Marshmallow Pops | Simple Kid-Friendly Valentine's Day Treat

Easy Homemade Valentine's Treats : Marshmallow Pops

Aren't these cute?!  The same darling look of a cakepop, but so (so!) much easier.  They are fun to eat on their own, but also work great as Hot Chocolate Stirrers.  The best part was that the entire process took 10 minutes with minimal prep and clean-up... and Emma looovvved it.

......

Homemade treats for holidays are my favorite thing - I love creating something pretty with my hands, it feeds my inner creative artist, and I love encouraging Emma to do the same.  Sometimes I'm in the mood to get the kitchen messy with her, get our hands dirty and make a day of it.  However, most of the time we need something simple and quick but still cute.  Yes, I could go out and buy something, but I just like to make things.  You might feel the same way - or you might think I'm crazy : )   

I've learned that these little quick projects are just as much fun for Emma (and me) and sort of an instant gratification project.  There is no prep, no pre-heating, no getting out the mixer, no flour or sugar on the floor.  There is pink food coloring, melted chocolate, dipping, sprinkles and complete 100% 4-year-old hands-on creating experience of making something cute.  It was the perfect after-school project to help us recover from a hectic day.  I'm trying to incorporate more of realistic and simple activities into our schedule, as part of my goals discussed on Monday.

Emma put these together while I melted the chocolate in the microwave.  She really liked the ones she did on the side - like a hammer... which, might be a fun way to "spin" this for a boy project.

Kids love to have complete control over a project - Emma especially loves anything she can do all by herself.  She shows tremendous pride and sense of accomplishment when she is able to have the reigns.  

More importantly, she experiences competence and ability - she learns she is capable of making something beautiful/delicious and it doesn't have to be purchased.

In this photo, she explaining how to do this - to me.  Confidence meter is very high...

Ingredients : 

Cute Straws (can find these in my store, here)
1/2 cup White Chocolate (we used Ghiradelli melting disks)
2 tablespoons of Heavy Cream
Red Food Coloing
Marshmallows
Sprinkles

Step 1 : Stick Marsmallows on Straws (you can also cut straws in half to create shorter sticks).

Step 2 : Melt the chocolate with cream in a glass container for 30 seconds, then stir.  Repeat 15 more seconds until melted.  Do not over heat - it will glob up!

Step 3 : Add a tiny drop of red coloring.  Stir.

Step 4 : Dip marshmallows in, place in glass and top with sprinkles.

I'm going to share some more "real life" easy projects for Valentine's Day overt the next week.  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Tiny hands came sneaking in while I was taking this photo...

And it was returned like this about 20 seconds later : )

Pink Stripe Party Straws available here.

If you are looking for something not quite so feminine, these Gold Star Party Straws are perfect for any and every occasion.

DIY Craft Hutch | $200 Weekend Project

DIY Craft Hutch

Welcome to my new favorite spot in our house - my charming little corner of supplies and storage.  It is filled with all of my entertaining essentials, linens, candles and the packaging supplies that I use for gifts.  It sits right in my kitchen by a big window, where I used to keep my desk (as you might remember).  I've dreamed about having a spot just like this for years... I had no idea that it was a weekend DIY project and $200 away from becoming a reality.

You might be wondering why I went to all of this trouble for a room that is going to be torn down in three weeks...  Funny, Mike asked the same question.  As I explained to him, I'll be taking this with us to our temporary home (more on that later...) while the new addition is being constructed.  It will serve as my product "home base" for the store and will be a perfect spot for me to style my photos while we're away from our home.  And then... it will be installed in our new mudroom/studio area in the new house.  Win, win.  When we install it in the mudroom, I'll be adding to it (I think) to make it a large counter area.  

This peg board was a last minute addition - it used to be attached to our cabinetry and hold pot holders, but now it holds my current tea towel collection.

*To spare you from too many product links, I've included all products featured at the end of the post.

I used two unfinished cabinets from Home Depot (not sponsored) and screwed them together.  Then I sanded and painted.  It took all of an evening to do.  More details and photos about the process at the end of the post.

I used the same Martha Stewart Living Bedford Antique Brass Pulls (from home depot) we used in our current kitchen and plan to use in the new kitchen.

You might recognize the wood top - it was on my old desk that sat in this same spot.  More DIY details about how I refinished the top at the end of the post.

Why didn't I do this 2 years ago?!   With very little storage in our kitchen, I had been keeping my  platters, candles, packaging, etc.  in the dingy basement.  No more!  

You can see the top is very distressed and worn - I like it that way.  It came from my old desk that I bought in college for my first apartment.  I've used it since then all through each new adventure and project.  I'm glad to have reinvented it in a new way that I can still use.

Now for a look inside :

I have all of my Wood Candle Holders lined up ready for my next table setting, Linen Tea Towels & Napkins in a basket so I can take them in and out easily without messing them up, Kraft Boxes for packaging cookies and Kraft Bags for last minute gifts.

In the drawers, I keep all of my gift tags and cards, ribbons, scissors, twine, etc.

I also keep a stash of Cello Bags, Labels and Tablets that are sold with my Le Pens (restocked today!).

I got this wooden organizer in the silverware organizing section - storing my Everyday Cards & Tags, Le Pens (added a new Brown color for Fall), Bakers Twine, Scissors & Everyday Tin Candle.

Ribbons, Taper Candles & Cotton and Jute Twine.

And, of course... all of my bakeware supplies.

And here is a look at the pulls - at only $4 each, they are the most affordable and beautiful brass pulls available.  

The Butternut & Acorn Squash are doing a great job holding up the Creamware Platters.

Okay, so here is how I made it.  It started at about 9pm at night.  I bought two 18" unfinished cabinets from Home Depot.   You could just buy one set that is 36", but I wanted to have half drawers and have cabinet, so this was my only option.  For both, it was about $170.

I sanded, then painted them my favorite - Benjamin Moore Navajo White in Satin.  It is the same color our cabinets will be in the new kitchen.

You can see how the paint really transformed them.

 

Then, I added the top.

I had recently damaged the finish, so I sanded the old finish down, then stained it with Special Walnut Minwax stain.  I finished it with Tung Oil for a soft, matte luster.

I hope you've been inspired to create your own little corner of happiness!  I can not emphasize enough how easy this was, and how much storage I've gained in our small kitchen for all of my goodies.

Products Featured (and stored!) in my Craft Hutch :

Linen Tea Towels & Napkins

Wood Candle Holders

Kraft Boxes for packaging cookies

Cello Bags, Labels and

Tablets + LePens (restocked today!)

Everyday Cards & Tags

My Everyday Candle Tin

Ribbons

Taper Candles 

Cotton and Jute Twine

Bakeware Supplies


Here is the Pinterest Strip for easy pinning.

In other store news, I've received a small restock of Herringbone Throws.  I should receive even more in 2 weeks or so.

Hope you have a great holiday weekend - ours is packed with visits from out of town friends, brunch at our house and date night for me and Mike tonight.

Happy Friday!
Jenny

DIY | Be Mine Valentine's Day Wrapping Paper | Free Printable Paper Template

DIY : Be Mine Wrapping Paper
for Valentine's Day

You can make this Valentine's Day Wrapping Paper by printing out sheets of my Be Mine little labels.  It is perfect for a small box of cookies (as it is on a sheet of regular paper).  For this larger box, I used two sheets of paper together strategically placed at the seems.

For the printable download and more uses for the paper, click here!

For the printable download and more free labels, click here!

-->

Entertaining | Snack Boxes

A couple of weeks ago, I helped my Aunt Lisa by providing some "snack boxes" for the bus trip she had organized of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour.

I made 35 boxes contain the following :

- Petite Pork Tenderloin Sandich with Caramelized Onion Cream Cheese

- Cashew, Dried Cranberry & Golden Rasin Mix

- Artisan Cheeses & Berries

- Truffle Brownies (click here for the recipe!)

Each brown kraft box was lined with parchment paper, then accented with festive cupcake papers (turned inside out) and red polk-a-dot napkins.