New Year's Eve Glass Tile Necklace

Well, the end of 2011 is upon us, and I don't know about you, but I really enjoy celebrating the new year.  NYE is my favorite "holiday" (can you really call it a holiday?) right behind July 4th.  It's an evening where you get togther with friends and family, and even those who have had a rough go of it lately usually look forward to the new start a new year brings.  There's champagne and kissing at midnight - how can you go wrong?

So as we head out for our celebrations tonight, I thought I'd whip up a cute-little-something I've been meaning to get around to, and since Santa brought me an awesome new printer for Christmas, I was able to design a glass tile necklace to wear today!

I know these are nothing new, but I'll give you the quick how-to, in case you haven't seen them already.

Glass Tile Pendant

What you'll need:

• Glass tile(s) - I got mine at Candytiles on Etsy
• Bail(s) - I got mine with my tiles, but bails are pretty readily available at most craft stores
• Mod Podge & Paintbrush
• Graphic to use (and scissors to trim it down)
• Amazing E6000 or other heavy-duty permanent adhesive
• A chain to wear your lovely creation

First of all, you need a graphic.  You are welcome to use mine if you like, it's nothing fancy:

Just scale it down to the size of your tile.  Mine was 1" square.  Print it, trim it down.  I trimmed mine to 15/16" since the edges of my tile were rounded, and you don't want any edges hanging over.

Mod Podge the back of your tile.  This is very hard to illustrate, but here goes anyway:

Carefully place your graphic face down on the Mod Podge.  I gave it a second coat afterward to make sure it's really stuck down.

Let it dry.  Then, use your adhesive to attach the bail.

Try not to get that much adhesive.  I didn't mean to overdo it, but you definitely don't need as much as what's shown here.  Now, let that dry.  Then - just string it on your chain, wear it and be merry!

Happy new year to you all - be safe and have fun tonight!  Cheers to what awaits in 2012!

~ Adrianne

Freestyle Friday #22!

Well, it's been a fun year for me, getting the hang of being a mom, becoming a blogger, and getting more involved with my writing group.  But I am definitely ready to see what new things 2012 brings - how about you?

It's the last Freestyle Friday link party of 2011, so I think it would be fun to share anything you like from 2011!  Your favorite post, your most popular, even your very first post if you're a new blogger this year!  Obviously, new stuff is welcome too - but anything goes this week!

A quick note before moving on to party business - there are still a couple days left to vote in the solids-only tote challenge I'm a part of.  If you liked my Storm Trooper Bag, I would love your vote over at sew la vie!  Thanks so much!!

I didn't post much this week, but take a look around!  My blogging time was spent giving Happy Hour a little facelift instead - and checking out your amazing projects from last week!  Let's see a few highlights!

Seven Alive's Crochet Snowflakes

Mrs. Fox's Sweets' Salt Dough Ornaments
(I had every intention of making these before we all got sick last week, boo!)

Holly in the Snow Ornaments by Crafty and Cooking Momma

Awesome Casserole Carrier Tutorial by Love of Sewing

A really beautiful share by Kissed By A Frog (Thanks, Jenni!)

Amazing-Looking Bacon Mac & Cheese by Fun with the Fullwoods

So awesome!  Thank you to everyone who linked up!  If you were featured, feel free to grab a brand-spanking new button from the sidebar or from the buttons page. :)

Now - let's see what you've got - remember, link up anything from 2011!

Showing Off My New Blog Design!

I just wanted to write a quick note to say, I'm sorry I haven't posted much this week!  All the blog work I have done hasn't shown up in the form of tutorials this week - I've put my time into the brand spankin' new look I am debuting at Happy Hour Projects tonight.  What do you think, do you like it?

One of my new year's resolutions (I'm sure I'll have more, I resolve to do lots of things all year long) is to simplify.  That theme is carrying over into the blog as well.  I love the old design (a huge thank you to Carlee from Ladybird Ln for the brilliant header - it was exactly what I asked for, and it served me well getting started!!) but everyone who has dared be brutally honest with me has suggested that it's time to retire the bright pink "since I'm not fifteen anymore," (LOL).  Hey, I liked it - but constructive criticism prevailed.

So this is me, simplified.  I'm still swearing at Photoshop (and will take any tips you have to offer on the software - we are not getting along yet).  You may see some tweaks here and there as I get the hang of it.  And if you notice anything broken, I would love it if you would drop me a note or leave a comment and let me know so I can fix it - I've been updating a lot of code, and things do get missed!

I'm not in love with my buttons yet, so those may go through another round of upgrades.  But, at least the new ones match, and if you're itching to retire the neon pink and purple I've subjected you to this year - feel free to grab a replacement. :)

See you tomorrow afternoon for Freestyle Friday!

~ Adrianne

Peppermint Snowflakes

OK, now that the Christmas baking is over, I am back to ridiculously easy recipes.  I actually made these last week, but they are a fantastic way to use up those leftover candy canes. 

I came across these snowflake ice trays on clearance and decided they would work well for another one of my chocolate kitchen projects.  They turned out so cute, I just had to use them again.  (And yes, since they are ice trays after all, I did make up some silly snowflake ice for Christmas Day too.  Why not, right?)

This is basically just peppermint bark spooned into molds.  What you'll need:

• White Chocolate
• Candy Canes (I used 2 for one 8 oz. package of chocolate)
• Molds of your choice
• A hammer (which is the only thing I have found to work on Candy Canes, but if you have a better idea, I'm all ears)
• Plastic bag or wax paper to protect your candy
• Microwave-safe bowl (I use my Pyrex measuring cup)
• Small Spoon (a baby spoon worked wonderfully for me)

First order of business is to crush your candy canes.  My method is to unwrap them and fold them into a few layers of wax paper and turn it into a pouch.  You really do need several layers - once your candy starts breaking up, it gets some sharp edges that will poke holes in the paper, and then you get tiny pieces all over your kitchen.  I used to use a ziploc bag for this step but it shreds really fast - I find wax paper to be much more sturdy for the job.

Once it's crushed, set the candy aside and move on to your chocolate. 

I always melt mine in the microwave.  Just follow the instructions on the package, and check it frequently once you get past the recommended time.  It tends to hold its shape, even when ready, so you'll need to actually stir it to find out if it's done.  Once it stirs up nice and smooth, add your crushed peppermint and stir it up:

Then I just spooned it into my molds.  It may be a little bit stiff (as you can tell by the spoon peaks in the molds).  So to smooth it out, I banged the molds (gently!) on the counter to settle them until they were even on the bottoms.  Since they will be face up on your trays, a smooth base will help!

You can let them set on the counter, or speed things along by putting them in the refrigerator.  Mine went in the frig.

You will know they're set when they pop right out of the molds.  If you're using silicone ones like I am, push up on the bottom and see if it loosens.

They look like more work than they are - which is my kind of recipe!

Enjoy! ~ Adrianne

White Christmas? Make Your Own!

Well, amazingly - we seem to have gotten our White Christmas here in west Michigan.  I had given up. :)


Not true for a lot of the rest of you, though, I know.  So I wanted to share some fun printable patterns we are making today (they were on the agenda out of pure awesomeness anyway).  Miss Raya is much more herself today, and I have fully shaken the germs she so lovingly shared with me.  Whew - just in time!


Matters of Grey has some AWESOME downloads for DIY-STAR WARS snowflakes!!  Are you kidding me??

If Star Wars isn't your thing the way it is in our house, Marcel's Kid Crafts as some fun templates too:

YarnOwl has some nice printables as well:

Or - design your own, of course!! :)


Merry Christmas to you all, and have fun with your last-minute prep and family time!


Adrianne

Freestyle Friday #21!

Hey mamas!  I've had a loooong week with a sick baby, crazy job, attempts at last-minute Christmas-ing, some blog fails... and now, as of this morning, I have the baby's germs too.  I sincerely hope I can shake it by Christmas.


Thank goodness for scheduled posting, because I was actually healthy and productive a few days ago and was able to draft the party post. :) I would be so sad to miss the Christmas edition of Freestyle Friday!

Now, you don't have to link up only Christmas-related things, of course.  But have you been around blogland this week?  We're all showing off our last minute (and also some bloggers' well-prepared, ahem) Christmas crafts and recipes!  Now, if you're not in the Christmas spirit yet, check out the recipe for The Grinch Martini! 

(I am happy to report that I got to enjoy one before coming down with the goo.)

I also realize that not all of my readers celebrate Christmas.  So I want to take a quick minute and wish you joy in your celebrations - whatever form they take!  If you have crafts or posts that celebrate anything else, I hope you feel free to share them!  It's Freestyle Friday, remember? :)

A big thanks to my guests this week, Kelly from Here Comes the Sun and Jenny from Days of Chalk and Chocolate!

Kelly's Santa Belly Ornament Tutorial on Monday:

Jenny's favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe on Tuesday:

And some highlights from last week's party!

Reading Confetti's Kid-Friendly Snow Globes

Domestic Imperfection's amazing Ruffle Trees



Spool-Knit Scarf from These Peas Taste Funny
(I REALLY want to try this!)

Incidentally (and I didn't know this yet when I drafted this post) - if you are a link party fan (that's why you're here, right?) Terry at These Peas Taste Funny has a really fun linky going on through December 26!  The theme is your best pet photos!  You can click here for the post (it opens in a new window) and go link up!  My pup is out there, and I'd love to see yours too!!

Maple Bacon Fudge by Bacon Time
(I'm glad Mindie's bacon project went better than mine!!)

Snowflake Cookies from Country Momma Cooks

 I love all the gorgeous shares!  Let me just say - you mamas are freaking AMAZING.  I mean that wholeheartedly.  I love blogging because of all of you.  So in case I don't say it often enough - THANK YOU! 

And with that, we better get on with the party, before I get all emotional. ;)

Christmas-in-the-Kitchen Fails

All right, well I have hinted all week that things on the Happy Hour front have not been entirely happy in the kitchen.  I've certainly had some successes - but I've also had a few fails that I am ready to laugh about. :) Care to laugh with me?

First off, the colossal fail: Bacon-Infused Vodka.  I know a lot of people will say, that sounds disgusting.  I was really intrigued, though - and besides, I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new things (especially new drinks).  But if you don't believe me that there's an actual following for it, search it on Pinterest!  It's out there!

It turns out that despite all those lovely pin-able photos, it's probably the grossest thing.  Ever.  I sincerely mean that.  When I was filtering it, I even started gagging on the smell.  It did not taste at all like bacon, it tasted like... salty unpleasantries.  My aim was to make a bacon-chocolate martini, since another new trend is the bacon-chocolate combination (once again - check Pinterest!) but instead, I had to cleanse the nasty taste in my mouth with a regular chocolate martini.  (And then the taste of failure with a second chocolate martini, of course.)

So after I had properly consoled myself and had a good night's sleep, I woke up the next morning and moved on to a fairly well-researched project that I spotted on Mrs. Fox's Sweets' blog: Dipped Cupcake Bites.  She was sweet enough to answer several questions I had, because I really wanted to get these cute bites right.

Don't these look amazing??

She said it was easy - and this time I can totally endorse that claim!  There are a few separate steps to it, so it seems sort of fussy, but each step is quick and simple, actually.  And they turned out beautiful! 

And then I ate one.

And then I threw it away.

Full disclaimer here - Mrs. Fox warns you right in the original tutorial not to get too much frosting in your cake mix.  But guess what, I got too much frosting.  It's the first time making something cake-pop related for me, so I didn't realize what sort of texture I was aiming for.  My mixture balled well, and dipped well - but then the cake part mushed when I bit into it, and that was the end of it for me.  In the future, I will eat a cake ball before I dip it, so I don't waste my time!  

I was still glad I tried the project, though, because I discovered that it really was easy, and now I know where the pitfalls are when I try it again.  Yes - you read that right - I believe the method is totally sound.  The fail was totally on my end. :P

A few notes if you decide to try these:

1) If you wait until immediately before a baking holiday, it's likely that candy molds will be sold-out everywhere.  Not to fret - I decided to try silicone ice trays I spotted that were shaped like snowflakes.  They worked great! 

Check out the cute bottoms:

2) You should work quickly.  Once your melts are individually portioned in your tray, they will begin to set.  So only spoon out one or two, and put your cake balls in right away.

3) 1/2 a cake mix needs about 8 oz. of melted bases and 4 oz. of top-dipping colors, and will net you about 24 bites, assuming you use roughly 1 Tbsp. of cake mix per pop.  For those of you who don't keep these sorts of ingredients on-hand - this is good information to know *before* you shop.  Your leftovers will keep just fine, but if you're anything like me - there's no sense in over-buying!

Now - last but not least in my Christmas-in-the-kitchen saga, I did very nearly throw a hissy fit in the store when it came time for Ladybird Ln's double-decker fudge.  Again - that's totally on me, because who goes to the grocery store for ingredients when you didn't write them down??  This mama, apparently.  So while all the rude people in the baking aisle kept banging into my cart (even with a BABY in it, what the heck, people??) I decided to just give up on the fudge altogether.  I fled the baking aisle and all the grinches shopping there, and promptly and got stuck... next to a display of these:

Awesome.

So, I bought - and made - this kit.  All you have to add at home is 2 Tbsp. of butter - everything, even the tray, is right in this kit.  And it's good!  I subbed half peanut butter chips for the whole bag of chocolate, and recruited my husband to mix up the chocolate half while I stirred the peanut butter (I never knew fudge set so quickly!) and layered them the way Carlee explained in the original recipe.

The recipes are very similar (once I was back home and could compare) - the main difference is that the original recipe at Ladybird Ln calls for marshmallow creme, and the kit had actual marshmallows that needed to melt.  But by going with the kit, I got my fudge after all without murdering anyone in the grocery store, so I think that's pretty much a win-win.  And fortunately, at least the fudge has a happy ending, even if I didn't get to make it the way I had intended:

Getting my kitchen mojo back with some great fudge!

So there you have it.  I'm human, and I certainly had a bad run there for a few days. :)  Fortunately, I think I've recovered!  Thanks for reading my lengthy kitchen rant, and I will see you all back here tonight at 5:00 for Freestyle Friday!

~ Adrianne

The Grinch Martini

Oh man, I don't know about you mamas, but it's been a long week already.  I honestly thought yesterday was Friday.  Yeah.  I've got a way to go!

At my house, my baby is getting over her first time being sick, and my husband and I are trying to get ready to host Christmas (provided neither of us come down with her oogies).  I just freaked out a little when I realized Christmas is just four days away.  I have more blog posts than that to share before the big day, so you're getting two today! ;)   

I first heard about this drink on Jeopardy, of all places.  I knew I wanted to give it a try, and I actually really like it!  Fair warning - it's sweet.  (Though it does have a little bit of a tang to it with the lemon juice.)  If you like Appletinis and/or Midori, you will enjoy this one!

The Grinch Martini:

It's green with a base of Midori, and has the Grinch's sour side with a bit of lemon juice.  Then add a little sweet simple syrup and a cherry symbolic of his new big heart to get a sweet drink reminiscent of a changed Grinch!

2 oz. Midori

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1 tsp. simple syrup

maraschino cherry "heart" garnish

Shake well with ice, and serve in a chilled martini glass.  

Now for those of you who may not speak bar slang, I'll give you a couple tips.  I'm married to a bartender, and I'm quite the fan of flavored martinis, so these steps and ingredients are pretty common around our house.  And - as much as I love to kick back and let my husband work his bartender mojo, I made this drink all by myself. :P  


First of all, if you don't have simple syrup, I've linked to a recipe above.  It's just one part sugar, one part water, mixed over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  It's a cocktail staple, and it may sound like a hassle but it seriously only takes five minutes to make some.  I keep a small batch in a ball jar around my house.  (It's also a mojito ingredient, so it's nice to have handy.) :)


The simple syrup is on the left, looking less than classy in its jar (hey, it works, LOL).  You'll notice a glass full to the rim with ice water.  That's how you chill a martini glass.  Just fill it up while you gather and mix your drink, and pour the water out just before serving.

So - pop a few ice cubes into your shaker tin and measure out your Midori, lemon juice, and simple syrup.  Shake well.  It's also chilling rolling around with the ice in there.


Dump your ice water, and strain your drink into your glass.

Drop a cherry into it, and serve.

Repeat as necessary, until you're feeling festive. :P

Cheers! 

Adrianne

Sugar and Spice Cookies

I promised a few sweets this week!  This one is one of my go-to recipes for things like cookie exchanges and assortments for goodie baskets.  They are simple (simple enough for me, even!) and as fast to make as some of the more traditional recipes like peanut butter cookies.


These cookies were always a part of Christmas baking when I was growing up. I still make this recipe every year, and one of the reasons I love it is that it's not one you see everywhere.  These cookies are chewy, with molasses, cinnamon, and clove.

I have put my own spin on these cookies since this recipe was passed down from my Gram.  She always rolled the cookies in powdered sugar, which is much more classic, but I enjoy making them look festive in red. :)

Sugar and Spice Cookies

Yields 3-4 dozen 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 c. sugar
1 egg
3/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. molasses


Cream these ingredients together, and sift together the following dry ingredients:


1/4 tsp. clove
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda


Add your dry ingredients to your wet mixture.  If you're not as impatient as I am, you should chill your dough for 30 minutes.  Your cookies will be "puffier" if you do - mine come out quite flat (as you can see from the photo) without chilling the dough.


I make my cookies small, about 1 Tbsp. of dough per cookie.  Roll into a ball, and roll in sugar (I use red, but you could use powdered sugar like my gram always did, or a coarse white sugar - anything you like!)  I also only bother rolling the top half of the cookie in the sugar, since it will spread when it bakes and you won't see the bottom half anyway.


Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for about 8 minutes.  Enjoy the smell of Christmas kitchen, mmmm. :)  That's it!


These were just one of the goodies I added to a tray for Raya's day care room:

You'll spot some Oreo Pops in there too (I think I'm addicted to making those things since seeing them on Mrs. Fox's Sweets' blog), and the jars in the center are some cupcakes-in-a-jar.  The little white snowflakes are peppermint bark I made in my new molds (SO easy - and a great way to use up those leftover candy canes next week!)


So there's a bit of kitchen success to share!  (You know that's where I struggle!)  I had my share of failures this year too, and I am finally ready to laugh about it - so I have a fail-post to share with you all tomorrow morning... just to keep it real. :)

Cheers! ~ Adrianne

Sugar Cookies by Blog of the Week: Days of Chalk and Chocolate

Well, this week I had the best intentions of sharing all the sweet Christmas goodies that are tradition in my family, and a few new discoveries since hopping around in blogland!  But, I started with something new, and that didn't go so well.  So to give me time to recover my mojo, I'm so glad there are some fabulous bloggers who are willing to share with you!

My friend Jenny from Days of Chalk and Chocolate has a really great blog, and I link up at her Latest & Greatest Party every Friday.  You should drop in and say hello to her this week!  She also has a great recipe today that is a perfect kickoff for a few Christmas sweets in these last days before Christmas.  I have to admit - we made sugar cookies a lot when I was growing up - but since then I rarely do!  She swears by this recipe, though, and her beautiful cookies make me want to give it a try!!

This truly is the best cookie recipe. The cookies come out fluffy and soft and buttery. YUM.

I make this dough and split it into thirds. I wrap each third in plastic wrap several times and then store them in freezer bags. Then I just defrost it in the fridge whenever we want cookies. Sometimes we roll it into a log and  just do slice and bake but sometimes we do the whole roll out and cut with cutters thing. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients  
1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry to the wet and mix until blended. Cover, and chill dough for at least at least 3 hours.  I wrap mine in saran plastic wrap in discs so it's easier to roll out.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. I prefer my cookies thick and soft so I do it more toward a 1/2 inch. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.   There is no need to grease the cookie sheets, by the way.
3. Bake 7-9 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely on a wire rack.               

Here are some examples of the cookies cut out:

Candy corn cookies

Daisy cut out cookies with sparkle sugar

Ballet shoe cookies which are actually an Easter egg cookie cutter that I iced and sugared to resemble ballet shoes. The spider behind them is explained by the fact that Molly's birthday is on Halloween. It wasn't some creepy spider ballerina party.

And because the ballet shoes were for Molly's 3rd birthday and she was so cute that day I included this picture.

Cheers!

Jenny