Chinese Staircase Stitch Ponytail

Hey, it's July! So I stumbled across this video on YouTube and thought this looked so cute and easy! Try it out!

Just One Cookie

You know those days where you just want ONE cookie? I found a recipe for one cookie, so I thought I'd share it with you all. Now, I don't know if this recipe actually works, but I'm hoping to give it a test soon. If any of you give it a taste, let me know if it's good!

Source

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp. butter (melted)

- 1 tbsp. white sugar, 1 tbsp. brown sugar

- 3 drops of vanilla, pinch of salt, 1 egg yolk

- 1/4 c. flour

- 2 tbsp. chocolate chips

Steps:

- Mix the ingredients above in a small bowl (the one in the picture is a deeper dish) or a mug

- Microwave the batter for 40-60 seconds in the bowl/mug

<3 Seana

Finally the Results of Our Mini Christmas Recipe Contest!

Sorry it took so long! I was sick during Christmas break and so I waited until after break to do this. Now I'm cramming for exams this week, so I'm still really busy but I found time to squeeze this in :)
Thankfully, I got four entires (more than zero) and it was really, really hard to pick. Thanks to all those who submitted a Christmas recipe! I chose Lily's submission which was actually a video on YouTube that she found! Congrats Lily!
So I'll include the video and then pictures from what I made and little changes I did to the recipe!

This is the 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 of milk combined along
with two teaspoons of hot chocolate. In the video she used
instant coffee, but I substituted hot chocolate instead
because we didn't have instant coffee.

I couldn't find any Hershey's candy cane kisses, so I came up
with my own thing: white chocolate chips and candy canes

I used 3/4 of a candy cane and ground it up into powder

Then I heated the white chocolate chips and ground candy
cane together for 45 seconds. This obviously doesn't look like
the video's, but oh well. One problem I had was that
some of the candy cane hardened again and it was a bit
hard to mix, but it worked out

This is the final product, I mixed the white chocolate/candycane
mixture in, but it didn't really melt, so I stuck it in the microwave
for a few more seconds. There was a small lump of candy cane
and chocolate at the bottom, but IT TASTED SOOOO GOOD!

This recipe is so easy to make, I bet it would be even easier if you had the right ingredients too :D

But it tasted so good! I've never had a Starbucks version, but I think I would choose this over that any day.

Thanks again Lily, and if any of you make this, tell me how it worked for you!

July

HELP!

Does anyone know where to find Hershey's candy cane kisses?
I need them for the recipe that I chose for our mini contest thing....
I can't find them anywhere!
July

Lemon Meringue Pie

So a while back, Sea posted a recipe for lemon meringue pie, but it was slightly confusing, so I was

inspired to do a post with lemon meringue pies too! This is a different recipe, and I think it is less

confusing, but something I would never attempt to make. 

Oh and somebody was wondering about our mini contest thing, and I have decided what to make! I was sick over Christmas break so I decided to make it afterward when I could enjoy it, but there is one ingredient I'm having a bit of trouble finding.... But I'll try to have that for you soon!Anyway, enjoy the pie!

*recipe credit goes to foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

Lemon Filling:

• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows

Directions

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

A Post Stolen From Dearest Emily Over At Emily's Chronicles (http://eklobb.blogspot.com/)

Hello everyone! July here again and I'm so glad that I've gotten four entries for the "contest" we were having. If you missed that, click HERE to read about it. 

So I'm sure you're all wondering about the title but wonder no more! I was browsing Emily's blog (http://eklobb.blogspot.com/) and I stumbled across this adorable piece of Christmas cheer! I asked Emily if I could snatch her post and stick it on this blog (with all credit going to her of course) and she said yes, so here it is! But she did have one condition: a spike in her followers! So go and follow her, also if you could tell her that July sent you, that would be great :) 

Anyway, thank you Emily of Emily's Chronicles! Is that enough advertising to help get you a follower boom? :D

You will need

~White card

~Four different patterned/textured papers

~A set of compasses or circular objects to draw around - you'll need one large, one medium and one small.

~Scissors

~Pretty things with which to decorate said patterned papers - as I was posting this I was limited to ribbon, lace and thread but if you're able you can use beads and sequins.

~Strong glue with which to stick down said pretty things - I used UHU but you may need PVA or a hot glue gun depending on what you're using. Adhesive pads also work well in some cases.

~Sellotape

~Black filigree paper - if you don't have this then you'll need black paper and a hole punch

~A glue stick

~A black fineliner pen

~A ruler

Instructions

1. Take your patterned papers and cut out four circles, one large, one medium and two small.

2. Start decorating! With ribbon/thread, squeeze a thin line of glue where you're placing it and stick it down...

...then tape it at the back. 

You get the idea...

...don't you?

Unnecessary pictures...

...tralala ^_^

See! You now have some pretty circle - or baubles, as we can now call them! I only decorated three because I wanted to leave the pretty patterned one.

3. Now cut a strip of black filigree paper - if you have none then just cut a normal strip with a scalloped edge and punch some holes in it.

4. Now comes the bit where you require ninja-like skills and precision.  Lay your strip of paper and your baubles on the piece of card and make small pencil marks at the top of each bauble and at the bottom of the strip of paper directly above the top of the bauble...if that makes sense. Draw on strings and hanger-thingies in black fineliner pen. 

5. Then...stick everything on! Pretty, riiight?!?!

6. At the bottom, in an amazingly brilliant font, write Merry Christmas.

TA-DAAAAA!!!! Is it not lovely? :D :D

Oh, and if you're super-cool like me, you can draw a puppy in a Christmas hat inside the card.

Need Your Help!

Hey Creative Cliquers! I, being July that is, need you to send me your favorite Christmas recipes to post on this blog! I'll pick one or two to actually make and review.....
I really need your help and I think this could be fun but the only way it will work is if you send me an email.
My email is julya.emmance@gmail.com and I'll be checking my inbox regularly for your favorite recipe.
I'm not going to set a date limit now, but ASAP please!
~July

Snowflake Cookies

Well hello there fine readers and fellow crafters! So tonight, since its now December, I thought I'd start posting Christmas recipes! 
~July
*Enjoy the cookies and please note that the recipe is from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups Imperial sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups cake flour
• 2 tablespoons edible glitter

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Divide in half. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 300° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill and reroll scraps if desired.
• In a small resealable plastic bag, combine edible glitter and remaining sugar. Seal bag; crush mixture to break glitter into smaller pieces. Sprinkle over warm cookies. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely

Thanksgiving Turkeys!

Hey everyone! It's July and as all our American followers know, we are celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday. For those of you how don't know what that is, Google it because I don't have time to explain right now :) 

Most people have turkey on Thanksgiving, but I do know a few oddballs who have ham instead. But today in honor or our Thanksgiving Turkey, here is the cutest recipe that I made with my four year old cousin last year! Very easy to make!

All you need is-

~Frosting to act like glue

~Candy corn for the beak and feathers

~Oreo cookies for the body

~Tootsie Roll for more of the body

~Malted milk ball for the head

~and optional colored frosting for the eyes and gobble

I'll let the picture explain, I think you can figure it out!

*Thanks to delish.com for the picture

Happy times,

July

Happy Halloween/Reformation Day/Day of the Dead, Whatever you wanna call it!

Hello! It's October 31 which means that it's Halloween here where I live... I don't know if that is different in other countries, but oh well. 
So most people celebrate Halloween as a day to dress up in costumes and go trick or treating for candy. That is what I do, but also Christians celebrate it as Reformation Day where Martin Luther King nailed 100 reasons why the  Catholic church was wrong on the door of the church (I'm sorry if you are Catholic and this offends you). Also, in Mexico, either today or tomorrow is when they celebrate the Day of the Dead where they honor their dead loved ones and remember the impact their late loved ones had on their lives. 
What other things do you call or celebrate on Halloween? Just curious!
Anyway I'm sure you're all bored of reading that and want me to get on with it to today's recipe! Well here goes! Enjoy making your Fun Caramel Apples!


*Thanks to http://www.tasteofhome.com/ for the recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 package (14 ounces) vibrant green Wilton candy melts
• 1 package (14 ounces) white Wilton candy melts
• 2 packages (14 ounces each) Werther's Original Chewy Caramels
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 large tart apples, room temperature
• 8 lollipop sticks
• Assorted candies such as jimmies, M&M's and Reese's Pieces

Directions

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth and set aside. In another microwave-safe bowl, microwave melt the green candy melts. Repeat with white candy melts.
• In another microwave-safe bowl, microwave the caramels and water, uncovered, on high for 1 minute; stir. Heat 30-45 seconds longer or until caramels are melted; stir until smooth.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. Wash and thoroughly dry apples. Insert a stick into each; dip into caramel mixture, turning to coat. Place on prepared pan. Drizzle with melted chocolate and candy melts. Decorate as desired with melted chocolate, candy melts and candies. Refrigerate until set.

Yummy yum! 

~July