Red, White and Blueberry Shortcake!

Posted on June 30, 2012 by admin

Red, White and Blueberry Shortcake!

Makes you just want to reach into the screen and grab a bite, Right? Well, they are quick and easy so whip up a batch tonight!

Ingredients:

For Shortcake:

2 c Bisquick

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1/3 c milk

For topping:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp sugar

1 lb strawberries

1 pint blueberries

Preheat oven 450 degrees

Place all of the shortcake ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix by hand just until no dry ingredients remain.

Divide the batter into 6 scoops and place on an ungreased baking sheet

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes

Remove from oven and allow to cool

Pour heavy whipping cream and 3 Tbsp sugar into a bowl and beat with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer for about 10 minutes, until the form stiff peaks.

Slice the strawberries, reserving 6 for garnish

Use a masher to mash the sliced strawberries

Place shortcake on plate, add strawberry mash, about 8 blueberries, whipped cream

A couple more blueberries and the whole strawberry as garnish and ENJOY! YUM!!

Check out our other Patriotic Crafts from this week!

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Going Green for the Red White and Blue!

Posted on June 29, 2012 by admin

Going Green for the Red, White, and Blue!

Here is our green craft for the week! I did not buy anything new for this project!

For our green projects, I use only things that I already have lying around.

I get to make pretties and save a little bit of room in the landfill!

You’ll need:

Jars: Any size you like (Label removed and cleaned inside and out)

Adhesive cardstock, stickers, or adhesive vinyl

Stippling Brush

Acrylic Paint

Wire

Decorations

Candles

Scissors

First, decide what you are going to use for your mask. I used adhesive cardstock but you could use stickers, or adhesive vinyl. I used the Cuttlebug to die cut these stars and a straight cutter for the stripes.

Design your jars by firmly pressing your masks into place. Be sure to rub the edges to create a tight seal so no paint will seep under.

Use a relatively dry stippling brush and dab a small amount of paint onto the areas you want colored. If you want to completely cover the area it may take several coats. I was looking for a more textured look. Let it dry completely!

Carefully remove the masks.

Use wire to create a hanger as shown above.

Take some scraps of fabric, ribbon, fibers, whatever you happen to have to “Kick it up a notch!”

Place a candle inside and light them up!

Such a pretty and earth friendly way to celebrate our great U.S. of A!

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Red White & Blue Bandana Banner

Posted on June 28, 2012 by admin

Red White and Blue Bandana Banner

4th of July DIY bandana Banner This red White and Blue Bandana Banner is SUPER simple but really makes a statement!

All you need is a couple of red and blue bandanas, thread, pins, ribbon and a sewing machine. I used a rotary cutter, but scissors would work too!

The most complicated part of this project is to cut your bandanas. While they do not have to be perfect, you do want them to be pretty close in size so that your banner will look uniform! I would suggest a rotary cutter to make clean straight lines, but if you fold it and iron it, then cut it, you should be just fine!

You want to cut each bandana into 8 even triangles. I found the best way to do this was to start with a fold from corner to opposite corner.

Make a straight cut from the right angle to the center of the hypotenuse (Long side)

Take each new triangle and cut it from hypotenuse to the center of the right angle.

Take each of those 4 triangle and repeat the cutting procedure once more.

Now you will have 8 triangles. Repeat the same procedure with the blue bandana.

Pin the bandanas to the ribbon as shown above.

Overlap the corners approximately 1 inch when pinning.

After some trial and error, I found that 3/4″ grosgrain ribbon and a zigzag stitch worked best. Stitch the length of the ribbon being sure to catch the edge of each bandana as you go!

Such a beautiful way to show your pride for the Red, White and Blue!

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USA Flag Pin for the 4th of July

Posted on June 27, 2012 by admin

USA Flag Pin for the 4th of July

This is by no means a new craft idea. As a matter of fact, I can remember making them by the dozens after that tragic day in September 2001.

I do think it is still a great craft idea so that is why I have chosen to share a tutorial for it!

You still have time to make some for favors for your July 4th barbecue!!

Start with 11 safety pins and seed beads in red white and blue

First you need to wind 10 of the safety pins onto the back side of the last pin. You will need to force them around the loop at the end. Be sure that all of your pins are facing the same way as you wind them on. If they are in different directions, the beads will not be placed on the same sides and the flag will not come out correctly.

Add the beads to the pin as shown above, close the pin.

First Pin is: B,W,B,W,B,R,W,R,W,R

2nd Pin: W,B,W,B,W,R,W,R,W,R

3rd Pin: B,W,B,W,B,R,W,R,W,R

4th Pin: W,B,W,B,W,R,W,R,W,R

5th Pin: B,W,B,W,B,R,W,R,W,R

Pins 6-10: W,R,W,R,W,R,W,R,W,R

Wear it with pride for the Red White and Blue!

Check out our other Patriotic Crafts:

4th of July DIY Pinwheels!

Patriotic Flag Craft!

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4th of July Pinwheels!

Posted on June 26, 2012 by admin

4th of July Pinwheels

Nothing says summer to me more than a pretty pinwheel! I decided to make some Red, White and blue pinwheels to decorate my garden on the 4th!

After they were made I had a revelation that I could have laminated them and they would have stayed functional for at least part of the summer, so the next time I make them I will try it!

I thought this would be a relatively easy craft, but found it took some trial and error to get them just right, I did after all, want them to spin!

You will need:

Double Sided Cardstock Squares (Examples are 12″X12″)

Hole punch

Xacto knife

Ruler

Cutting Mat

Eyelets

Eyelet setter

Bamboo skewers

Thumbtacks

First step: Mark the center of your cardstock and punch a hole in the center.

Step 2: Measure from the center of the hole to the center of each corner. Make a cut with the Xacto knife from 3 inches away from the center hole to the center of the corner.

Step 3: This is important! Punch a hole in every OTHER flap. The same flap on each corner.

I found it easiest to turn the paper and punch the bottom flap each time.

Step 4: Gather each hole punched flap and place it on the eyelet with the back of the paper facing out.

Step 5: Press the eyelet through the hole in the back of your pinwheel.

Step 6: Set the eyelet with all 5 layers of cardstock in place.

Step 7: Place a thumbtack into the bamboo skewer, about 1/2″ from the end. Remove it.

Step 8: Place the finished pinwheel on the tack and re-insert the tack into the hole. Press firmly to assure it will remain in place

Place it in your garden or yard and watch it spin! So Pretty!

Hope you had fun making these patriotic 4th of July Pinwheels with us!

Check out our patriotic Flag Craft too!

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Red, White and Blue Week!

Posted on June 25, 2012 by admin

Red, White and Blue Week:

Here at Craftpicks we just finished up our week of Toadstool Crafts! As you can see, some really cute ideas! Click on the pictures below and they will take you to the tutorials for each project!

This week leads up to the Fourth of July here in America so this week we are going to explore the world of patriotic crafts! Today we are going to do a Kid friendly holiday decorationr flag from Popsicle sticks. This project could also we done with paint stirrers to make it larger.

Start with:

10 Popsicle sticks

Red, white, & blue paint

Tacky Glue

Big Bite Hole Punch or drill

Brushes

small star stamp

wire

ribbon

First paint 4 sticks as shown here. Be sure to get the edges but it is not necessary to paint the backs. Put these aside to dry.

Paint the solid red and white sticks and when the blue has dried, paint them as shown above. Let them dry.

Now I used an acrylic stamp and white paint to add the stars. Pour a bit of paint out onto paper and spread it around until it is a thin layer. Press the stamp into the paint and then lift it and look at it to be sure there is no paint on the surrounding area. Then press it onto the wood. Repeat for each star, making sure each time there is only paint on the star portion of the stamp.

Next apply a liberal stream of glue to the two unpainted sticks.

Build your flag and use a paper towel to remove any glue that seeps through your stripes. I then used wire snips to trim the excess wood from the back sticks.

Take a 1-2 foot piece of wire and wrap in around the handle of a paintbrush leaving the ends straight.

Use a Big Bite hole Punch, or a drill to make holes as shown and thread the wire through. Wrap it at both ends to secure.

Tie pieces of ribbon as desired and display with pride!

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