the perfect gift for most any woman

I really love to cook!

My love affair started about the time I got married.

At first I loved  it because it was so new and fun.

No it is one of my creative outlets. 

I was so proud when I got dinner on the table!

But,not growing up in a family of cook,

(meaning lots of take out and cereal for dinner)

I had no idea I had to cook more than one thing for a meal!

I remember getting super excited about dinner one night- I pulled my hot dish out of the oven, called Brent to the table to eat, and he came.

But the first thing he said when he got to the table was "this is it?"

Of course I started crying and he started back pedaling,

but that night I had a huge realization-

dinner needs sides!

DUH right?!

It is hard trying to swing a main dish and sides for every meal.

Especially when you have a time crunch

And even more so when you have little kids!

I have come, in the years since then, to really rely on herbs and spices to make simple side dishes POP!

Chop up some potatoes and throw some rosemary salt and parmesan on them, toss it in a pan to roast and you have a scrumptious quick side!

Needless to say, I have an extensive dried herb collection that I use

every.single.day.

When we bought our house we planted a herb harden so I could have fresh ones to use also.

You often can find me running frantically with a pair of scissors (sorry mom!) between the kitchen and herb garden at dinner time.

One of my favorite things to do is to cut extra and hang them to dry on a cabinet to use to refill my bottles! 

Anywho, when mother's day rolled around and I was searching for an idea to get my mom and mil- I wanted to make them something functional and fun-

I came up with this:

I used our dehydrator to dry some fresh herbs from our garden.

I found these cute little jars at Jo-Ann's for $.99.

A little chalk paint on the top and a chalk marker was all it took to add a little shabby chic flava ;)

I whipped up a couple bottles of homemade vanilla extract.

Modge podged  these cute labels from the graphics fairy on them 

(I wrote directions on how to care for the extract on the back of the label card I hung on the bottle)

and I had a super cute gift to give the two moms in my life!

BUT...

I really think this would make a great gift for pretty much any occasion-

housewarming, birthday, grandparent's day, and even father's day for those daddy chefs in the house!

Moth my mom and my mil LOVED them!

and I really had a blast making it too!

xoxo

I am linking to these great parties