Carried Away

Bath & Body Works somehow manages to constantly re-design their packaging, both structurally and aesthetically, what seems like every season. Each new design and campaign trumping the last. And they're working with the same basic product line - lotion, body spray, shower gel, soaps/sanitizers and home fragrances. And some makeup. New varieties and classic favorites, along with new ways to enjoy those scents, keep customers coming back time and time again. Myself included. 

My love of Bath & Body works started in 7th and 8th grade. At the time (circa 1995), Sun Ripened Raspberry, Fresia and Peach Nectar were the must-have scents. I remember getting a bottle of Peach Nectar body spray as a gift. I think I had it for the next 10 years. I can still remember the very sweet fragrance. 

Without fail, B&B would launch a new "look" for both old and new scents. Which meant you had to hurry up and finish the bottles you had at home so you could buy the new bottles. Marketing genius. To this day, every time I walk into one of their stores, I'm overtaken by beautiful aromas and find myself admiring the latest labels. It would be interesting to see an evolution of B&B, especially a scent that has been around the longest and how many looks it's worn. I would love to design for them. Pretty and stunning. Clean and elegant. Fresh and modern. Even the caps have come a long way.

This summer I have been obsessed with, or "carried away" (tee hee), by Carried Away. I used a free coupon to try a mini bottle of shower gel and was hooked. The next time there was a big sale (there's always a big sale) I got a lotion, shower gel and eau de toilette. Love all of them. Especially the eau de toilette. It's such a light sweet fragrance for summer. The description reads, "Master perfumers have blended lush raspberries and juicy pear nectar with white jasmine and whipped vanilla to create this whimsical fragrance inspired by the way love sweeps you off your feet." Well done master perfumers. Maybe it's a little on the sweet side for some, but I can't get enough of it. Country Chic is a good one too.

This past Christmas I couldn't get enough of their holiday traditions Winter Candy Apple. Apparently neither could anyone else. They couldn't keep this stuff on the shelves. I stocked up on a couple bottles since I knew it would be a "limited edition." 

Which brings me to the fact that I can be a sucker for their sales. It takes a little restraint for me to walk in there and not make a purchase. It's my own fault because I'm on their email list. Which means multiple times a week I'm bombarded with images like the one above. For a Bath & Body Works lovin' gal like me, it's just plain dangerous. But I only fall for the REALLY BIG sales, and usually have to have a coupon - of course. Once, maybe twice a year I'll take advantage of their buy 3 get 3 deal WITH a $10 off a $30 purchase coupon. In theory, I can get $60 worth of product for $20. That's how I roll. If I stick to my limits. And they always make great gifts.

I also fell in love with their wallflowers, specifically the Eucalyptus Spearmint stress relief. This. Stuff. Smells. SO. GOOD. I have a bottle of their home fragrance oil that I plan on using for a project at some point, but whenever I need a little pick-me-up, I give it a sniff and it takes me to a relaxing spa for a brief moment if I close my eyes. You know you do that sometimes too. 

Then there's my classic favorites like Sweet Pea, Pearberry, Warm Vanilla Sugar and Country Apple. Like old friends. Is it weird to like lotion and body spray so much? I am a very scent-oriented person. I like to smell good. Not that I smell bad. I digress. I've always loved perfumes and pretty scents. And I know I'm not alone, or else Bath & Body Works wouldn't be able to charge $10.50 for one bottle of lotion. They certainly know what they're doing. And they do it well. 


Anyone else have some B&B favorites they can't live without? Anyone else as mad as I am that they discontinued Peony Petal? Feel free to share a little B&B love.

Fresh Peach Cobbler

While my Mom was visiting us this summer, we tried our hand at a peach cobbler recipe. She brought home a huge basket of fresh, very ripe peaches from the farmers market for $3. Peaches are at their peak in July and August. We knew we had to make something good since we suddenly had an abundance of this sweet stone fruit. I found a recipe online and we tailored it to our liking.

Ingredients:
8-10 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 stick butter
Cinnamon

 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Arrange sliced peaches in a large baking dish.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over top.
Mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add egg to dry ingredients and mix until crumbly.
Sprinkle evenly over peaches. 
Crumble/drizzle softened or melted butter over top.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake about 40-50 minutes or until topping is crisp (to your liking).  

When it came out of the oven it didn't look quite how I expected. It had more of a caramelized sugar topping as opposed to a crumbly-apple-crisp-style topping. We let it cool and gave it a try. It was delicious! 

Still warm from the oven. It was just missing one thing...

A scoop of vanilla ice cream! 


I'm glad we tried this recipe. It turned out to be a great way to use summer peaches. And I always enjoy cooking with my Mom. I think I ate a helping for breakfast for the next couple days! If you have some peaches on hand and are looking for a sweet treat, give this cobbler a try! 


*The original recipe said you could use 1 large can of peaches with juice instead of fresh, but we haven't tried that method. I'm curious how it would compare.

Stargazer Lily Wedding Invitation Set

Congratulations to Ashley and Mike who tied the knot on Friday! Ashley was referred to me for her wedding invitations. What a beautiful bride and a sweet couple. I really enjoyed designing their invitations.

Their theme was based on Ashley's favorite flower, the stargazer lily. Isn't the color stunning? I like a girl who's not afraid of hot pink!

I illustrated the lily's in pink and green and used variations of them on the invitation, direction card and two-sided RSVP postcard. I used one of my favorite script fonts "MissLeGatees" for their names and monogram. It turned out to be a really fun and pretty set. They mailed them in bright metallic pink envelopes, which tied it all together. I also designed their mailing, return address and guest place card labels.

Congratulations Ashley and Mike! It was a joy working with you and I wish you both a lifetime of happily ever after as husband and wife.

Happy 15th Birthday Elijah

My nephew Elijah turned 15 today. I remember the day he was born, sitting in the waiting room with my family, awaiting his arrival and then seeing him for the first time. A little crying baby with lots of dark hair. I can't believe 15 years have gone by. 

We celebrated with dinner and cake at our house (I made a "15" with rainbow sprinkles on the cake). My goal was to get at least one photo of the birthday boy smiling. Success! And a bonus GQ photo as well.

My Mom and Dad have been visiting from Arizona and it was so great to have them here for the celebration. My Uncle Bob also came for a visit from Arizona. It was a beautiful evening with good food (Mom's baked ziti), conversation and fun time spent with family. 

A little cat's cradle with Emma and sweet Grandma Mary.  

Cake, ice cream and of course some presents. And a giant ice cream sandwich pillow from Nana and Poppie. Perfect for Elijah since he maintains a steady diet of the tasty treats.

Happy birthday Elijah! We love you!
(thanks for taking this photo of us)

Shaken Iced Passion Tea Lemonade Recipe

I finally did it. I almost replicated Starbucks Shaken Iced Passion Tea Lemonade Recipe. I say "almost" because it's not quite exactly the same, but it's pretty darn close.

If you remember from this post, I couldn't get enough of this refreshing summer drink, made with Tazo Passion Tea, Lemonade, and sweetened with sugar. Thank you once again Miss Christy for introducing me to this tart treat. But for a few bucks per cup I wondered how difficult could it be to make at home?

After some online investigating and talking with my friend Heather, who also fell in love with it, I decided to try it. One youtube video was very helpful and the basis for my recipe (the lady on the video tends to ramble a bit but she was very thorough in her explanation).

The key is the Tazo Passion Tea concentrate. I brought 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large cooking pot and added 16 teabags. 

I let it steep for a few minutes, removed the tea bags and let it cool. Then I poured it into a 1 gallon pitcher and put it in the fridge. 

Photo courtesy of wegmans.com
In another pitcher, I made Wegmans Pink Lemonade (from concentrate).You could use regular lemonade if you like.

Then it was time to experiment with the ratio of tea, lemonade and sugar. I filled my giant reusable PBA free cup about 3/4 with ice. Then I poured in the tea concentrate to fill the cup 3/4 full, maybe a little more. Then I added a small pour of lemonade. I found out that there really isn't a whole lot of lemonade in this drink. So don't overdo it. To finish it off, one teaspoon of real sugar was enough sweetener for me. Maybe you'll like more/less. Give it a good stir or shake it up in a shaker if you have time.

I have been enjoying one of these every other morning or so for the past two weeks! Sooo refreshing. And tart. Yet sweet. If you like a "magical blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango, and passion fruit flavors" (like the tea box states), give it a try!

Snow Daze

I am excited to introduce you to Rochester's first all-natural gourmet shaved ice, Snow Daze. Jessica hired me to design a logo for their tasty treats, made with fresh fruits and herbs, and nothing artificial. What a great idea! To learn more about their product and where you can find them, visit the Snow Daze Facebook page. 

I like the fact that they renovated a 1964 Shasta camper to take to festivals and farmer's markets. I also like that they make all their own syrups with amazing flavor profiles.

Photos courtesy of Snow Daze

How good do these look? I want to dive right into that watermelon prickly pear!

Photos courtesy of Snow Daze

The lady of the Shasta herself, ready to serve up some delicious all-natural refreshment.

Photos courtesy of Snow Daze

This was such a fun design project and working with Jessica was awesome. I love the whole concept of Snow Daze. The perfect summer treat!