In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

A rainy Spring day is the perfect time for crafting, reminiscing, and bringing the Spring flowers indoors for a lovely luncheon!

This crafty door decor is perfect for a rainy day!  Reminds me of how much my youngest son loved wearing his rain boots!

My Dear Aunt Dora celebrated her 88th Birthday this last week of March.  She has a big piece of my heart from my childhood years and through the adult milestones in my life.  My Aunt Dora is a gifted baker and homemaker.  She decorated wedding cakes in our small hometown and made many of my birthday cakes, including a Doll Cake for my 2nd birthday

 and a Carousel Cake for my 3rd birthday. She hosted my engagement party in her home and made a gorgeous cake for my fiancé and me.

 In my married years she made my sons their Baptismal Blankets and crocheted beautiful afghans for my toddlers.

 When I moved from California to Indiana, I was horribly homesick and she mailed me many of her cake decorating materials, including cookbooks, cake pans, recipes and handwritten tips.  I will always cherish these items she handed down to me and think of her every Spring when I bring out my madeleine cookie molds and lambie cake pan.

This last week of March brings special meaning to the phrase "In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb."  I'm dedicating this post to my Dear Aunt Dora and remembering her with this lovely Springtime Table.  The toile tablecloth adds rustic charm.  The white milk glass vases filled with Spring flowers suggests a feminine touch.  Seed packets at each place setting, inspire guests to start Spring gardening.

 Fill the blue tinted  glasses with a Spring cocktail or old fashioned lemonade.

I am happy to share a favorite recipe from my Aunt Dora...

Top O' The Stove Potato Casserole

serves 4-6

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 C diced onion

1/2 tomato diced

4 oz can whole Ortega Chiles

1/4-1/2 can tomato sauce

1/2 cup cubed Longhorn cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mash chiles and set aside

fry potatoes, onions, tomatoes for 3-4 minutes

add 1/4 cup water and cover to steam on low heat approx 3 min.

add mashed chiles, tomato sauce and water to cover potatoes

add cheese and seasoning and simmer uncovered til potatoes are cooked crisp tender - not mushy

"This dish goes well with tuna patties or served with eggs & tortillas for a Mexican breakfast!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE DORA!

Spring It On!

Time to do my Happy Dance!  Signs of Spring are popping up around our lake.
The daffodils are peeking out of the ground, The ferns are waking up in the woods, the lake has defrosted and the water-skiers are out!

Spring brings plenty of opportunities to celebrate!  The backdrop Spring provides is so inspiring!  Flower arrangements, door decor,  party menus and table settings….I'm thinking Girlfriend lunch,  Easter Brunch, ready for a Spring Soire!

All I bought was the ribbon!

Mix and Match Soft Spring Colors 

A Tisket,  A Tasket, Who Doesn't Love A Basket?

Embrace your spontaneity!  Keep it simple with splashes of spring, using soft pastel colored tableware, grocery store bouquets, and gathering items in your home that sing Spring!
Showcase the season's best flavors with your menu selections.  Asparagus, Artichokes, Fresh Herbs and Greens, Lemons and Strawberries will help you savor the taste of Spring!

Lemony Asparagus

serves 4-6

3T Olive Oil

11/2 pounds fresh Asparagus, trimmed

1/4 C white balsamic vinegar

2 T fresh Lemon juice

1 T minced garlic

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Heat olive oil over med-hi heat, add asparagus, cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly

Add vinegar, lemon juice and salt/pepper

Stir constantly for 2 min or until crisp tender.

Garnish with lemon zest and lemon slices

Bliss Bellini

serves 2

8 oz chilled Champagne

4 oz chilled Peach Nectar

1 ounce Vodka

1 ounce Peach Schnapps

combine and stir gently in a 2-Cup glass measuring cup

Color Me Happy!  It's Time to Celebrate!  

Cheers To Spring!!!

Calling All Fashionistas!

I love to keep up with the #fashion trends.  This winter I went scarf and boot crazy!  While doing some recent Spring Cleaning, I noticed that I had more fashion finds than could fit in my closet.   A few of these shopping treasures still have the tags on them and many are gently worn at worst.  I made some tough decisions on what to keep and what to donate…but then I thought, why not have a Clothing Swap with my girlfriends?  This  would allow us to "shop and swap" for a win-win evening with my fellow fashionistas!
Keep the rules simple.  Ask each fashionista to bring 10 gently used items - clothing/accessories of similar value to items others are bringing - to be shared in a group email prior to the party.  Numbers are drawn to determine the order of the swap selection.  
Everyone goes home with newfound inspiration to spice up their wardrobe!
When the swap is over,  relax with wine and cheese!
Any left over items can be donated!
My closet will soon be organized, tidy and ready to welcome some new tenants!

 Be sure to display clothing on a rack so it's easy to see all the merchandise!  Pair up jewelry to show off the clothing or vice versa.  Accessories are important, in case all your friends aren't the same size.  After all, we can ALL boast that we still fit in the earrings we wore in high school!

 Start your Spring Cleaning and have a clothing swap party with all the fashionistas in your life!

Ready to Chill?

I enjoy a glass of wine as much as the next person.  My taste in wine is not sophisticated.  Let's call it casual and comfortable….and affordable!  I select my wines based on the the visual appeal of the bottle and/or label!  If it tastes good, it's a bonus! 

The priority is that it coordinates with my party theme.
Living out in the country and on a lake, allows me the opportunity to entertain and uncork more than my share of wine bottles.A bottle, or two, of white wine is always chilling in the ever present ice chest.  The warm summer and a chilled bottle of white wine are a perfect match.  We do not discriminate against red wine…it's great in a pitcher of Sangria!  A bottle of Gamay Rouge has found it's way down to the beach for a Marshmallow Roast on more than a few cool summer evenings.

I have a love of crafting and have incorporated a few wine themed crafts into my home decor.

turn wine glasses upside down and fill with corks and top with a candle!

glue gun and corks and a styrofoam wreath!

add lights inside bottomless wine bottles

Fourth of July wine decor

 These crafty projects are on my "to do" list!

I have the corks and the barrel, just need to do it!

wish I saved my son's cowboy boots all those years ago!

For more crafty inspiration, please check out http://www.pinterest.com/rwodecki/this-wine-is-making-me-awesome/  Hope some of these ideas have inspired you to uncork a bottle and let your creativity flow!

Luck Of The Irish

I am not Irish, but looking around my home, I found a surprising number of Irish themed treasures!  I even pulled out my glue gun and created this door wreath from some of these items!

I had a few Waterford pieces that made a pretty table display...

and I found a couple wedding gifts that are now 28 years old...

An Old Irish Blessing

I decided I shouldn't photograph the Irish Coffee Cups without them holding an appropriate beverage

Irish Coffee

6 oz of your fav coffee

1 oz Irish Liqueur

1 oz Irish Whiskey

2 tspn Brown Sugar

Whipped Cream Topping

Kissed By A Leprechaun is another fun drink I concocted!

2 oz Chocolate Liqueur

1 oz Vodka

Splash of Half and Half

Raise your glass and try one of these Irish toasts,

"May Your Glass Always Be Full!"

"May You Be In Heaven a half hour Before the Devil Knows You're Dead!"

So, now we have a festive mood with Irish decor and fun Irish drinks to warm all of us leprechauns and we can head to the dinner table for some fine Irish food! 

You are all invited to visit my St Pattys Party Board on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/rwodecki/st-pattys-party/ and find table decor, party snacks and recipes for Irish Pasties, Irish Stew, Shepherd's Pie, Bangers and Mash and a Wearing O' Green cake to make us all feel like we found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

I'm Not Made For Winter!

I recently celebrated my birthday at Disney's Epcot!  Perfect weather to escape my frozen home in the midwest.

I woke up this morning, back to reality, 9 degrees and snow still on the ground.  Yes, it is March 6th and it feels like I'm trapped in Eternal Winter!
While at #Epcot, it did not go unnoticed that #Disney has a popular animated film out titled "Frozen."
It was awarded an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature.  I was waiting for  Spring before I went to see this film, but today was a perfect day to take in a movie.
If you've seen the movie and are ready to do some entertaining, check out more fun party recipes and decor at http://www.pinterest.com/rwodecki/frozenwinter-wonderland/.  Enjoy some indoor #Frozen family fun!

from My Liquid Muse

Fun "Frozen" Centerpiece

Marshmallow Pops
from Catch My Party

find similar free printables online

Starts out frozen but will help you defrost!

               Iced Coffee for a Grown Up Punch

Rock Candy Sticks - hang upside down for icicles!

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake!
Easy as 1-2-3!

Have your guests dress in colorful winter hats and scarves or their favorite "Frozen" character  and play Break The Ice, or "Minute To Win It" type games like table races with Cotton Balls and a Straw or Marshmallow Stacking.   I had my guests play a fun, hands free Cotton Ball game with a small dab of Vaseline placed on their noses and they had to compete to "grab" the most cotton balls out of a bowl, using only their noses,  in 1 minute!!