Zangari Studio

birthday celebrations & a pinterest inspired cake

2012-11-05T21:32:00-08:00

We celebrated the birthday of a very special 2 year old yesterday. I wanted to bake her cake birthday cake. After some browsing on Pintrest, I came up with these three images for my inspiration. I liked the idea of sprinkles all the way around the side of the cake + the birthday number on the top of the cake + a surprise cutting into the cake inside.

The (pin)spiration:

via Pinterest, the great cake company and pixelated crumb

Going off the party theme of orange + pink party, I loved the idea of a cake with colorful sprinkles that incorporated her age right on to the top of the cake, and of course the inside cake layers coordinated to match the party theme of orange and pink.

Followed these steps to make the cake:

~ Colored the batter of an two 9 inch vanilla cakes with pink and orange food color (no food coloring added to the third 9 inch round cake).
~ Let the cakes cool sufficiently before layering and frosting in between each layer with vanilla frosting. ~Added a crumb-layer of frosting around the entire cake and then frosted so it was fully white.
~Titled the cake on the cake stand to throw / pat the multi-colored sprinkles around the sides of the cake.
~Placed construction paper cut-out of the number 2 on top of the cake.
~Added lots of sprinkles to the top of the paper, making sure the 2 would be clearly outlined.
~ Brushed excess sprinkles off of the number 2. Carefully peeled off the paper.
~ Candles, sing Happy Birthday song, cut & enjoy!

Trying to find multi-colored sprinkles that worked with the orange and pink theme was a bit tricky. The grocery store only had rainbow mix. Sur la Table had postly crystalized sugar sprinkles. Michael’s didn’t have the right colors. Williams-Sonoma had the best selection with the multi-color pink, orange and purple mix + a full bottle of pink-only added to that.

For her first birthday, I also turned to Pintereset for inspiration (remember this post?). I'm glad I decided to go with something that didn't include fondant this year -- that stuff is not easy to work with!

Also have to give a shout-out to my mom for helping with the acutal baking - I've never been very good at getting it 100% right when it comes to the ingredients and have been known to mistake baking powder for baking soda, or accidently leave half the butter on the window-sill while it comes to room temperature - and then forget to include it. Mom made sure this cake actually TASTED as good as it looked!

Splash of the Southwest

2012-11-01T07:25:00-07:00

This trend started emerging almost a year ago, but I’m still seeing native-inspired prints that would look right at home in a Telluride mountain house or if you wear it, on a visit to Sundance. These navajo-inspired prints are popping up everywhere I look. My favorite of all of these are the Steve Madden boots with the splash of orange. This is a cozy look for fall and winter, but it’s definitely a fashion trend I’m surprised to see still holding out. I tend to gravitate toward more classic prints (stripes, dots) and solids in my wardrobe and home decor so that I can rotate through them and feel like wearing or using them again year after year.

Left to Right: Steve Madden 'Tolteca' boots via Nordstrom | Pottery Barn 'Found Patchwork' floor pillows | Anthropologie's 'Southwestern Blanket' sweater | 'Chinle Navajo' rug via Charley's Navajo Rugs

Bring the Feel of Fall Indoors

2012-09-20T07:55:17-07:00

It's a foggy day here in Seattle - the perfect to start thinking about the change of seasons. I love this time of year when the leaves start to turn and you can begin switching out your summer wardrobe of strappy sandals, flowy skirts and tanks for tall boots and sweaters and scarves to wrap youself in. It's also the time when we start to cook with more hearty vegetables and I look forward to curling up with a blanket and a cup of tea in the evening near a crackling fire.

Here are a few of my favorite online finds to help translate a bit of the feeling of autumn into home decor.

Dotted wood & iron mirror via Williams-Sonoma home, a pretty pillow embroidered in a traditional Persian floral motif in rich hues of ochre and amber via Pottery Barn, a cozy wool throw to snuggle up under via Williams-Sonoma home, a patterned rug to add warmth and provide a place to “curl up” via West Elm, and these pretty traviata jar candles from Nordstrom Home come in great scents that suggest exotic locales– my favorite is Fiore de Toscana. And finally, bring the outdoors in with this pretty “peacock tree” giclee that calls fall to mind via Ballard Designs.

Gingham Check

2012-09-09T10:59:00-07:00

There’s something about a gingham - or as the French call it, Vichy - check print I’m loving. It evokes a sense of something Swedish, somewhat Country Living and feels both fresh and traditional in small doses.

Top to Bottom: romo melbury print, keith scott morgan, banks design, gwyn duggan design, gingham print tea towels via West Elm, & gwn duggan design

A fun set of mix & match of big and small gingham checks:

image via romo prints

And a classic black & white big check.

image via House Beautiful

Such a fresh & fun idea for a guest bedroom or shared girls' room.

image via mod home ec

And, I always love a classic Burberry check – coveting for fall!

Images via Nordstrom - rain boot & crossy body bag

Dinner In White

2012-08-30T21:56:23-07:00

Dinner in White (or Diner en Blanc) is a tradition and festive event that began in Paris at two dream-worthy locations – the plaza at the cathedral of Notre Dame and the courtyard of the Louvre – drawing more than 10,000 people for what must be the largest “pop up picnic” in the world. The idea is that you bring your own meal, dishes, and if you so choose – flowers, candles etc. – and then the necessary items to clean up after yourself at the end of the evening.

The New York Time has a great story on it here - and images via NYT below:

Dinner in White at Notre Dame via

Seattle's held its own ‘diner in blanc’ for the past two years – first on the lawn of South Lake Union near the site of the new MOHAI museum and traditional wooden boat floating pond; and this year on a pier at the Seattle waterfront near the new “Great Wheel.”

It’s definitely on my bucket list to attend the Seattle dinner in white next summer … or perhaps I’ll have to take myself to Paris to attend le original! Better yet, why not throw my very own in the backyard?

Left to Right - images via glassy baby, Lily Pulitzer, Hydrangeas, mint & pea risotto, Trina Turk, & champagne

Want to GO?
The events are held in other locations throughout the U.S. If you visit dinerenblanc.info you can find other U.S. locations that seem to be organized through the Paris group.

Design & Decor Mecca: Seattle's Pacific Antique Galleries & Auction House

2012-08-23T22:21:30-07:00

Although I love to flip through the latest home decorating store catalogs to see what looks and styles they’re showcasing, I don’t want my house to look like a showroom from any one source. I love finding different pieces and I shop everywhere from Swedish big box stores to local design posts for a layered look of furniture and décor that speak to me for various reasons. Sometimes I’m looking for something to fit into a certain space and I find it at a great bargain, and other times, I’ve had something in mind that I’ve been on the hunt for – for a while it was a bar cart – now it’s just the right piece of calm and serene artwork for our bedroom for instance. Whatever the case, I often think that older pieces of furniture – especially well-crafted ones – bring a great mix of texture into the home.

A few of my favorite recent really amazing bargains – we’re talking a $5 Ethan Allen desk – have come from Seattle’s Pacific Antique Galleries auction house. I love the galleries – a labyrinth of treasures large and small. And with an unlimited budget you could certainly find more than your fair share to take home. Recently, I purchased a pair of bunching tables in the galleries priced more reasonably than the ones I’d been looking at online from a couple of major home décor sources.

The Inspiration -

Image left and right

Instead, I scooped up this industrial chic pair at Pacific Antique galleries for about half the price of the two options above.

my bunching tables :)

Although the galleries are a great way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon (and we have a lot of those in Seattle!) the real deals are found once every few months at their general auctions.

Pacific Antique Galleries

The first time I went – it was more of a sit-and-take-it-in experience. Each time you go, the deals on furniture really depend upon who’s in the audience and where they’re buying for. There are typically quite a few dealers buying for their booths and stores, as well as regular people like myself looking to score a deal on some new house duds.

a recent auction crowd

Recently, I attended a “Premiere” hoping to find the same amazing deals I’d encountered at the general auctions. I had my heart set on a couple of dreamy works of art, but left empty handed. Here’s a look at the pieces I was eyeing along with their projected value and final sales price. WALTER FARNDON (1873-1964, NY) OIL ON BOARD

Estimate: $1,000 – 2,000

Sold for: $1,000

WALTER FARNDON (1873-1964, NY) OIL ON BOARD

Estimate: $1,500 – 3,500
Sold for: $900

JEAN-CLAUDE PICOT (1933 - , France) OIL ON CANVAS

Estimate: $500 – 750

Sold for: $550

Now I feel like I should have gone for her – she would have looked right at home near my desk, and this actually seems like a pretty reasonable price, but in the moment I decide not to raise that paddle.

OIL ON CANVAS - Signed Carolyn Delaney portrait of woman in blue dress and square earrings.

Estimate: $100-300
Sold for: $70

And this was a cool antique Swedish style tall case clock that went for under $300.

Swedish clock

Estimate: $300-900
Sold for: $275

Here's a sneak peek at a few items that will be available at the upcoming General Auction this weekend!

Happy Shopping!

If You Go

Address: 241 South Lander Street Seattle, WA 98134

Parking: Parking is available in the lot – as well as on a number of side streets near the galleries.

Check it out on the web: www.pacgal.com

Eat: The Mexican food truck in the parking lot actually serves a pretty mean taco. Browsing all those antiquities may put you in the mood for some French fare. You’re in luck – the newest outpost of Macrina Bakery is located just around the corner from the galleries – while you wait between sets at the auction house!

Image via
Macrina Bakery Cafe
1943 First Avenue South
Seattle, WA
206.623.0919