More than rain showers

I was crown-folding napkins and doing other such bridal shower preparations late into the night last night. I got a few hours sleep and then started at it again early this morning. One of yesterday's all-day-long projects were petit fours. Man, was THAT an exasperating experience!

It took nearly 40 minutes straight of beating in order to ensure a soft sponge consistency. But that was okay-because it WAS light as air. I cut the squares, filled them with homemade strawberry jam, and all was well. I got a picture, I was so proud and things were going so smoothly. But... then. I had to ice them.

THAT is where it got sticky (no pun intended...) I will probably never make them again. The icing didn't catch on the sides. The ones that DID coat, dried to the rack and split when I lifted them up. The ones that couldn't be iced, in a last ditch attempt, I dunked in chocolate but many of those split their layers too. Needless to say, I was frustrated and wound up taking 1/3 of that airy sponge with me. I defrosted some sugar cookies and iced them with the coordinating colors too-only to fill up the platter I was taking with me.

Here is the picture of the happy little cakes that were so sweet and evoked such excitement in me.


Here are some of the nasty little icing monsters that I ended up with.



All is forgiven with a chocolate fountain, though.


If I bombed (only in my perfectionist opinion) in the food department, at least I did alright in the decorating department. Then again, how can you go wrong with fresh flowers and delicious smelling candles? The colors were pale blue and dark brown. For the drink table centerpiece, I brought along a few of my blue glass bottle and put a different flower in each one. I scattered river rocks in a pile here and there for interest and lined the folded napkins along the back.





Here is the BIG arrangement, making the gift table nice and elegant! Light blue delphinium and white spray roses married nicely with the blossoms I cut from our backyard trees.




I do so love parties. It is so neat to see the excitement just bubble forth from these bride-to-be's. It will be five years of wedded bliss this August and yet-I remember all too well that same giddyness. I STILL feel it sometimes. Makes me want to get married again.

Same guy, same colors, same day-just years later. PROBABLY NOT same dress. ;-)

Maybe for our 10 year?!?!