8-Day Sweet Pickles
Pickle making has been a part of my life since about the time I learned to walk. I remember chasing after little toys under the kitchen table, and seeing Mom, tall and young, wearing a flowered apron and with her…
Mexican Wedding Cookies
In Oaxaca, Mexico, these cookies are a traditional wedding favor for guests, where they are served in delicate pouches of ruffled white tissue paper. They are so delicious that many countries have their own variations. They are known as Russian…
Homemade English Toffee
Candy making seems so mysterious. So difficult. I mean, baking bread? No problem. Cakes or cookies? Got that covered. And main dishes? Well, they’ve got a whole television network designed to help us figure out what to make for dinner.…
Dog Soap
Michelle Palmquist is the mind behind this genius. She makes custom soaps and sells them at local farmer’s markets and on-line at The Custom Soap Shop and Dogspaw.us. Michelle is also a dog owner who likes to pamper her pooch. …
Pignoli Gems
Pignoli, an Italian tradition, are not ordinary cookies. They are made of mostly almond paste with very little flour, are chewy and dense and intensely flavored of almonds, and are lavishly encrusted with pine nuts. Make them small as they…
Moon Over Buffalo
My daughter Talia was recently in a play at her high school (ok, she is always in a play at her high school). The acting bug has bitten her which is fine with me; I was in drama in high…
A Bloom from the Bride and Groom
I came across this idea at a restaurant for Mother’s Day brunch a few years back and I just loved it. A man walked around with single flowers to give to all of the mothers while they ate their meal…
Berry Dessert Sauce
This elegant sauce is bursting with berry flavor. In our family, we use a blend of raspberries and marionberries from our garden. Our neighbors use the wild blackberries that are everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. You can put up the…
Blue Lagoon Signature Drink
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” – it all happens with this one sweet little favor gift. A new bottle, a blue drink, a borrowed recipe, and a ribbon that your mother (or grandmother) has been keeping in…
Graduation Party
I’m going to admit something to you. I’m old enough to have a child graduating from high school. I had her when I was eight so I’m only 26 but whatever . . . It’s true, my oldest daughter is…
Personalized Beer for Father’s Day
I love my dad. He’s amazing. I’m pretty sure he was at every swim meet I ever participated in and I know he saw every play I was in – no matter how small the part. After my mom died,…
$1 Wedding Favors
When I got married I quickly learned how weddings become so expensive. When I started planning my wedding I realized how costs quickly add up and it was overwhelming. Cake, Flowers, Rentals, Attire, the list goes on and on! One…
Chair Garland
Sometimes finding the right party or birthday decorations are harder than finding the perfect gift! When you find the perfect ones, you then have to hope they don’t break the bank. This simple and adorable idea is both easy and…
Teacher Appreciation Baskets
Teaching has got to be one of the most under-appreciated professions there is. I worked in an elementary school for several years as an Educational Assistant and I know first hand how much work teachers do to inspire and educate…
We like our bike and this is why…
Evermine.com makes its home in Portland, Oregon. We love it here! Most of us don’t even mind the rain. One of the best parts of living here is that Portland is a very “bike friendly” city and we are a…
Favor Wraps
How do you do cute without doing new? It’s easy when you make your favor wraps from re-usable items, and when you do so, your favors (or at least their packaging) become the “something old” component of your wedding. Look…
Shortbread Cookie Boxes
My family loves cookies. When I make cookies, I either make a lot of them, or expect them to be gone quickly. I don't even own a cookie jar, cookies don't stay around long enough to need one! Cookies are also a perfect thing to give away as gifts. A thank you to a neighbor who collected your mail while you were gone could be as simple as a box of yummy shortbread cookies.
Mother’s Day Spa Basket
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. I love Mother’s Day because my kids and husband love to spoil me! My favorite gifts are always things that are homemade. And if the gift is designed to pamper me? All the…
Homemade Soap
Making soap may sound complicated, but the most difficult thing about this project is figuring out what to do with all of your beautiful bars! All you need is a few supplies, a couple of hours and good company. Soap…
Custom Photo Coasters
These are my grandsons!
It’s just amazing what a little effort will do. I now have these terrific coaster mementos of my grandsons, Caden and Dylan, which will make great party decorations as well.