TUTORIAL: All-Butter Pastry Crust

I'm splitting my mini freezer pie tutorial into two posts, because I have more plans for this pastry crust in future treat posts. Plus I love being able to just link back to previous posts, don't you?

Ok. This is a ridiculously easy pastry crust. Seriously! Takes about 5 minutes and you probably have everything you'll need to make it. No funky ingredients required!

Here we go.

All-Butter Pastry Crust:

2 C flour

11 T unsalted butter (the good stuff) straight from the fridge

1/4 t salt

4-5 T ice water

See? The only thing you might not have is butter. If you don't have butter, you're not living a happy life. Get thee to Costco, sinner!

On to the photos, then?

Step 1:
Measure the flour and salt into a medium sized mixing bowl. Dice the cold butter into small chunks and chuck it in with the flour/salt mix.

Step 2:

Cut the butter into the flour like so until you have a great crumbly party going on.

Step 3:

While mixing with a fork, add ice water 1 T at a time. Don't add too much water; you want a crumbly dough or you'll end up with tough crust.

Step 4:

Pat the crust into a ball, wrap it up and pop it in the fridge until you're ready to use it!

Voila! You have a fabulous pastry crust ready to go.

Can't claim this recipe as my own. I got this crust from Our Best Bites and have used it successfully many times. Except for the time I added too much water...but even then it was good. Just kinda chewy.

Now get crusting!

Mini Freezer Pies Teaser

Tonight I'm making a big batch of these little babies:


Yes. That's a tiny, single-serving peach pie and it is SO delicious! These baby pies are freezable and very simple to make. Naturally, I always eat them hot and a la mode (who wouldn't?).

I thought I'd just give you a little something to crave for now, but check back soon for my step-by-step photo how-to!

Bakin' it up,

GIVEAWAY!!! Because I like you.

I never really introduced myself, or told you all how happy I am that you found me and Sassy. I have been wanting to document the art of creation and the start of inspiration somehow for a long time. The blogging world sucked me in, and now? Well you see it yourself. This isn't just a blog, it is a place to go to get away from the bustling bullying world.

By now you can tell that I love to make any and everything!

Just in case you want to know a little more I came up with a few tell-alls:

Things that I love! In no particular order...

JEWELRY, clothing, fabric, ART, hot glue, THREAD, my kids - but not ALL kids, MOVIES, accessories, pretending, ribbon, FASHION, cheese, BEADS, babies, my husband, paint - more particularly SPRAY PAINT, hammers, wire, google, SHOPPING, re purposing, reality TV, SHOES, chocolate, diet coke, PAPER, lace, photoshop

Things that I don't love :(

dogs (sorry - but I do like puppies!), spiders, following directions, trying on clothes, barbies, WASTING TIME, jogging, SEWING BUTTON HOLES, unsolicited advice - unless I read it somewhere cool like You Tube, reading, HEMMING PANTS (which is too bad since I am short), sushi, energy drinks

Things that I want!

MORE TIME, less debt, more self control (darn carbs), A GOOD PAIR OF JEANS, something no one else has, LONG HAIR, good cursive writing, a VACATION somewhere new, more room for my stuff, less hobbies, new hobbies, more skills, a swimsuit body

Things that I have

short hair, short legs, CUTE KIDS, strong fingernails, man arms (from lifting my cute kids), a gut feeling I can trust, IMAGINATION, love for life, addiction to cutting things, more addiction to glue, drama queen daughters, a husband that supports my craft, MORE THAN ONE CRAFT, and a very colorful world!

Now that you know more about me, I want to know more about you! What is your favorite hobby, what is your favorite material to create with, what kinds of projects would you like Sassy and I to include in our blogging place of escape?

Leave a comment with an answer to one of the above questions and you might win these...

Pin them on jackets, purses, headbands, anything you need spiffed it up!

Just because we love you!

The winner will be picked Friday FEBRUARY 19, 2010.

Look for the winner Saturday morning!

Have a great weekend and a more fantastic Valentines Day with the ones you love,

Cheers,

Cut It Out - More Valentines Day Cards!

You know every child LOVES pop up books. I am almost positive that most adults like them too.

Here's you chance to make a pop-up style card! You won't even care if your little one tries to rip the heart off of the page because it is close to free to make it.

What you'll need:

Pencil

Scissors

Plain paper

Cute Paper

Exacto knife

You can probably figure out what to do by the pictures. But just in case...

First use your plain paper to make your own heart shape.

Best way is the kindergarten fold. You know, fold in half and cut out a half heart shape along the fold. This makes sure that both sides are identical.

Cut your fancy paper the size you want your card. You can make it as small or GINORMOUS as you want! Fold your fancy paper in half, on the inside you will trace your heart shape onto your cute paper. I put the top of my heart toward the center crease. Use an Exacto knife to cut it out, but leave somewhere for the paper to stay attached. I left the two rounded tops of the heart on mine.

Make sure you fold it upward and press firmly. Even use your finger nails to make a nice crease.

You want it to pop up don't you?

Write something inside!

It is fun to do a theme (look closely, there are guitars inside my "You Rock" card)

This may be close to your last chance to make something for Valentines Day. Go to it!

Cheers,

WRITTEN TUTORIAL: Valentine Brownie Pops!

You want a super cute treat to gift with Pepper's fancy homemade Valentines?

Behold, brownie pops:

These make such cute Valentine's Day treats, and believe it or not they are incredibly easy to make. I'm not as brilliant as Pepper and forgot to take pictures throughout my brownie poppin' process, but I've written it all down for you!

Here's what it takes:

Ingredients (to make approx. 20 pops):
1 box of brownie mix
1 packet of sucker sticks
1 brick of white bark coating (baking aisle--Kroger brand was yummy)
Red food dye
A piping bag
Some happy ribbon, if you feel like making it all cutsie

Directions:
Bake the brownies as directed. I actually baked them for about 5 minutes less than directed so they would be nice and fudgy. And extra delish.

Once the brownies have cooled off enough to not burn your hands (lesson learned), grab little chunks and roll them into...umm...bouncy ball sized balls? Whatever. Just make some brownie balls. Stick them on a cookie sheet, shove a sucker stick in each ball and pop them into your freezer for 10-15 minutes to set.

While the brownie balls are cooling in the freezer, melt 4-5 cubes of your candy coating (or about a cup of the little discs). I used a Wilton Chocolate Melting Pot and it was fab.

The next step is easy. Eat the brownies.

Oh wait! Sorry. Only eat the ones that don't look like they want to stay on their sticks.

The real next step is: dip the brownies in the candy coating. It should only take one good dip and swirl to cover the whole brownie. Set the covered pops on some wax paper to harden.

I made little swirls on my pops by coloring my excess candy coating with a few drops of red food dye. Then I spooned the pink coating into a piping bag and squeezed it onto the pops with one hand while I turned them in circles with the other. (I tried dots, but the pops ended up looking like those medieval head basher balls. I'm sure you could make tiny hearts if you felt like one-upping me though!)

That's it! Easy schmeasy. Hope you love 'em! Good luck not eating the whole batch...

Your chocolate-lovin' sister-from-another-mister,

TUTORIAL Stitches of Love Valentines Cards...

After a recent conversation with Sassy, we realized that giving a card really shows you love someone because they are SO DARN EXPENSIVE! A solution arrived in my brain only moments later. Home made cards will show twice the love because it is more thoughtful and made by you! (Or me in this case). :)

Hold on to your seats girls, this tutorial is crazy.

What you will need:

Sewing Machine

Thread

Scissors

Fancy scissors (If you have 'em)

Card stock

Fancy Paper

To start, cut your paper to card size. Take an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of card stock and cut in in half. When you fold each of those smaller pieces in half you have the perfect size card that will fit in an invitation sized envelope. But don't fold it just yet!

Also, cut some hearts or shapes to embellish with. I even cut a square to write on inside my card. Feel free to use your fancy scissors for your shapes or for your card!

This is the Crazy part. Take a breath.

You are going to sew right onto the paper! Please don't squeal. It is just fine. Your machine will love how easy a job this is, I promise.

Once you sew your design, turn it over. The opposite side is just as pretty as the front, so you now have a choice of which one will become the front of your card.

If you chose to use fancy paper for your card, you may need to create a space to write a love note inside. I simply cut a square with my fancy scissors and sewed it right inside.

Straight lines is all you need to know how to sew!

Okay, I got a little carried away.

But with paper you can slip and slide it all around under your needle!

The worst that could happen is that the paper rips a little.

I practiced once or twice before I got a good swirl.

If you are someone I love, you may be lucky enough to get one of these in the next week or so. :)

Now, write your special message inside! If you don't have much to say then make a smaller space to write on when you are preparing your card. Sometimes love is spoken best in fewer words anyway.

Wait! I have no sewing skills or machine!!!

Aren't "sew" crazy about the idea of using a sewing machine? You know how to use glue right? First glue your shapes on, and then just cheat:

Use a marker or glitter pen and draw your stitches!

Voila!

Home made and full of love.

Cheers,

Initial here.

Initials, Letters, Names. They are all the rage.

Not only is it fun and completely adorable, it says a lot about who or what you love.

Where do you mark your territory?

Large letters on walls in place of photographs or artwork

can let others know that you are proud of who you are!

Necklaces everywhere offer you the chance to think about

who ever you are wearing through out the day!

Do your children share a room?

Tiny framed initials can help segregate their little areas.

They will love the idea of making their own space,

and they will love you for thinking about them!

It is so great that it serves a rare stylish educational opportunity.

Show your children that you love letters and they will love them too!

Don't stop with just one! Do all three initials, or their whole name.

Custom make your own or buy them somewhere cute like Land of Nod.

Don't be afraid to show off what's yours...

Cheers,