Jun 1, 2009

New kit giveaway – and 7 days of tutorials starts today! plus 2 new cookie recipes!

Happy Monday! Let’s get started with a brand new giveaway for this week : )

This week, up for grabs is the newest  kit – just launched – Cherry Sundae. It’s full of the new line: Cherry Hill by October Afternoon. I am absolutely in love with this entire line – the colors and papers are fantastic!

To be entered in the draw, leave a comment here by Thursday at midnight and I’ll have random.org select a winner on Friday.  My question for you today is: What is your latest obsession? (can be scrapbook related or not) : )

7 Days of Tutorials!!!!!

Starts Today!

For the next week, I will post a different tutorial each day – I’ve got some fun ones planned for you 🙂 – lots of great gift ideas too! Today I have an easy tutorial for a great gift to make as well as a couple yummy recipes for you.

Recipes first! here we go…  (I’m sure it’s no secret, but I love to bake, and I’m not always so good at following recipes. I prefer to branch out on my own and create my own recipes sometimes. Both of the recipes below are my own creations)

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp caramel or vanilla extract

mix eggs well, add sugar then peanut butter, and mix well again. Add baking powder, extract and then flour. Drop spoonfuls onto greased pan, then press with a fork. (tip: spray the fork with cooking spray before pressing into cookie dough – this way it won’t stick to the fork!)

bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until done. (if you like the cookies chewy like Brent does, take them out at about 8-10 minutes (depending on your oven, but before they start to brown. If you like them crunchy, wait until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown)

I made these cookies this morning as a treat for Brent and I also wanted to use them as part of today’s tutorial, hehe. It was so tempting to help myself to these yummy looking cookies but since I am on a special detox diet right now, it means no sugar or fun stuff. boo….. So I quickly came up with a new recipe for something yummy that I can eat -and they turned out wonderfully! So for all you who might be on special diets or if you’re allergic to certain things, try this out – so easy, quick and delicious!

No bake egg-less, flour-less sugar free protein coco balls (I wonder how many other words I can fit into the title….)

1/2 cup oats
1 tbls pure cocoa powder
1/8 cup chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup all natural almond butter
bit of unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp caramel or vanilla extract

Mix oats, cocoa powder, protein powder, extract and almond butter together until well mixed. The mixture should be crumbly. Add a bit of unsweetened applesauce so the mixture is the consistency of dough (something you are able to roll into balls). If you add too much applesauce, add some more oats in.

Once well mixed, roll the dough into small balls and place on a wax paper covered plate. Place in the freezer. This is my first time making these so I’m honestly not sure how long they will keep in the fridge or freezer. I can tell you that they won’t last long in mine! I’ll probably have them all eaten up by tonight, lol.

Tutorial time!! Today’s tutorial is on an altered Paint Can.

This is a fun project to transform a paint can into a gorgeous container for giving as a gift. Fill with home made goodies like cookies, scones, biscotti, or fill with candies, little gifts or even a small mini album. This would make a great end of the year gift for teachers – have your child make a card to attach to the paint can for an added touch.

You will need:

– 1 Paint Can (please use a NEW one for this project, especially if you will be filling it with food related items): you can go to any paint store or home depot and just ask for a new empty can – they usually only cost a dollar or 2.

– Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi Medium (if you don’t have this, try using mod podge)

– Foam brush

– patterned paper

– book paper

– embellishments, stickers

1. Liberally brush on the multi medium (I used gloss for this project – this stuff works great for so many things!), and stick on random pieces of the book paper. (I ripped it into various sized pieces). Brush over top of the paper with the medium as well. Continue untilt the entire paint can is covered.

2. Cut 2 strips of paper (I used lined paper by Scenic Route) so they measure 6 x 12″. Wrap each around the middle of the can and glue down. (so it fits as a band around the entire can)

3. Now cut 2 strips of paper 12 x 1.5″ out of a patterned piece of paper. (I used one of the new Cherry Hill papers from October Afternoon)

4. Wrap those strips around the middle of the lined paper and glue down.

5. Cut a circle out of a piece of patterned paper to fit the top of the paint can, then trace a CD and cut the circle out of another piece of patterned paper.

6. Add whatever title or saying you’d like to the circle. I also inked the edges of mine with Jumbo Java ink.

7. Stick the circle onto the front of the paint can – be sure to use a strong adhesive here (I used medium glue dots)

8.  If you’d like to add a tag, an easy way is to use a journaling card. This one is also part of the Cherry Hill Line. I added some felt Thickers to the front of it, then punched a hole in the upper left corner and then attached it to the paint can handle with some lace.

All done! Now you can fill it with whatever you can think of! Of course today, mine is filled with cookies : )

Check back tomorrow for another fun tutorial: lots more great gift ideas coming your way! : )

One last thing for today: I want to say a big Happy Birthday to my sweet niece who turns SEVEN today! Where does the time go? I’m very excited that I’m going to get to see her in 3 weeks!