Paris Quilt

 I finally finished a quilt that has been floating around my house for a few years.  I bought this Paris themed fabric at a quilt store a few years back.  I find I'm usually drawn to pinks/reds/blacks in the quilting world, and having recently come back from a trip to visit Paris (my #1 travel destination dream for years)....this seemed like a good 'next' quilt. 

 If you've ever been to a quilt show, I love that a lot of the vendors will create pattners and preselect fabrics.  This little jelly roll=the above quilt. 

 The idea behind a quilt is that you take perfectly good fabric, cut it into a bunch of pieces.  Sew it together.

 Cut it into a bunch more pieces....

 Sew it back together. 

 This is my first...(and last ;o) 'little patch' quilt. 

I added a boarder and I machine appliqued the Eiffel tower. 

I took the quilt and the backing to the quilter (which makes me more a 'piecer' than a 'quilter) and I asked her to use words from my travels in Paris to 'quilt' the two sides together.  I had her use pink, here is the back (to give you a good view of the script). 

 A few details from the front....just a bunch of my favorite places around Paris, with a close up of some of the fabric squares. 

 This will go into a pile in my guest room, but....if I ever need a Paris quilt....I'm ready.

Paris Pages

 It took me more than two years to finish my Europe album.  I blogged the first of it here.  I took it to my retreat one summer, and to this little scrapbook store I used to frequent, but when the store closed, and my attention wandered, and other crafts called......this collected dust.  This is not my usual style....scrapbooking takes me 'forever', but I usually lose sleep over unfinished projects.  So, with my new bad habits in tow...and Paris left to go.....when I decided it was time to clean up the area of my house dubbed 'scrapbooking'....which is also my laundry room (gives you a little hint as to how bad things are)....I decided to finish this up so I can store it all.  Two weeks in Europe, three years later, two albums....I'm finished, which means:  it's time to go back to Europe.  But first....here are a few pages I finished up for Paris....

 The last four pages I started making 'mini books' instead of adding another 16 pages of Louvre paintings etc....

See....more little books.

Malt Ball Nutella Brownies

 Throw in the word Nutella, even if it's attached to a vegetable....and my ears are going to perk up.....my saliva will start flowing, and it's definitely going to be added to my to do list.  I saw this recipe at butterbaking and I did not pass go.  I did not collect 200 dollars.  I went to work.  These are really easy to make, and they certainly fulfilled my required daily Nutella in take.  I adjust the recipe a bit to fit my American ways....and my batch only made 8 brownies....more is more in any cupcake liner that enters my house, but...I think the results are pretty much the same. 
And....if your (imaginary) doctor also requires you to eat Nutella on a regular basis....here's a great recipe to fulfill that prescribed life style...

Maltball Nutella Brownie Recipe

Ingredients: 1 c. Nutella, 2 eggs, 1/2 c.+2 T. flour, pinch of salt, 40 malted milk balls. 
Instructions:  Preheat oven to 355 degrees.  Line 8 muffin holes with cupcake liners.  Mix Nutella, eggs, flour, and salt.  Divide batter evenly in the cups.  Press 4 malt balls into the batter and place on on top.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until a crush is forming on the top, and a toothpick comes out clean.

Paris: Bridal Shower

April 11th, some friends and I got together to host our pal, Sarah's Bridal Shower.  I've been looking forward to this, and I've known exactly what them to do for several years now.  She just had to get the groom.  She got 'im! 

I posted abou the invitations-Sarah's love for her husband-to-be, hate for chocolate, and passion for Paris here. 

 I've been posting little details from the shower all week, paper goods I pulled together like this little banner....

 Guest left advice for Sarah about love and marriage. 

 Uhhh....I learned a lot about some of my friends, and....ummm....marriage via these advice cards. 

 I got smart, and went ahead and punched holes, and brought a be-ribboned ring to put these cards on so she has a little book ready to go.  She can scrapbook this later, keep it somewhere special, but....the point is it's together now until she figures out what she wants to do with it.  I always wonder what happens to these little slips of paper I send home with brides, but now, at least I know they live together. 

 Food included champagne (pin thanks to raspberries and a splash of pomegranate), lemonade (pink-that was a given), cream puffs, fruit, cheese, crackers, bread, croissants with butter, strawberry jar, nutella (sorry Sarah, it was for us), mini quiches, and strawberry cupcakes. 

I blogged about these cupcakes earlier this week as well. 

 We also added a lot of flowers.  Sarah loves gerberas, in fact, I'll be weaving some together for her wedding in June and her bouquets, but I also made this carnation topiary I blogged about last week. 

 Sarah and her maid of honor. 

 I blogged about the favors, but this was an idea I was excited about b/c it's non-edible, but still interactive.  I believe in making people work for their favors.  It's a bath salt/scent bar where guest got to mix up their own bath salts. 

I love my friends.  Sarah is the kind of gal that would do anything for anyone, and is a really thoughtful gal.  It's been fun to celebrate these happy days with her.   And, it's just the beginning for Sarah.  In the next few weeks we are headed out of town for her bacherlorette, another party with friends, and eventually I'll be tossing together some flowers for her wedding at the end of June.   In the meantime, I'll just treasure the memories made, and more to come!   Here's the link to all the shower pictures I've posted. 

Paris: Favor-Scented Bath Salt Bar

 Soooooooo.....I've hosted/helped host a lot of showers in my day, and my two favorite parts are the book ends.  I love a great invitations that sets the tone of what is to come, and I love a great ending that leaves the guests with a great taste in their mouth....figuratively speaking, though it's usually more 'literal.'  I was really scrounging around for ideas for Sarah's shower.  She's not a huge fan of chocolate, but I wanted something that sort of went with the "Paris" theme.  I thought about all sorts of desserts that scream Paris, but so many involve chocolate, and then....I thought about perfumes. 
I decided to use the same recipe I use a lot for the guest to utilize to make up some bath salts to take home with them.  It's affordable, and fun, and.....different. 
Basically, they were asked to take three scoops of epsom salt, 1 scoop of baking soda, and a drop of bath scent. 

 I was thinking about buying jars at Hobby Lobby, but Lauren suggested we raid our fridges for all sorts of different fun shapes.  Fortunately, one of the other hostesses also has a baby right now moving quicly through jarred baby foods! 
We used this techique for decorating the lids with different black and white patterned papers.  So easy, so quick, so cute.  I love doing this for the seasons/gifts as well!

 I bought some different scents in the soap/lotion sections of the craft store.  The bottles were originally 10 dollars each, but I used a 40 percent off coupon. 

 Here's Sarah scooping out her bath salts. 

I left a bowl by the favor bar for the guest to dump all their goodies in to mix before putting it in a jar. 

 I also left spoons to pour the scent into....a little goes a long way!

 A gift to go home!