10 Ornaments You and Your Kids Can Make Together

Shower Curtain Ring and Green Pipe Cleaner Wreath

Delicate Wire and Bead Ornaments

Super Fun "Bringing Home the Tree" Ornament

Felted Wool Trees

Mod Podge Photo & Wood Slice

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

Snowball Bucket Ornament

Floating Photo Ornament

Vintage Paper Ball Ornament

Mason Jar Lid Ornament

All photos are property of their creators and link back to their DIY tutorials. 
Photos used with permission. 
Muslin & Merlot is a member of the Craft & Food Round Ups Facebook group.


Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!


Hey - I know this is a craft blog but I just had to share this recipe! Best chocolate chip cookies ever! Mike agrees :-). Perfectly chewy and crunchy cookies that stay fresh for over a week and don't mysteriously and inexplicably turn into flat, sad crispy chocolate pancakes after baking. Might be something to do with mixing the baking soda with warm water? Or the ratio of granulated to brown sugar? The vigorous over-mixing of sugars and butter? I dunno, but it is magical! Mixing times may vary since i used a stand mixer,

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE NO JOKE

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. warm water
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together for 5-7 minutes. Add eggs and mix for another 3-4 minutes. Mix in vanilla.

Add flour and salt. Mix until combined.

Put baking soda in a small bowl. Heat water in another small bowl and add two teaspoons warm water to the baking soda. Stir until combined. Mix baking soda/water mixture into the batter.

Add chocolate chips. Mix/stir just until combined.

Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350-365 degrees, depending on your oven.

Form balls of dough, then flatten slightly with your hands. They'll look like the fundraising frozen cookie dough pucks you bought from the kids next door ;-).

Place on cool, ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on size. Cookies should still look slightly uncooked in their centers, with nice golden edges. Let cool on sheets for two minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

If you're reusing baking sheets, make sure they're completely cool before baking the next batch. This may involve going outside and briskly waving them on your front porch.

My cookies took about 15 minutes to bake - they ended up a little bigger than the palm of my hand.

Nom nom nom.



Hemp-Wrapped Memory Board


Simple hemp-wrapped memory board. Great way collect your holiday cards!

Supplies:

  • Board - I used leftover boards from my Blooming Cross project. You could use old cutting boards, barnwood or whatever you have hiding in the shed :-).
  • Paint & Sealer
  • Hammer
  • Picture Hanger
  • Hemp Cord
  • Office Clips or Mini Clothespins
  • Staple Gun & Staples


Paint the board however you like.

Staple one end of the cord to the back of the board. Staple multiple times. I started at about the middle - you could start at the top or wherever.

Wrap cord around the board. Keep an eye on the front so you can see how the design is shaping up. Pull the cord tight and staple in place every time you wrap (on the back of the board only). When you're done wrapping, staple the end of the cord to the back at least three times. Hammer in any staples that are sticking out too far.

Hammer in the picture hanger.

Add or clips or mini clothespins.

Done! Easy peasy.

Scenes from the Craft Show 2016


Another successful year at Rush City Bountiful Boutiques! Four pop-up shops in one tiny town. So much fun setting up shop!

This isn't a typical craft show - vendors don't have separate tables. We mix and match everyone's wares in order to make the whole store look great :-). And we're only open 3 days a year.

The vendors/crafters/artisans did a fantastic job. We had a great selection of items perfect for gift-giving. Take a look!

Photos courtesy of Heidi Lindahl! She's an awesome photographer in the Shakopee area. Let me know if you'd like her contact info :-)