project 14......................the coat hanger

a simple old wooden coat hanger became something different......................a scarf hanger.............or a photo hanger.....................or a sock hanger....................whatever you want to hang...................

I painted the coat hanger with normal craft paint.  I then found some angels that I was saving from a Christmas gift wrapping which I decoupage with modge podge onto the hanger.  I glued simple wooden pegs that I painted a contrasting colour  onto the coat hanger.  It looked a little dull, so I used some off cut pieces of lace that I modge podged onto the pegs.  I then used some small paper roses from our local craft shop to finish it off as well as a piece of plastic tubing/piping to go over the metal look.  I used the glue gun at first, but the pegs kept coming down.  I then used wood glue and they are really stuck now.

Easy gift  costing nothing to make................

project 13.......covering a notebook

My sister has a restaurant.  Every time she comes to visit, and I cook something, she wants the recipe just to phone me a couple of weeks later for the same recipe again!  So I decided to make her a handwritten book with some of my favourites.  I was so impressed with the outcome that I made myself one as well!

I used a black hardcover A5 size book.I wrote all the recipes by hand.  I gave the origin of every recipe eg. from my sister-in-law(who is by the way making the most divine green bean dish!).  I then made entrances in red where I sometimes adapt the recipe or use alternatives.  Even if I did not know the original recipe anymore, but gave her an adapted version, I wrote that.  I finished it off with quirky notes in the open spaces.

I then covered the book with material onto witch I'd sewn hundreds of odd buttons.  I 'glued' it onto the book with modge podge.  I then added some ribbons on the sides and glued a nice paper on the inside to disguise the fold overs. 

You can use your imagination to decorate your book. 

Hi everybody!

I was quite surprised when I opened my blog this morning and saw I had 111 hits already and it is only on day 13!  I am excited and geared up to continue!  

Thanx guys! (Isn't it amazing that we always say guys even though most of a group are girls!  I suppose it is because a girl can do a job just as well as a guy! Ha Ha!)

This weekend at work, I listed a couple of ideas for the next week or so and I look forward to share!  This is really going to keep me busy!  

Well cheers!  Have a great day and keep on reading!  Share with your friends please and reply ....please!  I would love to hear from you!

Sandra

xxx 

PROJECT 12- PEANUT BARS

With three teenage boys an a husband thats always looking for something sweet, I am baking biscuits at least once a week!  And when I work over a weekend, I do not even get a biscuit to have with tea on a Monday morning! ( I am a full time nursing sister working in the emmercency room of our local hospital)

I baked these just before the weekend, and luckilly took a photo then, as the cookie jar is empty this morning!

   recipe.......................

for the base.......................1 1/2 cup flour

                                           1/2 cup castor sugar

                                             15 ml custard powder

                                                15 ml corn flour(maizena!)

                                                   2.5ml baking powder

                                                      100g margarine

                                                         15 ml milk

                                                            1 egg

                                                                        Mix everything to form a dough.  Press into a 22cm baking pan and roll it flat.   Prick with a fork and bake for 10 minutes at 180'C.

for the topping......................60 ml margarine

                                               125 ml brown sugar

                                                  45 ml golden syrup

                                                     30 ml self raising flour

                                                       200 g peanuts( I normally use it as is, but I crushed it a little, as my youngest got braces recently, and I thought it would be a little hard to enjoy by him as well!)

Melt the butter on the stove.  Mixi in all the ingredients exept for the peanuts.  Stir for about 5 minutes.  it should not boil though.  Stir in the peanuts.  Spread the mixure on top of the base and bake it for another 15 minutes.  Let it cool and cut in in bars or squares.  BE AWARE....YOU CAN EASILY GET ADICTED TO THIS AND IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HIPS!

I got this recipe from a magazine a couple of years ago.  The original recipe had no sugar in the base wich will make it a healthier option, and I think they used some other nuts.  For growing boys and a husband the peanuts work well and it is affordable if you think how quick they digest it!    

project 11.......easter wreaths

Last year I made these Easter wreaths, but decided to share them as it is almost Easter, and really easy to make.  You can make quite a few in a morning, and once made can be kept for the next year, or the next until you are tired of them.  Seen that they hardly cost anything, you can even discard them and start all over again next year!  

I made a circle from wire, and then covered the whole circle with strips of yellow material.   I decided that the bright yellow and the black and white gingham was the look I want as it can be used with fluffy yellow chickens and white sugar coated Easter eggs.

I then took seeds, porcupine pins, guinea fowl feathers, shells, driftwood and pieces of glass I picked up from the beach to decorate.  I used a glue gun to fix all of the decorations.  I then used torn  strips of my material to tie in between and made tied bows on others.  I tied a loop with a longer  piece of material to hang them.

You can basically use anything to your hearts desire to decorate them, and it can easily be made into a Christmas wreath as well using Christmas colours.

On second thought,  I enjoyed making these, maybe I can make a couple more to decorate the church this Easter!  I have some beautiful pine cones I picked up a while ago, and maybe I can use them!.....