the designers if you will.  The contestants are allowed to "shop" the OKL boutique for any last minute accessories or furniture they need to finish off their designs.  My job was essentially everything One Kings Lane.  From the set design, to item curating, to styling the boutique....it was wild.  It was crazy.  It was challenging.  It was amazing!

And this is pretty cool to see:

The episode 1 boutique was set up in an old warehouse.  I layered in rugs and pillows and designed shelving units to help hide the not as attractive parts of the space:

There was literally over 1,000 pieces of furniture, home decor, lighting, pillows, throws, you name it - we had it to choose from.  I had an amazing team working with me...imagine loading and unloading trucks multiple times a day for 8 weeks.  It was an intense job! But we had tons of fun and creating these spaces was an incredible experience!

So be sure to tune into HGTV Star on Sunday nights! This weeks episode features....

Yup.  Kacey and Rossi :>)

You can catch the previous 2 episodes here.

cheers!
Kate

Great Gatsby Inspired Photo Shoot

Are you as excited as we are to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan star as Jay and Daisy in the upcoming remake of The Great Gatsby?  Then you'll love this 1920's Speakeasy shoot I designed  in Nashville last year.  There's something alluring about the Prohibition era.  Maybe it's the secrecy, the intrigue, that pull toward something you know you shouldn't be doing.  Either way, the fashion and the fun of the 1920's is what inspired this style shoot.  Imagine this couple tying the knot it an old Speakeasy somewhere - and desperately wanting to cheers each other with a great bottle of champagne!

  In fact, our signature cocktail for this event was a traditional, classic Champagne Cocktail.  See below for recipe... The Peacock Feather Headpiece is a DIY project we created, along with the wine bottle candle centerpiece, and the glitter stirring sticks.  The bride is wearing a custom 1920's inspired gown with black nylons underneath…a little surprise and mystery goes a long way.  The white dinner jacket on the groom is another lovely touch that harkens back to the jazz age.  Feathers and Fire make up the design for the shoot - with lovely handmade and personalized candles to keep this love burning from the 1920's straight through today.

Champagne Cocktail

Sugar cubes

Angostura Bitters

Chilled Champagne

Soak sugar cube with a few splashes of the Bitters.  Drop in the bottom of a champagne glass. Fill slowly with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gatsby, here we come!

Vendors:

Photographer:  Mike Wootton Photography (http://woottonphotography.com/index2.php)

Event Design: Kate Coppola Leiva with Wedding 101 (http://www.wedding101.net)

Make Up: Katie Russo Make Up (http://www.katierusso.com/)

Hair: Amber Joy Martin (http://www.amberjoymartin.com/)

Cake: Silver Box Cakes (http://www.silverboxcakes.com/)

Container Candles: Flashpoint Candles (http://www.flashpointcandle.com/)

Invitations: By Heart And Hand (http://www.byheartandhand.com/index.htm)

Jewelry: Kim Wright with Stella and Dot (http://www.stelladot.com/sites/kimwright) 

Dress: Olia Zavozina (http://www.oliazavozina.com/)

Tuxedo: Street Tuxedo (http://www.streettuxedo.com/)

Venue: Durego (www.durego.net)