Crafty Christmas – Upcycled Wine Bottle Vases

Popping in with a quick post before getting the weekend started. And by that I totally mean putting on my pajamas and catching up on Grey’s Anatomy ;) But first, I wanted to show you these easy, pretty winter vases made from wine bottles. I pinned these last winter but, since we don’t drink wine, I wasn’t able to try them until someone donated some bottles to the cause this year.

Start by cleaning off any labels and giving the bottles a good scrub with some hot, soapy water. Once they’re dry give them a coat of white spray-paint. I found that one coat was enough but don’t be afraid to add a second if you can see through to the glass. Once the paint is dry give the bottles a quick blast of spray adhesive (don’t spray the necks) and then roll them in Epsom salts. Done! Since taking this picture I’ve added a few glittery flower sprigs that I originally bought to put on a wreath. I think they look beautiful and I can leave them out all winter.

These were part of my inventory at my craft sale and I sold two of them at $10 each.

A quick warning – if your cat is anything like mine you’re going to want to keep these bottles somewhere he can’t get to. My cat licked some patches bare the first night I left these out. Luckily they were easy to repair :)

Have a great weekend!

Pinned It – Did It Count: 4

By the Batch – Three Minute Fudge (Seriously!)

The other night while watching tv, Chris and I had a mutual craving for fudge. It was really too late to start baking until I remembered that I had previously pinned a recipe for Three Minute Fudge.  I definitely had three minutes to spare – that’s just a commercial break! And even better, the fudge is made with just three ingredients! Seem to good to be true? Read on :)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chocolate chips
• 300 ml of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Note - I altered the ingredient amounts since cans of condensed milk are a different size here in Canada than they are in the US. If you’re in the US click here for your measurements.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and then microwave for three minutes. Be careful removing the bowl from the microwave – it’s hot! Stir everything until well combined. Pour mixture into a 9x9 pan and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Seriously, could not be easier and it was really good. To add a little extra flavour I sprinkled on some toffee pieces before my fudge set and just pressed them down a bit with a piece of waxed paper. They officially used up the last can of condensed milk in my stash so clearly a trip to the grocery store is in order!

Pinned It – Did It Count: 3 

DIY Kids Turkey Headband

I admit that I am one of those mothers who likes to dress my kid up in silly outfits for all of his “firsts”. We gave him a bowtie and a leprechaun hat for his first St. Patrick’s Day; I turned him into a paper bunny for Easter; I even made him a podium and a gold medal for his first Olympics opening ceremony. Yep, I’m that mommy! So with Thanksgiving coming up I’ve been searching for something cute I could make for Nathan to wear to commemorate the day. Enter the turkey headband!

Isn’t it cute? It’s inspired by this one I pinned from Pottery Barn Kids (which is no longer available) except, since I can’t sew, mine is made entirely of paper instead of fabric. Slightly less durable but since it’s really only for a couple of photos it doesn’t matter that it probably won’t make it through dinner.

Want to make your own? It’s super easy! Start by cutting a feather template out of cardboard (think cereal box). Depending on the age and head size of your child you can make the template smaller or larger. Then trace your template onto 8 different pieces of scrapbook paper or cardstock. I chose paper patterns that were Thanksgiving-y but you can use any colours or patterns you like – just make sure you choose thick enough paper that your feathers won’t just flop over once they’re attached to the headband. Once your feathers are traced, cut them all out and set them aside.

To make the turkey’s body you’ll need to trace a medium circle and then a smaller one onto brown paper. I used a cappuccino mug and traced the mouth for my medium circle and then flipped it over and traced the smaller bottom. Overlap your traced circles so they look like the picture below and then cut them out as once piece – there’s your turkey head and body!

 

Snip the corner off a piece of orange or yellow cardstock to create your beak. Then add the snood – the dangly red thing over the turkey’s beak – by cutting a kind of wobbly candy cane shape out of red paper. Glue these parts onto the head of the turkey and then add eyes with black marker.

Next you need to attach the feathers to the turkey’s body. For this step I just fanned my feathers out as evenly as I could, laid them down on the table and then added glue to the body of the turkey and pressed it down on top of the feathers. To reinforce things I cut a piece of cardstock and glued it on the back.

The last step is to attach the turkey to a headband. If you have a girl then you probably already have something on hand you can use. I happened to have some stretchy baby headbands leftover from making diaper cakes so I used one of those and stapled the turkey to the bow on the front. If you don’t have a headband you could always safety pin your turkey to a toque or similar hat that doesn’t have a brim or peak. I tried hot gluing at first but found that when the headband stretched the turkey popped right off. If you’re worried about a staple or safety pin near your child’s head you can hot glue some felt on the back side.

I am so excited by how this turned out. I think it’s so cute and I can’t wait to do our Thanksgiving pictures this weekend. As you can see, Nathan is thrilled too ;)

And as an added bonus: Pinned It – Did It Count: 2

By the Batch – Homemade Butterfingers

I pinned this recipe almost a year ago and then promptly forgot all about it. This happens with a lot of my pins, I think “oh what a great idea – I have to try that!” and then I move on to the next great idea and the one after that. It’s sad to say that sometimes I think I spend more time collecting great ideas than I do actually making some of them. Please tell me I’m not alone! In an effort to change that I’m going to start a “Pinned It – Did It” count to keep track of the things I pin and then actually make.

I started with these Homemade Butterfingers because the main ingredient is candy corn so it’s the perfect time of year to find it. And boy am I glad I did because these things are ridiculously good! I don’t really know how it’s possible but somehow melted candy corn and peanut butter combine to make a pretty incredible Butterfinger replica, right down to the flaky texture. Chris and I are gobbling these things up like there’s no tomorrow and I’m already planning my next trip to the Bulk Barn for more supplies ;)

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb candy corn (approx 130-150 pieces)
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Put the candy corn in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and then continue microwaving in 15 seconds intervals, stirring after each, until melted. Once melted, combine with peanut butter. Working quickly, because it sets up fast, take the mixture and press it into a pan (I used half of an 8x8 but the size you use just depends on how thick you want your squares). Place it in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely. The original recipe suggests lining your pan with parchment but I didn’t and the candy popped out fine.

Once your candy is set (approx 20 minutes in the fridge) cut it into squares or bars. Bonus: You’ll get a lot of crumbs when you cut which are delicious when you save them and put them on ice cream! Melt your chocolate chips using a double boiler and then dip your squares in the chocolate to cover completely. Lay your chocolate covered squares on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened (approx 30 minutes). Then eat and enjoy!

Easy, right? I will definitely make these again – I’m thinking my family will love me just a little bit extra if I bring some of these to Thanksgiving dinner this year :)

Pinned It – Did It count: 1