Tatsu Lantern and Rankei Lantern🐉

We love candlelight flickering in a garden and the Tatsu Lantern and Rankei Lantern on our shop patio are some of our favorite concrete pieces. A flamesless battery candle with a timer would be perfect inside these lanterns to enjoy each evening in your garden.

In Japanese, “Tatsu” means “sign of the dragon,” and our Asian-inspired lantern lives up to its name; you can see the beautiful dragon wrapped around its pillar base…so detailed.

Toro is a type of traditional Japanese lantern that is often made of stone and used to decorate gardens and temples.

The Japanese dragon, also called ryū (龍) or tatsu (竜), is a snake-like creature without wings, contrary to the Western dragon. As a symbol of strength and power, the dragon is highly respected and honored in Japanese society.

Japanese stone lantern meaning: In the Japanese language, toro is written as 灯籠 which roughly translates to “light basket”.

The origin of these unique lanterns comes from China with the oldest stone lanterns dating around 200 BC. Toro spread to Japan around 700 AD among the Buddhist temples. They also went to Korea and Vietnam but didn’t get as much popularity as it did in Japan. The toro had a special significance that it was a useful light source. Eventually, these lanterns became decorative element in Japanese gardens.

Each piece takes on weeks-long moldmaking process, and then cast the reproduction from an extremely fine cast-stone aggregate that is strong, weather resistant, and capable of capturing the finest and most minute details. Made to last for centuries. Handmade in North Carolina. Family Owned Business.

Strawberry Champagne Jam Pound Cake🍓

Strawberry Champagne Jam Pound Cake

Ingredients
▢1 pound fresh strawberries
▢ 1/2 cup Strawberry Champagne Jam (Pick up a jar at Bonnes Amies Kitchen)
▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
▢ 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
▢ 2 1/2 cup sugar
▢ 5 large eggs, room temperature
▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 2 teaspoons strawberry extract
▢ 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ red food coloring (optional)

For the glaze:

▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
▢ 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 2 tablespoons strawberry puree (from above instructions)



Instructions
Wash and hull the strawberries. Use a food processor or blender to puree them until smooth. Measure out 1 cup of the puree for the cake, then set the rest aside for use in the glaze.
Use a microwave to melt the strawberry jam until it is liquid. Start with about 30 seconds and add additional time to get it melted. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Do NOT preheat the oven. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. (You can also use nonstick baking spray with flour if you have a pan you trust.) Set aside.

Use a mixer to cream the butter, shortening, and sugar together for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Measure the flour by spooning the flour into a dry-measure measuring cup and leveling off. 

Add 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add 1/2 of the strawberry pureee and mix well. Add another cup of the flour and mix well. Add the other 1/2 of the strawberry puree and mix well. Finally add the last cup of flour and mix well. 

Add the vanilla, strawberry, and lemon extracts to the melted strawberry jam and stir to combine. Add the mixture to the cake batter and mix well. Add the salt and mix well. If desired, add some red food coloring to turn the batter pink. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Place into a cold oven and turn the oven to 325°F. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake just starts to pull away from the edges of the pan. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before placing a plate or serving platter over the cake and inverting it onto the platter. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze. 

Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, strawberry extract, vanilla extract, and strawberry puree in a small bowl. It might seem like it won't combine, but keep stirring! Once combined, drizzle over the cooled cake.

Perfect Pound Cake TipsMake sure your ingredients are at room temperature. This allows the cake ingredients to emulsify together resulting in the best texture.

Make sure to measure your flour correctly. The method I recommend is to spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and then use the back of a butter knife to level off the flour in the cup.

Cream the butter and sugar together very well. The process typically takes about 5 minutes. Yes, five whole minutes.

Don’t over mix after adding the eggs. Once the eggs go into the batter, you want to mix just enough to get everything combined, but not too much. Whipping too much air into the batter can cause the cake to overflow and eventually fall.

Be sure to pick the right pan and grease and flour it well. I typically use a paper towel to smear vegetable shortening on the entire pan surface, dust the pan in all-purpose flour, and shake the excess flour out. Many have had success using homemade cake release. To do this, simply mix equal parts of all-purpose flour, vegetable shortening, and vegetable oil together until smooth and use a pastry brush to coat the pan before adding the batter. Extra release can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for several months. We tested many different cake pans but determined that the newer cake pans did the best with releasing the cake over our antique pans.

Make sure the cake is done. The cook time will vary based on the specific oven, pan type, etc. The cake should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. A few moist crumbs are ok. I typically like to also temp my cakes using an instant read thermometer. I shoot for between 208°F and 210°F.

Zinnia & Lemon Cotton Nightshirts🍋🌸🌝

Sundown to sunup, you’ll feel beautiful in our relaxed soft cotton summer nightshirts. Inspired by ethereal summer days lay in a field of sweet zinnias and pick lemons in your dreams. The hand screen print is colorful & fun, the lightweight cotton fabric makes these pajamas cool to wear all summer. Piping details and one pocket add extra details. These are so cute wrapped up with freshly ground blackberry or apricot cream coffee from our kitchen or our English soap line. $38.95 Each. Available in M, L, XL.

Bridal Selections For Kamber Hayes & Boomer Espinoza

Bridal Selections For Kamber Hayes & Boomer Espinoza Shower June 9th, 2024. We are happy to take phone orders as well-thank you to all our customers that have stopped by for a bridal gift or made selections we appreciate you so much! 806-293-3588

Summertime Color Boost❤️💛🤍

Summertime Color Boost for the week! This customer brought in her fluted white pottery vase and wanted her favorite colors filling it for her kitchen table. Our wispy yellow forcythia, bright red fluffy poppies, and simple white daisies make a cheerful summer arrangement! Love all the colors!

 

Refreshments for Summertime

Weekend Line Up! Don’t forget the yummiest refreshments to sip on and relax. Our Bloody Mary Mix is delicious with vodka infused olives and spicy Bloody Mary medley of okra, carrots, pickles, and green beans. Our margarita mix is lime juice goodness perfect with pomegranate pineapple lime rim salt and served with guacamole starter and hot pepper raspberry jam served over cream cheese with crackers. 

 

Personal Magnolia Pearl Shopping Experience

An impromptu photo shoot this week was filled with laughter, funny stories, and friendship. The collaboration of the wonderful textures, creativity, and colors of Magnolia Pearl make it such a fun clothing line. It is so fun to try on!

Would you like to spend some time one-on-one at Bonnes Amies? A personal shopping & styling experience-trying on Magnolia Pearl and embracing this unique style. Let us show you the beautiful handwork and details in these special pieces. Includes a fun professional photoshoot with your friends at our 100 year old farmhouse surroundings? Absolutely! 

Please reach out to book your appointment this summer. So fun for birthdays and girl trips. We will provide the sangria so fun!!!

Freshly Roasted Summer Coffee☕️🍒🥥🍊

New freshly roasted coffee beans have arrived just in time for the weekend! Our favorite flavors for the Summer season…Cherry Bomb, Butter Pecan, Toffee Crunch, Jamaican Me Crazy, Banana Bliss, Swiss Chocolate Orange, Apricot Creme, Kona Blend from Hawaii, Blackberry Creme, and Toasted Coconut. Let us add in a scoop of Toasted Coconut while grinding coffee beans to add a sugary, cream coconut flavor to your coffee.

These are excellent iced with hazelnut or coconut nut creamer.

Our coffee beans are a privately-owned, family-operated third generation roastery in Oklahoma providing the finest selection of premium roasted coffee in our kitchen. Coffee beans are freshly roasted before heading to our kitchen for you to enjoy!

New Cherry Bomb Coffee🍒☕️

It feels good to sit this morning, sip on our new Cherry Bomb coffee, and rest on a beautiful Saturday morning. Central America’s finest arabica beans with a blast of cherry and cinnamon that is sure to leave your taste buds tingling! This coffee is so yummy.

We are open today 10-6 it’s a good day to relax and do a little shopping. Happy Memorial Day weekend to you!

Serving Shimmering Strawberry Sangria Today!🍓

Stop by for a Shimmering Strawberry Sangria Friday May 24th from 2-6 to celebrate summer and sample our new Glitter Sangria mix. The shop is filled with seasonal inspiration & fun items! We would love to visit and show you all of our new finds!

Our fan-favorite Sangria Mixer has a glow up with edible glitter! The tangerine, strawberry, and peach flavors are sweet and summery, and the glitter is the cherry on top!

Most sangria mixers are just cloudy orange juice concentrate and a bit of added flavors. For us, we use peach and strawberry concentrate along with clarified tangerine concentrate to get a smooth and luscious sangria mixer that is a lovely color. Just mix one cup of our mixer with one bottle of red wine, or put a dash into any cocktail that needs some added fruit flavors. It’s great for making wine slushies as well.

Picking tomatoes in the garden

Take a walk through the garden…Our new Linnea garden candles are the essence of summertime. Evoke memories of the season and be transported back to another moment in time. Childhood memories of picking tomatoes in the garden, clipping fresh mint for sun tea on a sun-warmed porch, and the tart and sweet fragrance of homemade pies baking in the oven.

Once your candle has been enjoyed, simply wash the vessel, place your seeded dust cover back into the vessel, add soil, water, and watch your seeds grow! Plantable dust cover contains Basil, Parsley, and Chive seed.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO: Straight from the vine, the taste of summer, and the toiling of earth passed down from generations.

notes:

RIPE TOMATO

GREEN STEM

SOIL

best for:

FEELING HARMONIZED

CRUSHED MINT: Freshly-picked and dazzling green, the steeping of Moroccan mint tea, a sweet summer herb garden.

notes:

LEMON ZEST

WILD MINT

CLARY SAGE

best for:

FEELING HARMONIZED

RHUBARB: A nod to the Swedish garden, the burst of clementine and fresh aroma of green melon, the effervescence of sparkling wine.

notes:

CLEMENTINE

RHUBARB

GREEN MELON

best for: 

FEELING INVIGORATED AND ENLIVENED

Our candles are handcrafted in small batches by our artisans. We use only the highest quality fragrances and essential oils designed to perfectly accent your environment with lush, memorable fragrances that refresh, purify, and inspire.

 

Sea Salt Scent=tranquility

So much work to do…wishing you were sitting by the ocean today? Our new Sea Salt candle smells amazing just close your eyes and pretend. Crashing waves mist the air, a complex mineral of freshly-harvested salt from the Mediterranean, the pursuit for tranquility.

Notes of: FRESH CITRUS, OCEAN MIST, KELP

Best for: FEELING BALANCED OR HARMONIZED

Linnea candles are handcrafted in small batches by our artisans. We use only the highest quality fragrances and essential oils designed to perfectly accent your environment with lush, memorable fragrances that refresh, purify, and inspire. Matchbox included.