Lavender Sugar

Thanks to a little wild lavender bush growing in my front yard, I was able to dry my own batch of lavender this year.  It smells heavenly and I can't wait to try all the things I'll be able to do with it.  My first project was lavender sugar, which is so simple to do.  Blend 1 Tbs. dried lavender buds in a blender until powdery and mix with 2 cups of fine granulated sugar (Caster or Baker's sugar works best).  Or put it all in the blender together for something a little more like powdered sugar in consistency, like I did.

It's a beautiful, thoughtful and inexpensive gift idea.  You can substitute lavender sugar for regular sugar in countless recipes, like sugar cookies, or serve it sprinkled over a bowl of fresh berries.  If you'd like to try cooking with whole lavender buds, there are recipes like Lavender
Spritzer to try.  Personally, I think my powdered sugar variety will
make some amazing Mexican Wedding Cookies.

{images by me}

Cherry Blossom Baby Shower Theme

This Saturday I helped host a baby shower for my beautiful sister.  She's expecting her first baby in just over a month - and it's a girl!  As I was mulling over what theme to do for the shower, I came across a photo of two cupcakes with pink icing and chocolate covered cherries perched atop.  Aside from the thought that they were adorable it gave me an idea: how about a cherry blossom theme?  The blossoms give the party all the pink and frilly you could want while the red and white lend a balance that keeps it from being too pastel.

A few weeks prior to the party we sent out these invitations.  They're a digital print on cream card stock embellished with red brads (for the cherries) and hand-cut flowers (for the blossoms).

To embellish the table, I made some Floral Pom Poms using carnation pink and dusty rose tissue paper.  This cherry blossom branch would have also been a nice touch; it, too, is made using tissue paper. 

{The table spread; My sister, Brittany, and Suzanne - who was kind enough to let us host the shower in her home.}

{Here are links for the recipes I used: Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts and Dried Cherry Scones}

{My fun little white cake pops.  I did intend to do pink chocolate, but when I added the red food color the chocolate immediately seized up.  Lesson learned: adding food dye to chocolate is fine - as long as the dye isn't water-based.  I still think them adorable in white.}

We played three shower games: Don't Say Baby and the Memory Game first.  For the third I made coordinating thank you cards and had everyone write their name and address on an envelope.  They then put the envelope in a bag and we held a drawing at the end of the shower.  Now Brittany has all of her thank you notes stamped and pre-addressed and one less then to worry about before baby comes.  As prizes for the games I chose a Cherry sparkling cider, a cherry blossom and almond-scented hand soap and one of Faux Museum's fabulous frames. 

Everything really all turned out beautifully.  Fitting for one beautiful baby girl.