Chocolate Crackle Cookies

I decided to share today a recipe that I recently discovered that is fabulous. These are called Chocolate Crackle Cookies, and are absolutely yummy chocolately goodness! I modified the recipe slightly, but it is complete in its entirety here:

Chocolate Crackle Cookies:

1 1/4 c.      packed light brown sugar
3/4 c.        Crisco
1/4 c.         butter
1 1/2 tsp.   vanilla
2                 large eggs, beaten
2 c.             flour
6 T.            unsweetened cocoa
1/ tsp.        salt
1/2 tsp.      baking soda
1 c.              chocolate chips
1/3 c.          granulated sugar
1/3 c.          powdered sugar

Honestly, I mixed all the ingredients together in my Kitchenaid mixer, minus the granulated and powderd sugars. Place these in seperate bowls and set aside. After the dough is mixed (add the choc chips by hand to not chop them up too badly) place in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll into small ball shapes. First roll in granulated sugar, then repeat with the powdered sugar.

Place 2" apart onto lightly greased cooking sheet ( I just sprayed with Pam lightly).
Bake 8-10 minutes at 375* and enjoy. Easy and fairly quick as well!!

If you have any new recipes, post a link! I would love to share any goodies!

Easy Corkboard redo!


It's been awhile since I have posted anything. Anyways, I have been reading on a lot of other blog's lately about a corkboard redo. I have a corkboard that sits above my desk, gets some use for school activities and such for the kids and I, but it is not pretty. In fact, It. Is. Ugly. I attempted some time back to paint the frame with leftover silver spray paint, but it really was not much of an improvement.

Here's a before shot, for comparison~
(and forgive me, the pictures were taken with my droid, which is often uncooperative.)

Plain, plain plain. After a trip to the fabric store, I chose a darker grey fabric that I really liked. The curtains in my little computer room are a super light grey, and I wanted to stay within that for now. I did take the advice that  an interior decorator named  Bryn posted at her lovely  blog  of ironing the fabric beforehand.

I used my staple gun, and started stapling the fabric upon the back of the board, not needing to pull it tightly just yet. (almost for got to mention I removed the hanging hardware. I stuck it in the box of tacks so I wouldn't lose it).

So my next step was the corners. I decided to spread the fabric to each corner and staple down, so the effect from each side would be smoother.

After I made my way around, I began to pull it tighter. I saw on a few blogs they recommended using spray adhesive, but I assume since you pin things to it, that I may not actually need it. =) Just continued stapling my way around and finishing the corners as I went.

Next, came the fun part. I started adding in the nailheads. I began by putting one in each corner. I didn't want to actually have to measure to make it evenly spaced. I then added a nailhead in between each set of tacks, towards the middle. I just worked my way around, adding in between 2 tacks everywhere I went.

Continued till I had a number of the nailheads I actually liked for the board. and voila! Done! 

All I had left to do was re-add the hanging hardware that I had originally taken off, just 2 little metals hooks that were nailed in. I really love how it looks, so much nicer that looks at the cork!! What a quick redo, took less than half an hour, counting ironing. Love it.

The Breakdown:

$2.44           grey fabric remnant

$1.59  X 2   black nailhead type fabric tacks from the fabric store

_________

$5.62      

I love a quick update that is so cost friendly! I already owned the staple gun and many boxes of staples leftover from hanging christmas lights.

Have you tried a redo like this?  What did you do differently/the same?

Easy Canvas Pictures!

For some time now, I had searched in vain for pictures to match my nephew's bedroom. When they moved last year, I had free-handed stripes in orange and blue in place of a headboard on his wall. I finally decided to make my own! Fairly easy to do, and took only a few days, off and on, due to drying times. :)

Stage 1

I purchased the canvases at Hobby Lobby, a 2-pack for a bargain at $5.99 each! Initially, I used blue painter's tape and a ruler to mark off lines that I would paint in with basic black acrylic ($2.99 a tube). 

I did this stage over a 2 day process, letting the acrylic dry and then retaping. Had minor issues with the blue tape. It bled in places, and finally switched to masking tape, but next try may use the frog tape and see how it works.

To color in the squares, I used the original wall paint that I had used on my nephew's walls in the first place. Glidden's Carribean Sea and Orange Slice, in semi-gloss.  A lot goes a long way with these.

Finished Product!!!  I am really happy with how they turned out! They are each different, but connect and this is how they will hang on his wall. Can't wait to put them up! Next time, I will try a different tape for marking things off, and try using the colors first, and see if it makes any difference overall.

To break it down, this is what I spent:

5.99 X 2 for 4 canvases
2.99 for the black acrylic
Caribbean Sea and Orange Slice paint, leftover from previous project
foam paint brushes and tape, already had as well.
_______________
$14.97 total

Overall, I am thrilled and am already attacking my next project, a little lamp redo.
What crafty thing have you made this week?