Posts

Showing posts with the label Upcycling and Repurposing

Chonky Boys: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches that Scream Summer!

-
Image
Featuring my thick and nuggy Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookies, these ice cream sandwiches are the stuff that summer dreams are made of.  If you've ever had the Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich at Disneyland , you are going to LOVE these!  These big and bold chocolate chip cookies are based on a recipe from my culinary school studies at Auguste Escoffier, but with a few modifications to give them that Jennuine touch.  They make the perfectas book for a fat slice of real vanilla bean ice cream.  And those mini chips?  You just gotta have that extra cronch! Thank goodness this recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, otherwise I would be eating them for breakfast lunch and dinner.  This way, my big family can help save me from my inner child diet-saboteur.   Print With Image Without Image Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Yield: 8 Author: Jenn Erickson Loaded with chocolate chips and buttery, brown-sugary vanilla flavor, these mall-sized cookies form a perfect partnership with a
Read more

Last Minute Handmade Gift Tutorial ~ Make Upcycled Book Journals~
(Elmers Holiday #GluenGlitter)

-
Image
  Old Book + Recycled Paper = New Journal! As part of the Elmer's Holiday Memories Campaign* through Social Fabric , I had the opportunity to create an easy, affordable last minute holiday gift using my favorite Elmer's and X-ACTO products, and requiring only one quick stop at our local Walmart!    With all the homework, music lessons, karate and dance classes, school performances, cookie exchanges and all the other holly jolly of the season, there's been little time to shop, let alone craft!  So a one-stop-shop was an absolute must for my** handmade gift project, which was inspired by the Ordy & Joon post I had tacked to my " Crafty Inspirations " board on Pinterest earlier this year. Readers Digest Books have wonderful covers and are plentiful at second-hand stores for $1-$3 = Let's call it $2 per journal. I started with something most people have around their home -- an old book.  If you don't have an old book in need of
Read more

6 Must-see Upcycling & Repurposing Projects: A Little Birdie Told Me No. 30

-
Image
"There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all.  Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns." -- Edward de Bono Welcome to  "A Little Birdie Told Me..." Tuesday! If you're here to share a craft, recipe or project post, you'll find the linky and the specifics on how to  join the party after the features below. ------------------------------------------------ I'm so excited about this week's features. In these SIX repurposing and upcycling posts you'll learn how to transform: 1.  Junk Mail into Handmade Paper 2.  Plastic Grocery Bags into Sewable Fabric 3.  Bar Soap into Body Wash 4.  An old Sheet into a Woven Rug 5.  An outdated Bed into a Garden Bench 6.  An outgrown Sundress into a Chic Skirt ------------------------------------------------ WANT TO WIN $75 IN CRAFT SUPPLIES? If yo
Read more

Mother's Day Kid Craft -- Jewelry Tray from Upcycled Materials

-
Image
What to do with those styrofoam trays that come packaged with food from the grocery store?  Don't throw them away!  With a little Mod Podge, newspaper and a few scraps of vintage graphics, your child can make a beautiful "lacquered" jewelry tray! My friend Lynn is an amazingly creative first-grade teacher, so working in her classroom is a constant source of artistic inspiration!  This past week, her class was busy transforming styrofoam trays into the most charming, vintage-looking jewelry trays as Mother's Day presents.  I enjoyed working on the project with the students and couldn't wait to share the project with my girls. Today, my 9 and 6-year old daughters made their own jewelry trays and handled both the Mod Podge and collage elements with a finesse that made me beam!   It's a simple, frugal, family-friendly craft that yields truly lovely results in relatively little time.  Here's how to get started on your own: The crack
Read more

Trash to Treasure -- Family Calendar Blackboard Tutorial

-
Image
It's not a new concept -- take something old, add blackboard paint...instant blackboard!   But it's a concept that I adore.  With a variety of blackboard paints available on the market, you can transform virtually any surface into a place to organize, to doodle, or sketch a blueprint of the plans for your empire! A while back, I found a beat-up old chalkboard that had reached the end of the road at our local salvage yard.  I was looking for a way to keep my whole family in-the-know about our day-to-day plans, and also had some blank wall space in our living room that called for something vintage, personal, and meaningful.  That old chalkboard and I were just destined to find each other, I think!   I painted and antiqued the frame and gave the blackboard two fresh coats of blackboard paint.  I sketched out a calendar using a yardstick and pencil, then went over the entire design with a white paint pen. This way, I don't have to draw a new calendar each mo
Read more