Blue, White, & Yellow Spring Tablescape

I don't think it's a secret to anyone who knows me :)  I love blue and white.  I find a certain coziness,  and joy in this soothing color combination.  I love that it can look English or French, and that it can be dressed up or down.  So with the start of Spring this week, I thought it would be fun to make you a cheery table-scape with blue, white, and yellow :)

 I Found some fun ways to add yellow to my Spode dinnerware :)  I used peeps, and yellow M&M's candies for a sweet pop of yellow.   Then I used yellow straws and printed out yellow flags on my computer to add a cheery message to the drinks.

 I also found these really fun parchment (food safe) deco leaves (or in this case flowers). They are so fun. The package I purchased came with 10 sunflowers and 10 fuchsia Gerber daisies.
 They run around $10.00 and here is the link on Amazon for them
http://www.amazon.com/EuroQuest-Imports-Daisies-Parchment-Package/dp/B0017OHHOK/ref=pd_sim_k_8  

I actually had two containers of flowers.  A large urn vase filled with Agapanthus and Forsythia branches, and a Laura Ashley blue and white pitcher filled with a sunny mix of sunflowers, daisies, roses, lilies, and carnations.

Here are the yellow polka dot flags I made for the straws and a blue and white porcelain slipper filled with golden bubbles (yellow peanut M&M's :)  The glassware is hand-blown in Mexico and goes perfectly with my blue and white dishes, you can find it at Pier One, and World Market.

Here is the setting without the yellow parchment flowers, and most of the yellow removed

Here's to wishing you a warm and wonderful Spring.  I wish I could sit, have coffee, and chat with each and everyone of you.  Here's to a sunny, and cheery Spring

Planting and Tablescaping with Annual Spring grass

 One of the projects I love doing every Spring is planting annual rye grass seeds in containers for decorating tables, Easter baskets, and powder rooms.

  
This is such an easy, and fun project, even kids can do it :))  I've chronicled my steps for you so you can do this yourself :))

You'll need, potting soil, pots or containers ( I pick ones with no drainage to avoid mess and spills). The small square containers are from the dollar store:))  Annual Rye Grass Seed, and a spray water bottle.

Fill containers with potting soil and pack it down with your fingers. Water until soil is damp all the way through, but not too wet.

Generously sprinkle grass seed over soil and press the seed firmly into the soil. Sprinkle about 1/4 inch more soil over seeds and spray the top with your water bottle.

Place in a sunny window and spray generously everyday with your water bottle (do not let the seed dry out)

This is the grass after 2 weeks, you will need to trim it down with scissors and continue to keep it damp. At this point you can water it under the faucet, since the seed is no longer fragile, aren't you proud of yourself :))

I used the larger square vase (about 8 inches square) for the centerpiece. I placed a small twig nest over the grass and placed two, robins egg blue, chocolate malted eggs and a small porcelain bird in the nest.  I placed a rose and a runuculus bloom each in a water tube spike and stuck them into the soil

For the smaller square  (about 4 inch square) I placed three chocolate malted eggs and a sprig of purple stattice directly into the soil. Then I placed a small bee from Hobby Lobby into the soil. The bee's come on a thin wire so it was easy to place in the soil.
Consider lining a basket in plastic wrap and planting it with grass seed. It will make a beautiful container for dyed Easter Eggs, or  put a small container of  grass in your powder room, it will last longer than cut flowers (just make sure to water it).

Happy Spring Everyone :))  Remember to bring a little nature ( and maybe some chocolate :) indoors, it helps get rid of  Spring Fever on a cloudy day :))

Top of The Mornin from Debbie Fabre

I'm so excited to share a post with you from my friend and fellow blogger, Debbie Fabre :))  Debbie is the author of  http://deliciousdishesbydebbie.blogspot.com/ and was also a finalist in The Real Women of Philadelphia Contest.  Debbie was flown to Savannah GA, where she cooked her award winning "Mounds of Joy" pie for Paula Deen, The Deen Brothers, and Kraft Foods.

Here she is cooking her delicious pie for Paula Deen.  The incredible thing about Debbie Fabre is that not only is she beautiful, and a wonderful cook, she is also one of the nicest, sweetest, most genuine ladies you will ever meet.  So it is my pleasure to share her St. Patrick's Day Recipes with you.

Pot Of Gold Cheddar Soup

5 tsp. butter
1 small onion
1/3 cup flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Hidden Valley Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp. dry mustard
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Begin by chopping onion and set aside.  Melt butter and saute onion until translucent (approx. 5 minutes).
2.  Stir flour into the butter and onion mixture.  Mix well and add chicken broth, milk, salt, cayenne pepper, ranch dressing, and mustard.  Stir ingredients together and simmer for 5 minutes. 
3.  Add cheddar cheese to soup mixture and stir until cheese is melted and well incorporated. 
4.  Serve and enjoy!

Irish Coffee

This version of Irish Coffee is non-alcoholic for those of you who do not drink liquor.  It's delicious and easy.  

1 cup (8 ounces) hot coffee
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup International Delight Irish Cream
1 heaping tbsp. vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Combine coffee and brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add International Delight Irish Crème in a mug and stir to blend. Float softened ice cream or whipped cream on top. Serve immediately.

        From Debbie Fabre and I, we wish you a fun, fabulous, and delicious St. Patrick's Day!

"Movie Night In", Give-Away

The Winner of this Give-Away is Jaime Carrillo

Congratulations Jaime :))

This weekend I have  a real treat for you.  A "Movie Night In" Package give-away.
I found these adorable lightweight (reusable) popcorn containers and they really inspired me:)

One lucky person will receive a DVD of "French Kiss", a romantic comedy starring Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan.  The movie was filmed throughout France , and it's one of my favorites :).  Six reusable popcorn containers (hand washing recommended). Three packages of Orville Redenbacher Butter Flavored microwave popcorn.  One pound of strawberry flavored twizzlers :)

Two all cotton kitchen towels with a cheesy popcorn recipe printed on them.  One red apron (that would be adorable with one of these towels appliqued on it)?

Everything you need for a fun movie night, whether it's just you and your family, or for a fun movie night party.

Now for the rules :))

1). You must be a follower of Shannon's Shanonigins (see right column)

2). You need to follow Shannon's Shanonigins on facebook (see right column)

3). Leave a comment telling me your favorite part of this give-away, and just for fun tell me how you'd like to use it (romantic movie night, movie party etc...).

4). Enter soon, the drawing for this will be when we have at least 10 entries

I would love it if you would follow me on google connect, I'm getting so close to 100 followers and I can hardly wait :))

I found these adorable Cake pops at http://meringueomaha.blogspot.com/2010/11/popcorn-box-cake-pops.html

Stephanie Deleidi has a fun blog called Meringue.  Here's what she said when I asked her for a bio:)) 

I'm a former web developer turned stay at home mom. I have 2 children and my youngest will be starting school next year so I decided it was time to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. So I started doing dessert bars and party favors last summer hoping to make a job out of it! I've named my business Meringue after my Dad's favorite pie. We lost him last May so it's my little ode to my Dad. He would be so happy to have me doing what I love!

 These are $2.50 each, and Stephanie does ship. Just contact her through her blog if you want to order them (she has a lot of other designs too).