ahhh fresh

Freya Cumming print / source unknown / floral photograph / raindrop patterned fabric / ice-cream cone macaroons / Dance print (my own)

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late summer picnic

I’ve been gathering and making some things for a styled picnic for quite a while now but with an August full of weddings and disappointing weather in between, it was only last weekend that I got around to doing it. Sunday was a surprise scorcher which was perfect! So here’s a sunny idea for a DIY picnic and I’m sure the concept would work just as well in your back garden for a few friends. In my next post I’ll let you know how to make the bits and pieces and the labels and invites will be available as a free download. Enjoy!

There’s nothing quite like homemade guacamole on a hot day. That’s actually quite a bold statement but it really is up there. Mexicans know how to cater for heat. The chilli kick and zesty lime keep the dip really fresh. I’ve only found out why people leave the avocado stone in the dip. It’s to stop the avocado going brown! Call me stupid but I just thought it was for decoration.

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sun on a stick

I’ve been meaning to make ice pops for aaages but kept on forgetting to order some lolly sticks. I thought up some combinations that sounded yummy and decided to find out if they actually were. I just used cheap ice lolly moulds but ditched the plastic sticks that come with these kinds of sets. I used a short piece of string across each individual mould and secured the wooden sticks with a tiny bit of cellotape. This way the stick stayed where I wanted it to while ice pops set. There may be a much easier way of doing this but I couldn’t think of it.

For these you’ll need....

• Lemonade 
• A small bunch of mint 
• Lime chopped thinly 
• Some vodka or rum if you'd prefer

Pour a small measure of vodka into  the bottom of each mould. Don’t be too generous otherwise you might end up with a very clinical tasting ice pop. Then roughly chop the mint and add as much as you want, along with the lime slices and then almost fill with lemonade. Remember it will swell slightly as it freezes. You may need to push some of the lime and mint down to the bottom if they float up to the top. Then put them in the freezer and leave preferably over night but it will depend on your freezer.

For these you’ll need....

• Vanilla yoghurt
• Strawberry yoghurt
• Mango and Passion Fruit yoghurt

You will have to add each layer separately and then allow to partially freeze. I left them for about 5 hours in between layers. I also added a few drops of yellow food colouring to the mango and passion fruit yoghurt before layering, which made the colour a bit more punchy, giving a better contrast between this layer and the vanilla. Try spooning the yoghurt in carefully and wipe any excess from the sides, to get nice clean lines.

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