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    Giveaway Day 9

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day09_ElephantPattern

    Wow, thank you for your baby-naming stories and input.
    What great comments! I promise that there aren't too many more big
    stories I've kept to myself. Just designs. Designs that aren't out on
    products yet. But, I have lots of that coming soon. Mostly fabric,
    fabric, fabric.

    It's Friday, and for today our giveaway prize is a copy of my Most-Crazy-Popular-Ever sewing pattern Effie & Ollie Elephant, along with the winner's choice of elephant kit which includes all of the fabric, interfacing and trim for one elephant. A $19 value.

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email address
    so we can contact you if you win. Today's giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Friday 8/9/13. Watch for the winner to be announced within a day or
    two at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August giveaway madness, click here.
    Please
    share the word. Check back every day. And stay tuned for some big
    whoppers next week, with several prizes ranging in value from $100 to
    $300. Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 9”

  • Chef’n Spatulas

    ByHeather Bailey

    March_of_the_tools470

    Chefn_Spatulas

    A few years back I picked up an oddly-shaped silicone spatula on sale at a fancy, local grocery store.  I was intrigued by it’s double-ended design and the claim it was heat-resistant to 650º F (340º C).  It worked so well as a spatula for baking and also as a stirring tool for cooking that I hustled back to that store and purchased the only other one left. These are now among my favorite, everyday kitchen tools.

    The spatula is reinforced down the center with a super-strong, super-stiff metal bar.  The silicone at either end is flexible, but not too flexible.  It scrapes up brownie batter like nothing else. 

    I am glad to have tracked down the company’s website so easily.  It turns out they have a ton of nifty tools based on the same concept.  Look at all of these options and colors!  My exact spatula is no longer in the collection, but it is most similar to the clear design below.

    Who knows, it may no longer be my favorite once I have my hands on that violet one above, or perhaps the red one. It looks like they are available on Amazon for $10 to $13  each or so.

    ChefnSpatula_Clear300THere are the product names for easier hunting:

    1. Chef’n Switchit Flex Wide (pink + 3 other colors)

    2. Chef’n Switchit All Purpose (violet + 7 other colors)

    3. Chef’n Switchit Spoon/Spatula (yellow + 5 other colors)

    4. Chef’n Switchit Spreader (red +7 other colors)

    5. Chef’n Switchit All Purpose (cream + 7 other colors)

    6. Chef’n Switchit Flex Spoon (blue + 7 other colors)

    7. Chef’n Switchit Slim (green + 7 other colors)

    8. Chef’n Switchit Long (clear + 5 other colors)

    And check out this groovy salt and pepper grinder — it’s a bunny and you squeeze it’s ears!

  • Holiday Mints – Recipe

    ByHeather Bailey

    Valentine_Mints_Recipe_Heather_Bailey
    I’ll take any excuse to whip up some sugar-coated sugar.  Of course, for Valentine’s Day no justification is needed.  That’s what makes it a holiday right?

    Or is it love? 

    Something like that.

    This year Charlotte and I did a little Lucy & Ethel.  We put on our aprons and our disposable food-gloves and cranked out the candy.  We used a favorite Christmas Mints recipe to make Valentine hearts.  Really the easiest recipe — three ingredients, plus food coloring.  Normally, we just roll each mint into a ball and press it flat with a fork, a la peanut butter cookies. 

    Valentine_Heart_Mint_Molds
    This was my first go with the candy molds and they worked perfectly.  Now to keep an eye out for a good Easter mold – not too big though – I like these mints small.  Imagine pink, yellow, green, & blue bunnies.  And if we’re not too sugared out come July, we could put together some red, white, & blue stars — but only if there is a party going on — this is a lot of sweet — definitely a great treat to share with a group.

     

    Christmas Mints / Valentine Mints
    Easter Mints / Anytime Mints

    1 pkg cream cheese, 8 oz.
    2 lbs. powdered sugar
    1/2 tsp. mint extract
    food coloring

    Let cream cheese soften in bowl for 15-20 minutes.  Mix in powdered sugar gradually.  When a third of the sugar has been mixed in, add mint extract and food coloring. Knead* mixture till coloring is consistent throughout, then gradually knead in remaining powdered sugar.  Roll into 3/4″ balls.  Toss in fine sugar & press with fork to flatten.  Chill mints in freezer to cool.  Refridgerate till served.

    Candy Mold Option: Toss in sugar before pressing mint into mold for an easy release from mold. Chill mints thoroughly before releasing from mold.

    * Disposable, food-prep gloves recommended. Otherwise, scrub your hands really well, as recipe requires a lot of kneading.

    Holiday_Mint_RecipeS


  • Easy Gourmet Cupcakes – Recipe

    ByHeather Bailey

    ChocolateCupcakeRecipe

    Easy Gourmet Cupcakes
    1 box cake mix  – any flavor
    1 small box pudding mix
    4 eggs
    1 C. sour cream
    1/2 C. water
    1/2 C. oil

    Choose a cake mix and a pudding mix with compatible flavors.  Mix this stuff all together and bake as instructed — till toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack, then add frosting.  Easy peasy.

    Spread the frosting.  Spread the word.  Spread the love.

    ChocolateCupcakes

    Shall we move on from Christmas? 

    Perhaps.

    I swear, you’ll never hear from me much at the new year, regardless of my well-meaning resolutions.  I not only have Christmas and New Year’s to recover from, but my wedding anniversary and both of my children’s birthdays are mixed in there as well.  Elijah’s LAN party was a week ago and Charlotte’s party is this weekend.  Her requested theme: Legendary.  She wants to have a “Legendary” party. 

    Who doesn’t, right? 

    So, Legendary, it is.  Sounds like a tall order.  I guess that’s what you get from a kindergartener with a crazy vocabulary.  However, I do believe her 5–year-old imagination is conjuring dragons and elves, not preeminent perfection.  Thank goodness for that.  Have I ever mentioned that her first word was “dignity“?  No joke!  She was only nine-months-old.

    Gooey chocolate cupcakes were a big success at Elijah’s party — truly, the easiest way to serve birthday cake.  So, I’m going for cupcakes again for Charlotte.  Above is my easy solution for exquisite cupcakes.  Isaac’s sister, Evie, shared this trick when she visited a while back.  Always a big hit.  The cupcakes, and Evie.