Miriam Designs Necklace Giveaway

Update: Sara of Project Soiree is the winner!

I have a giveaway for you today, but first I want to tell you a little bit about Miriam Designs, the company behind it. The jewelry is made by women in Nashville who have overcome addiction, prostitution and life on the street. Their tagline is handmade and hope-filled goods -- I love that. They create some beautiful pieces, but this sweet little branch necklace called "twiggy" happened to be my favorite. And now you have a chance to win it!

Just leave a comment below before noon on Friday, July 19. For additional entries, like Miriam Designs on Facebook and/or add this to one of your Pinterest boards. One winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!

Pretend Party: Ice Cream Tasting

I'm not planning on throwing an ice cream tasting party this summer, but if I were, it would look a little something like this. All you need are some tasty toppings, cute utensils and an assortment of your favorite ice creams, bought or homemade. (Chocolate chocolate chunk not pictured.)

[found here: ice cream cone holder; Coop's hot fudge; maraschino cherries; whipped cream dispenser; cups; chocolate sprinkles; wooden spoons; Fran's caramel sauce; ice cream scoop; ice cream cone garland]

Branch Out

I'm starting to burst at the seams when it comes to closet space. (There's just not enough room for all those cardigans.) These hanging branches by Carriage Oak Cottage would give me a little extra storage. Of course, only the cutest dresses are allowed.

Peach and Rosé Slushie

It's hot pretty much everywhere, so here's a boozy slushie to take the edge off. The peach purée and rosé make for a light, fruity and subtly sweet combination in a perfectly summery shade. Sip on one of these, and you'll almost forget it's 93 degrees outside.

Peach and Rosé Slush

2 ripened peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup of rosé, chilled
1 1/2 cups ice

To make peach purée, slice 2 ripe peaches and combine in a blender with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Blend until smooth and then strain with a sieve, discarding the solid pieces. Rinse blender and combine 1/2 cup of the strained peach purée (you'll probably have extra) with 1 cup of cold rosé and 1 1/2 cups of ice. Blend for a few seconds until combined. Mixture should still have a slushy consistency. Serves 2.

Here's another summery slush for the whole family and some more peaches and wine.

Long Weekend in Photos

Long weekends seem so necessary when one finally comes along, a way to check out for a bit and do things that don't normally fit into your weekend schedule. Jonah and I finally went to Mission Chinese since we could go wait in line before they opened at 5:30 on Friday. It was as good as I hoped, yummy noodles, ribs and cocktails, and perhaps my favorite touch, the Twin Peaks-themed bathroom, complete with theme song, which plays on a loop. We also spent two glorious days at the beach, just the two of us at Long Beach and a day at the Jersey Shore with friends, our annual tradition. It's always good to replace the concrete with sand on hot, humid weekends, and it was encouraging to see the progress made since Superstorm Sandy, but there's still a long way to go. Hope your weekend was refreshing and fun and near a body of water too.

Monthly Photo Project: July

The theme for this month's photo project is summer. Popsicles, sandy toes, flying kites, I'm looking forward to this one. I'll share the results on Wednesday, July 31st. If you want to email me your photo and information in advance, I'd love to highlight images from some of you. Send it to: southernhostess[at]gmail.com And in the meantime, have a very happy Fourth of July!

Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Terrine

Here's an easy and fun dessert for your Fourth of July festivites. Other than a trip to the freezer section of your grocery store, it requires minimal effort. For my red, white and blue flavors, I went with raspberry sorbet, coconut gelato and blueberry sorbet, but if you prefer red velvet or blue bubblegum ice cream, go for it. There's room to play, especially when it comes to the white. And what better way to celebrate America than with a frozen dessert?

Fourth of July Ice Cream Terrine

1 pint of raspberry sorbet
1 pint of coconut gelato
1 pint of blueberry sorbet

Line the inside of a loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting a few extra inches hang out over the edges. I found taping the excess plastic wrap to the outside of the pan helped the first layer go in smoother. Let the pint of your first layer of ice cream (raspberry), soften for about 20 minutes, so it’s spreadable. Using a rubber spatula, spread the whole pint in a flat layer over the bottom of the pan. Place loaf pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While that layer freezes, remove your second pint of ice cream (coconut) from the freezer, so it can soften. Once the first layer is firm, spread the second pint of ice cream over it and return the loaf pan to the freezer. Repeat the process with your third layer (blueberry). Once you’re finished, cover the top layer with plastic wrap. Let the finished terrine freeze for at least 6 hours. Once it's ready, unfold the plastic wrap and invert the pan onto a serving plate. With a little wiggling, the terrine should slip out. Remove plastic wrap and garnish with sprinkles, berries, coconut, nuts or whatever else you like. Slice with a serrated knife and serve immediately.