A baby shower for twins

A client of mine asked me last week if I would help her with a baby shower she was giving for her step-daughter who is having twin boys. There wasn't a lot of time (the shower was in a few days) but she was stuck and needed a little help. She was thinking about doing a jungle theme since that was what the babies' bedding was going to be and that was what the invitations were. I needed ideas that were simple, fast and inexpensive. Before we met I picked up some fabric that had the colors of the invitations and the babies' bedding (green, browns, yellows) and threw in some animal prints and some blues to brighten it up a bit. My idea was to do something simple with fabric and twine kind of like my sister did when she gave my daughter a wedding shower last summer.

I liked how the simple strips of fabric looked tied to the twine and thought it would be a darling way to add some fun the the baby shower. My idea was to add some zebra other animal prints to the mix.

Wedding Shower last summer

I also picked up some card stock in the colors I wanted to use and some animal prints as well to make paper banners like I did for my daughter's birthday a couple of weeks ago.

Griffin's Birthday banner

Before meeting at my client's house we decided to visit a new store in our area that she had wanted me to see. She thought there might be some things she could use in her house after the shower as well; things that would give her house a more Spring-time look.

The store is tpt home and has everything from ribbon and floral to dishes and even small furniture. If you live local it is off the 405 in Costa Mesa in the new SOCO center near Stark Carpet. While we shopped I got inspired. 

I started with a Spring look (eggs, new birth) and used the color blue for the 'boys'. We picked up quite a few topiary balls which I used everywhere. 

I added some zebra print ribbon that my client had to "jungle it up". 

I brought a sample banner that I had made for my daughter's birthday but my client like it so much I never even opened the new card stock packages! That was easy! She was fine without the animal prints and so was I.

I loved this frame (also from tpt home) ... I thought the double "cherish" - was just perfect for twins!  A couple of giraffes for good measure ...

I used fabric strips and burlap and ribbon to add some color and fun to the dining room table and chandelier.

The table ready for some pretty desserts ...

These little birds are so sweet and were a good price - I think around $5 each. The color of the eggs were perfect! 

Nothing says "Spring-time" more than a nest filled with eggs.

My client has a large bulletin board in her kitchen and she asked me to do something with it. My supplies were limited. I used some leftover burlap I had brought and paper and ribbon. I took the extra invitations to the shower and split them up. The feet print was a duplicate I had brought to put in the "cherish" frame and the shoes I "borrowed" from her daughter's "build-a-bear".

What to do with the sticks.... 

I tied strips of fabric on the bare sticks to add some color ... and added burlap to all the pots.

Even the exterior spaces were dressed up ... more topiary balls were added ...

A crisp new pillow from HomeGoods for the swing and a new welcome sign ...

This small little green table was a "must have" from tpt home.

More greens for the front entrance and a pretty little wreath ...

And a client's green thumb was all that was needed to make this home baby shower and ready-for-Spring-perfect. 

A wonderful soup

We just finished the last of our Christmas soup tonight; isn't it amazing how soup just gets better and better each time it is heated up? I made it on Christmas Eve and when we returned home from our movie on Christmas day all I had to do was heat it up. It was so easy and it was just the perfect thing to eat after a big dinner the night before, a big Christmas breakfast and all the cookies and candy we had been munching on for days. It was even more perfect because of the rainy weather - soup just works in the rain, doesn't it?

Becky Luigart-Stayner

I always wanted to have a Christmas soup tradition. My neighbor has made a clam chowder for their family Christmas dinner for at least 20 years now. I really like that. I tried to do something similar for our family once before; I made a wonderful crab bisque for a few years but I think I liked it more than anyone else. But this year's soup went over very well and it was unanimously decided that it could be continued! I like the idea of starting new traditions; ones that my girl's will carry on with their families one day.

Country Living

Don't judge this recipe by the ingredients - trust me it is fabulous. My Mexican son-in-law, whose mother is a wonderful cook even approved. It came from an old cookbook that belonged to my mother. I don't remember my mom ever making the soup but somehow I started making it many years ago. The cookbook is, "Elena's Secrets of Mexican Cooking," by Elena Zelayeta, Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1958. I have copied the recipe exactly as it is in the book.

Sopa de Albondigas

(Meat Ball Soup)

You don’t have to be Mexican to enjoy this soup. It’s a lusty-gusty one, and may be even more so if peas and sliced carrots are added to it along with the albondigas, or meat balls.

Broth

1 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons oil

½ can tomato sauce

3 quarts beef stock

Albondigas

¾ pound ground beef

¾ pound ground pork

1/3 cup raw rice

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

Wilt onion and garlic in oil; add tomato sauce and beef stock. Heat to boiling point. Mix meat with rice, egg, mint, salt and pepper, and shape into little balls. Drop into boiling broth. Cover tightly and cook 30 minutes. Will freeze nicely. Serves 6 to 8.

My notes: I wasn't sure what size can of tomato sauce she meant; apparently in 1958 there was only one size, so I used a 15 oz. can (that is what I had on hand) and used about 2/3 of it). I also added sliced carrots (a must!) and next year I think I will add some peas as well. I was worried it might not be enough soup for us as we are a family of five and I wanted left-overs - but it was plenty! We have had it several times since Christmas day. The meatballs are very good - the mint is what makes them so special so don't leave that part out! My intention was to serve it with a nice salad (I never even made it!) but we did heat up tortillas and we had homemade tamales from my sister-in-law that we ate with it as well. Next year I think I will make it a day earlier - 2 days before Christmas - to give me more time on Christmas Eve and so that it is even better on Christmas day. I think that it would be a wonderful New Year's Day soup as well! Enjoy!