A Lavender Baby Shower for Stephanie and Amelia

 This is going to be a large post. 

So just get good and comfy OK?

Got your coffee? Check.

Comfortable seating? Check.

Kids asleep? Check.

Ok, let s do this thing!

My sister in law, Stephanie, had her sweet baby girl in April, and we were able to celebrate Amelia's birth this Sunday.

Little baby booties met everyone at the front door, along with the Bebe hanging arrangement from Martha's Site. I couldn't get a good shot of it because I had it hung in front of a mirror.

Some of the glassware. I mostly posted this because it's the only picture I have of my kitchen. 

Clean, that is. 

And I'm lovin' my fridge/freezer fronts!

Banner from Martha Stewart Crafts. I used scrapbook paper behind the letters to tie in the lavender coloured theme and so the letters would 'pop' against the windows.

Of course, tissue paper pom poms, a party staple.

My first attempt at Subway art. It turned out really well, I think. It went home with Stephanie to go in Amelia's new room.

These turned out SO good as well. Spice cake mix, made into whoopie pies, filled with 1 jar of marshmallow fluff, 1 block of cream cheese, and 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries.

Yummy!

This was an original recipe from me! 

I really don't like Almond flavouring, so traditional petite fours were kind of a no-go for me. 

Instead, I used a super dense pound cake recipe from this blog.

 I added a vanilla bean, to the batter and baked it in a 9x13 pan, lined with parchment paper.

I infused whole milk with lavender, by simmering the milk with 2 tablespoons of lavender buds, then straining with cheese cloth.

I used this milk to make a standard buttercream, and added a little violet  gel paste.

I also used the lavender milk to make a glaze.

I used a circle cutter for cutting the pound cake, spread with buttercream, top with another circle of pound cake, glaze and decorate.

Please click on the pictures to make them bigger. They are prettier bigger.

Thanks.

I used Amethyst disco dust, Lilac sugar pearls, and Wilton's new edible paper decorations. 

 I used my paper punch for the fleur de lis. I would never buy a special 'cake' punch.

That's just crazy talk.

 These had a lot of steps to make, but each step was easy. The decorating was so much fun!

 You can really tailor these to any theme or event.

My other sister in law, Charla, made some wickedly delicious chicken salad to go on top of mini bagels. The cranberries added sweetness and tied them in with the colour theme.

My friend Ang, brought some gourmet tea and blended the Lavender buds with a delicate Jasmine tea.

 My new glass drink dispenser made her debut! A steal from Homesense! 

I didn't actually steal this. 

It was just so cheap for the size and detail on it, and the fact that it's actually glass!

It was filled with Starbucks Green Tea Lemonade, with just a splash of lavender syrup.

OK, so I'm going to post two pictures of the table. 

Lame, yes.

Let me explain.

I like the brighter of the two, but the it has a chandelier at the top, and I was too lazy to do any editing.

So I put the darker one too. 

Just so you know that I can take a picture.

Ang also brought the bubbly! 

We added Lavender syrup to each glass for the fragrance of lavender and a touch of sweetness.

I read that people sometimes put a sugar cube in their champagne. 

I thought it might give the same effect.

I'm classy like that.

 Gift opening!

Venice was quite the little helper...

Giselle was in there like a dirty shirt too.

Lastly, homemade lavender bath bombs.

 I think you can find that recipe here...

All nestled in on a bed of moss, in a glassed in terrarium that I found at the Salvation Army.

It was black and dusty, but the glass was in perfect condition, and removable.

Hello, spray paint!

 Ang, me, Amelia, Stephanie, Charla, Giselle, and Meryl Streep Venice in the front.

My peanut and the beautiful Amelia.

I would like to say a big thanks to Stacey from Hattrick Designs, who did the water bottle labels, that turned out SO cute!! I can't believe that I didn't get a picture of them! Sorry Stac!

Caramel Drizzle Beignets with Ice Cream

Deep frying is a pain in the you-know-what.

Especially if you have the actual machine.

There's a buh-zillion parts that need to be washed after and you basically need a drum of oil.

Blech.

So when I have all my stuff out, I always scrounge around the fridge and pantry to see what else would be good fried.

Answer? 

Anything.

Over at Kevin & Amanda's blog you can find the recipe to make these bad boys.

I simplified the recipe (if that's even possible?) To include 3 ingredients.

Pilsbury Flaky Rolls

Caramel sauce

Ice cream, I had caramel pecan, which worked out great!

 Separate the biscuits and cut into quarters and fry for 30 second a side.

I'm currently experiencing a paper tower shortage, so I let the icing sugar take care of the excess oil.

(No one in my family was disappointed)

Scoop out ice cream, place hot beignets on top and drizzle with caramel sauce!

 Drool for a minute, then devour.

I also love this recipe cause I get to say BEIGNETS alot.

 I feel so Suuutherrrrn.

Try it with a drawl.

 It's fun.

Cinco de Mayo

Just wanted to post a couple of pics from a Cinco de Mayo dinner I had with my brother, my cousin and his wife.

No group pics and no actual food pics, just a few pretty ones.

Margarita jello cubes.

Yes, those are dipped in disco dust.

Prepped ice cream, ready for the deep fryer.

Happy Cinco de mayo!

Gardening Cupcakes and Gardeners Hand Scrub

A couple of weeks ago, a dear friend called my mom and asked her if we'd make a cake for a birthday party that 2 of her friends shared.

Ummm ok!

We pretty much had free reign over the project, except the flavours of the cake and the theme.

Gardening.

If you know me at all, you'll know that I have killer plant instincts.

Seriously. I kill plants.

But fake chocolate plants, I can live with.

My mom made the chocolate zucchini cupcakes, chocolate cream cheese frosting, carrot cake and the whipped cream filling for the carrot cake cupcakes. Oh and the orange cream cheese frosting.

Basically, my mom made it all. I just got to play and decorate!

A nice change of pace and less dishes.

I melted some green chocolate melting candies. 

Piped it on to a parchment lined cookie sheet to look like sprouts and carrot tops.

Let sit to harden.

I piped the chocolate cream cheese frosting and used some crushed Oreo crumbs to fill in the edges.

I got some green candy leaves from Winners of all places and topped the cupcakes with them and the chocolates sprouts.

SO cute!

The carrot cupcakes are topped with crushed lemon poppy seed cookies and a dollop of orange tinted cream cheese icing.

I let that set up in the fridge a bit before sticking the chocolate carrot topper on.

I made garden stakes with scrapbook paper, vellum and some brads and some plastic garden stakes from the Dollarama.

Here's the delivered cupcakes over at CoCo's house.

This woman KNOWS how to do a dinner party.

Let me tell you!

Each setting had fresh flowers, the two guests of honor had themed gift baskets.

I want a birthday party from CoCo!

As a little bonus for the birthday ladies, I made some gardeners hand scrub.

Easy peasy, people.

Fill a mason jar 3/4 full with sugar.

Dump it out into a mixing bowl.

Add a big spoonful of coconut oil, and a generous squeeze of hand soap or dish soap.

Mix it all up until its nice and pasty.

You don't have to, but I added a splash of lemon extract.

I used left over birthday tags and tied it around the jar.

Happy gardening all.

I'll be in the chocolate patch if you need me.

Lavender Bath Bombs

As I said before, it really feels like the party season has begun!

What better way to start it all, than with a baby shower?!

My sister-in-law, Stephanie just had her second baby girl, Amelia Sofie, and what a cutie pie she is!

I'm hosting a baby shower for her at the end of May with my other sister-in-law, Charla and our good friend Ang.

We're doing little bits and pieces, which makes me even more eager to see it all come together.

I usually don't like posting part of a party until after the parties over, but I just couldn't wait! 

That and I'm about THE worst secret keeper (of exciting things) ever.

Just ask my mom.

Everyone in family always knew what they were getting for Christmas in November.

Anyhoo, Here's what you need to make Lavender Bath Bombs:

Citric Acid
Baking Soda
Essential Oil (I used lavender vanilla)
Lavender buds
coconut oil
6 teaspoons of water
cute muffin tin or large mold if you have one

GO here-----> For instructions. 

I just love e-how!

I used a coffee grinder to blitz the lavender just a bit. Not necessary, but it really brought out fragrance!

Juuuuuust enough water to make it clump.

Pressed into the muffin tins.

Pop 'em out.

 Let air dry.

Then keep in an airtight container, until you're ready to wrap them up in cello bags or tissue paper.

That's it! Pretty party favors for all the guests.

I'll post the final project along with the rest of the baby shower at the end of May.

Meanwhile stay tuned for our kitchen cabinet do-over and some of my 40's Glam birthday party projects!