Craft Envy: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice

One of my favorite things about Fall is the food! I LOVE LOVE LOVE pumpkin...and Harry Potter. My husband and I actually got to go to Harry Potter World last year and had the Pumpkin Juice. I swore I would learn how to make it because it was that amazing. I've played with a few recipes and this is what {I think} tastes the most like the real deal. I hope you like it!!!

Ingredients:
2 cups of Pumpkin Pie Filling (spices are included!)
3 cups of Apple juice
1 cup of Pineapple juice
1 teaspoon of honey
Additional Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and/or Allspice (optional if using Pumpkin Pie Filling)

Directions:
1. Pour the pumpkin and pineapple juice in blender and blend well.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir in a pitcher.
3. Add more spices to taste if you'd like, but we liked it just fine with the pumpkin pie filling.
4. Chill...then chug away!

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy, Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative, DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse,

Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee, Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,

Thursday:Someday Crafts, The Thrifty Home, Someday Giveaway

Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy, 733, Shabby Cottage, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days, Shabby Nest,

Hodgepodge Friday, Fun To Craft, Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Sweet Home,

Chic On a Shoe String, Kojo Designs.

Saturday: Show and Tell, I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.

Saturday Spotlight #103

WELCOME!!!

This week I shared my Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Sandwiches. They make for a super yummy lunch (or dinner)!

Highlights from last week's link up party!

Fall Decor Idea's including this wreath from Kamiski's Creations!

20 Yummy Pumpkin Treats To Try by Second Chance to Dream!

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Sandwiches

Now this is a recipe that you're gonna wanna throw into your family cook book! My brother's fiance cooked these up one day and we couldn't believe how YUMMY these babies are! So seriously, you gotta give this recipe a shot. It's for your own good.

Ingredients
1/4 c light cream cheese
2 T. tomato Paste
1 T finely chopped fresh basil 9or 1/2 t dried)
1/4 t. black peper
1/4 t garlic powder
4 2% milk american cheese or sharp cheddar
8 slices light white bread

Directions
Place the cream cheese, tomato paste, basil, sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl and mix.
Spread a heaping tablespoon of tomato spread on one slice of bread. Add sliced cheese and other slice of bread.
Spray a non stick skilled with cooking spray and cook sandwich over medium heat. Flip when bread is golden brown (2-3 minutes). Remove when cheese is melted.

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy, Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative, DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse,

Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee, Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,

Thursday:Someday Crafts, The Thrifty Home, Someday Giveaway

Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy, 733, Shabby Cottage, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days, Shabby Nest,

Hodgepodge Friday, Fun To Craft, Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Sweet Home,

Chic On a Shoe String, Kojo Designs.

Saturday: Show and Tell, I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.

Saturday Spotlight #102

Welcome back to the link up party!

Here's what I shared this week, my Family Command Center:

A highlight from last weeks link up:

This Halloween Spider Wreath from Pandora's Craft Box:

Family Command Center

I have been wanting to do this for A LONG time. And my family has been giving me crap over it, apparently they've never heard of a "family command center" because they kept referring to it as "the space command center," and something else that had to do with space...

But I'm so happy to have finally finished it!

I feel so much more organized :)

What's included:

1. My dry erase calendar with Say It On The Wall Vinyl, and decorative tissue paper backing.

2. Two dry erase boards made from 4x6 frames, spray painted white, with polka dot paper. One is a "To Do" list and the other is a "Grocery List".

3. Another white frame with a clip that I Super Glued to the glass of the frame and added a sticky note-pad.

4. Mail holder (made from recycled boxes).

5. My Birthday Calendar (far right).

6. A pencil holder made from a tin can, with scrapbook paper wrapped around it, and hung with twine.

7. And my newest craft!...Corkboard from an antique frame. This is one of my favorite elements of the whole command center. :)

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy, Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative, DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse,

Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee, Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,

Thursday:Someday Crafts, The Thrifty Home, Someday Giveaway

Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy, 733, Shabby Cottage, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days, Shabby Nest,

Hodgepodge Friday, Fun To Craft, Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Sweet Home,

Chic On a Shoe String, Kojo Designs.

Saturday: Show and Tell, I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.

Saturday Spotlight #101

Thanks to everyone who linked up last week and celebrated our 100th link up by entering the giveaway! It seems we have ourselves a winner...

Congratulations to...

Michelle J.September 13, 2012 10:57 PM

I'd love the I am a Child of God sign!

And here are some highlights from our 100th link up party!

An adorable boy's nursery by Pampered Daughter Thrifty Wife.

Lots of fall decor ideas over at Kaminski's Creations!

I'm LOVING this towel holder made from a cabinet door by Garbage to Glam.

Saturday Spotlight #100 & Say It On The Wall Giveaway

YAY!!!

Wow, one hundred linky parties. That's....a lot.

And what better way to celebrate than to say THANK YOU to my amazing readers with a giveaway?!

How about a $25 gift certificate to Say It On The Wall!

I gotta say, I'm a big fan.

Check out this dry erase calendar I was able to throw together with some Say It On The Wall Vinyl:

1. Frame: I got this beauty at a local thrift store for two bucks. A steal no doubt, I just added some gray spray paint and she was perfect!
2. Backing: Dollar store tissue paper. Seriously. I'm loving how it turned out.
3. Month Tag: Cut out from my Silhouette with some added ribbon.
4. Vinyl: from Say It On The Wall.

All the materials (minus the vinyl) for this project costed a mere $3.50!

TO ENTER:
1. Be a Craft Envy Follower
2. Become a fan of Say It On the Wall on Facebook
3. Visit the Say It On The Wall Site and leave a comment telling us what you'd buy if you won!

***Giveaway ends friday at 10pm mdt.***

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy, Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative, DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse,

Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee, Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,

Thursday:Someday Crafts, The Thrifty Home, Someday Giveaway

Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy, 733, Shabby Cottage, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days, Shabby Nest,

Hodgepodge Friday, Fun To Craft, Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Sweet Home,

Chic On a Shoe String, Kojo Designs.

Saturday: Show and Tell, I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.

Chewy Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

So I realized I have a problem. I have a hard time with moderation. For example, my last five or so blog posts have been about food. And if you look at all the posts before, there is NO food. Just ALL crafts...for a long time. I get my head into something and get a little obsessive. So yes, right now I'm obsessed with cooking. But I do have some good crafty things coming up soon! So bear with my obsessive behaviors! ;)

But you should be pleased to know, these baby's are DELISH!!! I came up with this recipe while looking at all kinds of recipes for pumpkin granola bars. I combined a few ideas together to come up with a bar that had all the things I was looking for 1)chewiness, 2)pumpkin spices, 3) and CHOCOLATE!

Chewy Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

1 1/2 cups oats, 1/2 ground oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup honey (or agave)
1/2 tsp. molasses (optional)
3 tbsp. maple syrup (I used sugar free)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup almonds, chopped
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (for crunchy 325). Grind 1/2 cup of your oats into a magic bullet or food processor until about the consistency of flour. Combine the 1 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup oat flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

2. In another mixing bowl, combine 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup honey, 3 tbsp. maple syrup, and 1 tsp. vanilla, and molasses (optional). Whisk until smooth and add to dry ingredients. Stir until dry ingredients are mixed into the wet ingredients. Add in your chocolate chips, almonds, and dried cranberries.

3. Grease a 9×9 pan. Using your hands, press the granola mixture into the pan. Bake oven for 20 minutes (maybe less if you're baking them at 325 for crunchiness). Allow time to cool before cutting. Cut into 12 small bars and enjoy!

This recipe is for chewy granola bars. If you like 'em crispy, try upping your oven temp to about 325 degrees.

NOW GO MAKE SOME!