Gift Wrapping

Backstory:
I like to think I'm super duper crafty. To reflect this assumption about myself, I frequently try to prove my craftiness to others. For Christmas, I did this by wrapping my presents like a true craft enthusiast.

Original Pinterest Inspiration:
http://frogprincepaperie.com/2011/11/washi-tape-gift-wrapping-inspiration.html

Materials:
Brown Postal Paper (or craft paper, whatever tickles your fancy)
Tape and Scissors
Red Washi Tape
Red and White Baker's Twine (Etsy)
Silver Sharpie

Procedure:

1. Wrap your present in the brown paper. I used double-sided tape because it made me feel more professional.
   
2. Pick a corner of the top of the gift and write the recipient's name in silver sharpie. Get creative! Here are some hand-lettering ideas for fonts.
   
3. Make a washi tape cross that wraps around the present and that divides it into 4 rectangular sections. I like to give the name borders with the tape, and let the other rectangles reflect the space that the name took up. (Maybe that doesn't make sense... sorry. I don't know how to say it.)
   
4. Now we're gonna make a bow with the baker's twine. To do that, measure out a length of twine that wraps all the way around both lengths of the box. Add a few inches for the bow, then triple the twine and cut it. Keep it all folded into three lengths. It'll look nicer when you tie it.
5. Then wrap the twine around the box so that it lines up with the washi tape. Since I have no idea how to describe this process without painstakingly going through it, here's a video that will help if you don't know how. Tie a pretty bow!
   
6. Yay for gift wrapping! Give it to the person whose name is on the box and watch them struggle to open your expertly tied bow!
   

DIY Ornaments

Backstory:
Every year, my dorm at Notre Dame hosts an event around Christmastime called Silent Night Silent Auction (SNSA). It is our signature fundraiser, with the auction, live entertainment, a raffle, the whole nine yards. I attended this year and was thrilled to find that one of the available activities was ornament decorating. So, naturally, my RA Madi and I decided that I should decorate an ornament for each room in our hallway, so that we could decorate our tree! I was so happy with the way that they turned out that I thought I should share.

Materials:
Plain ornaments (Hobby Lobby)
Sharpies

Procedure:

There's really nothing to it! Grab an ornament and a marker and start decorating away! Don't forget to hang it on your tree when you're all done.

Harry Potter Mug

Backstory:
A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about how to make Hand-Decorated Mugs. I originally wanted to do so because I saw an Etsy product that was a set of four Harry Potter mugs, and I thought they would make an adorable gift for my friend Sarah. Instead of buying them, however, I decided I could take the elements that I liked from them and add a couple of my own. So I decorated my own mug! I would have posted these pictures with the other post, but I didn't want to give away the surprise, just in case Sarah happened across the pin on Pinterest.

Etsy Inspiration:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/159210968/harry-potter-inspired-coffee-mug-set?ref=sr_gallery_41&ga_search_query=harry+potter+mug&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

Procedure:
Can be found on my original mug post. I just wanted to write another post so I could put up some pictures!

Cake Batter Cookies

Pinterest Inspiration:
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/11/29/holiday-confetti-cake-batter-cookies/+

Materials:
1 box of cake mix
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 large eggs
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of sprinkles

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a large baking sheet with with parchment paper.
3. Mix cake mix and baking powder in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla by hand until well combined.
5. Add the egg mixture to the cake mixture and stir until there are no more bits of dry cake mix.
6. Fold the sprinkles in gently.
7. Roll one-inch balls of dough by hand, making them taller than they are wide, then arrange them on the cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 9 minutes, making sure that the cookies don't get brown.
9. Once they're out of the oven, let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Eat the delicious cookies!

Hot Chocolate Spoons

Backstory:
My RA, Madi, and I decorated mugs this past week. (The post explaining that adventure is right here.) To go with our brand new mugs, we decided to make hot chocolate spoons! The premise is that the spoons have chocolate on them, so that when you heat up the milk for your hot chocolate, you can then stir it with the spoon and the chocolate will melt into the milk to make some delicious hot chocolate!

Original Pinterest Inspiration:
http://sweetapolita.com/2012/01/sprinkled-chocolate-party-spoons/?crlt.pid=camp.KROjr9UZDYWQ

Materials:
Plastic spoons
Wax paper
Chocolate (The pin says to use "quality chocolate." We're college students. We used Hershey's.)
Sprinkles, Crushed Peppermint, or anything else you'd like to mix into your hot cocoa
Plastic wrap or cellophane (optional)
Curling ribbon (optional)

Procedure:

1. Chop or break the chocolate up, to speed up the melting process.
2. In a glass bowl, microwave the chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until it is completely melted.
3. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
4. Arrange the spoons on the cookie sheet. You may want to prop them up a bit so that the chocolate doesn't spill out of them. We just rested the handles on the edge.
5. Scoop portions of chocolate into the spoons, filling them about 75% of the way full, so that they don't overflow.
6. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle your toppings onto the spoons.
7. Transfer the entire cookie sheet into the freezer to set for 20 minutes.
8. Because I was giving some spoons as gifts, I wrapped the bottom of the spoon (not the handle) loosely in plastic wrap and tied them up with curling ribbon.
9. Stir into warm milk and enjoy your delicious hot chocolate!

Hand-Decorated Mugs

Backstory:
So, I am now officially a college freshman. And my RA, Madi, is super cool. Naturally, we decided to begin crafting time. For our first crafting session, we decorated mugs, because I saw some adorable ones on Etsy and decided I could make them instead of buying them. Also, we made hot chocolate spoons to go with the mugs. For that tutorial post, follow this link!

Original Pinterest/Etsy Inspiration:
http://polkapics.net/2013/01/08/ive-been-looking-into-this-sharpie-mug-350-degrees-craft-and-it-looks-as-though-many-people-have-been-experiencing-fading-or-the-colors-coming-off-altogether-therefore-i-would-like-to-share-this-b/

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VQ9M04/?ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_u4kTrb0298GGH

http://www.etsy.com/listing/159210968/harry-potter-inspired-coffee-mug-set?ref=sr_gallery_41&ga_search_query=harry+potter+mug&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

Materials:
Sharpie Paint Markers (we found them at Hobby Lobby)
White Ceramic Mug(s)

Procedure:

1. Decorate the mugs to your heart's desire!
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Wait for the markers to dry completely.
4. Bake the mugs for 30 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the mugs cool in the oven.
5. Enjoy your new personalized mug!

P.S. Make sure to hand wash the mug, otherwise you'll be super sad when you take it out of the dishwasher and there is no more pretty design! *pouty face*
P.P.S. The color on my mug changed a bit when I baked it, so just be aware that it may not come out exactly as you intended.

Pictures!
This one is my mug:

And this is the one Madi made for herself:

A couple more pictures of another mug that I made can be found here.

Cheesecake Cupcakes (Gluten Free)

Backstory:
I wanted to make mini cheesecakes for a coworker's birthday. However, I work with a couple of people who do not eat gluten. So, I found this recipe and adapted it to their needs. The cheesecakes could not have come out more phenomenally! I had never made cheesecake before and these ones were absolutely fantastic. I work at a restaurant, and both the owner of the restaurant and the head chef made a point of telling me how much they liked the cheesecakes. If that's not a compliment, I don't know what is! To this day the chef has been asking me repeatedly to please make them again soon, and I brought them in about a month ago! I hope you have as much success with this recipe as I did!

Original Pinterest Inspiration:
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/04/cheesecake-cupcakes/

Materials (Crust):
2 1/4 cups of gluten free shortbread cookies, finely crushed
3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
7 tablespoons of margarine, melted
24 cupcake liners

Materials (Cake):
4 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of gluten free flour
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons of gluten free vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed shortbread cookies and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
3. Add the melted butter to the cookie mixture and stir until well combined.
4. Line 2 standard cupcake tins with the liners.
5. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie mixture into each of the 24 lined cupcake cups, using all of the cookie mixture.
6. Firmly press the cookie mixture into each cup so that it is even within the liner.
7. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes.
8. While the crusts are baking and cooling, whisk 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of gluten-free flour together in a small mixing bowl.
9. In a standing electric mixer (to ensure a smooth mixture), add the softened cream cheese.
10. Pour the sugar mixture over the top of the cream cheese and blend on low until smooth.
11. One at a time, add the eggs, mixing until just combined.
12. Add the vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream, again mixing until just combined.
13. Tap the mixing bowl against the counter several times to release air bubbles that may be trapped within the mixture.
14. Pour portions of the cream cheese mixture over the prebaked crusts, filling the liners nearly to the top.
15. Bake for 20-23 minutes. The centers should still juggle slightly. Any signs of cracking indicate overbaking.
16. Allow the cheesecakes to cool for 1 hour at room temperature.
17. Cover the cakes loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
18. Serve chilled and enjoy!