I keep seeing these gorgeous purple baby artichokes at my local fruit and veggie market. I am enamored by them, but I have no idea how to cook or serve. I’ve done some searching, and most of what I have found is how to use them as decoration. They make lovely tabletop pieces, as seen here in this Food Network story about Thanksgiving ideas or this suggestion from CasaSugar on alternative wedding bouquets.

Surely they must be more than a pretty face? Any suggestions on how to cook? Do you just steam them like regular ‘chokes and take tiny bites? Sounds unsatisfying… Help!

Confession time: I’m terrible at wrapping presents. I always have the best intentions. I walk by Paper Source’s windows and think, “Ohhh, that’s what I want to be!” I want to be one of those people with a gift wrapping station complete with a dozen different colors of washi tape and tinsel bows. I want to present my wedding shower gift and have everyone coo over the homemade tissue paper violets perched beside the bow. But, let’s cut the crap, I never am. I don’t have the time, money, or energy to make paper turkeys to decorate Thanksgiving cards. I always end up wrapping birthday presents in leftover Christmas paper. My cringe-worthy, rock bottom moment came when I presented a baby shower gift in a slightly used Halloween trick-or-treat bag.

There is hope for me yet! A light on the end of the horizon has appeared in Wordless Design’s universal wrapping paper. The paper allows you to choose your own celebration by circling the appropriate sentiment. Not only is the paper universally usable (cutting down on having to stock rolls and rolls of specific birthday, mother’s day, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Festivus, etc. paper), but it’s also sharp, clean, and minimalistically appealing. Five sheets of this rad wrapping is about 15€.

The thing about vacations is that as soon as one finishes, the next one starts blooming in your fantasies. As you know, lately I’ve been daydreaming about all the houses we can rent while traveling. That was until I came across Treehouse Point, a collection of Treehouses outside of Seattle available for overnight stays, weddings, events — even business meetings! I am sure a lot of creative thinking could be done up high with the birds — think of all the Hunger Game role playing you could act out up there. But a destination wedding would be really dreamy (leave the Tarzan jokes behind, please). If your night up in the canopy leaves you really inspired, you could take a treehouse building workshop. In three to five days, you’ll learn everything you need to “get off the ground on the right foot.”

Yesterday among the bills and the Chinese food fliers, I received a little neon pink envelope in the mail. It was a save the date for a summer wedding (which is pretty much the golden ticket of postage items). Besides being adorable, it was also an ingenious little save the date! It was a scratch off ticket, mailed with a nickel, that revealed the wedding date as you scratched. After a little research, I found a great, simple how-to for the invites from (who else?) Martha Stewart. –Katie D.

I’m fresh off a family wedding in Cape Cod and while there’s a lot I’d love to share (and probably will!) today I have to mention the favors. As their parting gift to guests, the bride and groom gave these adorable note cards complete with honey sticks and a heart-shaped swath of wildflower seed paper from Botanical PaperWorks. I‘m thrilled! We’re all familiar with the debate about the value of wedding favors – some appreciate them while others could go without another thing to throw away – and I thought these were a delightful middle ground. Simple and thoughtful, they have a longer shelf life than food, and give guests the gift of beautiful flowers that will undoubtedly remind us all of the happy occasion. What do you think readers? Care to share some of the best favors you’ve received? – Sarah C.

For more unique favor ideas, see what Angela gave at her wedding and loved from a friend’s.

Imagine this: You’re planning a bridal shower brunch for 80 (yes, 80) guests. The invitations have been sent, the favors ordered, the menu set and venue booked. The only thing that remains in this large-scale production is deciding on and making the centerpieces for the tables. This is the dilemma facing a good friend right now, and so I’m looking to you, dear readers, for a solution. Flower arrangements can be expensive so we’re searching for some creative ideas that we can execute ourselves on a manageable budget. We’ve been looking into big, scene-stealing flowers, like peonies and hydrangeas, which might be able to do the job of bigger bouquets with fewer stems. I’m also intrigued by the idea of Martha Stewart’s paper flower tutorial as a craftier option but please, weigh in! Have any flower suggestions to share? Know of a great, executable centerpiece strategy you could pass along? Sound off in comments! — Sarah C.

Wills and Kate are doing it: breaking tradition by having their wedding on a Friday. But they’re not completely trailblazers: lots of people have chosen to skip the usual Saturday afternoon affair and hold their weddings on other days of the week. Having your wedding on an alternative day can really save on the dough: our site cost significantly less because our wedding was on a Sunday. I even know folks who had their wedding on a Thursday night who saved $2000 off their venue — and that is a lot of money where I come from. And some event sites have Saturdays booked out years in advance, so being flexible can also add more options when searching for the perfect space. How about you? Was your wedding on Saturday or did you choose another day? — Megan B.

As I’ve been preparing for this year’s run of the summer wedding gauntlet, I’ve noticed a pattern: Crate & Barrel’s cold beverage jar with stand, $49.95, has been on every single registry I’ve looked at. I love everything beverage dispensers stand for: summer parties, cocktails, refreshing drinks! But never have I actually attended an event where I’ve seen one in action. Yes, considering the trend the reason could lie in the fact that the friends that would have the type of soiree that calls for one haven’t received them yet, but still, this item seems to be a popular one for these summer registries. It also calls to mind Anthropologie’s designer version, $298, but with its equally Anthropologie price tag, my summer drink serving needs are best left to the registry specialists at Crate & Barrel. What do you think, readers? Any other hot registry items to keep on the radar? Did you ask for a beverage dispenser, and if so, do you use it? — Sarah C.

Related:
planning a wedding: fun with the registry
post off: what item just didn’t work for you?
wedding registry idea: something old instead of new

With the Royal Wedding just one week away, we are suddenly feeling our Anglophile tendencies bubbling up to the surface. Ebay is already flooded with souvenirs and memorabilia, but there are also a few hot designer items we have our eyes on now. Our favorite British deco mag, Living Etc has put together a fun auction of unique Royal Wedding Plates by designers like Donna Wilson, Jonathan Adler and Lee Broom, who designed the Pearly Prince & Princess plate shown above. Bidding starts at £30 (about $60) and all proceeds go to a charity group, Shelter. Email your bid to livingetcplates@ipcmedia.com by midnight on the 29th for a chance to win.

For those who are more committed to the royal theme, check out this adorable Crowns and Coronets wallpaper from Graham & Brown. If plastering your walls isn’t enough fun, it also comes with self adhesive jewels you can add to give your wall some extra sparkle.

Even without plates and wallpaper, you can bet we’ll be up early on the 29th, eating scones and watching in glee as Kate takes her walk down Westminster Abbey’s center aisle. Are you planning to watch?

When it comes to invitations or holiday cards, I’m usually the type to camp out in a stationery store with a cup of joe and a critical eye, preparing for a decision-making summit of epic proportions. With my card fetish, that’s no surprise, but recently I’ve been considering trying online stationers for their ability to offer a greater variety than many stores. One company with enviable street cred is tinyprints.com. Featuring lines by some of our favorite designers, (Dwell Studio, Oh Joy!, Louella Press and Wedding Paper Divas, to name a few), the site offers a massive yet expertly-curated selection of customizable designs for all occasions and business needs. Beyond cards, the company also prints photo books, calendars and address books and offers mailing services and an RSVP manager. Stop by this weekend to take advantage of the sitewide sale, or visit on Thursdays to reveal the Deal of the Day. Standard domestic shipping starts at $7.50 for 500 cards or less. – Sarah C.

Have a favorite online stationer? Tell us in comments!