DIY Gift: Homemade Ice Cream

Here's a simple and easy DIY idea for a summery gift everyone is bound to love: homemade ice cream in a jar.  All you need are some supplies that are probably already in your cupboard: a mason jar, a small square of fabric, some ribbon or twine, a tag, and a freshly mixed batch of your favorite ice cream.

Make the ice cream according to the directions and then pour the soft-serve-staged goodness into a clean, empty mason jar.  Put the jar in the freezer for 2-3 hours to allow the ice cream to ripen, or freeze completely.  When you're in need of a gift you can pull it out, place a square of fabric between the lid and the ring, and finish it off with the twine and a tag.  Or, you can always just grab a spoon and help yourself...

Here are some amazing ice cream recipes:

• Strawberry Ice Cream (as pictured above)


• Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream


• Mixed Berries Sorbet


• Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream


• Mango Ginger Frozen Yogurt

What are your favorite frozen treats to make for summer?  

 

Halloween Costumes

Hello, my dears!  How was your weekend?  Did you do anything fun?  We had such a good time seeing friends, eating spooky treats and dressing up.  It was pretty much the Halloween pre-party.  And Friday night's costumes were 100% homemade.  Remember how we were dressing up as a tight rope walker and a circus bear?  Well, here they are. 

I should have taken the sweater off for the photo but it was cold and we were literally running out the door so I forgot.  My circus bear is pretty adorable, though, isn't he?  The slippers he's wearing are from Gap and we are both in love with them.  Such a great find.

Are you dressing up for Halloween?  What costumes will you be wearing?

{images by me}

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}