Photo by Mistry and Scott Photography
As I sit down to share some photos and recipes from the recent Wreath Workshop, the house is quiet with sleeping children (Waaahoo! Better type fast! And quiet!) My favorite mug is next to me, filled with coffee and the heaters are roaring. Winter has definitely arrived-it’s frosty out there!
The recent Wreath Workshops were everything I’d hoped for and more. We drank hot drinks, ate yummy treats and most importantly, created beautiful wreaths, all while laughing with new and old friends. What a pleasure it was to see every woman walk away with something lovely, that she had created with her own two hands.
Pictured below is the 10am class- aren’t they great? It was so nice of Mistry and Scott to be with us for this class, to capture all the fun. They are excellent photographers and such nice people. Definitely check them out!
Photo by Mistry and Scott Photography
So, let’s talk drinks! For the workshop at Twig and Vine Farm, we offered coffee, hot cider and hot chocolate (recipe for the hot chocolate is coming later this week). Because we were in a barn, we didn’t have access to a stove or a microwave so as always, crockpots saved the day!
Here are some great reasons why Hot Cider is perfect for a crowd:
- It’s inexpensive. It costs far less than coffee and hot chocolate! Even with fun add-ins like oranges, cinnamon sticks (buy these in the bulk spices section) and cranberries, cider is still cheap.
- It’s good and people don’t usually drink it on a regular basis!
- It smells great. Honestly, every time the crock pot lid was opened, the room filled with the warm smell of cinnamon, oranges and cider.
- It’s low maintenance. Just dump it in (recipe below) and then go have fun with your guests!
For the workshop, I shopped at the New Seasons store in Mercer Island. I hadn’t been there yet, so I wanted to check it out (gorgeous!), plus I wanted to do a mix of homemade/already prepared food for this day. Our family has been BUSY lately so going the easy route was what I needed to do for my own sanity.
Photo by Mistry and Scott Photography
Here’s what you can do to create your own Northwest Blend Cider:
- Head to your local New Seasons Market and grab a gallon or two of their Northwest Blend Apple Juice
- Combine a gallon of juice with 3 or 4 cinnamon sticks (buy these in the bulk spices section), a generous handful of fresh cranberries and slices from half an orange.
- Allow to heat for a few hours before your party.
During the party, whenever the crock pot is opened, a wonderful aroma of orange, apple cider and cinnamon will fill the air.
A big thanks to all the ladies who came to the workshops! It was so much fun to meet many of you in “real life” for the first time. Each wreath turned out beautiful. I hope you all had fun!
This post is part of a sponsored series by New Seasons Market. Here on NW Healthy Mama, we only collaborate with those we feel represent the vision behind this site. We will never provide false claims or reviews, influenced by any form of compensation.