Sunday, February 21, 2010
Life
Well its been a little while since I last wrote.... had a baby, struggling with no sleep, miss crafting everyday, wish it was more sunny so I can take pictures of my new products that I made before the baby was born, trying to figure out breastfeeding while my son is wearing these special shoes to correct his clubfoot that he was born with and finally trying to exercise after having a baby to get my old figure back. So I will try to make it a goal to start writing again about my creations!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Fall Leaves
Well its that time a year when you are looking for cute inexpensive decorations for the holidays, I ran across a simple design that you can do with your kids or having a relaxing craft moment alone. My design is even more simple than the one I found, they used brown yarn and glue to make the tree, but I chose to make it simple and paint the design.
Fall leaf placemat for your holiday decor- you also could do a Christmas tree shape and do different color dots for Christmas bulbs. Here are the easy step by step directions!
Cut with pinking sheers a light weight tan fabric the size of a standard placemat, I just laid my over the top and cut the shape out. I also did a double layer and did a simple stitch around the edge, but you can skip this step if you are using a heavier fabric. (I wanted cheap so I used what I had around the house)
I used a basic black acrylic paint to paint the shape of my tree. The paint is thick so you only need to do one coat!
Paint the trunk first the length on the placemat.
Add branches to your tree.
Here's what it looks like on the placemat! (if you wanted to do a Christmas tree, I would use green paint for the tree, and make a center line for the trunk and do three horizontal lines across the tree making a triangle shape in the process.)
Next, I used some great fall colors for leaves!
The next part is the fun part you can have your kids help you with, my son who is four helped me with about 3 of them and then he was done, so I was left with 9 of them to complete! Place all the colors of paint onto a plate and start using your fingers to make thumbprint leaves! Kids love to get their hands messy, so let them have fun! On this mat my son did all the green leaves first!
Now you are all done and now its time to set up for dinner! (Be sure to let them dry over night to make sure all the paint is dry before using them at your next family gathering!)
Fall leaf placemat for your holiday decor- you also could do a Christmas tree shape and do different color dots for Christmas bulbs. Here are the easy step by step directions!
Cut with pinking sheers a light weight tan fabric the size of a standard placemat, I just laid my over the top and cut the shape out. I also did a double layer and did a simple stitch around the edge, but you can skip this step if you are using a heavier fabric. (I wanted cheap so I used what I had around the house)
I used a basic black acrylic paint to paint the shape of my tree. The paint is thick so you only need to do one coat!
Paint the trunk first the length on the placemat.
Add branches to your tree.
Here's what it looks like on the placemat! (if you wanted to do a Christmas tree, I would use green paint for the tree, and make a center line for the trunk and do three horizontal lines across the tree making a triangle shape in the process.)Now let all the trees dry completely before starting the next step. I waited about three hours, did some dishes, made some cookies J/K but be sure to wait!
Next, I used some great fall colors for leaves!
The next part is the fun part you can have your kids help you with, my son who is four helped me with about 3 of them and then he was done, so I was left with 9 of them to complete! Place all the colors of paint onto a plate and start using your fingers to make thumbprint leaves! Kids love to get their hands messy, so let them have fun! On this mat my son did all the green leaves first!
Now you are all done and now its time to set up for dinner! (Be sure to let them dry over night to make sure all the paint is dry before using them at your next family gathering!)thanks, enjoy crafting simple...
Beckymae
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Woodscape with a Cardinal flare!
A baby room like no other baby room! I was looking through an old Martha Living magazine called Baby and found a baby room so beautiful I could not wait to get it started for our own little guy. All the colors were neutral and had a flare of red as the accent color, I just loved it. I really wanted red as well, so I decided on a red cardinal, which is really hard to find for a baby's room, lucky my mother-in-law had these handmade pillows made by her mother that just made the room super cute. Here is a list of projects I did to create my woodscape baby room!
I striped the chair and painted it white! Added the cute pillow and a red Ikea trashcan. Great little reading nook for baby "E".
I hand stitched two pictures for the room with matching fabric from his bedding, one cute tree picture and a fun bird picture.
Created three hand sewn blocks from felt in red, white and tan colors. I used 1-10 numbers and stars shapes on the blocks, will be great to play with when the little guy gets older.
Here is an up close shot of my hand stitched bird picture!
Revamped lamp shade, punched holes in the bottom of the shade and ran red satin ribbon through it. Then I hot glued a red ribbon on top adding loops to it creating a fun look!
Great find for 4 bucks at the local thrift store, spray painted white and added a red cardinal in the cage, just a fun piece to dress up the room even more.
Got old frames and painted them white, then I added some old pictures, as well as leaves I collected. Great collage on the wall.
Hand stitched mobile, I could not find anything that went well with the room, so I created my own.
Up close details of the bird!
The final area is the crib. All the bedding was handmade by my sweet mother-in-law in white, tans and rich browns. I made a cute flag banner using old linens and we also got a cute name picture that I hung above his bed. (not seen in the picture)
I striped the chair and painted it white! Added the cute pillow and a red Ikea trashcan. Great little reading nook for baby "E".I hand stitched two pictures for the room with matching fabric from his bedding, one cute tree picture and a fun bird picture.
Created three hand sewn blocks from felt in red, white and tan colors. I used 1-10 numbers and stars shapes on the blocks, will be great to play with when the little guy gets older.
Here is an up close shot of my hand stitched bird picture!
Revamped lamp shade, punched holes in the bottom of the shade and ran red satin ribbon through it. Then I hot glued a red ribbon on top adding loops to it creating a fun look!
Great find for 4 bucks at the local thrift store, spray painted white and added a red cardinal in the cage, just a fun piece to dress up the room even more.
Got old frames and painted them white, then I added some old pictures, as well as leaves I collected. Great collage on the wall.
Hand stitched mobile, I could not find anything that went well with the room, so I created my own.
Up close details of the bird!
The final area is the crib. All the bedding was handmade by my sweet mother-in-law in white, tans and rich browns. I made a cute flag banner using old linens and we also got a cute name picture that I hung above his bed. (not seen in the picture)Well I hope you like the room, I do. Creating something handmade makes everything more personal for your family. Enjoy!
Beckymae
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Love to eat Woopies
History of Whoopie Pies
Whoopie pies are considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition. They're one of Maine's best known and most loved comfort foods. Mainers will even claim that they were weaned on whoopie pies. In Maine, these treats are more like a cake than a pie or a cookie, as they are very generously sized (about hamburger size). they're so hug that you'll want to share one with a friend. A big glass of milk is almost mandatory when eating a whoopie pie.
A whoopie pie is like a sandwich, but made with two soft cookies with a fluffy white filling. Traditional whoopies pies are made with vegetable shortening, not butter. The original and most commonly made whoopie pie is chocolate. but cooks like to experiment, and today pumpkin whoopie pies are a favorite seasonal variation.
The recipe for whoopie pies has its origins with the Amish, and in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, it is not uncommon to find roadside farm stands offering these desserts. Amish cooking is about old recipes that have fed families for generations, with no trendy or cross-cultural fusions or mixtures. These cake-like whoopie pies were considered a special treat because they were originally made from leftover batter. According to Amish legend, when children would find these treats in their lunch bags, they would shout "Whoopie!"
Whoopie Pie Recipe - How To Make Whoopie Pies
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
Whoopie Pie Filling:
1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening, although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only
** Marshmallow Creme may be substituted.
In a medium bow, beat together shortening, sugar, and Marshmallow fluff; stir in vanilla extract until well blended.
Directions:
In bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, and egg
In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, alternating with the milk mixture; beating until smooth.
Drop batter by the 1/4 cup (to make 18 cakes) onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake. Bake 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make Whoopie Pie Filling. When the cakes are completely cool, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down gently to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap, or place them in a single layer on a platter (do not stack them, as they tend to stick).
To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Loosely pack them in a plastic freezer container and cover. To serve, defrost the wrapped whoopie pies in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your woopies! I had tons of fun making them and so will you!
Beckymae
Whoopie pies are considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition. They're one of Maine's best known and most loved comfort foods. Mainers will even claim that they were weaned on whoopie pies. In Maine, these treats are more like a cake than a pie or a cookie, as they are very generously sized (about hamburger size). they're so hug that you'll want to share one with a friend. A big glass of milk is almost mandatory when eating a whoopie pie.
A whoopie pie is like a sandwich, but made with two soft cookies with a fluffy white filling. Traditional whoopies pies are made with vegetable shortening, not butter. The original and most commonly made whoopie pie is chocolate. but cooks like to experiment, and today pumpkin whoopie pies are a favorite seasonal variation.
The recipe for whoopie pies has its origins with the Amish, and in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, it is not uncommon to find roadside farm stands offering these desserts. Amish cooking is about old recipes that have fed families for generations, with no trendy or cross-cultural fusions or mixtures. These cake-like whoopie pies were considered a special treat because they were originally made from leftover batter. According to Amish legend, when children would find these treats in their lunch bags, they would shout "Whoopie!"
Whoopie Pie Recipe - How To Make Whoopie Pies
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
Whoopie Pie Filling:
1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening, although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only
** Marshmallow Creme may be substituted.
In a medium bow, beat together shortening, sugar, and Marshmallow fluff; stir in vanilla extract until well blended.
Directions:
In bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, and egg
In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, alternating with the milk mixture; beating until smooth.
Drop batter by the 1/4 cup (to make 18 cakes) onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake. Bake 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make Whoopie Pie Filling. When the cakes are completely cool, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down gently to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap, or place them in a single layer on a platter (do not stack them, as they tend to stick).To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Loosely pack them in a plastic freezer container and cover. To serve, defrost the wrapped whoopie pies in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your woopies! I had tons of fun making them and so will you!
Beckymae
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Uncommon Women Christmas Show
http://uncommonwomen.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/uncommon-holiday-show-sale-vendors/
If you are in the Austin area, come checkout the show!
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