Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy 2010!


Can you believe it's nearly 2010? Neither can we! 2009 has been a HUGE year for us. We did, after all, start a business. Here's a little recap of what went down this year...we:

1. Kicked things up a notch when Heather started putting her two cents in and this became the official Quite Like It blog.

2. Got to work with our fav photographer Alyssa styling QLI goods. We even modeled for one shoot.

3. Branded our biz and launched our web site!

4. Expanded our offices when Annie and Ben bought their first house.

5. Put together a totally stellar booth at our very first bridal show.

6. Set up shop on etsy (where we are still selling our 2010 calendars).

7. Did our first invite job for a corporate client...300 invites, two weeks consultation to mail.

8. Celebrated our anniversaries! Annie and Ben's one-year and Heather and Josh's second! Thanks for the support, husbs!

9. Worked with some totally awesome couples on their fabulous invites.

10. Finished off the year in the best possible way as we were featured in a TV spot on Fox 42 News in Omaha!

Whew! We can't wait to see (and share) where this year takes us! One thing we can tell you...we'll definitely be launching a line of baby goods.

Thank you so much to all of our brides and you, our trusty readers. We truly couldn't do it without you!

Ananda and Heather

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Giant cupcakes

sweet-cake-1

Sweet Cake by Beerd van Stokkum. Million possibilities with this cupcake bottom. Wedding reception display ... baby shower favor bin ... personal candy holder ...

I'll take two!



sweet-cake-3

Ananda

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

SATC 2

Last night my mom and I sat down and watched the Sex and the City movie I got for Christmas. It got me all sorts of ready for May when SATC 2 hits theaters. Have you seen the trailer?



Can't wait!

Heather

Monday, December 28, 2009

Dream reception decorations

I wish there were some DIY way to re-create this stunning effect! If anyone has suggestions on how to do this for a wedding reception, let me know. Until then, I drool.

Picture 8
Chanel Couture (image from chanel.com)

Ananda

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

dreamy styling

I am so totally in love with Shana Faust's styling. I love designing magazines and can only imagine how awesome it is to be a stylist. Talk about a dream job!




{Found on Classic Bride, images from Shana Faust}

Heather

Monday, December 21, 2009

Anthorpologie snow display



Another beauty from Anthropologie. Photo credit: Hijirik

Ananda

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Christmas wedding inspiration

Holiday Decor

"Hopefully you are not stopping by at lunch. If you are you are going to have a craving for something sweet. Lollipop Designs shared with us how they styled Christmas for C St. Studio Holiday Party. They also shared with us how to make some of these sinfully sweet treats.

"To start it off here is how to make the above Frosty’s Frosted Cookie Sandwiches (or red velvet cookies with white frosting!) with red frosting and sandwich with another cookie to create a yummy red and white sugar cookie sandwich. Visit Bakeralla to learn how by visiting here.

"Lollipop Designs is on the tippy top of my list of favorite event designers. If I where having a wedding or a tea party or whatever I would be like girls get over here and whip me up something fancy. PS they also have a pretty fantastic blog! Yep… they are all around down right fabulous. Do you love the picture of them above? So cute! Enjoy and get ready to crave something sugary sweet."

holiday cookies

Tissue Poms:
To create a snowball filled backdrop make these tissue poms poms out of gold flecked tissue that you can find in the holiday wrapping paper aisle. Of course visit Martha Stewart to on how to create these.

Holiday Desert Table

From The Lollipop Girls:

This white winter wonderland dessert table brings the season to life in the most sinfully sweet way. Like a sugar coated forest, this magical dessert table features such delicious delights as red velvet candy cane cakesicles sprinkled with peppermint, fluffy red velvet cake sandwiches and piles of fluffy white snowballs. Tree shaped towers of powdered donuts invited guests to nibble their way through the eye candy, which glittered with soft candlelight. Button covered yarnballs clustered in piles like snowballs while puffy light gold flecked tissue balls created a soft snowfalling backdrop for the winter wonderland tablescape. Lined with a marshmallows tree forest and smiley snowmen, there was plenty of frosting to go around, sure to make Frosty the Snowman proud. Feathery white flower tops and baby’s breath were used to create a delicate floral Christmas tree while milk glass vases also topped with baby’s breath were scattered through out the birch filled forest.

Christmas Deserts

Santa’s Snowballs:
Bake cupcakes in jumbo sized cupcake tins then cover with frosting all over and roll in shaved coconut for a snowy sweet snack.

Lollipop Event Desgin

tree cake stand

candy cane cakesickles

Red Velvet Cakesicles:
Make your own cakesicles with these super fun delectable treats! We used candy canes as the sticks and sprinkled them with peppermint toppings. We used red velvet to keep in line with the holiday palette. Visit Bakerella to learn how to makes these by clicking here.

lollipop Events

Lollipop Events & Designs Inc.
tel: 760.452.2083
email: info@ilovelollipops.com: info@ilovelollipops.com
Photography: justinleephotography.com

Ananda

Friday, December 18, 2009

snow + mom


This picture seems very appropriate since we're gearing up for a big snow (the kind you need to stock up on the essential milk, bread and toilet paper for) here in Baltimore. Plus, my mom's coming to town today!

Seriously. Happy Friday!

{Photo by janoid}

Heather

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Just Pop!


I'm drooling over these colors! Can this house be mine, please? More at Made By Girl.

Ananda

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

very nice


This Vintage Whimsy Kit from Nice Package would be perfect for wrapping gifts. Everything you need right in a cute little kit. LOVE!

Heather

Monday, December 14, 2009

alphabet tree


A tree decked out with these Alphabet Ornaments from Ballard Designs would be something to see. You can get a set of 26 (A-Z) for $49.99!

Heather

Friday, December 11, 2009

fancy that

I totally fancy this fabric beaded necklace from pilosale (of my gift guide fame). I love the versatility of this piece. You can wear it as a necklace or bracelet! Pure genius.



Heather

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Ananda's 2009 Gift Guide


Here are a few of my favorite things. I've had an eye on some of these for myself and a few special people in my life. Enjoy!

1. Puffy Rhinestone Bear Necklace $42 from Jayval on Etsy

2. Pearly Acorn Necklace $23 from Just Peachy on Etsy

3. Heart Pillow by Alexander Girard $29.99 at Urban Outfitters

4. Whorled Alba Necklace $99.95 at Anthropologie

5. Mama Gentoo Teapot $14.95 at Anthropologie

6. Flying pig mobile $70 from Elenicreative on Etsy

7. Nesting bowl set $95 at Koo De Kir

8. You Are The Beez Neez - Laser cut UNFRAMED $65 from Julene on Etsy

9. CMYK 2010 Calendar $25 from Quite Like It Design on Etsy

10. Cozy slipper booties $29.50 at The Gap


Ananda

hot chocolate on a stick

Teeeeeehehe. I just spied the best thing ever! Hot chocolate on a STICK. What a wonderful idea. Thank you, Giver's Log, you just made my week.


Hot Chocolate on a Stick from Giver's Log
Yield: 10 cubes of hot chocolate (ice-cube-tray size)
(use 1 oz. hot chocolate on a stick per every 1 cup milk or cream)

Equipment:
Ziplock bags or piping bags
A double boiler or pan with a glass bowl that can sit over the simmering water
Some kind of chocolate mold, ice trays work great
Stir sticks or a bag of wooden craft sticks like I used (like these, available at any craft store)

Ingredients:
8 oz. chocolate (see note above), bittersweet, semisweet, milk, and white chocolate all work
1/4 cup cocoa, Dutch processed if possible, sifted
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
6 cups milk and 2 cups heavy cream if you plan to enjoy these right away

Method
1. If your chocolate is in a block, chop it into even-sized meltable pieces. Simmer a couple inches of water in a pan and place glass bowl over the top to make a double boiler. Be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water beneath it, and regulate the heat so the water stays at a simmer. Dump chocolate into the clean, dry bowl and stir as the chocolate melts.
2. Once the chocolate is 2/3 melted, with just some pieces of the chocolate unmelted, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring until chocolate is fully melted.
3. Add cocoa, sugar, and salt and continue to stir until combined. The chocolate will be thicker, almost as thick as frosting, but still glossy and smooth and very fun to stir. If it looks grainy or more like fudge and is difficult to stir, it’s possible you’ve accidentally gotten a drop of water in the mixture.
4. Lift the bowl off the pan and use a towel to dry off any drips of water. Scoop chocolate into a ziplock bag and clip off the corner.
5. Pipe the chocolate into your chocolate mold, tapping the mold on the counter to make sure all the chocolate settles into the mold. Add a stir stick and you’re done. The stir stick should stay upright without any trouble.
6. Let the chocolate cool either at room temperature or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry.
7. If you don’t like the look of the chocolate once it is removed from the mold, you can dip the cubes into a new batch of plain melted chocolate for a shinier finish. This also lets you add sprinkles or crushed candy or just lets you dip in fun patterns. I like dipping at an angle into a different color of chocolate.
8. In order to enjoy these, heat up any combo of milk, water, half and half, or cream. I like 6 cups milk with 2 cups heavy cream. One ounce of chocolate on a stick should be melted into one cup milk or cream. So a standard ice cube-tray block, which is 3/4 an ounce, should be melted into a mug with 3/4 cup milk or cream in it.

How to store it: Chocolate will keep in an airtight container for up to a year. Don’t keep it in the fridge because it is really good at absorbing odors.

More tips, tricks and photos on Giver's Log.

{Photo and recipe from Giver's Log}

Heather

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide: Heather's Picks

Time is running out and the holidays are upon us! Instead of a fancy holiday guide broken down by gender, price points or age, we're just giving you two guides covering everyone and every budget. My picks today, Annie's tomorrow.

So, without further ado, my list... Enjoy and happy shopping!




1. Custom Silhouette Mugs, $65; 2. Mac Slaps, $8-$14; 3. Graeters Ice Cream, $60-$80; 4. Anchors Away Money Clip, $48; 5. Poppy Fields Ring, $95; 6. Printed Vintage Hankies, $28; 7. Honeycomb Pillow Cover, $44; 8. Coffee Mug Cozie, $20; 9. Wine Bottle Candelabra, $20; 10. 3-D Drawing Pad, $10; 11. Floor Antenna Clock, $123

If nothing here suits you, try a gift from Quite Like It!

Heather

oh, vermont

HOLY MOLY! This Vermont wedding feature on Green Wedding Shoes is simply amazing. I mean, just get a load of these details! The sign, the table numbers and my gosh, even the eggs! Wow.





You HAVE to see more.

{From Green Wedding Shoes, photos by Susan Stripling}

Heather

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Quite Like It In The Media

Check out our news spot to learn more about our online Christmas designs!




Ananda

your dress deserves the best

Your dress is a big part of your wedding day and these customized dress hangers by LilaFrances are the perfect way to showcase it. You'd sure get some gorgeous dress photos!



{Photos from LilaFrances}

Heather

Pantone's color of the year



I love Pantone's color of the year tradition. This year is it a deep shade of turquoise. I just bought a pair of shoes this color but the onslaught of snow has stopped me from wearing them.

In Pantone's words:
"In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy."
Ananda

whitney smith

How pretty is this pottery by Whitney Smith? I am especially loving the adorable cupcake stand!





{Photos from Whitney Smith}

Heather

Monday, December 7, 2009

Mobiles for everyone

Add these mobiles to your Christmas shopping list. Check out the Salty and Sweet shop over at etsy to find a little something for everyone. I'll take the Where the Wild Things Are mobile and I know several people who would love the Zombie version. For 33 bucks, these babies are a steal!

Ananda

all natural holiday

Huge swoon. I so have to have these gorgeous nature-inspired holiday bulbs by Land-Rich. A tree full of these could put a girl in the Christmas spirit in a serious way.

Take note, husb. I must have.


Yarrow Bulb, Moss Bulb, Salal Bulb and Tallow Bulb

Oh...did I mention that we'll get to see something new and beautiful and natural from this shop each quarter? So make sure to check back with them.

{Found on the style files, photos from Land-Rich}

Beautiful DIY wreath

Get a load of this felt rosette wreath by Kristen of Domestifluff! I love the airy folds.

This would be perfect for the entrance to the church or reception for your wedding and you could customize it to your color scheme.

I've been trying to come up with a new idea for our front door. I think I'm going to try this out using her tutorial found here. What color should I do?

diy-felt-rosette-wreath-craft-project
{from Domestifluff}

Ananda

Totally Unique Guestbook


"I have fallen in love with this guest book idea. This would probably work best for a small wedding, but imagine having such a unique piece of art to hang around your home for years to come? Each guest places their thumb print on the tree and signs their name! Use an environmentally friendly frame and recycled paper and you've got yourself a pretty eco happy guest book."

Found via Mustard and Sage, photos by Jonas Peterson

Ananda

Friday, December 4, 2009

mustache crayons

These mustache crayons by Chase Dreams bring the mustache craze to a whole new level. I hope they end up in my Christmas stocking!


Heather

our anniversary

The hubbs and I have been lucky enough to head to the warm for all of our anniversaries so far. We just got back from Mexico. It was warm and relaxing and wonderful.






You can check out more of our photos here.

Heather