Nestlette

A few sweet options for your something blue.

This image was used to model diy cake toppers with repurposed paper but I thought the whole kit and kaboodle was a clever and easy to do. A blue ramekin lined with pink cupcake wrappers and filled with pink chocolate candies. The coolness of the ceramic, frilliness of the liners and, hello, chocolates complement each other nicely. Add a monogram to the topper for that personal touch and you’ve got a treat that everyone will enjoy.

Cupcakes are one of the many new wedding trends but “Whaaat?? You’re not having cake??” Well, a cupcake is a tiny cake. But, just to make sure people know who is who, The Small Object makes custom cupcake wedding toppers to the likeness of the bride and the groom. Two handpainted wooden heads with a bouquet and a top hat, poking out of the top of a cupcake makes it not just any cupcake – a wedding cupcake.

The cake is displayed on a lovely blue plate (making it count as something blue). But the piece de resistance is the cake itself with the subtlety of white fondant and brightness of single pink heart. This one was made by Bakerella but you can make one for yourself (or someone else) and see how it stacks up. Here is their Moist Yellow Cake recipe to get you started: (more…)

Wait, before you say it, yes, this all white nursery is subject to the rhetorical “You’ve never had children, have you?” and fairly so. But this room, by Restoration Hardware baby & child, just looked so fresh and clean, I couldn’t resist making it the backdrop for a few nursery accessories.

Left: Fine Feather Friends Mobile available at Land of Nod. Five hand knit, colorful birds each with their own panache spinning around and around. Or, the Early Riser Mobile gives you the option of all pink or all blue.

Center: Custom Name Square by Hoot Design Co. Printed on a 12-inch square of watercolor paper with four colors to choose and a simple black, matte frame. Perfect for a unique name or an average one with a unique personality.

Right: Golden Giraffe Bookend by Streamline. Made in other animal shapes as well, all handcrafted from animal friendly faux leather filled with natural cotton and heavy enough to support all of your new baby’s favorite bedtime stories.

Make your mark on your house. Let your creativity flow throughout the office. Then wipe the slate (walls) clean and start over again. Kids imaginations are no longer limited to being displayed on the fridge, families can stay organized and coworkers can communicate by reading the writing on the wall.

Dry erase: IdeaPaint transforms your walls into a dry erase surface that is durable and safe (lead and formaldehyde-free). It is more environmentally-friendly than a whiteboard, less expensive than a Smart Board and fun for the whole family (always ready to play Charades). Try a sample.

Chalk: We might not be able to turn back time but we can keep track of it on a chalkboard wall calendar. Just follow Martha’s How-To and redecorate your wall in as few as 5 steps with just 5 materials.

Cork: If you have a beautiful sea glass-tiled backsplash, don’t touch it. I love it! But, if there is a blah, boring wall staring at you from beyond the counter top, turn it into something functional and put a cork on it. You can tack up recipes, grocery lists or photos of supermodels to keep you in check.

It is always nice to be friendly, but being eco-friendly is an even more attractive quality these days. And not solely for the sake of i heart mother earth – being green looks cool and makes us feel relevant. What was once earthy-and-crunchy is now trendy. Our food is organic, fashion is vintage, cars are electric and, ta-da, solar energy has gotten a makeover too – goodbye panels, hello Solar Ivy. This exterior trellis of faux leaves produces solar power (and provides shade) with aesthetic curbside appeal, making sustainable in more ways than one.

To make the most of your sleep, you need a set of good sheets!

Left: Aqua Gobi Embroidered Sheet Set by Serena & Lily. Embellished with an ancient Buddhist motif representing the endless knot of wisdom – sleep smarter!

Middle: Divine Bedding from the W Hotels store. Solid white bedding accented by irregular striping – dream freely!

Right: Organic cotton sateen sheets by Coyuchi. Lustrous on one side and slightly matte on the other with a soft buttery feel – melt away til morning!

Aside from the awe-strikingly stylish aviator-goggled, scarf-wrapped chipmunk, Hipmunk makes searching for flights better. One of the best features – it lets you sort your search results by level of agony! Because, let’s face it, we all have travel stories that include the words flying and pain-in-the and we have all wished we could just get from point A to point B with our luggage and sanity intact. So, if you value your time and money and inner peace, give Hipmunk a try the next time your planning to travel the friendly skies!

Lauren Weisberger’s newest novel – Last Night at Chateau Marmont – is hot off the presses and ready for review.

This story is perfect for anyone who has ever flipped through a tabloid, or indulged in a reality show, secretly craved a moment in the spotlight and wondered what it would be like to be a celebrity (that is, until something mortifying happens and you’re glad that no one thinks you’re famous enough to care). Well, that is what happened to Brooke who went from reading the celebrity dish to becoming the juicy gossip of the week. (more…)

Warm pasta salad with peaches, heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella
(the Scotto family on TODAY)

• 1 head fresh fennel, cut into small dice
• 2 shallots peeled, cut into small dice
• Grated zest from 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 small yellow peaches, cut into small wedges
• 3 small white peaches, cut into small wedges
• 6-7 medium-size or small mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut into large dice
• 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
• 1 pound bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a medium-size sauté pan until hot but not smoking. Turn off the flame.

Add the diced fennel, shallots, lemon zest and wine vinegar. Add the extra-virgin olive oil. Let it cool down to room temperature.

Cut peaches just before mixing with pasta. Add peaches to vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta, drain well and then place pasta in a large bowl. While pasta is still warm, add heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, then add the peaches and vinaigrette. Toss lightly, check for seasoning and serve immediately.

Serves 6

It’s all in the details – from the buoyant balloons to the hydrangea blooms, love the look of this all-white Dessert Table by Amy Atlas.

Love the frilliness of this rosie cake by Maggie LaBaugh, owner of Magpie’s Cake and the daintiness of these wedding cookies from Better Bit of Butter.