Iris Folding….Whaaa???

I’ve had an issue of Stampin’ Up!’s demonstrator magazine on my craft table for almost three years…because I wanted to try a cool technique highlighted in it.  Iris Folding, while appearing very complex, really is quite easy.  And addicting. When it’s complete, the paper folds look like a camera lens, or iris.  Aaahh, that’s the explanation…I bet you were just waiting for it, weren’t you?


Isn’t that amazing?  I practiced with the kids first, because apparently it’s my responsibility to actually entertain and perhaps educate my offspring.  Even the four-year-old managed this quite well.  I dispensed pieces of tape for everyone, because I felt the potential for disaster lurking in that step.


Here’s all you need:

• Colored paper (not cardstock), in as many colors as your iris template has sides
• Tape
• Template (I downloaded mine here, at Family Crafts
• Cardstock with a shape slightly smaller than your template image cut out of it (If I had a Silhouette Cameo, this would have been so very much quicker…if anyone reading this is looking to buy me a really, really perfect present)

1. Tape your cardstock lightly to the template, right side down. My cardstock is 8-1/2” x 5-1/2” and the square is 4”x4”.  I cut a square with my paper cutter from scrap cardstock, then traced it on each piece of cardstock and cut it out using my paper trimmer. See what I mean about a Cameo?

2. Cut your colored paper in 1”x6” pieces, if doing this with kids.  For the “Imagine” one above, I cut 2”x6” pieces and used a bone folder to fold them in half lengthwise, for more texture and depth.


3. Place your first piece of paper along the first template line, and tape it onto the cardstock.


4. Place the second color down on its first template line and tape it in place. Continue around the template with each color.


5. Continue to place and tape each piece, going around and around, until the template is covered.  The paper will be quite thick by now.


6.  When you’ve covered all of the template except the very middle, trim around the edges of the cardstock (using scissors), so papers aren’t poking out everywhere.  Remove cardstock from template, flip it over, and prepare to be amazed.


7.  We made our finished pieces into birthday cards, using ribbon, stamps, and punches…from Stampin’ Up!, of course!

To make the “Imagine” card/artwork above (I think I’ll find a 6x6 shadowbox frame for it), I used patterned DSP.  It took about a 6x6 piece (cut into 3 strips 2"x6") of each color.  I cut the strips to fit before taping them, so I didn’t have to trim afterward and it used fewer strips.

To finish it, I glittered the card base behind and added ribbon and buttons from SU!.  The stamp is from the Word Play stamp set and I used Apothecary Accents and Labels Collection Framelits with my Big Shot. Oh, and a couple of brown pearls from the craft store.

These were a fun way to spend an hour or so, using few supplies and providing almost instant gratification.  And they learned about patterns and how to use a really large amount of tape.  I had to dig out the spare roll from the Christmas wrapping supplies, even!

These will be fun to do for holidays…a pumpkin shape for Halloween or Thanksgiving, an apple for a teacher, a shamrock, a heart…you get the idea.  Have fun, and go create something…even if it’s just a clear spot on the couch to take a little break!

A Back to School Tradition

I know, we have way too many traditions at our house!  I think I overcompensate for all the moving around we do by attempting to have certain things that are the same, no matter where we are living at the time.  It also helps keep me entertained, truth be told.

When our first hooligan started kindergarten, my GI Joe was deployed, so I was at home with 5-, 3-, and 1-year-old kids.  Why did I think it was a good idea to make school bus sugar cookies for the first day of school?  Who knows?  I was probably in a befuddled state from exhaustion.  Whatever the reason, the kids remembered…and have expected them every year since.  Fortunately, the first couple of years, they asked me that morning if I’d have their cookies after school, so I had all day to get them made!


These are last year’s…I had help from Princess Thindercloud, so they’re not too professional looking. But they were very tasty.


Here’s a photo from the first year I made them.  And look, she was a Thundercloud even at 16 months.
If you’d like to start a tradition, or just make some for fun, here’s the recipe. 

Rolled Butter Cookies

Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract
2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Food color, if desired

Directions:

1. Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add orange juice and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.
2. Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).
3. Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough, one-third at a time, on lightly floured surface (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
4, Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute; remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
5. Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.

Click here for the printable version

Since I can’t find a bus cookie cutter, I draw a bus shape onto cardstock and cut it out.  Then I just trace around it with a very sharp knife to cut them out.  I only have to make three, after all!  I make them about 6” long and 3” high.

I make Royal Icing, using Wilton's recipe and meringue powder, for these cookies.  I love the buttercream recipe listed above, but this needs to harden for the hooligans.
 
Hope you enjoy them!

Snuggly Tag Blankies

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It seems I need small baby gifts frequently, for soldiers, coworkers, or friends.  And they seem to come in waves, so I needed something I can mass produce and be set for six months or so. Of course, I read there’s a Fifty Shades of Gray baby boom going on, with babies due in February, so who knows how many blankies I’ll need then!

I like to give these tag blankies for babies to use as teethers or tactile learners, along with a copy of one of our favorite books.  It makes a thoughtful, yet affordable, gift.


About ten years ago, “tag” things were all the rage…books, blankets, teething cloths, you name it.  I’m not sure if they’re still so prevalent, but I figured out how I could make them for next to nothing.  (In this case, next to nothing adds up to about $3, if I have to buy ribbons and can’t just pull from my stash.)

To make these, you’ll need some soft chenille-type microfleece.  One and a half yards of 60” wide fleece will make 6 blankets.  I always buy it on sale or with a 40% off coupon at Joann’s.  You’ll also need 10 or 12 different, closely wovan, fabric ribbons.  You’ll need two pieces of each, 4” long.

Cut two pieces of fleece 14”x14” for each blankie.  On the right side of one piece, fold each ribbon in half and pin he cut edges along the sides of the fleece.

I do this assembly line fashion, cutting everything then pinning all the squares.

Next, place another square of fleece right sides together with the ribbon pinned one.

Stitch around the edges, leaving a space about 3 inches or so not sewn.  Clip the corners, as shown above, then turn the blankie right side out, pulling the fabric through the unsewn part. Remove the pins, tuck the raw edges from the unsewn part inside, and topstitch around the entire square.


See?  I told you it was easy!  I try to make mine pretty unisex in color, since I make them to stock my gift trunk. You can make several of these in an afternoon (or an evening while watching mindless television) and when a baby is born, you’re ready to give a fabulous present!

Time for Tea and Cookies!

When I found these side-of-the-cup cookie cutters at World Market, I had to have them.  Had to, I tell you.  I’ve seen cookies all over the internet, hanging on the sides of mugs, but they involve cutting that notch out yourself.  These cutters make it so much simpler!

I'm picturing gingerbread stars on a mug of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate after sledding, or some pretty pink frosted hearts on a mug of steaming coffee during a date night movie.  And did I mention they were only $1.29 each?  What a bargain!


I made some Lemon Sable Cookies from the King Arthur Catalog, iced them, and placed them on the side of a glass of yummy Iced Passion Tea. It makes for a perfect afternoon snack on a hot summer day!


Here's the recipe on King Arthur's website, if you'd like to print it.

Lemon Sable Cookies

Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup almond flour or ground almonds
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt; Fleur de Sel is especially nice in this recipe
• 2 tablespoons lemon powder*
• 14 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 large egg white
• grated rind (zest) of 1 lemon
• *Or, for a less zesty cookie, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• coarse white sparkling sugar, for topping

Directions

1) Using a food processor or mixer, combine the flour, almond flour, sugar, salt, and lemon powder.
2) Add the butter, and process or mix until the mixture is crumbly.
3) Add the egg white, lemon juice (if you're using it) and grated rind, and process or mix until the dough comes together.
4) Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
5) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6) Roll the chilled dough 1/4" thick.
7) Using fluted cookie cutters about 2 1/2" in diameter, cut out as many cookies as possible, re-rolling the dough as needed. Space the cookies 1/2" apart on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets — you'll need a couple of pans.
8) Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until their edges begin to brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
9) For the glaze, stir together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth.
10) Brush a thin layer of glaze onto the surface of each cookie; garnish with sparkling sugar, if desired.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

I followed the recipe exactly, except that I dipped the tops of the cookies into the glaze, rather than brushing it on. The lemon powder is an amazing ingredient to keep in the pantry.  I love using it when I make shortbread, because it adds the zesty flavor without adding liquid, which would make your shortbread not so short.

These cookies are very much like shortbread, but not as dense.  They’re tender, crisp, and nice and lemony. Definitely a keeper!

Storytime Suite

Did you know Stampin’ Up! designs product suites, with coordinating stamp sets, designer papers, embellishments, and even dies?  Well, they do!  How thoughtful are they? And remember, you can shop 24/7 on my website...just click that button in the right sidebar! I'm thoughtful, too.

One of my favorites in the 2012-13 Annual Catalog, the Storytime Product Suite features vintage style school sketches and colors I love together:  Pool Party. Basic Gray, So Saffron, Ridinghood Red, Wild Wasabi, and Pumpkin Pie, along with several others.

Today, as I contemplated (with a large amount of glee, I admit) the fact that school starts in 27 days, I pulled out these products to design a few back-to-school projects.  The suite helps everything come together “speedy-quick,” as Junie B. Jones would say.  I’m sending the cards in back to school packages…I just can’t decide if the sentiments are more appropriate for the kids or their moms!

Stampin’ Up! Supplies:  Storybook Friends stamp set

Storytime DSP; Whisper White, So Saffron, and Basic Black Cardstock

Stazon Jet Black ink; Soft Suede, Ridinghood Red, and Pool Party Classic Inks

Label Collection Framelits; Aquapainter;  Wooden Skewer (not from SU!)

Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, and Real Red 1/8” Taffeta Ribbon

Stampin’ Up! supplies:  Storybrook Friends stamp set

Storytime DSP; Basic Black, Very Vanilla, and Pool Party Cardstock

Stazon Jet Black ink; Black Embossing Powder; RIdinghood Red, Wild Wasabi, and Pool Party Classic Ink

Label Collection and Apothecary Accents Framelits; 1/8” hole punch; Cherry Cobbler Bakers’ Twine

I’ve been wanting to try this splattered watercolor technique.  To do it, dip a paintbrush in a bit of ink, then in water, then tap the brush to make the splotches.  I practiced a few times on scrap paper, and I really like the interest it adds to the card.

Stampin’ Up! supplies:  Storybrook Friends stamp set; Storytime DSP; Basic Black Cardstock; Whisper White Craft Ink; White Embossing Powder; 1/8” hole punch; Cherry Cobbler Bakers’ Twine; Ticket Corner punch (retired); Red Polka Dot Ribbon (retired); Silver Eyelet        From craft store:  Clear paint bucket (in packaging/gift wrap section)

I love the border prints that are almost always included in the DSP collections.  Unfortunately, since I don’t make paper scrapbook pages any longer (I'm all digital, baby!), I sometimes struggle to use them.  This kid parade print was so adorable, I HAD to use it.  It makes a great teacher gift for the first day of school. 

I just cut a piece of the paper 5-3/4” tall, leaving it 12” long.  I rolled it into a tube and pressed it into the inside of the can.  It fit exactly, and took all of 30 seconds to make. It took seven dozen pencils to fill it, if you’re interested.

I’m pretty sure the teachers are not thinking “Hooray!” but too bad for them.  I certainly am!  Now if I could just find a Big Chief tablet to satisfy the nostalgic longing induced by using these stamps and papers!

Shazaam! Desk Redo

Just before school was out for the summer, the boys’ school had a few old desktops for sale at very reasonable prices, so I bought one.  Keyboarding is a challenge for our oldest, and I certainly am not crazy about letting him practice on my laptop or desktop. 

With this used computer, he can play practice games as well as games on CD.  He will not be able to access the internet, much to his chagrin.  Our internet here is a wireless card, where we pay by the usage for date.  Ack.  You can imagine how Lego and Netflix downloads would suck that up, if I didn’t have control over it!

But we needed a desk to put said computer on in his room.  We visited the local thrift shop back in June and found one that was perfect for our needs.  Sturdy and cheap. And not too large.  He picked paint colors (with a little guidance from the Stampin’ Up! Color Coach) and we bought sample sizes of a pale turquoise and a schoolhouse red. We also bought a craft size bottle of chalkboard paint for the top and new drawer pulls.


After we tried to give our kids e coli Sunday, I came home ready for a project.  We finally started on this one, and it went very quickly.


We painted it Sunday evening.  The hooligan got to help, since it’s for his room. Sadly, the only paintbrushes we could find were little sponge ones that I got 20 for $1 at Joanns.  But they worked fine.


Monday night, my GI Joe drilled some new holes for the top drawer handle, and we replaced the hardware.  Then an extra coat of the blackboard paint, just to make it thicker on top, and we were done.

I think it turned out wonderfully, especially since we spent less than $40 total for the desk and the supplies.  The drawer pulls cost more than the desk, by the way.

It reminded me of how much I enjoy refurbishing furniture…maybe I’ll add that to my list of things to fill my spare time!

Why I Didn’t Craft Today

So I didn’t get any crafting done today.  Why?  Well, I was busy being Mom’s Taxi Service, with kids at three different camps in two locations 20 miles apart. Sounds like fun, huh?  But it was only for today, not the whole week. Consequently, I am forcing you to see what we did Sunday to liven up our lives.


First, we went to our favorite Lake Michigan beach.  After ninety minutes of playing in the sand and splashing in the water, a lady out for a walk asked if we saw the “no swimming” sign.  Apparently there’s e coli in the water. We came home and scrubbed everyone, practically turning them inside out, and are hoping for the best. We rock this parenting thing.

In our defense, there was one small sign posted under the regular one that says no lifeguard on duty, no fires, etc.  It was red and said STOP in bold letters, but none of us even glanced that way as we headed down the trail to the beach. Oh, well.


See how (relatively) clean and shiny they look?  They inhaled some pushups on the front porch while discussing the various bugs and butterflies they could see from there. It was actually a peaceful ten minutes. Look how dry their little legs are from the showers…we used about a quart of lotion on them before bed.


And my GI Joe missed the peace because he was mowing the yard, which has made a heroic comeback from the drought.  We didn’t water this part a bit, and it grew so much the deer were out there grazing as if it were a meadow Saturday morning.


Oh, and I painted Princess Thundercloud’s toenails to match mine, in honor of the Olympics.  It’s hard to paint stripes on constantly moving toes, so don’t judge me.

Then I made an amazing, less-than-thirty minute meal with some Apple Gouda Chicken Sausage that wound up in my cart at Costco last week.  Those sample ladies know what they’re doing when they offer it to the kids! Then they pester me until I at least read the label.  These are actually pretty healthy, with no nitrites and all natural ingredients, as well as being fairly low in fat and high in protein.

Anyway, here’s the recipe I found and tried.  It was delicious enough that all three kids and the hubs stressed that they really liked it and would like it another time. They know if they don’t, we’ll probably never see that recipe again.

Chicken Sausage with Couscous

*Note: I like to use Trader Joe's whole wheat couscous. When I cook it, I use chicken broth instead of water to give it a boost in flavor.
*Serves 4-6
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces precooked sweet apple chicken sausages, or other type sausage/kielbasa, cut in 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dry whole wheat couscous

Start the couscous cooking according to the package directions. I like to cook the couscous in chicken broth to give it a boost in flavor.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet (12-inch), toast the pine nuts over medium-low to medium heat, tossing frequently, until they are golden. Remove the pine nuts to a small bowl and return the skillet to medium heat.

Heat the olive oil until rippling and hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken sausage and brown lightly, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet with the salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, coriander and curry powder. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the onion is very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated and/or absorbed. It should still be slightly wet but not soupy.

Add the cranberries and the remaining chicken broth (2/3 cup) to the skillet. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cranberries are heated through and softened a bit. Stir in the cooked couscous and let the entire mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the couscous is not dry. It should still have some tender moisture to it but not be saturated with broth.

Stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.

It’s from Mel's Cafe Kitchen.  You can find the printable there.  I doubled all the spices, except salt and pepper, and diced my onion instead of slicing it.  It sounds like a lot of ingredients, but it really was very quick and easy to make, 

So your takeaways from this post:
1. Read the signs at the beach and don’t be bad parents like us.
2. The chemicals in pushups will probably kill any bacteria that the scrubbing didn’t.
3. You, too, can have patriotic toes!
4.  This recipe really is a keeper…it was light enough for a summer dish, but the flavors would be fabulous in the fall, as well. From Googling recipes to serving it up, it took less than thirty minutes.