On Birthdays & WarLock Weddings

My, what a busy few weeks I've had. In addition to a successful dress fitting (it zipped!), a cake tasting, a Basque barbecue, a friend's beautiful wedding, and time in Spokane and Seattle with people who are so very dear to me.... I also went back to Gonzaga and got my MRS!

I've been calling myself an October bride, and that's still true- but when the Jesuit priest who'd advised us (and tolerated our antics) through our college years wasn't available for the Autumn wedding, we knew we'd have to make a special arrangement. So, on July 23rd, Adam and I had a sweet and simple ceremony at St. Michael's chapel at Gonzaga. We said our I-Dos with our immediate families there to support us, made a nostalgic visit to the Honors house, and had a marvelous dinner at the restaurant where we worked together. It was, in every way, personal and significant and absolutely beautiful.

We're thinking of this ceremony as one part of a larger event, so although we're square with the Church & State, I don't think we'll feel married until we've exchanged rings in front of friends and family on October 29th. We're not even making it "facebook official" yet! But, regardless of how married I feel, I know I've got the sweetest husband in the world. Today is my birthday, and he's given me a gift that I'll always keep near my heart.

I am, truly, the luckiest girl.

PS: These, and many more pictures are posted on facebook... enjoy!

You're Invited...

Remember that new Tablescaping column I introduced? I'm pleased to announce a change of venue: it will now be hosted at Maggie Rose! Today I'm setting the table for a summer escape, and of course you're invited. Come on over!

I'm thrilled to be contributing to my friend Maggie's beautiful blog (and I hope you'll stop by and join the party!)

If you're in need of tablescaping inspiration, email me at shockthebourgeois@mac.com!

We Have a Winner...

There were so many stylish ideas for the Shabby Apple Tess Skirt, I just couldn't pick (so I drew from a hat instead).

Jenny said, "What a cute skirt! I'd wear it with a pale pink tank top, some flats, and a ribbon in my hair. I'd feel pretty. Oh so pretty."

I'm sure you will be, Jenny! I'll email you shortly, and we'll get you in that cute outfit as soon as possible!

Kitchen Chemistry in the Works

Our kitchen has evolved into a truly efficient workspace. The marble surface of my beloved kitchen island allows me to spread out all of my ingredients- and I still have room enough for a "basics station."

I've tried to design our kitchen to cater to good cooking practices (like remembering salt & pepper) so I established a permanent spot for the most basic seasonings. Now, while we're consulting a cookbook, we can also grab a pinch of salt, fresh-ground pepper, or sugar. We've got one of these beauties on our registry, but for now we use the mortar and pestle to grind roasted peppercorns (and we get a little exercise while we're at it!). The tray is actually an Ikea pie pan with a ruffly shape that appealed to me. I intend to try a quiche in it eventually, but at the moment it's catching loose salt sprinkles and keeping the counter neat. 

I prefer all-white ceramics for kitchen and dining, which allows me to mix and match interesting shapes, including some with floppy ears...

This weekend I'll be testing out a new gingersnap recipe, but that's not all that's cooking at Shock the Bourgeois: I'm going to be hosting my first ever giveaway! It's a good one (like, I wish I was eligible to win) and I can't wait to give you the details.

Until next week,

xoxo

Elizabeth

How We're "Ringing" in the New Year

Welcome to 2011, friends!

I suppose I need to account for my two weeks of vacation? How's this: several lively holiday parties, approximately 36 hours on the road, visits with family and friends in Seattle, Olympia, & Portland, the most beautiful prime rib I've ever seen (and eaten), a pile of presents, an epic New Year's Eve bash in the winter wonderland of Spokane, many champagne toasts, and...

A RING!

Adam and I are getting married! He proposed on December 20th, and we surprised our families with the announcement of our engagement on Christmas. Needless to say, best Christmas ever!

My ring is an Edwardian solitaire from 1915, which we fell madly in love with at Lang Antiques. To me, it's perfect, and proof that the best gifts come in small packages!

I hope you all like talking about weddings, because we've jumped into planning mode and I can think of little else. Cheers to 2011! I can't wait to start sharing ideas...

Being a Flake...

You were promised a snowflake tutorial today, but the weather simply didn't cooperate... yesterday was rainy and my photos turned out equally dreary! I staged a re-shoot today and I'll post the full how-to first thing tomorrow morning.

It's dry today in Berkeley, but tomorrow's forecast calls for snow!

Where I Blog From!

Happy Monday! It's an especially happy Monday for me, because (dare-to-dream no more) I'm participating in the Where We Blog From series over at Ill Seen, Ill Said!

I'm swooning at the sweet comments that have been left already. Many thanks to Jane- it's a thrill to contribute to one of my favorite daily reads!

Click on over for a peek at the desk where I blog from! Today I'm tethering myself to that desk for my first day of NaNoWriMo (175 pages to go, wish me luck!). I'll be back tomorrow with a Halloween recap...

Party Fouled

The WarLock Family's Halloween Party has been cancelled! Turns out that not even pie and free booze can distract our Bay Area friends from something else orange and black this year.

Which means that I have swathed my house in cobwebs for nothing.

Even Tom sheds a tear. A single molten tear.

Boo!

You're Invited (If you DARE)

The First Annual WarLock Family Halloween Extravaganza looms on the horizon! This morning was spent assembling the invitations, which feature Tildy WarLock's grumpy question mark face...

Did I doubt my sanity as I painstakingly snipped each tiny whisker? Clearly, yes.

My perfectionism boggles the mind.

If you're a Bay Area blogger, blog-reader or general party person, would you dare attend our Extravaganza? Say boo if you'd like an invite!

Rappaccini's Garden: Grand Opening Discounts

I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday! Yesterday marked the Grand Opening of my new little Etsy shop, Rappaccini's Garden...

(From now on, you can see my recently posted goods in the Etsy gadget on my sidebar -->)

I've started things off with a small sampling of jewelry and housewares, but there's much more to come. I'll be adding new items daily!

As promised, I'd like to offer a discount to my readers and friends- from now until September 30th, you can receive up to 15% off of your first purchase at Rappaccini's Garden. 

You may take 5% off if you follow the One Must Shock the Bourgeois blog...

or 5% off if you're a fan of the Shock the Bourgeois page on Facebook...

or 5% off if you're following my tweets @ShockBourgeois on Twitter!

Follow on any 2 sites and receive 10% off, or go for all 3 and save 15%. Hurray!

To receive your discount, follow these instructions:

• Add the items of your choice to your shopping cart.
• Click "Checkout." 
• Enter your shipping address on the next page.
• Click "Final Review."
• In the "Message to Seller" field, list your usernames for Blogger, Facebook, or Twitter (or all three!), and your email address (so I can send you a revised invoice).
• Click "Commit to Buy."
• Stop there! I'll review your order and apply your discount- you'll receive a revised PayPal invoice from me via email.

Thanks to all for your encouragement and love- your comments have made my effort (and hand cramps and pricked fingers) worthwhile!

Happy Long Weekend!

I hope you all have exciting plans for Labor Day weekend! As for me, I'll be beading and typing as fast as my little fingers will allow- because there's only a few more days until I open the gates to Rappaccini's Garden on Etsy!

This photo from Vogue makes me think of Beatrice in the garden... quite the specimen, no?

I'll be listing items all day on Monday, so I'll have a full shop ready by the time you all get back from your vacationing! 

Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement of my new project. As a token of gratitude, my lovely online friends can receive a special discount on purchases at Rappaccini's Garden during my grand-opening month. I'll give you the scoop on Tuesday!

Announcing my New Etsy Shop: Rappaccini's Garden

Dear Friends! With no more suspense (but a little more ado), allow me to present...

Rappaccini's Garden will feature vintage and handcrafted adornments for yourself and your home. The collection takes inspiration from the Gothic tale Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: a dark romance spiked with mad science and a poisonous flower.

Rappaccini's Garden will open on Etsy next Monday, September 6th!

Announcement #1: New Camera!

That's right! Thanks to some birthday donations from my wonderful family, I was finally able to retire my not-so-trusty point-and-shoot and bring home a new Nikon d3000 DSLR camera.

I had become so accustomed to the limitations of my old camera that I'm still marveling at the d3000's capabilities.

I can capture beautiful light...

or scenes in low light...

texture & color...

minute details...

and fleeting moments...

This camera makes it possible for me to share so much more with you here on the blog: my explorations in California, the progress on our apartment, and Adam's culinary creations. Photography will also be playing a large role in an exciting new project... which I'll be announcing on Monday!

In Suspense...

Good afternoon, my patient readers. We're having some ongoing internet issues, so I'll be having a productive chore day offline (or moping around with Matilda and obsessively checking twitter on my iPhone).

Be sure to check back in- remember the big news I hinted at earlier? I'll be sharing one part with you tomorrow morning, and making a big announcement on Monday!

See you then...