DIY: Personalized Dog Food Bowl Stand

Ever want something and you don’t like what’s available? Well, that’s how I felt about getting a personalized, raised dog food bowl stand for Ace. I looked on many different sites, and I was this close to spending more money than I’d like on mediocre, unconvincing, not as stylish food stand. Yes, I get it…it’s just a food stand this is certainly a first world problem, but if it’s something I am going to buy once and look at, it best be to my liking. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Yeah…and it’s true, Ace can really give two cents about how his food is being served to him…the guy eats anything!

Do you want to make your own personalized raised dog food stand? Look no further! There’s absolutely no need to spend big bucks. Today’s post is a late post to yesterday’s Make Something Monday…a DIY tutorial on how to make your own Personalized Dog Food Bowl Stand. You can definitely make your own stand, but I loved this one that I found from Kathy Ireland’s Loved Ones line. (Go Kathy!!! What an entrepreneur!!!)  It’s timeless and I especially like that it’s adjustable so it’s great for Ace now that he’s a pup and will still work for him when he’s an adult. To customize it, I tweaked it a bit.

If you’d like to customize or personalize our own stand, here’s what you will need:

• A dog food stand (or you can make your own), I loved everything about this one and got this: Kathy Ireland’s Loved Ones line
• Wooden letters
• Krylon Spray Paint (I chose gold)
• Elmer’s Wood glue
• Paint Brush

Here’s what you do:

1. Spray paint your letters, allow to dry.
   
   

   

   I spray paint the letters outside
2. Once dried, use a paint brush to apply the wood glue

   

   Apply the letters using Wood Glue

3. Apply the letters to the food stand, allow to dry

   

   Yep…it’s that easy! There you have it, a Personalized Dog Food Stand!

4. Serve and watch your pup his or her favorite food, enjoy!

   

   Ace doesn’t care about his stands…all he wants to do is grub! It’s a ruff life!!!

Tulip Bulbs in a Vase kit? I think Yes!!!

Today’s announcement:

You know when something has me feeling good, I’ve got to share it in hopes of it making your day just as wonderful too!

Trader Joe’s Tulip bulb kit in a vase

If you want to make someone’s day, rush to your nearest Trader Joe’s (and hopefully they’re still in stock) and buy the tulip bulb in a vase kit! For Valentine’s Day, I got some of these for my sweet sisters and my best friend. Miwa (the BFF) texted me this photo of how they’ve blossomed already (in less than 10 days)! Of course, I rushed to Trader Joe’s last night and got one for myself. Dancing tulips in my house…who can say no to that? Aren’t they just so pretty?  It’s the little things that get me all tickled up inside. Have a great one friends!

And look at them grow!!! So very pretty!!!

 

Apple Chips

Do you like fruit chips? I do! This week, I wanted to make some apple chips. It’s so easy, I wanted to share this DIY recipe with you for today’s Make Something Monday.

Ingredients:

Apples (cored and sliced into consistent sized pieces) – I like them about 1/4 in. thick and I don’t like the skin, so I peel it too.

Home made Apple Chips

Here’s what you do:

1. Select great, delicious apples. -I used organic Fiji apples
2. Peel, core, slice
3. Place them neatly (sides barely touching each other) in a food dehydrator
4. “Set it and forget it!” The apples are dehydrated when they are leathery but not damp… I set it for about 8-10 hours

Enjoy! You can also package this for a special gift to a friend.

What are you making this Monday? A new project? Craft? Dish? I’d like to know. Whatever you do, I hope you make this Monday a great one.

 

DIY: One in a Minion, Minion hats

We had a One in a Minion Birthday bash for my sweet nephew, Preston. What happens when you have an idea of what you want, but there is no such thing in the market?  You creatively visualize and then construct. That’s what you do! I wanted minion hats for all the kids, but I was not impressed by anything out there. So I made my own. If you want to make your own minion hat, do not fret, I got you. For this week’s Make Something Monday, we’re making Minion hats! This is a very easy DIY tutorial! The kids loved it so much that some used it for their Halloween costumes! Happy Crafting.

DIY: One in a Minion, Minion hats

Here’s what you need:

• Yellow construction hats
• Googly Eyes I bought different sizes (since all Minions come in different sizes)
• Black Pipe Cleaners (this will be the hair), cut this into pieces based on the hairstyle
• Black Ribbon (you can use black tape), but I preferred Satin Ribbon (this will be the strap for their glasses/ goggles), cut into about 15 – 20 inches, depending on the hat size
• Silver/ Glittered foam paper (this will be the frame of their eyes)
• Glue Gun
• Glue gun sticks
• Scissors
• Avery labels (optional)

silver glitter foam craft paper make great goggles!

Trace the goggles and then cut

glue the googly eyes on to the foam sheet (using your glue gun)

Using your glue gun, add on the hair (black pipe cleaners) and apply the googles/ eyes. You can get as creative as you’d like!

Here’s a one eyed minion!

Getting em all ready!

Lay them out for your minions to grab (have a glue gun handy in case anything needs to be glued back on)

Watch your minions enjoy & have fun!!!

Instructions:

1. Cut the black ribbon or black tape so that it fits around the hat, using your glue gun, apply this on to the hat
2. Cut the Silver/ Glittered foam paper so that it’s your preferred size to sit as the border of the eyes. I used different eyes. Some had a 3 inch googly eye, while others had two 2 inch eyes. Cut your frame so that it’s slightly bigger.
3. Using your glue gun, apply the googly eyes on to the foam paper circles that you made. Apply this on top of the black ribbon you just glued.
4. Cut the black pipe into the hair pieces (sizes are based on the hair styles you’re doing), with your glue gun, apply the black pipe cleaners to the top of the hat. Have fun styling their hair.
5. If you want to, you can add a label (tagging it with a name personalizes it/ makes anyone feel special and avoids confusion)

Now go watch your crazy Minions have fun!!!! May their excitement bring you joy!!!

DIY: I love you SOY much Hello Kitty Soy Sauce Valentine gift

I love you SOY much, I could eat you all up Hello Kitty Soy Sauce Valentines! I love simple gifts with a touch of personalization and add some heart to it…and it’s a quick way to zap my heart and make me smile. Today’s blog is simple, has a free template and is also my first giveaway...check it out.

When I was at my local sushi deli a few months ago, and I saw these adorable Special Edition Collector Hello Kitty soy sauce dispensers made by Kikkoman, I had to load up on 2 dozen of these. Yeah, the patrons thought I was nuts, but seriously…they had no idea what I was up to. (Neither did I) I just knew I needed them.

“I love you SOY Much…I could eat you all up!” message

It’s Make Something Monday, and since it’s Chinese New Year’s today and with Valentine’s Day coming right up, I wanted to share this very simple DIY with you. I also have label downloads available for you. It can be given as a Valentine, be used as part of Chinese New Year host gift, gifted to any Hello Kitty fanatic or soy sauce lover (and who doesn’t?), or a just because gift. It’s just adorable! So adorable that I decided to do my first giveaway. All you need to do is like today’s blog by February 10th, 2016 and one winner will be chosen and will receive an I Love You Soy Much Special Edition Hello Kitty Soy Sauce dispenser. (Only open to residents and shipping addresses located in the United States).

Here’s what you need:

• Hello Kitty Soy Sauce Dispensers (for the sake of this DIY, you can actually use any sauce you’d like)
• scissors
• hole puncher
• baker’s twine or ribbon
• gift tag hole punch (if you don’t have one, you can just cut the tags into your preferred shape)
• handwritten message or your favorite message already printed on your choice media
• Download templates here
  • I love you Soy Much template in pdf or you can download the below PNG file

I love you SOY much template in PNG

Instructions

1. With the gift tag hole puncher, make the tags
2. hole punch the tag
3. Cut the twine or ribbon and needle it through the tag
4. Tie it around the Hello Kitty Soy Sauce Dispenser

DIY: Heart & Lollipop Valentines Flowers

And JUST LIKE THAT! It’s February! Not a pound shed, but on track with a few things. Slow and steady friends, slow and steady. It’s Make Something Monday! Whatever you make (or not) may you make your Monday a great one!

When my oldest niece (now 15!) Crystal was a Kindergartner, we made these Heart & Lollipop Valentines Flowers and we had so much fun. If you’re looking to create something with your young ones (and old ones for that matter), this is a fun and easy one. They also make for a great card as opposed to the typical cards you find at the local store. This idea came from Martha Stewart’s site, and I tweaked a few things here and there.

Supplies needed for your Handmade Valentines Heart & Lollipop Flowers

Stack your 4 hearts, write a message or name and hole punch.

Insert the lollipop

I found pre-printed floral stock that worked out well too!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Here’s what you need:

• Card stock or Construction paper
• Hole punch (I found the standard size to be rather large so I used a smaller one)
• Scissors
• Glue (only if you need to, I didn’t)
• Lollipop
• Ribbon (this is optional, and I used this in lieu of glue to hold the petals/ hearts together)
• Pen (I use my favorite colors)

Steps:

1. Use card stock to make a half-heart template about 3 inches high and 1 1/4 inches wide. Fold a 12-by-3 1/2-inch piece of construction paper in half vertically, and trace four half-hearts along the fold.
2. Cut out hearts; unfold.
3. Stack hearts; punch a hole 1/4 inch up from bottom. Position petals to form a flower, making sure holes line up. Secure by applying glue around holes; let dry.  Or you can secure it using a piece of ribbon and tying a bow (this can act as the stem, so I used a sage green) Write name on a petal. Insert lollipop.

Have a Sweet February, friends! And if you make this…let me know how it goes!

Tender Greens’ Citrus Olive Oil cake recipe

With Chinese New Year (February 8th) and Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share a recipe that would feature both of these events and this weekend’s recipe will do just that! My friend, Judy shared this recipe with me a few years back and it’s a must try. Here in Los Angeles, there’s a cafeteria style restaurant called Tender Greens and Tony’s a regular there. A few years back, they had this light cake called the Citrus Olive Oil Cake. Though I don’t have a sweet tooth, this dessert is a must!

Though this is not a Chinese dessert, I thought it would be appropriate because of what it represents. During the Chinese New Year, it’s tradition to exchange oranges and tangerines. Through the play of words, gifting oranges and tangerines represent having an abundance, happiness and prosperity. And who doesn’t want that? The brighter the orange, the better as the color of the fruit symbolizes ‘gold,’ and has an auspicious meaning to bring good luck and wealth.

You can also make this for your special Valentine with a hand written message that says, “ORANGE you happy to be my Valentine?”

Citris Olive Oil Cake – Perfect for Chinese New Year and even Valentine’s Day

This recipe was featured in the Los Angeles Times and adapted from Pastry Chef Annette Picha. I made mine using mini cupcake tins because I thought it would be cuter. Whether it’s for Chinese New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, or just because, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs at room temperature
• About 1 1/2 cups (11 ounces) sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup good quality olive oil
• Zest of 2 oranges, or citrus fruits of your choice, plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and thick, about 4 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, olive oil and citrus zest. With the mixer running, slowly add to the egg mixture, scraping the bowl down once while mixing to make sure all of the ingredients are incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Over low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, scraping down the bowl once again while mixing to make sure the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter into the lightly greased muffin tins, filling each cup about three-fourths of the way full. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 24 minutes, rotating the muffin tins halfway through baking for even heating.
6. Cool the cakes completely, then dust lightly with powdered sugar and sprinkle over extra citrus zest before serving.

Add Flowers in your home and increase your happiness?

After brunch yesterday, I stopped by the Los Angeles Flower District, and I was in heaven. So many flowers, so little time. I went a little crazy and now my house looks like the Flower Mart too. I read somewhere that flowers increases happiness and reduces stress in a home. I couldn’t agree more.

After a long day of work, it’s just so welcoming to come home to a nice arrangement of flowers. It’s going to be a crazy busy week, so for this week’s Make Something Monday, I wanted to create something inspirational to get me by. This Yellow Forsythia arrangement is going to help me plow through this week.

Whenever I see Yellow Forsythia branches I know that it means that Chinese New Year is right around the corner. Typically, they’re paired with red blossoms and it’s common to see red and yellow blossoms. According to Chinese culture, red symbolizes good luck for the new year and yellow or gold represents great wealth and growth.

What are you plans for this week? I hope that whatever they are that you manage to make something or find something that inspires you or tickles your heart. Make it a great one friends!

Chinese New Year Yellow Forsythia Arrangement

Here’s a simple tutorial on How to make a Chinese New Year Yellow Forsythia Branch (or any type of branch like flower) arrangement.

Items Needed:

• Yellow Forsythia Branches (I got 10 branches for $8 bucks! What a steal!!!)
• Water
• Wide Hurricane Vase (I used one that’s about 15 inches high)

Instructions:

1. Arrange the branches inside the vase so that there is a well balanced finish
2. Fill up the vase with about 4-5 inches of water

 

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries DIY Recipe

As promised, this weekend we are going to be exploring simple Valentine’s Day recipes…it’s just a few weeks away. Have you thought about what you’re going to do for your Valentine?

There’s just something so romantic about chocolate-covered strawberries. Bring them to a party and your guests are going to think WOW…how did you make these? I will show you how and you’re going to be surprised by how easy they are to make. Here’s the recipe that I’ve tweaked from The Food Network.

Easy to make Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Mmmmm….

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions

1. Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls
2. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt.
5. With a beater Stir until smooth.
6. Once melted, remove the bowls from the heat
7. Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat.
8. Line a sheet pan with waxed paper.
9. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl.
10. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
11. Put the melted white chocolate in zip lock bag and snip the end (the size of a pencil tip); drizzle over the dipped strawberries. OR you can dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

How to make your own Magical Memory Book

What do you do with your holiday cards? Do you keep them up all year? Throw them away? I absolutely love them and it’s one of my most favorite things about Christmas time. By the time I grab them from the mail box, they’re already opened before I get to the door. Photo cards tell a story of how my friend’s have grown, starting a new chapter, are experiencing divorce, and even how they may have lost a loved one.

Enjoy your cards before you take them down & start making your Magical Memory Book

I put them on the fridge, on my desk and hang them by the mantle. Seriously, I really wish I can keep them up all year long, but Tony would flip. So by mid January I take them down and put them in my Magical Memory Book. This book is in my box of “What?!?! The house is burning? GRAB my Survival Box.” For today’s Make Something Monday, I want to share with you how to make your very own Magical Memory Book. This book is never complete and you keep adding to it, but you whenever you feel like picking it up and going through it, it will magically make your day better.

What you choose to put in your book is up to you, I recommend anything that speaks to your heart. My Magical Memory Books are filled with the following selected content:

• Annual Christmas photo cards
• cards from family and friends (I only keep the ones that speak to me)
• special notes that matter to me
• Birth Announcements
• Wedding Announcements/ Invitations
• Funeral programs of someone dear to me
• Letters from my nieces and nephews
• A personalized menu that a restaurant designed for me

Here’s what you need:

• A binder (I use a 3 inch one, but it’s up to you and should be based on how many things you have)
• Avery Sheet protectors
• Avery Sheet tabs/ dividers
• paper clips
• Avery labels (optional)
• Customized cover sheet (optional) –This can help you identify the content in your book

Enjoy your Magical Memory Book

Gather your content

Enjoy your cards this last time

Add the most recent card to previous cards

Enjoy their milestones

Reflect and enjoy your Magical Memory Book!

Here’s what I do:

1. Gather your photo cards or your selected content
2. I allocate a range of alphabets per sheet protector (example: A-D, E-G, etc.)
3. Based on the last name of the family, I add it to corresponding sheet protector
4. I clip this year’s card to previous cards from that family and put it back into the sheet  protector

Voila! It’s THAT simple! If you would like, you can have different books/ binders that fit to different themes (holiday cards, birthday cards, special notes, etc) and label them. I keep them all in one book/ binder and divide them by tabs.

I hope you get much joy in putting together your Magical Memory Book.