Goody, Goody... 5 fun things to do with Gumdrops

Gumdrops just make me happy.

They are bright, colorful and festive any time of year.

They are also one of the most versatile of all the goodies in candyland.

Here are some of my favorite ways to use them...

Yellow gumdrops with a sprig of rosemary make instantly festive pineapples.

Much more convenient than a trip to Hawaii!

Gnome matter how hard I try, 

I can not resist these legendary garden creatures...

A scoop of ice cream, sugar cone and strategically place gumdrops, 

turn an ordinary desert into a magical treat!

(I use Clover Sonoma Sweet Cream, 

not only is it the perfect color but I think it makes the perfect scoop.)

The word drop often has a negative connotation, 

"I dropped my phone", "She dropped the ball", etc.

But if you put the word after lemon or gum it makes everyone smile.

Why not combine the two into a happy hour crowd pleaser?

I shake together:

2 oz chilled vodka, 1/2 oz Triple Sec, 1 oz simple syrup and juice of half lemon

Garnish with floating slice of lemon and skewered yellow gum drops.

I make sure the gumdrops rest on top of the liquid,

 so the sugar from the candy dissolves into the cocktail!

Upgrade the gingerbread man's house to a sweet and colorful abode...

Nestle him in an acrylic house full of gumdrops 

and he'll have the most festive place on the block.

Lastly, gumdrops make the perfect wreath.

They are ideal for decorating cupcakes, cookies or simply on a plate...

Sweet holiday wishes!

Lemon Drops and Back Drops - Summer Cocktail Fun

I made my Sweet'N Low lemon drops as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #SweetNLowStars. All opinions are entirely my own.

I love lemons.

How they look, their bold color and 

the way they make everything brighter and more festive.
Fittingly, one of my favorite cocktails is a Lemon Drop.

This year for our annual Ladies' Lemon Drop Party,
I am "going out on a limb" 
with a fun bar back drop and
a fabulous "skinny" drink recipe.

Simple to shake-up and guilt-free to enjoy,

because I've added Sweet'N Low

(which also makes it diabetic friendly!)

Luscious Lemon Drops

serves 6

2 cups frozen vodka

1/2 cup fresh squeezed and strained lemon juice

5 packets of Sweet'N Low 

(I like them on the tart side so you may want to adjust according to your taste)

Shake all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice.  

Pour into martini glasses and garnish with lemon leaves.

For the bar back drop,

I snipped branches off of our lemon tree and tied on half inflated yellow balloons.
Mounted on a wall or white foam board,
it is the perfect compliment to the beautiful beverages.

Sweet'N Low has other great drink ideas on their website and Facebook Page

Cheers!

Thank you for your support as I work with fabulous brands 

to be able to keep creating for Jaco'lyn Murphy Designs.

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