Delicious Blueberry Lavender Mojito Recipe!

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Posted by Kelly Simants

I thought I'd kick off the weekend by sharing one of my favorite summer drinks...Blueberry Lavender Mojitos! This is such a delicious, light and refreshing drink, and pretty simple to make. The recipe is from a wonderful book, "Market-Fresh Mixology: Cocktails for Every Season" which can be purchased at Crate & Barrel. I brought these drinks to a girls night out at the spa and they were a hit! If you are wondering where to find the lavender blossoms you'll need to make the syrup, specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods or Market Street typically carry them in the bulk goods section.

Enjoy, and Happy Weekend! :)

Blue Lavender Mojito

10 to 15 mint leaves
10 to 15 blueberries
1 ounce lavender syrup*
Juice of 1/2 of a pressed lime
1 1/2 ounces white rum Club soda

1. In a tall glass, muddle mint leaves, simple syrup or lavender syrup, lime juice, blueberries, and rum.
2. Muddle just enough to combine flavors, being careful not to over-muddle. Fill glass with crushed ice. Top with club soda and stir.
3. Garnish with 3 blueberries on a pick. Serve with a straw.

*Lavender Simple Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms

1. Bring ingredients to a boil in saucepan, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and continue stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove lavender blossoms and allow syrup to cool. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

PAPERPALOOZA!

Posted by Holly-Kate Foss

Hey Creative Brides!  A must attend event this coming weekend - you do not want to miss this!

What happens when four stationery designers obsessed with all things paper join forces? A can't miss PAPERPALOOZA! Brown Sugar Design, Ephemera Press, Real Card Studio and mmm...paper are banding together next Saturday.  Their studios are overflowing with luxury envelopes, rolls and rolls of ribbon, fine papers from India, Italy, and Japan - and so much more!  

Plus, that is a lot of talent in one room!  If you are looking for help with creating your perfect invitation, wedding programs or just about anything paper, you should stop by and meet this group of crafty individuals!

This is a great opportunity for all of the DIY brides, scrapbookers, crafters, and paper lovers to get some fantastic goods at prices far below retail!

Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Real Card Studio 117 First Avenue North, Seattle (enter from the alley between 1st Avenue and Queen Anne Avenue North)

By the way...The first 20 people to email sale@mmmpaper.com will receive an invitation to their EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW HOUR from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM! Get first pick of all the goodies! Coffee and yummy treats will be served.

Stylish Organizational Products!

Posted by Kelly Simants

I am in the midst of organizing my new office and have been running across some fabulous finds to help you stay organized...all in a fashionable way! Forget your basic yellow post-it notes and white boards, and check out one of my all time favorite websites for organizational style - See Jane Work. Here are several fabulous products I just ran across that I just had to share!

Love this Rococo chalkboard - it's actually a wall decal, so can be easily removed and is completely reusable. This would not only make for a perfect addition to any office, but would also be a great way to display a menu for a bridal shower luncheon, rehearsal dinner, etc.

Being a Wedding & Event Planner, I'm a big fan of to-do lists. This 8 Days-A-Week pad is such a great idea for people like me who always are brainstorming ideas, but not always able to tackle them instantaneously. This notepad gives you a way to table those ideas, and create to-do's for the 8th day of the week titled "Someday". :)

Instead of having cluttered post-it notes all over the place, consider this Ceramic Memo Board!

If you have stacks of magazines like I do...Martha Stewart Weddings, In Style Weddings, D Weddings, Seattle Bride, etc. then you will love these stylish magazine holders!

I use file folders for everything I do, and can't imagine life or my business without them! Here are some super cute vintage inspired, colorful file folders that are a refreshing change from the blah manila folders you might be used to!

This is one of my all time favorite things I've purchased from See Jane Work - the Bella Leather Portfolio. It's a perfect portfolio for you to take notes while you're meeting with vendors, jot down your wedding ideas, etc. I have it in the lime green color and love it!

Happy Organizing!

Wedding Planner Workshop in Dallas!

We are excited to announce that the Dallas Office of Sweet Pea Events is offering another intensive one-day workshop called “Sweet Success!” - how to build a successful wedding planning business. This workshop is intended for people interested in learning more about the wedding industry and inside scoop on becoming a Wedding Planner!

Here are high-level details about the workshop:

When: Saturday, August 22, 2009 – 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Where: The Cascades Events Center at The Colony (near Plano/Frisco off of Highway 121) is generously hosting the space for this workshop. This venue is located at 5909 Stone Creek Drive, The Colony, TX 75056. For more information about this beautiful new venue, please visit http://www.cascadeseventscenter.com/

Why: There are some excellent wedding planner certification programs and networking groups available. However, we have found that there are very few options for people interested in simply attending a workshop to learn more about the wedding industry and what is involved with becoming a Wedding Planner. Our goal is to offer an affordable solution where you can be inspired, soak in a ton of valuable information and great take-aways which will help you to determine if wedding planning is the right career path for you. With my 8 years of experience as a Planner, I’m excited to share my history with aspiring Wedding Planners and help give you a jump start into this wonderful industry! I also have a passion for developing others, as I was in Human Resources prior to the wedding industry and thoroughly enjoy providing training and development opportunities!

What: We will cover a variety of topics which will include: Wedding Industry Statistics and Trends, Basics of Owning a Wedding Planning Business, Day in the Life of a Wedding Planner, Marketing Tips, Establishing Vendor Relationships, Pricing & Sales, Next Steps You Can Pursue, and More!

How: To reserve your space in this workshop, please contact Kelly at kelly@sweetpeaevents.net to request a registration form no later than Friday, August 14, 2009. The total cost of this workshop is $200 which will include lunch. If you bring a friend, the cost for each of you will only be $150! Registration will close on Friday, August 14, 2009, so please ensure your registration form and payment are submitted by then. Note: Class size will be limited to 15 participants and is based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Looking forward to your participation and meeting you in person!