(CLOSED) Linky #31 Will Craft for...FREE FABRIC

If you love fabric, you are going to love the etsy shop Robin's Nest. I'll let her introduce herself: 

Here at Robin's Nest I like to carry a little bit of the 
unexpected. My fabrics speak of Paris, postcards & all sorts 
of French ephemera. I love fabrics with foreign script writings.
My go to palette is earthy. Browns, tans, blacks, with some 
red thrown in. I consider my shoppe a bit of French Country.



Here are some of my personal fabric favorites from her shop:

I also really love this measuring tape trim. It just makes me happy.

You can enter to win $25 credit to the store in any/ all of the following ways:
1. Link up a project
2.  Like Robin's Nest on Facebook (leave a nice comment 
while you're there)
3. Tell us your favorite item from her shop.
4. Leave a nice comment-b/c the world needs more nice 
comments.
(read complete rules here)
As always, please leave your e-mail address when linking up 
your project, if you would like to be included in my weekly 
reminder (otherwise it isn't needed).
Good Luck!

Crafty ceiling fan.

 My daughter's ombre ceiling fan turned out so awesome (click here to see for yourself), that I wanted to spruce up the one above my sewing machine.  
I just used one coat of red craft paint, b/c I wanted the grain to show through.

 I know the pics are bad-even for me, but it's raining outside, so I don't have any good light.

To see where I party or to invite me you your linky party, please click. here.

Winner! and Features

Random.org chose #33-Tousled Day who linked up her mini-bow tutorial.  Congrats!  You can chose anything in her shop.

Here are some of my favorites from last week's party.

Meeha Meeha Gift wrap-cutest present EVER!

Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

Nickety Nack Noo's paint sample side table.

My Covered Bridge's Ombre Penny Art.

The Most Viewed Link was...drumroll please:

Threading my Way's upcycled dress.

I'd be honored if you'd grab a button.

<center><a href="http://trophyw.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src=" http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h480/trophyw/NEWFEATURED.jpg "/></a></center>
Hope to see everyone back here at 5:00 to link up your awesomeness.  I'm giving away free fabric.

UPDATE:  I had to choose another winner. Our first winner lives in the beautiful country of Croatia.  The new winner is #40 Kitchen Fun w/ my 3 Sons!  

Ombre Ceiling Fan

I have a fabulous daughter w/ a fabulous room (click here to take a tour). What is not so fabulous is this ceiling fan.

 So I busted out the fan blades and some craft paints.....

 and made it a little more fabulous. TADAA!

So much better!
(when we move, if the next owners prefer something a little less fabulous, they can just switch the fan blades over).  I think the craft room's ceiling fan also wants a make-over.
Update: click Here to see how I painted it red.



To see where I link up or to invite me to your party please click here.

Key Lime Pie-Do Fresh limes make a difference?

Last November, the hubby and I went to Key West.  After completing a bike tour of the island (coolest way ever to sight-see by-the-way), we were rewarded w/ a piece of Key Lime Pie. Because I've been craving Key Lime Pie ever since, I decided to make my own and do a little experiment to see if you can tell the difference between fresh limes and Key Lime juice concentrate. For both pies, I used this recipe HERE. I made the fresh one first.

 

source

Squeezing all those tiny limes was a pain. You needed an entire bag.

I was too impatient and cut it before it was properly set up so it looked like this.  It wasn't pretty, but it was delicious.  If there weren't other people in the room, I would have licked my plate clean. Actually, if all the other people would have left the room, I would have licked their plates clean too:)

The next week, I made the same recipe but with key lime juice in a bottle.  I still used fresh lime zest.  It was still good (it looked better, b/c I let it set up), if I hadn't made the fresh one the week before, I would have really liked it.  However, after having the fresh one, I was disappointed.  The fresh one just tasted lighter and had a better sweet/ tart balance.


Bottom line: fresh is best


Need a St.Patty's Day treat?

Key Lime Pie

Recipe courtesy Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant

Prep Time:

25 min

Inactive Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

18 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

1 (9-inch) pie

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 1/3 of a 1-pound box graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar

Filling:

• 3 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice, or store bought

Topping:

• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream chilled
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

For the graham cracker crust:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and side of a pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filling:

Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes (this took a lot longer for me). Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:

Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie into wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Linking up here.

Tips on Installing Hardware

 #18 on my 40 by 40 is "Install Kitchen Hardware" and I can mark it DONE!


I'm no expert, but here's some tips:

 Make yourself a template out of cardboard (this is actually a paint sample card).  Otherwise you will have to measure it over and over each time.

 You cabinets are not perfectly level and you would never notice until you install hardware.  You want to install the hardware level to each other, not exactly the same spot on each door.

Everyone on the planet probably already knew this, but you can not drill in reverse.  I thought I dulled all my drill bits or that my drill was broken.  Nope, I had just hit the red button and didn't realize it.

Here's the other side of the kitchen.  

I really want to pain my island green w/ a brown glaze. Thoughts?

If you want to know about how I painted my kitchen, you can read all about it here.  


Linking up here.

Will craft for ...Laughter and Grace-closed

Is you home in need of a little "Laughter and Grace"?

Laughter and Grace  is an etsy shop 

featuring all sorts of homemade decor and they are giving 

away any item from their shop to a lucky winner. Here are

some of my favorites from her shop:

You can enter in any/all of the following ways:

1. Link up a project

2. Leave a nice comment

3.  Follow Laughter and Grace on FB, Twitter and/ or her blog 

Complete rules here)

Last week's most veiwed link were these. Fabric Scrap Bowls by Salt Tree.  (She also won the give-a-way so she was double-lucky last week!)

Now it's your turn to link up.  I can't wait to see what you've created. As always, please leave your e-mail if you'd like to be added to my e-mail list-otherwise it's not needed).

Maddy and Co Winner

I really appreciate Maddy and Co for being part of the blog this week. If you are looking for some fabulous jewelry-check them out.


Congrats goes to Salt Tree, who linked up her very adorable Woodland Wreath.  You are the proud new owner of these: 


Please contact them directly at their shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaddyandCo) to tell them where to ship you new earrings.


Hope everyone comes back at 5:00 for this week's party sponsored by:

Homemade Salted Twix Bars

I only make treats on Sunday, so I make sure that it's a good treat.  I saw these at Annie's Eats and decided that anything with 4 sticks of butter must be good. 

Find the recipe here.

They were really, really good. Probably my biggest Pinterest success so far.  Here's some tips:

-Unless you're expecting an army, I would half the recipe.  We are pigs, gave a plate to the neighbors, but still have a 1/2 a pan left after 24 hours.

-Wait longer than a minute before adding the salt.  Mine just dissolved into the chocolate.

-My caramel never turned an "amber color" and I wasn't sure what "thickens slightly" meant.  After about 5 minutes, I declared it good enough. I was worried that it would be runny, but it was fine.

What's the best Pinterest treat that you've made lately?

Linking up here.

Gallery Wall Art

We've been in this house for 18 months.  For the past 17 months, there is a box of pictures sitting in the upstairs hallway waiting to be hung on the wall.  I finally got around to painting the wall last week and will get around to hanging the pictures sometime soon (I hope).


I saw this at Lovely Crafty Weekend and recognized the characters from Picnik.  I thought it would be great on my wall when I eventually get around to hanging it up. If you've never made a printable before in Picnik, the Thrifty Decor Chick has a great tutorial. Hurry up-Picknik is going away April 19th.

Signs by Andrea ( I couldn't find this on her site)

Considering it was free and took 15 minutes to make, I am thrilled w/ how it turned out.

Now that I look at the original, I wonder if I should bring all the people down to the line?  Or do we look cool b/c we can hover in the air?
Linking up here.

Bit by the Sewing Bug

I've totally got the sewing bug lately.  I love to sew for little girls, but my little girl is all grown up.  Then I remember that it is my niece's b-day and so I made her this cute little outfit.
It's Butterick 3140, and I just kind of made up the hair thingy and the bloomers.  I hope she likes it, because it doesn't come w/ a gift receipt. 

Back

Linking up here.