Peanut & Caramel Chocolate Brownies

*Sorry, no picture of these, you’ll have to use your imagination (or better yet, just make them)

Makes one 8x8 pan.

Ingredients:

-         1/2 cup melted butter (yes, make sure to melt it- the microwave works fine)

-         1 cup packed dark brown sugar (light brown is also fine)

-         2 eggs

-         1 tsp vanilla extract

-         1/2 cup flour

-         1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (special dark if you can find it)

-         1/4 tsp baking powder

-         1/4 tsp salt

-         1/2 cup chopped peanuts (plus 1/4 cup or so extra for topping)

-         Caramel topping for drizzling over finished brownies

Time Commitment:

 ~1 hour (including mixing and baking time)

How to Make it Happen:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Grease an 8 in x 8 in baking pan.
2. Mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs.
3. Combine dry ingredients (except peanuts) and mix into wet ingredients until well blended.
4. Stir in peanuts and transfer to baking pan.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from edges of pan. A toothpick in the center will come out clean.
6. Transfer to cooling rack and drizzle caramel topping over the brownies while they are still warm. Sprinkle caramel with extra chopped peanuts.
7. Let cool and enjoy! These will stay good covered in the refrigerator for a few days.

Note:  These were modified from the Mmm-mmm Better Brownies recipe found on allrecipes.com.

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How to Make a Beaded Leaf Headband

Tools/Supplies:

-         Floral wire (30 gauge)

-         Wire cutters/Pliers

-         Seed beads

-         Elastic headband

-         Felt (enough for backing your beaded leaves so the wire doesn’t poke you)

-         Needle and strong thread (button thread works very well)

Time Commitment:

 ~6-8 hours for a palm-sized leaf bundle

How to Make it Happen:

Step 1- Choose headband

1) I just bought a blank headband with a built-in place to sew in my leaves- you can also make your own by sewing a piece of felt to a strip of elastic or elastic headband.

Step 2- Prepare your wire

2) This is the start of your leaf. Take an approximately 3-4 foot piece of wire for a leaf about as long as your thumb and twist the wire as shown so there is a piece just over twice as long as you want your leaf to be (the right side wire in the picture) and a long side that you will use to build up the leaf (the left side). The loop at the bottom should be a few inches long as it acts like the stem of the leaf (which is how you’ll twist the leaves together).

Step 3- Add beads

3) Now, string enough beads on the right side so that it is about a fingernail length shorter than you want the final leaf to be (there are the white beads in the picture). String lots of (blue here) beads on the left side- these will be used to add bulk to your leaf.

Step 4 - Begin wrapping the leaf

4) Take the left side wire and wrap it around the short wire at a 45 degree angle- around the front, around the back, then down the right hand side. Wrap the blue bead wire around the bottom of the leaf (front-back-front) straight across, which will keep the bottom of the leaf flatter. The 45 degree angle at the top will give the leaf a pointed tip.

Step 5 - First leaf done!

5) Keep adding beads and wrapping until you’re happy with the size of the leaf. To end, wrap the blue bead wire around the base of the leaf and trim it flush. Bend the short (white bead) wire down the back of the leaf, wrap it around the base of the leaf, and trim flush. One leaf down! Repeat until you have enough leaves for your headband (I used ten leaves of varying sizes).

Step 6- Bunch of leaves

6) Gather your leaves by twisting their loops together and arrange as you see fit. Now it’s time to assemble the headband.

 

Step 7- Add felt

 

7) Cut a small piece of felt and sew it in place around the twisted wire loops. This will keep you away from sharp wire ends and make the leaves look more finished.

Step 8- Sew onto headband

 

8) Sew the leaves onto the headband, and try on your work!

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How to Make a 'Stained'-Grain Footstool

Tools/Supplies:

-         Wooden Footstool

-         Acrylic Paint (works best in a dark color- red works very well)

-         Sandpaper

-         Brush

-         Polycrylic (my replacement for polyurethane)

Time Commitment:

 ~ 30 min – 1 hour (plus drying time)

How to Make it Happen:

1) Sand the bare footstool to remove any splinters (having pieces come off will spoil the effect). Note that you can use this technique on any bare wood furniture, but it will work the best on long flat pieces of wood with a knotty grain. This footstool has a pretty plain grain, so the effect will be subtle.

Step 1- Prepare for painting

2) Brush acrylic paint onto the footstool- I use a nearly dry brush on the legs, since I’ll just be distressing them. Cover the top of the stool with a thick layer of paint to make sure it really soaks in.

Step 2- Paint top with a thick coat of paint (then thin coat on the legs)

3) Lightly sand the legs to give them a distressed look, then sand the top of the stool in the direction of the grain until the wood grain shows through. This gives the top of the stool a ‘stained’ effect in the grain. Seal the wood using polyurethane (follow manufacturer’s instructions), then relax and enjoy your new stool!

Step 3- Sand and seal!

 

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How to make an 'Antique' Painted Wood Picture Frame

Tools/Supplies:

-         Wood Frame

-         Acrylic Paint

-         Sandpaper

-         Stain

-         Brushes (I use foam)

-         Polycrylic (my replacement for polyurethane)

Time Commitment:

 ~ 30 min – 1 hour (plus drying time)

How to Make it Happen:

1) Here are the materials I used- substitute sizes & materials as you like (as long as the frames are made of wood). Note that these are from my Hanging Sign Frame tutorial- this time I’m only going to finish one of the frames.

Step 1- Wood frames

 

2) Brush acrylic paint onto the frames- you don’t have to cover every square inch. Let the paint dry, then use sandpaper to rub sections of the paint off the frame. By sanding the frame to bare wood, you give places for the stain to soak into the wood.

Step 2- Paint and sand

3) Brush stain onto the frame, wipe away excess. The frame will have a dappled, distressed look. Let the stain dry, then coat with polycrylic (following manufacturer’s directions). Your frame is done!

Step 3- Add stain and seal

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How to Make a Ribbon Wreath

Tools/Supplies:

-         Foam wreath form

-         Pins

-         Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

-         Ribbon & Fabric

-         Flowers/Garland Decorations

-         Hanging hardware

Time Commitment:

 ~ 2-3 hours (depending on how hardcore you get with decorating)

This project is based on a wreath I saw at the Longwood Gardens Christmas Displays, and has been modified for a spring wreath!

How to Make it Happen:

Step 1- Get the right base

 

1) This is the kind of form that works best- if it’s not smooth, the ribbon will look bunchy. It can be harder to find, but it’s worth it.

Step 2- Start covering

 2) For this wreath, I am using strips of fabric and will cover them with some ribbon. Wrap the fabric or ribbon tightly around the form and use straight pins to hold them in place.

Step 3- Ready for outside decorations

3) The ribbon part of the wreath is finished! If you don’t want to decorate the outside of the wreath, then you’re done at this point- but I’m adding fake flowers and ivy.

Step 4- Hot glue gun time!

                                                                                 

4) Cut flowers and ivy, leaving an approximately 1/2”-1” stem to glue to the back of the wreath. Decorate until you’re happy with the look, then add the hanging hardware to the back of the wreath.

Step 5- Tada!

5) Hang your wreath and enjoy! This can be made with a variety of ribbons and decorations, so modify as you like!

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How to Make a Hanging-Sign Style Picture Grouping

Tools/Supplies:

-         Wood Frames

-         Pliers

-         Screw Eyes

-         S-Hooks

-         Screwdriver (to help turn screw eyes)

Time Commitment:

 ~ 30 min – 1 hour

How to Make it Happen:

Step 1 - Assemble players

1) Here are the materials I used- substitute sizes & materials as you like (as long as the frames are made of wood)

Step 2 - Add screw eyes

2) Screw the screw eyes into the frames until the threads are fully embedded in the wood – I find it easier to turn them by using a screwdriver.

Step 3 - Squish S-hooks

3) The S-hook on the left is straight from the package, and the S-hook on the right has been squeezed by pliers (make sure the hooks aren’t completely closed, or you won’t be able to assemble the frames).

Step 4 - Frames ready to be assembled

4) Use four screw eyes per frame – here are two frames ready to be fastened together using the S-hooks.

Step 5 - Finished frames

5) Fasten the frames together using the S-hooks, and hang using wire or a picture hook!

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How to Re-Cover a Ball Clasp Clutch Purse

Tools/Supplies:

-         Ball clasp purse (Note: it is much easier not to scratch the metal in Step 7 if the metal clasp section has some sort of decoration- like the purse I use here. It doesn't mean the smooth ones are bad, just that it's harder to do)

-         Pliers

-         Hammer

-         Screwdrivers (straight head, small thickness)

-         Needle & thread

-         Fabric (for cover, lining, & outdoor type fabric for interface)

Time Commitment:

 ~3-4 hours

How to Make it Happen:

Step 1 - Examine patient and assemble operating tools

1) A note of warning – these metal edges are very sharp, so wearing leather gloves is recommended while you remove the metal clasp from the fabric. Getting the clasp removed is labor intensive, so be patient and work slowly or you could damage the clasp.

Step 2 - Clasp surgery

2) Slide the thinnest screwdriver into the slot between the metal clasp and the purse, tapping the end of the screwdriver with a hammer to force the clasp open. This is the longest part of the process, and you can wiggle the screwdriver slightly to bend the clasp open. It doesn’t need to open very far- only enough that you can slide the fabric free. Repeat for the rest of the clasp- the curved sides (where the screwdriver is wedged in this picture) are the hardest to open.

Step 3 - Ready for new fabric

3) The clasp is now free from the fabric –use the old fabric to make a pattern for the replacement fabric.

Step 4 - Using pattern for new pieces

4) Cut out the new fabric (Note- Leave room for seams on the bottom and err on the side of making it slightly too large, since it’s easier to trim than to try to stretch the fabric if it’s cut too small)

Step 5 - Make seam

5) Sew the new fabric section together (the seam will run from hinge to hinge on the clasp). To make sure the seam won’t show in the finished purse, layer the fabric as follows (pile will run from top to bottom according to the picture):

Lining (wrong side up) - Lining (right side up) – Interface (wrong side up) – Cover (wrong side up) – Cover (right side up) – Interface (right side up)

Turn the purse right side out (so that the cover fabrics are visible). The clasp will be attached so that the lining fabric shows on the inside, and the seam will be invisible!

Step 6 - Add edging stitch

6) Run an edging stitch along the outside of the fabric bundle (where the clasp will cover). This helps make reassembly easier, and gives the fabric a bit more thickness for the clasp to hold on to.

Step 7 - Reassembling the purse

7) Reassemble the purse (taping the fabric temporarily in place as you go, which will make positioning it a lot easier) by using pliers to re-close the clasp, holding the fabric in place. To keep the pliers from scratching the clasp, you can cover them in fabric. Work carefully, especially in the corners (which are hard to close again).

Step 8 - Admire your work!

8) Your purse is done!

More admiring!

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Note: I used one of my Spoonflower designs as a cover. The fabric can be found here:
Turquoise Honeycomb Fabric