Deep Dark Raspberry Brownies

I wish this was a prettier brownie square but this is seriously all that was left of a 9x13 pan of deliciousness!  I guess dark chocolate and raspberry are a big hit.The recipe is one I got from King Arthur Flour a while back and have been wanting to try out.  Chewy and rich, these brownies are frosted in a smooth bittersweet chocolate ganache.  Diana

Young Women's Values Crayons

Sometimes I think I might be going just a little nuts.  I mean who does stuff like this?  Unwrap store bought crayons, print new wrappers on the computer (three times cuz I kept getting the colored paper in the wrong order) (like I said, nuts), cut out said wrappers, apply super sticky tape to one edge, precurl wrappers, and then wrap each crayon just right so the labels all face the same way.......crazy!  It seemed like a much better idea when I saw it at Indablinka.  On her, crazy looks like genius. Diana

Paula Deen French Coconut Pie

A few weeks ago a friend shared a bite of the coconut pie she had brought in her lunch.  It was sooooo goooood!  So I have been obsessing about that pie ever since.  I can be like that sometimes.....

So, here is my first attempt.  I halved the recipe (I may be making and eating a lot of coconut pies until I get it right) I found here and made a mini pie.  It was really easy so I am a little skeptical that something that easy can taste delicious.  Looks good but I will let you know as soon as I cut into it.  In about 2 minutes.  Well, that when I will be eating it but it may be longer before I blog the scientific results from my taste test.  Diana 

Spruced Up Mason Jar

After I made this, I decided it would make a beautiful way to deliver cookies to our neighbors.  Too bad I didn't make any cookies this morning. 

Anywho... All I did was find a wide neck Mason Jar with the seal and ring.  I used a nail to create a hole in the very center of the seal.  The hole I made was a bit smaller than the size I needed, so I used a Phillips screw driver to widen it a bit.  I was surprised how malleable the seal was. Then assemble with the drawer pull and add some goodies.  Now I'm off to make some cookies.
~Jennifer

Amigurumi Mushroom and Octopus

Totally useless but oh so cute.

Turn him around and there is his little face.

And here is a squirmy little octopus.Diana

Mercury Glass Shell

You have seen all the mercury glass projects on the net and have probably been on the hunt for the mirror finish spray paint.......and if you live in a rural area like me, you have yet to find it in your stores.  So I  improvised.And I am very happy with the results!  I simply used some shiny silver and black spray paints I already had.  The only thing I bought was a shell (2 bucks) from the craft store.  First I sprayed the shell with the black paint and let it dry ( I found that putting the shell in my electric oven which was turned off but with the light on really sped up the drying).  Then I sprayed shiny silver all over the shell, waited a few minutes and, using a plastic sandwich bag, I dabbed off a bit of silver.  I kept repeating the black and silver coats, dabbing off paint until it looked "right".  Let thoroughly dry.  I then sprayed gloss clear finish on the shell.  It took a few coats but finally it looked shiny enough to resemble glass.

And I have never seen a mercury glass shell!  Think of all the things you could turn into mercury glass.......ohhhhh, the possibilities are endless.  Diana

Woolly Sheep

Who says a sheep has to be white!  I found an easy pattern on line for a sheep to knit.So I grabbed some left over yarn that I thought reminded me of the woolly sheep you see in the European countryside and soon had myself a baseball size lamb of my own.  He is so fluffy!  And I got to learn a new stitch in the process call a loop stitch.  A little daunting at first until I got it down.  Then it really was easy.  I think I will try a few more!  Diana

Cottage Window Pane

Simple Project.  Old window.  Fabric.  Staples.  Done.

It brings a needed bit of color above the bed.  Diana

Creamy Truffles With Sea Salt

Do you ever have butter cream frosting left over after frosting cupcakes?  Usually it goes in the fridge and then I make frosting sandwiches for a few days until I finally throw it out.  (Yes, I make frosting sandwiches and don't act like you have NEVER done it).  Then I found the coolest blog called Cookies and Cups.Would you believe she makes truffles with her leftover frosting?  What genius!  I followed her instructions except I dipped my frosting balls into powdered sugar which made them easier to roll in my hands.  And I put them in the fridge instead of the freezer to chill.  And then I took one out at a time to coat in REAL dark chocolate instead of candy melts.  (Like I said, I followed her instructions......)  Then I sprinkled a pinch of sea salt on the just dipped chocolates.

These are seriously delicious!  And easy, easy, easy.  Diana

What The Heck!

It was suppose to rain today.  Just a little.  And be in the high 40's.  Not snow.  I had plans!  I bought spray paint!

So I had to spray paint in our garage (which is crowded) in a cardboard box on top of my husbands new truck.That sound you just heard was my husband dropping to the floor in a dead faint.  OK, I didn't really spray paint on my husband's new truck.......or even in the garage.  I painted outside and froze to death and my paint is all sticky and won't dry.  All because I love my husband.......and he loves his truck.  And me.  Diana

White Beaded Pillow

Yesterday I posted instructions for sewing straight lines when quilting your own fabric.  Here is the pillow I made from that fabric.

After quilting the pillow front, I hand stitched clear glass seed beads at each diamond point.  TOOK FOREVER!

The beads sparkle like crystals.  It is soooooo pretty.

The pillow cost me about ten bucks to make (8 dollars of it was for the pillow form) and looks so expensive.  And cottagey.  And no one else has one exactly like it either.  Mark one more project off my list........ Diana

How To Sew Straight Lines

Can you sew straight lines without marking the fabric?  Yep and here is how.

I was making my own quilted fabric for a pillow and didn't want to mark the fabric with a pencil or chalk.  The fabric was white and I was afraid the marking wouldn't wash out!  So here is what I did.  I wanted to quilt a diamond pattern so I laid my rotary cutting ruler diagonally on my quilt sandwich.  Using the edge of the ruler as a sraight edge and running my walking foot right up against the ruler,  I sewed the first line at a 45 degree angle (the ruler has a line for that).  Next I moved the ruler over and placed the one inch line on top of the stitched line and stitched away.  I repeated this step all the way across the sandwich.  Next I turned the fabric 90 degree,. lined up the 45 degree line along the edge of the fabric and using the ruler as a guide stitched all the way across the fabric.  Keep moving the ruler, same as before, until the fabric is completely quilted,

This went so much faster than marking and THEN sewing and I think the lines came out straighter too!  I will be doing it this way from now on.Diana