We are nearly paralyzed with delight after experiencing a morning dreamed up by blogger Bri Emery of designlovefest and floral wizards and stylists Kristen Caissie and Amy Lipnis of Moon Canyon Design.
Last weekend, a couple dozen lucky, design-curious workshoppers gathered inside Bri’s white-washed downtown studio to learn about floral arranging from a couple of LA’s best. Kristen and Amy, whose work is no stranger to find here on The Chalkboard, dish out some of the most well-styled blooms in California. Their naturalistic feel for arranging and whimsical styling were on full display in the workshop’s lush layout of floral options and Amy’s hand-painted watercolors that added a modern edge to the overwhelm of daffodils, poppies, ranunculus and kumquat stems gathered for the arrangements.
Get your morning coffee, herbal tea or green juice and take the time to click through each image from the weekend’s event. Let the pastel chairs, gobs of paperwhites and freshly made scones seep deep into your weekday consciousness. You can thank us later.
Also joining in on all the floral fabulousness, Barrett of Valleybrink Road provided a delicious spread of morning treats for all the budding florists. Among the nibbles, these Cara Cara Orange Shortbread Cookies stood out to us and were divine with a bottle of Pressed Juicery’s Citrus 4. We asked Barrett if she’d share this citrusy recipe with us. Make the cookies yourself with the recipe below and, while the cookies bake, sign up for designlovefest’s mailing list to find out more about upcoming workshops, including more floral events, calligraphy classes and just about anything else that will bring out your designlove best!
CARA CARA ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Ingredients
1/3 cup organic sugar
2 tsp cara cara orange zest, finely grated
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted organic butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose organic flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar with the grated orange zest. Using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer, beat in the butter at moderate speed. Reduce speed to low and beat in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove the dough from the fridge and form the dough into a 4-inch log and chill for at least 45 minutes longer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the shortbread dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and place the rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the shortbread for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Transfer the baked shortbread to a wire rack to cool completely.
The cookie-dough log can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw slightly before slicing. The baked shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
