I succumbed to the charms of these photos. It is a fact that the team of stylists at Martha Stewart often make us dream. Here why these photos are my favorite ideas of the moment.

+ Eating s’mores around a campfire is a treat. In case you were not aware of this tradition, the basic campfire s’mores recipe has been popularized by the Girl Scouts. It called for two pieces of chocolate bars sandwiched between two graham crackers. You toast the marshmallows and place it on the chocolate in order for the chocolate to melt. I find that it is simpler to spread Nutella and its adds the hazelnut taste. Martha found a way to make the process more stylish by making Star-topped s’more sticks.

+ I like the simplicity of the wild flower centerpieces. Plus learn how to make these Message-in-a-Bottle Place Cards. Go for flat surface bottles since they safer than using round glass bottles. Square bottles are not too hard to find.

+ How to illuminate your outdoor table can be challenge. The LED lights do not always works and they require batteries. Instead, you can built on the look of a chandelier by hanging a dozen heat resistant glass jars and votive holders from your umbrella. Be careful to position them so that your guests will not hit them with their head. Create a sense of movement by alternating the heights of each do-it-yourself lanterns. You will need chains and S hooks to create this project.

+ The Origami Picnic Basket is a space saver. Through a clever folding technique you will transform a five-foot square of oilcloth into a basket strong enough to carry your food and drinks from the car to the picnic spot. Make sure to use an oilcloth, not a regular fabric.

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This menu is so quick to make that you still have time to serve this meal tonight to your family. To get the full effect of the charming sight created by this old table, you can postpone it for the closing party at the cottage.  When I saw this delightful scene, it reminded me of the South of France.

Because the temperature is colder and let’s face it, closing the cottage requires time, planning a simpler menu seem to be in order. I selected dishes that required minimum cooking and preparation.

Anyone can cook an assortment of sausages on the barbecue. Devise a meal on a theme by assembling a platter of cured meats and salami for appetizers. Pay attention to the condiments to make it more special. Get several types of mustard. To play on textures, it is important to add crush with salads and pickled vegetables. Drinks are straight-forward since this menu called for European beers and red wines. Also provide one non alcoholic drink besides water.

You can made little bouquet with an assortment of fresh herbs from your own garden or wild flowers from your land. Tie each bouquet in with a simple string. Insert the end in a small plastic bag filled with a little bit of water and tie at the top. Then, you put the bouquet is a tall Mason jar with a gift tag. Voilà!

SOURCING:
+ Salami Sampler at Dean & DeLuca $40 USD
+ Grilling Sausage Set $25 for 12
+ Dean and DeLuca Chile Dijon Mustard $6 USD
+ Dean and DeLuca Sweet Cucumber Pickles $9 USD
+ Walnut Harvest dinner scene by Cooking Light – photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner

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Inspired by the fabulous work of LA-based event design Flite, I examined how to best use silk lanterns in a garden party to get a stunning effect. It starts with the superb Vietnamese silk lanterns, which are a lot more sophisticated than Chinese paper lanterns.

When you are hanging lanterns, mix the shapes and alternate colors. Pumpkin, diamond, teardrop, balloon, cocoon shapes work well together. I encourage you to mix solids and patterns within a hue family. A two-color palette is more elegant. For the garden wedding in violets, you can broaden the scheme by adding a few pink lanterns. I think this installation was really successful.

Since you will need a large number of lanterns to make a statement, it is often best to rent them. Plus, they will do the installation for you, including doing the wiring if your party continues after dark. An event design studio with a remarkable portfolio is Flite located in Los Angeles, California. Looking at their portfolio is a treat.

If you wish to do it yourself, you can find sources online. Vi Gallery sells 4 shapes of Hoi An Silk Lanterns in two sizes (medium $20 USD large $30 USD) in an array of colors. For a larger selection, check Asia2you, a retailer based in Wisconsin that ships everywhere. This is where I found these beautiful parasol lanterns.

SOURCING:
+ Silk Lanterns by Flite - Photo credits for my first collage: top left photo by Cat Gwynn and Ben Hoffman, top right photo by Louis Felix, second row photos by Mark Carolin
+ Orange pattern prosperity lantern on sale at $33.95 USD
+ Solid Orange prosperity lantern on sale at $31.15 USD

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Montreal, like the rest of the North East region, is in a heat wave right now. We welcome the chance to eat outside at night. I started a search for cool ideas to enjoy the summertime. I found on design*sponge a few ideas to make your party a success.

+ To hang out outside all night, you can make your own lantern. Erik Anderson taught us how to turn a wine bottle into a modern backyard tiki torch.

+ Brooklyn-based photographer Tara Donne made a Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote that she served with Aged Balsamic and Ricotta. It looks delicious.

+ From Buenos Aires, Eliza Jane Curtis prepared fresh appetizers by replacing the typical bread or biscuits by a cucumber. Get her recipes of Boursin filling, hummus and more tasty combinations. Eliza created height on her buffet simply by raising a plate with a cafe au lait bowl.

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Two classic looks to celebrate the end of summer. Get inspired by these tables dressed by Lexington for the last weekends by the lake at the summer cottage. The fall living table is a mix and match of formal and casual tableware. It is OK to bend the rules to create something unexpected. For an outdoor dinner, do like the French people do all the time and ignore the bread plate, even on a formal dinner table.

If you cannot go of the summer,  you can still use items from the summer catalog. I like the thermal vacuum bottle but I do not know where to find it. Beware that, as far as I know, many of the items are props used by the stylist.

MORE:
+ Lexington

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From what I have seen, the August 2009 issue of Living etc is still about how to get the best out of summer. I am looking forward to their ideas for alfresco dining and outdoor decorating. Here are a few pictures that you can see online on their outdoor space gallery.

They talk about trends for bedrooms and showers. They round up the best coffee tables and wardrobes plus bring you 25 ways to use mirrors to create illusion of space.

Living etc showcased clever space saving solutions for outdoor and indoor rooms. Students living home to go to college or university can find good design ideas for their bedroom. Fashionable rooms continue to be filled with bold colors or soothing pastels. Have you noticed how pastel hues often replace white on rustic or retro style kitchen cabinets?

+ Flip through a preview of August 2009 Living etc – see the magazine for the photographer names – rights reserved pictures

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For the start of the weekend, I wish to inspire you to organize an easy get-together with your friends.  This is a time to have fun, have great conversations and laughs. You will find for each picture, the recipes on Martha’s site.

+ If you are planning a picnic style, go for the Chicken Sandwich Menu made of Heirloom Tomato Salad with Garlic Oil, Grilled Potato Slices with Salt and Vinegar and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Mustard. Serve a Peach-and-Basil Crumbles for dessert.

+ Explore a hint of Spanish culture with the Tortilla Espanola Menu proposed a a saffron-infused potato omelet, asparagus with sherry vinegar. The meal starts with roasted piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese.

+ The Wine Mussels Menu starts with Flageolet Bean and Frisee Salad, Mussels in White Wine and Garlic served with french fries and Blueberry Upside-Down Cake for dessert

+ Opt for Mexican ingredients with Grilled Shrimp and Chorizo on Skewers for the main dish, Cabbage-and-Herb Slaw with Oranges and Grilled Corn with Cilantro Salt for the side, Tequila-Soaked Watermelon Wedges for dessert

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I am huge fan of Bea from La Tartine Gourmande. She always inspired me to cook. Plus, looking at her pictures is always a delight.

I wish to cook something tasty, healthy (meaning with vegetables) and fast to prepare tonight. I found what I will be making when I saw the appetizing Spaghetti with arugula and cherry tomatoes she did for the Boston Globe. If I was hosting an alfresco dinner with friends on the terrace, what do I would serve to complement the pasta main course? I would serve:

+ Spring green vegetables and whole soft-cooked eggs with a vanilla-flavored vinaigrette for appetizer
+ Orange-flavored Strawberry and Rhubarb Clafoutis for dessert

Add a little of wine and icea tea to conclude the meal.

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Seeing this old Coca-Cola cooler last week at Finnegan’s market brought back childhood memories.  My parents owned a lot on a small lake 45 minutes from my home. Every nice Sunday during the summer, my parents, friends and family members used to meet there. We crossed the lake by swimming, played games of horseshoe and sat at night at the fire pit. It was fun!

A visit at the flea market can be the occasion to design a party decor. Think about ho you can integrate old items in an unexpected way. Here, the stylist at Pottery Barn decorate a pole with vintage buoys. I remembered seeing a few vintage wood soda crates stacked in a corner of my father’s business when I was young. I wish he had kept them. These crates can be used to bring the dishes in and out of the house or to gather bottles and glasses next to your buffet. This look calls for dishtowel napkins.

Other items to look for our farm stand signs and seeds storage. Transform seed metal boxes into the vase for a centerpieces or to distribute the cutlery wrapped in cotton napkins.

SOURCING:
+ Found Soda Crate $15 USD
+ Dishtowel Stripe Napkins, Set of 6 on sale at $27 USD
+ Amish Farm Produce Roadside Stand Signs $65 USD
+ Seeds Metal Boxes – available at Comme on Aime in France

The vintage buoys are not anymore available online; maybe you may get lucky at a store near you but I would not count on it.

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I saw that trick yesterday at the Fairmont San Francisco. I had to share it with you. It looks great on the cucumber water and the lemon water as shown here. But it would be even better for sangria, punch and any other summery cocktails.

The idea is that instead of putting the ice cubes directly in the drink, which will water down your drink on a hot day, you insert a tall square vase into a jar to separate the ice cubes from your beverage. A tall square vase is easy to find at your local florist shops.

Depending on the beverage, it may be appropriate to place an ice bucket with tongs next to the jar to fill the glasses with ice cubes before serving.

If you wish to make your own flavored water, check out my recipes:

+ Cucumber and Rosemary Water + Citrus and Apple Water
+ Spa cucumber water

Take a tasty cucumber, the fresher the better. Cucumber with smaller seeds delivers a more refined look.

September 26th, 2009 Update: Since this post, I learned that the manufacturer of these square canisters is Cal-Mil. Click here for more details.

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Add creativity to your desk with the exotic file folder set. It is part of the India collection, a PS design. The line includes flat cards, note cards, journals, wrapping paper, rubber stamps and colored glass tea light / votive holder. A good starting point to design a party.

The Papaya Lotus Lotus journal harmonizes well with the India pieces.

Summer Craft Projects

Paper Source just launched a blog. So far, I read inspiring craft projects that would be fun for entertaining this summer. I recalled that we learned in school how to make similar paper lanterns. They are easy to make.

For a picnic or a bike ride, create your own pinwheels. Rubber stamps adds character to solid paper. Both ideas would add a festive touch to any birthday or a baby shower.

SOURCING:
+ Gift Wrapping Paper – sheet $2.25 USD, roll $7.95 USD
+ Jaipur Block Print File Folder Set $27.95 CAD
+ Papaya Lotus Garden Journal $16.95 USD
+ For your handbag or next to the phone, keep a Papaya Simple Pink Bird Notepad $7.95 USD

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Although most Americans treat the Memorial Day’s weekend as the start of summer, it technically happens on June 21st.  Use the longest day of the year as an excuse for hosting a party in your backyard or at the beach. I would start the party around 5 pm and plan for a late night finish.

I like the do-it-yourself square room that they created with 4 poles and white fabric. You can do it with bamboo or use a grouping of trees as the main structure. Lay down deep cushions and picnic throws on the grass. Or transform a flat wooden lounge chair into a day bed. The ÄPPLARÖ chaise lounge at IKEA is pecfect for that because this pool lounger lays absolutely flat and you can sit at both the ends. I owned it. It is a great buy for the prize.

Prepare in advance a few pitchers (one or many according to the number of guests) of white sangria, Berry Vodka Spritzers or a Ginger Ale, Mint and Gin drink. This way, you have you are all set for the entire party. You could freeze the fruits the night before. The frozen fruits would cool your drink longer. As a bonus, it reduces the amount of ice cubes you will need.

Put the food table and bar station under a pop-up canopy. It helps preserve the freshness of your food and drink from the sun and protects against a sudden rain fall. These days, you can find very affordable option. Having the mosquito netting is a good option for not serving food to insects.

CREDITS
+ Summer Solstice Party: photography by Rob Howard for Real Simple
+ Food stations: photography by Miki Duisterhof for Real Simple
+ ÄPPLARÖ chaise lounge $129 – Same price in Canada and the United States

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