The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Beautiful Flower Syrups by Vicky.

Hello Bluebirds,
Annabel is not feeling well so I am sharing for show and tell today. It isn't the usual post full of all of the lovelies we see each week, but I hope everyone enjoys seeing what I have been up to lately. Since I love doing baskets for the holidays and they usually have lots of things I have made in my kitchen and I love doing themes these will fit perfectly! 
I have been making syrups. Flower syrups, but any kind of syrup is pretty easy to make. If you can do a simple syrup then you got it in the bag it is just a matter of choosing your flavors. 
With the help of my mom we picked heaps and heaps of flowers. And here we have made a rose petal syrup, a violet syrup and a lavender syrup. 




I will include a few tips that explains how I got the wonderful colors and the strong fragrance and flavor in each. 
First if you have never made any, a simple syrup is just 2x the water to sugar so if you have 3 cups of water you will need 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar and you boil it until syrupy then let it cool. 
For flower syrups you want very fragrant flowers if you want a strong flavor, but can also make it with things that have health benefits like elder flowers, rose hips, ginger or herbs that you like the flavor of. 
For my rose petal I have a rose called Chrysler Imperial that is red and very, very fragrant so gives a good taste when I have enough of them. Be sure that anything you use has not been sprayed or treated in any way with chemicals. 

For the syrup:
Approximately 12 cups of flower petals
6c. of water 
juice of 1 lemon

Combine the flowers and water in a large saucepan and simmer for 1 hour covered. Remove from heat and allow to steep over night.
Strain over a large bowl to catch the juice and squeeze the liquid from the petals. 
Put juice in a medium saucepan and add 3 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup is thickened and add the lemon juice. 
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour syrup into a jar and cover and store in the fridge or can be frozen. This makes about a pint. If you want to give them as gifts then water bath for about 15 minutes so the jars seal. 



The lemon juice lightens the color greatly so you can use food color for more vibrant coloring, but my tip is I used kool aid powder just enough that I got the colors I wanted and it doesn't really change the taste. 
This can be used in drinks like tea, on ice cream or cakes or even made into jellies if you like, but my favorite is to add a few teaspoons to iced tea. My son really likes the lavender with ginger ale. 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful prudent and diligent week! 
XOXO
Vicky


Thank you so much Vicky!  These are gorgeous. Imagine them in a bottle as a gift!   So pretty! xxx


43 comments:

  1. Thanks Vicky. They look very colourful. Annabel I hope you feel better soon. I have just had the flu and it is no fun so I pray that you will be on the mend soon. Big hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry to hear you are unwell Annabel. Vicky's syrups look very pretty. I have an elder growing so I may be able to make some elder flower syrup.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sherri- elder flower syrup is good I think you will like it.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  3. Feel better soon Annabel ! I have only recovered from severe flu for 3 weeks. Terrible outbreak here in Nsw.
    Love sonia

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  4. Dear Vicky thankyou for filling in for Annabel, your syrups look lovely and the filled glass with lavender syrup looks so refreshing :-)
    Annabel-wishing you a speedy recovery !
    Nanna Chel-look after yourself as you recover ,
    with love Maria xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Maria! My son really likes it he says it is really good when it's hot out.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  5. Dear Vicky,
    These are so pretty. Thank you for sharing how you do this.


    Love and hugs,
    Glenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Glenda!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  6. These are beautiful! I've never heard of flower syrups. They would make lovely gifts.
    I hope you feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sue!
      You can also make flower jellies too they are quite different.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  7. Vicky, these are so pretty and practical. I love that you included the basics for making any kind of syrup in your instructions. Annabel, I hope you feel better soon. Nanna Chel, I'm sorry that you've been sick too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Patsy! Syrups are very easy and versatile.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  8. Thanks for filling in for Vicky. The syrups are very pretty. Get well soon wishes to Annabel! Nancy

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  9. Dear Vicky,
    Thank you for sharing this with us. And thank you for filling in for Annabel. I hope you're soon feeling well again Annabel.
    Blessings,Cookie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cookie I hope you like it!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  10. Vicky, Thank you for filling in for Annabel. Your flower syrups are lovely.
    Annabel, hoping you feel better soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Laurie!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  11. So sorry to hear you are not feeling well, Annabel. I hope you rest and recover quickly!!!!

    Vicky, thank you for such a frugal gift idea! These are absolutely beautiful! I'm sure they will look lovely in a gift basket/hamper!

    Heeling prayers going up for all of you!
    Holley

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Holley! They are pretty simple with lovely results and so fun to gift.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  12. Thank you, Vicki, for taking over for Annabel. Those are beautiful!

    Hope you're feeling better soon, Annabel!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Jenn!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  13. Thanks Vicky, your flower syrups look divine! How lovely...
    I hope you are getting lots of rest and feeling better Annabel.
    Peach

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Peach! How about some peach syrup? LOL
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  14. Hi Vicky and thank you for your wonderful flower syrups they look divine :) .

    We make a rose petal cordial similar to yours and put in rose water essence into it instead of the lemon juice. It tastes so divine and very refreshing on a not summers day.

    Get well soon Annabel there has been a lot of flus going around I we have just got over bacterial pneumonia here too which isn't nice. Hopefully you will be back on deck shortly.

    Have a great week ahead one and all :) .


    Sewingcreations15

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sewingcreations,
      Sounds fantastic! I like mine in iced tea and some in frosting for cake too.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  15. Dear Annabel,

    Get well soon! Vicky, this is a lovely idea, very posh!

    xx Jen in NS

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you Vicky for sharing. These are lovely! I can't wait to try these. My daughter and I had a blast making violet jelly last Spring. Amazing how the color changes when adding the lemon juice.

    Wishing you a speedy recovery Annabel!

    Blessings,
    Leslie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leslie,
      They do get really light which is why I added the kool aid powder to darken them. It sounds like you and your daughter had great fun! Do you have any other flowers you can try? Lilacs maybe?
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  17. oh mu goodness I had never thought of making a lavender or a rose syrup. I can see some lavender syrup making it into some Christmas hampers. Thank you for teaching me something new.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jane,
      The lavender syrup is really good. If you don't use food coloring of some kind it will be really light from the lemon juice, that is normal so keep that in mind so you don't think something went wrong.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  18. Wow, they are gorgeous! Do we have Kool Aid in Australia? Whenever I hear kool aid I think of the saying "don't drink the kool aid" meaning something that looks innocent isn't always. Not that I'm in any way suggesting that about your beautiful syrups Vicky, they look innocent AND good. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL Garden Del!
      Food coloring can be used too if you don't want to use it that is no big deal they will just be pastel colors and not dark is all.
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  19. How sad to read you are unwell Annabel. Please get better soon. Vicky great post. Those syrups look amazing. Another thing to try. Thank you. Fi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Fi!
      So many syrups can me made from just a simple syrup. Citrus peels or evening just adding some cinnamon makes great tasting syrup and they are so fun to bottle!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  20. Vicky these are so lovely. Such a nice gift. Sorry to hear you are under the weather Annabelle, hope you are feeling better. Maybe just do a little hand sewing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Lovely colours. Almost too good to drink

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kim! Almost, but not quite! They are very tasty!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  22. What a wonderful idea! You have me thinking about what I can do here. Thank you!

    Annabel, I am praying for a speedy recovery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lana,
      Give it a try I think you will be pleased with your results!
      XOXO
      Vicky

      Delete
  23. Thank you everyone! Thank you especially Vicky! xxx

    ReplyDelete

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