cupcakes and cocktails
Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard {Simple Summer Entertaining}
June 22, 2017
Come enjoy cupcakes and cocktails in my courtyard!
So very flattered bloggers Mary Ann (Classic Casual Home)
and Cindy (Rough Luxe Lifestyle) invited me
to contribute simple summer entertaining
to their Project Design series!
It gave me an excuse to show you peeks
of our courtyard and share
a so-easy-it's-totes-embarrassing
summer entertaining idea:
CUPCAKES and COCKTAILS.
What assures the simple combo will succeed?
Pretty accents and a relaxed host.
Minted kindly invited us to choose custom
linens, and if you haven't visited Minted's
Home section lately...ooh la la, you'll fall for
the myriad of custom options!
I chose the courtyard for the setting,
but your kitchen or patio works equally well!
The courtyard here at the fixer upper has
come a long way and was a relatively
easy DIY involving mostly subtraction.
Out went everything but one
Burning Bush, and in came the pea gravel.
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| I have had the ornate mirror forever, and that mirror at right was salvaged from a bath here at the fixer. |
When we bought the place...
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| BEFORE: weeds of glory, grass, and a mauve door. |
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| AFTER: a few boxwood, a few pots, knotty alder door, and garage sale finds. |
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| We replaced the eroded caps on the rock walls and used concrete pavers with pea gravel...still need a pretty gate! |
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| It is peaceful and hushed here because of dense woods and an ultra quiet street. |
in a blush hue from Minted, I put into play my
tried and true, go-to, super easy girly get together.
Why this plan keeps working?
Because cupcakes. And cocktails.
Minimal effort.
(No silverware required, no need to sculpt
the napkins into swans, and just
ONE signature cocktail, not a full bar.)
Can happen at a moment's notice.
When guests feel as though they haven't
put you out, they relax more.
Easy as 1-2-3.
I'm not kidding.
My entertaining plan is THAT easy.
You can certainly kick it up a notch though,
and I often do.
1.
Cupcakes
Buy them from a fabulous bakery or bake em.
I like doctoring a cake mix, icing them
with homemade buttercream, and serving
them nude...the cupcakes, that is,
stripped of their paper wraps.
(Recipe at end of post).
2.
Lemonade
Any hue will do.
I like mine pretty in pink and sweetly spiked.
3.
Amaretto or Vodka
This is to tipsify (a craptastic word I made up) the lemonade,
and I make homemade Amaretto, which
is THE easiest boozy DIY, yet impresses the
pants off guests and just tastes better
since it is created with pure love.
(Recipe at end of post.)
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| Polkadot Peonies Napkins & Runner (Minted) |
Aren't these pretty linens feminine and romantic!?!
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| Cupcakes and Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Polkadot Peonies Runner & Napkins (Minted)< ---affiliate link |
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| Polkadot Peonies Runner & Napkins (Minted))< ---affiliate link |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
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| Cupcakes & Cocktails in the Courtyard |
It began to storm within minutes of trying
to shoot this so here are a few shots
inside (if you live in the Midwest,
you feel my pain)!
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| Polkadot Peonies Runner & Napkins (Minted))< ---affiliate link |
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| Hello Lovely Studio |
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| Polkadot Peonies Runner & Napkins (Minted))< ---affiliate link |
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| Hello Lovely Studio |
Do we need more simple ideas?
Oui! Oui, we do!
Visit all of these beautiful blogs for
Oui! Oui, we do!
Visit all of these beautiful blogs for
simple summer entertaining ideas!
* * * * *
Cupcakes
(makes 24)
1 white cake mix
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites
Set oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups.
Beat cake mix, oil, buttermilk, and egg whites in bowl
with mixer on med for 2 minutes.
Pour batter into cups.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.
Cool completely.
Make buttercream icing while they cool.
(Whip together: 1 stick butter at room temp, 1.5 tsp. vanilla,
1 box powdered sugar, and a few Tbsp. milk)
Tint frosting if desired then ice cupcakes.
YUM.
Homemade Amaretto
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups vodka
2 Tbsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine water and sugars in saucepan over med heat.
Heat until mixture is boiling and all sugar is dissolved.
Remove pan from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Stir vodka and extracts into mixture.
Store in a sealed bottle.
Please leave a comment...I respond to every single one
because I love getting acquainted!
Peace to you right where you are
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Thanks Minted for partnering with me...your linens are
so lovely and continue to inspire me.
