Here is a recipe that is simple and tastes great.

I found this recipe here

♥ Apple Pie Cake ♥

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 4 apples (your choice of variety) cored, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup whole wheat (or white if you prefer) flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• dash of salt

Combine sugar, eggs and almond extract in a large bowl. Mix well. Stir in the sliced apples to this mixture. Sprinkle the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt over the appley-good mixture. Mix Mix, Stir Stir...until well combined. Pour into a greased 8-10 inch pie or cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
YUM!!

It's crazy-simple, and SO SO good!

I am always looking for simple and easy recipes, especially now when time is so constrained and you feel you are being pulled in a million directions at once.  This cake is to die for and just the ticket for a cold, holiday evening.  I made it and served it with vanilla ice cream while it was warm.  UMMMMMM GOOD!
Please feel free to check out the blog I found this recipe on, if you have time.

Paper Heart Garland

Here is a really neat and quick little craft to decorate your home or office for next to nothing.  I love the ease and simplicity of this craft.  I think you could use this idea to make all kinds of garlands for every holiday!

I found this tutorial on Think Crafts Blog and recommend that you go there to visit and review all of the great craft ideas there.


November 18, 2010 5:01 am GilliancloseAuthor: Gillian Name: Gillian Grimm
Site: http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/About: Gillian Grimm lives in Charlottesville, Virginia where she balances writing, cooking and crafts with eight chickens, two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband. As the daughter of a Journalist, she grew up all over the United States, switching schools, towns and newspapers every few years and loved every minute of it! She now works as a freelance writer, primarily in the craft industry but with a few forays into travel writing, narrative non-fiction and educational matters. Gillian was recently published in the literary journal the “The Northville Review”. You can find more of Gillian’s work at “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.See Authors Posts (91) Crafts, Green Crafting, Home Decor, Kid's Crafts, Paper Crafts By Kid’s Craft Contributor, Gillian from the blog “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.

Here’s a fun little project that uses up materials you probably have around the house and brings a whole lot of cheer and love! These little garlands are made from newspaper and really nothing more, but the layering and folding of the shapes turns something that usually ending up in the recycling bin into something pretty and charming in no time flat.
Here’s what you need:
Newspaper
Pencil
Scissors
Scrap of cardstock
Sewing machine and notions (including white thread)

1. Cut a heart (or star or whatever shape you like) out of the cardstock. This will serve as your template. It’s important to have the shapes as close to identical as possible, so a template is a must.
2. Trace the template onto the newsprint. You’ll need two shapes for each piece on the garland.
3. Stack two shapes on top of one another, making sure the edges are aligned.

4. Starting at the top of one stack, stitch down the very center of the shape, allow for a few stitches between and then start the next stack.

5. Once you have all your stacks sewn onto the chain, trim the threads at the bottom (the to can be used for hanging) Fold each layer in half along the stitch line, but in opposite directions. So the top halves fold up to meet each other and the bottom pieces fold down to meet each other. This creates a 3D effect.

6. Hang and enjoy!

Related articles

• Gratitude Garland (emilyinthedesert.blogspot.com)
• Ribbon in the Sky (weddingbee.com)
• Acorn Craft Ideas (csahm.com)
• Keeping Santa Sane: Budget Holiday Decorating (wisebread.com)
• How-To: Paper Garland (craftzine.com)
• How to Reuse An Old Christmas Garland (brighthub.com)
• Make A Super Shiny Wreath In 5 Minutes Flat Creature Comforts (apartmenttherapy.com)

No Craft night after all

Image via Wikipedia
We had to cancel the craft outing because one of the participants got sick.  So, no crafting and no pictures.  However, I did get all the supplies together and I will try to work on my ornament in the morning.  If I can muster up the motivation, I will also take pictures along the way.  These are really cute ornaments and I really want to show you how to make them. 


I think these could possibly be used at my workplace because they are made of paper and have no "contraband" items anywhere.  So, sorry that I don't have pics today, but check back tomorrow to see if I get my act together.

Going to a Craft night with friends tomorrow!

Image via WikipediaSince I seem to be in a place where I just can't get myself started, I have been trying to arrange a monthly Craft Night with friends from work.  Well, I finally got everything arranged and we will be meeting for our first crafting experience tomorrow.  I am so excited.  We will be making some Christmas Tree Ornaments with crepe paper and beads.  I will take my camera and hopefully get a tutorial out of the process.  If not, I will at least have some fun pics to post!  I will put those up tomorrow when I get home!

Related articles

• Christmas Ornamentation Ideas For Kids (rock-kool-dadie.blogspot.com)
• Let's Make Christmas - with Jo-Ann (eon.businesswire.com)
• Fun Paper Crafts for Kids: Making a Christmas Poinsettia (brighthub.com)

Christmas craft that is easy and pretty!

I have been talking about getting a monthly craft night set up with some of the nurses I work with for quite a while now.  It seems that finally this event may actually become reality.  We have a place to meet and a tentative date and even some idea of what craft we want to work on.  I hope this happens because I think working as a group will inspire us all to stay motivated and I know it will help me to get going on other projects I have in various stages of completion at home.  This is the perfect time to start a craft group with the holidays fast approaching, so keep your fingers crossed.


In this spirit, here is a quick and easy Christmas ornament that you and the kids can put together in a short period of time.  Enjoy.


Everyone loves personalized gifts for the holidays.  Make these Easy Photo Christmas Ornaments by Fawnda Norman for everyone on your list this year.  They will also look great on your tree!
 
Materials:

• Christmas cards
• Paper Cutter
• Big chunky beads
• Double sided tape
• Wallet size photo (I printed mine on paper)
• Twine or Ribbon
• Exacto Knife

Instructions:

1. Cut your cards in to 3X3 inch squares and group them by color. You need 6 squares for each ornament.
   
   
   
    
2. On the back side of each square find mark the midpoint on each side (at 1.5 inches)
   
   
    
3. Score a diagonal line connecting your midpoints. Do this on each square.
   
   
   
    
4. Fold on your score lines. You should have 6 squares that look like this:
   
   
    
5. Choose two squares to be your top and bottom. Find the middle (I drew lines across from each corner to find mine) and use your Exacto Knife to cut a whole in the center.
   
   
   
    
6. Use your double sided tape to connect your 2 of the corners of 2 of your squares.  This is what the back should look like:
   
   
   
   
   And this is what the front should look like:
   
   
   
    
7. Continue connecting until you have 4 of your squares together that make a "tube".
   
   
   
   
    
8. Choose the bottom and sting your twine or ribbon through the hole and attach onto the bottom of your "tube"
   
   
   
    
9. Pull your twine up through your tube and through your top piece. Connect your top piece to the rest of the ornament.
   
   
    
10. Tie a loop on the top.
    
    
     
11. And tie a bead onto the bottom.
    
    
     
12. cut out your photos (about 2X2 inch square) and attach it to one of the sides.
    
    
     
13. You're done!
    
    

Paper Witches Shoe

 Here is a Halloween Tutorial I found at Skip to my Lou.  Hope you enjoy!


I think this is quite possibly the cutest party favor box!

These paper shoes designed by designer Ellen Hutson are simple to make and so cute.  I made witch shoes because I was having a lunch to celebrate three friends birthdays the week of Halloween.

I think they would be fun with pretty paper for a little girls princess party, a bridesmaid luncheon or girls lunch. I can even see them done in red glitter for a Wizard of Oz party.
I filled the shoes with chocoIate and set them on the center of the plate. It made the table look really festive.

To make your own paper shoes download the templates. Trace around the templates onto cardstock for the shoe and onto paper for the lining.  Score all dotted lines with a bone folder.  I used glue stick  to put the shoe together.  Miniature clothes pins worked wonderfully to hold the shoes together while drying. Embellish the shoes to fit your party theme.
Paper Shoe Template
Paper Shoe Lining Template

Related articles

• How-To: Custom Halloween Shoes (craftzine.com)

Thursday -- Another Tutorial

Pomander Tutorial  from betz white's blog