Homemade Sweater Bag

Ok so I Havent made these.... YET! I will be very soon! I wanted to share this with everyone in the blogging world who hasnt seen it yet. This looks so easy to make I cant believe it. Have a look at this link.

Ok so is that not the easiest thing you have ever seen? Oh My Heck!! Seriously. Fantastic. I hope you enjoy making this as much as Im going to like mine!

Easter Wreath

I am into wreaths at the moment because they are so easy to make. With Easter coming up I have been looking for ideas anyway here is what I came up with:



You can buy ready made wreaths at pretty much any craft store and they have all different styles. I bought a twig wreath, i love twig wreaths the best I like the rustic look, I also bought a flower lei and some pretty spring like ribbon. All I did was pull the flowers off the lei and hot glue them to the wreath. In the center of the flowers (where the hole was from the string of the lei) I put colored pearls which matched the flowers. Anyway I hope you like it. You can do this with anything for any season really. This wreath can be used as just a nice spring wreath.

Gull Family

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Perfect Pancakes (Crepes)

These are English/Eurpoean Style in celebration of Pancake Day which is on Tuesday. Here's the recipe and the how to:

Ingredients: (for 12 to 14 pancakes)
4oz /110g / 1/2 cup Plain Flour
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
7 fl oz / 200ml / Milk mixed with 3 fl oz / 75ml / of water
2oz / 50g / 1/4 cup Butter

Top with sugar & lemon, or whatever else takes your fancy!

You will also need a good solid 7 inch (18 cm) or 8 inch (20 cm) frying pan, some kitchen paper, greaseproof paper, a palette knife or flexible pan slice, and a ladle.

How to:

First of all sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with the sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Next, gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). Whisk until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream.

Now melt the butter in the pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it when needed to grease the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper/paper towels to smear it round.

Get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with. I find 2 tablespoons about right for a 7 inch (18 cm) pan and 3 tablespoons for an 8 inch (20 cm) pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook, maybe a bit longer at a higher altitude; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife – the other side will need a few seconds only – then simply slide it out of the pan on to a plate.

Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.

To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

Eat lots!

5 minute Donut Holes

So My sister in law came out last sunday and was so sweet to make dinner and dessert for us. I was shocked by the dessert just because I never thought making donut holes could be so easy. So this is what you need.
1 Package of biscuits
cut each biscuit into 4 then roll them into balls.
Put them in the deep fryer for about 5 minutes(make sure they are cooked all the way). Then mix together 1-2 cups sugar and about 1/4-1/2 cup cinnamon to your liking and a tiny bit of orange zest(I didnt have any this time but would reccomend it.) When the donut holes are dont then all you need to do is mix them in the bag with the cinnamon and sugar and eat they are oh so good!! here are some pictures of it below.

Chocolate Chip and Banana Cookies

All I can say is Mmmmmmm. These are so Delicious!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. butter, softened

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1/2 c mashed ripe bananas

1/2 t. vanilla

1 c. flour

1 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/8 t baking soda

1 c chocolate chips (I prefer Milk Chocolate Chips)

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, banana and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to the wet mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. The dough is very stick so refrigerate for 1 hour. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 9 - 11 minutes. or until the edges are lightly browned. DONT OVER BAKE!! I always double the batch because it doesnt make a huge batch and they go so fast!

Honest these are so great! Try them then leave a comment to let me know what you think!!

Valentines Day craft

So here is the craft that I ended up doing for the first graders. It is the salt dough cut into heart shapes and then cooked for 3 hours at 250 degrees. The kids had a blast decorating the pins I think they turned out really good.

Shamrock Necklace

I have been thinking about St Patricks Day now. And what My daughter has that is green to wear to school. She has to wear a school uniform so she cant wear an item of clothing different from her uniform. My sister had this really cute idea for Valentines Day to make heart shaped buttons out of Salt Dough. And then I saw where someone had made necklaces out of it as well. So here is what I am going to have my daughter wear. A Homemade Shamrock Necklace. These are so easy to make and so much fun!!



You will need:

scissors
ruler
paint brush
shamrock cookie cutter
rolling pin
measuring spoons
1-cup measure
pot of gold metallic confetti
Green Acrylic Paint
White Craft Glue

Here are the Step By Step Instructions

1. Make one recipe of the salt dough (below).
2. Rub flour on your rolling pin and roll out the dough to ¼" thickness on a lightly floured surface.
3. Cut out 1 shamrock with the shamrock shaped cookie cutter. (I have some Pampered Chef Cheese Cutters which will work great!)
4. Using one end of a straw, make a hole in the top of the shamrock ¼" from the top. This will be the hole for the cord with which you will hang the shamrock around your neck.
5. Set the shamrock aside to dry. I let it dry overnight, flipping it over once after a couple of hours when the top surface of the shamrock is dry. You can also bake it in the oven as indicated in the salt dough recipe (see below). The shamrock will dry flatter when you air dry it instead of baking it in the oven.
6. When the shamrock shape is dry, paint the top and the sides green. Let the paint dry completely. When the paint on the first side of the shamrock is dry, flip it over and paint the other side green. Let the paint dry completely once again.
7. Squeeze a drop of white glue in the center of the shamrock and press a piece of pot of gold metallic confetti into the glue. Let the glue dry completely before wearing the necklace.
8. Insert one end of the 32" piece of green elastic cord through the hole in the top of the shamrock. Pull the cord all the way through until the ends are even and tie a knot in the ends.

Salt Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Combine the flour and salt into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the water to the dry ingredients.
4. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or use your hands to knead the dough to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
5. The dough may be a bit sticky so add a sprinkle of flour if necessary and knead it in with your hands.
6. Lay the cookie cutter shapes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. They don't need to be very far apart because they don't spread when they bake but you also don't want them to be touching.
7. Bake the cookie cutter shapes for an hour on one side. Flip them over (use an oven mitt, they will be hot). Bake for another hour on the other side. The first side will have a white, slightly sparkly look to them (from the salt) and the other side will get a hard skin but won't turn white. It may also puff up a bit during baking but if you flip them back over again (use an oven mitt, they will still be hot), the puffy side will flatten down slightly.
8. When the cookie cutter shapes are finished let them cool completely before painting with acrylic paints.

I hope you enjoy making these with your children!

Love Coupons

I went onto the Love Coupons post that I posted previously to print them out for my daughter to make for her dad and when I looks that the actual coupons I didnt think they were that cute. So I decided to just make some of my own. I am really getting into Digital Scrap Booking and all that you can do with that (Thanks TIffini check out her blogs: www.thatblogplace.com) Anyway all you have to do is click on the image then in your browser select file from the menu bar and then click print. This is simple and fun for kids to give to grandparents or parents for Valentines Day. I hope you like them!

Valentine Day Oreos

I saw these on Bakerella. So Cute and so Easy. I do these with the Devils Food cake mix to make chocolate oreos. Never thought about using a Red Velvet Cake mix to do them! LOVELY!

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

They are sweet and red and a perfect little treat to give on the 14th. And even better, they are super-easy!

All you need is

1 Box red velvet cake mix*
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients until combined.
Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 1lb. Box of confectioner's sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.

Makes about 24 cookies or 12 cookie sandwiches

Heart Shaped Pouches

I saw these on BHG today and I think they are so cute. They would be easy enough to make with children too. Hanging heart pouches can hold any type of treats, from a cluster of posies to a handful of candy. Here's how to make them. Trace two same-size heart shapes onto pretty paper or card stock; cut out. Cut more hearts in graduated sizes from contrasting paper, and use spray adhesive (made for sewing) or a simple running stitch to attach to the front of the pouch. Stack the two main hearts with right sides facing out. Starting at one side near the top, use a sewing machine to zigzag stitch around the edge, leaving top open. Trim edges as needed. Punch holes near top of pouch. Thread ribbons through; knot to secure. You dont have to use the sewing machine you can easily use glue instead. It will look just as lovely. So CUTE!!

YouTube - How to dehydrate and store food PART 1

YouTube - How to dehydrate and store food PART 1
I think we could all use this information.

Valentine Day Coupons

I have been looking for something that my daughter can make to give to her brother and dad for Valentines Day. Family Fun have these adorable Love Coupons. You write what you would like to give and who you want to give them too. Honestly AdOrAbLe and so easy!