Monday, April 15, 2013

Capt' Krunch Berrie Treat's


I wanted to try to make Rice Krispy Treats with a twist. 

So I went up and down my local stores cereal aisle to see what I could find to trade out for rice krispies cereals. and lo and behold I came across a box of Capt Krunch Berrie Cereal (Only the Berries). Bingo!!!

So these are easy peasy to make.

You just need the cereal and a  couple bags of marshmellows or 2 jars of mallow.
If you go the marshmellow way, you will have to melt down the marshmellows down to the gooey stage yourself.

I thing to remember: when it comes time to mix up the cereal and marshmallow, If you use your hands you want to butter your hands up first, otherwise you will be sticking to EVERYTHING:)



Happy Treat Making!!

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Thursday, April 11, 2013

It's Raining Flowers!!



while my husband was recovery in the hospital recently, I lugged my yarn with me and crocheted up a storm to pass the time. I came up with many new patterns I created myself and made over 150. whew.
So here are some pictures of some of my new creations. Hope you enjoy.

Allyson Flower


Coraline Flower


Allyson Fluffy Flower

Eloise Flower

Eloise Fluffy Flower

Isabella Flower

Mallorie Flower

Mallorie Flower

Margaret Flower

I have been crocheting flowers like crazy lately and have many new styles.
These are all available on our etsy site. 
Check them out www.etsy.com/shop/craftynightowls
and pass on the love.
Let me know how what you think of all my new flower patterns I have been designing.

Happy Crocheting!!!


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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Pixie Wand


Preparing for an up and coming Birthday party.
 I decided to work on the princess pixie wands.
We are planning a princess/super hero party. 
because it's a niece and nephew's birthday.

So for the niece we are doing everything pink and girly and for the nephew
 he loves spiderman so for him it is all things super.

We will be making many of this pixie wands for my niece and all the girls coming.

It is made by making a chrysanthemum crocheted flower in 3 colors,
 4 bamboo skewers, yarn to cover the bamboo skewers and 
ribbon to tie a bow near the top.




I soon will be selling these wands and also the pattern for you to make
 them yourselves if you choose to go that route.
 they will be up later this week on my easy site.
 www.etsy.com/shop/craftynightowls

Happy sparkles!!


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Monday, April 8, 2013

Chocolate Ganache Mini Cakes


My hubby was craving cake the other day. 

So I decided to try my new mini cake pan out. 
It's a wilton cake pan that has 12 square mini slots.
and what came to mind, chocolate of course with more chocolate. mmmmm

Recipe

For the cake:
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted, plus more for dusting pan
  • 3 3/4 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 10 Tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cups sour cream
  • 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
For the ganache:
  • 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Grease your pan; tap out the excess.
To make the cake, in a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup cocoa powder and the chocolate. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.
Over a sheet of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating until incorporated before adding more and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Slowly pour in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and beat until no white streaks are visible, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, about 3/4 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the melt and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache, to drip down the sides. 
Add sprinkles, candies or leave plain.
Let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 15 minutes.

Serves 12

Recipe tweaked from one found on: http://lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com (her recipe was for a huge bundt cake and the recipe was double this one.)

Happy Baking!!

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Sunday, April 7, 2013

How to Organize your Embossing Folders!!


Today I decided to Organize all my embossing folder for my Big Shot.



The above photo shows you how to make your tabs.
Photo 1: I first drew the tab
Photo 2: take a 3 1/2 x 8 1/2" strip of cardstock and fold in half
Photo 3: place your template on top of card stock, matching up the creases
Photo 4: trace onto card stock, each strip you should be able to get 3 tabs


after you cut your tabs out, open and using a black marker outline the edges of the tabs.


Above photo shows you how to attach the tabs
 to your separating sheets. (the separating sheets are 7 1/2" x 4"). 

Photo 1: put to adhesive tabs onto the bottom of the tab.
Photo 2: flip over and line up with top of separating sheet.
Photo 3: flip separating sheet & tab over, place adhesive tabs, 
2 on the main body of tab and 2 on the top of the tab.
Photo 4: fold forward and press adhesive tabs to seal.




Now that the tab is on. Take marker and label the tab.


I kept all the pictures from the packaging so I could cut around the
 image and adhere to the front of each separator. 

My 1st photo in the post shows you my end result.
I used a craft memory box (I bought at Joann's)
Now because I don't have enough folders to fill this box. I placed a few of my cricut cartridge boxes into the front to take up some of the space.
Then I placed the separator and then the folder for each of my folders.

Happy Organizing!!


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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Making your own Laundry Soap


Making your own Laundry Soap is Easy as 1-2-3!


List of items you will need:

Hypoallergenic option:

  • 1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax
  • 1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
  • any hard bar of soap that is hypoallergenic make sure you get at least 28 oz worth. 2 popular brands are Tom's of Maine and Kirk's Natural Original Coco Castle bar's
  • 1 (3lb) Container of Oxyclean (this is optional, most people aren't sensitive to it, but if you are worried leave it out of the mix and just add a little in the 1st few loads to test. 
  • 1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
  • 2 (32 oz) Purex Crystals for Baby (this is the pink bottle)
I have not tested the hypoallergenic recipe out. 
If any of you do please let me know how it works for you.
disclaimer: I am not a professional, this recipe was put together
from me researching the items and finding out it they are hypo allergenic.  
enjoy



The 1st step to making your soap is grating your zotes or fels naptha soap
bars. You can either hand grate them or chop it up in your food processor.

After I grated my soap. 
I grabbed a large container ( I used a medium sized storage container)
 and start layering my ingredients. I found it easier to add a little of
each and then stir, instead of dumping the entire bottle of ingredients
in and then have to stir like crazy to get it all mixed well.

After the layering and stirring process
(and all your containers are empty)

You are finished.. Yes I said finished

Either leave in your bucket or Like I did I put it in a fancy glass
container to place on my washer with a tablespoon placed on top.
 you will only need 2 Tbs for a regular sized wash load.


Price Breakdown:
Borax: $3.38
Oxiclean: $9.47
Zote Soap x 2: $1.94
Purex Crystals: $4.76
Baking Soda: $2.50
Super Washing Soda: $4.95
Total: $27.00 plus sales tax

Each wash uses 2 Tbs of this soap
roughly this makes 303 loads
for $27.00
.09 a Load

HypoAllergenic 
Price Breakdown:
Borax: $3.38
Oxiclean $9.47
Hypo Bar Soap x 2 $5.00 (high estimate)
Purex for Baby: $4.76
Baking Soda: $2.50
Super Washing Soda: $4.95
Total w/Oxiclean:  $30.06          Total without Oxiclean: $20.59

Each wash uses 2 Tbs of this soap
roughly this makes
 303 loads                                      280 loads
with Oxyclean                       without Oxiclean

.09 a Load                          .07 a Load       


Happy Laundry Day!

\
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Thursday, April 4, 2013

the NEW Elevator Air Freshener



This last week I felt like I lived at the local hospital. 
My husband had surgery and had to stay in the hospital for 5 days to recovery.
He is now home and doing fine.

Anyway one thing I found to be interesting during this stay was
that every time I would get into the elevator I would smell skunk.
Now as you all know skunk is a very distinctive smell and very unmistakable.
So either the second or third time being in different elevators I looked up and
on one of the walls they had the above aire-master mounted.
You can see that there is a picture of a skunk. 
Which of course made me think that the aire-master was what was creating the smell.
Thinking to myself are they putting skunk fragrance into the elevators to mask any other smell. 
I even went home and looked up there website. they have all sorts of scents.
Apple cider, cherry bamboo, english spice and many more, but NO skunk :)

I guess we will never know if it was this air-freshener or a skunk crawling up into the ducts.
or in this case making a nest in the ducts, because we have visited this hospital for doctor visits many times in the past 2 months and every time it smells like skunk. 

Just thought you could all get a chuckle too.


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

10,000th View Giveaway




I can't tell you how excited I was when I checked my blog today
 and discovered that we hit our 10,000th view. 
Hooray (insert Happy dance)

So to celebrate this milestone 
we are going to do a giveaway





To enter the giveaway all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.
The giveaway will run until noon on April 1st 2013.

The Prize: You will receive our most popular quilt pattern : Larry the Lion.
this is a pdf pattern so if you win you will receive it through email.

Spread the love and pin it, Facebook share it, tweet about it.

Thank you to all our fantastic followers and readers.

Good Luck!



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Free SVG File - Goofy, Mickey and Donald


This weeks Free SVG File is:

Goofy, Mickey and Donald in Bunny Suits for Easter



Happy Cutting!!

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You've Been Egged! The funnest Easter activity with your Kids!

You've Been Egged!

Egging someone's house.........Usually this is something you DON'T want your kids doing, but I'm telling you......this will become a new family tradition! My kids had the time of their lives tonight.....I told them to dress up in black so they could go sneaking around and they came downstairs in Jedi Cloaks and Batman Outfits. Whatever floats their boat! This activity is a great way to start getting people in the Easter spirit and starting to remember what Easter is truly about! 

 Here is what you do. Figure out who's house you want to egg. Buy 10 plastic eggs per house you want to egg. Fill 9 of the eggs with candy or goodies and leave 1 egg Empty! Yes, Empty. Print out this free Printable (2 per page) and cut it in half (don't forget to bring tape with you). 


select above document and print


When it is dark get your crew ready to sneak around and deliver the eggs in your chosen friends front yard and tape the "You've Been Egged" poem on the front door. Get back in the car undetected! Done!  Are you "egg"cited yet? Have fun with it and let us know if you did anything different or what your kids wore!!!

Shauna



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