A Wreath with Pine Cones

It's finally December!

A wreath on the front door is always a welcome sight at Christmas time.

Over the years, I've turned a plain, store-bought wreath from blah to TADA!

This one had a candy theme made with salt-dough ornaments. 

And this one looks a little more grown-up.

But the more I looked at the wreath, the more I thought, "This needs something more."

I found these pine cones on the side walk. I just love how nature gives me crafting materials for free!

Have you ever picked up a pine cone? It smells of glorious pine trees but is sticky with sap.

So I cleaned the pine cones by soaking them in a basin of warm water and a cup of distilled vinegar for a few hours.  Then I removed any remaining sap by scrubbing them off with an old toothbrush. I left the pine cones to dry overnight on a bed of scrap paper.  

There was still some sap residue that I couldn't get rid of. As long as the pine cones were no longer sticky and they were free of dirt and possible bugs, I was okay with that. 

I used wire to attach the pine cones to my wreath.

I worked in odd numbers. 

And tucked them all around the wreath.

And here is the new and improved holiday wreath. TADA!

I hope this has gotten you in the mood to decorate for this festive season. Before you go out and buy, why not try D.I.Y? Use what you have and turn them from "blah to TADA!"

French Silk Pie and a Pie Server

Hey! Hey! 

Today, we're making something to eat and something to give as a hostess gift. 

The recipe is from the book "Magnolia Table" Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines of the "Fixer Upper" TV series and Magnolia brand. I first made it during the pandemic and I've included it my repertoire of desserts. It's this delectable and easy to make French Silk Pie: 

French Silk Pie
from the book Magnolia Table Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines
Makes one 9-inch pie or tart

Ingredients:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (2/3 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 prebaked 9-inch pie crust (Chocolate Cookie Crust; recipe follows)
Whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate (optional), for garnish

Procedure:
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs
    until well blended. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until
    the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and coats the back of a metal spoon.
    Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until
    smooth. Set aside to cool for approximately 5 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on
    medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate
    mixture and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. In another large bowl, beat the cream on medium-high speed until it
    begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on
    low speed, then gradually return to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
    Fold into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour into the prebaked pie crust. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least
    4 hours or up to overnight.
5. Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.
6. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

Chocolate Cookie Crust
5 ounces chocolate wafers
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pulse the wafers on low in a food processor until they are the
    consistency of sand. Add the sugar and melted butter and mix well.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.
    Bake 8 minutes.
4. Let cool 20 minutes before filling.

This French Silk Pie is not too sweet yet it's a satisfying dessert. Sometimes I serve it topped with granola, chopped walnuts, or chocolate chips for added crunch.

When there are desserts like pie and cake for sharing, this serving utensil should likewise be invited to the party. It's too bad that not everyone owns one. So I thought, this pie server makes a nice hostess gift or thank you token. Most kitchen stores carry them and they're not expensive at all. This one didn't come with a box. Not to worry, I'll make my own packaging.

I'm using some tea-stained fabric. If you're interested, you can find a tea-staining tutorial here. The fabric comes out with a faint antique look after it dries.

I folded the fabric in thirds and connected the two edges together on the sewing machine. I left the top open.

The pie server should fit inside this fabric pouch. 

I'm using an ink pad and stamps to decorate the fabric pouch. Fabric markers are also another option. 

I spelled out "sweetie pie" as a hint of what's inside. And of course the person getting this is a sweetie pie, too.

Here is my handmade fabric pouch all dressed up.

Put in the pie server.

Then decorate with some twine or ribbon. That is how I turned some fabric from "blah to TADA!"

This is ready to be presented to the host of your next party. Why not make him or her a pie together with this gift. That would be extra TADA! 

I wish you all a sweet week ahead and please subscribe here if you'd like my future blog posts right in your inbox.

Terrariums for Thanksgiving

Hello there!

Let's begin today's post with a few inspiring photos:

I saw these at a shop and I was so inspired how these jars were transformed from "blah to TADA!" They are terrariums made from dried objects like flowers, leaves, and moss.

In the past, I've made terrariums made from living plants. How encouraging that we can make other kinds of terrariums even if the summer turns into fall.    

And this is how my scavenger hunt began.

I chose an old vase. 

Then I went on walks in the park to collect nature's free bounty: pine cones, dried flowers and acorns. Sticks and leaves are good options, too.

I lined the bottom of the vase with some artificial moss.

I added the tiny pine cones.

 

And then some of the dried flowers for height.

And a few acorns to round out the arrangement. I can use this as a centerpiece for a coffee table...TADA!

Here is another version using a jam jar that I filled with dried flowers like lavender and dried leaves like eucalyptus making this a scented arrangement...TADA!

I added the word "grateful" that I made from card stock, crafts stamps, and an ink pad. I'll position this to each place setting at the Thanksgiving table. That way guests have a tiny table decor that they can take home as a souvenir...TADA!

Thanksgiving is this Thursday and I want to personally thank you, dear readers, for being here with me all these years. For that, I am truly grateful! Your presence has turned my life from "blah to TADA!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

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From Button-down Shirt to Pillow Cover

Hi guys! 

Many years ago, I repurposed an old button-down shirt into a pillow cover:

I kept the buttons as a closure mechanism as well as the pocket. But I felt it was looking quite blah. Here's how I tweaked the look:

I added some embroidery...TADA!

You can spell out whichever word you want or any design that you fancy. You can even go wild by using different colors of embroidery thread.

I kept it short and simple: no nightmares, just sweet dreams.

I inserted a pillow and it's ready to spruce up any room.

The pocket on this pillow is quite handy...to tuck in favorite plush toys.

Or beloved books.

And even little notes from parent to child (and the other way around).

With just a little embroidery, I turned a long forgotten shirt into something functional. And in my language, that's called "blah" to "TADA!"

Wishing you all sweet days and sweet dreams!

 If you want more "blah to TADA!" ideas, please subscribe here.

Salt Dough Gift Pendants

Howdy friends!

I'm a big fan of beautifully wrapped presents. It's a form of creative expression and shows the recipient that the gift was carefully chosen and wrapped. In the past couple of years, I've leaned towards eco-friendly wrapping like cloth pouches, Furoshiki, and wooden crates.

The same is true for gift embellishments. I'll make bows out of paper or gift toppers that can be used over and over again.  

I saw these gift tags at a shop. They come with a monogram pendant that can be transformed into a Christmas tree ornament. You can also use several to spell out a word (ex. "welcome" or "cheers") and make a garland.  

Let's try to make this, shall we?

In a previous post, I made these gift pendants. They're made out of salt dough clay and you can find the tutorial here.

I'm using the same salt dough clay technique but I painted them after baking the pendants. 

I put on several coats of acrylic paint, letting them dry after each coat.

With a pencil, I hand-lettered some initials. Some are plain and some with added flourish.

Then I traced over the the letters and designs with a permanent marker.

Here's what the gift pendants look like when added to wrapped gifts:

They add a simple yet personal touch.

And that's how I turned some salt dough from blah to TADA! 

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