Natalie's Shower!

Before we get started I have a prayer request: I know I have already reached out to most of you, but just in case I didn't get a chance to talk to you, my sister-in-law Lara is 27/28 weeks pregnant. They just found out she is suffering from a very serious illness and that they are going to have to have the baby a little early so they can begin treating her. Please pray for her fast healing, the health and safe delivery of their baby girl, and strength for her husband Jarrod. This is an understandably frightening and uncertain time for them and they can use all the prayers and positive thoughts we can send!

I can hardly believe it but my baby cousin is getting married! My mom and I had the honor of hosting a shower for her this past weekend and I can't wait to share it with y'all!

 The green box is covering my mom's address :)

My cousin Natalie is absolutely amazing. Since 90% of my readership is family, y'all already know and love her, but for anyone reading who doesn't know her, she's a true beauty, inside and out. She carries herself with such an easy elegance and is one of the kindest, sweetest women I know.

 This is the recipe for the orange ginger juice. The recipe makes a ton (25 cups!) but it is so good! 

Natalie and her fiancee Ben live in Chattanooga and share a love for the outdoors. I tried to bring some of the outdoors inside for their shower.

I made the monogram using moss and large paper mache letters from JoAnne's and attached it with burlap ribbon.

The table :)

We served up Mary B's Frozen Tea Biscuits with preserves and butter. I made the blackberry butter and the honey walnut butter which were delicious! Both are incredibly easy to make but add so much flavor.

Since the shower was a brunch, I decided to go a little untraditional and have a doughnut cake. Turns out my thinking was in line with the bride's since that is what they will be serving at their wedding! I also whipped up some Gouda Grits.

Natalie's doughnut cake will undoubtedly be a little fancier than mine ;)

We also served two types of mini quiche.

Natalie and Ben took some gorgeous engagement pictures and I knew I wanted to find a way to use a few at the shower. I printed three on engineering prints at Staples, which lets you print some pretty large scale pictures pretty inexpensively. All three prints were 24" x 36".  To make them look a little more polished, I cut down some trim at Home Depot and secured it to the prints with binder clips. (I was inspired by this tutorial by Project Palermo). I really like the way they turned out and plan to use a similar treatment in Easton's nursery.

I just love the way he looks at her!

I collected the pinecones on my morning walks with Easton. 

Seriously, aren't they gorgeous?

For the favors, I made some simple bird feeders for the guests to take home to their own lovebirds ;) I mixed 4 cups birdseed, 2 packets of gelatin (melted in 2 cups boiling water), and added a little corn syrup and half a cup of flour. I spread the mixture into muffin tins and put a straw through the center. I let them dry in the tin for a few hours before carefully popping them out with a spoon and setting them on the counter to dry overnight.

The happy couple are flying immediately after their wedding to Colorado to kick off their 3 week honeymoon (so lucky!!), and in December it's going to be cold. I thought Natalie should bring along this smashing snow suit (a relic from my mom's 1990's snow-bunny days) and we all had fun while she modeled it for us!

Easton and the flower girl Genevieve were in attendance and provided loads of entertainment!

I'm so honored to have been asked to host such a special day for Natalie. She is not only going to be a beautiful bride but an amazing wife and Ben is so lucky to have her!

Love y'all!