Gramma Bell's Cookies

I've been blessed with two wonderful Gramma's. One I've lived closed to most of my life and the other one a little farther away in beautiful Wyoming. The one I've lived close to passed away this past Christmas. It was her favorite season and she always knew how to make it special. For forty years she made hundreds of chocolates to box up for Christmas presents for friends, family, doctors, etc. I was fortunate enough to learn her craft before she was unable to make them anymore (that will be another post). Another holiday memory and favorite was her sugar cookies. When I was younger and lived further away, she would always send my family a box of goodies every holiday. The staple (& most coveted) goodie would be the sugar cookies. They were thick and soft and delicious (frosted or plain)!

Naturally, it is the only sugar cookie recipe I have ever used. They are gobbled up every time I make them. Even though I can't eat them anymore (because of the wheat), I still enjoy making them. It always makes me happy when I make them and it makes me feel like my gramma is there (who I miss dearly). She was always willing to share her recipes and I thought that I would give tribute to my gramma by sharing her recipe on my blog. Hopefully it will bring you a bit of happiness, too :) She named the cookies "Holidays".

Gramma Bell's Holidays

1 c. butter/margarine

2/3 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and almond extract. Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir into butter mixture and mix well. Roll out on lightly floured board (counter) and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown.

Easy Bolero/ Shrug

One of my little sisters had her 8th grade dance this past week. Apparently it has evolved over the years and turned into a formal event, unlike the one I attended. Finding a modest formal dress, outside of the state of Utah, is a tough thing. I was shocked at some of the dresses I saw when picking her up from the dance.

Well, I had a lovely Anne Klien dress and it fit her like a glove (maybe some day I'll be able to wear it again...darn thyroid). Of course it needed a bolero or shrug, so my mom and sister spent some time looking for one...with no success. I decided to look online and it paid off. I found a super easy pattern on Modest Prom. There are three options and we chose the cap sleeve shrug. It is made with stretch fabric (ours was glittery and a soft gold color). You have to scale the pattern to the size you want. I knew that we wanted it to be a bit more snug, so I didn't scale it to full size. My mom and I decided it needed to be lined, because the fabric rolls a bit around the collar, but it still only took 5/8 yard. This fabric was on clearance and clearance was 50% off, so we made it for $2!

Trim Gift Tags

How cute are these?! Doe-c-doe took vintage trims, scanned them, replaced some of the words and made them available for download! Very clever, if you ask me.

Tin Can Flower Vase

How sweet and simple is this Tin Can Flower Vase?! I saw this tutorial over at Elle's Studio. I like how the ribbon laces up like a corset and a little bow to finish it off in back.

I know in the summer time I have flowers blooming like crazy! Of course I share them, but I don't usually have a container to go with them. This is a great solution.

You could also make some tissue paper flowers, if fresh flowers aren't available. Since we are moving soon, I probably won't have many fresh flowers until next year :( Oh well!

Anyway, check out this cute tutorial and while you are there, you might as well check out this one too!

On The Menu...

The fab Bakerella has created yet another amazing treat. This time for Father's Day. I'm kinda glad that I was a week early in planning for Father's Day or I would have missed out on making this:
It's a chocolate brownie patty nestled between two cupcake buns and frosting condiments. Complete with sugar cookie fries! AND the templates for the paper goods are included...how awesome is that?!? I *heart* Bakerella.

Cookie Turned Cupcake

SNICKERDOODLE

CUPCAKE!

One of my favorite cookies is Snickerdoodle, so when I saw this cookie turned cupcake (via Martha Stewart) I had to try it! I didn't use her recipe, though. I used a Betty Crocker SuperMoist Butter Recipe Yellow cake mix and added 3/4 Tbls. Cinnamon & 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg. I was thinking about adding some Cream of Tartar (like in the cookie), but I wasn't sure how that would effect the baking. I might try it sometime. I made a basic buttercream to pipe in a swirly fashion and sprinkled some Cinnamon on top.

The cupcakes were made with a purpose...Father's Day. The only problem was that I was a week early! I have a large whiteboard in my kitchen and had marked Father's Day on June 14th. Oh well! The cupcakes were well received. I had a little visitor while trying to take pictures.


He is quite keen on when something scrumptious is going down in the kitchen. This time I caught him sneaking in! Some how he still managed to devour a cupcake and left his mark behind...or evidence.

**I can't wait for Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Mixes! Then I can actually eat the cupcakes!**

A New W.I.P.

Flowers and Cakes seem to be my main focus on the blog! I just can't help myself. I could easily blame it on my blog reader for these little pretties.

Juicy Bits, a fellow Jess that is a crafter/designer, posted pics of the flowers she had been working on and a link to the free pattern. The day I read it, I picked up my crochet needle and some scrap yarn to try it out. Success! The next morning I was out buying some yarn. After crocheting 9 flowers in a day (they go pretty fast), I thought it would be cool to try and make a really big flower for a pillow. It takes a bit more time, but I would say that I am about half-way there. I was thinking they will make a nice addition to my studio in the new house. I think they are a good gift idea, too!

More Cakes!

Three of our four parents had birthdays this month. I decided (two days before our trip) that I would make bday cakes for all three. My in laws have a passion for hiking and since their birthdays are only two days apart, I did one cake for both of them.

It was a labor of love, because a lot of the elements were not working the way I had planned. I should have given myself a little more time. I used Marshmallow Fondant, but I wouldn't recommend it for figurines. I thought I had learned my lesson on the last cake. Next time I will get some gum paste. I also didn't get a chance to make their dog that would have been sitting on the top of the hill :( There is always next time :)

I used white MM Fondant and then painted everything else with gel food coloring (diluted in almond extract). I used cocoa powder for the path and rocks. The inside ended up being three different flavors (butter yellow, dark chocolate, plus those two mixed together)! I'd planned on two flavors, but needed more cake, so I used some from my mom's cake. Everyone liked it, so I was happy.


My mom's cake was something a little different. I knew she liked nonpareils (the little round sprinkles). I also wanted to do something without fondant. I had these beautiful scalloped edged baking pans that were calling my name. I baked two tiers of a butter chocolate cake. Once they were cooled, I filled them with almond buttercream.

For the decorating, I used a tub of store bought chocolate frosting to cover the cake. The technique was a pourable frosting that I've used for petit fours, but never for a full cake. I melted the frosting in the microwave and added a tiny bit of shortening, because it was a little too thick (after melted). The consistency should be runny. Make sure your cake is on a wire rack with wax paper or cookie sheet underneath. Next, I poured about half of the frosting over the center of the top tierand let it run down the sides. Then where ever the frosting hadn't reached I added more by using a large spoon and pouring over that area.

I waited about an hour before adding any decorations. It will all depend on the temperature of your kitchen and how quickly the frosting sets up. If you add decor too quickly, it may not be in the same place by the time the frosting has set. I used multicolored nonpareils for the tops of each tier. Then I used small chunks of white chocolate around each tier. For the 'T' on top, I drew the shape I wanted on a piece of paper and slid it under a piece of wax paper. I piped melted white chocolate around the shape and filled it in (make sure it is thick). Finally, I added white nonpareils and let it harden. In my mind, I would have loved to do a tutorial for something like this. I might do it on a smaller scale with petit fours...after we move!

Organza Flowers

Simple. Chic. Addicting! I wish I would have been on the ball when it came to showing everyone how to make these. We are getting ready to move...again. This time into a house of our own. We've been in a rental for the past year and I am sooo ready to be back in a place of our own. I'm really grateful we are able to keep our home in AZ rented until the market gets better.

Anyway, there is a tutorial on these pretty organza flowers. I've seen them all over Etsy. I'm experimenting with other fabrics with synthetics and also different petal shapes. Try them! I'm sure you will love them, too!

Happy May Day!

These beautiful, little cherry blossoms are popping up everywhere in our yard. I absolutely love them and they are a sure sign of Spring! Winter lasted way too long here in Washington. I like the Arizona winters much better, but you can't beat the scenery here.

Cake Fit for a Farewell

My youngest brother has set off to serve a two year, LDS mission in Phoenix, AZ. For his farewell party/open house, I decided to make him a cake. I started off making an Almond Butter Cake. I used a recipe from Elisa Strauss' book, 'The Confetti Cakes Cookbook'. It was the recipe for Vanilla Cake, but I changed the flavoring. It turned out well with a balanced texture. I will probably use it as my staple basic cake. I made a butter cream, adding some of my mom's raspberry jam. Next I printed an outline of Arizona and used it as a template for shaping the cake. I ended up with two layers and used the butter cream as the filling and for the crumb coat.

Something I've found useful is using a piece of cardboard under the cake. When the cake is finished, then I will either trim down the cardboard (so it isn't visible) or lift the cake off (doesn't work for larger cakes).

I decided to make a white chocolate marshmallow fondant. I usually make marshmallow fondant, because it is so yummy! I wanted to try something new, but next time I'll save the new stuff for practice. The white chocolate fondant was a lot harder to work with and I didn't like the taste.

I did a lot of marbling with the colors. I also dusted some cocoa powder in areas to make the state look more rustic. My mom helped me come up with idea of putting the fondant version of my bro relaxing on his back. I added a little lizard popping over his shoulder, along with some scriptures and two cactus'.

The final step was to draw on the faces, tie and tag. I used some edible writers, but they were low on color and didn't produce the result I was looking for. I wish I would have done them in fondant or hand painted...live and learn. I had a fun time making it and my little brother was thrilled.

Purse Cake #2

This is another purse cake, but this time I made with my littlest sister for my other sister's 14th b-day. I made a triple chocolate cake with a vanilla butter cream. My family really liked it...of course I can't eat it because it had wheat...but it looked delish!

Bravo, Martha!

It is no secret...I'm a big fan of Martha. I like that people refer to me as 'Martha'. I'm sure there are many that get the same praise from friends. I just seem to get it where ever I go. While on our last out of town trip, we visited Costco and I found this treasure:

Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration. It was love at first sight! The book is filled with techniques galore! I could see myself doing every project and using the book often. It should be a staple to any crafter or aspiring crafter. One of my favorite sections:


Okay, so I had like 10 favorite sections!! There are a couple sections on making flowers (air-dry, fabric, beaded, crepe & tissue paper). Ever heard of sun printing? Well that's in there too. Also, at the end of the book for 'XYZ' is a tools and materials guide followed by templates for some of the projects. The book is fairly new, so Amazon has a good price tag (just a few dollars more than Costco).

Applique: Not Just for Kids

I think appliqued shirts for little ones are pretty darn cute. The only thing is I haven't seen many appliqued shirts for adults (that looked fashionable). When I received my fabric order, I wanted to use the pink & green faux Alligator for a shirt. I'd also purchased a long sleeve white tee from Target for like a buck! So, it didn't take long to decide on applique.

I sketched out a design and got to work. I used my Cricut for the letters and made a free hand heart (lopsided on purpose). The 'S' is for my husband first name and the 'J' is for my first name. Of course, it is only natural for me to add a little bling. It kind of looks like metal in the pic, but they are really little clear gems.

It was easy, inexpensive (maybe $2 total) and fun. From start to finish it took an hour, with the majority of the time being spent on attaching the gems. The hardest part was trying to take a pic of myself in the shirt...I guess I could have waited for my husband to get home!

Goodies in The Mail

Another week out of town for me and my hunny, except this time I came home to a lovely box from Fabric.com! They had a big sale a few days before I left and there were several things that I had my eye on.

First, Lila Tueller's Funked Out Peasant Blouse (the only thing I bought that wasn't on sale). I've wanted to buy it for some time now, but wanted to wait until I was buying fabric online for the sake of shipping costs. I can't wait to make this blouse!

Since I was buying the pattern, then I needed some fabric to make it and there was a couple of Heather Bailey prints on sale (from her Freshcut line). I don't usually see her fabric marked down, so I snatched that up quickly.

The other fabrics included two prints from Anna Maria Horner's Chocolate Lollipop line and two prints from Anna Griffin's Peyton Collection line (the pink & green faux Alligator). I have plans for all the fabric...more on that soon.

A Little Babette

As mentioned in a previous post, I am helping with costumes for Beauty & The Beast. I've been out of town and running around like a mad woman leaving little time to work on costumes. There is a month until opening night, so I'm trying to get as much done in the next week as I can. Here is a pic of Babette's basic costume. It is hard to get a pic using hangers, instead of a body or form!

The dress is a corset style (in the back). I want to add a few details, like white sequin trim on the bodice. I still need to make a head piece, cuffs and skirt w/feathers. The feather skirt will go just above the knees under the dress, so it can be an easy transformation from fantasy character to human. There will be two sets of cuffs and most likely two head/hair pieces. It is so much fun, especially with the new fancy sewing machine my husband got me!

Home Spa #1

Need some R&R? I've had such an adventurous week that I know I do! Last month, for a young women's church activity, I taught the girls how to make some home spa treatments. One of my favorites was the bath cookies. I decided to add some dried lavender (from my garden). The end result was fragrant and yummy looking cookies! If you are familiar with other bath cookies, like from Lush, expect this recipe to produce a different kind of cookie. When you are ready to use, crumble 1-2 cookies while you draw your bath.

Spa index Bath Cookies

2 cups finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 T light oil
1 tsp vitamin E oil
2 eggs
5-6 drops essential oil of your choice

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Combine all the listed ingredients and form into a dough. Using a teaspoon or so of dough at a time, roll it gently in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball. Form all dough into one teaspoon balls, and gently place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Consider sprinkling the bath balls with herbs, flower petals, cloves, citrus zest and similar aromatic ingredients. Bake your bath cookies for ten minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over bake. Allow the bath cookies to cool completely. To use, Drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.

**I highly recommend visiting SPA INDEX for other spa treatment recipes.**

Pink Persimmon

Please excuse the absence...I have a lot of mental posts that I would like to get on here! One of the things I wanted to share over the last month is Pink Persimmon. They sell some seriously cute clear stamps! They have a smaller selection, but I want them ALL! Especially the Banner Set, Little Red Wagon, Oh Dear!.....okay just check out the product page, because I'd end up listing them all.

There is also a tutorial for a Page Corner Bookmark. It would be a cute addition to a friend gift or for yourself. I have plenty of books that would be happy to house this bookmark.

Pink Persimmon also has a blog with some cute ideas. I like their little Valentines Day Note Card Box. It looks like they used a little Sassafras Lass scrapbook paper (another fav of mine).

Simple Cornbread

I come from a family of good cooks. My mom always made sure to have a stool up to the counter so we could be involved. We sure made big messes! She would always let us experiment and try new things. I've carried it on into my adult life. I experiment with new flavors all the time. I enjoy cooking for others and I've been doing it a lot lately! I've got some of my own creations I'll share in the coming months!

A favorite for my hunny is fresh-out-of-the-oven cornbread. I think it is one of those recipes that is best with simple ingredients. I can't have it (darn you wheat!), but I've tested a couple recipes for my hunny and this is his favorite one so far. It is just as easy as using a box mix, but much better for you.

Sweet Cornbread

* 1/2 cup cornmeal
* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup oil
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 1/4 cups milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the oil, melted butter, honey, eggs, and milk.
4. Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan.
5. Bake for 35 minutes.

A few things that I found helpful was that using a medium grain cornmeal seemed to produce a nice texture and held together well when serving. The other important tip is try not to over bake it. An extra minute or two can lead to dry cornbread. You may want to use a toothpick to test it around 30 minutes. I also like to serve it with some Agave drizzled on top.

Do You Tat?

I recently pulled out my tatting supplies. Some of you may be asking...what is tatting? Tatting is a form of lace-making with a small shuttle or needle. I was introduced to tatting about 10 years ago from a lady in our ward. She didn't have daughters, so she taught me! She took me to her tatting meetings occasionally and hooked me up with a huge organized binder of patterns. Anyway, I was suppose to teach a class for my sewing group on tatting. A few months ago I pulled out my tatting supplies and started to get back into the motions. If you are interested in learning more about tatting, here are some helpful links:

-On Sharon's Tatting site you will find loads of information. She has video demos for everything you need to know about tatting. Just click on 'Tatting Demos' and you will be taken to a page with several different videos. You can start with the first video (Chain) and continue down the row.

-Another great way to learn tatting is through Georgia Seitz. I first learned about Georgia about 10 years ago, when I first began tatting. She offers online classes on a weekly basis. Her site has all the information on joining the online class along with archives from the previous classes.

-Finally, there are a couple more useful tatting sites that I have used:
This'n'Tat: This site has been around for a while. They have lessons, tips & free patterns.
Tatting Directory: Full of links and descriptions for tons of tatting sites.