DIY Cardigan Guards

Hello Lovely Cupboard Readers! It's Mareth, your crafty contributor, here to share one of my favorite new crafty accessories with you.

If you're a fan of Mad Men or vintage clothing from the 50's and 60's, you're probably no stranger to sweater chains. These cardigan guards are making a resurgence and can be found all over Etsy these days.

The version I'm sharing incorporates some of my favorite things; nautical themes, embroidery and felt!

Summer Sorbet Fizz

 

This week marks the beginning of my summer break. It's funny how you can spot teachers all over town at this time of year. They are usually grinning ear to ear, walking at a slightly slower pace than most, and glowing. (I know some say teachers have it so easy...Let me tell you that if we didn't have summer breaks, most of us would be bald from pulling our hair out and have to leave the profession well before retirement age.)

In celebration of summer, I decided to make a sorbet fizz. Pineapple, raspberries and sorbet signal the season to your taste buds. Not only is this a healthy treat,  it's a great option to make for those on a gluten or dairy free diet. 

Celebrating Citrus

Hello readers of The Lovely Cupboard, Kat here, from Dot Dot Dash. First of all, a big thank you to Heather for having me today! When she suggested we do a swap of guest posts on the subject of ‘citrus’, I got to thinking about all things summer and celebrations.

Dining Citrus:I love the idea of having a dinner party in an orange grove. What a beautiful setting for a party.

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And nothing better to celebrate with than a caipirinha.

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Taste of Citrus: The perfect mix of sweet and tart…

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Florida citrus

citrus cake 

Dressing the Part: Something simple, casual and colourful…

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… or adding simple touches like these retro Dior suglasses, Essie nail polish in ‘camera’, ‘action’ and ‘navigate her’ or Kenneth Jay Lane’s Amber Nugget ring.

 

Bringing Citrus Home: Lastly, bringing a touch of citrus into the home with this mini citrus tree.

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Thanks again to Heather for having me! Make sure you head over to Dot Dot Dash to check out Heather’s tasty citrus post.
x Kat

Last Minute Pea Salad

I cannot eat pea salad without thinking of my Mawmaw. Every Texas woman worth her salt has her own version of this cold salad. The last time I made it was years ago in her kitchen. Usually it was forgotten until about 5 minutes before we were supposed to eat. "Oh darlin', we forgot the pea salad!" she would announce as she made haste to throw everything together. When I say throw, I'm not speaking figuratively.  Peas were frantically poured into a bowl, some spilling onto the floor. Cheese was blocked at top speed, and onions were rough chopped by knives that had been washed by hand for twenty years. If there was ham in the fridge, it got thrown in. Measure the mayo? Oh no, a very liberal dollop was plopped on top.

A quick stir and it landed on the table just seconds before somebody said the blessing. It only made it around the table once before  it was gone, so you wanted to be one of the first ones to pass it. So many recipes from my childhood come with memories in tow, and this "last minute salad" has a special place in my heart for just that reason.

 

Succulents for Black Thumbs

I've shared my ability to kill a plant with simply a passing glance. Heck, I even posted pictures of my plant failures. This is one reason I was so excited to bring on my friend Gin as our Floral and Garden Contributor. I swear she could make plastic plants grow in the ground. She's got a great post about succulents to share with you today, and she promises that even a black thumb like me can keep them alive. (Two weeks in, and so far so good.)

Hi, everyone! It's Gin, your resident garden girl. As the weather gets warmer and summer approaches, there's only one thing on my mind-plants, plants and more plants! We move in two weeks, and I can't stop potting things (there are currently 8 pots on the front porch). Last week I potted an old favorite of mine, succulents.

Buying succulents is almost like collecting dolls for me; with variety names such as "baby toes", "little pickles", "violet queen", and "woolly rose" how can I stop myself? If the growing season ahead makes you discouraged, angry or depressed due to a black thumb, succulents are your answer to a successful pot of plants. They are able to withstand the hot months and do great inside with a sunny window during the winter. There are a few rules to follow (about 2), and if all goes well your pot of precious succulents will become nearly kill proof!

Introducing DipDaDip Designs

Say hello to the newest shop sponsor, DipDaDip Designs! Kelly and her team offer personalized hand crafted notebooks made from 100% recycled paper.

1. Mini Matchbook Notepads

2. Customized "Merci" Notebook/ Thank You Gift

3. Powerlines Print Moleskine Notebook (This one is my favorite.)

4. "Put a Bird on It" Print Notebook (For all the fans of Portlandia!)

*All the products shown above are under $10.

DipDaDip also offers personalization for notebooks and cards for a more modern approach to monogrammed stationary.

Weeknight Dinner: Pesto Pizza

I've yet to meet a pizza I didn't like, but there are some I love more than others. This is one of my favorites. It's hard to go wrong when you start with a basil pesto. I've had several different versions of this, but I made mine with herbed goat cheese and some of my favorite veggies. Start with the dough. (Mine came from a mix, but you could get a premade dough from your local bakery or even the premade dough at the grocery store.) Then pick up the following ingredients. Dinner in about 30 minutes.

 What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  After preparing dough, flour surface and roll out to a thickness of your liking.
2. Seed and thinly slice tomatoes and shallots. Mince garlic and set aside.
3. Grate about 1 cup of parmesean. Next, drain the olives and artichoke hearts.
4. Place dough on a pizza stone or greased pan. Spread pesto liberally onto the dough.
5. Sprinkle parmesean. Layer vegetables and goat cheese. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes. I added some fresh chopped basil on top.
7. Savor every last bite and feel free to make noises if necessary.

Today is the first day of the the last full week of school. (You can't see me now, but I'm doing a happy dance as I type.) Stu and I are sitting down to write our summer bucket list tonight...Some might say that making a "to do" list completely misses the point of summer. I want to enjoy every second of freedom and look back in two months without ever having to say "Oh yeah, we forgot about _____. Guess we'll do that next year." Nope- we're packing it all into one summer.

I'm not just talking about the big stuff, I mean the little things like going to a drive in or making s'mores in the backyard. Those are just as important as big road trips or parties at the house. I'm just ready for the pace of life to slow way down and stay that way until August 1.

Linked up with...

http://www.crazyforcrust.com/

http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/

http://www.vwbblog.com/

http://www.somewhatsimple.com/

http://www.firefliesandjellybeans.com/

Mother's Day Brunch

Hi everyone. It's Tan from Squirrelly Minds here to share some Mother's Day inspiration with you today.

Remember waking up as a kid to the scent of bacon and eggs or the sweet aroma of pancakes with maple syrup cooking down in the kitchen? Mom's all over the world have been preparing their children breakfast for years. How about we give mom a break?

This Sunday I will be sneaking over to my parents' place while they are at church and whip up a yummy brunch on a gorgeous (if all goes well) flower laden table out in the backyard. I am very excited to see the look on my mom's face when she walks out the backyard not only to unexpectedly see me and my brother standing there, but to see a feast waiting for her.

This task doesn't require a whole lot of planning, so with only two days until Mother's day, I thought I would share with you some ideas on how you can surprise your mom with a special Sunday brunch.

1. This lovely brunch table setting has place marker flags sticking out of a stack of pancakes. 2. I have made these bacon, egg and toast cups and they are delicious, fun, easy and filling 3. This pancake bar is a great way to let mom serve up her pancakes just the way she likes them 4. Make tea and coffee (and your table) pretty with mismatched china 5. Offer bite sized food so mom can enjoy all her favourites 6. Layer yogurt, fruit preserves and granola in glasses for a yummy and simple brunch treat 7. Don't forget to adorn the table with flowers. Every woman, especially mom, loves a good bouquet 8. Does mom love to complete the crossword puzzle every Sunday? Why not add a Sunday Brunch Crossword to her table setting 9. Leave a sweet and simple gift on mom's place setting to make her feel extra special.

Don't live near mom? Why not call around her hometown and hire her a personal chef for an evening? I'm sure she wouldn't say no to kicking up her feet for a night and letting someone else cook her a gourmet meal (gosh doesn't that sound lovely?)

To moms all over, Happy Mother's Day. You are loved.

-Tan

Introducing...The Cupboard Contributors

I have been counting down the days to share this exciting news with you all...The Lovely Cupboard is now a team!

Four very talented ladies will be working to bring fresh content with unique perspectives to the Cupboard. Every Friday, one contributor will share tips and ideas in her specific area of expertise. I am thrilled to have them on board and can't wait to see what they have planned! (Two exclamation points already...you have to know I'm excited.)



                      EVENTS & FUN FINDS ..............................Tan of Squirrelly Minds

                      CRAFTS & SEWING.....................................Mareth of Lime Riot 

                      FOOD & DRINK........................Heather of The Flourishing Foodie

                      FLORAL & GARDEN.............................Gin, Ceramic Artist/Florist

Did I mention they are all stinkin' gorgeous?? (No, this was not a requirement, but they would have passed if it had been.) You can find out a little more about them on the new contributor page.

Readers, I would love it if you would welcome them by visiting their sites, leaving them some comment love, and perhaps checking out what's to come!

Balsamic Strawberries and Brie Galette

This was both my first time making balsamic strawberries and my first attempt at a galette. Between those two factors, I was a bit nervous that this dish wouldn't turn out well. Last week I made a BLT with fried green tomatoes...It was an epic fail that ended with me teary eyed in a messy kitchen and a dish that got dumped in the garbage. (Yes, this happens sometimes. It's almost always followed by a call for Chinese take out.) I half expected the same thing to happen today, but thankfully it didn't.

By the way, galette is just another way of saying rustic pie. Those French...they have to make everything sound so fancy. Stu called it a "strawberry volcano." That oughta' take the pretentiousness down a notch!

The idea for this recipe came on a recent getaway. Stu's aunt and uncle invited us to spend a weekend with them in Arkansas. We had a great time hiking, antique shopping, and catching up. On Saturday we found this beautiful little farm where we picked strawberries right from the patch.  It took about two minutes for us to start singing The Beatles, but Stu changed the lyrics to "...Strawberry fields for Heather". We walked away with a huge portion for only $6, and I kept myself busy on the three hour road trip home coming up with ways to use our bucket o' berries.

If you're a fan of brie, then you really need to make this galette. The berries and balsamic work so well with the cheese. If you've tried to like brie because you're "supposed to" but actually think it tastes terrible, you could easily substitute mascarpone cheese for a sweeter filling, which would be delicious.

*I forgot to add cornstarch to the shopping list.

Introducing: Windows by Melissa

I'm excited to announce The Lovely Cupboard's newest small shop sponsor, Windows by Melissa. I was on Etsy the other day searching for drapes when I came across Melissa's shop. I was so pleased to find a shop that took custom orders for Roman shades! If you've ever searched for cute pre-made Roman shades, you know that not much is out there, and custom work can be pricey. However Melissa's team of seamstresses offers custom window treatments and pillow covers for a very reasonable rate.

Here's where you can find Windows by Melissa:

http://romanshadestore.com/
The full website with all the info you need to order custom roman shades, curtains, valances, and pillow covers.

http://www.facebook.com/windowsbymelissa
Facebook page with coupon codes and updates on her latest products 

http://windowsbymelissa.blogspot.com/
Check out the blog for monthly giveaways and window treatments education, fabric 101, and loads more.

One reason I love partnering with small shops is that you know they are real people doing what they love. I've found that a lot of artisans are passionate about more than just the bottom line. Windows by Melissa is no exception. They sponsor families in need every month by donating $5 of every order to their cause. More on this in the "sponsor program" section of the blog.

Have a naked window? You need Melissa...She'd love to cover your bare windows with something beautiful.

Teacher Gift: Summer Relaxation Tote

My summer break is only thirteen and a half school days away--so close I can almost smell the sunscreen and taste the mojitos.  Most kids probably don't realize that their teachers actually crave summer months just as much they do. At least this teacher does. (Click HERE to see my classroom makeover.)

If you're a mom, you might be racking your brain trying to find a gift for your child's teacher. This tote filled with goodies cost about $40 and would be something useful and fun that your child could actually help put together.