Christmas Ice Cubes

 Freeze berries and rosemary sprigs into ice cubes and you added a festive touch to every drink!

I used little plastic cups, but any ice cube tray will do.

Add berries and rosemary to half-full plastic cups or ice cube trays and then top them off once they’re frozen. Ideally use filtered water, then you will get clear ice cubes! Serve in champagne or your favorite Christmas cocktail.

Crunch the candy, dip the rim of the glass in lemon juice, then dip it in the candy sprinkles.

For more holiday cheer, check out this awesome cranberry cake… and these marshmallow diamonds!

Not food but still awesome are these holiday greeting tags, a camera strap giveaway and a string art Christmas tree!

Be inspired and have a wonderful day!

Christmas Cards

Madly in love with these illustrated holiday cards from the wild and creative imagination of miss Laura Berger. I'm fairly certain we'd be friends in real life.

Are you planning to send out holiday cards this year? We're taking some photos tonight. Which means, if all goes according to schedule, they might actually arrive in mailboxes before the New Year! That would be a first for us.


{Images by Laura Berger}

SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS

Hanging stars, antler chandeliers, rustic wood piles, flickering candles, clean white walls and minimal trees. Scandinavian Christmas homes never cease to inspire.


{Images 1 and 3 via Femina; 2 and 4-10 via My Scandinavian Home}

Celebrating the big 4 !

It all started with someone discussing a cooking hobby over the internet – introducing me to a blog… How excited I was when my first blog was put out there. I waited hours on end to hit the re-fresh button, waiting for some people out there to come and read, comment, criticize, slander, love what I write …! The journey started there… And then it has been a no looking back kind of a game. Each experience  amounting to a dash of frantic typing, hitting back space, re-typing and then editing, finding pictures, scouting for content which readers love.

The best kind of blog posts have been those which have been straight from the heart, ….The Cherry Eyed Sherpa I still remember writing this in one shot … and without editing putting it out there. I cannot imagine having to change any one of those words on the world wide web… I meant every word I have said. And then to get all those amounts of emails from all of you sharing similar stories and experiences makes me feel special, that I have a gift of words, which I should put to some greater good.

I was laughed at and ridiculed for obsessing over my blog… spending way too much time I could have used in maybe making some money, cause a blog is for the passionate, not for those who think money is the end goal of spending time on something. And then there are those out of the blue calls from a friend in the middle of the night telling you how she saw Wilderness as a reference for a post by someone in Australia !!! Like when did the 3^rd world become an inspiration to the 1^st world ??

Today, I am going to be short on words… today is about Thanking you all for reading, commenting, emailing, facebooking, twittering and all those modes of communicating and reaching out to me. Encouraging me to use my idle time and just writing !

DELICIOUS NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Earlier this year I decided to stop drinking. I was never much of a drinker in the first place, That said, I still enjoy the act of having a festive “drink” when I’m out with friends celebrating something. So instead of drinking what everyone else is having, I have learned to ask bartenders about mocktails or anything they can make easily without adding alcohol. Those requests have led to some of the most deliciousdrinks I’ve ever had , so I decided to share some of my favorite non-alcoholic drink recipes for anyone looking to mix up something special for end-of-the-summer celebrations. Served in a punch bowl, these can be great drinks for anyone at a party (including younger guests) but you can easily dress them up in a fancy coupe with a garnish for older guests who want something that looks a little more sophisticated. I hope you’ll enjoy these drinks as much as I do! 

Image above: Chelsea Fuss’ Elderflower Drink is as summery as it gets. 

Click through for all of my favorite mocktails after the jump!

Lemon Thyme Lemonade: Helen from Tartlette shared a delicious recipe for a summer lemonade that gets an extra boost of flavor from fresh thyme.

Sarsaparilla Strawberry Float: I love a strawberry drink and this recipe from Anton Nocito is a fresh, summery spin on one of my favorite treats: an ice cream float. The post includes a recipe for a sauce you can add that uses alcohol, but you can easily leave it off for a non-alcoholic drink.

Almond Joy Milkshake: For those of you who want something a little more decadent, Top Chef’s Spike Mendelsohn shared his recipe for a rich Almond Joy-inspired milkshake. This would be a delicious way to end a backyard BBQ!

Kumquat Spritzer: The Kitchn created one of my favorite mocktails that uses kumquat to add a dash of super fresh, super citrus flavor.

Chai Blossom: I love the taste of chai any time of year. This recipe from Bon Appetit makes it a bit more summery by using chai tea bags, lemon and lime.

Strawberry Basil Soda: The Kitchn also created this refreshing strawberry basil soda that reminds me of being a little kid again. The flavors are sweet but not too sweet and the basil is a nice counterbalance to the fruit.