We All Scream For Ice Cream!

This past May I was visiting my parents in my hometown when my mom and I came across a small little auction in a church parking lot. I've never participated in an auction but there were a few pieces that caught my eye so I decided to try it out. Luckily we have a big vehicle because I left with a lot of goodies to load up for the drive home.

First up was a silver plated tea set. I wanted to respect the beauty of lines and decorative detail so I decided to just add a little pink.

But, I decided that wasn't enough. So I decided I would take it 'over the top' and do this...

As much as I loved the whimsical design and colors, I felt like it didn't showcase the natural beauty of the set. So, I stripped all the paint (by boiling in hot water - no chemicals! The paint just peeled away) And ended up adding an ivory spray paint then distressing it and hand painting some gold details to create this beautiful centerpiece for the holidays.

I think I'm done with it... at least for now.

My 2nd auction purchase was this adorable low seat/high back chair that I bought for $5 at the auction. It's hard to tell in the picture, but the seat is perfect for a child's height. 

before/after

As much fun as these projects were, I had one more piece that I couldn't wait to refinish. Ready? Here it is... drum roll please......

Isn't it adorable?! Just look at that wheel! I saw it and immediately I knew it would be the inspiration for my daughter's September birthday. In the past, I've spent weeks months trying to decide on a perfect party theme, but the moment I spotted this tea cart I knew, without a doubt, my daughter was meant to have an ice cream party and this would make the perfect ice cream cart.

Well... June passed... July passed... August passed... and there my little cart sat completely untouched in our garage. My daughter's birthday party was scheduled for September 26 so naturally I waited until the Tuesday before to start actively working on projects. Since I had been planning in my head for months I figured it wouldn't take long to actually complete it. I promised myself that this year I would 'keep it simple'. More importantly, I believed it when I said that. However, anyone who knows me also knows that 'simple' isn't how I do things. So, here is the outcome. 

brownie balls in homemade waffle cones

ICE CREAM CART

FAVORS 

ICE CREAM BAR

The homemade toppings included marshmallow cream, vanilla bean salted caramel, dark chocolate ganache, eggless cookie dough, waffle cones, and a custom blend of sprinkles

THE OUTFIT

Happy Birthday, Quinn!