Dirt Dessert

I hosted a Girls' Nite dinner earlier this month for May birthdays. The gorgeous purple/lavender petunia hanging basket that my husband brought home for Mother's Day was the start to a theme. I brought it indoors and set it on the bookshelf. I asked him to bring home a few more small potted purple flowers (he's a landscaper - how handy!) which I put in milk glass vases on the table. I love using live flowers for decorating. They add instant color and breathe life into a room!

I knew I already had green table linens and so I added a few inexpensive scrapbook flowers to give some more color to the table. The sweet little glasses, vases, and glass candle holders were all thrifted items. The little glass bow napkin rings were on clearance at Target after Christmas.

I was in Michael's looking around for ideas and saw they had rock candy on sticks. I just had to pick up some purple (grape) and green (watermelon) ones.

We did it buffet style since it was a potluck. It was the first time to use the beautiful Haviland Limoges china my mother bought us as a gift a couple of Christmas' ago. I love the green because it will go with anything!

After having this "dirt dessert" as a kid, I've always wanted to make one but never have - until now! It was so easy to make. It's a HUGE hit with kids! I made individual ones for my children to eat upstairs while we were having fun downstairs. Love how it turned out! The dirt looks so realistic and when you add gummy worms, it's even better!

The only things I purchased (besides food) was the scrapbook flowers. It's so easy to create a theme by just taking a look around your house and pulling things together.

Daydreamin'

(Above pictures: Country Living)

Our rainy, rainy weather this week has me daydreaming of the lazy days of summer. And when I think of summer, my patriotic heart pitter-patters and my mind conjures up all kinds of decorating that involves those summery, Americana colors of red, white and blue. You can never go wrong with that combination! It's so classic, country and cottage-y.

I got this fabric last year to make my daughter a 4th of July top or sundress, but never did. It's not too late to do something for this year. I just love the vintage feed sack look of it.

Flowers in our yard from last year. They were absolutely beautiful on the 4th!

Daisies the kids and their dad picked by the side of the road for our BBQ.

Is this red-shuttered bird house not the cutest?

Memorial Day will be here faster than we know and then it'll be Flag Day and then the 4th of July. I'm ready this year. Ideas have been bombarding my mind for a 4th BBQ again this year. I better get busy if they're going to come to fruition!

Bella Apron Giveaway

Go visit this sweet gal for a Bella Apron Giveaway!

(photo: Bella Shabby)

Love the Amy Butler fabric!

I should get motivated to go through one last closet of tubs that need sorting from our move. Our weather however, is a great demotivator. I wish the sun would peek through the clouds. Hope you're accomplishing more than me today!

Just Beachy

I really wish we could find more unique, fancier shells that those on the East Coast seem to have more of. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we mostly find sand dollars and clam shells. They're still beautiful, but I'd like a variety without having to pay an arm and a leg on eBay or one of those places. I'd rather have the fun of finding them ourselves. Just another reason to visit the East Coast. . .
This painting has always been a favorite of mine. My Aunt Peggy painted it back in the 80's. To me, that's not that long ago, but it's already considered vintage! She gifted it to me when I moved into my first apartment. It's definitely a sentimental item, but I also think it's beautiful! I painted the dark frame and mat a few years back and just love it now after it's been chipped a bit through all of our moves. I'll always treasure it.

I think these are great beachy frames I recently found. Just need to find pictures to put in them. Gotta dig through all our beach pictures to find the perfect ones.

Love the little metal label holder on this one! Now I need the perfect beachy word to print out. Of course, it'd help if I knew what picture I was putting in it.

I cannot wait for some trips to the beach soon! I've been daydreaming about it. . . We used to live right on the water and I do miss it at times.