Rosé Sangria

It’s hard to go wrong with Sangria. Sangria is an agreeable drink, soaking up mixers and fruit without prejudice and turning whatever you throw at it into a perfectly mellow drink that you can serve (or drink) by the pitcherful. The name hints at its origins in a jazzed up red wine, but we’ve had fun playing around with white wine sangria and now a rosé. We’re already a week into August, so September and fall are just around the corner. There’s still some time to squeeze in a pitcher or two. – Andrew

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Rosé Sangria Cocktail Recipe Card by Shauna Lynn Illustration for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Illustration by Shauna Lynn for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Rosé Sangria

1 Bottle (750 ml) Dry Rosé Wine
1 Cup Pineapple Juice
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
3 oz Bourbon
3 oz Triple Sec (like Cointreau)
Half a Cantaloupe, Diced
Half a Honeydew, Diced

Combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. (This step – letting the flavors merge overnight – is the difference between a mediocre Sangria and an amazing Sangria.) Pour over ice, fruit and all, and enjoy!

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We used a dry, oaky rosé so we could sweeten it with fruit and fruit juice without turning the whole thing into a sugary mess. The bourbon was an unusual choice, since most sangrias are fortified by a smooth, mellow brandy, but I wanted to see how it would work paired with the oaky wine. The first taste test left me fearing I had a dud on my hands – it was harsh and muddy, full of clashing flavors. But, I took my own advice and let it sit overnight. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. The flavors married up over night, and the sweet melon mellowed out all the rough edges. The result is light and sweet and summery, with undertones of rich oakiness, and a big silky mouthfeel thanks to the melon. I’m a fan.

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I don’t have a grand unified theory of sangrias yet, and I believe that many of the best sangrias are improvised, but there’s a definite rhythm to the best: a big, dry wine, mellowed by seasonal fruit and a dash of citrus, fortified by a dash more of a smooth liquor and a smoother liqueur. I’m wondering now what I could do to a red wine with some lime juice, rum, and falernum… Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve had a busy week behind the scenes both personally and professionally. My dad came to visit and helped us check a lot of things off our pre-baby to do list (yay!), and spent a lot of quality time with Sophie. She’s finally at the stage where she can remember and recognize relatives that she doesn’t see too often, and my heart pretty much burst every time she greeted my dad by exclaiming “Grandpa!” in her tiny little voice. We’ve also been busy preparing for the next installment in our summer cocktail series – coming next week! But in the meantime…

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Photo by me via Instagram

…a few links for your weekend:

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Check back soon for this week’s cocktail! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week! xoxo

Pretty Paper in the Office: Stationery Sets

I was given a stationery set recently that I decided to keep on my desk to encourage more writing. I didn’t think much of it, but realized how quickly a note here and a little letter there could burn through my stash. It became a little ritual; a break in between work to relax and unwind my brain. That’s just one of the many reasons why letter writing is so special and soul-satisfying. Nole rounded up some favorite writing sheets for longer letters a few weeks ago, and I put together a round up of some great stationery sets in hopes that maybe they’ll encourage you to take a little time to write it down. – Julie

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No. 1 Mode de Paris cards & envelopes from Paper Bistro; No. 2 HAIBARA Colour Rimmed Letter Sets from UGUiSU; No. 3 Check embossed mail set from Present&Correct; No. 4 Boxed stationery set from Mr. Boddington’s Studio; No. 5 Ecru Florentine Writing Set from Paper Source; No. 6 PostalCo letter pad & envelope set from Need Supply Co.

 

{images via their respective sources}

Cristin’s Literary Tea Party Baby Shower Invitations

Baby showers can be so much fun – and the theme options are endless! Freelance designer Candice Scott sent over the invitations that she recently designed for a friend’s shower – which she also hosted! Inspired by the mom-to-be’s career as an elementary school teacher, Candice came up with the idea of a literature-themed tea party baby shower. The invitations feature lots of little book-inspired details – so fun!

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From Candice: When my friend Cristin announced that she was having her first baby, I jumped at the chance to throw her baby shower so that I could design the invitations! Since Cristin is an elementary school teacher I wanted to create a literature themed tea party.

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The invitation itself was inspired by the title page of book. Subtle details like “First Addition” instead of Edition, “Published by” instead of hosted by, and use of the copyright symbol are some of my favorite details of the design.

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I used a white 110 lb. card stock for the front and a thick textured light pink scrapbook paper for the reverse side. The diaper raffle ticket imitates a library check out card and the holder was achieved by cutting a coin envelope in half.

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The party favor tags were inspired by the paper end of a tea bag. The ribbon wraps around the handle just as one would wrap the string on a cup of tea. I cut thick chipboard for the backing and used an eyelet punch to create the hole for the ribbon.

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Thanks Candice!

Photo Credits: Megan Myrick Photography