State Art Canvas Giveaway

One of my most favorite crafts I’ve ever made is my State Canvas Art:

This was such a fun craft to make and I love how it turned out. For my giveaway, I am offering a CUSTOM MADE State Canvas Art for one lucky winner. If you want to make your own, just click the picture =)

Here’s  4 different ways to enter:

• One entry for becoming a follower of our blog, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.
• One entry for following us on Twitter, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.
• One entry for tweeting this post, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it (with a link directly to your Tweet).
• One entry for Liking us on Facebook, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.

Just so we're clear: each of these should be in its own SEPARATE comment! So if you like us on FB, follow us on Twitter, tweet about this giveaway and or are a follower of WGC, each of these should be it’s own separate entry.

I'm excited to see who wins!

S'mores Delight (and giveaway winner!)

Last week, I made attempted to make a pie called s'mores delight pie--but there was nothing delightful about that experience. Once I finished the "bake fail," I analyzed what the pie was supposed to have been, from the bottom up:

• Graham cracker layer
• Marshmallow pudding layer
• Graham cracker and chocolate layer
• Whipped cream/marshmallow cream layer
• Toasted marshmallows

Some of those layers sounded a little too . . . familiar. It was a chocolate eclair cake dressed up with marshmallows!

The original pie took five+ hours of prep, then chilled for 12 hours, then another half hour of garnishing. With a classic chocolate eclair cake, the prep could be cut to half an hour at most, chill time, then a five (maybe ten) minute garnish. (And I'm a sloooow cook.)

This recipe is the soft, cool, creamy classic with a s'mores twist. The marshmallows in the center filling begin to dissolve to soft pillows, while the browned marshmallows and melted chocolate on top add a warm crunch. The combination of temperatures and textures is a new take on two classics!

So here's my original recipe: S'mores Delight!

based on Paula Deen's Chocolate Eclair Cake recipe

• 1 (1-pound) box graham crackers
• 2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed*
• 3 cups mini marshmallows, divided
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi sweet), or as desired#

Butter the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Add 2 cups marshmallows and stir until just combined. Pour the pudding mixture over graham crackers. (Paula divides the pudding in half and places another layer of graham crackers between them.) Cover with another layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle remaining 1 cup mini marshmallows (or more, if you'd like!) over top of the cake. Place under the broiler until marshmallows just begin to brown. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave (you may want to add a small amount of oil or shortening to loosen the chocolate up). Drizzle melted chocolate over marshmallows and serve.

*If desired, half the whipped topping may be replaced with marshmallow creme. Mix the marshmallow creme in the milk thoroughly, then add the pudding. Once mixed, fold in the whipped topping then mini marshmallows.

# The traditional frosting can also be used instead of or in addition to the melted chocolate chips. I'd actually recommend doubling the frosting to put one layer over the bottom layer of graham crackers, before the pudding, as well as on top. Paula Deen's traditional frosting recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Pour on cake before refrigerating.

Believe me, even if you want to make the chocolate frosting from scratch (which, by the way, I totally recommend, though I didn't do it), the amount of effort this takes is minuscule compared to the original recipe's call to make hot fudge sauce from scratch, then a pudding from scratch, then marshmallow whipped cream from scratch--and the results are waaay more reliable!

Enjoy!

---

And the winner of last week's Ivy Sweater Giveaway, chosen at random by the Random Number Generator, is . . .

Ruthhill74!

Congratulations! Please send your mailing address to waywardgirlscrafts at gmail dot com and we'll get that in the mail to you as soon as possible!

Thank you to everyone who entered--seriously--and stay tuned for more giveaways throughout the month of October (aka birthday central!).

Freezer Paper Applique

This week has been a good one for my word-loving/crafty way of thinking. On Monday, we found our that it was our principal's birthday. I was sitting in the front lobby when the school secretary asked me to make a card for him for everyone to sign. Before I got down to my office, I had something in mind. His last name is Vick, so I decided for a play on words. I found lots of  quotes about victory and copied them in different colors and fonts. Then I replaced "victory" with VICK-tory. I added a Vick-torious message on the inside. It was fun to do and everyone loved it. Just wish I had my crafting supplies at school so I could have jazzed it up more!

Then, we got an invitation to a dear friend's baby shower. Her last name is an animal. Can you guess what the quilt will be? I will show the finished project next week, but for now, I will show you how to use freezer paper to applique.

BECKY LOU- IF YOU ARE READING THIS: STOP.

This quilt is for you!

Trace your pattern on the matte side of the freezer paper. Remember the final design will be reversed, so plan any words or directional designs accordingly.

In case your can't read the captions: Iron the freezer apper to the wrong side of the fabric.

Cut about 1/2" to 3/8" away from the freezer paper. I have marked the center and the eye on my designs to help with placement later.

Clip the curved seams and angles for ease in pressing and sewing.

Now you are ready to iron the seam allowance down on the back of the freezer paper.

You can pin it to your backing now and start sewing. I did most of mine like that. The seam allowance didn't always stay where I wanted it to, so I decided to try something else. I liked it!

Pin it to the backing fabric. Be sure to get it centered and straight. I matched the center points on my design and backing.

Iron it and you have your block.
Next week I will show you the finished quilt.

Help With Painting!

Back in the day, Brooke and I used to share a room. When my mom asked us what color we wanted to paint our room, Brooke chose purple and I chose pink. After Jordan went to college, Brooke got Jordan's room and I stayed in our purple and pink room. It's been some time since then and I've seemed to out grow lilac purple and cotton candy pink. So now I have paint to paint my room. I chose "Valuable Gift" (AKA a light khaki) and "Chocolate Sundae" which are pictured below. Valuable Gift will be all the walls except one. Chocolate Sundae will be my accent wall. So here's my question. What should I do with my accent wall? I saw on Trading Spaces years ago where they painted the room one color and painted stripes on the wall with gloss paint. I was thinking about maybe doing that but instead of stripes, checkers. But I don't know. I need your help! If you've never commented on the blog, I challenge you to today. If you're our top commenter, don't stop any time soon especially on this post! I need suggestions people, pretty please!

Wreath Storage

So since I put up my fall wreath last week I needed to put the nice summer wreath I made a few months ago in storage. Now I am letting you see into the a place that few people have ever seen- our attic- but first let me tell you about how I made the wreath hangers. I'm a hanger snob. I don't know how but wire hangers make it into the house. Well, I do know how, the dry cleaners slips them in. Anyways I was grateful for them when I realized what I could use them for.

 First take the wire hanger and pull the middle down.

Curve the bottom to hold the wreath.

I had a heavy holiday wreath and the lighter summer wreath. The heavier wreath made the hanger sag so I looped the end of the loop around the hook.

How do your store off season wreaths?

Have you entered the giveaway?

Flower Shoe Clips

Want to update a pair of flats? This took me no time and cost less than $5. You probably have all the supplies on hand!

Materials:
Felt (I used stiffened)
Small flowers
Bling
Paperclips

Directions:

Cut two circles out of felt, a little bigger than a quarter. 

Pull the heads off the flowers. Glue bling in the center of the flower

Then take the bottom off the flower

So it looks like this: 

Then chop some of the plastic stem off, so it's not so tall

Smear glue all over the back, like so:

 Then stick 'em on the felt circle. I put three on each circle

 The top of one and bottom of the other:

Next stick a paperclip in there. YES, a paperclip. 

Finally slip them on your shoes for a new look and a little sparkle! I used smaller clips and couldn't feel them when I walked.

What kind of shoe clips do you want to make?

Why you should always check your gauge (and Ivy Sweater Giveaway)

October is a big month for the Wayward Girls! We have our "half-blogoversary" this week, and over the course of the month three Wayward Girls and two of their husbands will celebrate birthdays. To celebrate, we're having a giveaway a week throughout October! This week is mine:

Several years ago, I wanted to make a beautiful wrap sweater for myself. I went on a long hunt for the perfect pattern, and came across Ivy from Knitty Magazine, an amazing free online knitting magazine. I knew I had to make it but I wasn't willing to splurge on the recommended yarn. (The intervening five years have taught me the value of good yarn!) I really liked some microfiber yarn from Lion Brand and I went for bright red.

  

True color

Color altered to show detail

The pattern has a faux-cable on bottom of the body and sleeves. I reengineered the sleeves to be a little narrower than original. But in the end, I think my gauge was off. You see, when you knit something, your stitches need to be the same size as the pattern designer's stitches. If you have four stitches per inch where the designer has five, your finished project might have the right number of stitches, but it'll be 20% too small.

Or the opposite happens (though I may have picked the wrong size in the beginning): it's too big for me! (Okay, there's also the issue that I was nursing at the time...) It took me more than a year to make, and it doesn't fit. Sigh.

Color altered to show detail

The yarn is super soft and comfortable and pretty warm for an acrylic. No itch here!

  

Color altered to show detail

Neckline and bottom detail (color slightly altered)

True color

I love the details and the pop of color and the feel of the yarn, but it's time to face facts: it just doesn't fit me :( . So my loss is your gain!

It's made for a 38" chest (if I remember correctly). It's soft, comfortable, hypoallergenic and I've worn it maybe three times, including this photo shoot.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. WINNER POSTED HERE.

All you have to do to enter to win this beautiful handknit sweater:

• One entry for becoming a follower of our blog, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.
• One entry for following us on Twitter, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.
• One entry for tweeting this post, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it (with a link directly to your Tweet).
• One entry for Liking us on Facebook, and commenting on this blog post to tell me about it.

Just so we're clear: each of these should be in its own SEPARATE comment! So if you like us on FB, comment, Follow us on Twitter, you should leave 3 separate comments.

Good luck!

Looking for a fast and delicious dessert? In half an hour, you could be eating this:



What do you do when a project you love just isn't right for you?