New Sign

My first Upcycle Craft.

I like it!

So, I started with this that I purchased at a Goodwill store for a whopping 3 bucks. I liked the gold trim and the fact that it was a thick sign

First step, I put a layer of brown acrylic paint to cover the base

Next I streaked black and white acrylic paint. to add some dimesions...

I wanted it to look sorta like wood? Dunno, It worked.

Finally I cut my saying using SCAL. and Gold Vinyl.
Voila! It now hangs over my hall closet.

Endless Craft Possibilities

We just bought a miter saw so the possibilities have just quadrupled in my house! I can't wait to put it to good use.

A few projects I'd like to try:
Signs (name plaques, wall decorations)
Blocks and Bases for the blocks
Shelves in our linen closet
Marshmallow Guns as seen here
Memory Game

This is just off the top of my head...I know if I sit and think I will come up with oodles more!

Cookies

I love to Bake. When I was pregnant with Munchkin it was the only nesting activity I could do. We had NO space for him (he slept in the pack and play in our already cramped room) so I turned to baking. I have found quite a few recipes that I love. One is a Toffee Cookie that has become a favorite.

I have made it a few different ways and I thought I'd share them with you!

Basic Toffee Cookie
2.5 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter (softened) **
1.5 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups chopped Skor bars (8 1.4 oz bars)
** I have substitued 1/2 cup of applesauce for the butter and it was great!

1. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside
2. Cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. (I usually go get the eggs and come back while it is mixing) Beat in eggs one at a time, add vanilla.
3. Add 1/3 flour mix, 1/3 skor bars, and so on until all is mixed in.  Chill cookie dough for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper ( NOT Wax paper, learned that the hard way) or Silpat. Scoop out cookie dough in small drops (about 1 inch). Make sure they are about 3 inches apart they spread like crazy!
5. Bake for 8-12 min depending on the method used (I will explain later) Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool. Package and make all your friends love you!

So now my many changes.
Silpat vs Parchment Paper: I found that parchment paper needs more time and Sil pat less. My first time using the Silpat I had mini toffe briquettes after 10 min.
Cookie Cake: I have baked it in a silicone 8x8 pan at 300F for about 30 min. I topped it with a choclate truffle sauce and then homemade whipped cream and it was divine!
Mini Mini Cakes: I have thrown them in mini muffin tins and baked them for 12- 15 min. They make lil cookie cups.
Mini Cakes: Just baked them in muffin tins (baked for 20 - 22 min) topped them with the same truffle sauce. Later when it was time to eat them, nuked them for about 10 seconds and topped with icecream it was so good!

Vinyl Love

OMG where have I been??? I purchased vinyl ages ago and was just plum scared to try it.  It looks so complicated. I was unsure how to cut it in my Cricut. I was baffled by the transfer tape. I was just unsure about it but I LOVED all the stuff in the blog world.

So for Teacher Appreciation I decided to just do it (cue uplifting music).

I bought these basic (plain) acryllic tumblers at Marshall's for $4. 

In addition I added colorful reusible ice cubes so that the Teachers can have cold drinks that don't get watered down.

Create my letters and shapes in Sure Cuts a Lot and CUT!

Next find vinyl in coordinating colors.

Attach mix and matched colors using contact paper and

Voila! Gorgeous cups ready for summer.

Ribbon Key Ring

So wandering through Michael's I found a free Take Me home instruction sheet on how to make a Ribbon Lanyard. I have seem them around the blog world and thought I could use up my stash of Ribbon!

A no Sew Ribbon Lanyard in perfect fun happy colors for Summer!