KraftyKay

Upcycling a Dresser for Storage Space

2013-06-14T14:41:00.005-04:00

Hello beauties. It has been quite some time since I've made a post. I am back and excited to share a new project that I've completed recently. I've found in my home that I can never have enough storage. I had been trying to figure out what I could make for quite some time that was easy on the pocket. When driving through my local town with my sister I came upon a garage sale, and there it was. The light-bulb went off and I knew I had to have it.

Of course, it wasn't a stunner when I first bought it, but in my mind I had ideas for it. I managed to haggle it for only $30 at the garage sale which was amazing. I had seen similar dressers on swap boards and Kijiji going for $100+ and I knew that was out of my price range.

I headed out to my local Walmart with a color and vision in my mind. Since we don't have a lot of color in our home I knew that I wanted something bright and vibrant. Yellow came to my mind, with the help of my sister. I picked up a small can, along with two paint brushes and some sand paper and headed home.

Paint Brushes 2'' Angle Brush and 3'' Regular Brush - $6.00

CIL Acrylic Laytex Paint in Yellow - $16.00

Sandpaper $1.00 per package

Total: 23.00$

I scruffed up the edges and started pulling out the drawers. I had made the decision that the small end drawers were going to be removed completely and used for shelving (which I'll show in another post.) I decided the smaller drawers could be replaced with wicker baskets and remove the dresser vibe.

It was a process of a few days. I did the bulk of the painting in one night and then let it dry, then I did the minor touch ups. After a few coats of paint I became excited as I could see it starting to unfold. I then measured the drawer space and went out on the hunt for baskets. They were the most expensive purchase for the whole dresser at 6$ a basket.

In this picture I have two as I was testing them out. I figured if I didn't like them I could always return and try out other baskets.

Turned out, it matched really well and the hubby even started to see where I was going with it.

The last day I saved for working on the larger drawers that I was keeping for the dresser. When you are working with drawers make sure to take off the handle when you are painting - it makes it so much easier to work around.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love the drawers, they are big and the yellow certainly brightened it up. However, I didn't like the inside. It was plain to me. My mom had sent me home with some wallpaper like material and I had it sitting in craft storage so I decided to dig it out and see how it would look. Turns out, it went really well with the color and the overall design I was going for.

My mom picked up this wallpaper like decal from the dollar store. Each roll cost her 2$. I did end up using 1 and a half on the four drawers.

Once the drawers were complete I assembled it all together. The drawers, the wicker baskets and some very simple decor that I had around the house.

Ta-da!!! My finished project turned out amazing. The flowers are dollar store, as we have cats and anything real would get eaten in a heartbeat. The HOME sign is also a dollar store purchase. The wine bottles are upcycled with chalkboard paint. The only thing for the decor that I actually had to purchase was the red owls and they are dual purpose as they also hold tea light candles in the back.

The dresser of your dreams may not look exactly like mine - this is meant to inspire you. Keep an eye out on those yard sales - I guarantee a dresser is waiting for you!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Kay.

Flourless Pancakes!

2012-07-31T15:51:00.000-04:00

Hello!

It certainly has been a while. I have been taking time to get myself back into a healthy lifestyle. Please note that diet isn't a word in my vocabulary. I firmly believe you can lose weight by eating right and exercising. I joined the gym a week ago and have been going at it non stop. While starting back up my healthy journey I came across a really awesome recipe that I use for breakfast located here. It is amazingly good and I found you don't even need syrup for this delicious delicacy.

This recipe only calls for three ingredients and it is usually something everyone has on hand.

I know right?! I was a bit sceptical myself. I decided to try it and let me tell you it is sooooo yummy!

Step one you just mash the egg and banana together, it is pretty simple.

Step two you need to incorporate 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Mix it well.

Step three - you cook it! Through trial and error I have found it is best to work with smaller pancakes. You know it is time to flip when when they start to get bubbly on the top. The end result is so satisfying and healthy for you too!

Let me know if you modify this recipe in any way or if you enjoyed it!

Until next time, happy cooking!
Much love,
Kay

Alcoholic Cupcakes!

2012-07-18T16:42:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow crafters & bakers. I am here to introduce you to the most amazing adult cupcake I have made. They do contain alcohol and are known as Irish Car Bombs. If you aren't familiar with the term, it is a beer cocktail made with an Irish stout, Irish cream & Irish Whiskey. I came across these babies when trying to think of something to make for an upcoming adult beer tasting party that Mr. T's friend is hosting. I plan on making this version and a non alcoholic version known as Butterbeer cupcakes (I'll post a tutorial soon with those). I got my inspiration from three places, Mr. T's love of Guinness and these two lovely bloggers: Brown Eyed Baker and Susi.

I did a mix of the recipes posted on either blog and came up with my own version of them. Both of the recipes make about 18-24 cupcakes, considering the party is a bit smaller I will be downgrading the recipe. Normally Mr. T is home when I bake, so if I am confused on how to cut my recipes smaller I ask him. Unfortunately he was working a longer shift so I took to trusty Google and came across a site that will calculate it for you: Recipe Calculator. Overall I am extremely happy with how my cupcakes turned out (I did a test batch because I was nervous). In case you didn't know, my first baking experience with chocolate and Guinness was a disaster (see the dreaded chocopolypse).

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness beer
16 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups of white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Bailey's Buttercream Icing
12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5-8 tablespoons of Bailey's Irish Cream

Whisky Ganache Filling
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
2 teaspoons of whisky

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with liners.

Next combine the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment beat eggs and sour cream until blended.

Next add the Guinness and butter mixer and beat until just combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on a low speed until incorporated.

Divide into cupcake liners (and taste generously *wink*). Bake until the toothpick comes clean, between 15-17 minutes (every oven varies). Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

While your delicious cupcakes are baking you will want to start the chocolate ganache to give it time to cool.

Making the chocolate ganache you will need chocolate finely chopped and waiting in a heat proof bowl. Heat your heavy cream on the stove and pour over chocolate. Let it sit for 30-1 minute and using your spatula stir from the centre outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combine. Let the ganache cool until thick but soft enough to be piped.

The above sounds easy right!? Well I had a heck of a time with the ganache to be honest. I am more of a visual learner and attempted to go with the instructions. I came out with a lumpy chocolately goop. I was pretty sad (but it was still useable). After I finished this whole thing I went to youtube and did some research for my final batch tomorrow and came across this video. I found it extremely helpful and I think I won't have a problem with my next batch. I am also going to omit the butter from my next batch.

After you have your ganache resting your cupcakes should be completed. Pull them out and test them!

If you are good to go then you can move on to the last step while your cupcakes are cooling which is making the Buttercream icing! (yum)

Place the butter in the bowl of the mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add in the confectioner's sugar until incorporated. Mix in Bailey's Irish Cream and vanilla until smooth. This tastes AMAZING.

With everything prepared you will then want to fill your cupcakes.

I found an awesome tip where you can use a piping tip to make the holes - it is super easy! Then you fill the cupcakes with the chocolate ganache mixture.

The last step is to take your icing and put it on the cupcake. I find the easiest way to complete this step is with a Ziploc baggy and your icing stuffed inside of it. You can then push it to the corner to make your own piping bag. I will admit when I first started I was not an expert. I included some of my shots so you can see how they worked out. I eventually got the hang of it!

I guarantee these cupcakes are sure to be a crowd pleaser. The taste is phenomenal! If you have any other types of alcoholic cupcakes, please share them in the comments below! I love new ideas.

Until next time, happy baking :)!

Much love,
Kay

DIY Ice Dog Treats

2012-07-08T14:07:00.001-04:00

This summer has brought heat breaking records around the world. I looked at Gizmo panting like crazy when we came in from our walk the other day. I gave him some ice cubes (nothing cools him off more) and it hit me. Why not doggify an ice cube tray for Gizmo for scorching hot days?

It will be a treat and refreshment all in one. I set out to find something doggy friendly. This recipe is EXTREMELY flexible. All you need is an ice cube tray and something to put in it. Gizmo loves chicken flavour which led to me picking chicken broth. Since Mr. T and I just had a crock pot chicken earlier in the week, I didn't have any fresh chicken broth. I decided to use some leftover chicken broth we had in the fridge.

**Dogs find both garlic and onion extremely toxic. Do not use anything with either of those ingredients.**

After you decide what you are going to use, place it in the ice cube tray and toss it in the freezer to freeze.

If you aren't sure what you want to use, here are some ideas: chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable stock or your pup's favourite puréed fruit!

Every freezer is different, so the freezing may take a few hours. Gizmo & I went out for our walk and he came home to a deliciously cool treat.

I even tried to snap a couple photos of him enjoying his treat but he ran off with the ice cube thinking he had received something he wasn't allowed to have.

I finally caught up with him in the living room with only a few bits left.

I would love to hear your ideas on how you keep your furry friends cool in this wicked heat!

Until next time! Happy crafting.
Much love,
Kay

DIY Dog Toy (upcycled)

2012-06-14T21:25:00.000-04:00

I had some clothes that were going to be thrown away/donated tomorrow. While watching TV with Gizmo I noticed his toy was pretty worn. It was a stuffed giraffe I had donated to him a few months ago that was no longer stuffed, missing an eye, ear, etc. I decided to get to work on making him a new toy as most dog toys are expensive and since he is just going to rip it up, why bother?

I went through my clothes going to donation and came across some old pants.

Step One consists of finding some clothes that you don't use. It doesn't need to be pants, it could even be a shirt.

Step Two is to cut a panel from the clothing that you will be using.

Step Three requires you to cut the panel into strips. I cut mine into three as it is a very thick material. If you are able to do a four fold braid then feel free to do so.

Tie a knot with your cut strips and start to braid!

At this point I had caught Gizmo's attention (you can sort of see his toy giraffe.) He was watching me very curiously.

Braid, braid braid.

Tie a knot in the end of the braid.

I found it looked kind of plain on both ends so I added an extra step. I took the strips at the end of the knot and cut tiny slits into them. It added a bit of funk to his toy.

When all is done it was time to test out the toy and see if it was Gizmo approved.

For a couple of minutes we played tug of war and then he ran off with it. I found him in the other room happily wrapped up in his toy, chewing away.

From pants to new dog toy in seven easy steps. Can't get any easier can it?

Happy crafting!
Much Love,
Kay

Home made Butter Tarts - Mother's Day special

2012-05-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

Hello!

I made a lovely baking creation today known as butter tarts. Growing up butter tarts were a special treat in my home but they were always store bought as my mom was not much of a baker. I decided to take on this task for the Mother's Day brunch we are hosting for Mr. T's mom (my future Mother in Law). I looked on Pinterest but I couldn't find what I was looking for so I actually dug out the cookbooks and found a recipe. The cookbook I used is local to the area I am from and was given to Mr. T & I from his mom. Here it goes!

Recipe:

12 tart shells

1/2 cup of raisins

1/2 brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of corn syrup

1/4 cup of butter, melted

1 slightly beaten egg

1 teaspoon (or more) of Vanilla extract

Before you start mixing your ingredients together you want to put the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes you strain them and add them in with the sugar, salt, butter & corn syrup. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

You will want to mix this together and then add in the egg and vanilla extract.

Once it is completely mixed you will have this mixture shown below. I added in the cookbook so everyone knew where I got it from.

Since I am still new at baking I didn't make my tart shells. If you know how to make them and feel comfortable with it then feel free to do so. I went out and purchased a package of 12 tart shells by Tenderflake. While I was mixing my ingredients together I let them sit out on their cookie sheet.

The next task I had was to try and find a way to scoop the mixture into the shells. I ended up going with an ice cream scoop that we had and it worked out rather well.

I'd recommend not filling the tarts up to the rim in case it leaks over and makes a mess. I went just under and they turned out beautifully. Here is a picture to give you an idea.

After they are all filled you will pop them in your oven for 15-20 minutes. Oven times will vary. Personally I only did mine for 15 minutes and I feel they turned out great. Keep an eye on them if you aren't sure.

The picture below is one I took with my iPad on my Instagram account. They are SO good.

This is my first real attempt with pastry and I feel it turned out rather well. If you try this recipe let me know your feedback! Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms in the world.

Until next time, happy baking!

Much love,

Kay

Review Antique Brooch Bouquets/Monroe Bridal

2012-05-02T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

This actually isn't a DIY blog, but a review blog and it is for something I have seen on the internet becoming more and more popular. The Antique Brooch Bouquet. I am a DIYer but somehow I don't see myself doing an amazing job on this task. From what I have seen, there are different ways you can do this.

I was browsing through swap pages on my Facebook and some of them happen to be wedding swaps so I saw there was a new post and it was from Monroe Bridal. Normally I don't check out things posted from businesses but in her title it talked about OOAK (One of a kind) accessories so I thought "What am I losing for taking a look?" I was blown away by her accessories, and more specifically her bouquets.

I first fell in love with my main bouquet shown below:

The colors of blues were perfect and I just fell in love. It is what they describe when you try on the THE dress. You just know you want it. The same thing happened here. This also happens to work because it has my wedding colors in the bouquet. I bought it and started showing it off. I like the ideas of antique brooch bouquets because they won't wilt, they cost around the same price as flowers and they work as a keepsake. Monroe Bridal is amazing because her stuff happens to be OOAK which I mentioned above. What that means is, once it is made and sold, there won't be another one like it. It is amazing.

While showing off to everyone my bouquets, my future Mother in Law had a great idea. Why not get a smaller bouquet to throw away at your wedding? Obviously the one I bought I wasn't going to part with so I set out to talk with the owner of Monroe Bridal and discuss what options there were. She offered to make me one, but she also had one in her store that would go perfectly with the one I just purchased. Enter throw away bouquet:

I then fell in love with this one and knew it would go perfectly with my other bouquet. She was nice enough to take tons of pictures (to make sure I was happy) and she even showed them side by side. Once that image came through my mind was made up and I bought it too. They both came in the mail today and I am so much in love with both of them. I hope whoever catches the throw away loves it as much as I do. As for the actual store, Monroe Bridal? I recommend her to everyone. She has amazing customer service. She will work with you to make your dreams come to reality. I couldn't be more impressed with her. Check her out!

Until next time, happy crafting!

Much Love,

Krafty Kay

DIY Save the Dates

2012-04-24T18:12:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I have been working away this week at Save the Dates. I wanted something cost effective, different and fun. I got my inspiration from here and did my own take on it. If you are trying to be a budget savvy bride, this may be an option for you. First you need an image that you want for your Save the Dates. Here is what I did:

I took our Scrabble game from downstairs and picked out the letters. I took off my engagement ring and put it in the mix and then I snapped a picture of it. The great thing is this looks kinda imperfect, but I just love it so much more. Then I set out in our town to find a printing shop. I took it into the guy and explained I wanted to have it printed on postcard stock. For 120 copies of the photo it cost me 65$. Then I set out to put a message on the back. I bought cardstock to match our wedding colors (10$), 100 Envelopes (13.99$) and stamps (35$). All together this cost me about $1.10 per Save the Date.

I went into Photoshop and played around with the wording and what I wanted it to look like on the back. I have blurred out our names but here is how it turned out:

I then cut out the cardstock and placed it as a backing to the wording.

Then I glued it on the back and it was ready to be sent. I am really pleased with how they turned out.

There are plenty of free options out there as well. I know that Wedding Chicks has plenty of DIY templates. It is all about what your vision is. I hope you find some inspiration!

Until next time, happy crafting.
Much love,
Kay

indoor herb garden

2012-04-21T23:37:00.000-04:00

Alas, I have taken some time before posting yet again. I actually had quite a busy month, my girlfriend came up from the city for almost a week and I've been working with my job counselor to help me move along in my career path. Nevertheless, I haven't forgotten about this blog and what I set out to do. I have noticed a huge following on the Gizmo Dog Treats and I want to thank everyone for their interest. It wouldn't of been possible without the inspiration. For this next post I geared towards another craft that T wanted to try. I gave it enough time to give it a proper review. This time I've been AFK has been perfect to make sure I do a proper review.

A DIY herb garden. It seemed easy enough. T was inspired from this post found here.

We went out and got soil, seeds and mason jars. All in all the project cost us 20$. The boards we used I found at T's mom's farm. You may find similar boards lying around.

As you can see it starts off quite plain. We spray painted ours black, but you could go with any color.

Then we prepped the mason jars with soil and then got out the seeds.

We went with four types of seeds: Chives, Rosemary, Oregano & Parsley.

We used pipe clamps to hang up our jars to the board.

I got a bit decorative and labelled them. T had a problem lining up the jars so we had an odd gap in the middle of the board. I thought of a quick fix and it turned out alright.

Did it look pretty? Heck yes. Was it practical? Not really. We had a hard time growing it indoors, outdoors.. just everything in general. We are going the old fashion route with planters and outdoor growth. I don't blame the person who posted the craft for it not working. I don't have a green thumb. I have it a 3/5. It looked pretty but that was pretty much it. If you attempt this, let me know how it works for you!

Until next time, happy crafting!
Much love,
Kay

Gizmo Treats!

2012-04-03T19:48:00.000-04:00

With Gizmo as my inspiration I set out to find some things I could make for him to make him feel a little more at home. The dog treats I had made were such a success that I decided to explore more of the DIY Dog World. I came up with two crafts I was going to attempt; 1) Dog bed and 2) Poop Bag Holder.

The dog bed was inspired from: http://www.curbly.com/users/ModHomeEcTeacher/posts/5826-How-To-Make-a-No-Sew-Holiday-Dog-Bed

What I loved most about this activity? It was no sew! After I attempted to crotchet and failed, I knew I didn't want to attempt sewing a dog bed. Mine didn't turn out as decorative, but I love it all the same.

I bought some fleece which I got extremely cheap at a store here (3.99$ and there was tons leftover), the pillows I already had saved from the move and the fabric paint I already owned from a previous craft. It was perfect. Overall this craft cost me less than 5$.

Once you organize your fleece you want to cut strips along the edges on both pieces.

The next part consists of you tying knots to keep the fleece together.

I took a few shots so you could get the idea.

You then have to turn it inside out towards the end and slide your pillow(s) in. The full directions are in the link of course. I love it and I hope Gizmo will too - he has warmed up to the cats bed quite nicely so far.

The next thing I wanted to make was a poop bag holder. I bought a box of doggy bags at our local dollar store, the box it came in was supposed to dispense the bags but it didn't hold its shape too well. I then stuffed them in an empty Pringles can I had laying around.

This did not come from a specific pin, just came to me while I was crafting today. I made something similar before to hold some other bags in my kitchen.

First I had to reupholster the can. I did this with Mod Podge and some scrapbooking paper.

When I put it on, it looked like this:

Then I decided to label them to keep them different then the other bag canister I made. It is pretty cute in my opinon.

If you have never used Mod Podge before, it does dry clear. I used it to put the lettering on as well which is found in the same paper kit. I am pleased with it. I don't have a bunch of poop bags laying around and they are in a convenient container that I can grab and go.

Until next time, happy crafting!
Much love,
K

7UP Biscuits

2012-04-03T19:23:00.001-04:00

With the chill in the air lately I decided to make some comfort food. When I think comfort I think of beef or chicken stew. I decided to go for beef stew and wanted to make my own biscuits instead of buying them. I immediately hit up Pinterest to see what I could find. I was surprised to find these beauties within a few minutes.

Source: http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/04/7up-biscuits.html

The recipe is extremely easy. I was nervous about making biscuits as it isn't something I normally make. Considering there was just the two of us eating I split the recipe in half. They turned out so amazing. I put them in the muffin tin to give them some shape.

If you enjoy moist breads/biscuits, then this recipe is for you. Overall it took me less than 20 minutes (including baking time.) As you can see it went well with supper.

Until next time, happy baking!
Much love,
K

Cucumber Cups stuffed with Crab?

2012-03-31T21:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had a few guests coming over for some drinks after work. Since T had the day off he wanted us to have a kitchen date where we make food together. The one recipe that T has been wanting to try for some time now is cucumber cups stuffed with a spicy crab mix. The original recipe came from a Pinterest link.

Source: http://domesticfits.blog.com/2011/07/07/cucumber-cups-stuffed-with-spicy-crab/

We didn't research the recipe fully before going out for groceries. We ended up with the larger cucumbers, and I recommend sticking with the smaller ones found on the original recipe. The larger cucumber made it awkward to eat.

First step, we mixed up the crab mix to go into the cups.

Next step was prepping the cucumbers.

We weren't a fan of the naked cucumber, it didn't look as "cucumbery" so on the second one we made it a bit fancy and only peeled of strips.

Then we cut the cucumbers and prepped them to have their insides gutted. In the original recipe it calls for a melon baller, but we actually just used a measuring spoon. I believe it was 1/2 teaspoon that T got out to use. It was quite genius.

Once it was scooped out we started to put the filling in to the cups. They looked quite fancy for the company.

We added the paprika on top of the filling.

The last step was to garnish the dish with some green onion, fairly simple.

We were quite excited to see how they tasted and didn't want to wait for the company to arrive, so we ended taking two out of the batch and made our own taste test.

The recipe was straight forward and easy to go through. We thought they tasted okay. We weren't in love. T rated it a 3.5/5. First, we both agreed the smaller cucumber was best and second we felt the filling was a little bland. We have made crab triangles in the past and felt that the filling for the triangles would suit the cucumber cups. We would make it again, but just tweak a few things with the recipe. The cucumber cups only sit well for a couple hours so they aren't good the next day.

If you have made these, did you change anything? If you haven't it is definitely recommended!

Until next time, happy cooking!
Much Love,
K & T

welcome Gizmo

2012-03-29T18:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday there was no post because I've been trying to help the new addition to our home adjust. T and I recently acquired a shih tzu puppy named Gizmo.

Just under a year, this pup has tons of energy and is extremely affectionate. He was free to a good home and absolutely adorable. Who could say no to a face like his?

T normally doesn't get "pinteresty" but when he does, I take his input seriously. He pointed out (before we even got Gizmo) that there was recipes to make our own dog treats. At first I was skeptical, but after seeing how Gizmo has a hard time chewing down store bought treats I took to Troy's pin.

Make Your Own Dog Treats
Source: http://www.curbly.com/users/capreek/posts/13538-how-to-make-your-own-diy-dog-treats

I took to this recipe because I love the endless options it comes with.

**Please note, as she states on her website when you are buying baby food, make sure there are no onions in the recipe. Onions are toxic to dogs.**

We went with Vegetable Beef and Turkey, Vegetable with Rice. I had to omit the later one because it had onions and T forgot to mention the above warning before we went shopping. Regardless, the recipe is extremely easy. I took the whole wheat flour, mixed it with the baby food and as you can see it turned out to be an interesting mix.

Another thing I love about the recipe is the shapes are to your imagination. I am not fancy enough yet to have a dog bone shaped cookie cutter. I did read however that a pizza cutter works just as well. Who would of thought? I made some different sizes and shapes to find out what works best for Gizmo. The smaller the better for him.

The smell is not appealing to me personally, it reminded me of the smell you get when opening a box of dog treats. That being said, it makes quite a bit. I actually halved the recipe from the site.

After I had all these dog treats I tried to find something to store them in. I actually had some leftover glass jars and took to my craft spot upstairs. Gizmo had been following me around diligently while baking but decided to take a nap while I crafted.

The treat jars didn't come from a particular pin, I just let my imagination go.

I ended up making two treat jars and set a few treats aside for Gizmo's doggie friend, Sprocket. A good friend of T and I before we got Gizmo.

Overall the jars turned out cute and the treats themselves received several lipsmacking results with Gizmo. We had tried some store bought treats to no avail, but he can't get enough of these. The great thing? I can try all different flavors so he doesn't get bored and his jar is reusable!

If you try this recipe, let me know your results and combinations!

Until next time, happy baking!
Much love,
K

BANANA

2012-03-27T18:10:00.000-04:00

Over the course of a few months we have packed away quite a few ripened bananas. I had enough to make banana bread and banana bread cookies!

Recipe Number one: Banana Bread

Source: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/

The banana bread recipe was extremely easy to follow and turned out quite good. I even added some chocolate chips for a bit of extra goodness.

I gave the recipe a 5/5.

Recipe Two: Banana Bread Cookies

Source: http://www.whitelily.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=3442

I'll admit I was a little skeptical of making banana bread in to cookies, however these turned out amazing. I actually halved the recipe and still had a lot for me and T to handle. They are moist and banana goodness. I had them in the oven for 10 minutes until they were just browned on the bottom. I then let them cook for 10 minutes. Very surprising but very good. I give this recipe a 5/5.

If you try either of these recipes, let me know!

Until next time, happy baking!
Much love,
K

Hungry for the Hunger Games

2012-03-26T22:57:00.001-04:00

I know this isn't the crafty post that may have been expected, but I had to share my thoughts on Hunger Games. It is one of my favorite book series by far that I have read in a long time. Overall I gave the movie an 8.5/10

Director: Gary Ross

adapted from the book series by Suzanne Collins

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. -- (C) Lionsgate

Movies never quite follow the book, that is to be expected. I feel that the movie may have missed on certain important parts that come from the book. I feel that they missed building up life in District 12 and the importance of the mockingjay. I also feel they missed the importance of District 11 and District 12. While they captured Rue's death and Thresh's repayment, they missed the bread. To me in the book that was an important piece of the districts almost coming together, which I feel plays an important part in book 2 when they start the tour. Jennifer Lawrence did an amazing job of playing Katniss Everdeen. I also feel that Peeta was well played too.

Tonight is a short post, but I will recommend the Hunger Games. If you haven't seen the movie, go now. If you haven't read the books, I feel they are a MUST read.

Until next time,
Happy reading.

K

Hippity Hoppity Easter's is on its way..

2012-03-25T14:57:00.001-04:00

Being that Easter is slowly creeping upon us, I thought I would share some Easter decor I have placed around the home.

The first one is the Easter Bunny candy dish. I absolutely loved this idea when I found it on Pinterest.

The source: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20446025.tip.html

The actual project is quite easy. I went to Walmart and picked up a clay pot and a slightly larger bottom tray. I painted it white with acrylic paint. I then let it dry, made my ears out of foam and drew on the face. I know that mine didn't turn out exactly as the above picture. I had a hard time finding the hat in the picture. I visited 4 different store locations here to see if they had something.

Here is my finished product:

Overall this craft is cheap (less than 20$), easy and it looks cute afterwards. 5/5.

Other Easter decor I have are found below:

The tray I got from Walmart for less than 5$ and the colored eggs are from the Dollar Store.

The bottles are just empty wine bottles that I have spray painted with chalkboard paint. I did originally get the idea from Pinterest, but there was no pin in particular that inspired me. It is quite easy. You wash out wine bottles, and then spray paint them with chalkboard paint. You can reuse them for any holiday. The twigs with eggs on them I found at the Dollar Store.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to spruce up the house for the holidays.. you just have to know what look you want.

If you have any Easter crafts you have attempted, let me know! For updates follow me on Facebook.

Until next time, happy crafting!
Much Love,
K

some things capture the eye but others capture the heart

2012-03-24T18:20:00.002-04:00

It was around Valentine's Day when I came across this beautiful wreath on Pinterest.

Craft Directions found at: http://www.theidearoom.net/2010/01/valentines-day-craft.html

When I saw this my jaw dropped. I thought it was going to take some level of crafty skill that I was not yet at. Looking through the directions I saw that it actually was attainable and the first person I thought to make this for was T's mother. She has a very beautiful taste and I could some how visualize this in her home. I immediately began looking for the supplies, which for most are probably easy to obtain.

Foam heart shaped wreath
Pins
A nice red felt

However, where I live is pretty small and we don't always have access to everything. I ended up going with a grapevine wreath. I knew it wasn't going to be as easy to work with as foam, so I wrapped it in a red yarn which made it easier to work with. Now since I swapped out the foam wreath the pins wouldn't exactly stick into a grapevine wreath. Enter my trusty glue gun. Excuse my photography skills, but the craft sorta went like this:

I would recommend you leave yourself a couple of days to do this project. The cutting of circles can get a bit tiresome for one person. However, I saw this project extremely close to Valentine's Day and only had a night to complete this if I wanted to give it away on Valentine's Day. Thankfully, T lent a hand with the felt circles and the cutting. I stuck to folding the felt and gluing. The end product came out beautifully and was very well received. I also ended up making her a card to go with it.

Overall, I rate this craft 5/5. The directions were easy to follow and pictures were provided. However, don't attempt making this in one night unless you are extremely bored and love cutting felt circles. Not just a few, more like 100.

If you end up making this craft, please feel free to comment and let me know! I'd love to see your finished product.

Happy Crafting!

Much Love,

beware of the chocopolypse

2012-03-24T17:22:00.003-04:00

Around St. Patrick's Day I got this bright idea to make a Guinness themed meal. Normally I am not a fan of the dry Irish stout but my fiancee, T, happens to LOVE it. All year round, that is one of his favorite things to drink. In order to make this happen, I first needed to decide what I was going to make. After browsing on Pinterest for about 30 minutes I decided I was going to attempt two things.

First - Steak & Guinness Pie

Photo:

Recipe: http://www.closetcooking.com/2009/04/steak-and-guinness-pie.html

Second - Double Chocolate Guinness Brownies

Photo:

Recipe: http://www.thecommunalpantry.com/kate-our-bake-ologist.html

With the first recipe I ended up going with lean ground beef as we were fresh out of steak. However, I followed the rest of the recipe word for word. Whenever I am trying a new dish I try to follow everything to make sure I don't have a flop. I am a bit stronger in the cooking side of things so I wasn't too scared to try the ground beef. This turned out AMAZING. I have approval from T to make this recipe any time I like. My pie didn't turn out EXACTLY like the picture above. The only thing I would have done is thickened up the sauce as it was a bit watery and made the bottom pie crust a little wet. This recipe was before I ever thought of blogging about it so I didn't take a picture unfortunately. I gave it 5/5 though.

The second recipe I was so excited to try because I am a huge chocolate fan. I don't like it in HUGE amounts, but every now and then it does well for my sweet tooth. I will warn in advance, I am NOT a baker. I have now started to attempt baking recipes since joining Pinterest but normally I would run in the opposite direction. The reason why I stress I am not a baker? Well when this recipe called for 1/4 cup of baking powder, I didn't think anything of it.

I had this gut feeling of "Isn't this a bit much?"but instantly shrugged it off because the pictures posted on the website looked so yummy and I couldn't wait to try them. I followed the recipe step by step, placed it into the oven and waited for the magic to happen. Magic was definitely one word for it. About 10 minutes into the baking of the brownies, I decided to peak in on my masterpiece to find a molten of chocolate lava exploding into my clean oven. I pulled it out of the oven and attempted transferring the chocolatey mess into another dish. I didn't want to give up on my chocolate brownies, not yet. Why? Because that picture showed me that they weren't supposed to turn out like that. Needless to say, the end result was a messy oven and a big pile of chocolate crap with messy dishes. When T came home and saw my "brownies" he asked what had happened. I explained the situation, showed him the recipe and he laughed. With T being the baker out of our relationship, he knew that 1/4 cup was too much for any baking recipe he had ever seen involving brownies. My end score with this? 1/5. There was a few points lost on the fact I had the clean caked brownie out of my oven and another point lost for careless posting of measurements. Again, pictures of this disaster were never taken, because I never thought to post my baking failure for the world to see. Take my word for it though, it was a big, chocolate mess. I since renamed it, Chocopolypse 2012. If you try this recipe and have a different outcome, let me know if you did anything differently.

Happy Cooking!

Much Love,

the good, the bad and the ugly.

2012-03-24T17:07:00.004-04:00

Pinterest. Crafts. Cooking. These three things pretty much sum up my free time. The more I have become an avid Pinterester, the more I have realized that things may look beautiful in a pin, but may come out differently once you take on the task. I decided to start to keep track of pins that I really love and the ones that completely flop for everyone to see. This blog may help you decide whether the craft you have sitting in your board is really worth the time, the money and the effort. If you have never heard of Pinterest then I recommend you check it out. I will post the original links however that I do end up following so the joining to Pinterest isn't mandatory.

KraftyKay

Upcycling a Dresser for Storage Space

Flourless Pancakes!

Alcoholic Cupcakes!

DIY Ice Dog Treats

DIY Dog Toy (upcycled)

Home made Butter Tarts - Mother's Day special

**Review** Antique Brooch Bouquets/Monroe Bridal

DIY Save the Dates

indoor herb garden

Gizmo Treats!

7UP Biscuits

Cucumber Cups stuffed with Crab?

welcome Gizmo

BANANA

Hungry for the Hunger Games

Hippity Hoppity Easter's is on its way..

some things capture the eye but others capture the heart

beware of the chocopolypse

the good, the bad and the ugly.

Review Antique Brooch Bouquets/Monroe Bridal