the countdown begins

Sooo I'm getting married in three months... You know what that means? It means that it's time to quit slacking and start pulling this shindig together. 

Which brings me to the million dollar question: If you could plan your wedding all over again, what would you do differently? 

* Disclosure - certain links within this blog may result in a commission for Shrimp Salad Circus to help me cover all the time I spend putting it together. See my disclosure statement for more information.

how to-sday . foolproof vintage marquee letters & a sale

I'm planning a big art auction fundraiser shindig that's going down this Saturday. I'm doing a loose 'vintage carnival' theme, so doing big light-up marquee letters was a must. I may have just been looking for a good excuse to make them, if I'm being perfectly honest... ;D

Read on after the jump for the full tutorial and to why this isn't like every other marquee letter project!

this is how you derby

Happy Derby Day, Shrimpies! Okay - that was lame, and I'll never say it again. Anywho, is anybody celebrating big with a Derby party today, or are you actually at the Derby? Last year a bunch of friends and I rented an RV for the night, made the short trek to Louisville, and Derby-ed it up big time. It was really fun, but I think once is enough for me. Bucket list item: checked off. :D

You know that the mint julep is the drink for the Kentucky Derby, but do you know how to make one? For starters, don't even think about skipping the fresh mint! I'll let Jennifer over at Camille Styles take it from here with a recipe and lovely pictures.

While we're on the topic of mint juleps, these cookies are an absolute must. They're only a teensy bit boozy, so dig right in. I can't handle bourbon, but I love these, so maybe these are good 'training wheels' mint juleps!

The fun folks over at Teroforma sent me a set of Derby-themed whiskey stones, and Andrei was kind enough to review them. The verdict is in. We're fans, especially since our fridge doesn't have an ice maker! Made of solid soapstone, these beverage cubes perfectly chill any beverage without diluting it. The stones are non-porous, odorless and tasteless. Each set of three retails for $14 and are available at www.teroforma.com.

You can't do the Derby (or a Derby party) without a hat The bigger, the better AwardDesign on Etsy has a lovely collection ranging from subtle to fabulously overstated, and there are tons of other great designs in vintage and handmade on Etsy If you're not into the giant hats, pretty fascinators are another fun way to go

* Disclosure - certain links within this blog may result in a commission for Shrimp Salad Circus to help me cover all the time I spend putting it together. See my disclosure statement for more information.

mint julep cookies . good eats

Totally phoning it in with this one since it's Monday. Yeah, that's right. I'm recycling a post from last year. It's okay though, because it's Kentucky Derby week again. Right?

In case you weren't aware, the 138th Kentucky Derby is this weekend, on May 5. The Derby is that shindig that shot gaudy hats and the mint julep straight to world-fame. Problem is, I hate bourbon, so I've never much enjoyed a mint julep. Sarah and I decided we hadn't baked together in far too long, so she suggested these mint julep cookies that she dreamed up last year, and I was sold right away. 

How do you enjoy these cookies, exactly? 

1. Tune in to the Derby.
2. Put on a massive hat with lots of flowers. 
3. Eat some cookies.
4. Pick the horse with the cutest name. Or the grey horse. I'm going with Creative Cause because he's pretty and has a cool name. Sold.
5. Eat some cookies. 
6. During the 15 seconds that the horses "run for the roses," yell your horse's name like mad. Acceptable cheers include: "C'mon, Creative Cause!" "Get it, number four - you'realmostthere!" and "Don't you dare let Daddy Long Legs pass you, damn it!"
7. If your horse wins, celebrate with some cookies. If it loses, drown your sorrows in some cookies. 

Recipe below. Thanks so much to Sarah for baking with me again - always tons of fun! And by "baking with me," I obviously mean loaning me her cats and letting me eat the leftover raw cookie dough, of course.

Mint Julep Shortbread Cookies

prep time: 35 minutes   .   yield: 36

Cookies: 

Martha Stewart's Icebox Shortbread

Glaze: 

• 10 large, fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/4 (285 g) cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons bourbon

Make the cookies as directed in the Martha Stewart Recipe. Allow them to cool on a wire rack for about half an hour.

While the cookies are baking, tear about ten large leaves off a bunch of mint. Roll them up together, and finely chop them with a sharp knife. Keep chopping until the pieces are about as small as you can get them (photo 1 below).

Sift the confectioner's sugar into a small bowl. We muddled the mint with a bit of the sugar in a mortar and pestle to draw out the flavor, but if you don't have one, you can easily skip this step. Add the chopped mint to the sugar, and stir it together with a spoon until well-mixed.

Drizzle the bourbon over the sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time, and whisk it in. You want the mixture to be pretty thick - somewhere between liquid and spreadable (photo 2 below). If it's too thick, add more bourbon a teaspoon at a time. If it's too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. 

Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon some glaze onto the middle of each cookie. If it doesn't fill in by itself, gently spread it around a bit with the spoon. Spread it nearly to the edges of each cookie. The glaze will harden in about an hour at room-temperature.