Create-Celebrate-Explore

Hyundai Santa Fe Epic Play Date at Dos Pueblos Ranch

Last weekend we were invited to a play date of epic proportions at Dos Pueblos Ranch. We decided to make an entire weekend out of this and turned it into a camping weekend (which I'll post about later - you know, once I edit and pare down the 3000 photographs taken).

The setting for the play date was beautiful. Dos Pueblos Ranch is spectacular, so if you have an opportunity to go there, then do it.

Our day began with a meeting of everyone in the barn.

Party Tips, Ideas and Trends

During the SNAP Conference I attended a fabulous 'Parties that WOW!' session by Mariah of Giggles Galore and Michelle of Maddycakes Muse. These ladies really do know how to throw together parties that WOW!

I'm going to share with you some of their trend predictions and party tips so that you can put together a party on a budget that is sure to WOW too.

So, what's 'IN'?

Thanksgiving Point Gardens and Tulip Festival

I spent most of last week in beautiful Utah for the SNAP Conference. Of course I couldn't be in another state without setting aside just a little time for sightseeing in-between workshops, presentations, and networking.  I will be back with more about SNAP, I have lots of posts written in my head, and loads of photographs that need editing.

On Thursday Natalie and I took a little time out of our busy schedule to catch a trolley to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens to photograph the beautiful tulips at the Tulip Festival. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but had envisioned that it would be something similar to the Carlsbad Flower Fields with a sea of tulips as far as the eye could see. However it wasn't exactly like that. The gardens themselves are absolutely beautiful. There are 55-acres to enjoy including 15 themed gardens, a Children's Discovery Garden and the largest manmade waterfall in the Western Hemisphere.

The Tulip Festival is scattered around the gardens and alongside the walking paths. There are nearly 100 varieties amongst the 250,000 tulips which apparently in late May will be pulled from the ground and sold for $3 per dozen.

Business Cards and Friendship Pins

I'm heading to SNAP conference this week with my friend Natalie.

Unlike conferences I attended last year, where I had to dig around in my purse, camera bag, and laptop bag, trying to round up a little bundle of cards to hand out, I got myself organized and ordered a new set of MOO cards.

I decided I wanted something fairly simple this time, but I wanted to add a little something to them to hand out to all of the lovely ladies I'm going to be meeting, so I whipped up friendship pins to pop onto each card.

Salted Caramel Sauce

I've already shared with you the workshop I took at Craftcation on how to can and make homemade strawberry jam.  Well, another workshop I took there was with the amazing Ellen Daehnick, who is the founder of Helliemae's (handcrafted caramels), she taught us how to make homemade salted caramel sauce.

Oh my goodness, this dark caramel sauce is heavenly.

It was surprisingly easy to make, although a little messy.

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Over the weekend I attended just one day of Craftcation, which was a four day conference held in Ventura, California.

One of the classes I took was Preserves and Canning with Chef Ernest Miller.

We learned how to make a basic strawberry jam.  It was delicious. 

I almost ate the entire jar with scones and cream. I cannot wait to go strawberry picking soon so I can make more.

This was surprisingly simple to make. I don't know why I hadn't learned sooner, I truly thought it was going to be difficult and time consuming, but it wasn't at all ... I say that, but just wait until I try to make it without a professional chef around and I'll be sobbing over the stove and throwing things.