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clever ideas

Why I Decided to Create Presets Just for Cocktails

November 19, 2019 by elana Leave a Comment

If you follow along on the Stir and Strain Instagram, then you may have learned that we rolled out our first set of presets for Lightroom Mobile on Friday. This set of presets is based on 6 classic cocktail recipes. But with so many presets out there already, you might be asking yourself… why? Why more presets?

Manhattan Cocktail Preset // stirandstrain.com
Manhattan Before
Manhattan Cocktail Preset // stirandstrain.com
Manhattan After

Well, here’s my reasoning. A lot of presets I find out there are mainly for lifestyle and fashion photographers (there are definitely ones for the food industry as well but I don’t personally see those as much); these are not those. These are made to work with cocktails and beverage photography. I’ve heard from many followers that they aren’t ready to invest in a DSLR camera and just want great photos from their phone. Guess what? You can totally have that. Presets make efficient use of your time editing on your phone too and take out a lot of the guesswork of how to make your photos pop.

Many of the lifestyle presets out there are blowing out everything and it’s all in soft focus (Because FYI, they’re not really 22. Well, some are…). The sharp clarity and range of colors and tones that comes with cocktails gets lost here. The glint of light on the edge of the glass, the sharp edges of a crystal clear ice cube, the velvety texture of a Luxardo cherry in syrup… these presets cater to this style of photography.

Old Fashioned Cocktail Preset // stirandstrain.comI’ve been creating my own presets to use on my phone and on my desktop so I would be more efficient with my editing. And when I’m editing it on my phone, it also means it’s less steps before I snap a photo and it lands on the internet. I love for my workflow to be as streamlined as possible and presets help a lot with that.

Gin & Tonic Cocktail Preset // stirandstrain.com

 

I’ve been testing these out with followers all weekend and a few questions and comments came up I wanted to mention.

  • First, you do not need to be any level of pro photographer to use these. These are meant for everyone regardless of how much time you’ve spent with a camera, or even just your smart phone.
  • Lightroom mobile is FREE, and once you download it, there are some very helpful guides to get started with. There are also some quick and easy YouTube videos as well on the general functions of the app.
  • We will be releasing other themed presets over the next few months with other types of cocktails in mind (we have a REAL FUN one coming up!).
  • Presets are not a one size fits all type of thing. Please read the descriptions to see what preset will work with the photos you are trying to edit. Once a preset is applied, you can always make adjustments in exposure, contrast, etc…
  • And, if you need help downloading and installing your presets, we’ve got a handy guide for that HERE!

Avation Cocktail Preset // stirandstrain.com

 

Thanks for reading, and for checking out this new fun project we’ve been planning for awhile. And if you have some feedback on the presets, shoot us an email! We’d love to hear from you!

You can find all the presets here on the Gum Road shopping site.

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas Tagged With: Classic Cocktail Presets, clever ideas, Lightroom Mobile, presets

Crafting a Sweet Cocktail Kit

October 15, 2018 by elana Leave a Comment

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.com

This post was made in partnership with Truvia®. Recipes and ideas are my own.

Halloween may have you thinking about those sweet treats filling up your jack-o-lantern buckets, but today we’re going to be talking about a different kind of sweetness…how we show a little sweetness to each other every day. And we’ve got a fun cocktail kit we’ll show you how to make when you want to give a little sweetness to a friend, partner, or yourself!

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comWe’ve teamed up with Truvia® to find out “What motivates you to be sweet and kind.” Truvia and Upworthy.com are exploring what motivates individuals to be sweet. Some of the research might surprise you and they have a fun quiz you can take to find out what your sweetness personality type is too. There are four possible types: Purely Sweet, Reciprocally Sweet, Tactfully Sweet, and Graciously Sweet. Curious what kind of sweetness you are? Take the quiz and let me know! I am Graciously Sweet, which means I enjoy doing kind things with the goal of inspiring others to pay it forward. I admit I do love a teachable moment.

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comSo, today I’m going to use this post as a teachable moment. I’m going to teach you all how to put together a simple cocktail kit to give to a friend, partner or yourself. This could be a thank you gift, a hostess gift, something to give for the holidays, or an extra special treat you can tuck away for yourself when you need a little self-care.

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comTruvia Natural Sweetener packets now come with uplifting sweet phrases on each pack, the perfect little bit of sweetness to add to someone’s day. They are also a great size and amount to sweeten a cocktail with. Adding these single serve packets keeps everything neat and organized.

Ready to sweeten someone’s day? Let’s look at what we’ll need to create this cocktail kit.

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comSmall box, tin, or basket
4 ounce amber bottle
1 ounce amber bottle
Whiskey of your choice
Aromatic bitters of your choice
2-4 Truvia Natural Sweetener packets
Label maker
Rocks glass
Mixing spoon
Jigger
Muddler
Index card and markers

For this cocktail kit, I’m putting together a Whiskey Old Fashioned recipe. For one reason, all the ingredients are easy to come by, and everything is shelf stable. Also, if your friend or partner is a novice when it comes to making drinks, this is super easy!

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comFirst, find a container that will fit everything. A small box or tin works great. You can keep this simple by visiting a craft store or kitchen supply store to find small bottles and bar tools. Also, Amazon has lots of options. Label all the bottles so your recipient knows what’s inside and measure out the amount you’ll need for your recipes. You can choose to create 2 or more servings depending on the size bottles you get. Then create a recipe card with how much to measure from each bottle. You can optionally personalize the items too. Rocks glasses with initials are not hard to come by, and they show the person you went out of your way to find something unique. Finally, tuck the Truvia Natural Sweetener packets in the glass so they can see the sweet phrases on them. Package up everything and deliver to that special someone!

Crafting a Cocktail Kit with Truvia // stirandstrain.comI hope I’ve inspired you to show a little sweetness to someone in your life!

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas, Recipes Tagged With: bar accessories, bitters, clever ideas, cocktail kit, gifts, holiday, home bar, Truvia, whiskey

The Tiki Mug Collection

May 15, 2018 by elana 2 Comments

Stir and Strain's Tiki Mug Mondays Collection // stirandstrain.comIf you’ve been over to the Stir and Strain Instagram page lately (and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?!), you might have noticed a colorful trend starting to appear down the page: tiki mugs!

I’ve been a long time collector of tiki mugs but what good is having a collection if you never take them out to admire them, right? So I thought I’d get a little personal and share some favorites every Monday until I feel like I’ve shared enough.

So, if you’re a lover of tiki mugs, soon-to-be lover of tiki mugs, or just get a voyeuristic kick out of looking at other people’s stuff (all you Hoarders show fans…I’m looking at you), then click on over to our Instagram, give us a follow, and oogle along with us every Monday.

And hey! It’s not just my mugs. I’m encouraging Stir and Strain fans to show off your mugs too by including the hashtag #sstikimugmondays on your posts so everyone gets a look!

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas, Notes Tagged With: clever ideas, notes, tiki, tiki mug, tiki mug mondays

Jet Set Prints for the Midcentury Home Bar

May 9, 2018 by elana 1 Comment

Art and Hue Cocktail Prints for the Jet Set Cocktail Life // stirandstrain.comForever on the lookout for ways to decorate my home bar and bar cart, I came across these new cocktail prints from Art & Hue recently and had to share.

Art and Hue Cocktail Prints for the Jet Set Cocktail Life // stirandstrain.com

Art and Hue Cocktail Prints for the Jet Set Cocktail Life // stirandstrain.comI, like many of us (as the Mad Men phenomenon has us believe), am enamored with that mid-60’s Golden Age of flying. The luxury, the glamor, the booze! These colorful prints from Art & Hue highlight bits of architecture from modernist airports (like LAX’s iconic shapes), as well as pop art styled air hostesses and in-flight services.

Art and Hue Cocktail Prints for the Jet Set Cocktail Life // stirandstrain.comThese prints got the spirit of that era down. And the best part? You can order custom color combos to match your home bar’s decor. Me? I think I’m a big fan of the cobalt and blush.

Online at artandhue.com/jetset

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas, Entertain Me Tagged With: bar art, bar cart, clever ideas, entertain me

Jakobsen Design Cocktail Glasses

June 10, 2016 by elana Leave a Comment

Jakobsen Design Cool Cocktail Glasses and Carafes // stirandstrain.comMaybe it’s my background in the fine arts, or my love of good design that drew me to these hand blown glasses from Martin Jakobsen. Whatever it was, when I first laid eyes on them I HAD TO HAVE THEM. The possibility of making creative drinks had me running to their site to get some, and the price point wasn’t too hard on the wallet either.

Jakobsen Design Cool Cocktail Glasses and Carafes // stirandstrain.comThey’re super delicate and very elegant, but that doesn’t have to stop you from making a cocktail with a creature from the black lagoon inside. If you’re looking to get more creative with your cocktail glassware these just might inspire your inner artist.

Want to see how I styled my Halm glass? Check out my Cucumber Seas Cocktail.

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas, Entertain Me Tagged With: clever ideas, cocktail glasses, entertain me

Cocktail Hour Playing Cards

May 19, 2016 by elana Leave a Comment

Cocktail Hour Playing Cards // stirandstrain.com

Cocktail Hour Playing Cards // stirandstrain.comOur house is a house that loves games. Whether it’s a board game with just my husband and me, or a few rounds of poker with friends, or even puzzle time with the wee one, we always make time for fun (and usually with a cocktail in hand).

Cocktail Hour Playing Cards // stirandstrain.com

Cocktail Hour Playing Cards // stirandstrain.comI came across these Cocktail Hour Playing Cards that just launched on Kickstarter this week and had to share. Their playful blend of cocktails and characters will hopefully be finding a home in our living room soon!

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas, Entertain Me Tagged With: clever ideas, entertain me, games, kickstarter

Now This Is Clever: Mrs. Lilien Dresses Up Your Drinks

July 28, 2011 by elana Leave a Comment

Like most ladies who adore large hats and bejeweled crocodile brooches, I am an avid reader/looker-on of the Mrs. Lilien blog. For a little while now, with news of a cocktail book in the near future, she has released a series of outfits/accessories/etc. inspired by cocktails.

Now, if anyone has hit the target with me on exactly the right way to market, it’s this woman. Show me a chiffon gown with some shiny earrings, a beautiful goblet and name it all after a favorite cocktail of mine and BOOM. I’m sold. I recently was in Vegas for a couple of days and found myself staring at those scroll sunglasses from Prada and walked away only because they had sold out of the black ones. Even more odd was that my husband thought they looked cool. I’m still blinking confusedly thinking of that. I would never have known of their existence (or intense desire to HAVE THEM) until she put it out there as part of a clever ensemble.

Slam.

Crap. I believe that was most of the male readers leaving the room. For those men remaining I have a deep affection for scotch and cigars too. You’re day is coming soon.

My favorite of these featurettes is the Mrs. Negroni. Perhaps it’s the dress, or my love of orange (at the moment), but more likely it’s a love of that bitter Italian aperitif that is getting a workout around the house lately. The cocktails on the blog are not that obscure, but what I’d love to see is an outfit for a Rum Barrel, or a Samoan Fog Cutter- something that you can pair with a giant banana headdress. (I do love the Tiki Drinks). I’m just throwing that one out there…

 

Via Mrs. Lilien

http://blog.mrslilien.com/mrs-lilien-styling-house-blog/2011/5/31/mrs-negroni.html

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Filed Under: Clever Ideas Tagged With: clever ideas, mrs. lilien, negroni

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Classic Cocktail Presets // stirandstrain.com

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