this week's clicks: when i need you the most...

get your week off to a colorful start!
LISTEN.

• If you're not following Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube, I'll give you a minute to do that. I dig the Chainsmokers' original version of "Don't Let Me Down," but this soulful cover takes it to a whole new level - that piano! 

SWOON.

Jordan Imhoff Photography and Estera Events

• An industrial-meets-elegant wedding at Ovation Chicago.
• Creative colors and textures in a highland inspired shoot.
• Love the color palette in this Hamptons-style remodel.
• A Pitch Perfect wedding and Rebel Wilson, the perfect guest.

SMILE.

• Do you all think this job interview trick is worth trying?
• Jewelry made from ethereal fabric sculptures.
• Another reminder that what we see online =/= reality.
• Pinning all the  the sangria and apple recipes this week.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: favorite looks from the Emmys, inspiration for a vineyard wedding, and IG faves.
• 2014: theater inspired save-the-dates, blog loves, and a media-centric Sunday Social.
• 2013: mustard and greyed jade wardrobe picks for fall.
• 2012: wardrobe and home ideas in tangerine and tomato, wedding dresses with lace, and rustic sunflower wedding inspiration, and September blog loves.  
• 2011: our wedding's processional and exchange of vows, fall wardrobe and home decor ideas in phlox purple, and inspiration for a rustic purple wedding.

#5FandomFriday: Favorite Fictional Foods

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week, I'm rounding up fictional foods I would love to try!

1. Butterbeer from Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling is so, so good at writing about food that reading the dining hall scenes at Hogwarts always made me need to take a kitchen break. Of all the magical things the characters enjoy, the one that seems to inspire the purest elation is butterbeer. I know that Universal Studios serves their own version of the treat, and some people think Starbucks' new butterscotch creations are the closest we Muggles may get to the real thing.

2. November cakes from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

One of the many reasons Maggie is my favorite YA author: when she decided to invent a special roll that the denizens of her fictional Celtic island, Thisby, bake to celebrate the annual super-deadly water horse race, she felt like she actually had to bake them , and took it upon herself to create a recipe. That is some next-level universe building right there.

3. Rey's bread from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Science fiction foods get me every time, especially for their usually instant nature - I was also kind of obsessed with all of the different dehydrated meals Tally had in Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series. In The Force Awakens, Rey's bread was a practical effect accomplished with a balloon, but the folks at Star Wars have come up with a recipe that apparently comes close to instant bread and has an appropriately unappetizing shade of green.

4. Abby's Caf-Pows from NCIS

Sure, a Caf-Pow is just the NCIS universe's version of a Big Gulp from 7-11, but it is also the magical fuel that helps Abby Sciuto solve crimes! Imagine how much I would get done in a day with Caf-Pow running through my veins!

5. Coffee of Doom's specials from Questionable Content

I've been reading this webcomic since college - it's cute and I like the characters - and one of the best running gags Jeph Jacques includes are really strange specials on the chalkboard at the coffee shop. A recent strip featured Earl Grey tea that made Bubbles (who is an AI and can only smell tea) see a unicorn. Totally normal in QC-land.

clicks of note: to the one place we call home...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Not only is Band of Merrymakers a holiday supergroup that includes Natasha Bedingfield, Fitz, Owl City, Christina Perri, and Jason Wade, they have YULE LOG VIDEOS, which is about as close to a fireplace as I'm probably going to get this week (it's going to be 70 degrees on Christmas in Virginia this year! Crazy!)

SWOON.

Hostess with the Mostess

• A festive #GladtoGive holiday party from HWTM.
• At A Cup of Jo, a perfect Brooklyn apartment tour.
• Glam printable New Year's invites from Lia Griffith.
• Style Me Pretty features a festive New York wedding.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Minding My Nest, Mint for Hue, Pish and Posh.
• Holiday movies you can watch on streaming or Redbox.
• Book recommendations based on your fave holiday movies.
• All the holiday drinks and desserts you need.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared my holiday home tour.
• Two years ago, I chose my favorite account of Christmas, wrote to Santa, showed off my chalkboard ornaments and shared a holiday home tour.
• Three years ago, I shared a Sunday Social all about favorites, gave a holiday home tour and ideas for displaying cards, and rounded up my blog loves and my own most popular posts of 2012.  I also shared my December in Instagram.
• Four years ago, I shared my favorite things in our home. 

clicks of note: over the seas I'll go 'til I'm home...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• I have long believed that the Monday after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday and mandatory day off work - because let's be honest, are any of us really going to be productive today?  Here are some fun clicks for the time you spend procrastinating.

LISTEN.

• Old Man Canyon sounds like what would happen if Mumford and Sons got together with Of Monsters and Men. This track, "The Road," appeals to the side of me that wants to run away to a log cabin in the woods. Today I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

• Bridal Musings is giving away a velvet ring box!
• Loving Katelyn Brooke's calm January moodboard.
• Via Style Bistro, ballerinas to follow on Instagram.
• SMP features a creative garden inspiration shoot.

SIMPLIFY.

• Lovely desktops from Cardstore, Ruche, and Sarah Hearts.
• Anthropologie's just-add-pants outfit formulas are so easy!
• Jo shares her method for choosing wine by similar tastes.
• Fifty useful, content-rich blog post ideas from Elle + Co.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year's Sunday Social was all about the 4's.  I also rounded up my favorite red picks for Valentine's Day, showed off some easy Valentine's Day party ideas, rounded up my favorite things for February and reflected on what I learned from 2013.
• Two years ago I created the Beyond the Aisle Facebook Page, shared ideas for a Valentine's girls night in, and rounded up bridal gowns with lace sleeves
• Three years ago I shared a pretty pink Sunday Simplicity post.
• Four years ago, I featured black and ivory tuxedo style inspiration and the reason I went with wholesale flowers for our wedding.

entertaining: breeze's shower! [how to plan a rustic bridal shower: food & drinks]

Because we had a lot of helpers and a lot of "yes" R.S.V.P.s, we also had a LOT of food at Breeze's bridal shower.  We tried to stick to a country, comfort-food theme and to serve most of Breeze's favorite party treats.

In addition to lemonade and sweet tea, we served sangria and fruit punch.

White Peach Sangria

Ingredients:

• Peach Schnapps
• Riesling
• Lemon Lime Soda
• Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapes

Luscious Slush Punch (from Allrecipes.com)

Serves 25

Ingredients:

•  2 1/2 cups white sugar
•  6 cups water
•  2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored Jell-O® mix
•  1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
•  2/3 cup lemon juice
•  1 quart orange juice
• 1 bottle lemon lime soda

Directions:

Bring the sugar, water, and strawberry flavored Jell-o® to a boil in a large saucepan; boil for three minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice and slowly add the gelatin liquid. Divide the mixture into 2 separate containers and freeze.

Combine the contents of 1 container with 1/2 bottle of the lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage in a punch bowl; stir until slushy. Repeat with remaining portions as needed.

Sausage Balls

Makes 40

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork sausage (mild)
• 2 cups biscuit/pancake baking mix
• 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sage

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, add cheddar to baking mix and toss to coat.  Add sausage.  Mix until well combined using hands, adding spices while mixing.  Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.  Place balls 1/2 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.  Bake until balls are starting to brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm.