celebrate CREATIVITY in all its forms

LOVELY LAVENDER (and a delightful cupcake topper)

R

ecently, while organizing my attic workspace, I came across  this heart-shaped wreath hiding (hanging) behind an apron rack.

I had forgotten it was there and when I pulled it out I decided it should be back in plain view.

This re-discovered wreath also provided the inspiration behind this post which is all about the color lavender. 

Throughout this post, I'll take a closer look at the color lavender and also share how I turned these cupcakes into lavender treats with crystalized, floral toppers.

Yum.

Lavender can be such a soothing color.

Take a look at how serene these lavender bedrooms look.  I really love the lavender, checkered canopy with matching head and foot board.  

Photo source: Internet

As lovely as lavender looks in home decor, it's equally beautiful when it appears in nature.

I've never seen a lavender field in-person, but I'd love to one day.  

Photo source: Internet

Once the lavender is cut from the fields, it's bundled and off to market. 

Here's are a few photos I found on line of freshly cut lavender. 

I can't wait for the opening of the outdoor summer markets so I can pick up fresh bundles of this fragrant herb. 

Photo source: Internet

If you love the shade of lavender as much as I do, perhaps you'll enjoy these books devoted to all things lavender and the wonderful things you can do and make with the herb.

The Lavender Lover's Handbook  This book has a little bit of everything from tips on growing lavender to recipes and craft ideas.  Pretty pictures and presentation.

The Lavender Cookbook  You'll find more than 90-recipes in this cookbook which focuses on how to use the fragrant herb to enhance ordinary ingredients including soups, salads, baked goods and desserts.

With all this talk of lavender, I couldn't help but try my hand at growing my own small lavender crop. 

I think it would be pretty cool to make my own lavender-filled sachets with a home-grown supply of lavender.  We'll see how this works out.

The planting instructions recommended 8-seeds in the soil every 15-inches.  I can barely see these seeds let alone count them individually. 

In case you didn't already know, lavender seeds are about the size of an ant.

I'm sure there are more than 8 seeds in each of these little square, germinating pots but we'll see how well they do.

Keeping fingers crossed here.

I'm still keeping an eye out for full-fledged lavender growth but after about six weeks in the soil, only a few sprouts have made an appearance so far.

Ever the optimist, I'm still hopeful that I'll have a small lavender harvest later.

Meanwhile, is there anyone who can resist lovely lavender pansies?

Did you know that lavender pansies can be used for much more than just landscaping?

While pansies look great in the ground, fresh pansies can also be used as cupcake toppers.

Yes, pansies are edible.

First, bake a batch of cupcakes and allow to cool completely.

Grab some whipped icing (store bought is good) and add a very small amount of food coloring.

When it comes to food coloring, a little goes a long way so start with just a dot and mix to test to the shade.

Add more coloring if needed.  Remember, you can always add color but you can't take it away so always use small amounts at a time.

Pinch a few of the pansies off the stems and gently clean the bottom of the flower with a wet paper towel.

Use a pastry brush to carefully brush a small amount of egg white onto the petals with egg whites.  

NOTE: Raw, uncooked egg whites can pose a health risk if consumed so it's a good idea to use pasteurized egg-whites for this step since this decoration will come in contact with food. 

Pasteurized egg whites come in a small carton and can be found at any grocery store next to the regular eggs.  

Sprinkle a small amount of fine sugar over the petals.

The sugar will stick to the egg white and crystallize.

Pansies have a mild, minty-like flavor and unlike many other edible flowers, the entire pansy is edible. 

NOTE: Not all flowers are edible so make sure you double check whether or not they are safe for human consumption.  Also, never use pansies that have been sprayed with chemicals or pesticides.

I think using a pansy as a cupcake topper yields a creates (and unexpected) presentation. 

Imagine how pretty these cupcakes would look on a dessert table.    

As you can see lavender can inspire just about anything from home decor to gardening to cupcake toppers.

So, how do you feel about the color lavender? ♥

WEDDING HANKY

F

or more than a decade now, I've been using an embroidery machine to embellish various projects. 

After all these years, it's still one of the best investments I've ever made because I use it all the time to easily transform simple items into pretty, personalized gifts.

POTTING SHED DELIGHT

I

f you've followed my blog for a while, you already know that I'm a big book lover. In all the years I've been collecting books, I've rarely ever tossed one which means I have quite a few oldies but goodies on my bookshelf.

While recently browsing my bookshelves, I came across this book I bought more than a decade ago, back when I dreamed of one day having a potting shed of my own.

MOTHER'S DAY Inspiring Finds for Home and Heart

R

egular readers of this blog may remember meeting my mom, Elaine (aka Nana-Banana).  

She's the kind of mom who genuinely does not want her kids to buy her anything for Mother's Day.  She always says, "I have everything I need, save your money" and she means it.  It's a request we don't oblige.

Since she's a big book lover (like me, or rather I'm like her) I generally get her a Barnes and Noble gift card for Mom's Day so she can pick up favorite reads throughout the year on me.

SEEING RED

Red is one of those colors that can give any space some much-needed pop.  However, as much as I love red, it's also one of those colors that I've always been afraid to actually use in a major way.

Until now.

HERB GARDENING(starting your own)

I

t's definitely the growing season and just about everywhere you look, things seem to be budding, blooming or sprouting from window boxes, lawns and gardens.

With thoughts on doing a little small scale gardening, I thought I'd try my hand at growing my own herb garden.

EARTH DAY 2012

P

lanet Earth takes center stage this week with the 42nd observance of  EARTH DAY.  The annual event is designed to raise awareness and appreciation of our natural environment.

A simple tree planting is one way to give back to the planet and throughout this post I'll share a few more easy things we can all do to help the planet.  

Photo: Cameron's hands, ready to dig in the dirt

QUILT CHAT

H

ome and hearth is all the more comfortable when you throw in a quilt here and there.  Of course, a stack of quilts is even better.

I've been quilting for many years and my penchant for the art of quilt-making is at the heart of this stroll through my own quilting journey.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS(and a floral ball project)

I

think it's safe to say that most people reading this are OK with scenes like this being behind us.  As much I love experiencing every season, it's great to say goodbye to cold days and hello to much warmer ones.

I snapped this winter scene last month, after an unexpected snowfall.

GARDEN GOODIESInspiring Finds for Home and Heart

I

t's Spring and flowering trees and shrubs are coming back to life in glorious colors.  Along with the new season, comes the task of also getting gardens and flower beds into tip top shape.