Today I’m featuring a tabletop that was recently published in Santa Barbara Magazine and Style Me Pretty Living. It was a collaboration with the always amazing Nancy Neil and super chef Ayda Robana of Om Sweet Mama.

We set a simple table; with a god’s eye patter runner from Heather Taylor Home and china and flatware from Botanik.

Simple salads, like the panzanella with Haricort Verts featured farm fresh ingredients (recipe for the salad is here).

Instead of traditional flower centerpiece, I opted to make a flower garlad to keep the vibe relaxed but still very pretty. To make the garland you will need:

2 bunches of bay (depends on length of table)

2 bunches clematis

1 bunch hot pink ranunuculus

1 bunch wax flower

Begin by simple laying the piece of bay leaves end to end. I created a zigzag effect here so you could see the pattern of the linen. Then I simply took the blooms of clematis, ranunuclus, and wax flower and tucked it into the bay. You can wire all these pieces together but its not necessary. And that’s pretty much it! You can see more of this table right here and here.

PS I apologize for my blogging absence. A lot if going in my personal life and I will blog about it once things are more settled. For now, posting will remain on the lighter side. Thanks for hopefully sticking around here and enjoying some pretty .

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The perfect art deco heels!  Also, posting will be super light this week, we’re prepping for On the Rock’s editor, Melissa’s wedding.

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Okay, I know what you’re thinking–beer in a margarita?! That’s crazy talk! My mom actually introduced me to this recipe and it is so refreshing and delightful! Perfect for these sunny Santa Barbara days. Cheers!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots of gold tequila

1/2 shot triple sec

2 lime wedges

Heavy splash of Mexican beer

Heavy splash of lemon lime soda (or Sprite)

*Squeeze limes and add all ingredients in a blender with ice. Serve blended with a salted rim–quadruple the recipe for a pitcher.

-XOXO Melissa

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I was so happy when Nancy Neil invited to participate in this spring entertaining story with Ayda Robana of Om Sweet Mama. We shot at a private estate in Goleta and setup this table on their private dock (you know to go with their private lake). I used a low wood bowl and placed the centerpiece at the end, so the star of the table, the FOOD would stand out.

A menu of seasonal and local ingredients made up for a delicious feast (post-shoot this was dinner for the crew, it was rough but I got through it). My favorite? The squid ink pasta with eggs over easy…

For the rest of the table, Nancy pulled gorgeous plates & glassware from Botanik in Summerland and used God’s eye linen from Heather Taylor Home.

Wine was generously provided by Cambria Winery. For recipes, and the floral how-to, hop over to Design*Sponge right here. There were two more tables we shot that day, including one that is being featured in the current issue of Santa Barbara Magazine and can be seen here. Thanks ladies for a fun, creative shoot!

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Perfect pink feather heels for all those Marlene Dietrich moments? Sign me up! Available right here.

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TGIF! Kelly and I have been hard at work putting together some fabulous details for my upcoming wedding (only two weeks away!) and it’s about time for a cocktail. I’m not a huge fan of SHOTS but I do love a good ol’ Washington Apple shooter, so I figured….why not make it into a martini?!

I stuck with a traditional Washington Apple recipe since I didn’t feel there was anything else needed. It turned out to be even more delicious as a yummy “sipper” rather than taking back a shot in one big gulp. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots Crown Royal Whiskey

1/2 shot Apple Puckers

Heavy Splash of cranberry juice

*Shake with ice and serve up!

-XOXO Melissa

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Back in January, Nancy Neil and I put together this table for Ayda Robana at the sickest estate in Goleta (can you say private lake?). Anyway, hop over right here to check out the full feature on Design*Sponge and I’ll have my recap of the table up on Monday.

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