Innehållsförteckning för Celebrate The Birthday Issue 2015 från Southern Lady

SET IT UP BIRTHDAY WISHES…

Mankind has been telling stories visually from the beginning of time. Today, we chronicle our lives through photographs that then make it to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other networks. More and more people are dabbling in photography these days—looking for the right angle to capture the beauty of a sunset or the plating of a new dish at our favorite restaurant. We can all become better with a little help. Ashley Campbell from Ashley Ann Photography is inspiring others to find their inner photographer through her blog, Under the Sycamore, and her SnapShop Workshops. “I dabbled in photography throughout high school and college, but did not have the technical understanding of how my camera worked. I often found myself frustrated I was unable to capture the images I had in…

Create the Look: ▸ Keep your florals simple. Include succulents in varying sizes and types, as well as a mix of spray roses and Gerrondo Gerbera daisies, in a wooden box to create a charming ambiance without too much fuss. ▸ Give the table a subtle and inexpensive glow by adding small white votive candles to your décor ▸ Sometimes food can become part of the centerpiece. In this case, the beautiful, bold hues of salsa, guacamole, and chips work with the florals. ▸ Incorporate festive designs and complementary colors, using place mats, napkins, a table runner, and a blanket. Natural colors mixed with wood and terra-cotta enhance the scene. ▸ Make it a special night by sending out an invite. Add cloth or paper fringe to your invitation, and…

Create the Look: ▸ Add pops of color throughout the tablescape for a fresh and modern look. A polka-dotted paper table runner mirrors the confetti on our birthday cake. ▸ For an easy and inexpensive centerpiece, make celebration pennants with words like “hooray” and “party.” Print them out, wrap around wooden skewers in varying heights, and insert in a simple vase or glass decanter. ▸ To continue the colorful theme, surround the centerpiece with a few small vases filled with seasonal blooms. ▸ Put a handmade confetti popper at each place setting to add to the merriment. Find step-by-step instructions for this fun party element at celebratemag.com. MINIATURE CHEESE BALLS Makes about 3 dozen Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 2 hours 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 (8-ounce) package shredded…

Magnolia Bakery has all the elements of a quaint little bake shop: a wide variety of goodies, quality ingredients, fun flavors, and inviting smiles for customers coming in the vintage-decorated shops. In addition to cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and more, classic cupcake flavors are available every day. A cupcake calendar changes each month, off ering different specialty cupcakes for each day of the week. Magnolia Bakery has locations nearly all over the world for walk-in customers. And they can bring their treats right to you—their strong point is helping patrons celebrate all of the important events in their lives by sending small assortments of cupcakes, shipping boxes of brownies for corporate events, or even providing the sweet touch for weddings. But the quickest way to get a taste of Magnolia Bakery…

For Cristina Riches, a.k.a. “Bird,” party planning simply runs in her DNA. The founder of Bird’s Party Blog still remembers the Barbie-dress cake her mother made for her 10th birthday. “My mom always made a big deal out of birthdays,” she says, “not necessarily in a lavish way but always in a creative and handmade fashion.” When Bird’s own children were born, she decided to leave her job as a chemical engineer to be a full-time parent. She naturally gravitated toward the party scene with her children’s birthdays. She started designing original printables, and soon people began asking if they could buy her designs or if she could style something for them. “That was my lightbulb moment—realizing I could actually live off a creative hobby,” she says. Bird’s Party Blog…

summer giveaways We are giving away all of these products this summer! Visit celebratemag.com for details.…

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE PIE CAKE Makes 1 (10-inch) cake Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 1 hour and 15 minutes Cool: 1 hour 2¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup butter, cubed 1 egg yolk 1 (15.25-ounce) box strawberry cake mix* 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed Garnish: sliced fresh strawberries ONE Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 10-inch deep-dish removablebottom tart pan with cooking spray. TWO In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, and process until mixture is crumbly. Add egg yolk, pulsing until combined. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. THREE Meanwhile, prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into prepared crust, and bake for 45 to…

GRAPE-ESCAPE SNOW CONES Makes 8 servings Prep: 10 minutes 8 cups shaved ice 1 cup quartered grapes 2 cups Grape Simple Syrup (recipe on page 79) ONE In a large bowl, stir together ice and grapes. Spoon 1 cup ice mixture into 8 individual serving dishes. Pour about ¼ cup Grape Simple Syrup evenly over shaved ice. Serve immediately. download it! Visit celebratemag.com to download this invitation and the simple syrup labels. PINK LEMONADE BERRY SNOW CONES Makes 8 servings Prep: 5 minutes 8 cups shaved ice ½ cup fresh raspberries 2 cups Pink Lemonade Simple Syrup (recipe on page 79) ONE In a large bowl, stir together shaved ice and raspberries. Spoon 1 cup ice mixture into 8 individual serving dishes. Pour about ¼ cup Pink Lemonade Simple Syrup…

Charles Phan wanted to make good Vietnamese food within a modern setting. And now he has one of the most popular culinary hotspots in the area. A job at a local disco club, where he refilled ice buckets and cocktail trays, may have been the spark that ignited his culinary passion, even though he journeyed through many other professions in the garment and software industries before settling in to his true love—food. Phan wanted to share the food he grew up eating. With The Slanted Door he is doing just that—creating fresh, flavorful, and simple homestyle Vietnamese food that amplifies California’s terrific produce. His menu is inspired by many family recipes, including his mother’s spring rolls, which he says he will never be able to take off the menu. They…

From the blues trail of the Delta to the calming waters of the Gulf Coast, there’s so much to see in the Magnolia State. Take a trip through Mississippi, and discover everything it has to off er. TUPELO Start your journey with a stop at Tupelo, birthplace of the king of rock ’n’ roll, Elvis Presley. Walk through the humble two-room dwelling where Elvis was born and where he lived his first few years. The landmark is the centerpiece of Elvis Presley Park, where you’ll also find Elvis’s childhood church, a memorial chapel, and the Elvis Presley Museum, among other historical markers. When you head downtown, be sure to check out Tupelo Hardware Co., where Elvis’s mom bought his first guitar. Then, grab a bite to eat at one of…