Modern Living Hawaii

Magically Sweet Concoctions

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-10:00

Whether you are celebrating, secretly indulging, or simply need a pick me up after a hard day cupcakes always do the trick! As we all know cupcakes will always be the desert du jour. Here are four cupcake ideas from Martha Stewart that will bring sunshine into any gloomy day. Choose from the Rose, Lemon Meringue, Chrysanthemum, or Hazelnut cupcakes to bring some much needed sweetness into your life!

Message In A Bottle

2009-07-08T06:00:00.000-10:00

Martha Stewart never fails to inspire with great ideas to personalize any party. This romantic idea of a message in a bottle, is a great way to customize place cards at your next shindig. Whether is be for a big event, or a small get together this sea inspired idea will allow the rest of your meal to be smooth sailing!

Inspirational Furniture

2009-07-07T06:00:00.002-10:00

We've fallen in love with this organically breath taking furniture. B&B Italia has a unique way of bringing beauty to your outdoor and indoor life with these gorgeous pieces. The craftsmanship of this furniture is art in itself, simply click on the link above and be inspired.

Winsome Wine

2009-07-06T06:00:00.000-10:00

Gadgets like this one, will take a mediocre bottle of wine and dress it up to be the smooth, flavorful bottle it's always dreamed to be. This Vinturi wine aerator allows the wine to breath causing it to release its intended aromas and taste you might have missed by simply uncorking. Treat yourself to this new invention and enjoy wine in a whole new way. Come home, aerate your glass of wine, indulge in some cheese or chocolate, close your eyes, and drift into a Paris inspired day dream.

Stylish Patriotism

2009-06-30T10:05:00.000-10:00

When bringing your family and friends together to celebrate this Fourth of July, why not put a new twist on the classic red, white, and blue? Rather than covering everything in sight with a patriotic flag, take a step back and go for a more subtle approach. These blueberry cupcakes are easy to make and a great way to bring a natural blue to your table. Martha Stewart inspires us with her berry spritzers and gorgeous centerpiece, making a chic Fourth of July possible. A finishing touch with bite size delicious treats like these cherry tomato tartlets with basil will keep your guests intrigues and impressed. Who said patriotism can't be stylish?

Hawaiian Style Sangria

2009-06-29T06:00:00.003-10:00

Sangria meaning bloody, is a traditional red wine drink in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Today may be the day that this ancient red wine beverage has met its match. A new twist to a classic drink will have you refreshed and relaxed in no time. Bon Appétit blesses us with the idea of rosé sangria with pineapple and guava. This recipe has joined forces with local Hawaiian favorites, pineapple and guava juice for a thirst quenching delight. Perfect for a summer party, small get together, or simply a gift to yourself after a long day.

Ingredients

(12 servings)

1 750-ml bottle rose

4 6- ounce cans pineapple juice

2 11 1/2 ounce cans guava nectar

4 cinnamon sticks

2 cups 3/4 inch cubes fresh pineapple

2 oranges

Preparation

Mix first 5 ingredients in a large pitcher. Add oranges, saving some for garnishes. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve over ice and garnish with orange slice. Enjoy!

Luminous Seashells

2009-06-26T06:00:00.001-10:00

Bring back a relaxing touch of the beach, with this great idea from Martha Stewart. These beautiful lion's paw seashells combined with candles will bring a tranquil and romantic atmosphere to any home. Simply purchase the lion's paws seashells online, fill a tray with sand, and arrange the shells and candles. Light up the candles,make yourself a cocktail, and enjoy your private beach getaway!

Island Inspired

2009-06-25T06:00:00.000-10:00

Tropical leaves make a naturally perfect, and inexpensive, accent to any outdoor party. Freshly cut large leaves make wonderful coasters and are ideal for summer drinks!

You can also use tropical leaves to wrap a glass candle holder to add a textural and unexpected detail to your table decor.

Click here and here for photos.

Sunshine's Cake Creations

2009-06-24T06:00:00.001-10:00

We absolutely love the delicious cakes made by Sunshine's Cake Creations. They are perfect for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, or any other festivity! Not only are they extremely tasty, but they are amazing to look at as well. Sunshine's Cake Creations will custom design your cake with any style, color, or shape you have in mind.

They specialize in grooms cakes and can provide you with the unique cake you desire, whether it be a Primo beer or an airplane with real working lights. They have a huge selection of flavors to choose from, some of our favorites include; chocolate Guinness, tiramisu, red velvet, and raspberry lemon. In addition to these flavors they can create organic and vegan cakes as well

as cookies, pastries, and cupcakes. Check out their amazing website here!

Cake In a Jar

2009-06-22T06:00:00.002-10:00

We love this unique party favor idea, it may seem a little crazy, but cake in a jar will be a memorable gift for your celebration. With a jar and a tight sealed lid this cake can last months. It will slip right out of the jar, and still taste freshly baked. Dress up your jar with a pretty ribbon and a card. This favor would be great for a bridal shower, dinner party, or picnic.

Find the Recipe here

An Engaging Event

2009-06-16T11:00:00.004-10:00

Moana Events is participating in An Engaging Event for 2 days only! Join us this June 20th and 21st for an exclusive bridal showcase at The Wedding Ring Shop.

On Saturday, June 20th come learn the secrets of how to create the wedding of your dreams given by Morgan Childs of Moana Events. Also dazzle yourself with collections of settings and wedding jewelry from The Wedding Ring Shop at special event pricing.

On Sunday, June 21st we unveil the best of Honolulu's Bridal Vendors and give you the opportunity to meet with them one-on-one to design your perfect wedding. This event is free for brides to attend and we want to invite you to be a part of An Engaging Event. Please RSVP to 808.945.7766 or nicole@weddingringshop.com to receive your gift bag and are entered to win our Tacori bridal jewelry sweepstakes valued at $1,000. We look forward to seeing you there!

Inspiration Marked

2009-06-16T11:00:00.002-10:00

click here for photo

We found this easy and adorable way to keep your place for the questions, phrases and ideas you love without ever flipping frantically through pages. Color coded with symbols and adhesive makes this page marker a simple way to keep all your inspirations organized from magazines, catalogs and books.

Little Bow Peak

2009-06-05T06:00:00.002-10:00

click here for photo

Give a sneak peak of what may be underneath that wrapping paper. For Father's day, tie your present with an actual tie, or if you have a spa arrangement, use the loofah as the bow, and what an adorable way to wrap a cookbook by tying a measuring spoon onto your ribbon. Now just think of all the different ideas you can use in lieu of a bow! Happy wrapping!

Cheesecake Pops

2009-06-02T11:39:00.009-10:00

We found this simple, mouth watering cheesecake recipe, that is not only darling, but would be perfect for a hot summer day - there is no baking required!

Bakerella seems to always know just the right recipe idea, and what better way to enjoy cheesecake than on a stick?! Perfect for a bridal shower, baby shower or a summer wedding dessert. Find the whole how-to HERE.

Cool - Down Cocktail

2009-05-26T06:00:00.002-10:00

Click here for cocktail recipe

Try our sophisticated version of the local favorite "Shave Ice", a pink grapefruit, strawberry and champagne granita with sugared strawberries. The perfect refreshment for entertaining on those hot summer evenings.

Custom Koa

2009-05-22T06:00:00.001-10:00

Koa Kards creates Hawaiian inspired postcards out of real Koa wood that we think would make an unexpected Save the Date for your Hawaii wedding or a unique invitation to an upcoming party.

Choose from pre-printed designs or customize your own postcard from Koa Kards to create the perfect invitation.

The Bridal Necessities

2009-05-21T06:00:00.000-10:00

We came across this fantastic Bridal Survival Kit, with everything a bride could need for those "just in case" moments on her wedding day. This chic kit looks like an elegant purse from the outside and once opened, the inside is a fabulous shade of pink and includes every amenity you may need, all neatly organized. A few items we especially love are the Madame Paulette couture stain removal kit, the Ms. Manicure nail files and the essential Gilchrist and Soames sewing kit with pre-threaded needles, just to name a few! It is so important to be prepared and with the Bridal Survival Kit, you will stay cool, calm and collected...until it comes time to walk down the aisle of course!

Flower Girl Couture

2009-05-13T06:00:00.001-10:00

Finding the right dress for your bridesmaids and flower girls can be overwhelming at times. That is why we love Annie Girl by Annie Sokoloff whose mission statement is to pursue excellence outside the mainstream of mass maufacturing and bring that custom quality in her dresses. Each dress whether it be a bridesmaid or flower girls is a masterpiece with a mutliple swatch selection of fabric, texture and color to create the right design for your wedding. Just one look and that's all it took to get us hooked with Annie Girl.

The Comeback Kids

2009-05-12T06:00:00.003-10:00

With so many other popular floral choices, babies breath and carnations found their way to the back of the line. Say no more to last place, they have made a comeback! When you arrange them correctly (using one type of flower for the full arrangement), you can create an inexpensive and modern statement of carnations as shown above, or a romantic bouquet of babies breath for nearly half the cost of other blossoms. Either way, create an upscale look without the upscale cost. Now that's why we believe they deserve first place!

photos from here and here

Bright & Bold

2009-05-11T06:00:00.001-10:00

Satisfy your palate with these scrumptious colors we found on

The Party Dress.

In this day and age, weddings have come a long way from mono-tones to multi-tones and this collection is no different. It can be that one compliment; such as this beautiful fuschia bouquet that ties in the rest of your colors perfectly, or a colorful ribbon on your invitations.

You've heard in once, you'll here it again, it's all in the details, and it can start with these bright and bold colors.

Color Coded

2009-05-07T09:00:00.001-10:00

Don't be afraid to add some color to your kitchen! We love bright colors and the "shop by color" option from Target, is such a great way to shop for home decor! Fancy or informal, classic or modern, you can choose from an array of choices all sorted by color.

What is your favorite color??

We Love Mom

2009-05-06T07:00:00.000-10:00

Just in time for Mother's Day! Here are some gifts that we think mom will love; custom stationary with her name on it by Shutterfly, which has multiple selections and matching sets. This fragrance by Maoli, has a fresh island scent that she can wear for spring and summer. A new floral handmade apron will keep her stylin' and clean when she is in the kitchen. And for a special touch, add her favorite photograph to the top of her gift in lieu of traditional gift wrap.

No matter what gift you may give, remember the greatest gift of all is letting her know exactly how much you love her.

Margarita Madness

2009-05-05T10:09:00.005-10:00

You know we are always excited about a modern take on an old favorite... how about an edible margarita?! Try these tasty Margarita Bites this Cinco de Mayo and surprise your guests with your creative genius.

Margarita Bites

2 cups boiling water

2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Margarita Flavor Gelatin (or lime flavored)

1/2 cup tequila or cold water

Zest and juice from 1 lime

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

ADD boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir with whisk 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in tequila and 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Add COOL WHIP and 1 tsp. lime zest; stir until COOL WHIP is completely melted and mixture is well blended.

POUR into 8-inch square pan.

REFRIGERATE 3 hours or until firm. Cut into 36 pieces to serve.

Cloudy With A Hint of Sun

2009-05-04T07:00:00.000-10:00

One of our brides is a designer and we wanted to put together a sophisticated and unusual color palate that she could appreciate. So, we settled on a tailored gray with a bit of sunny yellow - a little edgy, but still very soft and friendly.

Kentucky Derby Elegance

2009-05-01T07:00:00.002-10:00

The Kentucky Derby is nearly here and we were inspired to create this inspiration board for your party using elements of the classic Mint Julep.

Start by expressing your Southern Belle with magnificent hats, you can find similar styles here and using potted white orchids as your centerpiece is eco-chic and sophisticated, as found on MarthaStewart. Use the traditional silver julep cups and mint leaves to create this Mint Julep recipe and serving them on beautifully patterned cocktail napkins is a definite requirement to bring the Kentucky Derby home. A fabulous equestrian touch, is a must and we found this striking horse decanter. Fall in love with this flirty Spring dress that is just right for the hostess.

Y'all have a good time now, ya hear?!