'Such Pretty Things' - such a pretty blog!!

Happy Monday dear readers!  Catherine and I hope you had a simply mahvelous weekend.  I was blessed to celebrate four good friends' birthdays this weekend, and as such, attended a birthday brunch for a near and dear girlfriend (and she's Catherine's little sis to boot), an afternoon birthday party

Beautiful Cakes for Any Occasion

There is simply nothing like a custom-made cake to put that final touch on a special celebration.  And in this day and age of TV shows like Cake Wars and Cake Boss, not to mention the oodles of designs to be found on the internet, the inspirations out there are endless.  

The MacBeth Collection: Stylish storage and entertaining pieces

If you, our savvy readers, are anything like us, you are constantly on the lookout for cute and fresh options for storing things - especially if they are often in plain view or used for entertaining.  Fortunately,  there are countless options out there for keeping things neat and tidy (and in guests' easy reach) while still keeping the look chic.  

Vidalia Onion Pie - a delicious summer treat

"Cooking without onions is like leaving your house without any underwear on. You can get away with it, but are you sure you want to?"

- Valerie Usowski, Culinary Institute of America graduate.

Dear readers, I know that Catherine and I can be a bit biased towards the Southern region of the U.S., being as that this part of the country is

A perfect spot for gaming, a la Eddie Ross

If any of you have not heard of Eddie Ross, well, Catherine and I are glad to be the ones to share news of him with you!  Now the creative force behind a design studio, columns in Southern Living (you know my feelings on that publication!)

Cake balls, how we love thee!

When it comes to desserts, if you’re looking to really impress your guests, then serve them Cake Pops!

Oh Baby!!

Today will mark two firsts for the Buncolator blog... one, Catherine and I have decided to stop writing in the royal "we" - although blimey, it's been fun :o) - and write our posts as individuals.  That way, our readers (that would be you!) can get to know each of us.  


Secondly, this will be the first post in a series of posts on baby showers.  

Beer Punch (aka Raspberry Beer Cocktail)!!

We hope you all enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend!  Here in Atlanta, it was hot but lovely, perfect for hanging out at the pool, a cookout, or just out on the porch.  We had great holiday weekends with our families and friends, appreciating all that the service men and women of the U.S. have done for our wonderful nation, now and of course in the past.  They are heroes, each and every one.


In honor of Summer's official kickoff weekend, we wanted to share a favorite recipe with you - "Beer Punch."  OK, we must admit, it's not really called Beer Punch.... its technical name is actually the much-more dignified "Raspberry Beer Cocktail."  

Our Bunco Group Turns 2!

Normally our Bunco group meets every 2^nd Monday of the month to roll the dice, but since the month of May marked our 2^nd anniversary, we decided to celebrate with a weekend-evening Bunco Bash.  No game, just uninterrupted girl time... with lots of good food and drink of course.  And since the festivities took place on a Friday night, we could have that extra glass of Sangria guilt-free.  Well, almost guilt-free - Catherine and a few others got up the next morning to run a 5K so they couldn’t get too crazy, but needless to say we had a good time.  ;)

Everyone brought a dish or their favorite cocktail beverage, and we gathered on a friend’s porch and did what women do best - talked the night away.  We also chipped in our usual $15 but this time, instead of going to the prize pot, the money went to charity.  We decided to donate to the Alabama tornado victims.  Being that we live in Atlanta, this disaster hit close to home; we all wanted to do something to send aid to our neighbors just one state over. Caitlin Zygmont, one of our group's founders, acted as treasurer.  She collected the cash and turned it over to the American Red Cross on our behalf.  She also took the group picture you see above.  (Caitlin is a budding photographer and you can see more of her work on her blog: caitlinzygmont.blogspot.com).

In addition to our usual chatter, we did a round robin of introductions as in the past several months we have welcomed several new-comers.  It was really cool to look around at so many faces (new and old) and think about the friendships that have formed through this group. We’ve met so many wonderful women whom we would not have met if it weren’t for our game night gatherings… and that gives us much reason to celebrate. Because after all, Bunco is more about raking in new friends than it is about raking in the winnings.

Cheers to many more Bunco anniversaries!

Calligraphy.... maybe a little fancy for our usual Bunco nights, but....

OK, OK, we admit.... we know you are not going to generally send out fancy invitations with calligraphy for your monthly Bunco nights (us neither!).  But we just can't help but love the swirls and intricacy of a hand-lettered envelope or place card for a special event.  It just gives paper goods that little extra oomph, you know?  And we believe that calligraphy should be utilized far more often than just for weddings.  Try it for your next wedding/baby shower, holiday soiree, or girls' only event - we know your guests will love it.  The tone such beautiful handwriting sets is memorable, and your invitees will know a truly special occasion awaits them.

A lover of all things paper-related, Lindsay had always wanted to try her hand - pun intended :o) - at calligraphy.  So she decided to research taking a class.  First things first, who knew about all the gorgeous styles out there?  Italics, Pointed Pen/Copperplate, contemporary... they are all just lovely, with their own personality.  Lindsay chose Pointed Pen/Copperplate for its traditional vibe and gorgeous swirls... plus, Lindsay wants to add some extra "flair" to her capital letters, once she has the basics down pat of course, and Copperplate lends itself nicely to extra flourishes.

For about the past month, Lindsay has been making a weekly trip over to the beautiful Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta for her class.  At the start of the course, Lindsay was delighted to find that the instructor, the uber-talented Mrs. Carol Gray, is her neighbor.  Carol's talent at calligraphy is unbelievable - she could take even words like "potato" or "garbage can" and make them glamorous.  The class itself has been just wonderful as well; Carol breaks the sessions into learning the strokes for related sets of letters, and she is a constant encouragement as her students practice their words and phrases.  She also shares the insider tips and tricks, such as must-have equipment like light boxes, special inks and paper, and nibs.  Always adding to the fun, the class has been full of personable and eager fellow students, creating a perfect environment for learning such a delicate and challenging art.  

If you are interested in taking a calligraphy course in the Atlanta area, you simply MUST check out Carol's class:

Callanwolde's Summer 2011 Course Catalog

(Callanwolde also offers a host of other great classes - if you have an interest in art, music, writing, or dance, take the time to peruse their offerings). 

And if you have a special event for which you want to utilize calligraphy services, do yourself a favor and contact Carol.  Her talent, dedication, and kind demeanor make her a true professional.

Carol's website

Last, we would be remiss if we did not mention what a gorgeous site Callanwolde is - the mansion itself and the lush grounds are breathtaking.  Don't forget to consider it for your next special event!  (We are biased, we'll admit - Lindsay's wedding reception was there).

Have a wonderful weekend!