Friday, June 29, 2012

Red and Blue Star Shaped Jello Shots


Jello shots are one of my favorite treats to serve at a gathering. They are fun, can be made with or without alcohol, and can be made to match any occasion. This past Memorial Day I made star shaped jello shots and they were a huge hit. These were a refreshing treat for a warm day, and would be perfect for the 4th of July.


The molds I used were silicone ice cube trays from The Dollar Tree. I found them in their seasonal section. They only cost $1.00 for a 2 pack!
Recipe
Adapted from grin and bake it

Blue Layer
3/4 cup boiling water
1 envelope Knox Gelatin (you get 4 envelopes in a 1oz. Knox gelatin box)
1 4 serving package of blue jello (I used Berry Blue)
1/2 cup raspberry vodka (I used Three Olives brand)

Prepare your silicone mold with a light application of cooking spray. Wipe the cavities of the mold out with a clean paper towel, leaving a slight cooking spray residue. Place your molds on a cookie sheet or plate to keep your mold from bending and spilling.

Mix boiling water, gelatin, blue jello, and vodka together. Stir until the powders dissolve. Pour the mixture into the star molds, only filling them half way. Refrigerate until set. It is ok if the gelatin is slightly sticky to the touch.

Red Layer
3/4 cup boiling water
1 envelope Knox Gelatin (you get 4 envelopes in a 1oz. Knox gelatin box)
1 4 serving package of red jello (I used Raspberry)
1/2 cup raspberry vodka (I used Three Olives brand)

Mix boiling water, gelatin, red jello, and vodka together. Stir until the powders dissolve. Pour the mixture into the star molds, completely filling the molds.  Refrigerate until set (I let mine sit overnight).
 
Unmold by gently pulling the shot away from the side of the mold with your finger, and popping each jello shot out.

Notes:
- When serving, keep them cool. I kept mine on a tray, on top of another tray with ice packs in it.  
- The Jelly Shot Test Kitchen recommends unmolding 1 hour before serving. Which I did, but I tested some by unmolding them and saving them in an airtight plastic container in the refrigerator for 2 days. The shots still looked and tasted good, but I did notice some shrinkage.

Linking Up With:
Tip Junkie



Thursday, June 28, 2012

Patriotic Poke Cake


If you are looking for a quick and easy patriotic dessert that everybody loves, try a poke cake. 
They are super easy to make, and most importantly super yummy!!! 



I made the one pictured above for Memorial Day using strawberry jello and French vanilla pudding, but you could do any combination you'd like. One of my favorite combinations is lime jello and lemon pudding, it is such a refreshing duo on a hot day. 


Ingredients & Directions

Cake
1 box cake mix (baked as directed on package)
1 4-serving box of jello (flavor of your choice, I used strawberry)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

1. Mix and bake cake per package directions in a 9"x13" pan. 
2. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.
3. Dissolve the jello in boiling water and add the cold water to it; set aside.
4. While the cake is still in the pan, poke deep holes through the top of the cake with a meat fork, toothpick, or skewer. Space the holes about 1/2" apart. 
5. Pour the dissolved jello over cake.
6. Refrigerate the cake, and allow it to cool completely.

Topping
1 4-serving package of instant pudding (I used French Vanilla)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup milk
1 8oz. Cool Whip

1. Mix the instant pudding with the milk.
2. Stir the confectioners' sugar into the pudding mixture.
3. Fold the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture.
4. Spread the mixture on the completely cooled cake.

You can decorate the cake however you choose. 
I think the fresh fruit made a delicious addition to this cake.

Linking Up With:
Tip Junkie handmade projects


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

DIY Contemporary Wall Art


One day walking through Target I came across these pictures in the home goods department. 

Source

 I instantly fell in love with them but not their price. At $49.99 each I just wasn't ready to make the commitment since I thought I could make something similar.

I started out with a 36"x24" canvas and a used a foam brush to apply antique white acrylic craft paint to the entire canvas. 


To paint the sides of the canvas without it sticking to the newspaper, I taped a couple of popsicle sticks together and stuck them under the edge of the canvas. 2 groups per side.


Once the antique white paint dried, I used a small artist paint brush and added branches with brown paint. After the brown paint dried I began randomly adding circles on the branches.


Don't be afraid to add more branches or stick a dot on the side of a branch. The randomness is what makes the piece original and fun. Plus, you can totally match it to any decor by using whatever colors you want.


Here it is up on my office wall. 
Ignore the desk, it still needs to be refinished...I'm thinking black paint and silver hardware.



If you make a piece like this let me know, I'd love to see it!


Linking Up With:
At The Picket Fence

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Patriotic Wreath


I recently came a across this super cute patriotic wreath by Sky at Capital B on Pinterest.
As soon as I saw it I knew I would be making one of my own.


Sky offers a great tutorial, but I did a handful of things a little different so I thought I'd show you what I did.

  
Supplies
12" straw wreath - Do NOT unwrap it and you will not have to worry about getting straw everywhere.
1/2 yard blue felt
1/2 yard red felt
1/2 yard white felt
1 package of felt star stickers - I got them in the isle with all the felt shapes at JoAnn Fabrics
20 gauge wire - I got it in the jewelry supply section at JoAnn Fabrics
Straight pins - A lot of them!
Ribbon - length determined by where you are hanging it
Scissors -You want them sharp enough to cut felt, but don't use your favorite pair because felt dulls the blades.
Wire Cutters
Pencil - with an eraser on the end.
 
Optional
Cutting Mat - To cut the felt on.
Rotary Cutter - Like this one, to cut the felt
Quilting Ruler or Straight Edged Object - To use with the rotary cutter.
Heat Sealer - For the ribbon.




 Instructions

1. Cut the felt into strips. My strips were 2" wide. The rotary cutter made this very quick and easy. Leave some felt uncut if you want to cover the back of the wreath.

2. Cut the strips into squares. Just cut the strips at 2" intervals. This will give you 2"x2" squares.

3. Fold a square into a little triangle by folding it in half, point to point and then point to point again.
4. Stick a straight pin in the corner where all 4 layers overlap.
5. Start sticking the "triangles" in the wreath, working from the front of the wreath down the sides towards the back of the wreath. (If some of the pins seem difficult to push in you can use the eraser end of a pencil to push the pin in.)
6. Fill in with more "triangles" where ever you see gaps.

7. If you would like to cover the back of the wreath flip it over and use the leftover felt to cover the blank spots. I attached the felt with more "triangles" of felt, but you could just use straight pins.


8. If you know where you are hanging the wreath you can measure, cut, and attach your ribbon now. I used a heat sealer to cut the ribbon so it wouldn't fray, and 4 straight pins to attach the ribbon to the wreath.

 9. Cut your wires to desired length. Mine were about 5" long. 
10. Curl the wire around pencil. 
11. Stick the wire into the wreath where you would like your stars located.
12. Attach 2 felt star stickers back to back with the wire in between them.

Once everything is attached hang it, and enjoy!



Linking Up With:
Tip Junkie handmade projects

Monday, June 25, 2012

Refinished Kitchen Table


We have had our kitchen table for almost 8 years now, and our kids have not always been kind to it. You can see some of the damage in the pictures below, but trust me it looked much worse in person.


My first thought was to refinish the table and chairs, but we only had 4 chairs for the table and we really wanted to have 6. Instead of buying an entire new set I decided purchase chairs and refinish the table we had. I ordered 3 sets of the American Simplicity X-Back Chairs from Target and went from there.

I used a hand sander and 60 grit sandpaper to remove the finish from the table. Once the finish was removed I wiped the table down with a damp towel and sanded it with 100 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface. Since I was staining the table and not painting it, I sanded it one more time with 150 grit sandpaper. 


Once I had completed sanding, I applied Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner with a clean cloth. This is supposed to prevent blotchiness when applying the stain. Is it a necessary step? I honestly don't know, but I was happy with the finished product.

I applied Minwax Wood Finish Red Mahogany 225 Stain to achieve the same color as the chairs I had. I have to admit after the first application of stain I had a moment of panic where I thought the color of the table would never match the chairs. Thankfully after 2 more applications of stain I was happy with the color.



For protection I used Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane in Clear Satin. I brushed on 2 layers of the polyurethane and sanded with 400 grit sandpaper in between the layers. At this point I was not happy with the finish. It was shinier than I wanted and I could see some brush marks.

To remedy this I used Minwax Water Based Polycrylic Aerosol in Clear Satin. After 2 applications of the aerosol I was very pleased the finish. I let the finish dry for 4 days before bringing the table back into the house. I just wanted to make sure the poly had a chance to really set up before I let my kids near it. 



I think the new color of table and the new chairs totally changed the look of the dining space in our kitchen. We have been using the refinished table for 2 months now and the finish is holding up great!


Linking Up With:
House On The Way
Little Inspiration 
Uncommonly Yours Link Party 
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Thrifty Decor Chick
House of Hepworths 
Family Home & Life 
Jane's Adventures In Dinner   


Friday, June 22, 2012

Fish Shaped Blueberry-tini Jello Shots


TGIF! If your looking for something to bring to a summer get-together, I have a great idea for you. Jello Shots!!! This past Memorial Day I made Fish Jello Shots and they were a huge hit. I know what you're thinking. Fish? Ewww! Don't worry I used the Blueberry-tini recipe from The Jelly Shot Test Kitchen, not actual fish.



The molds I used were silicone ice cube trays from IKEA. I got them for $.99 each. The little fish turned out cute and really yummy.

Recipe Adapted from The Jelly Shot Test Kitchen

2/3 cup prepared lemonade - strained to remove solids (I used Simply Lemonade)
2/3 cup lemon lime soda (I used Sprite)
3 envelopes Knox gelatin (you get 4 envelopes in a 1oz. Knox gelatin box)
2/3 cup blueberry vodka (I used Stoli)
fresh blueberries

IKEA Silicone Ice Cube Trays
Prepare your silicone mold with a light application of cooking spray. Wipe the cavities of the mold out with a clean paper towel, leaving a slight cooking spray residue. Place your molds on a cookie sheet or plate to keep your mold from bending and spilling.

Combine the soda and strained lemonade in a small saucepan and sprinkle in all 3 packs of gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for 1-2 minutes. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be a bit foamy, but this will diminish.) Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vodka. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes letting the foam settle.

Pour the mixture into the molds, leaving a little room for the blueberry. Drop one blueberry into each of the fish molds. Top off the molds with more of the mixture if necessary. Refrigerate until set (I let mine sit overnight).
 
Unmold by gently pulling the shot away from the side of the mold with your finger, and popping each jelly shot out.

Notes:
- When serving, keep them cool. I kept mine on a tray, on top of another tray with ice packs in it.  
- The Jelly Shot Test Kitchen recommends unmolding 1 hour before serving. Which I did, but I tested some by unmolding them and saving them in an airtight plastic container in the refrigerator for 2 days. The shots still looked and tasted good, but I did notice some shrinkage.


Thursday, June 21, 2012

DIY Mickey & Minnie Mouse Ears


It is almost impossible for me to believe that my daughter completed preschool 2 weeks ago and that in the fall she will be going to kindergarten. The theme for her preschool graduation jubilee was Disney Stars. When I found out that the preschool needed Mickey and Minnie ears for their jubilee I was happy to help out. I found a wonderful tutorial from the Suburban Mom. I ended up doing some things a tad different, but her tutorial was a great starting point for me.


Supplies     

Headbands - I used plastic ones that were covered in fabric. They were 1/4" wide and I got them at the Dollar Tree in a 6pk for $1.00. Plus they were children sized perfect for preschoolers.
Black Felt - I bought the felt that comes on a bolt because the sheets of felt were not long enough to cover the headbands.
Foam Sheets - I used 6"x9" sheets that were adhesive backed. I bought a bulk pack of 60 sheets. They were rainbow colored but it doesn't matter because you are covering them with felt.
Circle - You will need something to trace a circle with. I used my scrap booking supplies to make a 2.75" circle on cardstock to use as a pattern.
Scissors - You want them sharp enough to cut felt, but don't use your favorite pair because felt dulls the blades.
White Pencil - You can buy a chalk pencil or raid your kids' colored pencils. I used a white Crayola colored pencil and it worked great. 
Black Marker - I used a Sharpie.
Hot Glue Gun -You could use a low temp glue gun but I just used my regular one.
Hot Glue - A lot of it!
Template for Ears - You can use the one at Suburban Mom or make your own. Since my headbands were thinner than the one she used I adjusted her template by cutting the rectangle part in half and taping it back together so the part that wraps around the headband was thinner.

Optional
Ribbon - If you are making Minnie ears you will need this. I used 1.5" ribbon to make the bow and 3/8" ribbon to make the center of the bow.
Cutting Mat - To cut the felt on.
Rotary Cutter - Like this one, to cut the strips of felt to cover the headbands.
Quilting Ruler or Straight Edged Object - To use with the rotary cutter.
Heat Sealer - For the ribbon.


Ear Instructions

1. Cut the felt into strips. My strips were 16" x 1.5". The rotary cutter made this very quick and easy.
2. Cover the headbands with felt. Put a thin bead of hot glue along the inside of the headband pressing the felt down as you go. Then wrap the felt around the headband. Next start a bead of hot glue on the inside of the headband (on top of the felt you already glued down) and glue the loose edge of the felt down along the length of the headband. I recommend only doing 2" at a time so the glue doesn't cool before you get the felt attached, and you avoid hard bumps.

3. Put a drop of hot glue in the open ends and pinch them closed.
4. Once the hot glue is cooled trim off the excess felt.

5. Attach 2 pieces of foam back to back and trace circle on them. This will double the thickness of the foam for the ears but not double your tracing and cutting. Remember the foam can be any color and the cutting doesn't have to be perfect because your covering them with felt.

6. Cut your circles out. You will need 2 for each headband.

7. Trace your ears onto the felt using your template. You will need 2 for each headband. Make sure you cut one out and adjust the center rectangle part to fit your headband before continuing.
8. Cut out your ears.
9. Start building your ears by putting a thin drizzle of hot glue on one side of a foam circle and attaching it to the felt ear.

10. Place the ears where you would like them located on the headband. Mine were about 1.5" apart.
11. Glue the part that wraps around the headband to the headband. Placing the hot glue on all sides of the headband is key here, but you don't want it to ooze out.
12. Put a thin drizzle of hot glue on the foam circle and attach the felt to it.
13. Run a thin bead of hot glue around the foam circle and seal the edges closed.
14. Once they are cool you can trim the ears if your circles didn't match up perfectly. You can also color any place you see dried hot glue with a black Sharpie. 
  
Tips:
- I recommend doing one from beginning to end and make any adjustments before making them in bulk. 
- Use the hot glue sparingly because anything that oozes out dries white on the black felt.

Bow Instructions

1. Cut the 1.5" ribbon into 9" sections and the 3/8" ribbon into 2.25" sections. My favorite way to cut ribbon is to lay the glass from a picture frame on top of my cutting mat so I can see the measurements and use a heat sealer to cut the ribbon. If the ribbon is wide I use another piece of glass to have a straight line to cut against.

2. Fold the two ends of the 1.5" ribbon back until they over lap in the center and glue it with a dot of hot glue.

3. Pinch the bow in the middle creating the Minnie bow look. I used a drop of hot glue to keep in in this shape but you could probably skip that.

 4. Glue the 3/8" ribbon to the inside of the headband.

5. Wrap the 3/8" ribbon around the headband and the bow. Then glue the loose end down.


I made 45 of these bad boys and trust me once you get a system down you can make them pretty quick. My kids love the ears and the night I finished them they insisted on wearing their Mickey pajamas.