Simple Holiday Hershey Kisses Tarts

 

Simple Holiday Hershey Kisses Tarts is my festive variation on my mom's Simple Fudge Tarts recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookies (2006). We had a handful of Hershey's Kisses, a bag of holiday M&M's, and some Betty Crocker cookie mixes leftover from baking our other cookie exchange cookies, so I decided to combine these ingredients and create something to fill the open space on our dessert tray.

Simple Holiday Hershey Kisses Tarts

A simple fudge tart made with holiday Hershey's Kisses, M&M's, and a whole lotta love!

Prep Time: 30 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

Serves: 36 holiday tarts

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
• 1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 36 Hershey's Kisses candies, unwrapped (I used Hershey's Kisses Candy Cane and Dark Chocolates filled with Mint Truffle)
• 1 c of M&M's® Mint Chocolate Candies
• 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional topping)

Baking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Make chocolate chip cookie dough as directed on package, using butter and egg. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 ball into each muffin cup.
3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; firmly press 1 Hershey Kiss candy into the center of each cookie. Let the candy settle for a couple of minutes. Top each with 3 M&M's. Cool for 20 minutes. Loosen edges of cookie with a fork and remove to cooling racks.

Optional: Place chocolate chips in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for about . Scoop melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag and cut off a tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over the holiday tarts. Let stand for about 10 minutes or until hardened. 

Chocolate Vanilla Delights

Every year, I help my mom bake holiday cookies and bars for our Christmas cookie exchange with my relatives. This year, I wanted to make something new for the exchange besides helping my mom prepare her caramel layer bars, chocolate pecan bark, mint chocolate coconut treats, and simple fudge tart recipes. Since I am a vanilla lover, I wanted to create a light cookie that had a sweet vanilla taste, but also has a little chocolate in it to satisfy both chocolate and vanilla lovers in the family. In the end, I created bite-sized Chocolate Vanilla Delights made with low-fat ingredients. Not only did I receive compliments from my family for my delicious desserts, but I also received the best gift of all, spending time with my loved ones over the holidays.     

  

Chocolate Vanilla Delights




Delightful chocolate and vanilla desserts that are the perfect size to satisfy your sweet tooth and your stomach. 

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time:  0 min

Ingredients

• ¼ cup fat-free skim milk
• 1 pkg. (1 oz.) fat-free vanilla instant pudding
• 18 vanilla sandwich cookies, finely crushed (about 1-½ cups)
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking squares
• Small candies or nonpareils

Baking Instructions

1. Stir milk and vanilla pudding mix together in a medium bowl with a large spoon or whisk just until moistened. Next stir in the finely crushed cookies; mix well.
2. Next, shape into 36 (1-inch) balls by hand or use a mini cookie dough scoop and place them onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, place unwrapped chocolate squares in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-½ min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 sec. Dip cookie balls into melted chocolate using two forks until evenly coated; let excess chocolate drip into bowl.
4. Place chocolate covered cookie balls back onto cookie sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
5. Sprinkle cookie balls with small candies or nonpareils. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
6. Ready to serve and enjoy!

Notes: Use a food processor to finely crush the sandwich cookies beforehand.

*Additional variations include using holiday sprinkles or crushed candy canes for a festive (or minty) add-on. If using one of these variations, drizzle sprinkles or crushed candy canes right after coating balls with chocolate, then refrigerate and serve. In the picture above, I crushed holiday M&M's and sprinkled them over the cookie balls.

Creative Cucumbers

 Sick of eating the same old vegetables, the same old way? Well, you don't have to. Slice 'em and dice 'em up differently and bring out the artist in you. Be a creative cucumber, or stylish squash or sweet pepper!



Creative Cucumbers 

Cucumbers with a little Van Gogh.

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 5 min

Ingredients

• Vegetables (washed and peeled)
• Tray or plate to display your veggie creation!

Instructions

1. Cut or chop your vegetables any way you want.
2. For my presentations above, I did three variations: I cut the cucumbers into miniature"fries" (left), I peeled the cucumber skin and curled them to make twists (middle), and sliced the cucumbers into dipping "chips" (right). 
3. Neatly arrange the veggies on your tray.
4. Enjoy!

Apple Dippers

I love apples. Granny Smith are my favorite kind of apple. And I love peanut butter. Skippy^® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter is my favorite brand. Put these two things together for a yummy morning or afternoon snack!


Apple Dippers

Quick n' easy healthy snack to prepare and ready to eat when you are heading out the door.

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 5 min

Serves: 1 (for you!)

Ingredients

• 1 apple, washed and dried (any kind--choose your favorite)
• 2 tbsp reduced fat peanut butter

Instructions

1. Cut the apple into bite-sized slices. Scoop the peanut butter into a small condiment container.
2. For on-the-go, place the apple dippers and peanut butter into a reusable lunch container.

*For more servings, add one apple and two tablespoons of peanut butter for every additional serving.

Honey Roasted Peanuts

Lately, I have been snacking on pre-packaged honey roasted peanuts from Fisher's. They taste great, but I wanted to try making my own. Here's a recipe I created from several different recipes for honey roasted peanuts I searched for online*.

Honey Roasted Peanuts

This recipe will surely satisfy your craving for a spoonful of creamy peanut butter and a crunchy snack to munch on.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Serves: 2 3/4 cups of honey roasted peanuts

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups of lightly salted peanuts (about 14 oz)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 c + 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying foil with cooking spray.
2. In a microwavable bowl, place butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon,  1/4 c sugar, and 1 tsp of salt. Microwave until butter is melted and stir until liquid is smooth.
3. Add the peanuts to microwavable bowl and stir mixture until well coated.
4. Pour coated peanuts onto the baking sheet and spread them into an even layer.
5. Bake the peanuts for a total time of 20 min, removing from the oven every 5 min to stir and prevent burning.
6. Once the peanuts are golden brown, remove from the oven and stir them again. After a couple of minutes, sprinkle remaining salt and sugar on top and stir.
7. When the peanuts have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

*Websites Cited

4Susan. "Honey Roasted Peanuts." Food.com. N.p., 09 Dec 2005. Web. 24 Aug 2012. <http://www.food.com/recipe/honey-roasted-peanuts-147856?scaleto=1&mode=null&st=true>. 

LaBau, Elizabeth. "Honey Roasted Peanuts." About.com. N.p., 2010. Web. 24 Aug 2012. <http://candy.about.com/od/nutcandyrecipes/r/honey_peanuts.htm>.

Grandma's Refrigerator Pickles

After spending time with my grandparents in the summer and enjoying my Grandma's homemade dishes, I decided to ask her how she makes them taste so delicious. I ate some of her homemade pickles and she shared the recipe with me.

Grandma's Refrigerator Pickles

Crunchy, with a sweet and sour pickle taste. Great condiment to add to any dish.  

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 8 c unpeeled cucumbers (washed and sliced)
• 1 or 1 1/3 c chopped onions
• 1 or 1 1/3 c chopped green peppers
• 1 or 1 1/3 tbsp salt
• 2 or 2 2/3 c sugar
• 1 or 1 1/3 c vinegar
• 1 or 1 1/3 tsp celery seed

Baking Instructions

1. Combine the cucumbers, onions, peppers, and salt all together in a pan. Let it set for about 4 hours. Pour off the liquid.
2. Then mix the sugar, vinegar, and celery seed together in a medium bowl. Tip: Warm the vinegar to melt the sugar, but do not boil it.
3. Add the sugar-vinegar mixture to the cucumbers and place in canning jars and refrigerate.
4. Enjoy!

Note: Use 1 cup measurements for a small batch. For making more jars of pickles, add 1/3 cup more to each ingredient above.

Caramel Brownies

 

Where did I find this classic, rich and delicious recipe? From my mom's recipe collection at home. And I would like to share it with you. Only four ingredients are needed to create this caramel-chocolate extravaganza.

Caramel Brownies

Caramel + Chocolate + Brownie Mix =  Rich and chocolate dessert that leaves me saying: Oh My Gooey-ness!

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Serves: 24 caramel brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box of German Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
• 2/3 cups evaporated milk (I used lowfat for a healthier version of this recipe
• 14 oz of unwrapped soft caramels (I used Brach's Milk Maid® Caramels)
• 6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir brownie mix, 1/3 c evaporated milk, and butter until well blended.
3. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F.
4. In the meantime, melt unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over low heat.
5. Take the baked brownie base out of the oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips on the baked brownie base. Then pour the melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips. Drop the remaining brownie batter by spoonfuls over the top and bake 15-20 minutes until toothpick inserted into brownies comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before serving. Store covered at room temperature.
7. Enjoy! 

Got any tips on making the perfect batch of brownie or variations on this recipe?  Send me a link or a tasty picture of your recipe!

Coffee Lovers' Breakfast Bites

The other day, I woke up and had breakfast with a cup of coffee. However, my brother made too much and we had a couple of cups leftover in the coffee maker. I put some in the refrigerator for iced coffee tomorrow, but I still had some left. I decided to bake something with the java and I did: Coffee Lovers' Breakfast Bites. Not only do these breakfast bites have coffee (caffeine) in them, but they are egg-free!

Coffee Lovers' Breakfast Bites

Tired of drinking the same coffee drink in the morning? Try these yummy, pull apart, breakfast snack bites that will satisfy your sweet tooth as well as your caffeine fix! 

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Serves: 16 breakfast bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, refrigerated
• 2/3 cup coffee, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of an 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl,  combine flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Using the back of a mixing spoon or your hands, cut the butter into the dry mixture until the mixture has a crumb (coarse meal) texture.
4. Add the coffee into the dry mixture and stir to form a dough.
5. Scoop 1/16 of the dough into a ball and place in the prepared baking pan. Repeat until you form 16 balls.     Note: The balls of dough will touch in the pan.
6. Combine the 1T of melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle the balls with this cinnamon-sugar mixture.
7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown and toothpick inserted into bread comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before serving.
9. Enjoy! 

Tennis Ball Can DIY Organizers

 

 
Looking for ways to be eco-friendly and organized when it comes to kick knacks, small items, and sports equipment? Try creating these Tennis Ball Can DIY Organizers. They are 100% recyclable and can be made in less than 5 minutes!

Tennis Ball Can DIY Organizers

Supplies
Empty tennis ball cans (any brand, any size--I used Penn Championship Tennis Ball 3-Packs)
Paper towels
Cleaning spray or soapy water
Pile of items that need to be organized (what you are putting into the organizers!)


Instructions
1. Gather all of the empty tennis ball cans you are going to use and take off the labels on each one.

2. Afterward, use paper towels and cleaning spray or soapy water to rub off the sticky adhesives left on the tennis ball cans from the labels and clean the insides as well if needed.

3. Once the tennis ball cans are cleaned and empty, it's time to organize!

4. Place your items into the tennis ball cans and store them on a shelf, in the garage, or wherever you want to put them in the house.

Tip: I used my empty tennis ball cans to store my extra golf balls and tees. However, you can store anything in them. Put small items in them such as bouncy balls, holiday ribbon, marbles, little toys, etc. Be creative and recycle!

Homemade Cards "on a Shoestring"

Looking for creative ways to spice up your homemade birthday and other celebration/holiday cards? ----How about using string?

It's really simple to use and adds a personal touch to your DIY craft. I bet you have some extra thread, string, or even ribbon laying around your house. I call them Homemade Cards "on a Shoestring" because they are inexpensive to make and you can use thread or even a pair of shoestrings to make them!

Homemade Cards "on a Shoestring"

To get started on your Homemade Cards, you will need:
Blank cardstock and envelopes 

• (I used DCWV Box of A2 Cards: Bright Solids, the same cardstock from my Homemade Father's Day Card craft)

Scrap paper (any colors)
Any string, ribbon or thread-able material
Gluestick(s)
Scissors
Markers, colored pencils, etc...any craft supplies you use when making cards!

Instructions
1. First, I figured out whose birthdays were coming up or themed cards I would like to create and look great with using string.

2. Then, I went through my scrapbooking supplies (aka scrap paper, string, etc.) and looked for something that would go perfect with my theme for the birthday boy or girl.

3. Here's the fun part---putting your idea onto paper.


Balloon Card: I cut out different colored circles and ovals for the balloons. For the string, I threaded four strings and made knots (attaching them to the cardstock) by the bottoms of the balloons. In the bottom left of the card, I cut the remaining string and glued the ends down. In the inside of the card, I glued a white cardstock paper square to cover over the hole I made from the string.


Flag Banner Card: (pictured above) I cut out little red triangles for the flags and glued them down in a wavy line. For the posts, I cut out two long rectangles and glued them on the ends. For the string part, I made one tie on the left side first, then the right side, and finally glued the middle part down, matching it alongside the flags. In the inside of the card, I glued white cardstock paper squares to cover over the holes I made from the string.


Heart Card: For the string, I just made an oval circle and glued it separately from the ribbon. For the ribbon part, I weaved the ribbon in and out of the cardstock, making a heart shape. In the inside of the card, I glued white cardstock paper to cover over the holes I made from the ribbon.


4. Then I arranged my design on the blank cardstock and glued it together.





Tip: If the string is not sticking, make sure to reapply glue to the string and firmly press down and hold it in place until it sticks to the cardstock.

5. For the inside, write a personal message or just a simple "Happy Birthday" in unique calligraphy.  

6. Enjoy and keep on crafting!

Lake Mendota ~ Madison, WI

Lake Mendota:
Great tourist spot to visit in the summer. You'll be able to take beautiful pictures at sunset. These pictures I took toward the end of May, sitting on the Memorial Union Terrace.

Quick Facts about Lake Mendota

•  Located in Dane County, Madison, WI
• 9,781 acre lake with a max depth of 82 feet
• Features: boat landings, public parks, beaches

Great Visiting Madison (and Wisconsin) Websites

Travel Wisconsin
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/

Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau
http://www.visitmadison.com/visitors/

City of Madison
www.cityofmadison.com

Monona Terrace (Madison,WI)
http://www.mononaterrace.com/

Paper Mache Collegiate Logo

Most dorm rooms are bare, empty, and definitely need a design makeover. To get started and get rid of that emptiness, you need a game plan to create the perfect oasis of collegiate bliss and the accessories to showcase your personal flair.

At college, I chose to show my school spirit through my dorm decor. Anything red-and-white, covered with Bucky Badger, or contributed to the Wisconsin theme was be added to my design checklist.

For the accessories...

I decided to create a paper mache Wisconsin logo for my dorm room since I love the Badgers and love making DIY projects!

Here are the instructions to making your own Paper Mache Collegiate Logo:

Supplies
Masking tape
Ruler
Pencil
2-3 sheets of Foam cord
Razor blade
Paper Mache
Strips of paper (I used old pages from my 2012 Wisconsin Desktop Calendar)
Assorted paints (White for the base coat and the colors for your college team)
Foam brushes
Semi-gloss Polyurethane paint

Instructions
1. Find a picture of your collegiate logo on Google Images and print out a copy. Use Photoshop to enlarge the image to the size you want your logo to be.

 

2. After you print out your image, trace it onto your two sheets of foam cord. Use a razor blade to cut out the logos. With the remaining pieces of foam cord, cut out long and short rectangles that are all the same width. Tape these pieces outlining the foam cord. They will be used to support the middle (sandwich part) of the logo when you paper mache.

3. Tape the two logo foam cord pieces together and now your ready to paper mache.

Paper Mache Recipe (Makes about 1/2 of an 8 oz Cool Whip container full)
1 c flour
1 c water
1 tbsp salt

Mix ingredients together in a bowl until the paste resembles a syrup-like texture.

4. Dip paper strips into your paste and attach onto your collegiate logo. After you complete one layer of paper mache, let your logo dry for a day or two. Once it's dry, complete a second layer and focus more on the spots you missed in the first layer that need to be covered. Let your logo dry again.

5. When the collegiate logo is dry, paint a white base coat. Be sure to paint two layers of this as well, to cover up the prints on the paper from before.

6. Next step is to paint your collegiate colors on the logo. Once again, paint one layer and let it dry, and then paint a second layer.

7. Once the paint is dry, finally cover the collegiate logo in semi-gloss polyurethane finish for the last two coats.

And there you have it, a Paper Mache Collegiate Logo!

Go Badgers!

Personalized Running Poster

Many miles and many memories. How do you keep track of your racing results and stay motivated to enter more? Well, I've created a simple yet artistic solution. An inspiring, Personalized Running Poster that is perfect for any runner.

Supplies:
Poster board (any size, it's up to you)
Pencil
Assorted paints
Paint brushes
Assorted Sharpies
Old running shoes
Your race results from 5Ks, marathons, relays, etc.

Instructions:
1. First paint the background color. This base color should be the lightest color you are using in the poster because you will be painting and writing over it afterward. Let your background dry.

2. Choose a short word to paint on top of the base color. Sketch your word using pencil and then paint it using a little bit darker color than your base. Let your painted word dry.

3. Grab your old running shoes and paint the soles of them to use as a stamp using a darker color too. Right after your paint the shoes, place them on the poster where you want them to go and firmly press them into the poster board.

Tip: Instead of using your old running shoes as stamps, the bottoms of your feet are just as could. Just make sure to wash them off as soon as possible before your having footprints all over the house.
 

4. After your shoe prints dry, organize your race results by year and start logging in your races by using a Sharpie.

5. Hang your Personalized Running Poster in an easy to access spot on your wall. After each race you complete now, you can take down your poster and proudly add another running memory simply by using a Sharpie.

6. Fill your poster with results and cherish the running memories!

Variation: Not into running? You can also create a personalized poster for a different sport.
 -For example, if you are into cycling and compete in many races, you could paint the word "bike" in the background,  run tire tracks over it, and then log in your races each year.

Homemade Father's Day Card

Happy Father's Day! I hope you have a special day planned for your father or gift to give him in celebration of the contribution that your father has made to your life. Popular Father's Day gifts include homemade cards, sports items, clothing, electronics, outdoor grilling supplies, and home improvement tools.

Over the years, my tradition has been to create a unique homemade card with a small gift for my dad and spend the day with him playing sports or helping him around the house usually.

Most parents enjoy when their child makes them something homemade--it truly comes from the heart and shows them their creative talent. So I wanted to post my Father's Day Card I created and give you some ideas on making the perfect DAD card.

Homemade Father's Day Card

All you need is:
Cardstock
Envelope
Gluestick(s)
Markers, colored pencils, etc. (Any writing utensils you want to use)
Magazines, newspapers (you can cut out of)
Anything else you want to add to your card to make it unique

Tip: Instead of worrying about cutting cardstock to fit your envelope, use blank cards from a cardstock kit.

-I used DCWV Box of A2 Cards: Bright Solids (I purchased at Michael's), which came with 50 blank cards and matching envelopes in a variety of colors. You can also use the blank cards for birthdays, holidays, and thank you cards as well.

1. First I picked out a theme for the card. I wanted to create something that my dad would like or that he's interested in general, sports.

Tip: Brainstorm and think about your dad's favorite things and have your theme revolve around them.

Examples
-Use a line from one of his favorite TV shows or movies
-Create a collage of his favorite things to do, hobbies, sports to watch, or things that you enjoy doing with him
-Draw out his name and write around the outside, adjectives and words that describe him

2. Then, I went through my scrapbooking supplies (aka magazines, newspaper cutouts, etc.) and looked for something that would work great with my theme.

3. After cutting out several different images, I came up with the idea of making a runner's medal that says "#1 Dad" because he's a true winner.

4. Then I arranged my cutouts on the blank cardstock and glued it together.

5. For the inside, I cutout individual letters to spell out his name and also hand-wrote "Happy Father's Day!"

6. Write a cute message inside, seal up your creation, and be sure to give your dad a hug on Father's Day!

Mocha Monkey Brownie Kabobs

Recently, I entered the Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Recipe Challenge. I had to create a sweet treat using one of Duncan Hines' new Frosting Creations flavor mixes. I chose to the Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Mocha Flavor Mix because I love coffee and I thought it would go great with my yummy brownie and banana idea. So I created Mocha Monkey Brownie Kabobs.  

Mocha Monkey Brownie Kabobs

Going bananas for a yummy, chocolate dessert? Try these fun, mocha brownie and banana kabobs that will satisfy your "ape"-tite! 

Serves: 20 banana-brownie kabobs

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. of Duncan Hines® Chewy Fudge Premium Brownie Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can of Frosting Creations™ Frosting Starter
• 1 packet of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Mocha Flavor Mix
• 8 ripe bananas
• 2 cups mini chocolate chips
• 2 cups finely chopped nuts
• Wooden skewers

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 9” by 13” pan.
2. Mix Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Premium Brownie Mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water in large bowl. Stir until well blended.
3. Pour brownie batter into prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
4. Bake 27 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into brownies comes out clean. While brownies are slightly warm, crumble into large bowl. Let brownies cool completely.
5. Pour pack of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Mocha Flavor Mix into can of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Frosting Starter. Stir until evenly blended.
6. Add one-half of the Mocha frosting you just created to the crumbled brownies and stir until the frosting is completely incorporated into brownie crumbs.
7. Test your mixture by picking up a spoonful and squeezing it together. It should hold without falling apart. If the mixture is not, add more frosting.
8. Shape the brownie-frosting mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a wax-lined paper baking sheet.
9. Transfer baking sheet with the brownie balls to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. In the meantime, peel and slice bananas into small chunks and set aside for the kabobs.
11. Place remaining Mocha frosting in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 to 3 second intervals, stirring each time until consistency of frosting will pour.
12. Remove baking sheet from the freezer.
13. Create the kabobs by alternating banana slices and brownie balls on skewer sticks. Place them on wax-lined paper baking sheet and drizzle with melted Mocha frosting.
14. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts and mini chocolate chips.
15. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
16. Enjoy!

My recipe is also posted on the Duncan Hines Recipe Challenge website under Specialty Desserts using the Mocha Flavor (Click on this link). You can also check out other delicious recipes submitted by other bakers on the website as well.

T-Shirt Shag Rug

After all the years I have been getting t-shirts from sports, clubs, 5K runs, and other exciting events, I realized that I have a tons of t-shirts, a creative personality, and only one closet. The solution: a DIY t-shirt shag rug. It requires no sewing and is pretty simple to make.

Supplies:
T-shirts (any colors)
Rug canvas (find at your local craft store, I went to Joann Fabrics)
Regular scissors
Fabric scissors or Rotary cutter
Cutting mat and ruler

For the Base (you won't need these supplies until you completed the rug )
Rug lining or thick non-slip material for the bottom
Hot glue gun with glue sticks
Binder clips 

1. Measure and cut the rug canvas to the size you want your t-shirt shag rug to be.

2. Start making the t-shirt pieces for the rug by using your rotary tools (cutter, mat & ruler) and cut t-shirts into 4-in by 1-in strips.   

Tip: I first cut the shirt collar off and the seams, then used my ruler to make same-size strips. Also, some print and logos on shirts are sometimes hard to knot, so be sure to discard those parts of the shirt (along with the seams, tags, etc.)

3. After you have a good amount of t-shirt strips you can start making the rug. It's really simple. Take a t-shirt strip, loop one end under and pull it up and then tie a knot. See picture below.

 4. Now repeat step 3 over and over until you are finished. For my shag rug, I knotted t-shirt strips in every other square and skipped a line after every row. You can also cut the squares so you have bigger holes or make knots in every square. It depends on how full you want your shag rug to be so experiment.

-Also if you run out of t-shirts, feel free to pause on making knots and cut more t-shirts into strips. (Don't worry, I had plenty of times where I ran out of a color and/or needed to cut more strips.)

5. After you completed your rug canvas, the next part is the base. Cut the base material to the size of your shag rug with an additional 1-in border. (So if you were to put your shag rug on top of the base, there would be a 1-in picture frame-like border.)

6. Plug in the hot glue gun, and get your binder clips ready. Place your shag rug on top of the lining and center it in the middle so there is an even border on all sides. Start on one side of the rug and fold in the base material under the rug. Hot glue the folded over piece and rug together, hold those pieces firmly together, then binder clip that section.

7. Work your way around the rug, hot gluing the rug and base together and clipping those pieces together. Let the glue set for a couple of hours. Then, take the binder clips off and go around the shag rug one more time and hot glue any sections that need a little more support and binder clip those ones again.

8. Finally, take all the binder clips off and remove excess hot glue from the shag rug edges.

And there you have it, a pretty cool T-Shirt Shag Rug!

My First Post

Hi, my name is Kelly and I am interested in sharing my craft projects, DIY's, and other creative ideas with you so I started Kelly's Creations. Kelly's Creations is my first official blog and I am very excited to start posting what I have been working on and sharing my creations with you. Hopefully I will be able to post something soon. Feel free to post comments or suggestions.