If you live in the Bozeman area, are a woman, and HAVEN'T paid a visit to Spruce & Honey you are missing out. In my humble opinion this place is perfect. From the calming environment, heavenly smells, and elegant products that grace the shelves, to the always effervescent Keely Degenhart who owns and operates this amazing waxing parlor/apothecary/boutique. When I go to Spruce and Honey I feel like I'm taking a daycation away from all the ugliness of everyday life.
But, I've waxed (ha!) poetic about the amazingness of S&H for long enough: down to business! I was so excited when Keely asked me to design a simple dessert spread for the one year anniversary party she was throwing to celebrate her fantastic achievement (my words, not hers- I'm sure she's far too humble to admit what a badass she is!).
And the cherry on top was that she said I could make anything I want! Seriously, these are my favorite words to hear. I sometimes dream of starting a wedding planning cooperative where a couple would come in and go through an intensive interview process: answering questions that would give us an idea of their personalities, likes, and dislikes in order to come up with a conceptual wedding that truly spoke to their individuality. They would just let us take care of the details and surprise them with the party of their dreams! This is how much I love creative freedom. But mostly what I love about creative freedom, particularly in relation to a special event like a wedding or an anniversary, is the trust it takes to put important decisions in someone else's hands. I am the type of person who flourishes in situations like this. Katalin Green said similar words to me during the planning stage for her magazine release party and look how well that turned out! Hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful trend...
Anyhow I figured since the Chamomile Cream Puffs have established themselves as Whipped's signature confection I ought to include them in the festivities, and so they became (once again) a starting point for the idea train. From there I knew I wanted to keep the desserts rustic yet elegant. I was inspired by Keely's singular aesthetic, which if you haven't been to S&H is equal parts Scandinavian sophistication, silk flannel, gilded whimsy, and Montana ease, all of which led me to Salty Caramel Thumbprints, Lavender Madeleines, GF Espresso Chocolate Ganache Cookie Sammy's, Italian Lemon Thyme Glazed Shortbreads, and GF Candied Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies. Comfort food with an edge.
When I arrived to set up she had transformed the already exquisite space into something truly deserving of celebration. Avant Floral provided a beautiful spray of cherry blossoms; there was a unique array of alcohol that included elderflower liqueur, champagne, ginger liqueur, local brews, and the most adorable beer coozies with the S&H logo on them (my boyfriend was especially excited about these!).
Keely hired a wonderful tarot card reader named Kathleen Johns to perform mini readings on all the guests (Kathleen's phone number is 406-585-7267 and she is FOR REAL. I can't say enough good things about my short time with her!), and a wonderful massage therapist named Rino Kabe (pronounced Reeno Kahbay) who performed relaxing chair massages (call 406-451-9009 for a massage). And than to top it all off there was a free temporary tattoo parlor where I relieved the most awesome hammer and pliers chest tattoo.
The turn out was fantastic and the ambiance was easygoing and fun loving, managing to straddle that fine party line where everyone is a little sauced up and celebratory, but not belligerent or messy. Plus I met so many cool people it was crazy. It was like a who's who of Bozeman ladies, with a few rad dudes sprinkled in for good measure.
Thank you Keely for include me in festivities! It was truly a night to remember!
xoxo
Jazz
P.S. visit the Spruce & Honey Website for more information on this one of a kind local business
