Mickey Hat, Lollipop Box & Napkin Ring

 Party hat for bday baby...

Cereal box made into a themed box for lollipops. I will add styrofoam inside, tissue paper and crinkled paper so the lollipops can stand.

I traced a bunch of mickey gloves with a pencil, then a permanent marker, added the details, cut them out, glued them to scalloped circles and added a little strip of paper. They will be wrapped around the napkins with the spoons, knives and forks inside. 

Snowflake Cupcakes

A few days ago, I made cupcakes with snowflakes on them for a very special little princess and her classmates to have a "Frozen" birthday celebration...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARY!!!

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD TIME AND ENJOYED YOUR CUPCAKES.

-Thank you Di for being so thoughtful and kind to my family and me.  



Mickey Mouse Party Ears

Home sick for a few days so I'll have alot of time to work on stuff for a Mickey Mouse theme party. I will show what I've done so far, but I still have to make more stuff.

 I bought these bday headbands but removed the words so I can use the words on the centerpieces and add ears to the headbands.

 Added black, red and yellow ears to the headbands.

I typed a sign for the ears and added a picture of a mickey camera, had it printed and added red and yellow paper on the background. Then, hot glued the sign to a wooden stick and glued the stick to the red plastic container.

I also added tissue paper in the inside of the container, curling ribbon on the sides and white circles to the front of it.

Adventure Time & Ninja Cake Pops

I made Adventure Time Cake Pops and a Ninja cake pop, but my brother decided to drizzle a whole lot of chocolate on it and the poor little guy ended up looking like a little mummy instead. 





Minions Cupcakes

Online, I saw cupcakes with minions on them so I wanted to try making them. I used stuff I already had at home, but only made three because I didn't have enough "eyes" (smarties) to make more.



Purplelized Cheetos?!?!

I haven't had any junk food in a while so when I went to the store and saw Cheetos, I threw them in my cart. Then, when I got home, I was enjoying them and as I walked by a mirror on my way to get something to drink, I noticed that my lips looked a little purple! and I was like what in the heck is wrong?!?! I looked at the bag of Cheetos and it said it "purple-izes your tongue!". Its a limited edtion of cheesy mix. They don't leave your mouth super purple, but they should just for fun.

Hello Kitty & Friends Cake Pops

I had never made these before except for Hello Kitty, but I used to add chocolate chips for the ears and this time, I wanted to try making her the way mycupcakeaddiction lady makes them. She forms the ears out of the same cake ball and I actually liked it better. This way I can really imagine how the Hello Kitty shape will look when I cover her in chocolate. 

Thanks sooooo much to Elise!!!! She is such a big inspiration to me. I love how she explains things in detail and with such calmness, that she makes everything look super easy and that definitely makes me feel like I can do it too! =) Thank you, thank you , thank you a million for all your tutorials and for sharing your creations with us. They are amazing!

Handmade Christmas Cards - Part 2

Handmade Christmas Cards- Part 1

I know I'm late at posting these pictures, but I didn't get a chance to last month. The colors aren't as vibrant as they are with good lighting, but here they are anyway...

 

Cold Pasta Salad

In a large bowl add all of the following to taste:

- 8 oz. cooked whole wheat pasta (I used less)
- Grated Carrots
- Diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (if you use cherry tomatoes, salad gets less soggy and lasts longer in refrigerator)
- Diced Cucumbers (same as tomatoes, you can put them in a separate container and add to servings)
- Black olives, sliced
- Celery, diced
- Broccoli, chopped into small pieces
- Cheese Cubes
- Chicken, shredded (I didn't add any to my salad since my brother is avoiding meat this month)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil and a squirt of lemon or Italian Dressing (to taste ofcourse)

Mix well until all the ingredients are coated with the oil (dressing), chill it if you want and then enjoy!

If your refrigerate, it still tastes good 2-3 days after. I would always add a bit of grated parmesan on mine.

Italian Pasta - Vegetables only

As I've mentioned before, I'm not into any type of diet, but I do want to eat less fast food, less junk food and more vegetables this year so I will be trying out new recipes, some healthy and some not so much.

- 16 oz. Whole wheat penne pasta (I only used about half)
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (or vegetable oil)
- 3 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp.Italian Seasoning
- 1 Large Onion, sliced
- 1 to 2 Bell Peppers, sliced (I like using different colors, to make pasta look colorful)
- 1 small jar of Artichoke Hearts in seasoned oil, sliced. Save some of the oil in the jar.
- 1/2 to 1 medium Tomato, chopped
- Salt
- Fresh Lemon Juice, to taste
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese and/or Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook pasta, drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet or wok, add the oil and garlic, cooking at medium heat.
3. When the oil is hot, rub Italian seasoning between your palms and add to oil.
4. Add onion, mix and cook about a minute.
5. Add bell peppers, mix and increase heat to high. Cook a couple of minutes.
6. Add salt, artichokes and a little bit of their oil. Mix well.
7. Add chopped tomatoes and cook 1 minute.
8. Add the cooked pasta and mix well.
9. Add a squirt of lemon juice, mix well and taste. Add more lemon if you'd like.
10. Mix until pasta is heated through.
11. Serve hot, garnished with shredded parmesan to taste.

I loooove this recipe! It's sooooo good and I can eat it everyday! Ofcourse you can adjust the ingredients to taste or add chicken and hopefully you'll enjoy it too.

Call a meeting with yourself

My brother borrowed a book called "The Daniel Fast" and he showed me a recipe in it and thats how the book caught my attention. I read parts of it and found many interesting things in it. I don't do diets so I'm not on the Daniel diet, but I would still like to share some things I read in the book. Some with the words from the book even if not quoted and other parts in my own words.

A section of the book talks about changing the way we live and analyzing our relationships, goals and life.

"We get into schedules and ways of life that form a momentum of their own and we just go along for the ride. Then we look back and wonder what happened to all the time."

She also speaks of calling a little meeting with yourself and even if I'm not on the diet, I thought it would be interesting to answer the following questions now that we started a new year.

"This is not a time for condemnation or remorse, but rather a time to take stock of yourself."

Get a notebook, pen, clear your head and try to answer the following:

1. What 5 things would you like to accomplish over the next twelve months?
(Ex: Five days a week dinners for the family, learning a new hobby, visiting new places, etc.)

2. What are 3 new habits you want to form?

3. What fears do you have that you want God to help you conquer?

4. Is there unforgiveness in your heart? Many of us have unresolved hurts and unforgiven wrongs that still weigh on us, perhaps even while you read these words, some thoughts or memories are bubbling on the surface.

I like question #4 in the book and makes sense, but ofcourse to me forgiving doesn't mean forgiving and letting people keep making empty promises and because you love and care for them, you keep allowing deception and betrayel into your life. There has to come a time when you realize that if they loved you, they wouldn't hurt you or take advantage of your love and kindness. Therefore, you have to put a stop to it and begin loving yourself because if you don't love yourself, its easy for others to not appreciate you, nor respect you or treat you the way you deserve to be treated, so as hard as it may be, it shouldn't be a choice.

5. Are there areas that are "out of order" in your life?
(Ex: unfinished projects, personal challenges, a to do list, etc.)

Change isn't easy, but we can do it by changing little by little or even one thing at a time. We are all stronger than we believe to be.

Its A New Chapter...

So the new year has begun and I believe its time...

Time to leave the past where it belongs.
Time to make positive changes,
without making excuses for the unhealthy cycles
and the bad habits.
Time to break free from any toxic people.
Time to spend time with the ones I love,
and that truly love me back and wont hurt me.
Time to forgive, let go and move on.
Time to free my heart from aches
and make room for what makes me happy.
Time to live, love, create and celebrate.

Wishing you all a happy 2014.