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Posts made in June, 2012
Always on the hunt for meals that the whole family will love, The Crafty Collaborative just had to try it out!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and check out the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: To make a delicious dinner while trying to replicate the tasty P.F. Chang’s Mongolian beef.
Details:
- Tasty ingredients
- Sauté pan
- Wok
- Oil
- Messy kitchen (during the cooking!)
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I replaced cornstarch with flour – at 2 T. flour to 1 T. cornstarch. It worked fairly well, but seemed to be a bit thicker than cornstarch would have been.
In addition, we love sautéed vegetables and I always have fresh veggies on-hand, so we made a mix of bell peppers and radishes as a side to this tasty entre.
Pros:
Easy to make – even for those faint of heart in the kitchen.
Relatively inexpensive for a family of four – cost under $25.00 total.
Cons:
Required a few ingredients that some may not have on hand – i.e. fresh ginger. But, such a key ingredient!
Conclusion:
This dinner turned out fabulous! It was a fairly easy process for preparing and cooking and was easy to pair with sautéed vegetables. My hubby LOVED this dinner. The sauce was spectacular! I’m so excited that we have leftovers! I plan to make this again for sure!!!
Reviewer #2 - Amanda
Mission: The goal was to test the theory that this dish is a good as the one served at P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef.
Details:
- I decided to use pork loin instead of beef (in my kitchen – I am the cook and since I don’t “do” beef no one I am serving does either)
- I only used half the amount of oil required to cook the meat (1/2 cup)
- I also doubled the sauce recipe in part because I am lazy and I also hate wasting fresh ingredients like ginger and garlic
- I did not put the dish in the oven to warm through after adding the sauce and green onions. Instead I warmed the entire dish in the pan I cooked the meat in (I poured out the oil and wiped the pan out first).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It is no joke that the garlic and ginger will burn brown VERY quickly if you don’t have the liquids ready to toss into the pan within seconds of putting the garlic and ginger into the oil. Also, dredge or coat the meat in small portions otherwise all your meat sticks together. Don’t cut the meat too thin either. I started with a serrated knife because I thought my other knives would be too dull. It caused the initial pieces to be far too small.
Pros:
The sauce was really simple and it will be great to have it for yet another meal since I doubled it. The meat got nice and crispy which added dimension to the dish.
Cons:
My children didn’t like it but that isn’t saying much since they are kids after all with unrefined pallets.
Conclusion:
This dish was fairly simple and REALLY delish! I think it could actually be great on chicken and even shrimp.
Reviewer #3 - Kristy
Mission: I love Beef and PF Chang’s so this was a perfect recipe for me. I try my best to eat Paleo friendly/gluten free when I can so I substituted and changed the recipe to better fit! I found PF Chang’s complimentary recipe for Gluten Free Mongolian Beef so I went for it. Both recipes seemed easy to follow just a few changes to meet my dietary needs.
Details:
- Instead of flank steak, I used 12 oz of beef tenderloin, which cut quite nicely and tasted even better.
- I browned my meat in sunflower seed oil instead of vegetable oil from original version. Gluten free version called for soy bean oil…which I didn’t have so I used what I had.
- I tossed in garlic with the beef then the soy, wine, sugar mixture. Now here is where I may have gone wrong, I assumed rice wine vinegar and not rice wine. I am still not sure if that was a correct assumption.
- I also used 2 tbsp. regular sugar instead of brown sugar, I wish I would have eliminated all together.
- I used a natural soy sauce alternative instead of regular soy sauce.
- The mixture was then reduced and tossed with green onions. Looked delicious but some of the changes must have affected the outcome.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be sure your phone is camera and not record, ha!
Better meat equals a better dish!
Pros:
It was really easy! Simple steps so not many to mess up! It’s my kind of cooking…cut, mix and throw in the pot.
Cons:
Sugar, I wasn’t sure if the gluten version wanted brown sugar or regular sugar, next time I should call PF Changs!
Conclusion:
Overall, the recipe was very tasty, the beef was surprisingly tender. My finance found it was too salty. I think this was because of the soy sauce. I eyeballed it and I think I will measure next time.
We definitely, had different taste buds, I thought it was too sweet, so I would definitely eliminate the sugar next time or I think using a teaspoon of honey would have definitely been better than using sugar.
I will be making this again, it was really easy and fun to make!
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After seeing her cute creations, we were inspired to start stitching!
Please click here to visit Heather Hales Designs and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: A cute last minute gift? Here, here!
Details:
I didn’t use wool felt for the entire project, as recommended. I chose a white cotton canvas for the top. I used baby blue polyester felt for the backing instead of wool felt because JoAnn rearranged their entire store and I was having a meltdown and just had to get out of there.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure that you select a pattern that can be easily stitched after you resize it. I made a vintage pattern really tiny, then realized that was not such a great idea when I tried to do some of the stitches.
Pros:
This was easy, and i am happy with the finished product!
Cons:
Only easy if you have all of the equipment handy… if you’re not set up to sew on demand, then this might be a bigger project than you signed up for.
Conclusion:
I liked this little project. I enjoy embroidery and sewing, so this was a quick, happy project for me to do. I am looking forward to using this as a binder band, and making one or two for gifts as well!
Reviewer #2 – Sarah
Mission: To try embroidery for the first time and hone in on my sewing skills.
Details:
- Elastic
- Embroidery Floss
- Embroidery Pattern
- Felt
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Not sure I have any to share.
Pros:
When complete, a super cute and handy tool!
Cons:
Definitely a craft project for the more skilled…or patient-minded kind 
Conclusion:
Let’s just say this one was challenging for me! First off…for those of you that can embroider – I bow down to you. I definitely gave it a try and would LOVE to be better at this some day as I always ogle over the beautiful embroidery work I see out and about.
In addition, I was challenged even further as my sewing machine was having technical difficulties, so I had to hand-stitch the elastic and felt pieces together, which I am horrible at and it shows. All in all, I’m not overly happy with the outcome of this project, but want to try it again as I envisioned this as a darling craft!
Loved the idea of this craft – just not the execution I ended up with. Maybe next time!
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The gals of The Crafty Collaborative don’t often pass up a great cocktail! We just had to test this one out!
Please click here to visit Nutrition to invigorate Mind, Body & Spirit and see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Amanda
Mission: Create a delightful pitcher of sweet, slightly bubbly White Sangria
Details:
I chose two fairly cheap bottles of wine. The Souvingon Blanc was Anekena from Chile and was $10 at my local booz store. For the Vino Verde I chose Gazebo which is perfect at the cheap and cheerful price of $6! I had to use strawberries instead of the same amount of peaches due to the fact that I am partly lazy and partly trapped in my own house more often than not thanks to a traveling hubby and my gaggle of children. The fruit was frozen (minus the kiwis) which added a nice coolness and they held their shape better this way too. I also used honey instead of liquid Stevia. I don’t typically keep sugar substitutes on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I suggest starting with the wine chilled to keep your drink fresh longer. The honey was a great change and a much cheaper option than liquid Stevia.
Pros:
Crisp, fresh and strong. Just the way I like my Sangria!
Cons:
None here. This drink was everything it promised to be.
Conclusion:
I plan to make this pitcher of deliciousness several times this summer. I have a large pot of mint flourishing on my deck and it will be put to good use. Now if only I could grow grapes and start a vinyard….
Reviewer #2 - Maren
Mission: To make a refreshingly crisp sangria that isn’t too hard on the waistline!
Details:
- René Barbier Mediterranean White Wine - one of my favorite super light, crisp [and cheap!] whites, available at Trader Joe’s!
- Fresh fruit and mint
- I halved this recipe, but then forgot and added the full amount of raspberries. Oops.
- I didn’t use Stevia… I forgot to pick it up at the store. Another Ooops.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
We first taste tested the sangria after it had only been melding for about 2 hours. At this point it was extremely minty! Then we had our second glasses at about 3 hours and the peaches and raspberries were much more prevalent and the mint more muted. We loved it both times!
Pros:
Easy, delicious and totally refreshing! I especially enjoyed noshing on the boozy fruit after the sangria itself was gone!
Cons:
I halved the recipe! I wanted more!
Conclusion:
This simple sangria was crisp and refreshing as promised! I will definitely make it again!
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Our mouths were watering just thinking about this delicious snack!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: I love Chili’s Salsa! These instructions were super easy to follow. I feel confident that even “College Maren” could have handled this recipe! I did refer to the forwarding blog, Six Sisters’ Stuff, for more specific info on the jalapeno situation.
Details:
- I wasn’t paying attention to the recipe and did not drain the tomatoes – ooops! I think that this actually made the consistency looser though, which is what I was hoping for. For my jalapenos, I used a full [4 oz] can of Ortega Japapenos, lightly drained.
- The lime juice that I added was frozen ahead of time thanks to a pin that I saw on Pinterest! That trick is great if you like to cook with lime juice, or add it to your drinks! I actually used onion that I had chopped and froze a week or two earlier too. I’m just discovering the miracle of “freezing.”
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The most important lesson learned from this experience, the ingredients absolutely DO NOT FIT into a Cuisinart Mini Prep. I was too lazy to get out my full sized Cuisinart, and that was clearly the incorrect choice.
After my salsa explosion, I scooped out [and off the counter] half of the overflowing salsa and continued in half batches until I got a smooth, pureed consistency. I then reflected upon how things would have gone differently had I just gotten out the G. D. Cuisinart.
Pros:
SUPER Easy and delicious! Had some serious kick, but wasn’t too hot. Works well in recipes and on it’s own.
Cons:
Requires a blender or food processor, both of which are heavy and in hard-to-get-at locations in my kitchen and therefore never get used.
Conclusion:
This salsa was ridiculously easy to make! I fed it to my salsa-loving husband and he said, “It tastes like chili. It’s good.” Translation, “I taste the cumin. I like it.”
Don’t be scared by his comment! We partake in a chili cook-off with our college friends each fall. In an overly competitive panic to submit the BEST chili, it is not uncommon for me to make several different kinds in the month preceding the event and feed them to my husband until he can hardly stand hearing the word “chili.” Therefore, as we approach our fourth year, my husband has eaten more cumin…I mean chili, than the average Joe. I didn’t think that it was overly cumin-y at all.
Since it’s just my honey and me in our home, I froze half of the salsa for another day! Thawed it out and used it to make some chicken – it was great! I also like knowing that there isn’t any weird shit in it that I don’t know about. Love this salsa!
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: I’ve spent many wonderful evenings catching up with girlfriends over a bowl of chips, Chili’s Salsa, and iced-cold Coronas. Now we all have kids and our get togethers are rare occasions. How great would it be to invite the girls over for some Copycat Chili’s salsa and chat time?
I referred to the Six Sisters’ Stuff blog for a copycat recipe, and it looked surprisingly easy.
Details:
I was at first a little saddened that there would be very limited chopping or dicing, and no fresh ingredients, but then again the recipe was SUPER easy and I had an entire batch of salsa done and to the table in five minutes. You literally just put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and press the button. It’s ridiculously simple.
I chose to use the blender because my food processor is too small. I tossed in the whole tomatoes, canned jalapenos, and onion. I added the salt, sugar, cumin, and lime juice then just hit the button briefly. DONE.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
1.) Wash your hands immediately after touching jalapenos. Do. Not. Touch. Your. Eyes!
2.) A blender might not be the right choice. Complete puree. You would have thought I used tomato sauce instead of whole tomatoes.
Pros:
This can be put together so fast! So, so fast. You can have this all done and cleaned up in a matter of ten minutes. The flavor is pretty darn close to Chili’s salsa.
Cons:
It is definitely on the soupy puree side, and I prefer a chunky salsa. I don’t recall Chili’s salsa being so soup like.
Conclusion:
If you can use a can-opener and press a button YOU can make this salsa. I personally thought there was a little more cumin than I remember Chili’s salsa tasting like. I would adjust that a bit next time. I also don’t remember Chili’s salsa being so soupy, but that was most likely my mistake for using the blender. I’ll just have to add some ice and vodka and have a spicy bloody mary instead.
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Please click here to visit Fossil.Life.Style and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: Okay, I have to admit they’re just super cute. The question I had was, “Are they easy to make and worth the effort?” I was anxious to see how I would fare.
Details:
The instructions were easy and you didn’t really need too many supplies to complete these cute little notepads. I had everything I needed in the house:
- scissors
- rubber cement
- paper
- cardstock
- ruler
- stapler
- sandpaper… for the added “matchbook” touch
I like to recycle so instead of going out and purchasing cardstock, I just recycled notecards I had and an old wall calendar.
The dimensions for the cardstock is 1.5” x 4.25”; and for the note paper 1.25” x 1.75” (I didn’t enjoy cutting the note paper…tedious without a paper-cutter)
A quick fold and a staple and they were assembled. And of course that finishing touch of a sandpaper strike-board on the back made the piece just more adorable.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I recommend using the edge of the ruler to help create a crisp fold. The use of old notecards was perfect. My brilliant idea of using my old wall calendar posed not to be so brilliant. The paper really wasn’t thick enough to hold good form, but it still worked.
Pros:
Super easy to assemble and they were not very time consuming.
Cons:
I found the dimensions were a bit small to get any “notepad” use out of them.
Conclusion:
Overall the matchbook notepads were really easy to make and not very time consuming. I could definitely see myself making them as party favors. Just make a quick little assembly line and they’re a breeze. My only recommendation would be to make them a little bigger. I think I might even make myself a few for my office with some of my scrap paper. Much better than my cut up pieces of scrap paper I have held with a binder clip at the moment. Again, it’s a great project for recycling! Get out your scrap pieces of paper and cardstock. Heck, you can even use your tissue boxes, those always come in pretty patterns. Grab a stapler and make some matchbook notebooks. It’s so easy and unique! I have to say this one was a success!
Reviewer #2 – Sarah
Mission: To make super cute notepads!
Details:
- Paper
- Sandpaper
- Rubber Cement
- Scissors / Paper Cutter
- Stapler
- Embellishments
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I LOVE rubber cementJ It is a great glue!
Pros:
Super easy and fun to create and adorable too!
Cons:
Not sure of the true end use…a cute gift, but short shelf life.
Someone may mistake these for an actual book of matches, and will turn up disappointed when they find none!
Conclusion:
This is a super easy craft that honestly, anyone can do! It took me back to my days of elementary school where the smell of glue and the sound of scissors was the highlight of my day! I had a lot of fun creating these – and though I am not sure exactly how I plan to use them now, they sure are cute!!
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: Want to make cute little notebooks for my handbag? Yes, I do!
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I completely failed to follow the instructions. My tip would be to read the entire post prior to beginning the project. I guess I got excited.
Pros:
Easy to do. Cute.
Cons:
Not the kick-in-the-pants good time that I was hoping for.
Conclusion:
This project was easy and turned out cute. It just wasn’t for me. Maybe if I was more into the paper that I was using or something… I bet it would be cute to use photos and stamps, etc. I also think that this would have been better if I had one of those mega thick-staplers and perforated paper… because since I’m so anal retentive, it will probably drive me crazy that I have to tear the pages out and they won’t be perfect. See the problems I have? 
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Where there are Crafty Collaborators, there are often Crafty Kids! We’re always on the hunt for fun projects to do together!
Please click here to visit Sueños Encantados and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: Utilize broken crayons and make them new again.
Details:
- Broken crayons
- Mini cupcake pan(s)
- Olive oil
- Kids
Tips & Tricks Learned:
If some broken crayon pieces are still too big to fit in the mini cupcake pan, use a knife to cut vs. painfully hurting your fingersJ
Pros:
A great way to re-use broken crayons vs. tossing them out.
Cons:
Breaking the crayons into smaller pieces was a bit hard on the fingers, but nothing this lady couldn’t handle. We had included some broken Melissa and Doug brand crayons as well, but they did not melt as well as the Crayola crayon pieces.
Conclusion:
The make your own crayon project was a hit! My kids and I had a great time getting the crayons ready for melting and found the directions easy to follow. Overall a great activity!
My son was so excited about them after we were done that he took them to show his friends at daycare!
In addition, the final size of these crayons are great for younger toddlers as they are much easier to hold.
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: Today’s project…I just call it the Melted Crayon Thing…you can call it whatever you want. You see it all over Pinterest, mostly as school gift ideas for classmates.
Details:
- The first step, aside from pre-heating the oven to 250°, is peeling the paper off the crayons. Let me tell you Crayola crayons paper sticks the best. It was easier to get the paper off the cheap crayons we got from the restaurant. After about 5 minutes of peeling crayons I had to grab the wine. This SUCKED, and it wasn’t even something I had thought of. I was too worried about my pan and oven.
- A few sips of wine and then there was clarity. Pocket knife!! Worked like a charm. I plowed right through that pile of crayons.
- Major thing to NOT forget is to liberally oil the muffin tin. I just used regular vegetable oil. After the pan is oiled you pile in the crayons like so. Make up any color combo you like. I tend to like the warm colors with the warm colors, cool with cool. You get it, right?
- Put them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. I kept an eye on them because as I stated previously I was very afraid of the “blub-blub-blub” and having to scrape melted crayon out of my oven.
- When they were done aka melted completely I let them cool. Then came the moment of truth…would they be stuck in my muffin pan… please no. I took a deep breath, flipped the pan and plop, plop, plop, everyone single one of them came dropping out onto the counter. Success!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
This looked like a cute idea. What home of kids doesn’t have broken crayons? I mean my three-year-old his breaking the things all.the.time! Maybe it makes him feel like Superman? I always end up with a pile of broken crayon pieces, for which my other two boys refuse to use.
I finally started buying the twist ones and still seem to end up with some broken pieces of crayon because they often twist the crayon up too high. However, for this project I needed more than just a couple of broken crayons so I snuck into Grammie’s stash.
I figured this would be an easy project that wouldn’t take much thought and time to come out great. My only worry was my muffin pan…would it get ruined? Oh, and the “blub-blub-blub” factor. If crayon bubbled over and melted all over my oven I would be in tears.
Pros:
Really easy and not very time consuming. You can’t really fail esthetically; Martha’s would look the same way!
Cons:
Peeling the paper off the crayons was a pain in the butt, but if you use my little tip it makes it less painfully tedious.
Conclusion:
I might actually do this with the kids come the next school year. It really wasn’t difficult and you can make a ton at once. Big factor for me was that my pan and oven survived and clean-up was a super easy. The “melted crayon thing” – a success.
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The gals of The Crafty Collaborative don’t like soap scum, so we tried it out for ourselves!
Reviewer #1 – Mandy
Mission: To clean my dirty *ss shower and love it in a lazy girl kinda way.
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Buy a funnel! I measured out the vinegar (in a cup with no spout) and had to use way too many cups to try to get it in the spray bottle. Also, make sure you take a towel to do some light “scrubbing”. It isn’t just a spray and rinse cleanser. However, it didn’t take much elbow grease to get it looking fabulous.
Pros:
Seriously love this stuff! Will never go back to store-bought cleanser. I was really amazed at how easy it was to make and use it. Plus, it’s inexpensive. Check out my before (ok, I know what you’re thinking… who is this gross girl that never cleans her shower?!) and after photos. I’ve never seen my shower this sparklingly beautiful!
Cons:
It did make me cough quite a bit when I sprayed it. Not sure why as I didn’t think the vinegar smelled that horribly strong but I do have a stuffy nose from allergies. I would suggest ventilating the room that you’re using it in.
Conclusion:
Love it! Feel like my life just changed a little bit…
Reviewer #2 - Maren
Mission: Will a mixture of vinegar and blue Dawn remove what I have neglected to clean for years? Yes, that’s right. I haven’t cleaned my shower in FOREVER, and I recently learned that my husband wasn’t doing it either. Gross.
I have but one excuse, and that is that I am damn near blind without my contacts or glasses and I cannot see how disgusting our shower is when I’m in it.
Details:
- Tub/Shower – fiberglass insert
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used this little Chinese Star shaped sponge… it was awesome. It’s the Nook & Cranny Scrubber from Scotch Brite. Of course I love everything 3M – a.) they’re geniuses and b.) I’m a Minnesota gal!
Pros:
Holy crap – It worked! This concoction tore through the nastiness with little scrubbing!
Cons:
I gagged the entire time. Laugh it up. Then afterwards, I could still smell vinegar and I wanted to die. All I could think about was our realtor killing me since our house was hitting the market that day. I ended up using some Mrs. Meyer’s Basil Countertop Spray to counteract the smell. Worked like a charm.
Conclusion:
This stuff worked really well – but stunk to high hell! If you cannot smell or are without a sensitive gag reflex, then this is the perfect soap scum cleaner for you! I’ll use it again!
Reviewer #3 - Amanda
Mission: To bust some serious soap scum a$$!
Details:
I opted to test this out on my grimy sink and crusty stove top instead because I didn’t have a shower worth cleaning let alone taking a picture of! (bathrooms are both under permanent reno)
I let the solution sit on the sink for 15 minutes and the stove for 20.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
There isn’t really any way to mess this one up but I can see how heat makes the mix more effective and would suggest re-heating for really tough dirt or grease.
Pros:
This smelled clean and made everything shine.
Cons:
It took some time to get it rinsed off. That part was kind of irritating.
Conclusion:
All in all this is a simple and effective cleaner that is as cheap as they come (don’t know the exact price but I would guess .25 for the entire bottle of cleaner and I only used maybe an 1/8 of it on the two surfaces – maybe less). I loved the way it cleaned my ceramic cooktop so much that I plan to ditch my fussy cream and go with this simple spray instead!
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Terrariums are everywhere these days! We thought we had better get on board!
Please click here to visit House & Hold and check out the post that we loved!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: To plant darling succulents in a terrarium setting.
Details:
- Succulent Plant(s)
- Clear Glass Jar/Pot
- Potting Soil
- Rocks (for filler)
- Embellishments
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Not only are succulent plants adorable – they grow fast!
And, you can use little trinkets you have around the house to adorn your terrarium planting. I had seashells from a previous vacation, a mini deer found in my kids toys and some cute hand-stamped spoons I added to one.
Pros:
This is an easy and fun project to do – all you need is dirt, a darling glass jar/pot and plants. And, you can have fun adoring the finished planter as well! Definitely worth a try for anyone out there!
Cons:
Can’t think of any! What’s not to love about a succulent plant bringing life into your home?!?!?
Conclusion:
I LOVE gardening of all kinds and enjoy having greenery in my home. Creating a terrarium is easy, fun and a great addition to the home. I plan to do this many times over!
Reviewer #2 - Maren
Mission: Can I really make a delightful little terrarium like I have been seeing EVERYWHERE myself?!?!
Details:
- Vase
- Pebbles
- Dirt
- 2 little Succulents
- 1 tiny rubber Deer
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be careful what you stick in there… initially I had these little mushrooms from the craft store and within a couple of days they were totally furry with mold. Gross.
Pros:
One of the quickest, easiest and most impressive-looking projects ever!!
Cons:
None! I love this thing!
Conclusion:
Thank you, “Do-it-Yourself-Terrarium” for making me feel like a professional gardener and look like I really have my shit together to all who come to my home!
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We can’t wait to try this project out!
Please click here to visit House of Earnest and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: To make super cute color block cooking utensils that make me feel like a cooking fashionista!
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Sand your [cheap] utensils before you paint! Also – be careful to keep them away from each other after spraying with the shellac – they’ll stick together! I also re-taped prior to spraying with the shellac. I did this to make sure that there wasn’t a big ridge of paint that would look bad, and make it so the tape couldn’t totally come off.
Pros:
Super easy and cute – I think that they would be a cute way to color coordinate a hostess or shower gift.
Cons:
None – I loved this!
Conclusion:
It was easy and they turned out super cute! Now that I have the huge can of the Shellac Spray, I am looking forward to making these for every housewarming and shower gift for the rest of time! I hope my friends and family are as excited about these as I am!
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: When I saw these on Pinterest I fell in love. They’re adorable and looked easy to do.
Details:
- First I grabbed the kids’ paints and tried painting the utensils. That was a quick fail. The paint did adhere very well. I then broke out my acrylic paints and made some progress. I tried getting fancy…another fail. It just wasn’t one of those creative kind of days for me
Tips & Tricks Learned:
What I learned while making these today…stay with simple, and don’t leave wet painted spoons out where the three year old can reach them. Be cautious when removing the painters tape. Don’t apply the paint too thick there.
Pros:
Really not that difficult to do.
Cons:
Not something to do when the kids are around. All kids love to paint!
Conclusion:
They’re cute. Although I had a few fails and my three-year-old ruined a couple of them before they were dry, I think I would still make them again…Minus the peanut crew. I think these would pair really well with a cook book wrapped in a table cloth (another Pinterest fave) for a shower gift. Just stick these on top.
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Balancing Home has shown us that a little spray paint can go a long way – turning undesirable items into fabulous and chic pieces of home decor that are sure to wow! Check out the gems that we found, and sprayed to glam!
Please click here to visit Balancing Home to see the post that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: To see if my little pink Buddha can be given new life with a few coats of paint!
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I desperately wanted to use my new Martha paint… so I didn’t use a spray paint. This would have been a bad idea had I not used the AMAZING Martha Stewart Gloss Enamel Finish to shellac my little Buddha man at the end. The super glossy spray covered every brush mark and made my little buddha look incredibly chic! Yay!
Pros:
Super easy and the result is so much fun! I can’t wait to spray some more stuff!
Cons:
Non – I love this guy and this project!
Conclusion:
I love this project! I love Martha’s craft paint and I can’t wait to transform more items from our home! This gives me a whole new perspective when I see weird things at garage sales, or the Goodwill! I am totally inspired!
Reviewer #2 – Mandy
Mission: I love spray painting stuff and just bought a new home to decorate. “Old crap” to mod décor… here we come!
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Find a spot where you won’t be permanently painting the driveway. Lay down lots of old newspaper or paper bags! Also, exercise some patience and don’t paint too many layers on before fully allowing the previous to dry.
Pros:
So easy! And so cute and economical!
Cons:
Messy. The paint is also hard to get to stick on some surfaces, resulting in flaking paint. I was finding myself having some issues with drippy paint streaks as well.
Conclusion:
It’s a lovely way to utilize the old, ugly stuff you were going to get rid of or throw away. I hate being wasteful and this is a fun way to revive that stuff.
Reviewer #3 - Kristy
Mission: Paint can do wonders to change the look of furniture and accent pieces. I have used spray paint once before on cabinet knobs so I was very interested in using it again for this project. I went shopping at the Goodwill and I found a couple of pieces I wanted to paint, but decided the best item was this gold plastic mirror frame.
Details:
- Picking out spray paint was a bit overwhelming with so many options….glossy, textured, flat, matte, metallic, etc. I also noticed, each can was specific for the material it was be used on. Since mine was plastic, I purchased a plastic friendly spray paint. As for the color, I was considering a color but didn’t find one that I loved love so I went safe with glossy black.
- Next step was protecting the mirror from the tape. I used painters tape and newspaper to frame the perimeter of the frame.
- It was a windy day, so probably wasn’t the best day to do this project but I moved forward. My finance came supervise and informed me that I was applying the paint too thick. Light and short sprays would have been better for the finish
- Finish project, let dry!
- Yikes, bubbles had formed on the edges of the frame. Not too noticeable but depending on where I decide to hang the mirror, I may have to consider sanding the paint off and repaint.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It’s easier to take the screws off the frame and detach the mirror if you are able to. It’s easier than taping first…wish I had learned this first. Thanks to my fiancé, I finally figured this up.
Don’t spray on a windy day…not sure if this is what caused the bubbles, but it could have potentially caused it.
Use short, light strokes for even finish!
Don’t forget to clean the surface, wipe it down!! This will help for a clean finish.
Hang to spray paint; I think it might have been easier to spray on more evenly.
Pros:
It was super simple! The taping was the hardest part, well most time consuming!
Cons:
Bubbles, unsure of how it occurred. Did some “googling”…it might be from the wind, heavy strokes or because I forgot to clean the surface! Its just on the edges so it looks find from the front.
Conclusion:
Overall, the project was super easy. I definitely will consider spray painting other objects but I will be bold and try more color next time! This is a perfect way to transform an old piece to give it new life. Giving a room a pop of color with a cool piece, can make all the difference!
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The gals of The Crafty Collaborative have never turned down a chocolate chip cookie; let’s see how it goes!
Please click here to visit No. 2 Pencil and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: To enjoy a homemade cookie without all the mess of making a batch.
We enjoyed the process of making this chocolate chip cookie – it was quick, easy, low-mess and in the end, tasted pretty darn good! It was definitely decadent and more of a desert than I needed, but both my kiddo and I enjoyed the end result. I added sea salt to the top of mine before cooking to add some savory taste to it.
Details:
- Ingredients
- Coffee Mug
- Spoon
- Kids
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Anyone can do this!
Pros:
A quick and easy desert option that everyone can enjoy.
Cons:
A little bit much in regards to taste and in my opinion, not as good as a “real” homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies. More on the “doughy” texture for those of you that like crunchy/crispy cookies.
Conclusion:
We really enjoyed making these – so quick and easy. And, we enjoyed eating them just as much! They finished our evening off wonderfully.
Reviewer #2 - Maren
Mission: The goal here, a fresh baked, delicious cookie in a matter of minutes.
Details:
Used my beloved WS Mini Spatulas. Friggin’ love those things!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I felt very proud of myself on this recipe, as for once, I didn’t screw anything up!
Pros:
Super easy and quick!
Cons:
REALLY filling…even for me!
Conclusion:
My husband’s quote, “Real cookies are better, but… it’s pretty good.”
My thoughts, “Really rich and decadent. More of a cakey, chewy, texture.”
Perhaps it is the full egg yolk in each cookie, but this recipe is extremely filling, almost to the point of sickening if consumed entirely. It’s a lot like a dessert that you would get at a restaurant; which is why I also feel that it is best enjoyed with a scoop of ice cream…and chocolate syrup.
Go big or go home, right?!
Reviewer #3 – Mandy
Mission: As a single lady living alone, find an easy and yummy single-serving treat. (I just hate having to eat an entire batch of cookies myself… Ok, I love it!! But anyway.)
Details:
- Followed the instructions as written. With recipes, I usually alter them a little bit, but I wanted to see if these were for real.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Don’t use whole wheat flour. I tried it the next night just to see if I could go a little healthier and it was gritty and not so fantastic. Also, be careful with the coffee cup after it’s done cooking! That cup gets mighty hot!
Pros:
Easy, quick, and tasty! Immediate gratification is the best. And it filled my sweet craving for the night.
It’s also so great for one or two people in the home. Or, perfect for someone without a ton of time.
Cons:
Ok, so it’s not as good as the real thing. But still did the trick. And maybe not the healthiest treat.
Conclusion:
I probably won’t make them on a super regular basis but I definitely see myself making it on a cozy evening when I need a little comfort-style dessert for one!
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Hello and thank you for visiting The Crafty Collaborative!
We are excited to announce our “Go Live” date of July 1st.
Please stop back to see what we’re up to. Cooking, crafting and DIY projects, we’re testing them all! This is the place to get a collective test-run of ALL things crafty!
We’re gals with gumption and craftiness to boot. Looking forward to getting to know you, too!
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Click HERE for my Bio!
Leave me Fan Mail below!
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Click HERE for my Bio!
Leave me Fan Mail below!
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Click HERE for my Bio!
Leave me Fan Mail below!
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Click HERE for my Bio!
Leave me Fan Mail below!
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Click HERE for my Bio!
Leave me Fan Mail below!
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