Thursday, December 27, 2012

Strawberry Birthday Cake

Grace decided
she wanted a Strawberry Cake
this year for birthday #24: 



Strawberry Cake
adapted from Cupcake Theory

Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1 3-oz. box strawberry Jell-O
1 1/4 c frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c water

white frosting of your choice

Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans** by greasing and flouring. 
In large bowl, mix cake mix (dry), Jell-O, pureed strawberries, 
eggs, oil, and water. Beat on low speed until combined. 
Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. 
Pour into cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes 
or until toothpick inserted into center
 comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
 Remove from pans and cool completely.

I heated up the white frosting and drizzled it on top
followed by the leftover strawberries in syrup




I took fresh strawberries and dipped 
them in white chocolate 
filling the bundt cake whole w them

** I used a bundt pan 

Grace The birthday girl:






It was very yummy






one last look....





Linked up to




Monday, December 24, 2012

Homemade Pretzels


Homemade Pretzels
from Alton Brown
and 
Macheesmo.com

*******I only used 1/3 C baking soda 
and it worked perfectly
reviewers claimed that 
using the amt in the recipe 
made it taste like baking soda


*** I used 4 oz butter because
Homemade Pretzels
Directions:
 comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
 It should form a soft ball after about 4 or 5 minutes.
 in a cup of water every few minutes and
 use it to mix the dough
comes together in a nice ball. 
4) After 5 minutes or so of kneading, 
transfer the dough to a bowl
 that has been coated with vegetable oil 
and turn it a few times
and let it sit at room temperature 
for 60 minutes to rise.
about a 2 foot strip, starting
 from the center and rolling out gently
. If it isn’t stretching you
 and gently whip it up and 
down. It will loosen up the gluten a bit. 
Then take the left end and wrap it to
 the center and then overlay 
the right side. Then kind of adjust it 
so it's pretzel-like.






 the dough was to dry
the recipe says it makes 8
but mine mine 13 
I think it depends on the size 
of the pretzel
you make





Y

1 1/2 Cups warm water,

110 degrees or should be pretty warm to the touch.

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/4 Teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)

22 ounces All-purpose flour, about 4.5 Cups

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted***

Vegetable oil

15 Cups water

1 Cup baking soda*******

1 large egg

Pretzel salt

1) Combine the water, sugar, salt and

yeast into a bowl 

and let it sit for 5 minutes.

2) Mix in the melted butter and flour.

If you have a mixer,

just put on the dough hook and let it work until the dough

3) Without a mixer, to simulate

a dough hook,dip your hand

vigorously. After a few minutes it 
 to coat the dough ball with oil. Cover it 

5) Take the dough and divide it

evenly (a dough cutter is helpful here)

into 8 pieces. 

 6) Roll the dough out into 

can hold the dough by both ends



7) Bring the water and baking soda to

a rolling boil and gently lay in a pretzel,

one or two at a time. You’ll need a pretty

good sized pot. The pretzel will float

and after about 30 seconds,

flip it over in the water with a spatula

to get the other side. Then after another

30 gently lift it out and place it

on a parchment lined baking sheet,

ready to go for the oven.



8) Once the pretzels come out of the boil,

brush them with some egg wash (1 egg and

1 Tablespoon water) and then sprinkle

them generously with the pretzel salt.



9) Bake at 450 degrees for about 14 minutes.


10) Immediately move them to a cooling rack.

11) After they cool you can pile

them high on a plate.

Or eat them right away!

I like mine with just a bit of mustard.





Sunday, December 16, 2012

Inspiration


I saw an earring cuff
that gave me an inspiration
for these necklaces



A friend
had given me some 
broken rosary beads
and loose crosses
and crucifixes





Antique Gold
and pink rosary glass beads
with religious medallion


I think I may have already sold 
the black one!




Saturday, December 15, 2012

Earring Knock Off


My niece found the inspiration
for these earrings in 
a Nordstrom's ad


I had the drops
because I couldn't find any small
jewels 
I got the bling from 
a Walmart Holiday 
stickers
taking them off the strip of glue


I found this handy tool
it has wax on one end
I found applying
 the glue to the drop
with a pin the easiest way


The one trick is to 
not press the jewel
to hard on the wax 



I alternated the jewels


Their version:



My version:









Sunday, December 9, 2012

Christmas Organization


Something I have been
working on for my booth
These books are narrow 
and college ruled




This is a composition book
I applied modpodge
to the front and put the scrap
paper on top
then lightly sanded the corners


These books
would be great to keep all
of your Christmas info
in one place


recipes, gift giving, Christmas card list
keep it all in one spot!




A couple are available
in my etsy shop
and the others will be added 
in the few next days




linking up to

Upcycle ornaments



I bought these tin tasting spoons
this summer at Extravaganza not having
a clue what I would do with them
until this morning!

Basically
I modpodged sheet music
on the bowl
and sprinkled glitter
added some bling
and w/ my dremel made the holes
and attached the crystal



this one I used 
a old looking Santa 


the back view



This is an old outdoor faucet
I added rhinestone bling
and a ribbon



These items are 
available at a local store
Rusty n Chippy's










Friday, December 7, 2012

MIA


I can't believe it has been so
long since I posted last...
I never intended to go this long
but I guess life and illness got in the way.

Exciting news business wise....

I have been doing a lot of shows
and my junque/silverware jewelry
has taken off

Some of my work will be in between
the paragraphs
if you are interested in more click here



Well a new shop
opened in
our fair city
and they were looking
for someone who did
what I do
and as of this week they will 
be selling my designs!



Needless
to say  I am excited



Healthwise
has not been so gd
I saw a rheumatologist
and got a diagnosis
and was put on a medication
Which I should not 
have been put on
besides the anorexia
it set off my asthma
which had been 
under control for 17 yrs
after 3 wks is getting better
but still having to do treatments



so I got a 2nd opinion 
and this Dr is not convinced
that first diagnosis is right
and is working me up 
ie 15 vials of blood
26 x-rays
All results should be
in the first of January
I am so thankful 


All I can say is that 
this episode has taught me a lot
esp abt ppl w/ chronic conditions
and for the first time in my life
I fully understood how
ppl feel when they say 
they feel despair 
and I now understand
how hard it is 
to have to will yourself
to eat when you really 
don't want to
It really got down to
deciding on whether 
or not the side effects
of a drug are worth
going through to be pain free


My last show 
for this year is this w/e
and I am looking forward
to being done.

I am hoping once
it is over the Christmas bug
will hit me!