Tickled Pink 124

Welcome to Tickled Pink!

Hi all!

How was your week?
Oops...I missed last week, but I bet we were all busy
or still full from Thanksgiving anyway, right?

I am so excited to see what you have cookin' and bakin' in the kitchen 
and what you are creating around the house! 

I wanted to share a sweet book my friend Simone Graham just published,
An Unexpected Christmas
Right now there is a discount code too - enter "Grin" at checkout for 30% off!

*********************************
If you are a creative type...be sure to check out the Lifestyle Crafts Black Friday deals. They are good through 11/30/12!

AND IF YOU USE THE CODE 504MAIN, YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL 20% OFF 

I started (trying to) getting into the holiday spirit early this year with...
Marshmallow Snowmen and Crunch Cluster

and My Rustic and Repurposed Holiday Card Display  

_________________________________________________________________________

FEATURES

HERE ARE A FEW GOODIES FROM LAST WEEK

You can Grab a Button!

 

I have NO IDEA how I only choose a FEW...

There are always amazing projects and ideas linked up!!! 

****************************

The top viewed links last week were

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup from Mom on Timeout

French Drying Rack Christmas Tree from Penny's Vintage Home

This is hilarious and easy DIY gift for a guy from Busy Being Jennifer

Emmy Mom rocked it with this Lego Table

_____________________________________________________________________

NOW FOR TICKLED PINK!

A craft...a recipe...a tip...a party...a short story...a  poem...a  fashion find...a  favorite product...your favorite  post...whatever makes  your blog  fabulous!
That is what Tickled Pink is all about!
{and it does NOT have to be PINK}

Grab a button HERE!
or here!

PRACTICE PINK KINDNESS

<a href="http://www.504main.com"><img alt="504 Main" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac35/Holly7081/Grab_button_150.jpg" /></a>

Will everyone do me a FAVOR????

Please visit the person linked before you...

Pretty Please!

1. Link  up...whatever makes  your blog  fabulous. Family Friendly please. Guess what? Your post does not have to be PINK!!  I reserve the right to remove posts that are offensive or do not  adhere  to the rules, without any discussion, at my discretion.
2. PLEASE LINK TO A POST URL, ****NOT YOUR MAIN URL****
3. Pretty please...add the Tickled Pink button or TEXT link back to the post* {people need  to know what the heck they are doing!}. 
4. Please visit a couple other links!

TICKLED PINK DOES NOT HAVE Categories anymore!

By linking up...you grant me permission to use a photo if you are featured. Proper credit will be given.

Link Up what ever made you or your blog FAB this week! 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Rustic and Repurposed Holiday Card Display

Guess what?

Until today I had ZERO holiday decorations out.

Well, technically we had cute little snowmen, but we ate them.

But today I finished a cute holiday card display.

(and wrapped 5 gifts!)

I have never done much with my cards before -

I just stick the cards on the mirror.

(so am I going to get kicked out of blog world now?)

I actually have decided to put the tree in a new location this year, meaning I can decorate my living room a little differently than usual, and I will be going at little more rustic in the family room (at least that is the plan - all subject to change).

 

OK, enough of the ramblings...it is the tired and coffee talking.

Let me show you my little and simple creation!

First, I had these sweet dies from the
Lifestyle Crafts Knotty and Nice collection.

I love bows...I mean love bows,

so I was so excited to get to use them! 

(and these dies work in all manual die cutters too)

SUPPLIES

• Lifestyle Crafts Knotty and Nice set
• Sticky Thumb Dimensionals 
• Small garden trellis (I already had one - that is why it looks beat up, but they small ones are not very expensive at the local hardware/garden store)
• Canvas Corp Decorative Clothespins, Jacobean
• Lifestyle Crafts Jute Cord Chocolate
• Small Brads (crafts store)  - You can also glue and use a button for the center.
• 4+ sheets of scrapbook paper (6" wide by 12" long will get you two of the larger bows)

TOOLS:

• Scissors
• Staple Gun (my choice) or hot glue 
• Die Cutter or Epic 6 Combo Kit 

MAKE IT!
This is so simple - really. You won't believe it!

1. Clean the trellis - if you are like me and it has been outside. 

2. Reinforce the trellis if necessary - mine was/is a little cockeyed, but I am sticking with it. I also cute the middle stake off a bit.

3. Cut 4 lengths of jute cord to the measurement of the horizontal bars on the trellis.

4. Use a staple gun (you can glue it too), and staple the cord to the horizontal bars - be sure to line up the staples/cord end where you want it to end (the bows will cover the staples). Do this on both sides to all four bars (my trellis has 4 bars, yours may have more).

5. Staple one end of the jute cord to the back side of the trellis and begin wrapping it around the trellis. I made about three loops for each section of the trellis.

6. I secured the newly wrapped cord to the trellis with the staple gun in a few places on the back.

7. Run the die through your die cutter. I was able to get 2 bows out of each 6" x 12' piece of paper. You need 8 bows (more if you like more bows).

8. Assemble the bows. I used a corsage pin poked through the back (leaving the pearl on the underside) and wrap and secure the loops using the pin. Once all placed, stick a small decorative bard through the top (going through all layers)  and open in the back. I have big ole fingers and can do this - you can too!

9. Place Sticky Thumb Adhesive on the back of each bow and then adhere them over the staples on the eight points of the trellis.

10. It should look a little like this.

11. Hang it - Display it: You can staple gun in a loop of jute cord for a hanger or use a picture hanger attached to the back.

12. Add clothespins all over - at your discretion and start filling it up with your cards! (I picked up these vintage beauties for $1 at a local vintage Fair called Pickings!)

Don't forget - Lifestyle Crafts has a few Black Friday Deals, like the Holly Jolly Craft Kit that are good through 11/30/12

and be sure to
use the code 504main 
for an additional 20% discount! 

 

Did you notice I wrapped a few gifts sing the jute cord and another Knotty and Nice bow die? Woo -whoo I am so ahead of the Christmas craziness (at least for the moment!)

How do you display your cards?????

  

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

disclosure: some products were supplied to me by Lifestyle Crafts.

Affiliate links are provided in this post. 

All opinions are 100% my own - I dig this tool!

 Happy Hour Linky Party

Baking with Candy! Marshmallow Snowmen and Chocolate CRUNCH Clusters

It is a holiday tradition in our house to make
gingerbread houses and sugar cookies.

We usually start around Thanksgiving and end around New Years.

My kids just love this part of the holidays...and so do I.

This year, I decided it was time to add some freshness 

into the mix and create some more whimsy...

And we are going to do that with some #HolidayCandy!

First I have a cute Marshmallow Snowman creation to share

AND,also, an original "cookie" recipe:

Chocolate CRUNCH Cluster!

I hopped on over to Nestle's Very Best Baking website and took a peek at some of the holiday recipes. Some of the recipes were tasty cookies and cookie bars using Nestle Candies to add flavor and fun and others were cute little whimsical creations like snowmen and sleds decorated with the Nestle Candies.

I decided that we were making the Marshmallow Snowmen. I actually let the kiddos take a peek at some of the very fun and tasty recipes and this is what they voted for! And we decided to make them on Thanksgiving as a kick off to the holiday season!

Lemony Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad

I happen to love Brussels Sprouts.

I love going into the store and seeing the stalks of Brussels Sprouts.

I even introduced my son to them a few years ago

and they are one of his favorite veggies

(and no we do not even include bacon with them).

I am still working on my daughter! 

BUT my guest LOVE this salad!

This year I will be making Joe his favorite variety of Brussels Sprouts, but I will also be adding a salad to the menu. My friend made this for me a few months ago and seriously since then, I eat it just about every day. I love the healthful qualities of the Brussels Sprouts and Kale, and the lemony dressing just makes the salad, well, to me perfect!

This original salad is from Epicurious.

(and I have ran across various version on many web sites too)

Most of my adjustments are made to accommodate ingredients I typically have on hand. I also happen to like the Brussels Sprout shredded (with my food processor) an the kale thinly sliced as well.

INGREDIENTS
Makes a Single (Large) Serving or 2 Regular (side) Servings.
(Just multiple the ingredients as necessary for your group).
Since I eat this as a meal, the serving is large and probably equals about 2 regular servings.

I also like this salad because kale and Brussels Sprouts are so hardy, I can cut extra and save them for a few days at a time (w/o dressing)

• Brussels Sprouts (shredded) - I use about 6-8 sprouts for a single serving
• Kale (thinly sliced) about 2 cups (5 large leaves). It really depends on the size of your kale and ultimately what ratio of kale to Brussels Sprouts you prefer.

TOPPINGS

• 2 Tablespoons (or more to you liking) Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago Cheese, shaved. You can use different cheeses or just one one these. (NOTE: leave the cheese off for a strictly vegetarian salad)
• 2 Tablespoons (or to your liking) Roasted and Unsalted Sunflower Seeds 

DRESSING
When I make the dressing, I make enough for about 4 servings and store it in a jar. As I start to run low, I check the mustard and garlic levels, and if they are still fine, I add juice and olive oil.

• 1/4 cup lemon juice. I usually use the juice of two lemons (and don't really measure.)
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping Tablespoon stone ground Dijon mustard 

MAKE IT! 
I have sliced the kale and Brussels Sprouts with a sharp knife and it tastes just fine. BUT I have found I much prefer the salad when I use my food processor. Normally I do not like the ends of the Brussels Sprouts, but when I use the food processor, they get chopped so fine, Id not notice a difference.

• First, wash and dry the Brussels Sprouts.
• Fit my food processor with the chopping/grating blade and lock the bowl and top into place.
• Place my 6 Brussels Sprouts into the chute, turn on the machine and press with the pusher. 
• NOTE: I often do enough sprouts to make a few salads and store them in an air tight container. 

• Remove the chopping/grating blade and outfit the food processor with the slicing blade.
• Next, I place my leaves of kale in a salad spinner (or you can wash the leaves individually). Once dry, I put a few leaves into the chute at a time and slice my kale.

• NOTE: Just as with the Brussels Sprouts, I often slice more Kale and save it in an air tight container. 
• Mix these two elements together in a large bowl. 

 
DRESSING
(Makes about 1/2 cup)

• Measure olive oil into a jar with a lid
• Juice the two lemons. First roll each lemon firmly on the counter to "release" the juice. I juice mine over a measuring cup with a strainer to keep any seeds from getting in the mix. 
• Add lemon juice to olive oil in a jar
• Place the stone ground mustard into the jar
• Add the minced garlic.
• Place the lid on the jar and give it a really good shake!
• NOTE: As per your personal taste, adjust the oil to lemon juice mixture, as well as the garlic and mustard ratio until you get the taste you prefer.

I like to toss the dressing (about 3 Tablespoons) into the

kale and sprout mixture first, and toss really well. 

Add the sunflower seeds and cheese, toss again! And eat!

So, what do you think?
I know Brussels Sprouts seem to be a hard sell...
but man oh man they are good and this salad has
won over many non-Brussels Sprout/Kale people!

  

  

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre