Sunday, April 26, 2015

Homemade Bath Salt Gifts


Homemade Gifts: Bath Salt Sundaes

Beating the mid winter blahs...

The adorable idea was a Pinterest find a couple years ago. It reminded me of a favorite Avon  spray I had as a young girl. Anyone remember?   


After sterilizing the glasses, use pinking sheers to cut stock paper and glue to base of glass.




I scoured the resale shops to pick up Ice Cream Soda glassware.  (HINT: refuse to pay more than $0.99) Several shapes but all the same size. I made apx 25 of them for an after work gathering that was hosted by one of our team.



Found these great inexpensive bath loofahs at my favorite discount store. 

*Fill glass with Bath salts, then cover with plastic wrap to help seal in scent and keep from spilling.
*Place bath scrubbie on top, use clear tape to hold in place if necessary.
*Wrap ribbon bow around glass rim.
*Add a Cute paper stripped straw ,you  will have to place a tiny slit in plastic wrap for straw to sink into salts.
*Glue a craft store cherry to the top of the scrubbie. (using glue dots really helps.)
 *Finally, I added a label  to tell my co workers what was in the bath salts. Free labels are available for printing . I have used  LIAGRIFFITH.COM on projects, and have made my own as well.



Bath Salt Recipe:
5 lb bag Epsom Salts
4 C Sea Salt
1.5 tsp Rosemary Essential oil (food grade)
1.5 tsp Eucalyptus        "
1,75 tsp Lavender         "
Glass Bowl* to mix oils and salts. * Plastic can absorb the essential oils and metal bowls can react to the oils.
I suggest starting with less oil and add as needed. I should say that while the health benefit claims of essential oils have not been evaluated by the government, I have been using them for decades in our baths for aches, colds, stuffiness, etc, and find that they are a great homeopathic to treating symptoms related to aches, stress, colds....
Next tie a ribbon







Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Pink Depression Glass Lunch



Pink Depression Glass

Friendship Luncheon

     Depression Glass is transclucent glassware that was made during the Depression Era. Quaker Oats Company even gave a piece away in their boxes of  cereal! They were used as enticements or thank you gifts to a business's customers. Its a translucent colored glass that was proudly made in the U.S.. I would love to open a box of cereal today and take out a glass! Imagine...
Wanting to invite some friends over for lunch, I brought out the pink glass.

The menu:
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Greens with garlic/raspberry vinaigrette
Chocolate dipped Strawberries
Lime Sherbet w/Knox Blox hearts

Blue strips of paper describe what goes in each piece.

Admittedly the table was depression glass over kill, but it looked better than it photographed.

The photos look more amber than pink, but they are pink :( The tumblers are glasses found at a close out store, not depression era.


The photos look more amber than pink, but it is pink.


beginning to set the table...





Sherbet  glass



tiny glass hearts dotted the table
Food labels placed inside for a quick set up 

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Piggy Bread Easter/Spring

Piggy Bread!


Piggy Bread!

Piggy Bread, my version of an idea featured on Stehanie's fun blog: Girl Vrs Dough seen on Pinterest.  Creators of the piggies come from blog PASS THE COCOA (Caroline and Monica)They are stuffed with either a piece kielbasa or Italian sausage. Check out the real piggies on  at either blog. Ladies: Thank you from my whole family!!



Purchase Rhodes Frozen dinner rolls. Coat muffin tin with Pam and place one roll in each muffin slot , cover with damp towel, let rise apx 1 hr. Once risen, set aside apx two rolls to make the eyes, ears, and tail.
Take 1 dough ball, pat in palm of hand add a piece of precooked sausage to center, then wrap up to close in the sausage. Place on greased cookie sheet ,  belly side down. cover body in a light egg wash. allow egg wash to dry a couple minutes. Next cover again with the damp towel so that the dough does not dry out.
Begin  shaping the snout, ears, and tail. Push
 peppercorns in dough to set the area for the eyes. once snouts are made hold in place with toothpicks.Shape triangle ears ,add a  curly tail.  Bake 350 degrees for apx 12 minutes . Below I followed the Pinterest instructions and baked for 15 minutes but they were a bit dark in my oven, so I lessened the time to 11 minutes. (second pic below) The piglets are hard on the outside and so tender inside!





This was so easy and fun! Coarse they look like the "home" version of what we see on Pinterest lol!  

Easter Table: This year's table was a mix of "treasures" I've collected. 


Mix and match table..

Green water glass and egg holder found at closeout store. 


Aren't the bunnies sweet?

Mikasa French Countryside is topped with stripped plastic plates , topped by egg plates, topped by tiny bunny plates. all but the Mikasa were found at closeout stores and craft shops.


Like the show says..From Trash to Treasure!

Linking with some of my faves:






Friday, April 10, 2015

Peep a Pallooza

The Joy of Spring! Happy Easter! 
           Peep-a- pallooza!

 Does anything say the Easter Bunny is coming more than when those little marshmallow Peeps and Bunnies start showing up in the stores? Spring is a whimsical time at our house and Peeps and Bunnies are at the heart of it ! There are so many ideas floating out there. Here are a few I have tried.
Peeps 2012: Every guest went home with their own jar of Peeps and jelly beans.
The glass jars are recycled candle jars with lids

2013 added Peeps in a frame...
3-d FRAME:I had to take a bite  That year Chocolate dipped peeps were in handfuls waiting in vases to go home with Easter guests.

Those peeps show up everywhere! chocolate dipped and rolled in sprinkles don  the plants

2015 Peeps took on their own personalities...
Melting Chocolate wafers arrived in all sorts of colors for Spring!

Cake decorations and candy eyes give character! 











Happy Easter!  Happy Spring! 




Saturday, April 4, 2015

Spring Tablescape Easter Palooza part 4


Happy Easter!  A Previous post Come to the table...


As we get ready to have our friends and family over for Easter dinner, we want our tables to be beautiful for our family and friends. Easter is a great time to add whimsy to the table. over the past several years I , too, have jumped on the Peep fun.



changing napkins to Robin's egg blue...

I  feel the need to share that I am a collector of all things inexpensive..goody barns..flea markets..garage sales...based on Spring table theme : more about color


I'm always searching for inexpensive , creative ways to cover the table. This find was so pretty but didn't show in the pics....I used a white cotton sheet for the underside. I found 2 large pieces of decorator ribbon  fabric  used for sheers. It was priced as pennies on the yard at Joann's. I matched up the 2 pieces and you'd have to look to find it!








And this year's menu:
Happy Easter 2015!
April 5th
Baked Ham Sammies
Potato Salad
Veggie Tray
Devilled Eggs
Mandarin Salad
Strawberries & Pineapple for dipping in Chocolate
Kolackes

A blessed Easter to all of you !

Linking with some of my faves: