I love this bouquet every time I walk through the family room. My master plan is all coming together in the form of beautiful flower arrangements.
Remember when I visited Uwajimaya in Seattle and shopped for interesting Japanese juice cans? This can is a yellow and purple Sugar Cane drink marked Puli Specialty product of Taiwan. I absolutely love it and the flowers I found in bloom were just what I had in mind for it. Success!
Instead of a traditional glass vase, I love having texture, pattern and color as the foundation for my small flower arrangements. If I had my own flower shop, I know that these would fly off the shelves.
I am home and able to pull from my own garden to make juice can bouquets. This arrangement has Honey Dijon roses, purple verbena and a sprig of mint.
If I do one thing this summer, it should be to convince you to put flowers in soda or juice cans. Will you?
I am encouraged by the very existence of Dry Soda. Dry Soda is brand of beverage that is made from only 4 all-natural ingredients. Founder and CEO Sharelle Klaus' vision (She's a genius, as far as I'm concerned) was to create a carbonated beverage that was less sweet (and therefore would have less calories), caffeine free, low in sodium, yet full of herbal or fruit flavors that would pair well with "grown up" meals. Amen!
I avoid alcohol and a girl can only drink so much sparkling water! I would love to be able to order a sophisticated beverage when I am dining out. Particularly if it has a subtle flavor that would enhance my meal. Shrimp Risotto and Diet Coke just don't pair well.
I had read about Dry Soda, but had never come across it on store shelves in Michigan. Then when I was doing research for my extended trip to Seattle, I learned that Dry Soda is based in Seattle! I knew that I would finally be able to find it, try it and then tell you about it.
I found it easily on the shelves at the local Whole Foods and bought Rhubarb and Juniper Berry. I served them with our delayed Easter dinner (ham, potato gratin, green beans) and they were quite good. The lack of sugar is a shock, but it is a shock I am all for. I know that there will be a few that I have a thirst for, I just have to zero in on which of the 11 flavors are in my wheelhouse.
Dan liked them right off the bat. I can't wait to try more of their when I visit their TASTING ROOM when I am back in Seattle next month. Can you believe it? They have a tasting room. See, I told you Sharelle Klaus was a genius.
Before I had even left for Hawaii (in January), I knew what I wanted to find, photograph and craft with. The Waialua Soda Works had been on my radar for a while and I was so happy when I realized that they were located on Oahu, my destination!
I told Corinne (who I was going to visit) that I was hoping to find where they make this gourmet soda, tour the plant (if possible) and take a photo of the display case full of Waialua Soda. Now you can see why traveling with me can be a bit of a challenge. I had the whole thing worked out in my head.
Well, one day we drove all over North Shore looking for Waialua Soda with the help of our iPhones and Google Map, but we only found where they used to be located before their business grew.
I settled for a photo in the cooler of a local Hawaiian shop (doesn't it look pretty?) and bought a 4-pack of Pineapple, Lilikoi (Passion Fruit), Vanilla Creme and Mango to sample at home. The soda is light and fizzy and exactly what you'd want in an artisanal soda. Plus I now have beautiful vases!
Part of my grand plan was to "bejewel" some Waialua Soda Works bottles (and other Hawaiian specialty products) with sequins and turn them into vases. I had to wait until my Veterans' Honor rose bloomed to be able to show you the results of my master plan.
This is what I call "Pop Art!"
