Friday, August 31, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Pin 20: Triple Chocolate Oreo Truffles
Time: 40 minutes
Cost: $5.50 for around 30 truffles
Result: Good?
Originally Pinned from: http://pinterest.com/pin/251638697899685928/
2 Pins in a row where I didn't read the original post? Yup. You'd think I'd learn my lesson. Nope. Sorry, I can be a bit dense!
Seeing the title: Triple Chocolate Oreo Truffles, my assumption was that the recipe was based on the Oreo Truffle Recipe I used this past Christmas (Mix crushed Oreos with a block of cream cheese, roll into balls, then dip in chocolate flavored almond bark for a pretty presentation)
A Lightbulb went off in my head thinking...ooh! The original recipe must use the new CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE! Which is just scrumptious in case you're wondering...(Seriously, stop wondering and go get some!)
So I mixed around 15 oz (give or take a few cookies...) with a container of the Philadelphia Indulgence Dark Chocolate. Then refrigerated for a while before rolling into balls and dipping in almond bark. Since I burned the first batch of almond bark in the microwave (no more teasing hubby about burning chocolate chips 8 years ago *sigh*), I was grateful to have just enough to finish coating my truffles.
I didn't really care for the flavor of these. I can't explain what I didn't like, it just didn't taste right. They seemed to be very popular at small-group though! Maybe the reason I didn't like them had something to do with me burning the taste-buds off my tongue a few hours earlier? It may just be possible that Curly's clutziness was an inherited trait.
Cost: $5.50 for around 30 truffles
Result: Good?
Originally Pinned from: http://pinterest.com/pin/251638697899685928/
2 Pins in a row where I didn't read the original post? Yup. You'd think I'd learn my lesson. Nope. Sorry, I can be a bit dense!
Seeing the title: Triple Chocolate Oreo Truffles, my assumption was that the recipe was based on the Oreo Truffle Recipe I used this past Christmas (Mix crushed Oreos with a block of cream cheese, roll into balls, then dip in chocolate flavored almond bark for a pretty presentation)
A Lightbulb went off in my head thinking...ooh! The original recipe must use the new CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE! Which is just scrumptious in case you're wondering...(Seriously, stop wondering and go get some!)
So I mixed around 15 oz (give or take a few cookies...) with a container of the Philadelphia Indulgence Dark Chocolate. Then refrigerated for a while before rolling into balls and dipping in almond bark. Since I burned the first batch of almond bark in the microwave (no more teasing hubby about burning chocolate chips 8 years ago *sigh*), I was grateful to have just enough to finish coating my truffles.
I didn't really care for the flavor of these. I can't explain what I didn't like, it just didn't taste right. They seemed to be very popular at small-group though! Maybe the reason I didn't like them had something to do with me burning the taste-buds off my tongue a few hours earlier? It may just be possible that Curly's clutziness was an inherited trait.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Pin 19: Mail-a-Hug
Time: 10 minutes
Cost: $0
Result: Okay
Originally Pinned from:rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com
I loved the idea of the kids sending their Mimi a hug in the mail. Unfortunately this was NOT one of the occasions where I read the post before attempting it. Oops.
I found a LONG scrap of butcher paper from a previous Amazon shipment. I'd saved it hating to throw out such a long piece of paper. I'd recommend trying to find a lighter color paper.
Then I let the big kids pick out their own color crayon and traced their upper body on the page. Curly and Specs orange and green colors don't show up well at allr! I picked purple for Tiny and it shows up very well, but I didn't want to go back on the kids' chosen colors. (for the big kids I traced their fingers, but I was struggling to keep Tiny from rolling over the whole time so I just traced her fists)
The original post has the kids coloring their faces and clothes on the hug, and the mother cutting it out. Since my kids are too young to spend that much time (much less accuracy) coloring, I didn't have them color it in and just wrote a message. Mimi will be getting a hug from all three kids at once in this case!
Cost: $0
Result: Okay
 |
| If you look very closely, you can see a vague green outline of Spec's hand in the top right corner. |
Originally Pinned from:rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com
I loved the idea of the kids sending their Mimi a hug in the mail. Unfortunately this was NOT one of the occasions where I read the post before attempting it. Oops.
I found a LONG scrap of butcher paper from a previous Amazon shipment. I'd saved it hating to throw out such a long piece of paper. I'd recommend trying to find a lighter color paper.
Then I let the big kids pick out their own color crayon and traced their upper body on the page. Curly and Specs orange and green colors don't show up well at allr! I picked purple for Tiny and it shows up very well, but I didn't want to go back on the kids' chosen colors. (for the big kids I traced their fingers, but I was struggling to keep Tiny from rolling over the whole time so I just traced her fists)
The original post has the kids coloring their faces and clothes on the hug, and the mother cutting it out. Since my kids are too young to spend that much time (much less accuracy) coloring, I didn't have them color it in and just wrote a message. Mimi will be getting a hug from all three kids at once in this case!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Pin 18: Subway art birth stats
Time: 1 hour
Cost: $0
Results: Good
Originally Pinned from: www.etsy.com
I've wanted something like the link above for a long time. But 3 kids time $20...ouch. That's a heck of a Christmas present! I felt like surely I should be able to make something similar, but hadn't seen any tips or had any ideas (other than painstakingly printing all the stats in varying sizes, fonts, oh and in reverse and then attempting to trace them onto a board.
Then yesterday, I stumbled across a tip on one of my new favorite blogs, that it could be done in Picasa. Really?! As in free Picasa?! So I started the hunt for a tutorial. Found!
Once I got started it STILL took about an hour to input all the data and choose colors, fonts, etc and get familiar with the software. I can see why folks charge $20 per print! I added a few options to my own etsy store (although after noticing a spelling error on Pittsburgh, I offered potential customers up to two 'proofs' so that they can edit for themselves as well.)
Overall this was a fun project (if painstaking) AND it saved me $60. I'd call that a score!
Cost: $0
Results: Good
Originally Pinned from: www.etsy.com
I've wanted something like the link above for a long time. But 3 kids time $20...ouch. That's a heck of a Christmas present! I felt like surely I should be able to make something similar, but hadn't seen any tips or had any ideas (other than painstakingly printing all the stats in varying sizes, fonts, oh and in reverse and then attempting to trace them onto a board.
Then yesterday, I stumbled across a tip on one of my new favorite blogs, that it could be done in Picasa. Really?! As in free Picasa?! So I started the hunt for a tutorial. Found!
Once I got started it STILL took about an hour to input all the data and choose colors, fonts, etc and get familiar with the software. I can see why folks charge $20 per print! I added a few options to my own etsy store (although after noticing a spelling error on Pittsburgh, I offered potential customers up to two 'proofs' so that they can edit for themselves as well.)
Overall this was a fun project (if painstaking) AND it saved me $60. I'd call that a score!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Pin 17: Sharpie on Porcelain
Time: 5-30 minutes + 30 minute bake
Cost: $6
Results: FUN and Good
Originally Pinned from: thephobia.com
Tip 1: The 'pin' itself said to color with a Sharpie and then bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. The link is from someone who purchased it on Etsy, so there are no instructions.
Tip 2: The attached comments state that Sharpie will still rub off after baking, and that a porcelain pen is needed for the project
Tip 3: Before baking, the Sharpie (unknown results w/ porcelain pen) will wipe off with just a bit of rubbing with a baby wipe.
Now I'm making these as teacher gift / pen holders, so I'm not super worried about dish-washing or even much hand-washing...though I will need to attach a note regarding recommended care. I may look into getting a porcelain pen in the future, because this is addictive!
Cost: $6
Results: FUN and Good
Tip 1: The 'pin' itself said to color with a Sharpie and then bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. The link is from someone who purchased it on Etsy, so there are no instructions.
Tip 2: The attached comments state that Sharpie will still rub off after baking, and that a porcelain pen is needed for the project
Tip 3: Before baking, the Sharpie (unknown results w/ porcelain pen) will wipe off with just a bit of rubbing with a baby wipe.
Now I'm making these as teacher gift / pen holders, so I'm not super worried about dish-washing or even much hand-washing...though I will need to attach a note regarding recommended care. I may look into getting a porcelain pen in the future, because this is addictive!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Pin 16: Hard-baked Eggs
Time: 30 minutes
Cost: 1 or 2 dozen eggs
Result: Excellent! (or Eggcelent as the case may be *snicker*)
Originally Pinned from: 247moms.com
I've been using this Pinterest gem for a couple months now. It's eggspecially (ok,ok I'll stop!) useful since WH is on a low-carb diet and eats a TON of deviled eggs. Baked eggs peel SO easily with no extra tricks. Simply bake at 350 for 30 minutes, cool, and peel.
The original pin displays a muffin tin, but since I like to cook 2 dozen at once, the mini muffin pan is perfect.
Strangely most eggs will come out with these funny brown dots all over them. At first I thought my oven was so nasty it was splattering something all over the eggs. Now I suspect it's exploded egg residue from the plant or something, as every once in a while an entire dozen will cook up without a single spot. I've even cooked 2 dozen side-by-side and the ones from one carton had brown spots and the others were completely white. Once peeled the spots are gone and don't affect the finished product.
See the egg on the top row that had it's shell explode? I've done this trick countless times and have never seen that happen! Too strange!
Cost: 1 or 2 dozen eggs
Result: Excellent! (or Eggcelent as the case may be *snicker*)
Originally Pinned from: 247moms.com
I've been using this Pinterest gem for a couple months now. It's eggspecially (ok,ok I'll stop!) useful since WH is on a low-carb diet and eats a TON of deviled eggs. Baked eggs peel SO easily with no extra tricks. Simply bake at 350 for 30 minutes, cool, and peel.
The original pin displays a muffin tin, but since I like to cook 2 dozen at once, the mini muffin pan is perfect.
Strangely most eggs will come out with these funny brown dots all over them. At first I thought my oven was so nasty it was splattering something all over the eggs. Now I suspect it's exploded egg residue from the plant or something, as every once in a while an entire dozen will cook up without a single spot. I've even cooked 2 dozen side-by-side and the ones from one carton had brown spots and the others were completely white. Once peeled the spots are gone and don't affect the finished product.
See the egg on the top row that had it's shell explode? I've done this trick countless times and have never seen that happen! Too strange!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Pin 15: Sweeping Square Game
Time: 5 seconds
Cost: $0
Result: Fun!
Originally Pinned from: picasaweb.google.com
Anyone with kids knows the feeling of sweeping up enough cheerios to feed a small country. (at least I hope it's not just me!) I'm trying to teach the kids to clean up their own messes, and loved the idea of turning this one into a game!
I was not optimistic about the kids enjoying this 'game' despite the fact that they love to play with the broom & swiffer. I was half right. Curly enjoyed playing with the broom, but didn't remotely understand the goal. Specs surprised me by having a good time, and enjoying the challenge. He experimented with different broom and swiffer techniques before settling on one with a broom. Then he challenged himself to 'one last cheerio' swept up.
In the picture, you can see I placed the tape by the back door. This is where our portable dishwasher resides when not in use. The idea being I can leave the tape there, and it can be a dishwasher day game. I may end up adding a circle as well, since Specs wanted to sweep the square cereal into the square and was asking for a circle to sweep the cheerios into. I love the idea of making it a shape sorting game too!
Cost: $0
Result: Fun!
Originally Pinned from: picasaweb.google.com
Anyone with kids knows the feeling of sweeping up enough cheerios to feed a small country. (at least I hope it's not just me!) I'm trying to teach the kids to clean up their own messes, and loved the idea of turning this one into a game!
I was not optimistic about the kids enjoying this 'game' despite the fact that they love to play with the broom & swiffer. I was half right. Curly enjoyed playing with the broom, but didn't remotely understand the goal. Specs surprised me by having a good time, and enjoying the challenge. He experimented with different broom and swiffer techniques before settling on one with a broom. Then he challenged himself to 'one last cheerio' swept up.
In the picture, you can see I placed the tape by the back door. This is where our portable dishwasher resides when not in use. The idea being I can leave the tape there, and it can be a dishwasher day game. I may end up adding a circle as well, since Specs wanted to sweep the square cereal into the square and was asking for a circle to sweep the cheerios into. I love the idea of making it a shape sorting game too!
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