Author:Lori
Celebrate, Favorite Things, Savor

Berrylicious!

July 17
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Dropping my son off at the airport for his long flight to China proved to be a little stressful for me!  Luckily, one of my favorite places was just around the corner for some retail therapy to take my mind off the fact that my household will be one person short for the next two weeks!  I love Ikea for so many reasons…the prices, the large array of goodies to look at, and always some inspiration to take away!  So that said…I’ll share what inspired my menu (and decor) for a tiny gathering to celebrate a special day!  It’s summer…so for me the thought of bright, colorful flowers and fruity desserts and cocktails are so festive…and perfect for the season!  I’m sharing the site for a “favorite thing” and have two recipes to offer up via links today–one for a “sweet” & one for a “sip”–and since I had a stressful week, my husband and I had a trial tasting of both…you’ve got to sample what you serve, right?   Take a peek at this very-berry inspired treat…

summer berries…summer treats!

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Collect

Patio Pails

July 15
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During the summer we practically live on the patio!  I love to be outside and breathe in that fresh air filled with the scents of freshly cut grass and hot coals from the BBQ!  The sweet sounds of summer–kids playing, birds singing, and the occasional chimes of the ice cream truck–seem to soothe any encountered stress and whisper to me that “yes, it really is summer”!  And all those things I mentioned can instantly take me back to the wonderfully simple years of my childhood…so I always welcome an evening on the patio!  Since we spend so much time there I like to have some seasonal supplies at my fingertips so I’m not constantly running into the house for those little necessities!  You know by now that I love galvanized buckets and tubs…so I just grab a few and fill ’em up with all the goodies we might need while enjoying our outdoor spaces.  I leave them on the porch most of the time, but since they’re in convenient containers I can easily cart them wherever they’re needed!  So grab a pail or two and keep your summertime supplies at hand!  This is what I keep in mine…

simple organizing with patio pails…

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Celebrate, Savor

Good Fortune!

July 13
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Last evening my family joined three other families for a Chinese stir-fry dinner to celebrate an exciting trip that all of our boys will be taking…an adventure in China!  This wonderful opportunity is offered to students through the Chinese Bridge-Summer Camp–sponsored by the Confucius Institute Headquarters in cooperation with Confucius Institutes in the US.  Our kids will explore China, learn some language skills, and enjoy many cultural experiences…I’m so excited that our University takes part in this program!  An opportunity that otherwise might not be experienced within our family!  But as fortune has it, our oldest son and several classmates will be taking this trip of a lifetime!  One of my friends (who has a son also traveling) decided to host a celebratory dinner…with Chinese food in mind!  This gave me the opportunity to try something that I’ve always wanted to do…make home-made fortune cookies!  How festive to make over-sized cookies with personal messages inside for each boy!  Fun, right?  Well, let me tell you after several attempts I quickly realized that if you can bake a fortune cookie that looks and tastes like what you get in the restaurant…you are seriously talented!!  I’m a decent baker…not professional by any stretch of the means…but I have been known a time or two to bake up some tasty treats.  But this trial in the kitchen was a true disaster…however, from every mistake comes enlightenment!  So today I will share what I learned…

semi-home-made fortunes…

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Favorite Things

Breakfast in Bed

July 10
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So I found the cutest candy bar the other day and just couldn’t resist buying it…I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s so sweetly inspiring for an early morning treat!  It got me thinking of making a breakfast-in-bed tray to treat someone special!  Wishing that I would have thought of it while my parents or friends were visiting so I could surprise them with an unexpected breakfast…combined with a little chocolate!  Not a common breakfast item but who cares?  I wouldn’t turn down a little chocolate in the morning!  So, I don’t typically create a sweet treat for no reason…but today I break the rules!  I couldn’t resist offering this idea even though I can’t really use it myself—wait—maybe I can!  So after I share this fun treat with you…I’m going to enjoy some breakfast in bed!

surprise someone with a sweet wake-up call!

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Create, Favorite Things, Savor

Who Doesn’t Like a Doughnut Hole?

June 26
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If there’s one treat that seems to be a universal favorite, I might have to guess it could be the doughnut hole! Small, flavorful, bite-size, and festive…I don’t think there’s many out there that can resist just one, or two, or three! The perfect size for a sweet appetizer and small enough to lessen the guilt factor if you’re watching your sugar! So easy to make look fantastic on a dessert buffet (4th of July is coming…) and they’re available at any doughnut shop or bakery! So go ahead and pile them on for a party or an everyday treat…

’cause who doesn’t like a doughnut hole?

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Celebrate

6th Grade Graduation!

June 17
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My son recently graduated from the six grade! At our elementary school, the sixth graders leave with a graduation ceremony and party…to celebrate their achievements and the exciting new world that they will enter into…Junior High! The party has been a tradition for years…put on by many parent-run committees working hard to make this a festive evening for sure! Guess what? I happened to be on the decorating committee with a bunch of fun and creative girls! (and a couple guys!–we can’t forget the dads who helped too!) We started planning the festivities a couple of months ago after the classrooms voted on their theme and slogan…this year’s winner: Lights, Camera, Action–2021 is the Main Attraction! A fun theme to work around…so have a peek at this festive production!

see the main attraction…

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Garden

Pretty in Purple!

June 3
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It seems like I’ve been focused on the gardens lately…but it’s hard not to be — the rain and cooler temperatures have helped the flowers to be simply stunning!  After the last two winters we’ve had, it’s a refreshing change to see lots of color in the garden and it seems especially vibrant this spring!  In a good year, my spring plantings start off yellow…then the garden evolves to blue, turning to purples, pinks, and then back to yellows, reds, and oranges. It’s so fun to see the colorful changes throughout the spring and summer… and great for making bouquets for many months ahead!   Right now, purple is in season and I have to say it’s one of my favorites! From bright and bold to soft and dainty…

check out this palette of purple!

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Garden

Sweet Succulents!

June 1
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I love succulents!  They’re easy to grow and require much less attention than many plants–which makes them very popular with me!  This year I decided to fill my fairy gardens with multiple varieties of them…and lucky for me, my mother came to visit with two pre-planted pots in hand–packed to the brim with these little lovelies!  She thought I could take out what I wanted for my fairy/gnome containers and plant the rest with my perennials.  After finishing my mini gardens, I decided to highlight the remaining plants in the urns on my sidewalk leading to the house!  I forgot how wonderful these little plants are…multiple shades and shapes of foliage looking every bit as beautiful as the colorful blooms of traditional flowers!  During the dog days of summer, these plants will handle the heat and look great…even when I forget to water!  So have a peek at these sweet succulents…a summer favorite!

let your planters try on some new foliage…

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Celebrate, Holidays, Savor

Red, White & Blue Fun!

May 29
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One of the best things about early summer is the patriotic festivities that can stretch from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July!  If the first holiday sneaks by, you still have the opportunity to get you get your red, white, & blue on over the next several weeks!  I love the color combo for summer in general, so adding a few stars and stripes is an easy way to give your holiday gatherings an all-American look in a cinch!  This peek back at my Memorial Day celebration on the patio can still offer inspiration for July…and I intend on using some of the same supplies and recipes for a family gathering on the Fourth! (a great way to keep entertaining stress at a maximum low!)  I also want to share a favorite recipe that will be sure to please guests of all ages…so let’s have a little patriotic fun!

red, white, & blue to kick-start summer!

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