Special Events

Meadows Museum Open House = Success

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Fabulous Evening featuring The Art and Soul of Spain

I am so lucky to have such AMAZING friends who make the Meadows Museum such a beautiful space.  Photography: Tamytha Cameron Photography, Tablescapes: Posh Couture Rentals, Florals: The Garden Gate, Catering: SMU Catering with Denise Acuff Lentz and Scott Rubin. Music: Gyros string quartet, Gold Crown Valet, AFR event furniture, Event Planner: Marin Elizabeth Fiske-Rankin

POSH COUTURE RENTALS Hearts ME!

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NOSTALGIA: A KENTUCKY CHRISTMAS WITH MARIN

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012
If anything, the holidays should be a time to reflect on our family and blessings. With everything going on in the world around us, that sentiment is only too apropos this December. With that in mind, we asked a couple of our dear friends to share the very things that make Christmastime so special for their families.We know Marin Fiske-Rankin as a friend and creative Events and Food Service Manager at SMU'sMeadows Museum. (You may remember her handiwork from this post on the Velazquez Black Tie Dinner in honor of the collaboration with the famed Prado Museum.) Her sense of humor and sweet disposition immediately brought her to mind for this post, but once we found out she grew up on a horse-racing farm in Kentucky, we knew she would have great memories to share with us. See what makes a Kentucky Christmas so special below and check back tomorrow for a tabletop inspired by Marin and her scrumptious English and Kentucky recipes.

Top Image: MARIN AS A CHILD ON HER HORSE, SALLY / MARIN AS WE KNOW HER TODAY | Middle Image: THE GATES AND CORINTHIA GATE ARE ACTUALLY PICTURES FROM MARIN'S FAMILY HORSE-RACING FARM | Bottom Image: NOTHING BEATS SHARING CHRISTMAS IN YOUR PJ'S WITH FAMILY IN KENTUCKY

Thank you for sharing with us, Marin. POSH friends, we'd love to hear what memories make you nostalgic for the holidays.

I like fancy things

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Opening weekends are a marathon of  problem solving, decision-making, and actual running.   Oh! Don't forget the smiling!!  Here are some snaps from the best photographer in Dallas Tamytha Cameron Photography

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Texas Braised Short Ribs with a sherry porcinni sauce

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Seafood Paella

*presented in a seashell

served with herb roasted baby vegetables

Happy Friday!

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Whew, last weekend was a busy one!  Here are a few snaps by my friend Tamytha Cameron Photography [caption id="attachment_1137" align="aligncenter" width="490"] The Garden Gate[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1138" align="aligncenter" width="490"] SMU Catering[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1139" align="aligncenter" width="490"] The Garden Gate[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1140" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Mini Corn Dogs[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1141" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Buffet[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1143" align="aligncenter" width="490"] the stars at night are big and bright on my Texas cookies[/caption]

jump down turn around pick a bale of cotton

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I love this use of fluffy, dreamy cotton in floral arrangements!  These stunning arrangements are from Tall Cotton and Peas  Etsy shop.

[caption id="attachment_888" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Amazing mix of colors"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Oh, So Southern Wedding!"][/caption]

Spring weddings! YEA! YEA! YEA!

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I am one of those people who would get married once a year if allowed (same husband).  Lucky for me I avoid the cost of this by planning and designing other people's weddings!  I do love my job. Here are some inspiration that everyone can appreciate!

[caption id="attachment_778" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="

"][/caption]

styled by Jamie Laubhan-Oliver

Published 12.14.2011

From D Weddings Spring-Summer 2012

Honestly, the best bouquet is homegrown by your Mom, and then wrapped lovingly in a big gaudy bow by your very southern Bannie.  Take that fancy pants..

honoring Santiago Calatrava

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This weekend I designed and managed the following. Super fun, but exhausting.. Here are some photos by my extremely talented friend Tamytha Cameron [caption id="attachment_754" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="The Garden Gate (Dallas)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_755" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="The Garden Gate (Dallas)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Photograph by Jake Dean"][/caption]

all hail Design Seeds®

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One of my simple life pleasures is Design Seeds®.  Beautiful, inspiring, and so useful!  Professionally as an event designer, and at home as a color lover! (Lemon lick floor tiles, you betcha) Here are some of Jessica's swoon worthy selections.

[caption id="attachment_703" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="Design Seeds®"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_710" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Design Seeds®"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_705" align="aligncenter" width="439" caption="Design Seeds®"][/caption]

and of course, some chicken inspiration too!

[caption id="attachment_708" align="aligncenter" width="463" caption="Design Seeds®"][/caption]

I could do this all day!  Enjoy her site, tis a-mazing.

Support the DFW Truck Farm rolling into local schools!

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Join Garden Inspirations on Sunday April 22, 2012 at Earth Day Dallas for the DFW Truck Farm 5k Fun Run!

You will pass by  the Truck Farm as you run through the course and cheering farmers along the way will provide you with delicious water to clear your parched throats.

After you complete the run, you'll be given a picnic blanket and a grassy area to participant in the World's Largest Picnic and enjoy a celebration show!

Once you register you will receive updates as we add them to the event and a ticket to the pre-screening of Truck Farm, a documentary on the fleet of US Truck Farms. 

Your support will help the DFW Truck Farm rolling into schools in the upcoming year - teaching the community about local foods and gardening in small spaces!

Register by clicking HERE

Fees:  $25.00 January 23th - March 25th

$35.00  March 26th - April 21st

$40.00 Race Day

a meeting of the minds

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Yesterday I went to a networking meeting my Garden Inspirations buddies organized at Ann’s Health Food Center in Waxahachie TX. It was really great to meet other people in our area that have the same interests as me.  Some of their specialties included; food safety concerns, organic farming, natural ranchers, organic gardeners and just other people living creatively.  This group of people is so important to DFW and surrounding area.

I am looking forward to getting in touch with those I met!  Hopefully I will get to conducting some traveling workshops. :)

[caption id="attachment_504" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="if this is your photo please contact me so I can give you credit for being so awesome."][/caption]

Local Awesome Alert: Garden Inspirations Classes

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Want to learn how to grow an organic vegetable garden?  How to make and use compost?  What about canning and preservation classes? Container gardens? Meet the architects of your new & better life, mother and daughter team Donelle and Marilyn Simmons.  They are the proprietors and operators of Garden Inspirations.  Which is WAY more than a farm/garden.  From start to finish these ladies can teach you what you need to know to change your life and footprint.

Spring classes are forming now.  Visit their website and get signed up!   http://www.gardeninspirations-tx.com/index.html