Pins of Inspiration

I was asked to make a cake for a Birthday Party to celebrate our women's church organization called the Relief Society. As creative as most of you might think I am, & I do love to cook, I have to admit that Cakes are not my thing. I try SO stinkin hard, but very rarely do I succeed to make a cake that tastes AND looks great. So in my very long days of anxiety prior to the party, I turned to Pinterest. THIS my friends is where I feel like Pintrest allows you to find many ideas to spark your creativity, but not blatantly copy someone else.

Here is how I started. I found a design I liked, a cake recipe I wanted to try, and a frosting I had tried and LOVED before!

1. Cake idea & layer coloring www.honeykennedyblog.com
2. Cake Recipe UNBELIEVABLE! www.recipegirl.com
3. Frosting Recipe CHANGED MY LIFE! http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.com

I also needed something to place my cake on ... and I was either entirely too lazy to run to Walmart to get one of those white cardboard things to set my cake on ... & / or I was too cheap. So this is how I made my own!

1. Cut two circles out of a cardboard box and taped them together with packaging tape.. 

2. Cut some white contact paper out a little bigger than the cardboard circle.

3. Cut slits around the edges.

4. Folded the edges around cardboard and taped them. 

PERFECT!

The cake stand I made out of a glass plate I found at my local thrift store, and a glass goblet. Glued them together with glass glue, and spray painted the whole thing green! Here is a tutorial of how to make your own. 

SO you ready for the results??

I have to say, it did take me the entire day ... but now that I have done it, I could do it in half the time ... and I was pretty excited that it turned out pretty good!

It looked great, it tasted great, and it was GONE by the end of the night! I couldn't believe it! Each layer I chopped up fresh strawberries and put them in-between the layers with frosting. The last picture is a little ghetto, I took it with my iPhone while people were trying to get the pieces out! It was crazy to say the least. 

What do you think??

Famous??

When I attended the Young Women's Conference, I had no idea that someone from the Deseret News (Salt Lake City Newspaper) was taking my picture. Looks like I was on the front page on Sunday Morning! Sweet huh!

General Young Women Meeting

In my church we have a wonderful meeting once a year for the young women (ages 12 - 18) to go to. This meeting consists of a world wide broadcast around the world. The speakers are the general leaders of the Young Women in our church and our prophet. (BTW, if you are reading and ever have any questions about my faith, I would be happy to answer them for you. Just email me!)

I lucked out and was able to travel to Salt Lake City, with women that I serve with, to see it live, and to watch the Young Women in my congregation perform in the choir. IT WAS AWESOME!

Tonights messages were all about Arising up in the world and Shining forth as a woman of God. The speakers talked about living the commandments in everyday life, getting an education and how important it is to have an education in today's world. The Savior can help you bury your sins and repent of them. Believe in your faith and in yourself, Obey your parents and the Lord's commandments, and Endure one day at a time.

I was so uplifted by the messages tonight. All of us need a pick-me-up from time to time, and this is exactly what I needed. I wonder how these innocent Young Women stay virtuous in a world like we have today. I am so lucky to be able to teach them each week, and to be taught by them as well.

Thanks for letting me be religious for a moment. My religion is such a big part of my life and helps me understand how much my Heavenly Father loves me. Every mom needs this frequently. If you would like to listen to these same talks, click here.

Pinterest ... has Changed my life!

has changed my life!

It really has! I have heard a lot of mixed reviews.

1. It takes away creativity, because people just copy ideas.

2. People aren't looking at blogs as much because their time is focused on Pinterest.

3. It is a big time waster and just like any social network can be VERY addicting.

As much as I agree with all of these to an extent ... I have found that I become a giddy school girl when I find new recipes to try, or when I finally figure out how to do something I have always been interested in doing myself. But mostly, I find that it gets my creative juices flowing. As I totally admit that I am guilty of totally just making something exactly as someone else has, I try to always give credit, where credit is due. 

This past week I have made several recipes that my family has loved, and I feel so enriched by peoples creativity. I have found SO many amazing people and blogs through Pinterest, and I can honestly say I absolutely LOVE Pinterest!

I find that Pinterest is a waist of time if you don't do anything with your pins ... which is why I would like to start a new series on my blog of things that I have cooked, been inspired by, or just plain loved each week on Pinterest! Here is what I found this past week, I have made, and TOTALLY loved this week on Pinterest!

Pizza Roll ups

Creative Minds Quote

Banana Bread (SUPERHealthy)

Hope you love them too!

Be sure to find me on Pinterest! (Search Mandy Douglass in people!)

Party Favors

When on Studio 5 last week I didn't get a chance to go over party favors! Probably my favorite part of the party. So here is an up-close view of the party favors I prepared, but because of time I wasn't able to show on air! 

First was my favorite. It would take some effort, but totally could be done! My thought was that my grandma had everything she needed by 80 years old, and often wanted to give us something ... rather than us give her something. My thought was to help her make aprons for each girl / grandchild / daughter attending. Then make a recipe book from www.papercoterie.com of all of grandma's recipes. 

Be sure to use your coupon code MANDY2012 for $30 worth of free product by 3/18/2012! Visit www.papercoterie.com and look at the post about my segment for more details! 

These recipes would be some of the ones we used at the party! (You know how we all are, we try it, and HAVE to have that recipe!) It is finished up with a darling little baking case from www.shopsweetlulu.com.

Next, my grandmother was one of those people with a green thumb! (too bad I didn't get that one through genetics! I swear I kill every indoor plant I buy!)  My thought was to get these little favor tins (I got mine in the wedding favor section at Walmart a few years back) and put seeds to plant in each one. The Quote reads: "Grandma's Garden ... Grown with seeds of love & sewn with patience and loving hands". This is a really cost effective favor, and one that anyone could use and love.

Last but not least, I got these glassine bags. I filled them with the Almond butter cookies I made for the party segment. Made a simple tag with a dot circle border, and used a scalloped punch. Then I simply folded a doillie and attached a ribbon with a staple. 

Here is how I did that: (This was a tutorial I did for a page on www.creatingkeepsakesblog.com in April of 2010)

1. First you staple with the ribbon hooked under it.

2. Tie a knot

3. Trim ends

Such a perfect way to get a knotted bow in the middle of a page, and to keep a little sack tied shut! 

I hope these little favors will inspire you to create something wonderful for the guests at your next party!

GREAT NEWS!!!

It has been over a year coming, but today I finally got this!!

YEP! It is my fabric line! This is a story board that is presented to fabric buyers all over the world! It still has a few months before you will see it in stores, however I am SUPER excited that a dream of mine is finally coming true! Here are the prints!

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If you're a fabric buyer, please contact Riley Blake Designs / Alpine Fabrics if you would like to order!

Studio 5 - Grandma's 80th Birthday

What a fun couple of weeks preparing for this Studio 5 segment. There are lots of fun details in case you didn't catch them.


When deciding to plan this segment I thought of my grandmother, Nana (now passed on) and what she would have loved if we were celebrating this party for her. She was a very talented woman ... loved cooking, sewing, and flowers. She even had pink & turquoise bathrooms! (no joke ... the porcelain bathtubs were pink and turquoise! It was awesome!!)


The decorations were one of my favorite parts. Pioneer Party  provided all the balloons and did an amazing job! I will be sure to post more about my decorations this weekend ... but while you wait ...


Get a 20% discount on your next balloon bouquet, be sure to visit their store and let them know you saw their balloons on Studio 5. If they give you any problems, tell them Emily sent ya! Offer expires March 9, 2012!!!


If you have followed me for a while, you would know that I am not too into vintage ... I like more of a graphic style ... but for this segment I had to include a little!!


Nana loved flowers ... So in her honor we had fresh white mums! (if you are looking for some, I went to 3 places to find them and found them at Smiths Marketplace in Lehi!!)

The white doilie tins, IKEA for $2.99 ... and I printed those labels and simply stuck them on with double sided tape! 


Vintage "Printable" Fruit label
Click here for the free printable label link!


Nana loved to cook ... and was amazing at it!


For a party favor ... I figured that nana had everything she would have ever wanted or needed at 80. So I thought it would be fun to create a cookbook using all her recipes ... then also have those recipes as the food for the party! (Brilliant I know! lol)

I created the darling recipe book from the Paper Coterie
The were so generous to offer all my blog readers
A FREE BOOK or $30 credit to make anything on their website!
Awesome huh! 


The code is MANDY2012


It truly is free but they have a few rules

• $30 credit
• No minimum order
• Standard shipping rates apply
• Valid until 3/18/2012, midnight mst.
• Applies to every product excluding gift cards

Not only is that book super cute, but the little baking case that it is in went perfectly with my decor! It was provided by www.shopsweetlulu.com

They are also offering a discount to my blog readers. Be sure to visit their website before March 3rd for a 10% off discount!

The code is CHANGE

The products from shop sweet lulu from this segment were:

• Straws
• Plates
• Cups for the lights

FOOD!!!

Here are the recipes I included in my book, and on the segment today ...

Almond Butter Cookies

1 cup butter softened (not melted)
1 cup margarine softened
1 1/2 tsp. Almond Extract ( you can add vanilla if you prefer or I add a little less Almond Extract)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 cups flour
Cream butter and margarine very well. Slowly add sugar, beating until mixture is fluffy.  Blend in Almond Extract.  Add flour and salt and mix thoroughly.  (You can chill the dough but I find it works better not to chill and go ahead and bake.)  Form dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and stamp with cookie stamp.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

This is a double recipe. You can cut it in half if you want. It will still work if you want to double it again, but you will need a big bowl!  


COOKIE PRESS

To make the flowers, I used this awesome cookie press from Stampin up! This recipe is the best for these stamps. Be sure to click here for preferred pricing to get yours!

Strawberry Shortcake Shooters

Store Purchased Angel Food Cake

Whipping Cream (the real stuff)

Strawberries


The little shooter glasses I found at Party Land in Lehi. I have also seen them at Zuchers in Orem.


Pretty self explanatory. I found lids from my sprinkles to make circles of Angel Food Cake. Then sliced the strawberries. Layered them so it looked beautiful and topped with whipping cream.


** NOTE ** Be sure to used REAL whipping cream and not the canned stuff. I used that for my segment last time and before I could even get them on camera, they were melting. Whipping Cream tastes better and is the best route!

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

(inspired by Zupas Ultimate Grilled Cheese)

Baguette Bread

Muenster Cheese

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Pesto (I use Classico Brand)

Garlic Butter Spread

Spread garlic butter on outside, pesto on the inside. Place cheese in-between bread slices and place on medium heat griddle. Putting a pan lid over will help the cheese to melt faster!

Tortallini Pasta Salad

1 to 2 packages of baby spinach

1 c craisins (or grapes)

1 c parmesan cheese (shredded) - or any white cheese

¼ c red onion chopped

1 package of 20oz Cheese Tortellini, (Cooked, drained, rinsed, & chilled)

½ c of honey roasted almonds

Dressing:

1 c veggie oil

¾ c sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ c red wine vinegar

2 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp paprika

Put in blender & blend for 1 minute. Put on right before you serve or to the side

Skewers
I chose grapes rather than the craisins, and didn't use the honey roasted almonds. For the cheese I decided to use Monterey Jack. The parmesan wouldn't work on the skewer

Poppy Seed Bundt Cake** Warning ... this recipe will change your life!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 small pkg vanilla or french vanilla (must be instant) pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cooking oil
1 tsp butter flavoring or almond extract
1/4 c. poppy seeds

Stir for 5 minutes (I use an electric mixer). Grease and sugar (or flour) a bundt pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Opt: sift powdered sugar on the top after cooled. Serves 12-16


Bundt Pan
Amazon

Key Lime Tarts

Tart shells

1 cup plus 2 TBSP butter (cold)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 heaping tsp whipping cream or sweetened condensed milk

3 cups plus 3 TBSP flour

1 tsp almond extract

Cut butter into sugar (I like using a food processor). Add remaining ingredients. You will need to press dough together to form balls. 

Spray molds with pam. Taks small amount of dough and press into small pie molds. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Makes around 50 tart shells.

Key Lime and Lemon filling

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon (I prefer Meyer lemons ... mix between a clementine & lemon!!)

Drop or two of food coloring

Soften Cream cheese and blend until smooth. Slowly add milk beating constantly and scraping bol until all lumps are gone and mixture is very smooth. Add vanilla and juice. Beat until light and fluffy. Pour into prepared (cooled) tart shells

For more information regarding Decorations on my segment ... be sure to check back this weekend!