the glittered nest

Brock's Farm Party 2010

Here is Papa(Grandpa) and Brock...taking a little ride on the pony!

Our farm party was so much fun even with a few obstacles from nature while setting up.  We were dealing with terrible wind and the dessert table was a mess to set up.  Everything turned out great regardless and the children had so much fun.  I'm sure the animals were worn out by the end.  My son was a little rough on the baby chicks!

 
I made Brock this banner with the bandana paper from Martha Stewart. You can buy this paper already cut in this size from Walmart.  All I had to do was punch holes, add ribbon and use stencils for Brock's name.  My girls drew the picture of our family on the chalkboard underneath.

A few pictures of all of the cuties petting the animals...

 

Here are some fun details we added to the party!

You can have printyourparty on etsy design very affordable water bottle labels and print them out on water resistent label paper.  Just buy Archer Farms brand water and cut off their label and add your own. 

The dessert table was a hit..but like I said earlier, a bit of a mess on a very windy day.  I wasn't able to put out cupcakes, cake lollies or macarons.  They would have blown all over the park!

The candy: from left to right

Gummy Earth Worms in crushed oreos, farm fresh gummy eggs, cowboy licorice ropes, cowgirl candy necklaces, large red and orange lollies, chocolate fondant cake, rock candy sticks, red mnm chicken feed, fresh gummy produce and sugar cookies that were barns and horses. (check sweet nest for more details on the table).

You can buy these fun paper lanterns from Hobby Lobby! (we couldn't keep the tablecloth skirt down b/c it was blowing all over the place)...fun times!

I just love sunflowers and they remind me of a farm party!  They kept falling over from the wind so we packed the metal vases with tons of rocks!!! You do whatever it takes right!!!

Is this picture classic or what!  You should have seen them after they devoured the cupcake!

 

  
 

  
 Thank you everyone for coming and making Brock's day special!

 
 

 

Inspirational things

Beautiful Flowers from my garden

Beautiful Children

the color pink

Beautiful Paint colors

waiting a child's imagination

Little Books

with a timeless tale

Peter Rabbit

(Creations for Brock's party)

What inspires you?

Rain

Rain is so beautiful to watch

The sound of the thunder and flash of the lightning is exhilirating!

We watched the rain for an hour the other night...

The t.v. was off and not a sound around us but the storm.

 

 

Rain

I opened my eyes

And looked up to the rain,

And it dripped in my head

And flowed into my brain,

And all that I hear as I lie in my bed

Is the slishity slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly

I walk very slow,

I can't do a handstand-

I might overflow.

So pardon the wild and crazy thing I just said-

I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.

~Shel Silverstein~

 

I haven't thought about reading Shel's books until my daugher became interested in poetry. 

She carries around a little book and pen wherever we go and she jots down little poems.

Beautiful.

Just makes you think about EVERYTHING in a different light...not just for face value but with feeling.

Go feel something beautiful today and write it down.

 

 

Fabric Rose Paintings

My daughter and I did some painting this past weekend and it felt so good to get out those paints and canvases again!  I have been baking so much that I have lost touch to my crafty side.  I am so inspired by all of the artists in the Sommerset books that I might just reopen my little etsy shop.  I just love working with mixed media and fabrics. 

 
Roses make me feel so girly!

Roses in the garden

Roses on my clothes and purses

Even on my kids' stuffed animals

 

I'm also excited to make some mixed media journals

and folders for keeping kid's artwork in

all with fabric roses and inspirational words.

I love the shabby look of white and cream roses

but I also love the brightness of crepe paper roses!

These are so much fun to give as wedding rehearsal bouquets.

How about giving each bridesmaid a sweet little pink box with their own wristlet:

Peach Cardamon Pie

You will absolutely love love love this peach pie recipe.  I decided to make pie instead of preserves with some of our beautiful peaches.  The cardamon in this recipe is fabulous!!!

Funny Story about the pie:

I DROPPED IT ON THE FLOOR!

The actual pie didn't touch the floor...landed in the pan on the floor...

My girls saw me do it and looked at me like I just ran over their cat!

All that hard work...it was ugly...but tasted delicious!

Peach Cardamon Pie from Epicurious.com

• 2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (scant) ground cardamom
• 3 3/4 pounds firm but ripe unpeeled peaches, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 slices (about 10 cups)
• 2 Pie crusts
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Whipping cream (for glaze)
• Vanilla ice cream

Preparation

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and vanilla bean in processor; blend until vanilla bean is very finely minced. Sift vanilla sugar through strainer into large bowl; discard any large bits in strainer. Mix flour and cardamom into vanilla sugar. Add peaches to flour-sugar mixture and toss gently to coat.

Roll out 1 pie crust disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Spoon peach mixture into crust; dot with butter. Roll out second pie crust disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Drape dough over peach filling; trim overhang to 1 1/2 inches. Fold top and bottom edges under, pressing together to seal. Crimp edges decoratively. Using small sharp knife, cut 2-inch-long X in center of top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust lightly with whipping cream; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden, peaches are tender, and juices bubble thickly through cut in top crust, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool until lukewarm, about 2 hours.

Serve pie lukewarm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Here's one of the prettier pieces to show...

Happy Birthday Brock

Brock's birthday was yesterday but we were out of town most of the day.  Here are some pics of our little fun day!

My daughter Madi iced the cake. I taught her how to use an icing scraper to get a smooth finish.  I think she did a great job..don't you?

A couple of friends came to the party: George, Georgy the monkey and George's little brother: little George.

I just made the monkey two days ago and his eye is already MIA.  

We had such a wonderful day because we spent it in Houston with my goddaughter at her FIrst Holy Communion.  Here is a picture of her and the girls...check out this adorable painting my friend's kiddos did:

What a wonderful day.  Brock's farm birthday party is next Sunday. I can't wait to share pictures with you.  The candy bar is really coming together!  Happy Sunday to you!
 

  

Simple Things

I have been very conscious of slowing down this week

(as you read in my last post),

so today consisted of simple things:

 peaches and bubbles

"While we try to teach our children all about life

Our children teach us what life is about"

~unknown~

My children have definitely taught me all about this. 

 It is so amazing to look through a child's eyes...I know...I do it all of the time. 

I think I'm the only 37 year old that still looks at teddy bears in a store....for myself!

 You can really see it when you do simple things with them, like blow bubbles and see how much enjoyment they get out of this little activity. I think we laughed for an hour today. 

Peaches: 

I am waiting for our peaches to ripen a little before I try a preserve recipe: Rosemary Peach

I think once I do we will be eating jam and scones for a week straight.  Here are our beautiful peaches:

Rosemary Peach Preserves

 

Ingredients

Makes about 1 quart

·   3 pounds yellow peaches, peeled

·   1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

·   4 3/4 cups sugar

·   4 large sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

1.   Halve and pit peaches, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lemon juice; toss. Add sugar and rosemary; toss. Cover; let stand, tossing every hour, for 4 hours (sugar should be completely dissolved).

2.   Put peach mixture into a large, wide pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until liquid is syrupy, 12 to 13 minutes. Crush lightly with a potato masher, leaving one-quarter of the wedges intact. Skim foam from surface. Discard rosemary sprigs.

3.   Seal and process: Fill hot, sterilized 4-ounce jars with hot jam, leaving 1/4 inch space in each jar's neck. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth; cover tightly with sterilized lids and screw rings. Transfer jars, using tongs or a jar clamp, to the rack of a large canning pot filled with hot water, keeping jars upright; cover with water by 2 inches. (Jars should be spaced 1 inch apart and should not touch sides of pot.) Cover; bring to a boil. Process jars in gently boiling water 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool 24 hours. If lids pop back when pressed, they are not sealed; refrigerate immediately, and use within 1 month. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.

Here's the recipe I will be using...I'll let you know how it turns out!  It's from Martha Stewart so I am sure it will be good.

Little Things

I know this is an old saying..."it's the little things in life", but it is so true.  I always get nostalgic this time of year.  My garden is blooming, remembrance of past gardens and the sweet little laughter that runs through it, children's birthdays coming up, remembrance of birth, happy summer times being outside...I could go on and on.  I have been so caught up in the details of school coming to an end and rushing around to all of our sports and appts that I haven't stopped to take life in.   I was out in the backyard with my son today and he helped me pull peaches from our peach tree.  This is our second year in our house and the tree is just now producing 100's of beautiful peaches.  It was so nice just to admire the beauty and just BE today.  Why don't we take more time to remember this?  Maybe I should put it in my outlook calendar...once a day it will remind me to just breathe and kiss my kids.  My son is 4 this week and I feel like time is rushing by.  He is my last child and I want to hold on to this innocent time when he is hugging my leg, following me around the house and constantly hugging his stuffed animal.  Can I just stop time and feel this moment?  I wish I could but I guess recognizing it and feeling God's blessings all around me is all I can do. 

A couple of pictures of my little cutie about to be four and his little friend lovingly called GEORGE:

Mother's Day Menu

You must go to this website to download this adorable menu.  This is so cute for your little ones to fill out and bring to you in bed.  So...download it and casually place it where you husband can see it!!!!!

Stylemegorgeous.blogspot.com

Down on the Farm Invites

I cannot believe my son is turning 4 soon.  We are having a farm themed birthday party with a petting zoo and pony ride!!! Here are the invites.  I love these stickers...Martha Stewart of course.  You can get these at Michaels Craft store.

This little piggy is inspiring me to make some little piggy cookies to go on the chocolate(mud) cupcakes!!!

How cute are these cookies!  I found them on chiccookiekits.blogspot.com

I like that they are of their faces and not the whole body!