Sunday, July 13, 2014

No Bake Layered Cheesecake Parfaits

Cheesecake Parfait Text

Like cheesecake? Hate to bake? Then this is a recipe you might like.  I made these recently and sent a pic to College Boy and I received a special request for them while we’re together .

Ingredients:
  • 2 Pkg Cream Cheese
  • 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Graham Crackers (I used Honey Maid and used one sleeve from the box)
  • Strawberries
  • Dark Chocolate (I used 3 regular sized Hershey’s dark chocolate bars)
  • Whipping Cream

To make the cheesecake filling. ( It is so easy I didn’t even take pictures mostly because I forgot but still….)
Mix 2 packages of cream cheese with one can of sweetened condensed milk. I just beat with my hand mixer until well blended. Chill at least an hour but this is a great make ahead so you can make a day or more in advance. This will make enough filling for about 4 6 oz servings.

While your filling is chilling, make your graham cracker crumbs and the dark chocolate ganache.

For the crumb layer, crush graham crackers in food processor or you can break up and put in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix with a little melted butter.

Chocolate Ganache

For the ganache, heat 1/3 C whipping cream in microwave until hot but not boiling. Break dark chocolate bars into bowl, pour whipping cream over, stir to blend and let cool.

Layered Cheesecake Parfait

I chilled my glasses but you don’t have to. Starting with the crumbs, spoon into glasses  followed by a layer of the ganache and then the cream cheese filling.

Cheesecake Parfait

Repeat and top with sliced strawberries. This is also fun to do in shot glasses for a dessert buffet.

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Thursday, July 10, 2014

BFF Open House Link Party #166

The Answer Is Chocolate

Happy Friday Eve everyone. Hope you've had a wonderful week. Getting excited to see College Boy for a couple of weeks since he's been doing a Summer Research Project at school and hasn't been home. Maybe because I'm thinking up things to make for him, this week's features are all chocolate! 


Let's start with these tasty little morsels from LouLouGirls. Oreo Balls! Oreos with more chocolate? Yes please! Perfect for a party or to have on hand when you just need a bite of chocolate. 


Then there are these gorgeous Black and White Chocolate Cups from Culinary Flavors



Too hot to bake? Life With The Crust Cut Off has you covered with these no bake Mint Chocolate Bars. 


I couldn't resist featuring another creation from Parrish at Life With The Crust Cut Off and I dare you to resist these no bake S'Mores Cheesecakes

   
   


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Gold and Blue Enameled Chain Statement Necklace

Blue Moon Blue and Gold

Sharing a birthday present I made for my trendy Aunt who loves color. The inspiration for this necklace came from the blue enameled gold chain .  I combined it with chunky gold chain and fun  blue and antique gold glass beads. 

All supplies for this post are from Blue Moon Beads. I received products to play with as part of my role on the Blue Moon Bead design team. You can find Blue Moon Beads supplies at your local JoAnns!

Blue Moon Beads Blue and Gold

I used the enameled chain in the length it came, and added lengths of the chunky gold chain to each side and added a gold toggle clasp. I wire wrapped each end of the blue and gold beads and joined together with gold jump rings to match the length of the enameled chain.

Blue Moon Enamel

I decided my Auntie also needed a pair of earrings to go along with her necklace so I made a pair that are trendy and super easy.

Blue Moon Beads Gold Earrings

The earrings are simply two links of the chunky gold chain used in the necklace, joined together by one jump ring with three jump rings added to the bottom link. Add to ear wires with another jump ring, and done!

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Monday, July 7, 2014

Mod Podge Collage Clay : Embellish EVERYTHING But I Did A Vase

Collage Clay Black and White Vase

If you are a reader of my blog, you know how much I love Mod Podge. Well the folks at Plaid just keep adding to the line of already fabulous Mod Podge products and I was so excited to have the opportunity to play with some of the newest. You may have seen these already at Michaels. Mod Podge Collage Clay, Mod Molds and Mod Melts.

Disclaimer: Plaid provided the products for this post at no cost to me. Project idea and opinions are my own.

Here are the goodies I got to play with:

Mod Podge Decoden Supplies

The Collage Clay comes in a tube that looks like frosting, including the tips you use to pipe on the clay so  Collage Clay is not recommended for children ages 12 and under, and the product is not edible. Small parts are a choking hazard for children.” If you choose to show children involved in using the product, please make sure they are over 12 years old since the product is not recommended for children younger than this.
The clay can be painted after it's dry .

Collage Clay Decorating Tip

All of these products are great for a current trend called “Decoden” which is the art of decorating anything with trinkets, and "the more the merrier" is the name of the game in designing an over the top look in this 3D collage technique. Use Collage Clay with Mod Melts, trinkets, buttons, rhinestones, and anything else you can think of!

I decided to try my hand a decorating a vase. For this project you will need:
  • Plain glass vase
  • Vanilla Mod Podge Collage Clay
  • Mod Podge Melts Texture Mold
  • Mod Podge Melts ( gold)
  • Washi Tape
  • Rhinestones
  • Ribbon
I marked off a border using washi tape so I’d have a guide to apply my Collage Clay:

Collage Clay Vase

Using the tip shown above, I went around the vase making “dots” . It’s so much like cake decorating I’m sure you cake masters would love this!

Collage Clay Application


The iinstructions say you should let the clay dry anywhere from 1-5 days. I let mine dry for about 24 hours because I didn’t want it to be fully set when I applied some rhinestones . I also applied the Collage Clay to the bottom of the vase. Once dry, I removed the tape.

Mod Melt Mold Button

While my clay was drying I made the “buttons” using a gold Mod Melt stick ( you can run them through a high temp mini glue gun and filled the mold with the melted well, melt. It takes about 10 min to set and then pops right out of the silicone mold. Any little oops drips come right off of the silicone.

I dry brushed my buttons with white acrylic paint so the detail of the mold would really stand out.
Using some leftover ribbon I wrapped the vase and tied off as shown, then glued my “buttons” on.  The Collage Clay was set but not hardened so I was able to lightly press black rhinestones around the top.

Mod Podge Collage Clay Vase Top

You could make sets of these for centerpieces or just one standalone for fun. I had a lot of fun playing with the Collage Clay and the melts and can’t wait to do some more!

Mod Podge Clay Vase

Now who doesn’t love a chance to win something?




The folks at Plaid are giving you a chance to win your own set of these fun crafting goodies. Details are at their site here. You can also learn more about these and other fun Plaid  products here:

  • Check out The Plaid Palette blog: http://www.plaidonline.com/blog
  • Sign up for Plaid's newsletter: https://www.plaidonline.com/craft-newsletter-signup.aspx


  • Follow Plaid on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/plaidcrafts
  • Like Plaid on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredByPlaid
  • Follow Plaid on Instagram: http://instagram.com/plaidcrafts

  • Follow Plaid on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/plaidcrafts
  • Watch Plaid on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/plaidcrafts
  • Follow Plaid on Google+: http://plus.google.com/+PlaidOnline


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Here are what some other creative bloggers are doing:







Thursday, July 3, 2014

BFF Open House Link Party #165

The Answer Is Chocolate

Happy Friday Eve and Fourth of July Weekend! Hope everyone's had a great week and soccer fans are recovered from the nail biting USA-Belgium World Cup game.  I didn't set out to have all jewelry features ( well except for this week's chocolate feature) but think you'll agree they're pretty cool. 


Let's start with this ingenious creation from Mich in LA, the creative genius who can turn anything, and I do mean ANYTHING , into a gorgeous piece of jewelry. This is no exception. You'll have to check out her blog for the deets. 


Via Life With The Crust Cut Off, comes this wonderful bracelet idea by Michelle from Michelle Lea Designs. You will never guess how the bracelets are formed!


Another fun bracelet idea comes from an unexpected source: PVC pipe. Check out Do It Yourself Fun Ideas for the how to. 

This week's chocolate feature combines the classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter. Is that ever a bad thing? 


Visit Some of This and That  for the recipe. 

   
   





Thursday, June 26, 2014

BFF Open House Link Party #164

The Answer Is Chocolate

Happy Friday Eve everyone. Can you believe it's the last weekend in June already? Even scarier, as of yesterday it's six months until Christmas! You know before we blink we'll be seeing Fall and Halloween supplies in the stores if they're not there already. 

But, it's still very much Summer and here are some ideas from last week's party to celebrate this fun season. 


How cute is this SUMMER painted block set from Home.Made.Interest complete with flip flops for the "U"? Think of all the color combinations. 


Complete a fun Summer outfit with this ombre striped clay pendant from The Crafty Scientist. Make one, give one. 



Summer is prime garage sale and flea market shopping season. While you're out and about, look for the components to make this fun suitcase table bar. I have seen suitcase end tables for around $1,200 which is way far away from the price Kim from Made In A Day paid for her table top. 

This week's chocolate feature: Chocolate Banana Muffins from The Pin Junkie. Great way to have your chocolate with some extra fiber and potassium and use up those inevitable extra ripe bananas. 


Let's see what you've been up to this week! 

   
   


Monday, June 23, 2014

Special Order and Everyday Note Cards

Pink Paislee Card

College boy texted me the other day asking if I would mind making a card for a friend of his. LOL.  Me? Mind making a card? Especially one that's a special order from my son in another state? HA.  His friend’s academic adviser had undergone some major surgery so I wanted to make it extra special.

I used a sheet of paper  from Pink Paislee and a coordinating torn scrap as the background, and added torn corners from an embossed scrap I had from a previous project. The paper is heavily patterned so I decided to accent what was already there with Stickles Liquid Pearls.

The wood spiral flower and grey paper roses were from some bargain finds at Michaels. To finish, I layered alphabet sticker letters to make the word “HI” onto punched squares of scrap cardstock and added a strip of washi tape.

Since I was mailing this to CB, I decided I’d send him some notecards that he could use as thank yous or whatever. I’ve always been a stickler about thank you cards, and despite some resistance along the way, now that he’s an adult he actually appreciates why.

Basic Grey Periphery

I used this paper pad from Basic Grey ( busting my paper hoarding stash) and these oversized We R Memory Keepers eyelets as my focals.

Enjoy Notecard

Each card has a flattened bottlecap with a sentiment sticker in the middle. “Enjoy”, “Live”, “Smile” , “Laugh”.

Smile Notecard


Live Notecard

Laugh Notecard

I finished each card off with a strip of printed washi tape. He's doing a Summer research project at school and has some opportunities to do some extra things via his Professors so these will come in handy.