Category: C R E A T I V I T Y

Finger Painted Holiday Cards – Kid Craft

December 13, 2018 3:00 AM December 13, 2018

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One of the many things on the “to-do” list this time of year is holiday cards. Running short on time or funds? These fun finger painted holiday cards are just…

One of the many things on the “to-do” list this time of year is holiday cards. Running short on time or funds? These fun finger painted holiday cards are just the answer. Full of color and personality – each one an original piece of art.

Finger Painted Holiday Cards - Kids Craft

To begin gather your supplies:

Cards (I got this pack at Michaels)
Craft Paint (I used these paints from Michaels and was very vigilant, a safer alternative would be this Homemade Finger Paint recipe)
Black Sharpie (This is my favorite everrrr)
Paper plate
Protection for your work area and wet paper towels

Using the black Sharpie doodle on each card the basis for each design, I did four designs:

A curly line, to look like Christmas Lights (add black squares at the base of each “bulb”)
Holly leaves, using a green marker
Straight vertical lines and bows, to look like hanging Christmas ornaments
Christmas Trees

Place a very small drop of paint on to the paper plate. Have your kiddo use their pointer finger (or assist them in this, if younger) to make fingerprints in the appropriate places on each card. We did one color at a time and completed all the cards.

For the ornaments we made bigger circles by spreading the paint out.

Continue adding different colors of paint. For this project I was lucky enough to barrow my 14 month old nephew. For us it was best to do two colors per sitting. 🙂 Kept him interested and attentive.

Finally allow to dry completely and sign with the artist name and the year on the front. Family and friends alike will LOVE these one of-a-kind masterpieces!

Like this craft? Please pin the above image and spread the cheer!

Happy Painting!

xo,

Carolyn

4,651 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

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December 11, 2018 3:00 AM December 11, 2018

11946 views

3,722 Comments

Anybody else firmly on the Salted Caramel trend train? 🚂 I absolutely love a good salty/savory combo. These buttery cookie bars, filled with chewy salted caramel are sure to be…

Anybody else firmly on the Salted Caramel trend train? 🚂 I absolutely love a good salty/savory combo.

These buttery cookie bars, filled with chewy salted caramel are sure to be a hit at any pot-luck or gathering!

To begin mix together butter, sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla until combined thoroughly. Then slowly add the flour, mix until dough forms.

Break off 1/3 of the dough. Place the larger portion of the dough in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Press the smaller amount into the bottom of the pan being sure to fill the pan completely without any holes.

Bake at 325*F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack (about 15 minutes).

While the first layer is cooking and cooling prepare your caramel layer. First, start by unwrapping all the caramel candies. Place candies in a microwave safe bowl and add cream. Microwave in one-minute intervals, stirring in between until caramels are melted completely and smooth. Once smooth stir in the vanilla.

Spread the melted caramel evenly over the bottom layer of cookie. Then sprinkle with coarse sea salt, be sure to use the full tablespoon. (On my first attempt I did not and the salt flavor was not noticeable.)

Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator. Crumble into pieces and place over caramel layer until dough is gone.

Bake in a 325*F oven for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and firm.

Allow bars to cool completely before cutting. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.

Enjoy!

xo,

4.96 from 46 votes

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

The buttery crust and chewy caramel of these bars are sure to please every crowd!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

Cookie Layer

2 cups Salted Butter room temperature
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1½ cups Powdered Sugar
2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
4 cups All-Purpose Flour

Caramel Layer

14 ounces Soft Caramel Candies about 50 individual caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup Milk or Cream
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoons Coarse Sea Salt optional

Instructions

Cookie:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prep a 9×13 baking dish by lining with parchment paper or coating with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Press one-third of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are a pale golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

Caramel:

While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling.
Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the milk or cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Once the caramel is melted add in your ½ teaspoon of vanilla and stir until combined.
Pour the caramel filling over the cooled crust. (If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.)
Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the salted caramel.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Holiday Decor – FREE Printable

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December 9, 2018 3:00 AM December 9, 2018

24449 views

2,762 Comments

Nothing to me is more nostalgic than singing Christmas carols around the holidays. Growing up we listened to non-stop Christmas carols from 3:00AM Black Friday morning until end of day…

Nothing to me is more nostalgic than singing Christmas carols around the holidays. Growing up we listened to non-stop Christmas carols from 3:00AM Black Friday morning until end of day Christmas. It always brought me cheer singing on the way to school, work or home.

Now I have found a way to bring that cheer into my holiday decor!

These four downloadable files make decorating super easy!

Download Now!
Print as an 8×10
Frame (I used these $ 3.00 frames from Walmart)
Hang (I used these Command Strips also from Walmart)

Voila! Gorgeous unique holiday decor!

I’d love to see how you style yours!

Tag me on Instagram (@handrafted) for a Shout Out!

xo,

Carolyn

2,762 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

After Dinner Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

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December 7, 2018 3:00 AM December 7, 2018

33105 views

5,430 Comments

Not much is more satisfying than a delicious after dinner mint. The soothing peppermint aids in digestion and leaves a wonderful flavor on the tongue. These Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies…

Not much is more satisfying than a delicious after dinner mint. The soothing peppermint aids in digestion and leaves a wonderful flavor on the tongue. These Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies take that idea to the next level. 🙌🏼

These soft and chewy cookies are the perfect way to finish any meal.

Not to mention they are gorgeous! 😍

To begin mix together cocoa powder, sugar and oil in a medium bowl.

Next, add FOUR drops of Peppermint Essential Oil to the batter. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and shiny.

Using pure peppermint essential oil provides immense flavor, four drops although it seems like a small amount, provides the perfect minty flavor!

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the cocoa mixture until smooth. Pack dough tightly in a bowl and chill in an air-tight container in the freezer or refrigerator. Chill the dough for a minimum of four hours, the more chilled the better – I chilled mine overnight.

Once chilled and firm, roll into one inch balls. Generously coat each ball in powdered sugar.

BONUS: Crush peppermint candies/candy canes into dust and mix with the powdered sugar for added color and a little crunch!

Place on Silpat/parchment lined cookie sheets, two inches apart and bake for 10 minutes in a 350*F oven. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven and leave on hot cookie sheet for an additional 5 minutes. Then move to a cooling rack until room temperature. Store in airtight container.

NOTE: Peppermint will flavor other baked goods so your should store them in their own container.

Happy Baking!

xo,

5 from 1 vote

After Dinner Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This super soft and moist chocolate cookie is flavored with peppermint essential oil, making it a wonderful after dinner mint treat!

This cookie dough must be chilled, so plan accordingly.

Course Dessert

Keyword Cookie

Prep Time 5 hours

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes

Author Carolyn of Handrafted

Ingredients

1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
4 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
~1/2 cup Powdered Sugar for coating
3-4 pieces Peppermint Candies/Candy Canes crushed to dust, for coating

Instructions

Before you begin, ensure there is enough room in the freezer/refrigerator. The dough must be chilled before baking.
In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa powder, sugar and oil.
Add 4 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil. (Essential Oil is powerful, trust me 4 drops is perfect!)
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth and shiny.
In another bowl, combine together flour, baking powder and salt.
Stir into the cocoa mixture with a wooden spoon just until smooth.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (I chilled them overnight).

After Chilled

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls.
Generously coat each ball in powdered sugar and place onto cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.
Let rest on cooling rack until room temperature and then store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Peppermint will flavor other baked goods, store these cookies in their own container.

BONUS: Crush peppermint candies/canes into dust and mix with the powdered sugar for added color and a little crunch!

5,430 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Kid-Friendly Holiday Pine Cone Crafts

admin

December 6, 2018 3:00 AM December 6, 2018

17442 views

4,395 Comments

The holiday season is always a great excuse to get out the glitter, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. It’s a time to get together with the kids in your life…

The holiday season is always a great excuse to get out the glitter, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. It’s a time to get together with the kids in your life and create memories. In today’s kid-friendly craft we are using pine cones as our base. Pine cones are great crafting tools because they are so versatile. On this crafting day we made pine cone Christmas trees, angels and reindeer!

Start by choosing a design, I printed a few inspiration ideas from Pinterest so the kids could get their creative juices flowing. If you are lucky enough to have pine cones in your backyard, harvesting them for this craft is a fun part to add for the kids. If you don’t have that luxury you can pick up a bag of pine cones at any craft store or even Walmart.

As tree trunks several of the kids chose to use a bottle cork, this made the tree easier to decorate because you could use the cork as a handle. Others made tree skirts with felt and stood them on a paper plate for decoration.

Once you make a decision on the design the first step is to paint. For this craft, we used craft paint from Michaels and of course glitter glue!

Some of the kids chose to paint the whole tree, while others painted just the edges. Once done painting the next step for many was glitter – of course! The use of glitter on the trees made it look like freshly fallen snow – so pretty!

To decorate the pine cones we utilized pom poms, bells, pipe cleaners and fake snow. To attach the decor we used the hot glue gun *use caution, have adult assistance/supervision* and some Quick Dry Tacky Glue.

For the angel, we utilized wire ribbon for the wings and added a plastic dove for decoration.

The reindeer was really fun, for this we used felt for the ears, pom poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners and sticks we found in the yard.

These pine cone crafts are easy to do for all ages and great memories that last a lifetime!

Let me know how your pine cone crafts come out!

Happy Crafting!

xo,

4,395 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Modern Holiday Wreath DIY

admin

December 4, 2018 3:00 AM December 4, 2018

11688 views

3,739 Comments

I don’t know about you, but the eucalyptus trend is one I stand firmly behind. 🙌🏼 I love it for all seasons and in all parts of the house. In…

I don’t know about you, but the eucalyptus trend is one I stand firmly behind. 🙌🏼 I love it for all seasons and in all parts of the house.

In this particular case, we are going to use two different kinds of eucalyptus mixed with some glittery pine and little red berries to create one of a kind modern holiday wreaths.

Hoop Wreath

To create this Modern Holiday Wreath you will need the following:

Large Embroidery Hoop (I used a 23″)
Dried/Artificial Greenery
Jute Rope
Red Berries

The first step is to tie off the end of your rope. Pick a point in the hoop and tie around the innermost hoop. Trim the tail of the knot once tight.

Next, pick a spot on the opposite side of the hoop, direct your rope around the hoop at that point. Loop the rope around and tie it. Do this several times until you have a few points secured in your hoop.

Then select your greenery. I chose to begin with eucalyptus on the upper left quadrant. I cut my piece and decided where I wanted it to lay. Coming from the lower right quadrant I wrapped the rope around the greenery and the hoop, being careful to only catch the stem. I then did the same for a piece of eucalyptus in the lower right quadrant. Every time I tied off on the hoop working to also secure a piece of greenery. This process took time, move slowly and with intention – this will keep the number of crosses to a minimum. As you secure feel free to add in other greenery or embellishments with the same steps working back and forth.

When your greenery is secure and you are pleased with your final result, tie off around the hoop. I wrapped the jute around the hoop several times for added texture, but one knot would have been sufficient.

Linear Wreath

To create this Modern Holiday Wreath you will need the following:

Large stick (mine measured about 24″ long – I had to cut it to size)
Dried/Artifical Greenery
Jute Rope
Masking/Floral Tape
Red Berries

To begin, take apart your artificial pick (cut/rip the paper floral tape holding it together), this will give you individual stems that are easier to work with.

Then start by laying your greenery out in a linear fashion; grouping stems together – keeping the greenery laying in one direction.

Once happy with the arrangement secure to your stick with masking/floral tape.

Next, use the jute to wrap around the tape to conceal it completely. Once the tape is concealed and you are pleased with the amount of wrapping loop the jute to the other end of the stick and tie off. This piece will become your wall hanger.

Are you incorporating eucalyptus into your holiday decor? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Crafting!

xo,

3,739 Comments