Summer Endings

Summer is approaching it's final days.
It is getting to be that time of year where, though it is still warm outside,
and your harvesting your produce in the sun, the evenings beckon you to grab your sweater.
Or you have that day, where a tank top and shorts are the last thing you want to wear.
For those days, I long to have a wardrobe filled with
Ruche's Tuscan Sun clothing line.
Aren't these pictures just so dreamy.
Perfect for summer's end.

Color Palette - Ginger Haired

via: Fleur + Dot

Um, all I have to say is...
How cute is this little ginger haired girl?!?!?

I had another big day today.
I decorated for a outdoor barn-ish dinner party.
It turned out great, but unfortunately (as always) I had about zero amount of time
 to actually take pictures before people began to show up.
I swear it always ends up that way.
You might see pictures of it soon, if they turn out presentable.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Or I should say...

Micah's Sunday Morning
Birthday Breakfast!

I like to call this "the ultimate man breakfast".
Hash browns topped with onions and peppers, topped with bacon,
topped with tater-tots, topped with cheese, and finished with a fried egg.
Yeah, total guys meal... but soooo good!

Happy Birthday Micah.

My Week in Instagrams

To be honest, this is the past 2 weeks in instagrams.

Last weekend, Micah and I celebrated our 6th Anniversary!

So I was away for the weekend and unable to post.

But what a fun anniversary we had!

We spent the weekend at our traditional spot, The Kandahar Lodge...

we ate at our favorite restaurant...

road the gondola up Big Mountain (the view was amazing)...

and we even spent some time at "Huckleberry Days",

enjoying a scoop of Huckleberry Ice Cream!

Have a great weekend!

And the WINNER is....

I am so excited to announce the winner!!

This giveaway was so fun... so fun I can't wait to do another one.

Cool story...

Maria Nuzzo was actually my roommate 9 years ago in YWAM.
We were DTS roommates right before we both headed overseas to live for a few months
(I headed to England/Northern Ireland and Maria headed to Thailand).

So excited you won Maria... and enjoy your bracelet!!!

Current Crush - The Loose Blouse

1, 2, 3, 4

Oh man, it is literally taking everything in me

to not jump over to a-thread and buy that fuchsia top!

I am just loving these tops right now.

Grace Designs

I was staring at my purse today
(okay, technically I was day dreaming during a meeting)
and I noticed that my purse is beginning to look very worn.
Sad, because it is my favorite purse.
Guess I'm going to need a new one pretty soon.

I would love one of these purses from Grace Designs!
Don't you just love the fabric patterns.

P.S. Only 3 more days to enter the giveaway!

Color Palette - Lemonade

There is just something about freshly made lemonade.
When the weather is hot, which it has been here in the Northwest...
all I want to do is relax outside and sip ice cold lemonade.

And I love this beautiful image via eat drink chic.
Doesn't it make you want to grab that cup and start sipping away?!

On another note, my giveaway is still open!
So if you haven't entered to win the It's A Wrap bracelet,
make sure to head on over (here) and enter.

Have a great Monday and try to stay cool in this heat!

4 Years and a Giveaway!

Can you believe I've been blogging 4 years now.
It seems like just yesterday I published my first post.

I am so excited about today...
because I am hosting my very first giveaway!

I wanted to say thank you to all my readers
who have been following my blog over the last years
and those who are recently new followers.
I have so enjoyed getting to know you by your comments and emails.
And the daily encouragement to keep up blogging from friends has kept me going.

SO....

I wanted to giveaway something to a lucky reader!

I am giving away the It's A Wrap bracelet from Premier Designs Jewelry!
Antique matte brass plated, genuine leather, valued at $39...
I have this bracelet myself and seriously wear it all the time.
And since wrap bracelets are still going strong in the fashion trend world...
I would love to give a lucky winner one of their own.

Here is what you do...
You can enter the giveaway by following the raffle generator below
(and for those with no blog, twitter, or pinterest...
simply click on the easy entry for fans of this blog post
and you can enter that way).
You have a chance to enter 6 times!

Best wishes and I'll announce the winner next Friday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Current Crush - Friendship Bracelets

And so my obsession with jewelry continues.

I am totally crushing on these friendship bracelets by Astley Clark.
Wouldn't they be so cute worn either just by themselves or stacking a few together!

And speaking of jewelry...
in honor of my 4 year blogging anniversary,
I am hosting my first ever GIVEAWAY right here on Wuthering Iris!

TOMORROW!!

And what am I giving away?
Well, lets just say I'm taking advantage of my jewelry obsession and using it for your benefit!
So you might want to check back with me tomorrow.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Remember when I mentioned that I went cherry picking?...

Well, I made something delicious with those cherries!

I am on a huge ice cream kick right now.

So when I had pounds of cherries just sitting in my fridge, waiting to be devoured,

I new I had to create a yummy ice cream recipe with them.

And boy, is it delicious!

Sweet Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Chunks....

I'm in heaven with each bowl.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/8 cup sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1 pound cherries

1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped into pieces

1. Blend milk, sugar, cream, vanilla, and 8 cherries (pitted) until a smooth mixture forms.

2. Pour into an electric ice cream maker and make according to the ice cream makers directions.

3. While ice cream is churning, pit and chop about a cup of cherries.

4. When ice cream is just about done, add the chocolate chunks and cherry chunks. Churn for a few more seconds, so that the chunks are well incorporated.

5. Transfer into a plastic bowl and cover. Freeze an additional 30 minutes.

6. Enjoy!

Color Palette - Summer Poppies

Summer just wouldn't be the same
without the bounty of summer poppies
growing everywhere.
Mine grow beautifully in my garden
(as long as the chickens don't trample them...
I swear, those chickens can do some major damage to my plants).
And in the fall, I take all the leftover poppy pods,
open them up, and scatter the seeds
wherever I can find an open plot of dirt.

I am super inspired by the color of these poppies this week.

My Week in Instagrams

 

Guess what I did yesterday!

I was able to cross another "summer to-do" off my list... I went cherry picking!

Each summer the cherries are so abundant here in Montana

that farms let you take a pail and fill it to your hearts desire (and it's only $1 a pound!).

I didn't buy a lot, only 4lbs, but that's enough for us to enjoy as we relax the summer away.

Have a great weekend!

Peacock Plume

Since were on the topic of jewelry and fashion

and everything wonderful about those two things,

I have to ask...

Have you hear of Peacock Plume?

If not, you must go check it out right now!

 Seriously, click on over and see...

I'll wait.

Don't they have the most fun and budget friendly

jewelry and accessories!
These are just a few of my favorites.

Current Crush - Roaring Statement Necklaces

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

After a few days of camping...

and a few days of recouping after camping,

I am back on the blogging train.

I couldn't miss out on another episode of Current Crush!

(Thanks again Danielle, Kristen, & Jessie)

This week I just can't get enough of the

Roaring Twenties inspired Statement Necklaces...

I am seriously obsessed.

Maybe because it makes me more and more excited

for this movie to be released!

Nevertheless...

I'm loving these necklaces and this trend.

My Week in Instagrams

 

I hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing weekend.

Today I am doing some major house cleaning.

We said goodby today to a church team that was visiting the campus here.

When church teams are here, I usually have no time whatsoever

to do anything else except bake delicious treats/snacks for them.

So today is catch-up day on some house work.

But tomorrow....

We are going camping!

I'm so excited!

Have a great weekend.

Girl Behind the Blog - Accomplish

 

Here is another video blog for you guys!

I hope you like them as much as I like making them.

This week I linked up with Ashley and Lindsey

to talk about what I would like to accomplish...

hopefully by the end of the year.

And on a side note... when I say in the video

"cook everything in my pantry"

I do not mean cook it all at once and eat it.

I mean that I am officially grounded when it comes to

buying new and unique food items

until all my current pantry items have been used.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Bavarian Raspberry Tart

After 3 years of watching and waiting,

our raspberry bush is finally producing the most beautifully red raspberries!

I can't wait to start making tons of raspberry jam.

But until then, I'm enjoying my daily walk to the garden

to eat them fresh off the vine...

Or to use as a fresh topping on desserts.

I made this delicious Bavarian Raspberry Tart today

which was perfect in the summer heat.

Bavarian Raspberry Tart

1 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

3 tbsp sugar

2 cups Bavarian Cream

Fresh Raspberries

1. To make the graham cracker crush, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter together. Then press into a tart pan (or any pan). Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.

2. Here is a great Bavarian Cream recipe that is perfect dolloped on top of the tart shell.

3. Top with fresh raspberries and chill for about 30 minutes. 

4. Enjoy!

July Birchbox

I swear, I fall in love with Birchbox a little more each month.

Not only for the surprise of what my box will include,

but it seems that they know exactly what I need at the exact moment.

This month my little treasures were...

1. Ada Bronzer.

The color is great and even has a bit of sparkle to it.

I'm normally not a sparkly makeup person, but I think it will be great for the evening.

2. Hello Perfume by Harvey Prince.

The smell is very earthy with hints of sandalwood and myrrh,

yet very feminine at the same time.

3. High-Gloss Hair Masque.

Approaching the end of summer my hair is always in need of some desperate attention.

This masque leaves my hair super silky soft. LOVE IT!

4. Stila Lip Glaze.

I pretty much did a happy dance with I saw this in my box.

I love anything Stila and this color is so pretty.

Plus...It's was a full sized gift!

And on top of those,

my Birchbox included a Larabar and a set of neon earbuds.

I can't wait for next month's to arrive!!

What was in your Birchbox?

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Good Morning Everyone!

What are you plans today? Resting and Relaxing? Or Working?

I have a combo of both on my plate today.

I do plan on having some relax time...

but we have another church team visiting our campus this week.

So that means more baking.

Like baking enough brownies for 130 people tonight.

Even though I'll be baking a ton tonight,

I still was in the mood for something sweet this morning for breakfast.

So Huckleberry Scones with Cream satisfied me. 

Have a great Sunday!