Super Charms Kit

Hello everyone! I've taken a long time to write this post because, I wanted to make my cold porcelain first (white bag near center). Cold porcelain is made from 1 cup cornstarch, 1 cup white glue, 1 tsp. vinegar, and 1 tsp. petroleum jelly (the thing you use to moisturize). Once everything is mixed up (it will be lumpy), pop it into the microwave 6-7 times for 15 seconds each. Once you've finished, lay the solution over a surface with lotion all over it to prevent sticking). Knead for a bit. Then, roll out a small ball. If when flattened, and it has cracks, add more glue and knead. Repeat until you have a lump of cold porcelain that you can use to make charms and stuff. Refrigerate over night. Store in lotioned, airtight bag at room temperature afterwards.

Here are a few discoveries I've found about cold porcelain:

• My mixture is very nonsticky, so every separate piece that I make, I have to glue together.
• Other people say that when you color cold porcelain (not that much of a pain in the butt, since most f the time I have to mix colors in my air-dry clay anyways), use eye shadow/ chalk/paint/markers. I've found that the best results lay within food coloring! Of course, you can only get the colors that you can mix from regular food coloring colors (rd, yellow, blue, green), however, the color provides darker coverage than the other choices faster. 
• To color cold porcelain with chalk pastels, rub the piece you want colored over the chalk stick! To give pieces shading, go about as you normally would with a soft brush.
• When making jewelry beads, I love using the Folk Art Extreme Glitter Gold and Silver paints from Plaid. I wait for the cold porcelain to dry (about a day) before painting it. I choose this paint because the color with glitter is crazy sparkly and pretty- just like any piece of jewelry you would find!
• I have a black felt tip marker to draw faces on my kawaii charms.
• The white glue is for attaching pieces.
• The clear glue is for making special charms (tutorial on itsratherpretty.blogspot.com to be anticipated).
• The Mod Podge is for sealing in glitter on my charms.,
• The metal icing tips are for dessert charms (I have tips 18,16,5, and 3- circles and stars)

I've made a key lime pie, european bead bases, and the first ghost in my collection of ghosts. I think cold porcelain is great fro making ghosts because of its translucent color!

Peppermint Candy

I love peppermint candy, and have been meaning to make some for quite some time. So, when I finally got the chance to do it...I didn't just double or triple the recipe, I quadrupled it! I now have what you have to call a butt load (hahahaha) of soft candy. Anyway, I have to say, I am extremely tired of peppermint now, but on the bright side, I think the candy turned out pretty well. Here's the recipe...(quantities for 1/4 of my original recipe)

Ingredients...

• 5/8 Cp. Powdered Sugar
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• Wax Paper
• Mixing bowl
• Food Coloring
• Almost Forgot the Most Important Part: 1 tsp. Peppermint Extract!

Instructions:

1. Knead the cream cheese and extract together in the bowl.
2. Slowly add the sugar to the mixture, and knead until you have a smooth and thick dough.
3. Roll the dough into a ball. Take away half, and set on the wax paper.
4. Add 2 drops of food coloring into the dough inside the bowl. Knead well.
5. Roll both balls into a long roll, emulating a snake shape.
6. Attach the colored roll into the white roll. Cut each individual piece about 1/2 in. each. Roll each into little balls, and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
7. Stores for up to 2 weeks.

Have a sweet day, and see everyone next post!

Chips

Potato chips are one of the most fun chips to snack on ever! Here's a super simple recipe on how to make them right in your home! (Even though not especially attractive, they're still super yummy!)

               Ingrediants:

• Cutting Board
• Meat Knife (or another type of heavy knife)
• Lots of Paper Towels or Napkins
• 1 Potato
• Plate
• 2 Bowls
• Salt to taste
• Garlic Powder to Taste
• Canola Oil

On Your Marks, Get Set, Chips!

1. Wash and peel your potato. Pat dry with paper napkin.
2. Set on cutting board, and chop ends off. Then, slice the vegetable as thinly as you can.
3. Pat dry each slice. (Not as laborious as it sounds with one potato! :)
4. Spray/brush a moderate coat of oil on the plate.
5. Set a slice of potato on each empty spot on your plate. Space each out evenly.
6. Pop in the microwave for about 1 minute on HIGH power.
7. Watch the cooking process closely. At around, 30 sec., the slices will start to resemble chips. If any are already crispy, pause the microwave, and lay chips out on paper towel.
8. Repeat "frying" process until all your chips are chips. Remember to re-oil generously each time, or the chips will stick to your plate.
9. Use napkin to take off excess oil from each chip.
10. Toss chips in bowl, and sprinkle in 3 pinches salt and 1 pinch garlic powder. Lightly mix chips and powders together. Shake off excess favoring as needed, and put on napkin on another bowl.
11. Eat chips (just in case you forgot to! LOL)

Yeah, these chips aren't the healthiest on the block, so please be careful and monitor your inputs. Have a yummy day, and see everyone next post!