So, here is a list of some of my favorite places to find your items, be it decor, or catering supplies, or even dresses! Any bride on a budget needs to know about:
Wedding Bee- my number one resource, I have gotten most of my decor items here, and my own dress! This is a group of other to-be (and some just-did) wedded folks who talk about (and sell) their wedding stuff. Go to classifieds to search for items for sale, or post your wanted ad!
Etsy- filled with great crafters making custom and unique items. I might be biased, since I sell there too (shameless plug for my awesome eco-friendly store!) but truly, there are some amazing finds there. Even if you are looking for supplies for your own crafts (such as one of my favorites, Theresa's Plants and More where I got most of the moss I use for my own items) there are so many great sellers.
WebRestaurant Store- I bought many of the items for our buffet setup here. The prices are very reasonable, and they variety is super- they even have some of the sustainable disposables by Bambu.
I also have a number of other resources for more of the eco-friendly green wedding items I purchased, I'll be sharing these soon!
I (almost) D.I.Y Do,
Shelley
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wedding Cake test one:
Sprouted Flour/ White Cake and Buttercream- Pate a Bombe
So, for my first test I made a recipe altered from a Martha Stewart recipe, and a true buttercream from a book (though with sucanat instead of regular sugar.) Cake- big failure! Way too dense. Buttercream- delicious! I think it was the pastured butter...
Cake
Preheat oven to 325.
Cream butter and sugar. Mix flour with soda, and salt. Beat eggs one at a time into butter mix. Beat until well mixed. Add in 1/3 flour, then 1/3 milk mix. Repeat two times, lightly beating until mixed just together. Add vanilla, mix lightly.
Pour into greased pans, bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 25 minutes.)
The first sign of failure should have been that I had to push the 'batter' into the pan. It was more like a loose bread dough than any cake batter I have ever seen, I thought that I would try it anyway. Not workable! Oh, well. At least the buttercream is good...
Buttercream ( adapted from the Fundamental Techniques of classic Pastry Arts)
I scaled this recipe down, the recipe below will fill and frost the above cake.
7 oz. sugar (I used sucanat, worked quite well)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 whole egg, room temperature
3/4 lb. butter at room temperature, pastured (grass-fed dairy) especially delicious
Combine sugar with 2 oz. water in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn up heat to medium high, and cook as for sugar/ candy work. (Use a brush to wash sides of pan with water, do not stir the mixture near the sides of the pan once boiling.) Cook until soft-ball stage, 116 C/ 240 F.
While sugar is cooking, combine the egg and yolks in a mixing bowl, with whip attachment. Beat until very light yellow and thick.
When the sugar has reached soft-ball stage, very carefully pour in into the mixing bowl while running. ONLY POUR on the sides of the bowl, if you pour itnto the whip it can splash up and will burn you. Also, do not scrape out the bottom of the pan, this can cause crystallization of the sugar. With all the syrup added, beat for a few minutes, until the mix is cool, smooth and thick.
Replace the whip with a paddle attachment (I did not do this step when I first made it, turned out fine but note I was using a hand mixer not a stand mixer.) Add the butter a bit at a time, beating after each addition. Mix well, until all of the butter is completely incorporated. If using an extract/ liquor for flavoring, add in at the very end.
I will be keeping you updated with all of my recipes and tests over the next month or so. Up next week: DIY crafting, and a giveaway for my Etsy blog!
I (almost) diy do,
Shelley
So, for my first test I made a recipe altered from a Martha Stewart recipe, and a true buttercream from a book (though with sucanat instead of regular sugar.) Cake- big failure! Way too dense. Buttercream- delicious! I think it was the pastured butter...
Cake
2 sticks butter, pastured best (I used regular organic, which was good as the pastured would have been wasted!)
2 cups unbleached organic white flour
2 cups organic sprouted flour
2 cups sucanat
5 eggs, pastured best
1 ½ cup milk/ yogurt mix
½ t. salt
2 t. soda
2 t. organic FT vanilla
Preheat oven to 325.
Cream butter and sugar. Mix flour with soda, and salt. Beat eggs one at a time into butter mix. Beat until well mixed. Add in 1/3 flour, then 1/3 milk mix. Repeat two times, lightly beating until mixed just together. Add vanilla, mix lightly.
Pour into greased pans, bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 25 minutes.)
The first sign of failure should have been that I had to push the 'batter' into the pan. It was more like a loose bread dough than any cake batter I have ever seen, I thought that I would try it anyway. Not workable! Oh, well. At least the buttercream is good...
Buttercream ( adapted from the Fundamental Techniques of classic Pastry Arts)
I scaled this recipe down, the recipe below will fill and frost the above cake.
7 oz. sugar (I used sucanat, worked quite well)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 whole egg, room temperature
3/4 lb. butter at room temperature, pastured (grass-fed dairy) especially delicious
Combine sugar with 2 oz. water in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn up heat to medium high, and cook as for sugar/ candy work. (Use a brush to wash sides of pan with water, do not stir the mixture near the sides of the pan once boiling.) Cook until soft-ball stage, 116 C/ 240 F.
While sugar is cooking, combine the egg and yolks in a mixing bowl, with whip attachment. Beat until very light yellow and thick.
When the sugar has reached soft-ball stage, very carefully pour in into the mixing bowl while running. ONLY POUR on the sides of the bowl, if you pour itnto the whip it can splash up and will burn you. Also, do not scrape out the bottom of the pan, this can cause crystallization of the sugar. With all the syrup added, beat for a few minutes, until the mix is cool, smooth and thick.
Replace the whip with a paddle attachment (I did not do this step when I first made it, turned out fine but note I was using a hand mixer not a stand mixer.) Add the butter a bit at a time, beating after each addition. Mix well, until all of the butter is completely incorporated. If using an extract/ liquor for flavoring, add in at the very end.
I will be keeping you updated with all of my recipes and tests over the next month or so. Up next week: DIY crafting, and a giveaway for my Etsy blog!
I (almost) diy do,
Shelley
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The Piece de Resistance
...the wedding cake!
Yes, I am making it myself- cake, filling, frosting, meringue and marzipan decorations all! Want more proof I am utterly crazy? You got it- this cake is 'real food' friendly- made in the nourishing traditions style, and all coloring for the decoations are all natural! Red # 40, Blue #2- not a chance of being invited to the party!
Over the next month I will be sharing my tests of cakes, the first one tomorrow of a sad, dense cake and the most delicious buttercream you can imagine. Oh, well! So far, we can't have our cake (healthy) and eat it too! But I am working on it!
I (almost) d.i.y. do,
Shelley
Yes, I am making it myself- cake, filling, frosting, meringue and marzipan decorations all! Want more proof I am utterly crazy? You got it- this cake is 'real food' friendly- made in the nourishing traditions style, and all coloring for the decoations are all natural! Red # 40, Blue #2- not a chance of being invited to the party!
Over the next month I will be sharing my tests of cakes, the first one tomorrow of a sad, dense cake and the most delicious buttercream you can imagine. Oh, well! So far, we can't have our cake (healthy) and eat it too! But I am working on it!
I (almost) d.i.y. do,
Shelley
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Really Long Break
from posting, but I am back. I have been so busy with planning (and the rest of my life!) that I have been absent. Happily, I feel that I am on task to post more regularly now. Up first: some posts on all of my DIY craft projects.
Also, a quick plu for my new Etsy shop, all natural and eco-friendly crafts: paper and scrapbooking, fabric including braided rugs and totes, and of course wedding items!
Until next time,
Shelley
Also, a quick plu for my new Etsy shop, all natural and eco-friendly crafts: paper and scrapbooking, fabric including braided rugs and totes, and of course wedding items!
Until next time,
Shelley
Monday, September 13, 2010
Wedding Food... the good, the bad, the ugly
Ahh, wedding food... we've all had it. And wished we hadn't! It's a sad fact of life, but most of that "it-cost-them-$50-per-person-for-this?" food is been-done, (shouldn't have been done) and taste-less instead of tastes great.
When I found out Mr. Shelley was going to propose, I immediately started thinking about the food. I knew almost without thinking about it that I would make the food myself. (I've said caviar taste on PB&J budget, right?) I love food, and have always been just about obsessed with it. I never wanted that chicken-or-beef kind of wedding, I wanted food that would be different and personal. I had originally considered doing either a buffet, or family service, but decided on... a tapas reception! (Otherwise called heavy hors d'oureves.)
I just think the idea of having people mingling around, nibbling and picking at different little bites. Next I'll be sharing my so-far menu, and some sites with great tips on DIY catering. And, coming soon... some awesome guest posts from some already-done-that real brides on having your DIY day!
I diy DO,
Shelley
When I found out Mr. Shelley was going to propose, I immediately started thinking about the food. I knew almost without thinking about it that I would make the food myself. (I've said caviar taste on PB&J budget, right?) I love food, and have always been just about obsessed with it. I never wanted that chicken-or-beef kind of wedding, I wanted food that would be different and personal. I had originally considered doing either a buffet, or family service, but decided on... a tapas reception! (Otherwise called heavy hors d'oureves.)
I just think the idea of having people mingling around, nibbling and picking at different little bites. Next I'll be sharing my so-far menu, and some sites with great tips on DIY catering. And, coming soon... some awesome guest posts from some already-done-that real brides on having your DIY day!
I diy DO,
Shelley
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Welcome to our Wedding…
I am so happy for this blog to be making its entrance to the big, wide world-wide-web! I am in the beginning of planning my wedding, and (probably like many of you) find myself in a tight financial situation. Unfortunately, I have caviar tastes on a PB&J budget! What's a girl to do? Well, obviously, some compromise will occur, but while I will be giving up some things, for the most part my sacrifice will be time. I love doing all sorts of crafts, decorating, and most of all, cooking. So, I will be doing these things- all of them!- for my own wedding. Crazy? Yeah, most likely. But we already knew about that. Still, I hope on our wedding day, we (me and my wonderful fiancé) will be able to look at each other and know it was worth it. This is the journey of our personal, handmade, and frugal! wedding.
I d.i.y. DO (in 9 months),
Shelley
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