Happy Birthday Hunny!!

Yesterday was my husband's Birthday and the kids and I wanted to do something special, something different!  So I thought and I searched and I thought and I searched some more for what popped out as the perfect surprise for his Birthday dessert.  I finally came across an awesome recipe for Root Beer Cupcakes  that I thought was just perfect for him.  So I looked a little more and found a few others that I just liked and knew he would too.  After gathering a few choices I asked the kids to pick one and they pretty much all picked the root beer as well.  So it was decided that was what to make!!  I gathered up the few ingredients I didn't have on hand and baked them right along with his special dinner he picked of meatloaf and mashed potatoes! They tuned out super moist and tasted exactly like promised, root beer!! After we ate I pulled the frosted mugs out of the freezer for a cute touch and instead of frosting the cupcakes I served them with Home-style vanilla ice cream that I picked up earlier. Here is what they looked like...

I layered one cupcake then one scoop of ice cream,
then another cupcake and a huge scoop of ice cream !

Here is the recipe in case you didnt catch the link above:


Root Beer Cupcakes
1 C root beer soda ( in past recipes I found out using diet is not as flavorful)
1 t apple cider vinegar
3/4 C sugar
1/3 C canola oil
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 t root beer extract (also known as root beer concentrate)
1 1/3 C flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
Pinch of Salt


Combine the soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes.
Add in the sugar and oil, whisking vigorously until slightly frothy.
Integrate your extracts, and gently introduce the flour, along with the baking powder / soda, and salt, being careful not to over mix.
Fill cupcake liners approximately 3/4 of the way to the top.
Bake at 350 F for about 18 - 22 minutes.
Makes 12 Root Beer Cupcakes Cupcakes

I found this recipe at: http://www.squidoo.com/root-beer-cupcake-recipe

Something for My Girls!

While shopping my local clearance isle (as I do almost every time I go), I ran across something I thought was just weird for Christmas but GREAT for Valentine's Day, pink ornaments!! (yes that does say $0.81)

So I bought four containers hoping it would be enough for what I had in mind (it was just enough). I grabbed my handy glue gun and an old metal hanger, yes we still have a few of them lying around. I bent and twisted and wrestled with that thing until I got it looking like a heart for my template. I chose not to use the frame for attaching my ornaments to but I suppose you could if you wanted to.

Now this I figured out after gluing several ornaments together already, but have decided that next time I make an ornament wreath I will for sure do this first... remove the tops!! they were much easier to work with once they were removed especially once you get towards the end. 

 I started out by hot gluing the ornaments together in pairs of the larger size and setting them together before I attached the pairs together using my heart template as a guide. After several of the larger ones were attached I filled in the spaces on the top with smaller ornaments to not only hide glue spots but to fill out the wreath and make it fuller instead of just flat on the door/wall.

After about 3 longer glue sticks and a little over an hour, this is what I had!  Not to bad for my very first attempt at this type of project. Not only was it my first wreath but I just had to go and make it heart shaped, wasn't as hard as I thought it might be.

I tied about a yard of this pretty silver ribbon I had on hand in a huge loop and hung it on a wreath hook for my girls! They absolutely love it, especially my oldest daughter who's birthday happens to be four days before Valentine's Day and she loves, loves, LOVES anything pink! 

I had a blast creating this for my girls and am so glad they like it I hope it inspires you to get crafty with your clearance isle finds as well!!

Happy Crafting~ Beth

supplies used:

4 containers of miniature shatterproof ornaments

approximately 3 long glue sticks

high heat glue gun ( you could get away with a low heat one, I just had this one handy)

heart shaped frame from old metal hanger

1 yard ribbon