BML Guest Post - Jocelyn from Inside BruCrew Life

Hey, Scrap Shoppe readers,

Jocelyn from Inside BruCrew Life here. I am so happy to be back here sharing a fun recipe with you again. Thank you to Michele for having guest posters while she is spending time with her sweet new baby!!!

Does anyone remember the new Twix bars that came out last year? The Java Twix? Oh my goodness, they quickly became my favorite candy bar...and now...I can't find them anywhere. Well, I decided to jazz up a homemade twix bar recipe. Any reason to get into the kitchen and bake up a storm. These turned out pretty tasty:-) I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Homemade Java Twix Bars

Crust:

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. butter; room temp

1 tbsp. hot water

2 tsp. instant coffee



Caramel:

1 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

4 Tbsp. corn syrup

1 c. sweetened condensed milk



Preheat the oven to 350* Dissolve the instant coffee in the water. Crumble all the crust ingredients together. Press into 13x9 inch pan that has been sprayed with baking spray. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes. Place all the caramel ingredients in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let it burn! Remove from heat. Stir with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening. Pour over the crust and let it cool.



Chocolate layer:

2 c. chocolate chips

2 tbsp. shortening



Melt the chips and shortening over low heat or in the microwave. Pour over caramel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into bars.



Thank you so much for letting me share my sugar obsession with you today. Please stop by my blog...just don't judge me when you see how many sugar treats I make each week:-)

Jocelyn

BML Guest Post - Crystal from Green Zebra Crafts

Stamped Pillar Candles


Hello! My name is Crystal and I am excited to be able to guest post today! I am an avid crafter and have been creating things since my early childhood. My favorite things to create are handmade home decor, handmade accessories and scrapbook layouts. You are invited to follow me on my blog at GreenZebraCrafts; where I am giving away free printable Birthday and Thank You cards.


I hope you like my tutorial on how to create your own custom candles. I made these for gifts at Christmas time and everyone thought they were so cool I decided a tutorial would be a good idea. It’s an awesome way to create any look you want on a candle!

Supplies: Any Background Stamp Pillar Candle – Cream or White Tissue Paper Stazon Ink Pad - Black Distress Ink Heat Gun Wax Paper

Directions:

1. Cut a piece of tissue paper that will be the height of your candle and will fully wrap around the candle.
2. Ink up your background stamp with black stazon ink and stamp on the tissue paper.  You will continuously stamp all over the paper till it’s covered. I don’t think it has to be perfect… If you look at mine closely, you will see it’s lighter in some areas.

3. If you want to "age" the paper then carefully sponge on with distress ink.  I used Ranger's Inkssentials Blending Tool . Since the tissue paper is very fragile you will want to do this carefully.  I "aged" the opposite side that I stamped on.

4. Wrap the stamped tissue paper tightly (without ripping) around the candle and then wrap a piece of wax paper over that.  The wax paper does not need to be the exact size of the tissue paper.  It can be slightly larger.  Hold this in place. (To help hold it in place, I took a straight pin and pinned the wax paper and tissue paper together)

5. Turn on your heat gun and let it heat up for a few seconds.  Then start heating the candle till the wax starts to melt.  You will see your stamped image start to get darker as the tissue paper melts into the candle. (It will look wet) Keep moving the heat gun till the entire candle looks this way.  It should just take a few seconds. You don't want to melt the candle too much in any one spot so keep your heat gun moving.
6. Now remove the piece of wax paper.  You can use it to smooth out any possible drips while the candle is still warm.

I added Swarovski Crystals to mine in random spots. I think it adds a touch of elegance to it.

That's all there is to it. You can use all kind of background stamps or colors…What a cheap and easy way to customize a candle.

I used a harlequin stamp for the other candle, then added silver stickles to the center of the diamonds.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and will try a candle or two out for yourself!


Crystal :)

GreenZebraCrafts

BML Guest Post - Alison from Oopsey Daisy

Hello, my friends!  

My name is Alison, and my little blogging home is called Oopsey Daisy.

 

I am the queen of oopsies.  I love to create beautiful things, and I usually stumble a bit (or a lot!) along the way.  My blog tells the twists and turns of my crafting journeys.  I draw upon my teaching experience to make fun things for my sweet 2-year-old Little Man.  I also love sewing, cooking/baking, and decorating a bit for our new home.

Michele has got to be one of the sweetest people I know.  She is a true friend, and I am thrilled that she is welcoming another baby boy into her family!  Today I wanted to share a project that Michele inspired!  As I was preparing for this post, I realized that I had 4 or 5 friends all expecting boys this spring.  So guess what I will be giving these brand new bouncing baby boys?!

 Introducing the tuxedo onesie! This is my new favorite go-to baby gift. Come along with me and see how to make your own...

 

The hardest part of this entire project was coming up with a tuxedo silhouette.  I searched Google images, and came up with nothing.  So I designed my very first silhouette inside of Photoshop!  This may not sound difficult, but it was no small feat for me.  

Next, I imported my silhouette design into my Sure Cuts a Lot software.  When using heat transfer vinyl, you actually create a mirror image of your original before you cut it.  I was careful to measure the onesies and make the tuxedos fit accordingly.

 I connected my Cricut to my computer, and cut the tuxedo silhouettes out of this flocked heat transfer vinyl.  (I am totally head over heels over this vinyl, by the way!  It has a nice, fuzzy feel to it!)

 After peeling away the excess vinyl, here is the tuxedo shape left.

 

 I followed the directions to carefully iron the vinyl onto the onesie.

 All done!  Now the only thing missing was a bow tie, of course!

 After vinyl, felt is my next favorite thing!  I cut a bow tie shape out of red felt, and attached it to the onesie using Wonder Under.  I debated about sewing the felt down, but decided to stitch all the way around it just to be safe! I wanted these onesies to withstand the washing machine! 

 Now our little guys can pull off dressy in a casual sort of way!  Doesn't my nephew make a darling model?!

 

 Michele, you are a gem!  Thank you for having me over at your place today!  Enjoy that sweet baby boy of yours!

 

oopsey-daisy.blogspot.com

Twitter:  @OopseyDaisy917

BML Guest Post - Holly from 504 Main

Hey there! I am Holly and I typically can be found hanging out on Main Street - 504 Main that is...and I also hang out at The DIY Club. BUT, today, I am beyond excited to be visiting The Scrap Shoppe and helping Michele take a baby break! I do all kinds of crafting and DIYing over there (I also cook, bake, and chat about other fun stuff).

I have been fascinated with discovering new techniques and mediums sine I attended The Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show in January. So, I thought I would show you a little set of canvases I made using some of these cool products.

SUPPLIES

(I have named the particular brands/products I used, but you can use this process on many different designs - be creative!)

• 3 Canvases, different sizes. The sizes I used are: 2-9"x6" and 1-8"x6"
• 3 colors DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint: Bahama Blue; Melon; Wild Orchid (any colors will do...just select 3 colors that compliment each other)
• Snow-Tex (by DecoArt)
• Cutting Edge Stencil, Style: Spring Songbird (any branch like stencil will do, this one I had on hand and love and it is big, so I only needed to lay it down once and was done)
• Elegant Finishes; Shimmering Silver DecoArt
• Glazing Medium, DecoArt
• Butterfly stencil or shape (you can find or create a shape, I traced a butterfly from a shape I had)
• Paper plate
• Paint brushes
• Old credit or store card (or palette knife)

DIY IT!

1. Layout canvases in the look you want and determine which color will go where; then PAINT each canvas the correct color (fronts and sides).

2. Once dry, trace butterfly (a bird would be super cute too) in desired position.

• I used an asymmetrical style, so none of my butterflies are centered, etc.
• When the canvases are all laying their in their desired layout it makes it easy to determine placement.

3. Match up butterfly colors to canvas colors - one color canvas and a different color butterfly (of butterflies).

  

4. Paint butterflies and let dry.

NOTE: I almost glazed the canvas here with white acrylic paint/glazing medium mixture. Which would look awesome too!

For a different look you could do this and skip Step 10.

5. KEEP the canvases in their preferred layout/hanging sequence. Place stencil on the canvases and tape or secure. I used painters tape and loosely taped the stencil down to the table.

6. Stir up the SnowTex and grab the old credit/store card. I use a palette knife to scoop out the SnowTex onto my card.

7. Holding the stencil in place (but don't push down too hard - the canvas will depress and paint will get under the stencil...I may have done that on occasion - just sayin').

• Use a swiping motion to drag the Snow-Tex across the stencil filling in the open areas on the canvas. You may need to reload the Snow-Tex to complete the job.
• Just go lightly and smoothly across the stencil.
• This can be a little messy, but let me tell you I am a messy crafter and I am unscathed.
• The snow-Tex gives the coolest texture - LOVE!

8. When finished remove stencil and clean immediately with warm water and soap.

Let the SnowTex dry...depending on how thick you got it (and where you live), it may take a while, a few hours to overnight.

9. Once dry, I actually liked the clean look of the trio at this point. It was pretty and simple and such happy colors...but I can never leave anything alone....

10. Using Elegant Finish in Shimmering Silver, mixed with Glazing Medium (1:1), I brushed on the glaze all over the canvases and branches. Then wiped off using baby wipes (a damp rag or towel will do). I went back and re-applied the glaze in a few other areas as well - wipe off and let dry.

So I love the glaze on this project, but you can totally achieve a different look without it at all. This is simple DIY art that has great impact because of the layers and textures. My daughter love sit and well, that is good, because that is where it's going...her room!

Happy Easter! & Guesting Posting

HAPPY EASTER!

I hope everyone is off to a great Easter Sunday! We had a great egg hunt this morning. It was our first one! Our little guy just LOVED finding all of the Easter eggs! Then it was on to the hunt for the Easter baskets. Lots of excitement there!

It also happens to be my husband's birthday today.

(Happy Birthday, dear!)

He is a BIG fan of PEEPS so I made him this little treat

Its a s'mores trifle! Yum!

I thought the PEEPS were the prefect addition since his birthday falls on Easter this year.

If anyone is interested in the recipe I will post it next Sunday. It is REALLY yummy.

And, I wanted to let you know I am visiting Gail over at My Repurposed Life today!

I'm sharing my chalkboard bunting tutorial. If you've already seen it here, still go check it out and see how I used it to decorate for Easter!

And, finally, I wanted to leave you with this awesome photo my husband took of our boys.

♥♥♥

Happy Easter, friends!

BML Guest Post - Angie from The Country Chic Cottage

Hello all!  I am Angie with The Country Chic Cottage and I am thrilled to be here on The Scrap Shoppe!  Michele -- I hope you are having a wonderful maternity leave!!  I really needed a new centerpiece for my table for spring.  So this is what I came up with...

Ready to add some blooms to your table?  I started with a milk glass hobnail planter...cause well I heart hobnail! :)

Stuff in some styrofoam...just any you have laying around will do.

Push in some sticks out of the yard.  Now if you are counting...I have five sticks and my finished product only has 4...I abandoned the fifth stick cause I did not like it...

I needed something "mossy" to cover up my styrofoam.  Do you wanna guess what this is??  No guesses??  It is a felted wool sweater cut into squares.  You can just hot glue the center of the squares down in your styrofoam.  Gorgeous mossy green...

Now I had these fake vines...yep they are plastic!

I just wrapped them up and down my sticks...

And I wrapped til I liked the look.  I left a few stragglers to hang off the side of the pot.

Now for the tissue paper flowers I just cut two squares of golden yellow tissue paper...

Put them together like so....

Gather the center together with your hand.

And apparently I have a hard time taking pics of this step cause I tried many times! :)  But just squeeze the bottom really tight and twist some to hold.

Then just arrange your blooms on your twigs and glue!  Easy as can be!

Love those yellow blooms for spring!  And the green "moss" really makes them pop!

Rustic with a touch of elegance!

Y'all head on over to my blog for even more great tutorials and posts! 

Rose Petal Chandy

Burlap and Ribbon Pillows

Plus oh so much more!  Come and join us at the cottage anytime! 
Thanks again Michele for having me!
~Angie~