{Candie Cooper's Journal}

Hearts

Don't you love finding a heart in the center of a potato chip?  It's the little things.  This one came in our lunch from Cafe du Cirque in Peru.  If you haven't eaten there, go, you'll love it!

Beaded Beads

I just got a comment from a lady in India who loves the beaded bead tutorial.  It always amazes me who comes across this blog.  Thanks to everyone for reading.  You can see how to make your own beaded beads here.  I've re-posted this a thousand times because they are so fun to make.  These are some earrings I have at Dorothy Ilene's just in case you don't want to make your own (wink).

I'm off to watch a scary movie with my boyfriend.  I hope your week is off to a good start!

My Needle Felted Scarf and Simplicity's new Needle Felting Machine

Have you seen Simplicity's new needle felting machine?  Last summer I went to Cleveland to film a quick info-mercial about it.  Click the link above to see the skinny.  When I returned home, I made a scarf for Simplicity using the machine.  It has been making it's way around the magazine-sphere (Altered Couture above).      

 This is an ad from an upcoming Cloth, Paper, Scissors (Interweave).  You can use all your favorite silk and wool fabric scraps plus colorful roving to make it.  Check out the instructions here.  It's so easy to make!

Dorothy Ilene's this Friday

There's a new batch of Candie Cooper jewels at Dorothy Ilene's!  Elizabeth Wamsley will have her ceramics there.  My studio mate, Angie D has some neat piece's laying around the studio that I bet will be there too.  Also, come check out my special custom Mother's Day lockets (or message me about them).  Mom's love handmade gifts!

(click on the image to make bigger)

Banana Cream Pie Recipe Update

My last attempt at banana cream pie was a slight failure.  It tasted great, but let's face it.....it was banana pudding in a pie shell.  This time I cooked the pudding a little longer.  Ta daaaaa, the slice stands all by itself! Without failure, there is no success, boys and girls. 

Recipe here.  XOXO.

This Week.

This week I....

• chaperoned a field trip to Chicago with a bunch of h.s. kids
• worked on a project for Kristal Wick's new book
• finalized Hands On projects for the next season
• finished a super big project that I can't talk about
• taught an earring class at the Honeywell Center
• worked on supply orders for Hands On
• am 2 steps away from finishing my Plaid Kids Blog post
• grocery shopped (along with turkey decoy shopping)
• walked McClure's Orchard 5K
• watched 3 movies (recovering from walk)
• cleaned the apartment

It was a great week!  Hard to believe it's time to rinse and repeat.  But first, I'm going to make a big dinner of chicken tacos with black beans and sweet potatoes and banana cream pie (my feeling is it's better to start the week off with awesome leftovers vs. the end of the week cheese and crackers).

P.S.  The above is a really slick and cute way to zip up paper or plastic gift bags.  Just paint with crazy colors then stamp or Mod Podge your website, name, or fun quote to the clothes pin.  Clip and you're done.  

Potluck

Saturday night we camped out at the orchard.  It was a cold, but cozy night around the fire!  I got an ab workout from laughing so much (which I needed after this meal).  I know this picture is a tad blurry, but I'm using it anyway because it catches the crazy excitement of the night.  Everyone loves a potluck, right?  We took a batch of sweet potato casserole--enough for 18 people and the dish was scraped clean.  The only thing I changed in the recipe was the spice factor, adding in cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Our friend Emily P. (a super talented singer entertainer in town) made her famous pear salad.  Maybe I'll see if she'll share the recipe someday over here.  Jason grilled the meat and John brought stuff for Peanut Butter Smores.  Wow.  Thanks for a super fun weekend!

P.S.  McClure's Orchard is having a 5K fun run this weekend during the Apple Blossom Fest.  Won't you come join me and my hunkie boyfriend?  The $25 run includes T-shirt, lunch and registration.  Partly sponsored by Break-away bikes.

P.S.S.  I'll be walking---not running.  This girl don't run...but I will be in costume!  So come walk with me!!

Bike Coffee Cup Holder

A date to the movies Friday night ended up at Target.  We bought our tickets for the movie online, but the rest of the world got there super early and saved seats for their friends who hadn't bought their tickets yet.  Every where we turned, "these seats are saved" was said.  It was comical.  So we sold our tickets and went to Target.  I'm pleased to say we can officially add movie ticket scalpers to things we've done.  Aiya.  The lady that got our ticket was so happy.  Target is always fun.  We picked up some treats including this coffee cup holder for my bike.  Every coffee junkie should have one.  Makes me think of that MTV show, Pimp my ride  bicycle.  Ice cream on the way home.  Good.  Save.

Banana Muffin Top Cookies

This is officially the Banana Blog.  Not really, but I feel like every other recipe posted here is all banana-y.  Anywho, I had a couple of bananas going brown and instead of bread I searched and found this recipe:  Banana Muffin Top cookies.  Soft and spicy, we love them.  I added a little honey to the recipe because I was just shy the one cup of banana.  Of course, my hunkie boyfriend has to hit them with the microwave and a touch of "spray butter."  Each time he offers me some and each time I say, "my dad said to stay away from the chemicals."  Sorry to all you spray buttah lovahs.  They were photographed on my kitchen table in the bag because I would've eaten 4 had I opened it.  I knew you'd understand.  If you love banana bread, get on it!

Felt and Metal Earring Class

Yesterday morning I was searching for bike baskets (some that could carry Rocker), only to go to the super-store and see this shirt.  I think it's a sign.  Do they make doggie bike helmets?

There's still time to sign up for this class (taught by me, the crazy dog lady).  It's a little bit felting and a little bit metalworking.  You will learn lots of neat techniques that you can use however you like.  It takes place next Monday and adventurous beginners are welcome!  Here are the details and feel free to message me with questions.  

I'm off to the Girl Cave.  That's what I called our studio when we moved in because we can have as much girly stuff as we want!  Yes girls, heaps of ribbon and beads, baskets full of buttons and racks full of colorful paint.  Dark chocolate truffles stashed in the cupboards.  You'd love it.  My studio-mate came up with Jewels and Tools and the guy at the paint store calls it the Lady Lair.  We have fun.  My work table is packed with funky beads for a special project.  Thousands of beads and more about that later.  I hope to see you in class on Monday!  XO.

The Weekend.

Friday night was a big night at Dorothy Ilene's gallery.  Us artists had a blast mingling and selling our wares.  I even got to meet my on-line pal, Little Indiana.  THANKS to EVERYBODY for all the love and support.

The next morning, Jean and I hit the ground running with my HOJALATA ("tin work" in Spanish) workshop at the FAME fest.  We had pre-schoolers up to middle schoolers stop by to learn about the history of metalwork in Mexico and make a folk art magnet like these:

I used Sizzix dies to cut out tin shapes for embossing.  The kids loved the permanent markers to color in their designs.  Special thanks to Secondary Metals here in town for donating the aluminum background pieces that we textured with a chasing hammer.  

Then Dad had the brilliant idea of taking us girls (who'd been working hard all day!) and Aaron to Anderson to the big casino buffet for all-you-can-eat crab legs.  We never turn Dad down.  So fun!

On Sunday, we had a huge breakfast (because we needed more food after the buffet dinner) and then went in search for a bike for Aaron.  Found one and were on the bike trail by 2 o'clock.  11 miles later, 3 movies rented, tidied up the house and this for dinner:

IT WAS A GOOD WEEKEND!!  Thanks to all that shared it with me.  XOXO.

FAME Fest Schedule

FAME Fest tomorrow at the Honeywell Center!

DIY Easy Wrist Corsage for Prom

Yesterday was hair embellishments, today a twist on a wrist corsage.  Instead of using the elastic findings, check out this cuff bracelet with filigree top.  The filigree piece makes it easy to embellish it with whatever you like.

Some ideas are feathers, old clip on earrings, big silk flowers, and sparkle stems like I used in the hair piece yesterday.

You can make beaded loops with 22/24 g. wire and an old necklace or maybe some sparkly crystals with seed beads?

String a row of beads onto a wire.  Determine how big you want the loop to be and then wrap the tail of wire around the opposite side of the beads to secure the loop.

You can add as many loops as you want.  Use wire to attach the beaded loops to the filigree piece.  Use hot glue to attach the feathers and flower.  It's worth wrapping a bit of wire around the feather and flower pieces to insure they are attached really well (think crazy dance floor secure).

Remove the clip on the earring and glue to the center of the flower.  This is just the beginning--you can add more bead loops and feathers like the one my friend Teri and I did a couple years ago:

The girl's dress was bright orange and green so we wanted the corsage to be full of energy too.  Don't forget to save a couple pieces for the boutonniere ---although I hear pocket squares are in right now too.  I love the classic Fred Astaire look--he wore both.  Go big...or go home, I guess.

 

SOURCES:  22/24g Wire by Beadalon (find it at any craft store), the cuff is by Plaid found at JoAnns in the Ring Bling line, as well as the flower from the Inspired Classics line.

 

DIY Hair Fascinator for Prom

It's prom time!  I secretly wish I could wear this little number.  Anyone else?  My studio is a few doors down from Ellen's dress shop.  I've been enjoying their ever changing windows with all the different prom dresses, picking my favorite.  Naturally I start thinking about accessories for these dresses (and my prom days, waiting for Seventeen magazine's special issue on the subject).   My gram always made my flowers.  My inner 17 year old self would have to have a foo foo hair fascinator this year.  They are easy to make with a few supplies.  Keep it simple or funky, embracing indivdual style.

You need: a cloth headband, big flower, feathers, a stem of sparkle stones, wire cutters, scissors, hot glue, basically.  Just walk around the craft store, you'll find some fun stuff!

Arrange your pieces on the head band and hot glue as you go.  It helps to work in front of a mirror so you can get an idea of where the pieces will actually be.

And there you go, Buttercup!

The sparkle stem is from Hobby Lobby by Prima and the silk flower is from JoAnn's by Plaid Enterprises.  (Cue Footloose soundtrack)

Easter Brunch

I made two things for Easter Brunch.

Blueberry baked french toast that tasted wonderful thanks to the recipe from Allrecipes.com!  This is the back-up batch--the first one had wayyyy more blueberries.

Second, your fav and mine, peanut butter eggs!  This recipe yeilds 66 (and I didn't catch that when I started making them).  Aaron and I rolled and patted out at least 50 and then I started dipping them in chocolate.  By egg number 14, I was.......  Let's just say I can cross chocolate dipper off my list of possible careers.  Betty Crocker made the little chicks for the top. My Aunt Jane piped icing ring nests (and dipped some extra eggs--lifesaver) while I plopped the birds in.  Aunt Jane also says I should've borrowed her special dipping tools.  Noted.

It was a happy day filled with church and family time.  I'm thankful for the beautiful day.

See the rest of the Easter photos here.

Gratitude

My studio-mate brought me this lunch today.  There is so much love in this studio that we've been in since January 1.  I'm so grateful for her creative spirit.  She constantly inspires random acts of kindness---that's a true friend.

P.S.  That water bottle has a net around it with a stem bow.  See what I mean?!!?  She's amazing.

Fanciful 5 Minute Ring

Plaid's Inspired Classics acrylic droplet charms plus one Ring Bling ring with loop.

(find these components at Joann Fabrics)

Pick your power color.

Attach 5 droplets to one jump ring connected to the loop on the ring.  Repeat until you have no more droplets.

Wear it. 

Mushroom Hunting Part II

You know that sound when you hit the jack-pot at the casino?  Yeah.  It sounded like that last night at the cabin.

Charm Bracelet Tour

 

Into the Woods Charm Bracelet by Candie Cooper

I love making charm bracelets.  Make your own from whatever you have laying around--mismatched earrings, keys, charms and beads.  Hands down-my very favorite thing to make.

Components from:

Vintaj

Fire Mt. Gems

Tierra Cast

Plaid Enterprises

Bead Trust

Objects and Elements

Swarovski North America

Handmade Flower Clasp: Metalworking 101 for Beaders

Hammered Key:  Remixed Media Video 

 

Quick Necklace

5 Minute Madonna Necklace

1. Cut 3 pieces of chain necklace length---each chain can be a different color of metal and style.
2. Connect ends of chain to toggle clasp with jump rings.
3. Hang the biggest charm in the center with a jump ring.  
4. Add more charms.
5. Now go on with your bad self!

Charms are by Plaid Enterprises "Inspired Classics" line that can be found at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts.

Dehydrated Pineapple and Bananas

Greetings from our dehydrated fruit test kitchen.  We broke out the dehydrator this past week in an attempt to make dried pineapple.  Kroger's 2 for $5 pineapple sale made me do it!  I sliced and hacked the pineapples (I will never take freshly sliced pineapple for granted again btw) into pieces which filled the dehydrator perfectly.  Aaron busied himself making sure the trays were super clean because this was his deer jerky dehydrator after all.  It was a complete stranger to fruit.

And boom goes the dyn-o-mite!  I only left it in for 14/15 hours, rotating the trays once, because I wanted it to be chewy.  You can check it as you go.  Ours is stored in the fridge.

Then we had to try bananas.  You can pre-treat bananas with a citrus soak to prevent them from browning...which we didn't know.   Silly, newbies.  Aaron skipped down the stairs to get the trays Saturday morning, then came tromping up.  "And?!" I say with only a giggling "wellll," response.  Not good.  The bananas were brown and kinda ugly.  Poor bananas.  But then I googled the topic and found that they are perfectly good to eat.

Game on!  Up next:  apples.

 

Ready to make your own?  Check out Kitchen Stewardship (where I learned that bananas are perfectly ok brown after dehydrating).

Felted Flowers

A few wild flowers from the felted flower class Wednesday night.  If you missed the class, you can find a version of this flower in my book, Felted Jewelry (Lark Books, 2007).  The felt-o-sphere has some amazing inspiration--get ready--- click here.  

My weekend is going to consist of planting flowers in pots and in the ground.  Wild flowers and more.  I. Can't. Wait.  Wishing you the best weekend.

Mod Podged Candle Votive

We've all seen the glass votives at the dollar and thrift stores.  Mod Podge some paper on them already!  Can we say cheap entertainment?  I made this one a couple years ago with dictionary paper and a sticker.

It's getting warmer in the evenings and we got to have our first outdoor dinner last week,  Thank you, Spring!  

Birdcages with votives make for a sweet lantern (I know I've shown you this before, but I love this birdcage so much).

The boys managed to catch a couple fish before dinner.  Again, thank you Spring.  We're still waiting to find a mushroom (or 30).  I'm off  to class tonight---hoping I come home to a plate of morels.  We'll see.

Candie Cooper Jewelry Classes

Click on titles for Info:

Felted Flowers: March 27th

Felt and Metal Earrings: April 23rd

Vintage Spoon Necklace: May 3rd

Please feel free to email me with questions!  candie AT candiecooper DOT com

Thanks!

DIY Rings

Do you love big rings?  Or need some ring blanks that you can glue buttons and old clip on earrings to?  The Ring Bling line by Plaid has it all.  See my guest post here or check it out in person at JoAnn Fabrics.  Make a bunch because everyone will want one (I speak from experience, people).

Easter Eggs and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easter is in full bloom here at the cabin.  I wanted to show you a few egg ideas and share an awesome cookie recipe.  First up on the left are some little bird eggs my mom made with her library club at school a few years ago.  The pattern can be found on Martha's website.

Next we have some painted eggs with Folk Art paints and scrapbook embellishments that are super easy and fast to whip up for a last minute Easter craft get-together or gifties.  I've got a guest blog post on them over at the Paint Me Plaid blog.

Third, is a link to the best chocolate chip cookie I've had in a long time.  We had dinner with friends last week and I was in charge of a veg and dessert.  It was one of those days where the idea of going to the grocery store after work sounded about as fun as clipping Rocker's toe nails.  Ok, sorry.  That wasn't nice to bring up in the company of food, but....you get my point.  I mentally scavenged through the cabinets. I was so happy when I realized there were sweet potatoes waiting to be french fries and a bag of chocolate chips.  I was determined (and que Eye of the Tiger).  She shoots.......and scores!   Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies, everbody!  Woot woot!  Share the love.

Lastly, are some more eggs my momma, Jean, made back in the day.  I love the simplicity of them.  Color the eggs, Mod Podge a pretty image (check out Dover clip art books for images) and then glue a piece of velvet ribbon around the edge.  These were ornaments once upon a time, but I like them nestled in a basket on the dresser.  Sweet.  Just like Jean.

Mushroom Hunting

We are waiting.

Patiently.

The Great Camp Out...

My new tent is so sweet.  It's a snap to set up too.  Not at all like the ol' green canvas tent (or was it blue?) we used to take to Florida on Spring Break when I was a kid.  That thing had a million alluminum poles and a few leaks if I remember right.  Remember, Nis?  I'll never forget the time we found a snake sunning itself in it.  Oh, the great outdoors.  Cost nothing and always interesting.

It rained and rained from about 4 am onward and the tent never leaked a drop.  Probably because my hunkie boyfriend told me to spray it down with water repellent before hand.  Snap!  He's the brains. Sunday morning after breakfast we walked around McClure's Orchard.  I love the shape of the trees.  It makes me think of that wild scene in the Wizard of Oz each time I really look at one.  You know the scene right, where the tree starts throwing apples at Dorothy?  

There is always something to see and ponder at the orchard---like baby lettuce sprouts,

or a crazy tall stack of apple crates still vacationing after Fall,

and Clara the cat who is indeed a boy cat as a matter of fact.  It happens.

My favorite thing---colorful bee hives with a few bees buzzing around waiting for blossoms. I guess, we're all just waiting and watching this crazy Spring we've been having.  

This row of hives makes me think of a bee apartment complex of sorts which then reminds me of China and all it's cracker box apartments.  Someday, I want a couple hives of my own (do I make it sound like children?).  I'm lucky I have some friends who let me enjoy theirs until that day comes (the answer to the last question would be...yes).

More plotting and planning for Spring in the background.  The Apple Blossom Fest is coming up on April 28th and this year there is even a 5K run.  We are going!  I will not be running!  It's always a good time at McClure's orchard.  Apple dumplings, nature and friends around a campfire makes it extra lovely.  The orchard is open on the weekends if you are looking for a fun family outing...or just want a really, really good apple dumpling!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Oatmeal

I whipped these up just because.  Cooking and baking have sorta turned into my relaxation time since my job is creative.  I like the simplicity of reading the instructions and making the dish. The cookie recipe is from the current issue of Martha.  I love oatmeal and in this recipe you get to toast it before adding it to the batter.  Toasted oatmeal?!  You had me at hello, Martha.

We ate a few outta the oven and then packed the rest in a container (of which I thought I forgot to send to work the next day, but then got a surprise text saying they were completely consumed by 9:30 AM---this made me laugh).  For the first tray I forgot to add the brown sugar to the batter so they were really puffy and dry (those are waiting to be crumbled over vanilla pudding).  I've learned that you can't talk on the phone and read a recipe.  At least I cant.  Here are some search hits for Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies or you can get the Martha Stewart Living mag with the eggs on the cover.

Egg in a Frame

 Egg in a frame everybody! (and the crowd goes wild)  If you know me, you know I learned how to make these in Mrs. Gallahue's Home Ec class in 6th grade.  Oh. Yeah.  It's pretty much the magic trick of cooking eggs.  Just buttah your bread, cut out a shape, throw in a warm lightly greased skillet, crack your egg in the shape and let it cook until the bread is golden brown and the egg is secure, then hold your breath and.......flip it.

 As it's cooking you can toast the center piece on the side---this part goes quick so watch it close.  I tried a flower and a star for the center of the frame and the star worked better.  But, the flower cut out was pretty cute toasted so I slathered some peanut butter on it and stuck an M&M in the middle.  Not the traditional sunny side up, but definitely one happy egg.

 

Lucky Charm Necklace

Check out the Plaid Kids Blog for how to make this lucky gem!

You can add any charms or ribbon to make it suit your style.

Happy St. Patrick's day from your pal, Candie.

Clover Cookies

 

 Happy St. Patty's weekend!  I stumbled across this picture from a couple years ago.  My gram left a bag full of sugar cookies on my stairs.  What a great surprise.  At the time, I was cutting books apart for a journal/recipe book class I was teaching.  I just wanted to savor the moment with a picture.  I'm glad I did.  Cut out cookies are always a good idea!

 

P.S.  My blog's look is still in makeover stage.  It's gonna take some time, but I'm learning a lot along the way.

Under Construction...

My blog is under construction.   My brain is too trying to figure all of this layout stuff out.  Wow.  Hopefully, I'll get it figured out by the end of the week.  

Until then...  

:) Candie

Banana Empanadas

Banana Empanadas.

Awesome. Easy to make.

Recipe here.

Making Rainbows

Hello there!  This is my little window herb garden that's kept me going through winter.  Rosemary, mint, and lavender (left to right).  Nothing beats sweet potato fries with fresh minced rosemary and sea salt.  It's almost time to put them back outside.  Yay!  The other thing I wanted to show you are the prisms we hung over the weekend.  Yep, it's rainbow city at about 8:30 AM here (sun willing).

This picture doesn't do the room justice because there are a hundred rainbows bouncing from ceiling to the floor.  Trust me, it makes you feel so happy.  The prism thing started when I was a kid.  My gram has three or four hanging in each window in the living room from pretty ribbons. Us girls would sleep on the floor or couch and wake up to what seemed like a million rainbows.  Magical.  You can pick prisms up for $6 and up depending on the size.  Both gram and I agree that the smaller ones with simple facets make the best rainbows---bigger isn't always better maybe?  This might be a case for Myth Busters. Well, actually, I know that to be true because just the other day I was wearing Swarovski droplet earrings that made rainbows all over the car.  Hmm, I know someone out there knows the reasoning for this.  Until then, I'll just keep letting the light in.