Dec 27, 2011

Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 19}

Wow, it feels like forever since I hosted my last link party! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed my 12 Days of Christmas Crafts! If you missed out you should definitely take a look back and check out all of the fun and delicious Christmas crafts and recipes my guest bloggers shared! There aren't any features this week since I did not host a party last week. I can't wait to see what fun projects you've been working on over the Christmas break! Lets party!

Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 19}
Link up your tutorials, cooking, crafts, sewing, DIY tips & tricks, I want to see it all! After each link party I will feature my favorite tutorials from the previous link party, so check back to see if you've been featured! I feature several posts on {The Kurtz Corner FB Page} so make sure you become a fan and check it out!

Only Four {Easy} Rules
1. Please be a follower of {The Kurtz Corner}
2. Link directly to your post, not your blog
3. No Etsy Shops, giveaways or personal link parties 
4. Please grab my button or use a text hyperlink & link back to my blog 
Please follow the rules, it's only fair & good blogging etiquette :)
Party Button


Please vote for The Kurtz Corner!


Links are in random order so everyone has a shot at being first link!

Dec 26, 2011

A New Chapter

Doesn't Christmas seem to come and go more quickly as adults? I sure wish it would last longer! The Hubby and I had a great time with his family the past few days but now it's time to head back to Dallas! We are gearing up to make the big haul to our first house and we are so excited! My parents are coming in new years weekend to help us move and get all settled in, I can always count on my Mom and Dad to be there to help me move! I might be MIA for the next few days but I hope to have some fun before and afters of all the painting and decorating to show you soon! For now, you can enjoy our silly Christmas photo, tacky sweaters and all! Merry Christmas and a very Happy New year to you all!


Dec 24, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Bonus Day! - Blissful & Domestic

In addition to the original 12 Days of Christmas Crafts I chose to include a few bonus days! There were so many great days I couldn't just pick 12! So here today we have Danielle from Blissful & Domestic who is going to share with us a sweet recipe!

Hello Lovelies! I am so excited to be here at The Kurtz Corner! Thanks for having me Audra. I am excited to share a fun recipe with you today. Before we get cooking though, I thought I would introduce myself first.

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I am Danielle and my home is over at Blissful and Domestic. I love to blog about sewing, crafts, recipes,home-school, etc. Basically anything that allows me to use my creative gene. I love thrift stores and re-purposing, which is mainly what you will see from me. I love taking someone's cast offs and make them into something fantastic. So in a nutshell I am a crafting Mom, who loves to blog and share with all my blogging friends.

Now that you know a little bit about me...how about we get cooking?

Now I am a busy mamma. I homeschool my two littles redheads, which takes up a BIG part of my day. The rest of my time is spent tending to my family, the house, etc ... That being said, I don't always have time to make goodies. I am always on the look out for quick, simple recipes, which is what I am sharing with you today. Today I am sharing with you my go to cookie recipe. It is super easy to make and takes little time and ingredients to make. Do I have your attention?

I thought so...

Let's make some Cake Mix Whoopie Pies...

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Here is What You Will Need:

1 box of cake mix (lemon, spice, chocolate, or French vanilla)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil
small candies (optional)

mix everything together

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and spoon onto baking sheets

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I use a big spoon, sprayed with cooking spray. It makes this step a cinch!

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P/S Don't judge my baking pans...
they just prove I use them often:)

Bake @ 350 for 10-15 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack or plate.

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Now you can leave your cookies as is or you can whip up some yummy Buttercream icing. I would go with the icing. It is Delish!

Here is my recipe for 5 Minute Butter-cream Frosting

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1 lb. box of Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 stick of butter (softened)

Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl often.
I love adding food coloring for the holidays. Always so festive!
Frost cookies and make into sandwhiches.

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These are THE BEST whoopie pies EVER!
So go make some and Enjoy!

and when you are recovering from the sugar coma come and say hi!







Blissful and Domestic

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Dec 23, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Bonus Day! - The Grant Life

In addition to the original 12 Days of Christmas Crafts I chose to include a few bonus days! There were so many great ideas I couldn't just pick 12! So here today we have Kelley from The Grant Life who is going to share with us a sweet recipe!


Hi Kurtz Corner readers! My name is Kelley and I blog over at The Grant Life. Over at my place you will find all kinds of crafty, foodie, thrifty goodness! Stop on by if you get a chance.  ;) 


Can you believe its almost Christmas? I know..I cant either. My house isn't even completely decorated yet! But we will get that taken care of soon.  

Our favorite part of Christmas is the time spent with friends and family. It warms my heart (Christmas-y cliche phrase.. I know. But its true!) to be able to sit and relax with my loved ones. Oh and the food.  I love Christmas goodies! Today I'm going to share with y'all my all time favorite Christmas treat...magic cookie bars! 

These bars are simple to make and are great to take to a party or get together. I made mine Sunday morning for our church fellowship gathering that afternoon. I made them while I was making pancakes for the family.  And doing laundry. And we made it to church on time. That's how easy they are to make.  

Ingredients: 
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
chocolate chips
walnuts
coconut 

Preheat your oven to 350.
Melt your butter and add your graham cracker crumbs.  Mix until all the butter is absorbed. 
Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish. 
Cove the crust with the sweetened condensed milk.  
 Cover the sweetened condensed milk with your chocolate chips and walnuts.  Top that with your coconut.  You can add more or less of each according to your preference.  
 Bake for 30 minutes (at 350) until the coconut is golden brown.   
 Once cooled, cut into bars and serve. 
Source
This is how your bars should look when done.  (I didnt cut mine before we headed out because they werent completely cooled.)  Super easy recipe that is sure to please everyone.  

Thank you Audra for letting me share my Christmas recipe with you and your awesome readers!  Make sure yall stop by my place and check out my 10 Homemade Christmas gifts under $10 series.  I have some amazing guests and even better gifts.  Hope to see yall there!  

Dec 22, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Day 12 - Cherishedbliss

Welcome to day twelve of the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts!! Today we have Ashley from Cherished Bliss sharing with us! Happy to have you Ashley! I know it's the "12 Days of Christmas Crafts" but I have two more days planned out....there were just too many to choose from, enjoy!

Hey everyone! I’m Ashley and I blog over at Cherished Bliss

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I am so excited to be over here at The Kurtz Corner today! I started my blog about a year ago, but the last 6 months it has really become an import part of my life! At my blog you will find tutorials for kids, home décor, and basically anything a mother of two kids would want to make! I also host a link party ever Monday night – Friday, Craft and Tell, and I’d love for you to stop by and link up sometime!
Today I am going to show you something I made for my Christmas Mantel

Christmas Mantel Main

See that vase over to the left, yup, it’s super easy to do and the best part, it’s interchangeable throughout the seasons! 

{Supplies}
A vase – new or old, ugly, or pretty, doesn’t matter: )
Spray paint primer, and white spray paint
A small amount of burlap and twine, and a ribbon color of your choice
Sticks from you backyard or randomly on the side of the road and a spray paint to match your ribbon

Christmas Burlap Vase

{Tutorial}
First thing I did was gather up all my sticks and spray paint them red, let them dry completely before moving them around! 

While those were drying I sprayed some primer on a black vase of mine until it was completely covered and dry. Next I spray painted several coats of white spray paint, then let that dry completely.

Next I cut a thick strip of burlap and hot glued it to the vase. I did this because I plan on leaving the burlap there. 

Then I took the red ribbon and got glued it to itself. I wanted to be able to take the red ribbon off. Then to keep it from sliding I tied the twin around. 

Burlap Vase
That’s it! Super easy right? When Christmas is over, just take of the red ribbon, and put whatever you want in place of the sticks!
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Thanks so much for having my Audra! It was a blast being over here today!

Dec 21, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Day 11 - Sew Country Chick

Welcome to day eleven of the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts! We're getting close to Christmas!! Have you tried any of the series tutorials?? Today Justine from Sew Country Chick is going to show us how to make Burlap Stockings! Happy crafting!

Hello Kurtz Corner readers! Thank you Audra for having me guest post today! I'm Justine from Sew Country Chick, a sewing and crafty blog, and my brand new decorating blog Farmhouse Couture .
Today's tutorial is for a burlap and upholstery webbing stocking with printed out type key initials.
You may have seen one like it at Ballard designs. This is the DIY version. And it only costs about 2 dollars to make!

My mantle theme this year is burlap, sheet music and typewriter keys. Click here to view my sheet music covered letter tutorial.
So here is how you make the stocking.
Materials per stocking :

1. About 1/4 yard burlap.
2. About 15 inches upholstery webbing or 1/2 a yard.
3. Card stock to print out the typewriter keys.
4. Gold glitter.
5. A sewing machine.

  1. Draw your stocking template. You can trace one you already have or just draw one freehand. Mine is about 15 inches long, 12 inches wide at the toe, and 7 inches wide at the top. 
  2. Cut out two pieces for your stocking and sew them together with about a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Turn the stocking right side out and iron flat.
  3. Cut your top webbing piece from one piece of webbing the same width as the top of your stocking. sew it with a 3/4 allowance since there is only one seam and not two like the stocking. this will make it the same width. 
    4.Sew the top webbing band together, iron the seam allowance flat and sew it to the top of your stocking, overlapping the webbing onto the stocking. Use the same color thread as the webbing so it doesn't show.
      5. To download the typewriter font go to this page at dafont.com. I printed the initials of each of my kids out on cream colored cardstock and sized the font in Photoshop Elements at 150 pixels.
 
6. Print out the letters, cut them out and coat the edges with glue dipped in glitter. 
    7. Attach some twine or ribbon to the stocking with the glue gun to make a hanger for it.
    8. Glue gun the letters to your stocking and you are done!


Merry Christmas!
Justine
@


Dec 20, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Day 10 - Arysy Vava

**There will be no link party today, please enjoy this Christmas craft instead!**

Just a few days left in the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts! Yes, I said a few, I have some bonus days lined up for y'all! There were just so many people interested and such great ideas! Today is day ten and we have Virginia here from Artsy VaVa who is going to show us how to make some fun and beautiful garland for our Christmas trees!

I am so excited to be hosting today during the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts here at The Kurtz Corner! I am Virginia, a.k.a. ArtsyVaVa and I have been a follower of The Kurtz Corner for quite some time and love the inspiration I get from Audra's blog. So, thank you, Audra, for having me today!

I have always been an artist! When I was little and the other kids were selling lemonade from roadside stands, I was selling paintings that my mother would lovingly hang on fishing line she strung between pine trees. Looking back, I'm sure she called the neighbors and asked them to stop and buy a painting for a nickel! If I am not in the midst of creating something, then I am probably thinking about what to create next!

I recently created this vintage looking spool garland...
Here's how I did it...
 I started out covering wooden spools that I bought at the craft store with sheet music that I printed from the Graphics Fairy website.
I used a damp rag to apply red acrylic paint to wooden beads. I used this technique to give the beads a marbled look rather than having complete coverage...


Next, I cut a long piece of green jute and tied a loop in one end...
I wrapped the other end of jute with tape to make it easier to thread through the beads and spools...

I tied a knot about 8 inches away from the end of the jute and added a bead, a spool, and another bead and then tied another know to hold it all in place...

I threaded on a rusty metal star ornament and tied it in place about 6 inches away from the last bead...


I continued this process alternating the beads and spool with the stars until I had about a 6 foot garland.



I love the vintage, yet rustic feel of this garland...

This was an easy and inexpensive garland that will make a big impact on my Christmas tree!