Christmas 2010 - holiday card

I started paper crafting a year ago as a way to prepare for the real deal (aka our wedding stationary). I must say, last year's cards were a bit more involved than I had planned. This year I wanted something super simple, especially if I was going to have to make a lot of them.

As it turned out, I didn't have too make too many because we didn't recieve that many of them. I know, I know, it's not a one for one exchange, but we decided to do tit-for-tat in order to save money (and my sanity). Big apologies to the couple of cards we got either on Christmas Eve or the day after. By that time it didn't seem kosher to send more out.

Don't you just love the faux fireplace? Photo by Hungce (that's me!).

To keep things simple (or so I thought), we went with flat cards. I probably spent most of the time dealing with print alignment more than anything. To give each card a personalized touch, the names of the recipients were written on each stocking! For folks with more than 4 letters, we just put their first initial.

10 becomes 11

And just like that, it's a new year. We kicked off 2010 by welcoming two new members to the family. Jake's cousin KP had a beautiful little girl and cousin KM had a handsome baby boy. The year came to a close with my parents purchasing a GIANT house in a suburb of Portland.


Last year kept us busy, especially the second half of the year. I had hoped that 2010 would be spent enjoying being engaged and getting the big ticket wedding items out of the way. Life had other plans for us.

Going into 2010, we knew we had a full dance card. We were officially invited to 10 weddings, but were only able to attend 8 of them. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed every wedding and every moment of the weddings. But traveling so much takes a toll on one. And after the first couple of weddings, you start to tire. Multiple times we were told "you don't have to go to all of them you know?" Well, yes and no. How do you tell friends A that you aren't going to go to their wedding, but yet tell friends B that you will attend theirs when friends A and friends B run in the same circle? It's not possible. So we went to all of them. Well almost. We had to split up for 2 of them since they were on the same day on opposite coasts! We cancelled on wedding #9. The madness known as wedding season started at the end of May, and by October we were plain exhausted. Wedding #10, oh how I wished we could have gone to #10. It was held in Indonesia! We would have been able to not only visit Indonesia, but a side trip to Bali as well! But alas, we had already received 5 save-the-dates by the time we received #10's and they gave a full year's notice.

Luckily for us #11 never materialized. There were tentative plans, but the couple needed a break from planning their overseas nuptials. And then there was #12. We weren't invited since it was just an intimate backyard shindig, but we did get an announcment in the mail. I actually thanked the newlyweds for not inviting us since I wouldnt' have been able to say "no'.

As for our own wedding plans. We found a planner. Picked a date. Decided on the perfect venue. Choose our wedding party. Sent out round one of  our save-the-dates. Designed our wedding invitations. Signed a photographer and had a photoshoot with him. I not only found my dress, but have it [under our bed]! I also found a dressmaker to create a one-of-a-kind Chinese dress. And lastly, we started our hunt for a caterer to tackle our taste buds. Not too shabby right?

While we were learning to be engaged, we also learning how to live together. And not just together, but with another person period. I haven't visited this topic since I made mention of it over a year ago. Neither Jake nor I have lived with roommates since college. It's been one heck of a learning experience and we continue to learn each day. It's not easy. We have different tolerance levels when it comes to clutter and dirt. We have different ideas on chores. And while we have similar tastes in overall decor, we have differing tastes when it comes to decor. Maybe it'd be a moot point if Jake didn't come with bachelor furniture (black leather sofa and black furniture) and I came with nothing (yes, even after living here for 3 years I didn't buy anything; I was planning to move back to OR after a year or two). Like I said, we continue to learn and I'm sure we will be learning for years to come.

2010 flew by. It threw everything including the kitchen sink at us. I'm happy to see it go. But I'm also scared of 2011. I'm afraid that it'll go by just as fast if not quicker; August will be here before we know it. Writing 2011 on paper also makes everything seem so much more real. It's surreal to be plan a wedding (especially when I'm not the type that has dreamed about it since I was young), but it's been in this semi-dreamy state. Now make believe time is over, it's time for the real thing.

Here's to 2011. May it be peaceful and slower paced than the last, so that we can enjoy it.

8 months

I figure I should probably write the 8 month check-in while we are not only still in the 8th month, but also the same year!

It has been one crazy busy month jam packed with stuff. You thought our summer was busy, wait until you get a load of this:

• 2 family Christmas parties - I was able to take my camera for a spin and practice my candid portrait photography skills. Posts are in the works.
• My dressmaker, assistant, and broke ground on my Chinese dress.
• We created a very modest registery in the event that someone insists that we must have one.
• We started test driving potential caterers! If you thought holiday eating was too much for you, imagine chowing down on gourmet yumminess from not just one, but two companies. Nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom...
• We just started looking at DJs - I'm even interviewing one (a very promising one to boot) on Sunday.
• We picked a hotel to reserve room blocks at, but we're waiting to hear back from the hotel.
• I finished designing our Save-the-Dates - We hope to get these out in the next couple of weeks, just as soon as we have the hotel information.
• I'm ALMOST done with the wedding party magazine - Yes, you read that right, I'm "publishing" a magazine for family and the wedding party. I figure that it'll be a cute way to introduce the wedding party members to one another and also give everyone an idea of what we've been doing for the last year. For some reason they all think we have our wedding all planned and ready to go. HA!

Happy New Year everyone!

Countdown:
9 months
11 months

12 months

13 months

Food! - East Meets West

Ready? Set. Eat!

The photos aren't as nice, but you get the idea.

Counter-clockwise from top left:
Mini Crab Cake with a dollop of Lemon Aioli
Quail in Toast Cup with a Cranberry Relish
Phyllo purses with Lobster and White Truffle essence
Smoked Chicken, Avocado, and Roasted Red Pepper
Crepes Warm Chevre Crostini topped with thinly sliced Plum and drizzled with a Pomegranate Honey Vinaigrette
Sautéed Foie Gras on Toast Points with a Currant Relish



Baby Spinach and Mache Green Salad With Fresh Mango Slices, Goganzola, Walnuts and Champagne Vinaigrette

 

Peppercorn Encrusted Beef Tenderloin
served with a Sun Dried Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade
finished with a Wild Mushroom and Cabernet Reduction Sauce
Roasted Winter – Locally Grown –Vegetables
Crispy Herbed Risotto Cake With Freshly Grated Parmesan and Fresh Basil



Roasted Boneless Breast of Duck
served with a Sour Cherry & Rosemary Demi-Glaze

Wild Mushroom Raviolitossed In Pesto Oil and Sun dried Tomatoes, Black Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Fresh Mozzarella and Pine Nuts garnished with Shaved Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper

Roasted Vegetable Napoleonstack of: Portobello Mushroom, Zucchini, Red Onion, And Eggplant
skewered with Fresh Rosemary, Served on a Bed of Chunky Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette

Pear and Champagne Chocolate Truffles
Jeweled Fresh Fruit Tarts
Mini Brownie Cups Filled with Dark Chocolate Mousse
Lemon curd meringue tarts
Heart Shaped Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

All photos taken by me!

Food! - Table of Content

We had our first tasting with a potential caterer this week! Ready to go on a virtual dinner tour with us? First up, passed hors d'oeuvres:

Clockwise from top left:
Maple Roasted Scallops and Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon with Warm Maple Dip
Thai Vegetable Spring Roll drizzled with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
Chipotle Barbecued Duck on Grilled Onion Bruschetta with Salsa Crème Fraîche
Alternating Apple and Pear Slices, Blythdale Farms Jersey Blue Cheese Dollop & Spiced Walnut
Almond Chicken Loli Pops With Sage & Grafton Village Vermont Cheddar Accents & Tangerine Drizzle 


Now that your appetite has been teased, we can move onto the first course:

Arugula with Vermont Chèvre and Raspberries (I think the viniagrette was Pomogranate?)

Second course: 

Lemon sorbet intermezzo with candied zest

Now for the main course(s):

Elegantly Carved Herb Roasted Tenderloin
with Slow Roasted Pearl Onion, Red Wine Reduction
Traveling with Crispy Parmesan Potato Sandwich
Petit Spring Vegetables & Frizzled Leeks

 

OR (seriously, the best dish EVER):

Grilled Potato, Leek and Vermont Farmed Goat Cheese Tart with
Marinated Olives aside Petit Spring Vegetables

 Now that you are thoroughly stuffed, how about some dessert?

Petit fours, miniature lemon tarts, and miniature French pastries.

Did ya'll enjoy your meal? We did. We have two more tastings set up with different caterers over the next few weeks. It's going to be a blast!

**All photos taken by me (with my Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 18-105 f/3.5-5.6, an early Christmas present to myself).