Diary of a Crafty Chica

Chubby Girl Delight: Peppermint Bark Brownies

2009-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

These were gobbled up before I had a chance to take a picture!

NOTE: This is a splurge recipe that is meant to for a special occasion, to take to parties, family gatherings, etc. Serve and eat in small doses.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

1 box of brownie mix (the kind with chocolate pieces is best)
1 bag of chocolate chunks (instead of chocolate chips, get chocolate chunks)
1 box of white baking chocolate
1 box of green and red striped candy canes

I used a square glass pan. Make the brownies according to package directions.

While it's baking, remove the wrappers from the candy canes and double bag them in Ziplocs. Smash down to mini bite sized pieces.

Remove brownies from oven a couple minutes early - DO NOT OVERBAKE! Sprinkle on the chocolate chunks all over the top. Let cool for 30 minutes. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes. Cut into squares BEFORE the white chocolate hardens.

At one party, people ate the bark off the top of the brownies and then ate the brownie part last. Other folks ate the whole thing. Very tasty indeed!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Chubby Girl Delight: Michoacan Mocha

2009-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

The other night I was watching a show on the Travel Channel about Mexico. They went to different villages in Michoacan to show how they celebrate Dia de los Muertos. One of the places they profiled was a coffeehouse that specialized in chocolately cups of Heaven.

I didn't get to record the show, but Patrick and I remembered the recipe and made it. Um, can you say deliscioso? It's brewed old school style and there were no exact measurements, but that is the charm of it!

This is how we did it:

Michoacan Mocha (that's what I call it)

1 stick of vanilla
2 triangle chunks of Mexican chocolate (we used Abuelita's)
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee
3-4 coffee cups of water

Simmer all of these together in a sauce pan until it is all melted/blended together. Pour over a strainer so liquid goes into cups. Add milk or more sugar according to taste. It should be kind of thick and creamy, very rich. You'll see grains from the chocolate, no worries. I plan to sub espresso next time!

It's an easy recipe, only took a few minutes to make. It was worth it!
Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Chubby Girl Delight: Candy Crafts!

2009-12-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This is a splurge recipe that is meant to for a special occasion, to take to parties, family gatherings, etc. Serve and eat in small doses.

There are two ways to approach this idea. You can do it yourself, or you can use it as a way to keep the kids busy so you can finish wrapping the gifts.

Either way, the result is a tasty, sinful and delectable treat for everyone to gobble up during family gatherings or parties of any sort.

Supplies

Sweets such as marshmallows, fruits, chocolates, licorice, fudge, pretzels, gums, soft-center chocolates, gummies, etc.

Paper plates

Bamboo skewers

1 block of Styrofoam (to hold skewers while preparing)

Squeezable frostings with assorted tips

Candy decorations such as sprinkles, edible glitter, etc.

Alternative: Baked goods such as minibrownies, banana bread, soft cookies.

Directions: Sort the candy pieces on paper plates. Slide the pieces on the skewers, alternating them for contrast in texture and color. Once all the skewers are filled, insert the skewers into the foam. Next, remove one skewer and use the frosting and small candy decorations to embellish the candies in red, green or any other colors you like.

Stick the skewer back in the foam so the icing will harden.

Variations: Use all the same candies for a uniform look, or just use marshmallows and paint them in desired colors with thinned icing.

You also can get creative and use a plastic foam tree as a base and cut the bamboo skewers in graduated sizes and insert them sideways into the tree base.

Tip: If you are having the kids make this project, use scissors to snip the sharp end off the skewer. The candies still will slide on easily. For smaller kebabs, cut the skewers in half or use toothpicks for miniversions.

Candy Christmas Tree
Supplies:
Gold-colored and other assorted acrylic paints and paint brush
Ribbon and hot glue gun
1 foam topiary tree, 18 inches tall
Newspaper
1 6-inch flowerpot
2 large bags of wrapped candies with sealed edges
1 box of straight pins
Toothpick
Wood, cardboard or papier-mÃ¢chÃ© star
Directions: Paint the flowerpot in desired colors and trim the lip with ribbon, using the hot glue. Crumple half a sheet of newspaper and place it at the bottom of the flowerpot. Paint the topiary gold or other preferred color.

When dry, insert it into the pot until it fits snuggly. Begin attaching the candies in rows around the bottom of the tree by poking a pin through the wrapper's edge and pressing it into the foam. Continue to fill the tree working in rows from the bottom up. Fill the base of the tree with candy in the same manner. Paint and decorate the star, adhere the toothpick with glue, and attach to the top of the tree.

Variations: Use other candies, such as peppermint twists or toffees. Instead of a flowerpot, use coffee cups or other types of containers. To give as a gift, wrap the tree in cellophane and add a bow.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Crafty Chica Markers on silk. Does it look done?

2009-12-16T11:47:00.001-08:00

I'm here in Fresno at iLoveToCreate headquarters, prepping for CHA!
Fun times!

Chubby Girl Delight: Candy Cane Snowflake Bark

2009-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This is a splurge recipe that is meant to for a special occasion, to take to parties, family gatherings, etc. Serve and eat in small doses.
These are so cute and super swift to make for holiday get-togethers! And quite yummy too...

Supplies:
1 snowflake set silicone baking pan (found in baking section)
White melting chocolate
Crushed candy canes
Plastic bowl
Mixing spoon
NOTE: If you can't find snowflake molds, no worries, just use circles or stars. Any silicone molds will do!

Directions:
Heat the melting chocolate according to package directions. You can use the microwave kind from the craft store, or the gourmet kind. If you go with the latter, you'll need to use a double boiler. Just read the package directions.

Once your chocolate is melted (stir it until all the lumps are gone and it is smooth), pour it in the plastic bowl and stir in the crushed candy canes. Mix and then pour into the molds. You can make thin and crispy ones, or super mongo sized ones like I did (see picture). Let cool and then pop out.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Crafty Webinar en Español - tomorrow!

2009-12-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

Here is a fun crafty Spanish-language event happening tomorrow! It's a webinar (free) and will have a lot tons of ideas for crafty activities to do around the holidays. Check out the link to the YouTube video for a preview!

It is all in Spanish, which my daughter is muy excited about because she is taking Spanish 3-4 right now and is currently covering cooking!

LINK

Register for the webinar here:

Para participar sigue estos dos pasos sencillos: Marca gratis al 1-800-747-7409 y pulsa el código 7642591. Mientras esperas a ingresar al webinario por vía telefónica, haz click aquí: https://www.callinfo.com/prt?host=gcc&ac=7642591&an=8007477409 y sigue las instrucciones.
SIN ESTOS DOS PASOS, NO ES POSIBLE PARTICIPAR PLENAMENTE.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Chubby Girl Delight: Andes Mint Tree

2009-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is a design I created in 2004. The funniest thing about this project is my memory of demonstrating it on the live local news. I had it pre-prepared the process in stages, one of which was a tree-shaped Rice Krispie Treat base that I was going to add the chocolate on to. Well, the station had a new anchor, and during the commercial break he walked over, said "I love Rice Krispie Treats!" - picked up the tree with his chunky man hands, and took a huge bite out of it! I squealed in horror and had only a matter of seconds to get my shizizzle together before the camera light turned on. I shooed him away, and quickly smashed the tree back into a tree shape the best I could, and then wiped my gooey hands off on the back on my expensive black skirt. The rest went off without a hitch. He didn't last too long at the station. Ironically, last I heard, he is working as a host for an HGTV show!

Overall, this mint tree project is a snap to create, but I must share a secret . . . I'm more of a crafter than a chef, so I learned the hard way that the Rice Krispies treat mixture is sticky. I was very proud to have molded my tree, but when I tried to remove my hands, they were stuck. I did manage to pull them away, but I took half the tree in each palm. Then I reached for the roll of paper towels, and it stuck to my hands, too. I had to call my husband into the kitchen to come clean me up.

Together, we tackled the rest of the process through trial and error. Our finding: Wax paper makes all the difference.

Chocolate Andes Mint Tree

Supplies:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

10 ounces marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Wax paper

1 bag of chocolate melts (found in the candy aisle of the craft store)

4 boxes of Andes mints

Red and green M&M's

White cake glitter

Saucepan, mixing bowl, spoon, frosting knife

Directions: Heat the butter and marshmallows in a large saucepan on low heat. Stir until they are melted into a thick sauce. Add the Rice Krispies, and mix until covered in the sauce. Let cool a few minutes, then scoop the mixture onto a decorative dish or cake tray.

Using wax paper on your hands, mold the mixture into a tall vertical tree shape that is smooth around the sides. Let cool.

Empty the package of chocolate melts into a mixing bowl. Heat on high in the microwave for one minute. Remove and stir. Heat it another minute if needed. Stir until creamy. Frost the tree. Set the remaining chocolate aside and place the tree in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Unwrap the mints. Take the tree out of the fridge. Reheat the chocolate in the mixing bowl until it is melted.

Begin to build your tree in circles from the bottom, going up. Take a mint and dab it in the chocolate sauce and place it vertically on the tree. Continue all the way around the base. Add the next layer of mints, making them overlap the first layer. You will be adding fewer mints as you go up because the cone tapers off at the top. Let cool until all the mints are "glued" in place.

Add red and green M&M's to look like ornaments. Sprinkle white cake glitter.

Variations: Use any kind of candy on your tree. Drizzle white chocolate over it for a different look.

Suggestion: Use butter on your hands to prevent Rice Krispies mixture from sticking.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

More holidays orders going out!

2009-12-14T12:21:00.001-08:00

Chubby Girl Delight: Triple Action Banana Bread

2009-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's Chubby Girl Delights week here at CraftyChica.com!

NOTE: This is a splurge recipe that is meant to take for a special occasion, to take to parties, family gatherings, etc. Serve and eat in small doses. After the new year, I'll serve up some calorie-conscious ideas. But for now, enjoy!

I should have let this cool longer before cutting it, but I couldn't wait!!

I've always been a fan of banana bread, but have FGC issues where I must have gooey chocolate in it in order for me to give a wholehearted "Mmmmmm" feeling.

So here goes - the chicafied version of banana bread, which is now part of the official Chubby Girl Delights™ recipe files.

This recipe is highly dense and decadent. To look normal, cut slices into quarter squares for serving. Or if you are all alone on a Friday night watching holiday tear jerkers, just take a spoon to the pan!

Crafty Chica's Triple Action Banana Bread

(Makes 2 loaves or 4 mini loaves)

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cup white sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

6 large, ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup butter, melted

1-1/2 bags of Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Baking Chips (11.5 ounces)

1 bag of walnuts, 10 ounces

1 bag of sweetened shredded coconut, 7 ounces

NOTE: Adjust amounts of chips, walnuts and coconut to your liking!

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your loaf pans.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add in the eggs and bananas, and then the melted butter. Mix thoroughly so it is 100% moist. Don't over mix, just keep folding the batter until all the white powder is absorbed. Add in the milk chocolate chips and walnuts. Set aside a handful of the coconut, and mix the rest in. Pour batter into pans. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You can insert a toothpick in the center to see if it needs more baking time. If it comes out clean, it is perfect! Let cool for 10 minutes before flipping it onto a cooling rack.

CREDIT: I used the foundation of this recipe from Whipped, which is delicious as is! She also has some great tips for banana bread perfection!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

CRAFTY Chica Challenge! Deck the Halls!

2009-12-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

CRAFT and iLoveToCreate.com have teamed up to present to you the Crafty Chica Challenge: Deck the Halls! It's the Holiday Season folks, and you know what that means - you get to deck out your halls with seasonal décor galore! We want to see your crafty holiday home décor projects! Enter in this Crafty Chica Challenge: Deck the Halls for a chance to win crafty prizes. This Crafty Chica Challenge will run for 4 weeks, and the deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. PST January 4, 2010. The Prizewinners will be announced on Friday, January 8th. Entries will be judged on craftsmanship, creativity of idea, and documentation - please see Article 2. Winner Selection below in the official rules for more about the judging criteria. There will be one (1) grandprize winner, and three (3) runners-up.

The Grand Prize is a Crafty Chica gift basket, an advanced copy of the Crafty Chica's first novel "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" and a $50 gift certificate to the Maker Shed.
The Runner-up Prize is a Crafty Chica gift basket as well as a Crafty Chica bobblehead.

Special opportunity to be featured on Crafty Chica's blog!
Want to have the mic all to yourself on Crafty Chica's blog? She is inviting guest bloggers to share a holiday project tutorial. All projects submitted to this Crafty Chica Challenge Flickr group before December 20th, will also be considered for this opportunity! If you're interested in this this additional opportunity (in addition to entering to win in the Crafty Chica Challenge) make sure to include your project tutorial in the description field of your project photos!

To enter this Crafty Chica Challenge, please submit photos of your crafty holiday home décor to the Crafty Chica Challenge Flickr Group, and incude a description of your project, inspiration, and materials were used in the process. (250 words or less please). For contest rules and more details, visit the Crafty Chica Challenge contest page.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Blue Slush Votive Holder

2009-12-13T23:52:00.001-08:00

Blue Slush Votive Holder
Originally uploaded by nikimaki

Cute shrine by NikiMaki using a Crafty Chica Wood Frame!

VIDEO: Gift Card Book

2009-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love this project because it is all about presenting ordinary gift cards in an unpredictable way. You simply buy a few, and then make pages (that are actually small envelopes) so you can slip them in.

This is a great project for teens because you can put $5 from Starbucks, $5 from Borders, $5 from Target and so forth. They will feel like they are rich!

Another idea: You can put different things in each envelope, like a gift card in one, and then a letter in another, a picture in another and so forth. Maybe even theme them all!

And it doesn't just work for the holidays, you can also make one for Valentine's Day with love letters, concert tickets, or St. Patrick's Day with good luck charms, and so forth!
Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

VIDEO: Jewelry for your Christmas Tree!!

2009-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

We spend so much time and energy picking our the ornaments for our holiday tree - but what about what we hang them from?

Here is an easy idea that is literally off the hook!

sorry - no link for this video, you have to watch it on my site...

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Winner of the ornaments!

2009-12-11T07:48:00.001-08:00

Thank you for all of your replies to my questions from the other day! Wow, I did not expect so many responses and I printed out every letter. Thank you so much for all the kind words of encouragement, I'm going to make the most of your feedback!!

The winner of the blind drawing is...drum roll...

Kathi Kaftyzales

Please email me your address so I can send your ornaments out!!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

VIDEO: Christmas Charm Earrings!

2009-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Need a colorful pair of danglys for the season? Check out this easy pair I made exclusively for MyLifetime.com's "Crafted" series!

Sorry - no link for this video, you have to watch it here on my blog...

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

VIDEO: Mini-Light Tree

2009-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Use a tomato cage to make a delightful, shiny light tree!!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Fresno flower doodles.

2009-12-09T20:13:00.001-08:00

No better feeling than marker on heavy art paper!

Aftermath of this morning's airport magazine bender...

2009-12-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

VIDEO: Terra Cotta Candle Stakes

2009-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Having a party and need some flashy decorations for your walkway or patio? Maybe you just want a little glitz for the season? Try this idea!

Sorry - no link for this video, you have to watch it here on the site...

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Ornament set giveaway (for your two cents)

2009-12-08T08:05:00.001-08:00

I'm going to draw a winner for this glittered Day of the Dead ornament set. They are coated on the inside with Crafty Chica glitter andon the outside, they have Patrick's illustrations! Very cool!

Here is how to enter.

I'm working on my goals for 2010. I'm looking for feedback on the following (answer any or all of the questions!):

1. The product line!
What you would like to see more of?

See the line here.
And the new stuff here.

Certain themes? More Day of the Dead, angels, flowers, Loteria, etc.
Certain types of products? Papers, iron-ons, patches, paints, glitter, varnishes?
Even just a list of your faves from what we have so far.

2. Crafty Chica Art Book.
What other kind of craft books would you like to see?

3. Projects and/or articles on this web site.
What kind of content do you like the best here? Business articles, project tutorials, Inspiration Friday?

4. Last and most important - why do you come to this site?
How is it different from other sites? How can I improve it?

Send me your comment by clicking HERE, all entries/comments will be kept confidential!

I'll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon and get those ornaments mailed out!

THANK YOU!!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

One-day eBay sale, Etsy too!

2009-12-08T00:29:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for some Mexi-chic items to give this holiday season, check out our handmade goods!

Patrick and I loaded up everything we have available for sale!

We have to send art out to some stores, but before we do that, we decided to have a ONE DAY eBay sale TODAY. All of these items are ready to be shipped by the end of today to get you in time for gift-giving!

One-day eBay sale, click here!

Crafty Chica Etsy Store! (Ready to ship)

ChicanoPopArt.com

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

VIDEO: Match Box Ornaments!

2009-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm severely addicted to making anything and everything out of mini-match boxes. Including tree ornaments. This video is cute because it has my daughter Maya (the one in the glasses), as well as my friend Miriam Navarro (of Lola y Lola fame).

The images we used in the video are from ArtChixStudio. Thank you, Helga!
Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

VIDEO: Toy Wreath

2009-12-07T00:00:00.001-08:00

Sorry - no link for this video, you have to watch it here on my blog...

(Yes, that is my front door, and yes it is teal.)

I'm just not into "pretty" decorations when it comes to decking out my house in December. This wreath proves that. I actually got inspired for this project last year when my friend Margot sent me a bag of crafty goodies. There were mini-tubes of toothpastes, plastic lemons, etc. I added in some of my own items too and the result is a kooky, kitschy, but still quite festive holiday wreath. And half way through, I even give a shout out to Margot! Thank you again for the treats, I love them!!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Crafter's Holiday Wreath

2009-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Guess what? I found a festive way to display all my colorful spools of thread!

They look so pretty in my sewing box, I couldn't even think of keeping them hidden, so I slid them on a holiday wreath. Of course, I didn't stop there. I added embroidery thread, golden bobbins, beads, mini-mirrors, gems and all kinds of other doodads I could find.

For the Merry Christmas title, I used a large glittery chipboard sticker I bought at the craft store.
The cool thing - I can remove the title if I want and keep it up all year round.

Now whenever I need a new spool of thread, I can just pull it off the wreath!
Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!

Join the Crafty Chica Facebook Glitter Gang!

2009-12-06T00:12:00.000-08:00

If you are a Facebook junkie and love crafting - sign up (aka "become a fan") for my Facebook Glitter Gang! I've never liked the word "fan", we are all crafty comadres, right? Well, The glitter Gang is the place where I'll be posting projects every day, and you can join in and post pics of what you made and we can chat about them, etc!

This is a great page for people who don't want the drama, but just straight get-to-the-point crafty ideas.

There is a link in the right hand column to join, or you can CLICK HERE.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new book and product line!