A Tea Time Feature & a Cookie Recipe

ETA: Funny how most blog comments seem to arrive while I am sleeping.  :)  Thanks for all your interest in the recipe.  You can substitute peanut butter for the almond butter.  I know a stick of butter is about 110 grams.  As far as other metric conversions go, I'll have to check on them and get back to you later.  Or you could try using an online recipe converter.  Enjoy the cookies, if you make them.

Hello, I'm glad you could pop by my blog for "tea time" today!  I have exciting news--my "Donuts" layout was featured on the Needle~Thread~Cloth blog.

The challenge there was to combine the embroidery stitch called "stem stitch" with a tea-themed project.  This was actually my first time doing stem stitch!  I guess I used to think of it solely as the stitch that people use on those pre-printed embroidery designs for tea towels.  I never considered using it for scrapbooking.  But I found out that it works a charm for embroidering curved lines, such as the outline of my heart tag, pictured above.  
 

Here is the entire layout.  For details on its creation, see this post.

It did take me a few tries to get the stitching right.  When I'm using a back stitch or running stitch on paper, I punch all the holes first, then draw the thread through the holes.  This did not work with the stem stitch; I kept getting the spacing wrong.  Three ruined tags later, I realized that I'd have to work it the same way I would on fabric, one stitch at a time.  Now that I know what I'm doing, LOL, I'll be using stem stitch on paper a lot more often in the future!

A few weeks ago, I got a request for my No-Bake cookie recipe (cookies pictured above).  I thought I'd close this post by sharing that recipe.

In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 STICK BUTTER, 4 TABLESPOONS COCOA POWDER, 1 TABLESPOON VANILLA, 2 CUPS SUGAR, & 1 CUP ALMOND BUTTER.  Add 3 CUPS OATS to the creamed mixture.  Chill batter in fridge for about 2 hours.  Place parchment over two cookie sheets.  Form chilled dough into balls (about the size of truffles).  Place balls of dough on cookie sheets, then chill again in refrigerator.  When cookies are firm and hold their shape (after about one more hour in the fridge), transfer cookies to a covered container.  Keep cookies chilled until ready to eat.  Makes 50 cookies.

These little balls of sugary goodness are very rich, almost more like candy than cookies.  If you use gluten free oats, then the cookies will be gluten free.  Bon appétit!

A Favorite Recipe

It's a new month, and I have some happy news to share.  A holiday gift project that I created appears in the current issue of Scrap n' Art e-zine.  Scrap n' Art subscribers can view the article here (in the "Monthly Reader Submissions" article of the December 2012 issue).

Today I also get to share with you a layout that I had published in Scrap n'  Art back in October.  On the layout I shared my recipe for baked apples.

Supplies: blue cardstock by Bazzill; red cardstock by the Paper Company; yellow paper by Bo Bunny; paper strips, star sticker, large alphabet stickers, & banner pieces by Jillibean Soup; mini alphabet stickers by Lily Bee; kraft notebook paper by Cachet; arrow sticker and photo corner by Bo Bunny; checkerboard sticker & tree sticker by Basic Grey; buttons by October Afternoon; thread by DMC; ink by Tsukineko; pen by Zig; corner punch by Creative Memories.

The journaling reads: "This is our family's favorite October dessert--I make it often."  The recipe is simple: 6 apples + 2 Tbsp butter dots + 6 Tbsp maple syrup--bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit [180 degrees Celsius / gas mark 4 /moderate oven].

I know that my recipe for baked apples is a bit different from the way most people make it.  I don't peel the apples (the peel is the best part!), and I slice the apples instead of just hollowing out the cores.  Basically, my version is just like apple pie...but without the crust!  It's particularly scrumptious when served with cinnamon doughnut holes, as pictured in the right-hand photo.  If you're worried about the apples sticking to the bottom of the pan, you can add a little water before baking.  Any leftover liquid from the bottom of the pan makes a delicious topping for vanilla ice cream!

I love this big apple tree sticker from the Basic Grey "PB&J" line, and I was happy to make it the showpiece of my layout.

I don't think I'll ever grow tired of banners.  I love the kraft cast of these Jillibean banner pieces--perfect for fall.

Well, after looking at these photos I have gotten kind of hungry.  So, I'm off to have a snack now.  Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  I'll be back again soon with more good news to share.

Beach House Home Decor

I'm back today to share another project that I had published in the August issue of Scrap n' Art.  This is a "beach house" style altered picture frame.

Supplies: recycled frame; acrylic paint by Deco Art; teal/purple patterned paper by FabScraps; tan/green patterned paper by Paper Loft; alphabet stickers by Lily Bee; all other stickers by My Mind's Eye; buttons by October Afternoon; burlap by Canvas Corp.; twine by Crystal Palace; household stapler and sandpaper.

Oh, how I love sunny summer days at the beach!  To capture that feeling, I wanted to frame this old photo of my son and husband.  Although I've often seen the "beach house" style depicted in magazines, I had never attempted it before.  (As I Minnesotan, I tend to gravitate more toward a "northwoods" home decor style.)  But now that I've had the enjoyable hands-on experience of distressing the frame, I will definitely use this style again.

It's easy to give a "beach house"-style makeover to an old frame from a thrift store.  Lightly sand the frame, then apply a coat of white acrylic paint.  While the paint is still wet, press some burlap into it at random spots, to add a little texture.  While you're waiting for the painted frame to dry, layer together papers, stickers, and a special photo to fit inside the frame.  After the frame is dry, lightly sand it in random spots, to simulate a weather-worn look.  Embellish the project with buttons, stickers, twine, staples, and hearts cut by hand from the paint-stained burlap--and then your project is done! 

Now it's autumn, and the warmth of summer is fading fast, but I'll always have this home decor piece to brighten my days.

Let's Celebrate with Cake

For the third month in a row, I have a layout published in Scrap n' Art magazine.  I really do not know how I got so lucky.  All I can say is that I'm overjoyed.  Scrap n' Art represents all that I love in the world of papercrafting: a mix of styles (from graphic to shabby chic), a mix of contributers (from all over the world), and a mix of projects (including layouts, cards, off-the-page items, mixed media, and more).  I would encourage anyone to submit to Scrap n' Art; working with this publication month after month has been great.

Each month, Scrap n' Art publishes work centered around a particular theme.  For July, the theme is flags.  Each reader submission project published in Scrap n' Art features the colors of a different country's flag.  My Russophilia is on display for all to see, as my submission this month features the colors of the Russian and Soviet flags.

Of course, I can't show my published layout here on my blog right now.  But, I can show you a different flag-related project that I made recently with my family: the American flag cake that you see pictured above.  Happy Fourth of July!  I also have a layout to share (pictured below) that includes the recipe for this cake.

Supplies: all patterned paper by My Mind's Eye; journaling card by Lily Bee Design; alphabet stickers by October Afternoon; butterfly and floral rub-ons by My Mind's Eye; border rub-on by Hambly Screen Prints; pen by Sakura; misc. items: stapler and natural kitchen twine.

I love using 6x6" mini pads of patterned paper, but I always end up with tons of teeny-tiny scraps.  I decided to create a layout that would reduce my bundle of scraps, and the layout you see above, "Easter Cupcakes," is the result.  Creating it allowed me to use up almost all my scraps from my "Stella and Rose: Gertie" and "Follow Your Heart: Be Amazing" MME mini pads.

And, okay, I know what you're thinking.  The layout shows Easter cupcakes, but the photo above it shows an Independence Day cake.  Well, don't let appearances deceive you, because I used the same recipe to make both cakes.  The difference is just in the decorations.

My husband and my best friend are both gluten-intolerant, so in recent years I've looked high and low for a good gluten-free cake recipe.  There are more and more gluten-free products becoming available in stores, however... a lot of them taste like cardboard.  But, after much experimentation, I've finally come up with a GF (gluten-free) cake recipe that actually tastes great.  So, without further ado, let me share it with you now.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup MILK, 3/4 cup SUGAR, 1/3 cup OIL, 2 teaspoons VANILLA, and 2 EGGS.
• In a second bowl, stir together 1-2/3 cups GLUTEN FREE FLOUR, 1 teaspoon BAKING POWDER, 1/2 teaspoon BAKING SODA, and 1/4 teaspoon SALT.
• Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.  Batter will be lumpy--don't let it worry you.
• Pour batter into cake pan or cupcake tins.  Bake 30 minutes or until done.
• When cool, frost and decorate as desired.

I've given American measurements for this recipe, but there are many web sites that you can use to convert to other measurement systems--metric, for instance.  Hope you enjoy the cake.  And, if you're celebrating today, then I wish you a Happy Fourth of July!

OUAS: The Joy of Cookies

Supplies: green paper (Cosmo Cricket), dotted paper (Basic Grey), white paper (Crate), journaling box (Bella Blvd), label sticker (Crate), alpha stickers (Basic Grey), mini alpha stickers (Simple Stories), shiny stickers (Walmart), pen (Zig).

Here is my contribution for the current challenge at Once Upon a ... Sketch.  This time around we were to write about what we do on December 25.  At first I was stumped about what to write, because our routine varies from year to year.  Sometimes we celebrate with my husband's parents, sometimes we celebrate with my parents, and sometimes we celebrate with other relatives.  After thinking about it for awhile, though, I realized that there is one constant in all of our celebrations.  No matter where we are, and no matter with whom we are spending the day, we ALWAYS have Christmas cookies!  Lots and lots of homemade Christmas cookies!!!  So, my journaling on this page reads: "Dear Santa, I don't care what we have for Christmas dinner.  But for dessert we MUST have lots of cookies!"

My interpretation of the sketch this time around was pretty literal.  I had to make some slight adjustments in order to accomodate three photos and a smaller page size, but the structure of my page is quite close to that of the original sketch.  The only major change I made was to use the "white space" in the original sketch as the location of my journaling.

Homemade cookies have become even more important to me in recent times, because my husband has become gluten intolerant.  Doctors are not sure why, but recently many people have become unable to eat gluten, which is in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats.  I feel sorry for my husband, who often has to miss out on treats, since most baked goods contain wheat.  So, I'm building up a repertoire of gluten free dessert recipes, and I want to share my favorite one with you.  Unlike many gluten free (GF) recipes, it does not taste like cardboard!  In fact, these were the most popular cookies at my family's Christmas party this year, and they disappeared in about five minutes.  :)

Caramel Squares: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine 2 cups gluten free flour, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter.  Press this mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" baking pan.  In a saucepan, stir together 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar over medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a rapid boil for one minute, stirring constantly.  Pour mixture over crust and garnish as you wish.  (I used sliced almonds, but you could use sprinkles, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, etc.)  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the entire caramel layer is bubbly.  Cut into squares while still warm.  (To convert recipe to European or other cooking units, see http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking.)

Many gluten free recipes contain strange-sounding, expensive ingredients, like xanthan gum and quinoa.  What I like about the above recipe is that it does not contain any of these tongue-twisting ingredients.  The only special ingredient you need is gluten free flour.  I like to buy Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Baking Flour--it's simple and tasty.

If you don't have any gluten intolerant people to bake for, you can still use this recipe.  Simply substitute regular baking flour for the GF flour; the amount stays the same.  The caramel squares are tasty both ways.  Bon appetit!

Ants in the House

It's that wonderful time of year--spring!  The sun is shining, trees are greening up, and tulips are blooming.  But something less wonderful is also going on...ants are invading houses.  It happened to us yesterday, but it was no biggie, because we've dealt with it before, so we know what to do.  I thought I'd share my green ant-deterrent tips with you, just in case the little dudes are invading your house, too.

First, if possible, plant peppermint, spearmint, and/or catnip around your house.  For some reason, ants avoid these plants.  The plants are easy to find at nurseries, they grow quickly without any special care, and if they get too tall, you can just go over them with the lawnmower (which, incidentally, makes your yard smell minty fresh!).

If you still get ants in the house, DON'T go buy chemical poisons like Terro and Raid.  These products are very dangerous to pets and children, and they can't be thrown in your regular garbage--they have to go to hazardous waste drop-off facilities.  Instead, run to the store and buy a bottle of apple cider vinegar.  It's cheap (about a dollar or two for a big bottle), it's not dangerous to pets and kids, and it smells pretty good.

Pour a liberal amount of apple cider vinegar on any floors and countertops where you see ants.  In my experience, this will not damage the finish on floors.  We have real hardwood floors, and they stand up just fine to being doused with vinegar.  You can wipe up any excess with a rag or paper towel.  You may have to do this a few times (three seems to be the magic number in my experience), but soon the smell of the vinegar will have replaced the ants' scent trails, which tells other ants, "Don't go here!"

If you try this, let me know how it works for you.  I hope it helps!