April Friendship Gifts

Quick, get the milk...my April "Friendship Gifts" are perfect for dunkin'!
Annie's Whole-Grain Graham Bunny Crackers...These little crackers were a no-brainer for my Springtime "Friendship Gifts!" Made in the shape of bunnies, they are the perfect snack for children and grown-ups. I found them in chocolate, chocolate chip, honey, and cinnamon.
The cute little polka dot cello bags and "Happy Easter" toppers came from Hobby Lobby.
Easy peasy and a healthy treat to enjoy with a glass of milk! Hop Hop! Happy Easter!

February Friendship Gifts

Yesterday I put together my February "Friendship Gifts." I also decorated my little white feather tree for Valentine's.

I found these little cello packages at Hobby Lobby and filled them with sweets and attached the cute little tags.

These were only $2.99 for a pack of 20, so I got two packs...Lord, that's a lot of candy! Easy to assemble and real cute too!

For the tree, I made my own little tree decorations using tags I ordered from Etsy a couple of years ago...added my trademark red gingham to solid red card stock and then embellished it with pearl garland.
The kitchen table has a bit of red as well...

Right after Valentine's Day, I'll do a little Mardi Gras decorating around the house...and then on to Easter bunnies everywhere!

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me.

Giddy Up! Kentucky Derby Time!

And they're off! Saturday, at 6:24 p.m. EST, it's the post time for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby. In the world of sports, there is not a more moving moment that the one when the horses step onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade and the band strikes up "My Old Kentucky Home." Those ladies decked out in their Spring frocks and gorgeous hats...what a fashion parade! I'm sure this year we will see a lot of Fascinators, don't y'all think?

It's definitely on my 'Bucket List' to attend a Kentucky Derby...maybe I'd wear a Laroque Cup dress with a Marley Lilly monogrammed hat or a beautiful silk shantung suit with a Fascinator!

This week I decided to bring out my Lilly Derby-themed-shifts...Love this one I wore a couple of days ago in Augusta--'Derby Day Low Riders'. {Someone please remind me to throw away this tacky white Land's End' cardigan! Ugh!

Love the color, the pattern and the pom-pom fringe trim!


My accessories...white Revas, white Bermuda Bag, 'Oyster Perpetual' Rolex, pearl earrings & necklace, and rollring wedding band by Cartier. My iced tea tumbler is adorned with the a Lilly-fied 'Low Riders' coozie.

Today I'm wearing the Lilly 'Del Mar Loopy Giddy Up' shift.
Again, I love the colors and the pattern...oh-so Derby Day cute!


My hat is the perfect color to match the pink in the dress.
Since I'm out-of-town, the accessories are almost the same, except for the pink ribbon!

On Derby Day it's time for Mint Juleps. It not surprising that Mint Juleps are popular in the South, mint is a symbol of hospitality and this drink brings forth the ideal image of genteel gatherings sprinkled with that sweet Southern drawl! Well, today I'm enjoy a Mint Julep Iced Tea...served in a proper Mint Julep cup, of course!

It is considered proper to drink Mint Juleps with a Sterling Mint Julep straw/spoon. Simply use the spoon to stir the julep and sip your beverage through the tiny hole at the other end. This is one of the very few times a lady should use a straw to drink a beverage. It's also acceptable to use a straw when you are drinking a coke out of a can, a large to-go cup of sweet iced tea, or when you've "taken ill and are in the bed."

A sterling mint julep straw/spoon...stir with one end and sip from the other.
Recipe for Miss Janice's Mint Julep Iced Tea:

10 mint leaves
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
3 cups cold, sweet tea
Crushed ice

Combine the mint, lemon, and lime in a 2-qt pitcher; crush the lemon, lime, and mint with the back of big spoon. Stir in the cold tea. Serve over ice with a mint leaf for garnish.

This is a nice refreshing non-alcoholic beverage to sip during the Kentucky Derby!

Hope y'all enjoy the Derby and Happy Mother's Day tomorrow to all the wonderful mamas out there:)

December 2010 "Friendship Gifts"

When I was reading the September/October issue of Sandra Lee's magazine "Semi-Homemade," I knew that I wanted to offer her s'more gift bags as my "Friendship Gifts" for December. These little gifts are inexpensive {I paid only 50 cents for each Hershey bar at Walmart} and everyone loves s'mores...especially at this time of year! They make a great gift for teachers or the postal carrier, a great little happy for children, and are the perfect gift for a hostess.

I placed two sheets of graham crackers, a Hershey bar, and four large marshmallows inside a cellophane bag. The bag tag I used can be downloaded at SemiHomemadeMag.com.

Of course the s'mores can be toasted over an open fire or placed on a foil-lined baking sheet and broiled for a few minutes in the oven.
Here's S'more lovin! Perfect little "Friendship Gifts" for December!

I'm back from my trip to Georgia...if you follow me on Twitter, you know that I had a great time back home. My first stop was in Savannah to visit with my longtime friend Miss Joy. We had a wonderful lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. We also enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Paula's brother's restaurant, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House. Joy was a wonderful hostess and took me to all Miss Paula's former homes and her present home! Joy and I had a blast! She loves good food and is a shopaholic just like me. In fact when we said our goodbyes, Joy said, "Lord, if we lived in the same town, we'd kill each other shopping and eating!" Later this week, I'm gonna feature "Joy's Beach Cottage" here...be sure to check out that post. Her cottage is absolutely adorable y'all!

My next stop was to mama's house! As mama is getting older, I cherish the time that I spend with her. Mama is a senior shopaholic, so we got in some good shopping time together also!

Thank you for visiting with me today. Let's get this Christmas season started!