Besserina: June 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Michelob Ultra Cider? Yes, please!

When Michelob offered me some of their new Ultra Light Cider to try and review, I have to admit I was a little hesitant because I rarely drink. It sounded really good though (just so you know I’m drinking one right now for inspiration).

I love it.

It’s refreshing, sort of sweet, sort of tart, and doesn’t taste like beer, which is a great thing in my opinion.

It just has a light, crisp cider flavor, perfect for this time of year.

Summer picnics, grilling, by the pool…it is also gluten free and only has 120 calories, how awesome is that? I’ve tried it on ice, and strait out of the bottle, both are yummy.

Since I've heard of this new Mic Ultra, I can't believe how many people are talking about it. A friend of mine had just tried it and loved it, some friends were talking about it on facebook and my aunt can't wait to try it. Definatly a must try summer drink!

I'm thinking I'm going to take some along to our Fourth of July picnic, they will go great with grilled chicken and veggies!

Which favorite summer meal or activity do you think would go best with Michelob ULTRA Cider?

Friday, June 22, 2012

Tutorial: Turn your logo into a block printing stamp

Sure you can just order one, but I'm just not that type of girl!

What you'll need:

Linoleum block
Linoleum cutter
Paper and pencil
Masking tape
Raised stamp pad

1. Print out the mirror image of your logo on a sheet of paper.
2. Shade the back of the paper with a pencil, remember doing this in art class?
3. Tape the image shaded side down onto the linoleum block. Mirror image will be facing up.
4. Trace over your logo with a pencil. I like to shade in the areas that I will be carving away.
5. Remove the paper. You should see the mirror image of your logo transferred onto the block.

6. Use one of these baby's to carve the linoleum. Use the smaller blades for outlining first, then change to the larger blades to remove large areas.

Ready to print?

I wanted to use block printing ink and a roller, but didn't have much luck with it. I tried a rubber and a sponge brayer and it looked terrible. If you have experience with block printing, try it, but maybe it will work for you.

A raised stamp pad worked great though, and the ink dried quickly.

Press the block down evenly onto the printing surface, it takes a bit of practice. You will need to apply ink each time you stamp.

Now you can stamp your

Bags

Price tags

Packages

Cards

Labels

etc......

Monday, June 18, 2012

23 Perennials to plant this summer in your garden

The most wonderful thing about perennials, is not only that each year they reappear in your garden, they get bigger and even more beautiful. I started my perennial garden 2 summers ago, and it's still getting established. The first year I planted just around the fence, Morning Glories, Bittersweet, and Old Fashioned Pink Roses to climb, and a few tall plants. Last summer I tilled up more yard and made a rock path down the center. Foxglove, lupines, bee balm, lavender, columbine and many more were added. They didn't bloom last summer, and were just small plants. This year it was almost magical to see all of them growing! The lupines were gigantic, bee balm is quickly taking over the back, daisy's are everywhere - those I planted from seed. I love the tall hollyhocks and the miniature old fashioned hollyhocks against our fence. I have put in quite a few more this spring and summer, mostly low growing ones along the path and around the outside of the fence. I'm not an expert, I just plant them and hope for the best (and have had lots of luck) my mother is the horticulturalist, so if you have any questions, I'd be happy to pass them along to her!

Source: interioralchemy.tumblr.com via Bess on Pinterest

These are some of my favorite perennials. I am in zone 6, most of these do well in zones 4-8. Take advantage of greenhouse sales towards the end of the summer, last year I planted perennials through August that have really taken off in the garden.

1. Lupines

2. Hollyhocks

3. Foxglove

4. Delphinium

5. Lavender

6. Coneflower or Echinacea

7. Columbine

8. Dianthus

9. Iris

10. Coreopsis

11. Bleeding Hearts

12. Shasta Daisy

13. Sweet Woodruff

14. Lady's Mantle

15. Peony's

16. Astilbe

17. Alium

18. Phlox

19. Bee Balm

20. Sweet William

21. Sum and Substance Hosta

22. Jacobs Ladder

23. Yarrow

Here are some beautiful cottage style perennial gardens to inspire you! What I love about them is they basically a beautiful mess. Not perfectly trimmed and in order. Just looking like they have been growing there, happily, forever.

Source: mimicharmante.blogspot.com via Bess on Pinterest

Source: gypsypurplehome.tumblr.com via Bess on Pinterest

Source: besserina.blogspot.com via Bess on Pinterest

Source: bellafayegarden.tumblr.com via Bess on Pinterest

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Some Vegetable Garden Inspiration

For some reason, this year we are really behind on planting the garden. It has been fertilzed thanks to the chickens, and tilled a few times by my manly husband, but not a single vegetable is sprouting. I found some amazing inspiration today that will hopefully get us in gear this weekend! Have you planted your vegetable garden yet? What do you plant?