Sharon Taylor Designs Sustainable Supper is Featured on Inspired by This!!

I'm Inspired.

I'll start right at the top of the list:

1. Inspired by This is one of the leading wedding p.r. sites in the wedding industry. Leila inspires me daily, beyond words. I first found out about her through the ever-amazing Carissa Jones of JLDesigns, of L.A., CA...who I will have the pleasure of working with on a very special, knock-your-socks off, bohemian wedding in fall 2010.

Leila has given us, here at S.TaylorDesigns, such an honor of being highlighted in one of the prime spots of the year. Thanksgiving.

Thanks so much, Leila, and Brittany!

The Team that Made this Shoot Possible:

2. Ruell Chappell, co-founder of the Well Fed Neighborhood Alliance--The local sustainability visionary!

3. Chef Rob Corliss, founder of ATE {All Things Epicurean}

4. Photographer, Sesha Shannon, of Convey Studios.

5. The Farmers Market of Springfield, MO.

6. Other Contributors include:

Millsaps Farms

Stoney Acres Sheep Dairy

Springfield Farmers Market

Sunshine Valley Farms

Honey Heaven

Ozark Country Kitchen

Mountain View Farmers Market

Brown Derby Wine Center

Charley’s Antiques

Ter Ron Kat Gardens

I am thankful for each of these inspiring artists, farmers, and contributors above. I hope to have many more grand experiences such as this one. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Stay tuned next week for my interior design makeover updates.

The Mona Lisa Table is Set!

Here is my Mona Lisa inspired table I have been dying to post. Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio photography nails it every single time...I cannot get over it. Stunningly painterly + Golden light!

I'll be posting again a bit later today with the full, knock-out menu created by local chef, Rob Corliss, founder of ATE {All Things Epicurean}.

Inspired by This is featuring this story a bit later today, so pop on over there this afternoon.

I'm also setting the table and hanging the fresh greens over at "Mam-Maw's" house today for our own family Thanksgiving. With a twenty foot long dining room fitted with a roaring fire in the fireplace, a twelve foot long harvest table, a large cascading waterfall chandelier, and a brand new set of crate & barrel dishes...I think I'll be rollin' around in heaven. If you can picture all of that...now, just imagine how good Mam-Maws food is gonna be! She's the best.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

xo

shar

A Mona Lisa Inspired Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to a slower pace to do the following...{and I hope you can do the same}

Spend time with my family, learn from others, share new ideas, enjoy some good, farm-fresh food, the outdoors, And...reflect on where my seeds have been sown.

I'll be sharing the table and trimmings on tomorrow's post, but here is...

The Mona Lisa Thanksgiving Inspiration:

The common thread weaving thru my inspiration board for the Thanksgiving table, started with a humble painting from the Renaissance period. I wanted to echo the Slow-Drying painterly method used during that period; the richness of autumnal tones, texture, and drama... plus the time piece of getting back to our "roots". Sustainability. Each image speaks of our day of harvest... in ways that just make beautiful sense.

A BIG Thank you to the local farmers, artists, and creative thinkers involved in all of the inspiration for the very first Well-Fed Feast project with the Well Fed Neighborhood Alliance.

A delish and exciting post for tomorrow!

{images via we heart it, flickr, the green vase, imogene and willie}

10 Step Mason Jar Candles for the Holidays: Get Cozy!

I apologize for the lack of posting...please be sure and stay tuned this week for some fun barnyard posts! Got some goodies.

Will decided to gather up all of our old mason jars we have collected and stored in the cellar. We use them all the time for my event planning/parties that I host. But this time, instead of using tiny tea-lights that have to constantly be lit and re-lit, then cleaned out, he decided to make long-lasting candles to last us thru all of our own holiday celebrations.

The candles were a lot of fun to make, super cheap, and just a really sweet and simple cozy touch that goes right along with the "homegrown" philosophy that I heart. The large blocks of wax and candle making supplies were purchased at our local craft store.

Materials needed: A large pot, a steel "melting" pot/pitcher, jars, wick string, scissors, masking tape, candle anchors, thermometer, a stove, water, and a hammer.

Directions:

1. Place all of the jars and materials out on a table.

2. Unravel the wick spool and cut the wick thread a little longer than the height of the candle jar.

3. Feed the wick anchor thru and not it at the end.

4. Lower the anchor into the jar until the anchor is at the bottom of the jar...take the excess wick thread at the top and wind it around the pencil and tape it. {the wick needs to be completely vertical and centered with the pencil holding it in the right place.

5. Break a large block of wax with a hammer while still in the package.

6. Place the chunks of wax into the "melting" pot/pitcher.

7. Fill another large pot with 1/3 of water.

8. Place the "melting" pot/pitcher into the large pot of water.

9. Heat the two on Medium heat until reaching a temperature of 150 degrees or melted. Watch closely while wax melts.

10. Slowly take the "melting" pot/pitcher out of the boiling water and pour the melted wax into the prepped jars. Let cool. Cut wicks to 1/2 inch above solidified wax.

So far, they have burned beautifully for Halloween, and the sustainability dinner party {shown at top}, and will definitely be used for the rest of the winter season.

Also, on a side note...The wine pictured at top is a Missouri wine that is surprisingly good! It's called Mount Pleasant Claret {The International Wine Center}, and was chef-selected by local, Rob Corliss. I recently had the pleasure of working with him on a wonderfully delightful harvest dinner party that was hosted in a 10x12 greenhouse.

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Stay tuned for some delish posts this week.

{Images via Sesha of ConveyStudios, and sivan lewis photography. How-to images...by me.}

Baby Shower Fit for a Queen...Queen Elizabeth + Prince Albert

Sister Lizzie {Elizabeth}, is about to have her first little one. The twentieth grandchild for the Arnold family. His name will be: Albert Rasmussen. I can't wait to see this little guy!

When I was making a title for this post, I realized that she and bebe have Royal English names {Sweet + a little pretentious sounding, I know!...I said that in my best Emma Thompson voice}.

Well, we'll take care of the pretentious part, because there will be a couple of Midwestern /Americana details that guests can count on: rotel dip + lil smokies + ladies arm wrestling, and for those who need to take it outside for a bit {toddlers perhaps}, tire-swinging. It's these relaxed, yet rich details that make a bebe bash super fun + soulful + delish in my opinion. A spot of tea just might be in order as well {insert Judy Dench voice}!

Lizzie made a darling bride. Lucky me, I was able to decorate and coordinate their {Jared's and Lizzie's} 2008 wedding that was featured on 100 Layer Cake.

Her bebe's nursery is darling + serene + mod! And... No, Lizzie didn't need my help in decorating it. You will LOVE her whole decor style when I get around to posting a peek into their house!

The Sister's and I will be hosting the colorful/glitzy-antlered bash directly after Thanksgiving. I'm so loving the glittered deer as inspiration {deer found @ Pier One + the local Red Velvet Art}

I'm making some glittered antlers for Lizzie and to wear as her Queen Elizabeth crown for her special high tea.

Inspiration images: Red-Velvet Art + Twin Town Studios Photography

The Start of a Scandinavian Holiday

With the Holidays fast approaching, I'm sorry to say, that I already feel behind on posting the Holiday Windows that are still in transition at the moment. I wish I had Buddy the elf right about now.

I'm super ecstactic about the theme we have decided to go with: Modern Scandinavian.

Here is a snippet of the crafting we've been doing around here over the weekend: Paper Snowflakes, Paper gal strands, whip-stitching burlap, rosette making, straw wreaths, wrapping presents, and bow-making.

And not to overlook Thanksgiving...I must ask if you have you come up with your own Thanksgiving table scape ideas yet? The city sage posted some lovelies today to get you in the mood. I hope you find inspiration, and if stylizing is what you need...you know where to find me.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

I've put the blog on pause for the last few weeks in order to focus on the business and some of my own thoughts and upcoming projects.

Recent Work: I recently collaborated with a few inspiring local artists on a local sustainability dinner party shoot. I designed a table scape inside a 10x12 green house. I'll share more on this later.

A personal note:

As a business owner and artist, I am continually working hard to try to produce fresh ideas that are marketable to potential clients.

If I may share a thought on a recent thing that happened here on the local front... If you work for a well marketed local company that would like to use my work/ideas/resources/vendors in the future, I would kindly ask that you please link back to me and give my business due credit/promotion that I rightly deserve. Good karma and smiles!

I saw a wonderful movie last night called September Issue. A documentary following the work of the editors of Vogue Magazine. One quote that I took to heart was, "Look forward, not backward." I love that!

{Image from Convey Studios Photography}

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!