Author Archives: kkregel

by | June 14, 2010 · 8:26 am

Bridal Style: 4 Ideas for the Perfect Dress

Ever wish you had a professional stylist to make you look perfect for your big day?  Well, today you do!  LA fashion stylist Catherine Sheppard of The Life Styled not only does styling for fashion shoots and private closets but is a go-to source for brides across the country (plus her chic style blog is an HAP favorite!).

Find out what type of bride you are and check out her pro picks for the perfect wedding ensemble:

No matter what kind of wedding you’re planning, your bridal ensemble is undeniably one of the most monumental parts of expressing your style. With all eyes on you, you want to feel like you’re not only capturing the perfect vibe of this special event you’ve worked so hard on, but also representing your authentic everyday self. There are countless ways to express yourself on your wedding day. Here are a few ideas from which to draw inspiration this wedding season.

Black Tie Glam Bride

Gowns by Romona Keveza, Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta

Some brides just like to pull out all the stops. Whether or not there’s an actual red carpet at the wedding, she wants to make an entrance that oozes sleekness and sophistication. The fanciest of black tie weddings call for a gown that causes a mass gasp as the bride saunters down the aisle, like these Oscar worthy theatrical dresses. When it comes to accessories, the more sparkle the better (which is why I usually recommend girls check out BeautifulGirl.co.nz for their accessory choices). When else could you wear shoes covered in crystals?

Lanvin Ostrich Feather Trimmed Veil, Christian Louboutin Shoes, Che Bella Clutch, Brass Paperclip Vintage Hanky, Bloomingdales Earrings, Vintage Cartier Watch

Garden Party Bride

Gowns by Melissa Sweet, J. Crew, Priscilla of Boston

There’s a certain level of old world class that comes to mind with a garden party wedding, like that of the Gatsby parties I always wish I could be invited to. While it’s a classic and elegant wedding style, it also has the feeling of a comforting backyard party where you can take your shoes off and walk in the grass barefoot. Floral embellishments make the perfect details to any garden wedding, while some may have a little fun with an Alice in Wonderland–like touch, such as a black and white grosgrain garter. I have always loved the Priscilla of Boston linen and lace mermaid gown which reminds me of the vintage table linens you might find at a garden tea party.

Clockwise from Left: Londonxox Hairpiece, Nelle Flutter Clutch, Liliswan Vintage Earrings, Pink Frosting Parasol, Badgley Mischka shoes, Garter Lady garter

Cool Girl Bride

Gowns by Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Reverie by Melissa Sweet

Who I like to call the “Cool Girl” bride doesn’t follow the pre-set traditions of weddings. She makes her own rules, and doesn’t look back. She shies away from things like the white-from-head-t0-toe rule. This bride likes to look outside the box and bring in some touches that aren’t specifically made for weddings, and therefore can be worn in her post-nuptials life. She may opt for a vintage inspired gown, or a more unexpected dress, like many of Vera Wang’s avant garde designs.

Clockwise from left: TianaChe Bolero, Badgley Mischka Earrings, L’Atelier Couture Birdcage Veil, Pomp and Plumage Marie Antoinette Garter, Nelle Tuxedo Cherub Clutch, Kate Spade Shoes

Beach Escape Bride

Gowns by Anne Barge, Vineyard Collection, Rivini

The beach escape bride choses a beach wedding for a reason – to escape. She doesn’t want all the same traditions and responsibilities of the typical wedding, and her bridal fashion should reflect that. She’ll be most comfortable in a breezy, flowy dress that won’t look out of place on the sandy beach, with an umbrella drink in hand. Accessories are inspired by elements of the ocean, like a funky glass necklace, aquamarine shoes, and of course the perfect pair of shades.

Clockwise from left: Little White Dresser Greek Goddess Headband, Penny Larsen Necklace, J. Crew Silk Cashmere Wrap, Topshop Sunglasses, Martinez Valero Shoes

For more wedding looks from Catherine, check out her post on Elemental Weddings!

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by | June 9, 2010 · 8:08 am

Wedding Registry Essentials & Ideas

Ah, the wedding registry.  Amidst all the stress and craziness of planning a wedding it sits like a glittery beacon of goodies and fun.  Here’s a few tips and ideas to make the most of your registry:

Get Started with the Essentials:
1. Download our Wedding Registry Checklist. Consider what you already have or want to replace.
2. Determine which store(s) you want to register at. Inform your family and/or bridesmaids, as people will likely ask them for help.
3. Drag your future spouse to the store and go to town with the registry gun!!
4. Don’t be afraid to add big ticket items like a flat screen TV, dining room set or patio furniture. It’s likely that no one will buy them for you, however, many stores offer post-wedding discounts to fulfill what is left on your registry. Even 10-15% can save you big on a pricey item.
5. Keep an eye on your registry online. This way you can add more items as needed or secretly remove those 10 video games and 3 drill bit sets that your spouse-to-be gunned at the store.

Mix&Match RegistryFashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore

Alternative Registry Ideas:
Have everything you could ever want for your place? Lucky you! However, people will still want to give you gifts so if you don’t offer a few suggestions you might end up with a pile of gaudy bowls and Velvet Elvises. Eek! Avoid this by informing guests that you’ve chosen an alternative registry. Here are a few ideas:

1. Honeymoon It: Ask for donations to your honeymoon. Use a free site like Honeyfund which allows guests to give you monetary or activity-based “gifts” for your trip and has no service fees and no required travel bookings.
2. Give Back: Choose your favorite charity and ask that guests make a donation in you and your new partner’s name.
3. Plan a Project: Request gift cards to Home Depot or Lowe’s to put toward that big home improvement project you’ve been planning. Tell guests a little about the project so they feel like they’re giving more than a gift card.
4. Mix it Up: Choose some select things that you love from a variety of stores without traditional registries by using a site like My Registry.

honeymoon wedding registry

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by | June 7, 2010 · 7:47 am

Haute Wedding: Katie & Bill

My wedding was two years ago today so happy anniversary, Bill!  As storm clouds loomed we sprinted around taking pictures at a park by Lake Michigan.

I thought I wanted a plain, simple style but ended up with one covered in vintage-inspired lace from Essence of Australia.  On my right hand is a vintage ring of my grandmother’s and I wore a double strand of round fresh-water pearls.

I really wanted a fresh, garden-y look for all of the flowers so we chose pale pink peonies (my favorite!) for the bridesmaids and pink ranunculus for the groomsmen’s boutonierres.  My bouquet was full of ivory peonies.

Bridesmaids wore chocolate knee-length dresses from J.Crew, bronze peep-toe shoes and strings of pearls, which were part of my gift to them.

They say it’s lucky if it rains on your wedding day.  Since there were floods and tornadoes on my wedding day hopefully it means I’m going to be SUPER lucky.  Fortunately, my mom had tracked down these pink umbrellas well in advance of the day as a backup plan!

Pink & Brown wedding invitations

I chose the letterpress chocolate invitations from My Gatsby, where they have a huge assortment of styles and colors. I designed the programs, table numbers, menus and place cards myself with a peony design to fit the pink and brown color scheme and garden-y vibe.

Tables had tea lights and either high or low flower arrangements with lots of spring greens and pale pinks.

wedding coloring book

I’m from a large family and have tons of young cousins so my mom helped to turn my engagement photos into mini coloring books that we included in entertainment bags for all of the kids. We kept favors simple by filling kraft paper boxes with pink M&Ms and tying them with strips of brown patterned papers, sheer ribbon and little thank you tags.

Instead of a traditional cake, we opted for multiple flavors of cupcakes frosted to match the wedding colors.

Photography by Manning Photography.

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by | June 1, 2010 · 7:17 am

HAP Cordially Invites You to….Wedding Month!

Welcome to HAP Wedding Month!  With wedding season kicking into full gear, we’ve got tons of fun ideas, guest bloggers and real weddings lined up for you.

And since we’re inviting you to join us this month for a virtual wedding extravaganza, we’re starting things off with a round up of lovely stationary ideas.  Invitations and accent pieces are a great way to set the stage for the tone and theme of your wedding.

The Basics:
At a minimum you should probably consider the following items:
Save The Date Card
Invitation & Envelope
Response Card
Place Cards
Table Numbers
Thank Yous

The Extras:
Get a little fancier with these add-ons:
Reception Card
Inside Envelope
Menus
Programs
Direction Maps
Calligraphy
Return Address Stamp or Embosser (we like the ones from Paperwink)

The Colors:
Here are a few color schemes calling our name this year but many of these come in multiple colors.
Blue Wedding Invitations, Navy Wedding Invitations

Blues, clockwise from top: Minted, Crane, Gryphon, Minted

Yellow & Grey Wedding Invitations

Lemon & Grey, clockwise from top:Elum, Smock Paper, Minted, FoglioPress

Red Wedding Invitations

Ruby Red, clockwise from top: Minted, Wedding Paper Divas, Wiley Valentine

Chocolate brown wedding invitations, wood wedding invitations

Chocolate, clockwise from top:Paper + Cup, e.m.papers, Night Owl Paper Goods,
Shine Invitations, Crane

Lime Green, Vintage Green Wedding Invitations

Lime Green, clockwise from top: Two Trick Pony, Elum, Wedding Paper Divas, Elum

Budget-Friendly Tips:
We could go on and on about stationary but the fact is, it gets pricey in a hurry. Here are some ideas to consider if you’re on a budget:
– Choose an invitation that allows you to put reception info on it so that you can skip the separate reception card.
– Skip the inner envelopes.
– Post one menu per table instead of one at each place setting.
– Choose flat printing over letterpress.
– Have a talented friend or family member? Ask them to design your invites or do your calligraphy as a wedding gift.

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by | May 31, 2010 · 7:47 am

DIY Abstract Art

In my living room was a sad wall that sat empty for three years…

…until a few weeks ago when I created my own piece of abstract art!

Latex Paint on Canvas, Jackson Pollack inspired art

Art is expensive but creating a work of art, especially a big one, had always intimidated me (hence the three years of vacant wall space). Since my house is old and the walls are plaster, I’m also really picky about what I put on my walls because I don’t want to deal with holes. Despite all that it was time to fill the void. I had kept this particular project in my mental “craft file” ever since I saw the fabulous Nathan Thomas do something similar on Bravo’s Top Design.

My husband and I spend a lot of time fishing on Lake Michigan, so I took inspiration from the smokey blue-green colors of the water for my palette. Using multiple quarts of latex paint, I went to town splashing and dripping the paint across a basic stretched cotton canvas.  Just call me Jackson Pollack.

abstract paint palette

Thinking about creating your own art? Go for it. Now I understand why artists feel so liberated by their work!

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by | May 25, 2010 · 11:22 am

Cooking & Drinking with Belgian Beers

As you read this, I’m probably wandering canal-side in Amsterdam. Yep, the hubs and I are on vacay in Amsterdam, Belgium and Luxembourg and since Belgian beers are playing a starring role on our trip, I thought it would only be fitting to spotlight them today.

Belgians beers are complex enough for beer lovers but easy drinking, making them great to cut your teeth on if you’re just getting into beer. Like a fine wine, most Belgians should be served it in a snifter or a tulip glass to get the full aroma.

Belgian styles can vary greatly from a spritzy, champagne-like saison or grand cru to a sweet, malty dubbel to a fruity lambic. When you’re drinking one, keep an eye out for key flavor characteristics like clove, banana, bubble gum, citrus and coriander, which come from using Belgian-style yeasts.

Some of my favorite Belgian beers include:
Belgian Imports: Duvel, La Chouffe, Grimbergen, Saison Du Pont, Delirium Tremens, Chimay
US Micros: Ommegang Hennepin, Goose Island Matilda, Russian River Damnation, New Glarus Imperial Saison

But beer isn’t only great for drinking! It’s an unsung hero of cooking too that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes like this one that I created:

Belgian Shortbread with Whipped Cream

Lemon Shortbread with Rhubarb Framboise Sauce & Belgian Whipped Cream
Shortbread
2 C flour
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2+ C powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon

Framboise Sauce
1 pkg fresh raspberries
6 stalks rhubarb, chopped
1/4 C framboise beer (such as Lindeman’s)
1/2 C sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Grand Cru Whipped Cream
1 C organic heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp Grand Cru beer

For shortbread, preheat oven to 300. Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Grate lemon zest into butter mixture. Steadily beat in flour mixture until well combined. Cover cookie sheet with a double layer of parchment paper. Form dough into a ball and place on top. Roll dough into a 1/2″ thick circle and use your fingers to pinch the edges into a fluted shape. Using a fork, poke holes in the top in a ring-shape, working your way from the center outward. Dust with granulated sugar and bake for 40-45 minutes.

For sauce, combine rhubarb, beer and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Dust in cornstarch and whisk well, then add raspberries. Cook over med-low heat for another 10 minutes or until fruit is broken down.

For whipped cream, combine cream, sugar and beer in a medium bowl or mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer until soft peaks form.

Bonus!: Save the extra rhubarb sauce for ice cream, waffles or pancakes!

Au revoir and Dag! I’ll share more about my trip when I return in June for HAP Wedding Month – don’t forget to get your wedding submissions in!

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by | May 17, 2010 · 8:36 am

Summer Margaritas

This weekend the dreary weather finally broke and summer appears to be back on its way.  So when I had dinner with my husband’s family last night and was promptly handed this juicy, jewel-toned margarita, the world felt right again.

Margaritas are just perfect for an afternoon on the patio or for dinner with fish tacos. But if you’re going to make margs this summer skip the syrupy mixes and make them with fresh fruit instead.  Your tastebuds (and your friends) will thank you.

fresh orange margarita

Fresh Orange Margarita
3/4 z fresh orange puree (see instructions)
2 oz tequila
3/4 oz orange liqueur, preferably GranGala*
1 1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
ice
salt or sugar
orange or lime slices

In a food processor or blender, combine 4 Cara oranges or blood oranges (navel if you can’t find those) with 1 Tbsp simple syrp and 1 tsp lemon juice. Puree until smooth.

Pour salt or sugar onto a plate. Use a wedge of fruit to wet the edge of a margarita glass and dip glass into salt/sugar to rim the glass. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, puree, tequila, GranGala, lime juice and simple syrup. Shake well and strain into the margarita glass.

*GranGala is an Italian liqueur similar to Gran Marnier but with a more pronounced orange flavor
Recipe from: Mixshakestir

IDEAS:
Use this recipe as a base and experiment with flavors. To serve on the rocks, just puree the fruit well and strain. Or try freezing the fruit into small cubes and pureeing with a little bit of ice to serve it frozen. If you have a secondary flavor, use only a little so it creates a “what-is-that?” effect instead of overpowering your star fruit.

I think I’ll be trying:
Ginger Peach
Watermelon Mint
Strawberry Basil
Raspberry Lime
Mango

Watermelon Mint margarita

Have a great margarita recipe?  Do tell!

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by | May 13, 2010 · 12:04 pm

You Should Be Reading…

With many of our favorite print magazines recently bidding us adieu (RIP Domino), a wonderful bunch of new digital mags have cropped up online! What they lack in dog-ear-and-tear-out-ability, they certainly make up for in loveliness.

Here are some of our favorites (click on the magazine cover to view it!).  If you haven’t checked them out already, get ready to become addicted.

Lonny Magazine Sweet Paul Magazine Nesting Newbies Magazine

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by | May 10, 2010 · 7:59 am

Obsessed with: Succulents

After my trip to LA, I’ve had succulents on the brain. I’m in love with their plump little leaves and the funky, exotic vibe they lend to both indoor and outdoor landscapes.

For those of you with black thumbs, these little beauties are a perfect houseplant because, unless you stash them in a closet, they’re nearly impossible to kill. All you need is a well-draining pot and light!

Succulents love bright light indoors or full sun outdoors that replicates their natural environment of African deserts or Alpine rock ledges. They naturally retain water (the term succulent literally means “full of juice”), so you don’t have to water them often. Regular rain outside or once every few weeks inside should do the trick.

In the succulent family, cacti are certainly the poster child, but these are some of my new favorite varieties:

Sempervivum
Also known as Hens and Chicks or Jovibarba (Jupiter’s Beard), sempervivum are easy to identify by their pretty rosette shape.  Highly adaptable and frost resistant, they make for a lovely coffee table plant and work equally well as a low-growing filler along the edges of raised garden beds.

Sempervivum succulent, Hens and Chicks

Succulent rock garden

Jade
Sometimes called the “money tree” or “friendship tree” (and who couldn’t use more of both), Jade plants work well on window ledges or patios and can be pruned like a bonzai to control their size.  They can produce small pinkish white flowers like the plant below and can easily be divided by clipping off just a small branch…perfect for sharing with friends! My friend Anne just picked one up at the farmer’s market last week so I may be stealing a cutting of hers once it gets going!

Jade plant, Money tree, Friendship tree

Sedum
Sedum come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and styles ranging from mid-size flowering shrubs to mat-like stonecrops.  Flowering shrubs like this one below are hearty in cold weather and produce masses of burgundy flowers that are pretty fresh or dried.  They also divide and transplant well so check with your gardener friends to see if you can snag a clump.

Sedum foliage

Aloe Vera
Not just something that comes in a bottle dyed green!  Aloe vera plants can be grown at home and their leaves snipped to treat wounds, burns or sunburn.  Just double check that it’s the aloe vera that you’re getting since some aloe species can be poisonous.

Aloe vera plant, Succulents

Non-HAP Photos: Jade plant and Aloe plant


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by | May 4, 2010 · 11:41 am

HAP in Outpost Exchange Magazine

Thanks to Liz, Janet and the wonderful folks at Outpost Natural Foods who featured HAP in the May issue of Outpost Exchange! We’re happy to see other people are as excited as we are about the “rebirth of the domestic goddess” and all the benefits that come with it. Check out the preview on the Outpost Blog or the full article on Third Coast Digest and if you’re in Milwaukee, head over to Outpost and pick up a free copy!

Outpost Exchange cover

PS: Thanks as always to Michael Coates for providing us with a cover-worthy photo!

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