Inspired Entertaining: Personalized Wrapped Sugar Cubes

A few year ago, I was sitting on the train leafing through an issue of the Australian food magazine Donna Hay, when I came across an article about her (Donna's) collection of vintage wrapped sugar cubes. It caught my eye for a number of reasons--my never ending fascination with all things old and vintage, of course--but also because of the sheer delicate beauty of each little package.

They looked like tiny presents, wrapped delicately in logoed papers, a bevy of colors, patterns, and vintage fonts. Some were decorated with florid line illustrations; others boasted the name of the cafe, hotel, or even train line. These were served in cafe and restaurants for many years, particularly in Europe, but were slowly replaced once companies figured out a way to package granulated sugar. They're still used in some cafes in France and other parts of Europe, but they are becoming more and more rare as time goes on.  New versions can also be purchased online--mostly for the purpose of use with absinthe.



The whole idea captured me and I remember racing home that day to check ebay for some of my own. I stopped myself, though. Life in New York City is already an endless battle against tiny pests; no need to encourage them with a collection of ancient sugar (regardless of how pretty).

So I pulled myself away and went on with things, but the idea popped back up again earlier this year when I was playing around with homemade sugar cubes. I suddenly realized that I could easily make my own wrapped sugar cubes--an unexpected and elegant touch to a tea party or bridal shower. I also like the idea of just making up a bunch to keep in your regular sugar bowl--the "house sugar," so to speak. I remember reading in Jonathan Adler's book that he and his partner keep personalized matchbooks and cocktail napkins on hand as a novelty item for guests--and idea that I've always kind of loved.



So I made up a batch of Alejandra+Eugene sugar, inspired by the design of the Tate+Lyle packets I saw online. To make them, I just created a  design on Illustrator and printed it out on thin paper (use the thinnest paper you can find--it'll be easier to wrap).

Is this a super fussy project? Totally. But it's not hard and the results are kind of adorable and really do open it up to lots of variations. Some other suggestions? Use patterned or colored wrapping paper or tissue paper, use parchment paper and twist the sugar into it in a candy wrapper style, or use a stamp to hand stamp paper with a date or name or design and then cut and wrap.

Check out this amazing Flickr album which features photos of vintage wrapped sugar cubes. I also loved this photo that features a whole collection of them.

To make your own:

If you'd like to recreate this project yourself, I suggest you start by creating a canvas on Illustrator that's 2 1/2" high by 2" wide (each sugar cube is 1/2" and I allotted two sugar cubes per package). The main logo should be 1" by 1/2" and should be placed 1/2" from the bottom with 1/2" on each side and 1 1/2" on top. Or you can do a print or design that repeats over the entire canvas. I then saved it as a pdf and printed it out scaled at 100%, 9 to a page.

I wrapped lined the sugar cubes up and wrapped each pair like a tiny present, securing the edges with tiny bits of clear tape. These will keep forever so you can make them in advance.  (The wrappers can also be reused.)

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Inspired Entertaining: DIY Mercury Glass Votives

A few months into my wedding planning process, I fell in love with mercury glass. Also known as silvered glass, mercury glass is a type of decorative glass that's been blown with a double wall, and then filled with a silvering solution and sealed, creating the effect of a layer of reflective silver trapped within the walls of the glass. As the pieces age, the silver within breaks up in bits creating a kind of marbled effect that, with the addition of candlelight, is absolutely dreamy and perfect for entertaining.

True mercury glass pieces are expensive, but faux versions are just as beautiful and widely available. I quickly grew obsessed with the idea of having a couple hundred mercury glass votives sparkling around the room and on the dinner tables at our reception. Unfortunately, I found that at 2 to 5 dollars a piece, even the faux versions were out of my decorating budget.

So I decided to make my own!

I scoured websites looking for tutorials on how to make my own mercury glass, but I was mostly disappointed with the results. The most popular method around the web is one from Martha Stewart, but all the posts I read about it reported less than stellar results. Her method, which calls for spritzing glass pieces with water before spraying with silver mirror paint, results in a streaky mess. Finally, I just devised my own method.

Once you get the hang of it, the process is simple and goes by quickly--necessary when you're making these in bulk. I was able to complete approximately 200 DIY mercury glass votives in just a few afternoons. My total cost for the project? About $125. Here's what I did:

Materials
1. Krylon Looking Glass mirror-like spray paint (I found this at Lee's Art Shop in NYC, stores like Pearl and some hardware shops will usually carry it. It's also available online. I used 3 cans for my 200 votives.)

2. Acrylic craft paint in shades of glossy black and metallic brown. You can use any brands, but I specifically used Apple Barrel Gloss Acrylic paint in Black and DecoArt Dazzling Metallics Elegant Finish paint in Rich Espresso. One small tube of each is fine and will go a long way. (I bought these at Michael's for less than 2 dollars each. They're also available online.)

3. Sea sponges. I bought two of these. Available at craft stores and in the bath section of drug and beauty supply stores. In a pinch, you can use a small piece of loofah. Don't use a regular kitchen sponge; you want the irregular natural pattern.

4. Clear glass votives, hurricanes, clean jam jars, or other objects of any size or shape. I used about 140 plain clear glass votives, and another 60 decorative ones with ridges. Both work equally well. (I got mine at Michael's, but also check online shops for bulk discounts if you're buying a lot.)

You'll also need:
a dropcloth (I cut a trash bag open), a small dish of water, and a well-ventilated area. (I live in an apartment and it was the middle of winter so I just opened the windows wide, turned on a fan, and took copious breaks. Not recommended unless you want a fierce headache.)

Method
Step 1. Prepare your materials: Use scissors to cut a small piece of the sea sponge. Make sure that it is small enough to hold in your fingers and dab inside the votive. Squeeze about a tablespoon each of the black and brown paints onto a plastic plate. This will be your palate.

Step 2. Dab the sponge lightly into the black and brown paint, and then blot gently inside and around the votive. Use a light hand, and only make a few spots in each. You don't want to coat the votive with paint, you just want to make a few smudges on the inside. Repeat with each of the votives and let dry for about 15 minutes.

Step 3. Shake the Looking Glass paint well and then, holding one of the votives in one hand, spray quickly and lightly INSIDE the votive. You will be doing a second coat so don't worry if it looks thin. Set the votive aside right side up (the same way you would place it on a table if you were using it), and let it dry. Some paint will pool on the inside bottom, but that's OK. Don't move it around too much to avoid streaks. Repeat with the rest of the votives, then let them all dry about 15 minutes. Repeat with a second coat of paint, then let them all dry overnight.

Step 4. If you'd like, you can add a 3rd coat of paint for a more silvered look.

Once the votives are completely dry, they're ready to use! I used these with real candles at my wedding, scattered along the dinner tables and on many other surfaces around the room. When the candle is lit, the flame gives the glass a warm antique glow. The same antiqued mercury glass effect for a mere fraction of the price!

NOTE: This technique also works well on clear glass vases to make gorgeous and inexpensive wedding centerpieces, but if you plan to fill with water, use another vessel or liner on the inside to hold the water as the paint is not waterproof. Note that this is also not food-safe, so you'll also need a liner if you want to use for a fruit bowl or other similar purpose. Once completely dry, it IS safe to use with real candles.

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New to Always Order Dessert? Consider subscribing to my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!

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