In Season: Spring Inspired Tables

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Between the beautiful weather, the cherry blossoms reaching peak bloom, and Easter coming up next week, we were drawn to photos of beautiful spring tables this week. Katie’s hoping her cherry blossoms open in time to decorate the table next week, but if they don’t, we have plenty of beautiful alternatives to pick from below.

Love these little bird’s nests place settings and this less tailored look as well.

Check out these really simple name cards.  They could work for almost any type of get together: coffee groups, knitting circles, even baby showers.

The napkins are the key players on these tables. After years of working in catering, I’ve never come across this cute fold.

In my opinion, this simple napkin speaks just as loudly as the bunny ears. [Katie here: I saw some quail eggs at the Asian market last week, and I’m thinking it would be fun to try to blow the egg out and use them as a spring decoration! Sarah, are you up for the challenge?!]

This may be my favorite spring setting of all and I think we can all agree that it’s easy enough to pull off in a pinch.

If you have lots of space on your table, try this or this.  You could even gift the plants to your guests!

If you want a more tailored floral look, try grouping some vases with pretty blooms.

 

Knitting Project : Washcloths

I’m the first to admit that knitting a washcloth sounds a touch absurd, especially since you can go out and buy a dozen lickety split. But don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Washcloths are the perfect canvas for trying out new stitches. They’re quick to knit and make the perfect gift, especially when paired with a bar of fancy soap. The only downside? Knitting with cotton yarn can be a bit rough as it doesn’t have the same stretch as wool.

Today we’re sharing ideas for five washcloths including the full pattern for this cute-as-a-button lamb. Pick up the supplies this weekend and you’ll have plenty of time to knit a few lambs for Easter baskets!

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Refreshing Lemon Vodka Waters

I’m not one for getting drunk, but I definitely enjoy my fair share of cocktails.  Right now I’m loving this simple and refreshing lemon vodka water.  If you like lemon water, you’ll like this.  It’s unbelievable how the lemon masks the taste of vodka so well.  It’s easy enough to whip up a whole pitcher, so go ahead and try it next time your friends are over.  If you’re really in the entertaining spirit, slice up a lemon, put it in a muffin tin, top with water and freeze for cute ice cubes like shown below.

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Vegan Rosemary Tomato Scones

Rosemary is our ingredient of the season.  Sometimes we use it in food, sometimes in alcohol and other times in our home.

Scones are a simple alternative to everyday breakfast foods.  I’m guilty of forgetting about these little treats until I see them piled up in coffee shops, but you don’t have to wait until you go out for this treat. Scones are extremely simple to make at home, and that’s coming from someone who shies away from baking!  They’re quick too.  Start this vegan rosemary tomato scone recipe, and you’ll actually be finished mixing and kneading by the time the oven is preheated.  Only dirty a few dishes will be dirtied, so you can clean up while they bake and by the time the buzzer sounds you’ll be sitting down with your morning coffee or tea.

Try this vegan version; it’s a bit healthier since it lacks the usual butter and heavy cream.  It’s always nice to build a vegan and vegetarian recipe repertoire to accommodate vegan guests, introduce healthier alternatives to dairy and meat loving friends or round out your own diet. These scones are not only yummy, but beautiful too.  The tomato gives them a nice orange color and the roughly chopped rosemary really stands out.  It’s an easy way to add a pop of color to your breakfast and you can even make them the night before (bonus!) if you’re entertaining.

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Seasoned View

Happy Monday folks! Today we wanted to spread the spring love by passing on a few photos for your desktop.  You can download any or all of the images to use as backgrounds for your computer or even phone and tablet wallpapers.  The download link for each photo can be found right underneath each one.  We hope you enjoy these fresh and bright spring pics.

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In Season: Stripe Shindig-spiration

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Baby A is turning one and we’re on a geometric mission!  We want his special day to be filled with stripes, smiles and music.  He looks real fine in stripes and he’s a kazoo master, which is how we came up with the theme.  Here are some of our ideas so far, but if you think of anything we’re missing, let us know!

Striped bow ties for the gents and party hats for everyone!

I doubt we’ll get this classy, especially since little A will tear those tassels down in an instant, but how cute is this black and white striped scene?

We haven’t decided on a cake yet because there are so many great options

These cookies are pretty cute too!

Or we could go the popsicle route and try these or these.

Straws for sipping and forks for cake? Check and Check.

Speaking of sipping, how cute are these cubes for keeping your drink cold?

Even though our family isn’t that big on sweets, we may have to have a striped candy bar.

I’m not sure what to get the birthday boy yet, but I’ll definitely be making some striped wrapping paper. And wouldn’t this card complete the package?!

We’re also ordering kazoos and stunna shades.

Check out the rest of our stripe inspiration here and be sure to let us know what we’re missing!

Image from the Library of Congress archive.

Rosemary Room Spray

Rosemary is our ingredient of the season. Today we’re stepping out of the kitchen and using rosemary oil to create a room spray that will leave your whole house smelling fantastic!  If you follow this link, you’ll see some of our other favorite uses for essential oils. 

Hey readers, it’s been a fun week around here, hasn’t it? Did you check out Sarah’s profile of Connie Zamorano Tuesday afternoon? Now I’m obsessed with getting one of those cicada prints on my wall!

If the bugs left you squirming in your seat, you can channel that energy into this super simple project: homemade rosemary, mint and eucalyptus room spray. Have you tried store bought room sprays? I have a few, and I have to admit that I love them at first, but find that they can be a bit overpowering in their staying power and/or they just smell chemically over time. I don’t have either problem when I make my own. As for complexity, it’s going to take you longer to read this post than it will to mix up your spray.

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Welcome April

On the first Wednesday of every month, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar. 

Well, Punxsutawney Phil was not joking this year! March never quite warmed up, did it? As I sat down to write this month’s welcome letter, I thought about how almost nothing has happened in our backyard, but that just means we have so much to look forward to in April!

The snowdrops and winter aconite that I mentioned last month timed their bloom to the first day of spring. Sarah reports that the forsythia and magnolias are blooming in North Carolina.  And we can feel the warmth moving north as our mom’s crocuses bloomed last week in Virginia, while mine started blooming just two days ago in PA. With everything off to a slow start, April will be bursting with flowers. I’m a big proponent of picking flowers and bringing the beauty inside. A vase of cherry blossoms, daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips creates the perfect early spring mix! And if we’re lucky, that will be followed by vases of lilacs and tree peonies.

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Creative Corner: Artist Connie Zamorano

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Last week I had the pleasure of spending an hour in the studio with Connie Zamorano, a young artist originally from Texas, who is currently completing her Masters of Fine Arts program at the University of North Carolina. While wandering around Connie’s studio, I immediately noticed her love of nature and insects, specifically the cicada. Her thesis is entitled UPROOT and the exhibition is going on right now (March 31- April 5) in The John and June Allcott Gallery at the Hanes Art Center, see the details at the bottom of this post.  I didn’t want to take up too much of Connie’s time since she was only a couple days away from the big show, but I did get to ask her about her creative past, current inspiration, and the process of creating works for UPROOT.

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Rice & Pulses Two Ways

I originally wanted to title this post “Rice & Beans Two Ways”. After a bit of research I learned that lentils are not officially a bean, but chickpeas and lentils are both pulses.  Pulses are the subset of legumes that are harvested for their dried seeds, differentiating them from other legumes like green beans and peas that are eaten fresh.  On with it then…

While the term rice and beans may conjure up images of Mexican or Tex Mex cuisine, today’s dishes reflect the flavors of middle eastern cuisine. I like both recipes because they push me outside of my seasoning comfort zone. We all have that selection of herbs and spices that we use on a regular basis, and we’re happy with the results, so that’s not the issue, but sometimes it’s nice to shake it up, and that’s what these dishes do!

Speaking of seasonings, another good reason to get out of your comfort zone and eat dishes with a variety of herbs and spices is because there are so many health benefits associated with both. Cumin, my favorite spice lately, protects against cancer and encourages the secretion of pancreatic enzymes necessary for good digestion and nutrient absorption. The second recipe contains turmeric, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with proven cancer-blocking activities. Parsley’s a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C, the latter protecting against rheumatoid arthritis. Cinnamon is considered to have one of the richest sources of antioxidants and studies have shown that it lowers the risks for a variety of type 2 diabetes factors.

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