Glitter Candles

      So I love candles and I love glitter, thus I combined the two to make some cute decorations. These are quite simple to make and can be customized to make a great gift. The color and style combinations are endless, so you could make one to match every room, or mood.

Materials:

Modpodge

Foam brush

Candle

Glitter (the finer the glitter the better it looks)

Newspaper or other drop paper 

Directions:

1. Use a generous amount of modpodge so outline your design on the candle. Then sprinkle the glitter over, sprinkle a lot!
   
2. Wait for it to dry, and then tap the candles to free lose glitter. You can take a damp paper cloth to pick up lose glitter off the candle to clean it up.

1. 

   
   
   
2. Good Luck!

Weekly Wanted Wonders

     This week is all Valentines for me, hearts and pinks galore. Perhaps, it's because I am not celebrating Valentine's Day until Friday. Oh well, you can deal, right?

1. Dinner on my heart plates.
   
   They inspire me to break out my cookie cutters more.
2. High Gloss.
   
   

   

    This magazine looks so cool, now do they make a semi-gloss one for those without unlimited budgets?
   
   Glittered Candles.
   

   

   Because everything looks better in candlelight and with sparkles
3. Whimsy Clock.
   
   Time telling would never be so much fun!
4. Beautiful quill and aubergine ink.
   
   

   

    From my mom for Valentine's Day, now if only my attempts at calligraphy were better.
5. 
   
   
   
   
   What's inspiring you this week?

Pretty Pretty Organizers

    
     I hate wasting things, and after everyone it seemed got sick this past month, I've gone through tons of tissue boxes. Luckily, Lily had just the idea of how to reuse them. With a few modifications, these boxes can now hold all sorts of things from pens and pencils to nail kits holding the files, polish removers and more. Plus they are super cute to make and look adorable all lined up.

Materials:

Empty Tissue Box

Exacto Knife

Modpodge

Scrapbook paper or decorative paper

Embellishments (Ribbons, glitter, stickers, etc)

Directions:

1. Using knife, carefully cut off the top of the tissue box (the part where the tissues used to come out) and try to make it a good even cut.
   
2. Take the paper and cut it to cover all four sides (make the height one inch more than needed). Then simply use modpodge to glue it down, leaving a half inch overhang on the top and bottom. (for a stronger box, once dry use another layer of modpodge on top)
   
3. Fold bottom of paper and secure the top section with modpodge.
   
4. Embellish it as you like. 

Good Luck!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your loved ones!

 
P.S. I got flowers! Yay! Now if I could only pick a favorite flower, so I don't keep driving my boyfriend crazy by constantly changing my mind...

Martha Stewart Sunday: Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

 

      Well, I saw these fabulous cookies and wanted to try to make them after tearing out the recipe from Martha Stewart; however, I baked them late at night while a bit sleepy and didn't fully read the recipe. I just dumped everything in the bowl and mixed it instead of making the batter first then cutting in the strawberries. The good news is they still taste delicious!

 Here's the recipe:
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

• 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling
 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture. (Or you can just throw all the ingredients in one bowl and use an electric mixer for about one minute on medium)
   
2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes

 

Have you ever not read the directions and still made the recipe work out fine?

Cranberry Compote

So for the second part of the Brie Bites installment, I have the very easy recipe from Lily taken from a Martha Stewart hostess gift! It's the perfect addition to Brie Bites or simply just a piece of plain old bread.


HOMEMADE CRANBERRY COMPOTE

• 1 bag fresh (or frozen) cranberries
  
• ¾ cup sugar
  
• ½ cup (possible more) cranberry juice

Put the entire bag of cranberries in a small pot on medium heat

Let the cranberries heat up and soften (you will see the skin burst and make soft pops)

After about five minutes, pour in the sugar and cranberry juice. Stir and mix well

Let the mix simmer on medium for about 15 minutes. It will bubble and stir every few minutes so it doesn't congeal.

• If it looks too thick at first, add a little more juice
  
• If it tastes too tart (this all goes by your taste, after all!) add a little more sugar

Once the mixture has reduced, take it off the heat and let cool for about five minutes

There are three ways to finish your compote:

1. Leave as is. This way will be slightly more congealed and chunky, but still delicious!
   
2. Pour the slightly cooled mixture into a blender (even a hand blender will do). Blend until the chunks are blended out (the mixture will get hotter as it blends, so be careful). The seeds will still be there but the mixture will be much smoother
   
3. To make the ultimate in silky cranberry deliciousness, first complete step 2. After the mixture is blended and slightly cooled, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. It's easiest to do this a few spoonfuls at a time so you don't spill it out the sides. Push your spoon down on the strainer to help the mixture go through and move the seeds aside. Strain the mixture once, and maybe twice if you reeeeally want some super silkiness!
 

Pour in a small airtight container (or a glass jar if you're giving it as a gift!)




Good Luck!

Easy Entertaining: Brie Bites

So you may have noticed the lovely little pastries at my Valentine's Crafternoon party, they were made by my best friend, Lily. As I lover of brie, jams and all sorts of carbs, I was delighted when she suggested bringing some over. They are quite easy to make and sadly, were the first thing gone at the party. I asked her to send me the recipe, and luckily for all of us, she obliged. 

BRIE BITES

• 1 round brie (a wedge will work for minis or just one serving of the regular size, otherwise you'll need a round
  
• Pillsbury biscuits or crescent roll/croissant dough (1-2 packages)
  
• Jam (homemade compote if you've got it)(*recipe to come later) 

For the minis: get a mini cupcake pan put one biscuit dough round in each cup

• Cut the brie up into small cubes (after removing the top of the brie round, the stiff white layer)
  
• Place one brie cube into each cup and top with a teaspoon of the jam
  
• Pull the sides of the dough up and pinch at the top to seal

For the regular size, you'll need either two biscuit rounds or a stretched out crescent triangle

• Place one biscuit down in the cup, stretching it until it covers the entire cup.
  
• Place a larger square of brie and a tablespoon or so of jam (go by sight, you don't want it to overflow)
  
• Then flatten out another round of dough against your palm to make it thinner and flatter
  
• Put it on top of one of the filled brie cups and push the sides down to seal it 

 Bake according to the instructions until light golden brown (350 for about 8 to 12 minutes, depending on size)

Serve with a drizzle of honey. And careful… they're hot!

 

Thanks, Lily!