Life is Good

I know, your jaw is on the floor and you're wondering what is going on! A blog post? Really? Yes, really! What has it been? Three, almost four months? I feel like I've been on another planet and I've missed you! And I've missed my blog like crazy! I wanted to hug it when I signed on to write this post (not kidding)! The good news is I have been busy doing something I really love! Here's the story...

Last year I decided to start listening to my inner self and I began to follow my true passions in life.  Since then, things haven't been the same. Along with some other amazing changes, I started working full time at Cork Factory Hotel in Lancaster, PA as a Wedding Sales Consultant. (You may remember my daughter Elizabeth's wedding was there.) The place, the people and the job are all awesome and I love it! If you ask me how I got there, I will tell you it was fate. It's been an amazing few months and a perfect fit! The bad news is, my new schedule has not given me time to blog the way I used to. And those of you who work full time know days off are precious. The race to tackle the to-do list begins the minute you leave the office. So obviously the blog went to the bottom of the priority list.

Well last week, for some reason, I decided to bump the blog up a notch on the list and get back to it. Call it perfect timing, prioritizing, whatever it was, I decided to sit down and write. I'm looking forward to blogging again whenever I can, about whatever I'm in the mood to share. No schedule, no plan (if you know me, that's not easy!)

So to give you an idea of what I've been up to, I decided to share a few of my favorite photos that I've captured at Cork Factory Hotel. I think you'll see why I love it there!

This is a wedding cake in progress behind the scenes at The Baker's Table, our on-site bakery. It's fun to see all of the beautifully decorated cakes that come out of this bakery. The talent is extraordinary.

Another day, another gorgeous wedding cake from The Baker's Table.

Each event is so very different and it's fun to see how people celebrate special occasions. This is a simple candlelight wedding ceremony in one of the newest event spaces at Urban Place, The Warehouse.

Meeting so many wonderful people in the wedding and event industry is definitely one of my favorite things about this job. I had the opportunity to sit down with Janell Berte of Posh Bridal recently to interview her for a Cork Factory Hotel blog post. These wedding dresses are just a few of the many stunning designs in her upscale shop.

Another "perk" to the job is having so many amazing coffee shops and restaurants to visit while I'm in the area. I have a few favorites but one of the best cups of tea I have had was at a little place called Cafe Di Vetro. You know how I feel about detail and presentation and this was one of the best!

So there you have it! You are officially updated and I am happy you are here. I'll look forward to staying in touch and keeping you posted! You can look forward to some more frequent posts and a possible new twist to the blog!

Have a wonderful week!

Leslie xo

Favorite Things

I am not someone who collects things and I really don't like clutter but lately I am realizing I have an obsession. It's an obsession with cake stands and I can't seem to stop. I love them! I love to bake too and since I am a detail person, I think a pretty dessert should be sitting on a pretty plate. I can't help it. It's who I am. So naturally, every time (well, almost every time) I see a beautiful cake stand, I imagine the dessert I would serve on it, and I buy it.  I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites with you. Happy Friday!

This little green cake stand is one of my (very) favorites. The color is fun and the size is perfect for petite desserts.

I love the detail on this little glass cake stand and the dome on top just makes it extra cute.

This pink cake stand was a gift from my children. I love the color. It makes serving cake more fun!

This square cake stand is great for serving things like brownies and bar cookies.

This stand is from a Dessert Stand DIY  post I did last year. I've made some fun stands but this blue one is my favorite.

I took this photo during the Martha Stewart Living Behind The Scenes Tour last fall. I have never seen so many beautiful cake stands!

This photo is from The Baker's Table in Lancaster, PA. If you're local check it out! They have the most amazing selection of cake stands! Each time I go in I have to look at what's new before I do anything else. It's getting dangerous!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Leslie xo

The Baker's Table cake stand photo: property of The Baker's Table

Favorite Things

Cocktails and Cake Decorating

Last night I hosted a Cocktails and Cake Decorating Class at The Baker's Table in Lancaster, PA.  This hip new bakery was the perfect place for a Girl's Night Out. I remember the first time I stopped in. I took one look at the large communal table and collection of antique baking tools that decorate the room and I knew this was a place I would visit often.  The casual but creatively arranged space makes a great backdrop for so many events. I held my daughter's bridal shower at The Baker's Table in February and once that was over, I suddenly felt the urge to throw another party (this happens often) so I decided a cake decorating class would be next on the list. It was a fantastic night full of great food, lots of laughs and a whole lot of buttercream! It was so much fun, I thought I would share some of it with you! Happy Friday!

Attention to detail is so important and The Baker's Table excels at it. Everything from drinks to food was beautifully arranged. It's one of the things I love about this place!

A wonderful selection of hors d'oeuvres including Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad and Foccacia Pizza were on the menu.

Sparkling wine in a can?  This Sofia Blanc de Blanc Mini is the cutest thing I've ever seen on a cocktail menu!

Executive Chef Tammy Hurley led the decorating class and taught us how to frost and decorate a cake with basic buttercream. I am blown away by her talent!

She makes it look so easy!

Tammy also shared her secrets on decorating with melted chocolate.

Each guest had the chance to test their skills on their own cake.

Bags filled with frosting and decorating tips were available to try the different designs on our cakes.

Beautifully decorated cakes were placed on the table to guide and inspire us.

After my first swirl, I thought this was going to be easy.

After a few more swirls, I realized it was not easy and I gained even more respect for Tammy!

Getting together with good friends was so much fun. There were lots of laughs as we frosted our way through this class.

Having my mother and two of my daughters at the event was really special. I love making memories with them.

These are a few of the finished cakes. I'd say there are some talented cake decorators out there!  The Cocktails and Cake Decorating Class was a blast and I can't wait to do it again! Whenever you bring great people, cool places and fun ideas together, it's bound to be a wonderful event! Maybe we'll see you at the next one! Have a wonderful weekend!

Leslie xo

Bridal Shower Love

This past weekend was a very special weekend for our family. My daughter, Elizabeth, is getting married this summer and on Saturday, we honored her at a beautiful bridal shower, styled especially for her. It was an incredible afternoon spent with family and friends at a fabulous little bakery called The Baker's Table, in Lancaster, PA. The focus was on color, and a simple but hip, non-traditional theme. The result was a fresh, clean look in a comfortable setting and a very happy bride-to-be. I thought it would be fun to share photos from the day along with a few links on how and where to find some of the things we used. The shower was a collaboration between myself and Elizabeth's sisters, Lauren and Lynsie. Our ideas were simple but came together beautifully, creating a memorable event.

A beautiful 14' X 5' table, crafted out of wood beams that were a part of the original building structure, is the focal point in this space. We placed a gold Chevron Paper Runner down the middle of the table. Five large bowls of flowers were placed along the runner. We decided to go with lots of color instead of just the colors that were chosen for the wedding to make the table pop. Bear-grass, stretched between two vases, was used to create an archway between each flower arrangement.Placemats with sketches of girls in pretty dresses were perfect for a bridal shower table setting. A bright yellow tissue paper flower filled with petite chocolate candies, was placed in the center of each one.

A mason jar was used to hold the utensils and keep the placemats from looking cluttered. The idea came from The Baker's Table website. We used bright beaded bracelets for napkin rings and added a pretty paper straw to dress it up for a shower. The jars added something fun to the table and the bracelets doubled as a small favor for the guests.

A sign made with satin ribbons and a wooden frame was used to direct guests to the gift table.

A Blushing Bride Cocktail was chosen to toast Elizabeth on her special day. The bride-to-be, dressed in a coral sweater, is surrounded by her beautiful bridesmaids.

The pastry chef at The Baker's Table made a delicious vanilla cake filled with chocolate mousse for Elizabeth. It was beautifully frosted with bright stripes of buttercream frosting.

The Baker's Table celebrates baking and for that reason alone, it is the place to go for some of the most wonderful baked goods around. We incorporated some favorite desserts, in addition to the cake, so that guests could experience what The Baker's Table is all about.

The desserts were served buffet style, which provided plenty of opportunity for guests to enjoy something sweet at their leisure.

What's a bridal shower without something fun to do during gift time? These Shower Libs provided plenty of entertainment for the guests.

Lauren and Lynsie came up with a game that was also quite entertaining. Wedding veils and bow-ties were glued to wooden dowels and guests were given one of each. The bridesmaids read answers to questions that Elizabeth and her fiance, Jon, had to answer before the shower. For example: We asked Elizabeth and Jon what their favorite color was. The answer was blue. Guests had to guess "who said it" and raise the appropriate stick, veil or bow-tie. It was a lot of fun.

One of my greatest blessings in life is having four amazing sisters. Three of them now live on the West Coast. All four of them traveled home just for the shower. Not one of them gave it a second thought. Distance is not something that gets in the way of the most special occasions in our family. I will never take for granted how lucky I am to have these women as my best friends in life. Our weekend was full of laughing until we cried, catching up and celebrating some wonderful things.

This is Elizabeth with her Mimi. My mother is the woman who we look up to, admire and adore. She is another wonderful blessing in all of our lives.

The party is over and my sisters are gone but hey, who said we can't plan another party? It's what my girls and I love to do and I can't wait to bring you the next one. There are some fun things on the calendar and I hope to share them all with you. Remember to have fun with whatever it is you are doing each day. It's the little things that make the difference!

Have a great week!

Leslie xo