I'm Off!

I'm off on vacation for a couple of days.

I'll be back next week!

{photo by me}

Wish List

1. This ring is beautiful but maybe we'll opt for an etsy version for our one year anniversary.  A girl can never have too many rings.

2. If I could design my dream purse this would be it.  The shape, the color, LOVE

3. I'm loving these fancy earbuds.  However, I tend to destroy, tangle, and loose mine so I just can't quite splurge on these...

4.  I'm loving wrap sweaters.  If you remember my old blog (here) you'll know that I have always loved ballet.  The sweater above is simply perfect for the winter time.

Summer Berry Picking

This weekend Justin and I had the best summer date.  

We drove 30 minutes outside of the city and into the mountains and ended at Bybee Berry Farm.  

We spent the afternoon picking blueberries in their quaint little orchard. 

We then continued our afternoon to a park next to a slow flowing river and picked blackberries.  

Our bellies were full of delicious antioxidants and tided us over until we got home 

and made a delicious cobbler.  I will share the recipe in a post sometime soon.  

Our summer is jam packed as we try and take advantage of this 

gorgeous Pacific Northwest weather.  Its warm and sunny so you can spend all day 

outside and not be too scorched.  

How have you been spending your summer weekends?

Champagne Cake

Bubbles, Butter, and Blooms.  I’ve never considered myself an excellent cook but I do love to bake.  Below is a recipe to one of my favorite recipes: Pink Champagne Cake.  I originally found the recipe here but I’ve tweaked it just a bit to make it my own. My favorite part is that it allows for a little extra champagne in the bottle so you can sip as you bake away! I hope you enjoy.   
   

Cheers!

Pink Champagne Cake

Ingredients:

       3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 egg whites

2 cups pink champagne

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two

9-inch cake pans (or cut parchment paper to fit).

*In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

In a mixing bowl beat butter and sugar 3 to 5 minutes

until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat in the eggs one at a time.

*Beat in flour mixture and champagne in three alternating additions,

starting and ending with flour to prevent curdling. Pour batter into pans and bake

35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

*Let cool and then frost the middle and top layer only.

Flower Class: Viburnum Berries

Today I want to share with you one of my favorite bouquet fills: Viburnum Berries.

The berries above add a touch of blue or purple and they help add a little depth and texture.

But they aren't always purple or blue because there are 150 different kinds of Viburnum Berries!

The purplish blue buds above grow in the Fall and can be found all over North America.

- This cozy Portland wedding is gorgeous and used lots of berries

- Beautiful coral colored berries

- Red & Orange Berries

- Green & Red (but not like Christmas) Berries

{Photos Above: 100 Layer Cake & Growing the Home Garden}

Like a River

This past weekend was full of summer bliss and a good life lesson.  

A group of eight of us and a dog decided to raft/intertube down the Snoqualmie River.  It was so beautiful and relaxing.  However,  I have some serious control issues so I insisted on taking the small lounger so I could feel in control and be able to steer more.  When the first set of "rapids" hit I realized that I actually had zero control and almost sunk my little lounger.  And when the sun started to set and we had no idea how much further we had to float we had no choice but to try and enjoy our surroundings and hope the next river bend would reveal the end.  But then I realized that the more I worried the less fun I was having so I let go and enjoyed the adventure.  And of course we have plans to do it all over again next Saturday and I can't wait!

{photo from here}