Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Alice in Wonderland Winner, Part 3

 
Hey Gang,
Well, kind of bitter sweet but all good things must come to an end...right?
 
I'm here to announce the Final winner in my Alice in Wonderland Tutorial Set.
 
 
This little goodie bag and the black matt board...
 

 With everything you see here stuffed inside
is going to be making it's way to....
 
 
who said...
Great job on the binding! Looks great! I would love to be in the giveaway!
 
Congratulations!!!
You can contact me at ouztshay@google.com
Thank you all so much for viewing my tutorial and for your wonderful comments!!!


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Altered Cabinet cards Swap...Last Chance!


Hey Gang!
Today is the final day to sign up for my Altered Cabinet Card and Pocket Swap
Go HERE for all the information
Hope to have you join!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Alice In Wonderland Book Binding Tutorial

 
Hey Gang, today marks the last of the Alice in Wonderland tutorials that I am doing.  In other words the projects are all finished up now.  I hope you have learned and enjoyed the tutorials and all the art I've shared. 
 
The image, heart and German Scrap were all purchased from Alpha Stamps
 

 
This is what the Alice Chunky books looked like when I was all done with them.  I kept the covers simple for a number of reasons.  I want everyone to be able to show them, and I don't know everyone's decorating style.  
 
But that's not important.  Lets get onto the binding.
 
For the sake of simplicity (because this is a rather complicated F1-F4 (this is for the front holes) and B1-B4 (for the back holes).  As always if you have any questions let me know and I will get back to you.
 
 
Start by creating a template the size you need.  My chunky books are 5" tall.  So I cut a piece of paper 5" long measured in from the edge 3/8, divided out the up and down space to evenly space the holes and punched.
 
 
I used thick card stock for the cover and back of the books.  This product does not bend easily so I scored the card stock slightly 1/2" in from the edge. 
 
 
Now it's time to punch.  I stared with the covers and then did all the pages. 
 
 
Not all of your pages will line up perfectly.  Don't worry about it.
 
 
Now it's time to start binding.  Select a strong thread and a sturdy needle.  I tried doing these with yarn but that was too bulky so I went with DMC floss.  A wax coated thread works best tough. 
 
 
With the back cover OFF, thread your needle through B3 (B1 is the top hole in the back, B4 is the bottom hole in the back) all the pages and out the front of F3. 
 
 
DO NOT pull all the way through.  When you have a nice amount to tie in a knot, put a piece of tape around it like shown. 
 
Now put your back cover on.
 
 
 
Insert your needle into B3 and come out F3
(You will create the outside loop shown above)
Now it's time to make sure you have everything lines up and start tightening.  Pinch your covers together and pull your string gently until the binding is nice and tight. 
 
 
Your needle has come out of F3
Insert needle into F2 and through to B2
Again pull tight (by tight I mean firm, be careful not to break your string)
 
 
This is how your book should look up to this point.
 

 
Insert your needle into F2 and come out B2
pull your string tight.
 
 
Insert your needle into B1 and come out F1
pull string tight
 


Pay attention this part is tricky,
Insert your needle into B1 and come out F1 by looping around the top of the book as shown above.
Pull string tight
 

 
This is what your book should look like now.
 
 
Insert your needle into F2 and come out B2
Pull string tight
 
 
Insert your needle into B3 and come out F3
Pull string tight
 
 
Insert needle into F4 and come out B4
Pull string tight
 
 
Now make the loop like you did earlier by inserting your needle into F4 by looping around the bottom of the book.
Pull string tight
 
 
At this point make sure everything is nice and tight.  You are almost done!
 
 
Insert needle into B3 But DO NOT pull all the way through.  Instead just go through the back cover.
 
 
Remember that taped off end.  Well now you can tie the two ends together. 
 
 
Make sure your knot is secure and cut off the excess. You might be able to tuck the excess in to hide it. 
 

All Done!
 
 
I took the extra binding floss and made a bow on the front. 
 
 
Look, nice and chunky
 
 
And because I scored the front and back covers the book opens easily. 
 
Thank you so much for checking out my tutorial.  I hope it helps you create your very own bound chunky book. 
 
Now onto the good stuff right :)
This weeks Giveaway!
 
 
Not everything would fit in the little bag this week :(
 
This Giveaway includes 
5"x5" front and back cover
Collage Sheet
German Scrap
Ribbon/Fibers
Hearts
And a special Alice in Wonderland Halloween themed paper.
 
How to win???
Leave a comment with the following
1. Name
2. Way to contact
3. MOST IMPORTANT, that you want to be entered in the giveaway.
Winner will be announced Wednesday
September 19th
 
Thanks so much for stopping by!

 


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Alice In Wonderland Winner, Part 2

 
Hey Gang, I'm here to announce the Alice in Wonderland Part 2 winner
 
 
This little goodie bag...
 
 
filled with all these goodies will be making it's way to...
 
 
 
Who said...
Loved the tutorial for the roses. So pretty! Your LO is awesome. Please enter me in the give-away. Thanks!

Carole G
 
Congratulations!!!
You can contact me at ouztshay@google.com
Thank you all so much for viewing my tutorial and for your wonderful comments!!!

Art Share ~ Susan of Lily & The Lotus

 
Susan of Lily & The Lotus made these fun pages for the Circle of Friends Alice in Wonderland chunky book Swap. 
 
 
Tomorrow I share the completed books, a tutorial on how I put them together and the final Alice in Wonderland Giveaway so make sure to come back and check out how the end product turned out (it is fabulous).

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Get your Cards Read

 
It's that time, time for all of the Gypsy Swap pieces to be in the mail. 
 
 
You should see the pile of swap packages I've gotten so far, and I know there are still more to come.
 
 
If you missed out on this swap, have no fear, all the Alpha Stamps Swaps are Great.  The next swap is a Cabinet Card Curiosities swap. 
 
 
So, today I am sharing the last Gypsy caravan piece that I created.  Have you ever had your Cards read?  I haven't but think it would be fun.
 
 
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.  Come join us over at Alpha Stamps, the swaps are great!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Dulche de Leche filled Buttermilk Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Frosting topped with Pink sea salt and Ganache

I was cruising Pinterest a while back and found
Stuffed Dulce de Leche Cupcakes with Salted Milk Chocolate
Image from The Cottage Market
I knew right off I had to make these so I took a trip over to The Cottage Market.  Since I started making cupcakes I have discovered a few things, I don't like confectioners sugar frosting, and I have discovered the secret behind the best Ganace ever.  So I made a few changes. 
 

 
My cupcakes didn't turn out nearly as pretty as hers, but I wasn't given a chance by my family to get any other photos but this one.  Guess that means they are good. 
 
The cake recipe that The Cottage market shared was from Smitten Kitchen and it was very similar to my Buttermilk Cake recipe, except she uses all cake flour.  I love my Buttermilk Cake recipe but decided to change it a bit and did use some cake flour.  It was a good change.
 

Image from the Smitten kitchen
 
Ingredients
 
Cupcake
3 cups flour
1 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 sticks (1 Cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
 
Filling
1 can sweetened condensed milk
 
Frosting
8 oz cream cheese room temperature
1/2 cup prepared dulche de leche (recipe to follow)
1/2 cup butter room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extracts
 
Topping
3 tablespoons corn syrup
6 ounces heavy cream
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (or any salt you want)
 
Preparation
 
Filling
Dulce de Leche
- Remove paper from the can of sweetened condensed milk a put in a large pot filled with water.  Boil for about 3 hours (not a roaring boil, but nice and hot)
- Let cool
-  This step can be done days in advance.
 
Cupcakes
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
-  Grease or line cupcake tins
- In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
-  Add eggs one at a time until yellow disappears
-in a separate bowl sift together all dry ingredients
-  Alternate adding dry ingredients with buttermilk into the butter and sugar mixture starting and ending with dry ingredients.
-  Add vanilla
-  Bake 25 to 30 minutes
-  Allow to cool
-  Fill cupcakes with prepared filling by cutting out a plug or piping into the cupcake
 
Frosting
-  In a saucepan whisk flour and sugar together
-  add milk and cream
-  Cook over medium heat until boils and thickens (about 12 minutes)
-  Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat on high until cool (about 10 minutes)
-  Turn mixer to low and add cream cheese and butter a little at a time
-  Add prepared Dulce de Leche and vanilla
-  turn mixer up and bead until light and fluffy
 
Topping
-  In a small saucepan combine the syrup and the heavy cream
-  Bring to a boil
-  Remove from heat
-  Add chocolate, let melt
-  Stir
-  Add vanilla
- Dollop onto cupcakes and then sprinkle with salt
 
 
Image from The Cottage Market
 I hope you enjoy the changes I made.  I had fun experimenting and eating these.