the little things…

It’s the little things in life that have the biggest impact sometimes. When I think of the little things that make me smile, it’s watching my kids discover something new for the first time, or the sound of tiny feet running into our bedroom in the morning, or a sweet note from a friend, a hug, a smile – whatever it may be, the little things are noticed and often, never forgotten.

All that was so ‘high level;’ in relation to what this post is really about. I’m not even sure why I got into that. This post is so not deep or philosophical. But, you know those little things that you’ve discovered, or special treats that can make a big impact in your day-to-day routine? That’s what we’re sharing with you today…some of our tricks of the trade that are small, but worth trying.

1. Frozen grapes in your wine glass.
Instead of ice, add frozen grapes to your glass of vino, and it will look pretty, and stay chilled without getting watery.  

2. Coconut Oil on the skin
Looking for a glow to your skin, without feeling oily? Coconut {organic and unrefined} is my go-to for a healthy, softening and brightening skin lotion. It adds a special glow, and doesn’t stain clothes or make me feel oily. You can find liquid Coconut Oil or solid Coconut Oil {when rubbed in between your hands, it will melt immediately and then you can apply to your skin} at your local health food store, and possibly grocery store. 

3. Cinnamon in coffee
Cinnamon consumption has been known to have positive health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and has also been noted to detoxify the system, help fight bladder infections and stimulate brain function. My brother-in-law, Will, said this coffee trick, changed his life. 🙂 Just a dash of cinnamon added to the ground coffee in the filter {before you brew} will give your coffee a little {and delicious} kick, and healthy non-natural flavor. 

4. Chlorophyll in water
I know this sounds totally gross, but a couple drops of chlorophyll in a glass of water is so yummy! Even my hubby likes it, and the kids ask for green water daily. If you’re not a water drinker, but enjoy mint flavor, adding chlorophyll to your water will make boring water, tasty and refreshing. Chlorophyll fights toxins and boosts energy, so you’ll get some healthy benefits as well. Find liquid chlorophyll {mint is our favorite} at your local health store, and follow the directions for appropriate amounts of chlorophyll in your water. 

 Do you have any little things we MUST try. Please share! Send us an email at trejsorelle@gmail.com or comment on this post.

{image via Tutto Bella}

the most delicious french toast recipe ever

We recently celebrated sweet Stella’s baptism, and my hubby and I hosted brunch. Because the food was so good, and because this would be the PERFECT Easter brunch menu addition, today we’re sharing a top-secret, all-time FAVORITE recipe.

 I promise, it will be a HUGE hit. It’s so delicious.
Please forgive us…as we were in a rush to make the baptism {always running late}, we forgot to take a final photo of the dish to show you what its supposed to look like out of the oven, and once I got the camera to take one final shot, the dish was empty {and so were people’s plates}…but when you taste this dish, you will forgive me. 

French Toast
recipe by friend, Penny Walker
serves 5-8 people in 9×13 pyrex

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1` cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon corn syrup
2 handful pecans
1 loaf french bread
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cup Half & Half Cream
1 tsp Grand Marnier Liquer
1.5 teaspoon salt

Directions

Add butter, brown sugar , corn syrup and pecans to small pan and cook on medium until dissolved.
Pour into bottom of a 9×13 pyrex dish.
Slice the french bread into 2 inch pieces and then cut off the crust.
Add the pieces of bread in a random fashion to the top of the dish, slightly overlapping each other.
Mix eggs, cream, vanilla, grand marnier and salt into a medium bowl together, then pour on the bread in the pyrex
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, uncovered in a double broiler {double broiler means to cook in a pyrex inside a larger pan with water in it}
It will be golden brow on top when done. Cut into squares and serve.
Oh, people are going to come back for seconds and thirds, I promise!! Enjoy!

 {images via Tutto Bella}

15 tips for a egg-tacular easter

Here’s some tips and ideas to make your Easter celebration memorable, beautiful and fun.

1. How Does She has some great non-candy Easter egg fillers the kids are sure to love, without missing the candy too much.

2. Kick up your hard-boiled egg up a cute notch with these adorable chick eggs on HGTV.

3. Give the most adorable favors we’ve ever seen with these ‘grown up’ easter baskets featured at Elizabeth Anne Designs.

4. At the end of the Easter egg hunt, have an egg popsicle treat ready for the kids to devour after all their hard hunting. Full tutorial found at Kailo Chic.

5. These would make adorable and healthy place cards for the kids, or a cute snack to bring to the kid’s school this week. Pottery Barn Kids has a full recipe and tutorial here.

6. Wants and Wishes created a fresh carrot centerpiece, and we couldn’t think of a better holiday for this look 

7. Don’t forget to decorate the outside of your house when your PEEPS arrive for the Easter celebration. Fill an up cycled window box with your favorite flowers. For a tutorial on how to create a beautiful window box, visit Hostess with the Mostess here.

8. Go one step further with your outdoor decor with a GORGEOUS wreath like this made at Laughing with Angels.

9. Find spring floral and brightly colored fabric and cut into triangles to make a spring bunting banner to add inside the house, or outside in the yard.

10. Everyone is talking about the color mint for this spring. So light, airy and refreshing. Add Essie’s Mint Candy Apple {available at Nordstrom} to the tips of your fingers for this Sunday’s celebration. If you really want to be trendy, make it a diagonal stripe with the other half of your nail being a nude color.

11. Make a refreshing spring cocktail your guests will love like this Ginger Goddess, made with SKYY Infusions Ginger Vodka, Kiwi Juice, Pear and Champagne

12. Set your table pretty in pink with a large vase of pink tulips in the center on top of a white table linen and crisp white, modern plates.

13. Think outside the egg when decorating this year’s batch and create Subway Art eggs like Lil Luna did. So creative! Full tutorial here.

14. Add a vintage touch to your table setting – we love all things vintage, so whether is an old birdcage, burlap bags, old wood boxes, antique vases, etc. –  make it happen. Our Vintage Home set a beautiful, simple table with a vintage vibe. Burlap bags found here.

15. I’m a DIY addict, so at least one thing on Sunday has to be DIY. I made Easter eggs with flower petals – and it was SO easy and I think they turned out pretty cute.

You Need:
Hydrangea {or flower with many petals}
Styrofoam easter egg {I found some at Hobby Lobby}
Push pins with a color ball at the end {in my case, I like yellow}

How To:
Pull petals off the flower and the hard small piece of plastic binding it together
Grab a pin, find a spot on the egg and push the pin in.
Continue until the egg is fully covered.


{images via HGTV, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Kailo Chic, Pottery Barn Kids, Wants and WishesBar None DrinksEpicurious, NordstromHostess with the Mostess, Laughing with Angels, spring banner: One Wed, Lil Luna, Our Vintage Home, Tutto Bella}

GIVEAWAY: vino2go

We are obsessed with our latest favorite thing…a to-go wine cup, otherwise known as Vino2Go. For all you wine drinkers, this is a fabulous must-have vino accessory. What a genius invention. It makes such a wonderful, and affordable gift and hostess gift. The one for you, one for me rule totally applies here. The more vino-drinking friends sipping together, the better.

Kimi, one of our BFFs and Fleur de Lis’ best Minnesota customer, took her Vino2Go from Fleur de Lis with her on a St. Thomas vacay …she made us jealous sipping her vino in a Vino2Go cup during a romantic beach walk with her man, Tim.

Vino2Go is flying off the shelves at Fleur de Lis {call 303.996.6885 or email paperie@fleurdelisdtc.com to reserve yours today and we’ll ship to you}, because new shipments just arrived. Pink, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, Black, White – we’ve got the color spectrum covered.

Jenna from Fleur de Lis, is giving away a Vino2Go to one lucky customer. Enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter link below by Friday, March 29. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to check out all the other unique gifts we love sold at Fleur de Lis online store here.

{images via Tutto Bella and Kimi}

DIY gift: 6 colorful ways to spring

Today we’re sharing a DIY project that makes a lovely gift to send to a girlfriend, or bring to the hostess on Easter morning. Or, fill the eggs with school-related items {paper clips, eraser, chalk, etc} for a spring teacher gift or kid-friendly items {stickers, candy, chalk, money, etc} beginning the Monday of Easter week, and it would be a fun countdown to Easter morning.

Ingredients:
Plastic Eggs
Nail Polish {purple}
Sunflower Seed Packet {yellow}
Jelly Beans {orange}
Lipgloss {pink}
Gum {blue}
Starbuck’s Via Packet {green}
Hot glue gun and glue
Free Fleur de Lis printable {Like Fleur de Lis on facebook to get the free printable below}
NOTE: make sure all your color coordinated ‘ingredients’ that go inside the eggs are smaller than the egg, so it fits in the egg when closed.

How To:
Line up the eggs in the order you want, then use a hot glue gun to glue them together.
Be sure to place the hot glue dot under the ‘egg’s closure seam’ so you can close the egg and it stays shut.
Add the color coordinated items to each egg.
Place in a bag or use clear cellophane to wrap the eggs and add a bow.
Write a note, and attach the tag and you’ve got yourself a lovely and affordable gift.

To receive the FREE file via email {without the Fleur de Lis copyright on the file}, just like Fleur de Lis on Facebook with Rafflecopter below, and you will receive the file via e-mail within 48 hours.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Spring.

{image via Tutto Bella}