The best Buttercream Icing  (makes 3 cups) 

(From my friend Tracey )

½ c. unsalted butter

½ c. Crisco

4 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. & 6 tsp. water

¾ tsp. butter extract

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. almond extract

1.      Whip butter and Crisco until white, smooth, & shiney

2.      Add 1 cup of powdered sugar

3.      Whip

4.      Add 1 cup of powdered sugar & the extract

5.      Whip

6.      Add 1 cup of powdered sugar & 2 Tbsp. of water

7.      Whip

8.      Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and 6 tsp. of water

9.      Whip

 

*For every cup of icing made you need 2 tsp. of water.

Example: this recipe makes 3 cups, you need 6 tsp. of water.

Gussied Up Cork Board

I received so many lovely photo cards this past Christmas.  Most of them were photos of my friend's families.  I am impressed at their initiative to take the photos, design & order the cards, and then get them mailed out!  Every holiday I have the intention of sending out cards, but then I don't because of the lack of photos that are not cellphone selfies and the lure of a comfy couch.  

I wanted a better way to display the beautiful photos that I received and I wanted to free up the front of the fridge.  It seems like the photos on the fridge get brushed off by a shoulder or are knocked down the shutting door.

I went to my local Hobby Lobby, which is a brand new store, to see about purchasing a cork board or photo board. There were many nice boards, but none of them were exactly what I wanted.  And then inspiration struck me!  I could buy a plain cork board, but dress it up with some of the other supplies I had eyed up on the store.  Does anyone ever go to a craft store without spending an hour wandering around looking at all the things they want to buy or make?!

SUPPLIES
Staple gun
Ruler/yard stick
Pencil
Scissors

Cork board size 36"x16" = $13.99 + 40% off coupon = $8.39
Fabric: painted burlap = $5.99/yard *1/2 yard = $2.99
String = $1.99
mini-clothespins = $1.99
pushpins = $1.49

TOTAL = $18.11

 This cork board is SO much cheaper than if I bought one that they had!

The supplies

Painted burlap

clothespins, string, pushpins

The lady that helped me at Hobby Lobby cut the burlap for me so it was the perfect size to wrap around the board.  I wrapped the burlap around the board like you would if you were stretching a canvas.

Staple about every inch.

The fabric is stapled on.

I had a few inches of excess fabric on either end that I cut off.  I also added a few more staples to keep all the edges of the fabric down.

Add the sting.  Use a few staples to attach.

Finished product!

Added all my beautiful friends' photos!  I'm ready to hang it.

It didn't take very long to do this project.  I think I spent way more time walking through Hobby Lobby!  I plan on stapling some string on to the back of the board for hanging it.    I hope this inspires you!

EDIT:  Here is the cork board hung up and all the photos on it.  

What creative way did you display your holiday photo cards?    

Why Blogging?

Hello friends!

I was feeling crafty today and so I gussied up a plain cork board.  I took pictures along the way and I wanted to post them.  I figured I would dabble in blogging as a way to share this project.  I'm not promising much from this blog, but I hope you enjoy what I do share!

And if you get bored with this, then head over and read the hubby's blog: http://sudsavant.blogspot.com/  Remember....

(Image from New Glarus Brewing Co.)