Not-Your-Collage-Jello-Shot

I'm obsessed with the newest thing in the cocktail industry - homemade "jello shots" !!!!  Yes, similar to those ones you had in college, but not disgusting!  While on vacation, I took the opportunity to whip up a bunch of different versions, including these grapefruit margarita ones - give them a whirl - I can't wait to hear what you think!

Ingredients: 1 1/3 cup grapefruit soda (I used Izzy's sparkling juice) 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tsp sugar 2 envelopes Knox gelatin 2/3 cup tequila Fresh grapefruit segments for garnish, if desired

Instructions:

Pour soda, lime juice and sugar into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

Mixture may be foamy initially, but this will disapate. Remove from heat.

Stir in the tequila. Pour mixture into loaf pan.

Place in refrigerator to set (several hours or overnight).

To serve, cut into desired shapes.  Garnish each jelly shot with a small grapefruit segment, if desired.  CHEERS!

Makes 18 to 24 grapefruit margarita shots!

Washingtonian does Weddings!

Springtime in the District!

Springtime in Washington means one thing - Cherry Blossoms!  We know Spring has arrived when our town gears up for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.  The blooming of our beautiful Cherry Blossom trees draw tourists and locals alike to the National Mall for springtime fun! This year the festival takes place from March 27th until April 11th with the peak blooms on Easter Sunday!  With being so popular, it's no wonder we receive a ton of requests for Cherry Blossom inspired wedding invitations, save-the-dates and personal stationery.  This week we'll share some of these projects and a bit of Cherry Blossom inspiration with you.  Be sure to check back!

Washington Printmakers Gallery

In a city that calls itself home to the most visited museums and art galleries in the nation, it's easy for a boutique gallery for art and education to get forgotten.  But the Washington Printmakers Gallery is a gem for guests and locals alike.  During my most recent outing to the gallery back in July, compelled to return by the exhibit "Meet Your Printmaker", I was reminded of how much I enjoy every visit to the space that dedicates it's walls to an art form often forgotten in our larger galleries.  As a printer, I'm always inspired by what I see fellow printers creating and it's refreshing to remember that letterpressing can be art and not just a business model!

So if you've not visited the Washington Printmakers Gallery, I certainly encourage you to visit the DuPont Circle based gallery at your next opportunity.  The gallery is open seven days a week, is free to the public and features a fabulous lecture series for it's more impressed guests!

Slash: Paper Under the Knife

We were excited to read New York's Museum of Arts and Design will host Slash: Paper Under the Knife beginning on October 7th.  This exhibit, created mostly from artists commissioned to create a piece for specifically for MAD will showcase art made from paper to the extreme.  From the MAD website...

"Slash: Paper Under the Knife takes the pulse of the international art world's renewed interest in paper as a creative medium and source of artistic inspiration, examining the remarkably diverse use of paper in a range of art forms. Slash is the third exhibition in MAD's Materials and Process series, which examines the renaissance of traditional handcraft materials and techniques in contemporary art and design. The exhibition surveys unusual paper treatments, including works that are burned, torn, cut by lasers, and shredded. A section of the exhibition will focus on artists who modify books to transform them into sculpture, while another will highlight the use of cut paper for film and video animations."