Jan 30, 2012

Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 22}

Welcome to Tuesday Tutorials! Come link up your recent projects and check out some of the faves from the last party!

Last week party faves - Valentine's style!
{Left} Valentine's Coffee Filter Wreath from Mandi Being Crafty
{Center} Valentine's Pot Holders from Country Momma Cooks
{Right} Red Velvet Cupcakes with Raspberry Marshmallow Frosting from Housewives of Riverton


Jan 29, 2012

Strawberry Moscato Cupcakes

Don't these just make you want to say, "Awwwwww" or "Yuuummmm!" They make me say, "I need a big glass of milk!" I love strawberry cupcakes and you know what else I love even more? Moscato wine. I have a huge sweet tooth and am drawn more to sweet wines. I do love my Rieslings and an occasional Pino but Moscato is my fave! So I though why not combine the two things I love? Genius! Why not throw in some chocolate chips too while I'm at it? Even better!! 

I didn't go homemade with these, don't shun me! I just wanted a quick and easy cupcake and that is exactly what I made.

Strawberry Moscato Cupcakes
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- 1 cup Cupcake Moscato wine
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- butter cream frosting
- 24 cupcake liners

Mix your strawberry cake according to the box directions and substitute the 1 cup water with 1 cup of Cupcake Moscato wine. You can add maybe a half cup more of the wine if you want to be daring. I would have liked more Moscato flavor in my batch. Here is a picture of this wine if you have never had it before. It is one of my favorite brands!
After your batter is mixed stir in one cup of mini chocolate chips and distribute the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. Bake according to the box directions.

While your cupcakes are baking you will want to make your chocolate heart cupcake toppers. Begin by lining a baking sheet with wax paper. Next, melt 2 cups of  chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave stirring between each 30 seconds. When the chips have melted spoon them into a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Make your heart shapes on the wax paper and place in the fridge to set up.
When your cupcakes have cooled and your toppers have set up pipe on your butter cream frosting and top with your chocolate heart cupcake toppers! You may even have a glass of that Moscato while you're at it!
These are perfect for Valentine's Day or just because, enjoy!


Jan 28, 2012

Sunday Social - Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Sunday Social! Come link up your blags home page and make some new bloggy friends!

How to participate:

1.  Follow us (The Kurtz Corner & The Sasse Life) via Google Friend Connect.
2. Follow the Featured blog. (Stone and Rose)
2.  Link up your blog's home page -- no projects or you will be deleted!
3. Visit at least 2 other blogs and make some friends!
4. Let your friends know by posting this button. The more, the merrier!

The Sasse Life


Jan 25, 2012

DIY Wing Back Studded Headboard

This is my first go at upholstery / furniture making and I have to say I am pretty impressed with myself AND my husband who helped me sooo much! This headboard is six feet tall and 76 inches wide (a King sized headboard) It's HUGE and heavy and I love it!! This has been a project that I've wanted to tackle for a while and I am so glad I did. There is just something about making things with my own hands that gives me so much joy! Here is my new king size wing back studded headboard!

I've seen all kinds of these beauties popping up on Pinterest and in stores and a lot of them run you a cool $500...at least the ones that I wanted! This project ran me around $170 so I think it was well worth the 2 days of effort to make it! Here is the break down of costs. Keep in mind that I used coupons at Michael's and Joann's Fabric for almost all of my supplies.


Materials & costs:
1 - 1x48x76in Plywood board & 1 - 2x6x144in board - $30
2in foam - Enough to cover your headboard (two sheets from Joann's) - $60
1 package of furniture studs form Joann's - $10
About 5 yards of fabric - $15
2 bags of batting from Joann's (enough to cover the headboard & wings) - $14
Staple gun & staples - $20
Spray tacky glue - $5
14 - 2in screws (owned)
Heavy duty screws to anchor your headboard to your bead frame (owned)
Drill & drill bits (owned)
Circular saw (owned)
Hammer (owned)


Before you start your headboard (or even before you buy your wood) make sure you have the correct measurements. Measure from edge to edge of your bed frame. You'll want to add about 3/4 in to your measurement so that when you add your wings it will fit perfectly around your bead frame. You can get your plywood and 2x6's cut at either Lowes or Home Depot or you can do it yourself! You will need to get your 2x6 cut in half. My headboard is 6 feet tall so you may or may not want to subtract a few inches from your "wings".

Making sure my wood is at the exact measurement
Once your wood is cut you will want to secure your foam to the headboard. You will have to cut your foam to fit the headboard and use a tacky spray glue to secure it. After the glue has dried for a few minutes you can now add your batting. Wrap your batting around the headboard and attach it to the back with your staple gun. Be careful to not wrap too tightly so your edges are not smushed. When that is finished, begin wrapping your headboard with the fabric. You will want to cut 1 yard off of your fabric and set that aside for your wings. Be careful to not wrap too tightly and make sure there are no ripples in your fabric. My advice is to start at the top, then do the bottom and finish with the sides.

Stapling the batting to the wings 
Now that your headboard is wrapped you can secure your wings. Start by stapling one edge of the batting to the backside of the wings. Next, staple one edge of the fabric to the back of the wing on top of the batting. ONLY staple one end of each to the back, layering them on top of each other like we did for the headboard. This will leave you with a flap of batting and fabric that we will staple later. Once that is stapled align the top of your wing with the top of the headboard. Lift up the flap of batting and fabric and begin drilling holes through your wing into your headboard to prepare for the screws. Remember, when using a drill bit it must be smaller than the screw you plan to use. As you make you holes screw in your screws to the headboard until you have about 7 screws on each side (or until it feels secure). When both of your wings are secure wrap the additional batting and fabric around the wing and secure to the back of the wing where we originally stapled it. Your headboard and wings should now both be covered and secured to one another.

Your headboard should look something like this now...and my silly husband! He's actually 6'4" and squatting in this picture so it gives you an idea of just how big this headboard is!
It's finally time to add the studs! I love these studs because the come in a roll a keep your stud projects straight! You can find them at Joann's Fabric. Line up your studs down the center of your wing and begin to hammer into place until you reach the bottom of the front of your wing. I wrapped mine over the top...not that I can see it because I'm only 5'4" but hey lets keep it looking sharp even if I can't see it!

The studs are probably the easiest part! There is a hole every 5th stud where you nail in the loose studs
When you are finished you can now secure your headboard to your bed frame (most have pre-drilled holes that you can use). Take a step back and admire your hard work! Below are a few picture of mine and some accents that I have slowly been adding to the room, enjoy!

The finished product! I'm gonna need more pillows!!
Side table accents and a nice view of the stud work
Lamps and mirrored cones from Target and the mirrored side table is from Pier 1
My beautiful chair that I got from Pier 1...love that store!

I hope you enjoyed my headboard tutorial and that I included enough steps for you to make your own! Again, very first furniture and upholstery project so bear with me. If you feel that I left out any crucial steps just ask me and I will tell you how to do it!

Linking up HERE 



Jan 23, 2012

Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 21}

Welcome to Tuesday Tutorials! Come link up your recent projects and check out some of the faves from the last party!

Last week party faves!
{Left} Metallic Dresser from My Champagne Taste
{Center} Microwave Lollies from Salt Tree
{Right} Chicken Tortilla Soup from The Short and Sweet Blog

{Left} Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes from Pressed Down, Shaken Together
{Right} DIY Tuffed Ottoman from Junk in The Trunk

Jan 22, 2012

Sunday Social - Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Sunday Social Blog Hop! Link up your blog's homepage and make some new bloggy friends!

How to participate:

1.  Follow us (The Sasse Life & The Kurtz Corner) via Google Friend Connect by clicking the "join this site" button in the right hand column 
2. Follow the Featured blog. (Uncommon)
2.  Link your blog's homepage - not a specific link or you will be deleted!
3. Visit at least 2 other blogs and make some friends!

4. Let your friends know by posting this button. The more, the merrier!

The Sasse Life


This week's featured blog: Uncommon

Jan 17, 2012

Giveaway! ~ dAiSy MaE dEsIgNs

Ever have one of those days where you just don't feel like spending hours on your hair and you throw on a hat just to avoid it? I know I had many of those days in college and still have those days on the weekends where it takes everything in me just to drag my self out of my pj's to go run errands. Look cute on even your slouchiest days with an adorable hat from dAiSy MaE dEsIgNs!



Jan 16, 2012

Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 20}

Welcome to Tuesday Tutorials! Come link up your recent projects and check out some of the faves from the last party!

The Most Clicked Link
Using Mod Podge With Pictures from Pink Umbrella Photography

Some of my faves
{Left} Truffle Cocktail from That Skinny Chick Can Bake 
{Center} Loop Wreath from The Crafty Scientist 
{Right} Snowflake Cake Pops from Pint Sized Baker


Jan 14, 2012

Sunday Social

Welcome to the Sunday Social!
How to participate:

1.  Follow your hosts (The Kurtz Corner & The Sasse Life) via Google Friend Connect.
2. Follow the Featured blog (Moments with the Montano's)
2.  Link up your blog's home page -- not a specific link or you will be deleted!
3. Visit at least 2 other blogs and make some friends!
4. Let your friends know by posting this button. The more, the merrier!

The Sasse Life




Hello Everyone! My name is Melysa from Moments with the Montano's. I love all things crafty, diy, and thrifty. I am also a self professed master multitasker; juggling being a wife, a good mom to my fabulous little boy (or as my husband calls him, my unaltered clone), a successful career woman with a 2 hour commute (boo hiss) and still carving out a bit of time to be creative.  Everyone needs a creative outlet, right?  You probably noticed I left out house cleaning, that normally is at the bottom of my to do list.  :)  I invite people over to force me to do a thorough and sparkly cleaning.  ::::insert embarrassed whistle::::

Some interesting facts about me:

1. My mom was very creative with my name and most people have a hard time pronouncing it.  It is Meh-lee-sah.  Mom tells me that after my first day of pre-school, the teacher pulled her aside and told her that I was being unresponsive in class.  After a few minutes of discussion, my mom realized my teacher was calling me Melissa.  Since it is not my name, I didn't realize she was speaking to me.  :)  

2.  I own a blow torch (and I'm not afraid to use it).

3.  I have two completely different feet. I mean in both size and appearance. One is a size 5.5 and the other is a size 4.5.  Let's just say it makes shoe shopping interesting.  I have, however, come up with some crafty solutions to my shoe sagas.

4.  I love makeup!  I rarely do not wear at least a bit of something, mascara, lipstick, concealer.

5.  I can recite most lyrics to any 80's pop, club and rap song and or t.v. show theme song. "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have...." It's amazing what is stored up in my noggin.

I hope you can stop on by Moments with the Montano's share in my journey, the good, the bad and the crafty.  I'd love to share it with you.

XOXO,
Melysa

Please email Kim at kim@thesasselife.com if you would like to be the Featured Blog.




 
 

Jan 12, 2012

Cupcake Cakeballs - Brace Yourself For Cuteness

I am finally back! Two weeks without internet after moving into our first home has been a killer...I have been dying to blog and do something, ANYTHING, that requires creativity!

This week I made the CUTEST little cakeballs! Don't mind if I brag but, how I can stand their cuteness I just don't know! I was literally squealing while making them. And beside being so dang cute you could faint they are sooo easy to make!


I originally got this idea from Pinterest HERE but decided to put my own spin on it. While The Pioneer Woman made her "cupcake liners" from chocolate molds I made mine from Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!  This recipe with yield 60+ mini cupcake cakeballs

For this recipe you will need:
1. Box cake mix of your choice
2. One 16 oz tub of icing - flavor of your choice
2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - white or milk chocolate
3. White or milk chocolate chips depending on the "wrapper" color you choose
4. Decorative sprinkles and red hots
5. White melting chocolates

Making The Cakeballs
  • To begin, make your cakeballs. If you've never made a cakeball they are super simple...and addictive, watch out!
  • Bake the cake accordingly to the box directions.
  • Once the cake is cooked and has cooled for a few minutes start crumbling the cake into a large mixing bowl. It's okay if it is still warm just not piping hot out of the oven! Use your hands, don't be afraid to get those hands dirty!
  • Next, add in your tub of frosting. I added the whole 16 oz...you may choose to add less but mine were a hit with the whole tub! Mix in the frosting with a wooden spoon or spatula until well blended.
  • Place a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet and begin to roll your mix into small balls to use as the "cupcake" top. I used a 1/4 tablespoon to keep them a consistent size.
  • Place your cake balls on the wax paper and place them in the fridge to set up.
 Cupcake Bottoms
  • The bottoms of the "cupcakes" are simply Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. You can use white or milk chocolate. Depending on which you choose will determine the chocolate chips you buy. The chocolate chips will be melted and used as a "glue" to adhere the cakeball to the Reese's cup.
  • While your cakeballs are setting up in the fridge unwrap your Reese's cups and place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet.
  Creating The "Cupcake"
  • First melt your chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until they are melted, stirring between each 30 seconds. Make sure you are using the color of chocolate chip that matches the color of Reese's cup that you are using.
  • When your chips are melted removed your cakeballs and being placing tiny dabs of melted chocolate chips on to the Reese's cup.
  • Smush your cakeball onto the Reese's cup. Just pressed hard enough to form it to the Reese's cup so it looks more like a cupcake.
  • When you have finished all of your "cupcakes" place them back into the fridge and let the chocolate "glue" set up.
Adding The Good Stuff
  • Once your "cupcakes" have set up in the fridge you may now start adding the "frosting"
  • In a small bowl melt your white melting chocolate...I used just regular white chocolate chips. Again, in 30 second intervals stirring until it is smooth.
  • Take your "cupcake" by the Reese's bottom and dunk it into the melted chips. Try to get as close to the Reese's wrapper without touching it.
  • Let the excess "frosting" drip off otherwise you will have a landslide of "frosting" dripping down your "cupcake".
  • Place your "cupcake" back on the baking sheet and immediately add your "cherry", aka the red hots, and your sprinkles. If you wait the "frosting" will harden and you won't be able to add them.

You are now done! It's a little time consuming when you are making 60+ of these little guys, but so much fun! Think of all the possibilities! You can add food coloring to the "frosting" and customize them as much as you please! You don't have to refrigerate them unless you are keeping them for an extended period of time.

My little army of Cupcake Cakeballs! Enjoy!


Linking up HERE 

Jan 9, 2012

Finalist! Please Vote For Me!

Hey gang! I am proud to say my Tulle Christmas Wreath was voted December's Finest 2011 over at To Sew With Love's! 11 other bloggers and myself are competing to become 2011's Finest (one entry from each month)

If you all could swing on by To Sew With Love and vote for me I would greatly appreciate it! It is a DILY vote so you can vote once a day for me until January 14th! Please vote for my Tulle Christmas Wreath, all you have to do is click HERE or the link below and scroll to the bottom and vote for the last entry, "December's - Christmas Tulle Wreath - The Kurtz Corner"

Check out the blog while you're there AND check out the post....you could win A LOT of cool prizes!

Many thanks in advance! I will see you all soon with some fun projects! We get internet at our new house this weekend, thank the Lord!! I have been going nuts wanting to blog but can only do it from my husbands iPhone or random free wifi hookups hehe :)

Jan 5, 2012

I need your votes!

Hey everyone! I am proud to say my Tulle Christmas Wreath made it into To Sew With Love's December's Finest Contest! The contest ends tomorrow...I know, I know kinda sudden but hey cut me some slack I just moved into a new house and don't even have internet hooked up there!

If you all could swing on by To Sew With Love and vote for me I would greatly appreciate it! Please vote for my Tulle Christmas Wreath, all you have to do is click HERE or the link below and scroll to the bottom and vote for the second entry, "Tulle Christmas wreath, The Kurtz Corner"

http://www.to-sew-with-love.com/2012/01/vote-for-tswls-finest-of-december-2011.html

Many thanks in advance!

Blogger - Missing in Action

Hey everyone! I promise I haven't forgotten about you!! The hubby and I are all moved into our new house, hooray! There are still several boxes left to unpack...mostly nick-nacks and decorations. The kitchen is all unpacked and we got our new bed this week, which I might add is heavenly! You know you're getting older when a new king size mattress gets you really excited! This weekend we hope to finish unpacking the rest of the boxes, paint one last wall and go look for a new couch! I might even start on my first project, a studded wing back headboard for my new master bedroom and new king size bed!! Really excited for this project. We haven't had internet for 2 weeks so the only time I can do anything is at work, big no no or when I can find open wifi which isn't often! I will be back soon lovelies and with lots of projects! See you soon!