Nothing says birthday at the office more than flowers. Number 3 of birthday favs is having a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers to call your own. Flowers bring with them happiness, their beauty and sweet smell just can’t be ignored! The below bouquet was my birthday surprise from my boss & co-workers. Designer Lewis Michael takes floral design to a whole other level. Did you notice the lady bug!?!  Each bouquet is delivered with a hand-calligraphed note tied with grosgrain ribbon and closed with a wax seal. The packaging is almost so pretty you don’t want to take the flowers out of the box. Wishing now I had taken pictures of this also, guess I got a little overzealous. Next time, wink wink.

Flowers, LMD New York

Second on my list of birthday favorites is a piece of cake… there must be a cake, cupcake, cookie, or some sort of treat with a candle in it on your birthday and your friends & family best be a singing.  In my case whispering in public places.  My all-time favorite flavor cake is the funfetti!  Every year, my Mom would bake a funfetti cake with pink frosting.  The below photo would be a grown up way to serve this cake and how wonderful a surprise when you cut the first piece to have a whole lot of fun waiting for you to bite into.

photo, MarthaStewart.com

Funfetti Cake: from the kitchen of Brynel Harris, courtesy of cooks.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 4 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/6 cups shredded coconut
• 5 tsp sour cream (this is for texture like in velvet cake)
• 1/2 cups of sprinkles of your choice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (except for coconut and sprinkles), While in another bowl mix all liquid ingredients. Puree all ingredients (excluding the coconut and sprinkles) for 15 minutes. Next, pour ingredients into greased cake pan, and place in oven at 350°F.

Bake for 30 minutes, and then take out when the surface of the cake is light brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, serve with sprinkles and coconut on top.

* In case you are dieting use lowfat milk and sour cream, and use conola oil instead of vegetable oil.

Yesterday I celebrated one more candle added to my cake.  In honor of my special day I am going to share with you all a few of my birthday favorites.  First item on the list is birthday garland.  The above is an easy DIY template available by who else but MarthaStewart.com.  I downloaded the whole alphabet in black letters and use them for all occasions: showers, new year’s, birthdays, etc.  I love that they can look very different pending the paper choice and trim treatment.  When cutting, I like to use pinking sheers, and fun decorative scissors.  Also, your ribbon selection and how you tie the banner together can make quite a statement.  Note: punch holes on either side of the cards so the letters stay facing forward.  The best part is the banners could even be reusable if you store them well.

The perfect luncheon treat or unexpected dessert.  Strawberry soup served chilled is refreshing and leaves a sweet taste of summer in your mouth.

photo, ecurry.com

Mari’s Summer Strawberry Soup

Because I have metal on the brain, I pulled out of my archive this fabulous table number idea, courtesy of 100 Layer Cake. An easy do it yourself project, that is not only green but beautiful. A few simple ingredients and the handiness of a drill and voila! you have yourself numbers not to be canned. Add some candles, the glow is enchanting. I can see these used for so many different types of events, a backyard barbeque, garden party, a Cinco de Mayo shin dig, or even a kid birthday. Perhaps call it “kid name” Calling and have the children make can telephones on string and go with a whole tin toy theme. You could even do a monogram of 2 initials with a plus sign inbetween for a wedding or anniversary party.

Take a lid off and let your imagination run wild! 100 Layer Cake gives you all the instructions and stencils for download, here.

Let metal be your muse, because it never hurts to shine!

1. & 5., Donna Karan, Spring 09 RTW, photos IMAXTREE, spotted on elle.com, 2. Rozae Cuffs, DANNIJO, 3. Platinum Grain Dinnerware, Calvin Klein Home Collection, CalvinKlein.com, 4. Auge, Arnica and Amanda cushions, Giorgio Armani’s 2008/2009 Home Collection, photo John Bessler, spotted on verdana.com, 6. Golden Forest Dinnerware, Dibbern, NeimanMarcus.com, 7. Silver Stiletto nail lacquer, Sally Hansen Salon & Gold Get ‘em nail enamel, Revlon, spotted on glow.ca, 8. Gold Wristlet, Marc by Marc Jacobs, MarcJacobs.com & Pebble Giant Weekender Balenciaga Handbags, Balenciaga.com, 9. Shimmering streamers, DIY instructions, MarthaStewart.com

renegadecraft.com

Scouring yard sales and antique barns has always been a family ritual during trips to Vermont, the Cape and where ever else the road has taken us.  I have inherited my Mother’s thriftiness for making someone else’s junk my treasure, all while bargaining for the best rate.  So when Daily Candy informed me today of Le Grenier in Greenpoint, I nearly died and went to heaven. Owned by Maya Marzolf, a former fashion photography producer, this boutique has the perfect mix of eclectic vintage finds, as well as, modern contemporary wares.  The best green shopping all in one place; find rustic furniture, aged glass bar sets and vanity pieces, porcelain pitchers and delightful candlesticks.  This shop will even do rentals for set design.  And because heaven must have a garden, enter Le Jardin du Grenier, an outside space used for hosting poetry readings and wine tastings.  

le grenier, Antiques & Housewares, 19 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY  781.569.0111

The le greneir website itself is beautifully done, design by FuzzProductions.   It includes a replica of the birch tree mural painted in store by artist, Weston Woolley. Kudos to Maya for making recycling look so good!  legrenierny.com 

Penelope Umbrico, Suns from Flickr  2006-2008

I was introduced to this piece at the Pulse Art Fair in NY back in March. What I found so intriguing is that Penelope found her suns through Flickr, an online photo management and sharing application.  She searched the word sunsets, starting the project with 541,795 images in 2006.  Each piece is titled the number of suns found when creating an installation.  By 2008 her pieces included upwards of 3,221,717 images.  Most displays of the work were only partially complete due to their overwhelming size.  What I love is that this project exemplifies the internet as an ever growing entity and our endless abilities to create visual archives. Let the sun shine in.

2 wheels + a friend or two = double the fun!!!  Enjoy the ride!

1. Madsen Cycles, spotted on Daily Candy, 2. Teenage Couple on Bicycle, photographer Cameron, Corbis, 3. Lelise Seymour and Daisy Burgess exchange a kiss, myduckygoquack’s Flickr, 4. Riding Miss Daisy, moggierocket’s Flickr, 5. The London Naked Bike Ride 2009, stryker66’s Flickr, 6. Back from the Joy Luck Market, SkyShaper’s Flickr, 6. Yes, Couldn’t we ride side by side?, Green Wedding Shoes