Thank you for supporting Freckles Crafts this past year! I wish you and your family a wonderful and joyous Christmas. I look forward to serving all of your crafting needs in 2011!
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
1
Monthly Archives: December 2010
Crafting Up Some Holiday Cheer-Spiced Nuts Recipe
This summer, when I was participating in some local area craft shows, I met a woman known as “The Nut Lady”. While some might call her a little nuts (pun intended!) for traveling so far to sell her pecans, we Illinois folks are sure glad she does. I am now hooked on her fresh pecans, and I am sharing the wealth of flavor by making spiced pecans for friends and neighbors this Christmas- Nut Lady style!
Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1tsp salt
- 1 lb pecans
Beat egg white and 1tsp of water together until stiff. (Isn’t my sous chef a cutie pie?)
Here is what the egg whites look like when they are stiff
Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt to the egg whites and stir gently until mixed. Add 1lb of pecans and stir until coated. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for one hour stirring every 15 minutes.
The next hour of waiting is the hardest part but you will thank me for it!
When your pecans are done let them cool completely before storing in an air tight container. Make sure to save yourself some!
"Countdown to Break" Blocks- Teachers Gift Tutorial
I have been thinking a lot about what to get my son’s teachers for a gift this year. I usually try to get them a gift certificate to Target or Wal-Mart so they may buy books for their classroom, or purchase something personal for themselves (they deserve it after all on what little teachers make these days, yeesh!) With the gift certificate I like to give them something homemade either from myself or the kids.
After being inspired by the many tutorials I have seen for countdown to Christmas advent blocks, I came up with this version for teachers to count down the days until their next break. I think this will be such a fun gift that they can use in the classroom to not only assist with learning the calendar days but to also build excitement counting down the days until spring break, summer break, etc!
What gift are you giving teachers this year?
Materials Needed (or purchase craft kit here):
- 2- 4 inch wood blocks cut from a 4×4 fence post
- 1- 2×4 block 7 inches long
- White paint
- Paint brush
- Sandpaper
- Coordinating scrapbook paper
- Paper trimmer or scissors
- Modge Podge
- Corner trimmer (optional)
- Vinyl lettering cut to say “days ‘til break”
- Vinyl numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (block one) 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 (block 2)
- Distressing ink optional
Directions:
- Sand edges of blocks to remove rough areas.
- Paint all sides of each block white as well as the 2×4 base and allow to dry.
- Cut scrapbook paper to fit blocks. You will need six different pieces of paper for each of the block sides and one coordinating piece of paper for one side of the 2×4 (use a corner trimmer to round edges of paper, optional).
4. Apply scrapbook paper to blocks using a thin layer of modge podge and allow to dry.
5. Lightly sand the edges of the paper to make it look worn and even with the blocks. As an option you can use distressing ink on the edges of the paper to give the blocks a worn/aged look. Note: I did not do this step because I liked the contrast of the white block with the colorful paper.
6. Remove the vinyl scrap from around the letters and numbers.
7. Apply the vinyl numbers to blocks (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on block one)(0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 on block 2) and the letters (days ’til break) to the 2×4 base using your vinyl transfer tape (follow the manufactures directions for your specific transfer tape product).
8. Seal the blocks with another layer of modge podge and allow to dry.
Teachers will love these!
Participating in
