New Year’s Specialty Cocktail Recipes

27th Dec2011

New Year’s Specialty Cocktail Recipes

by Dinah Wulf

Recipes by David Edessa

I hope you had a Merry Christmas! Can you believe it’s already over? It’s time to celebrate the New Year! What better way than with a great cocktail?

Here are some more delicious New Year’s Specialty cocktail recipes by David Edessa for your upcoming New Year’s party! I hope you enjoyed his first post on Holiday Martinis. I tried the Santa’s Cookies recipe and it was so good.

The first two use martini recipes use Monin Lavender Syrup. It can be purchased online or in some coffee/tea shops. It’s about $6.00 for a 750ml bottle and adds a well worth refreshing hint to your party cocktails. He ends this post with a yummy Egg Nog JELLO shot that is to die for! Check them out!

Enjoy!

Lavender Lemontini

2 oz. Stoli Lemon Vodka
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Monin Lavender syrup
Lavender sprig for garnish

Directions: Fill cocktail shaker to the rim with ice cubes, add ingredients and shake vigorously. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a lavender sprig.

Blueberry Lavender Martini

1.5 oz. Stoli Blueberry Vodka
1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
1 Tbsp. Monin Lavender syrup
1/2 oz. lime juice

Directions: Fill cocktail shaker to the rim with ice cubes, add ingredients and shake vigorously. Pour into a martini glass. Finish your martini glass with a splash of Sparkling Moscato wine. Use fresh blueberries as a garnish.

Pomegranate Persuasion Martini

1.5 oz. Pearl Pomegranate Vodka
1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
1/2 oz. Cranberry Juice

Eggnog JELLO Shots

Servings: About ten

Ingredients:

1 cup Eggnog
1 oz. Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
¾ cup Spiced Rum
¼ cup Coconut Milk
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions: In a small saucepan, bring eggnog to a boil. Pour eggnog into a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over the eggnog and let it sit for a minute. Stir until gelatin is dissolved; allow the mixture to cool. Add rum, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon; stir until well combined. Pour the mix into shot glasses and refrigerate until firm.

Helpful Tips:

Consider using plastic shot glasses available at most party supply stores.
Garnish Ideas- Whipped cream and holiday sprinkles, crushed candy canes or cinnamon sticks.
Use a few drops of green or red or blue food coloring for a festive look.

Photo Sources: PetitChef.com, Sarahjio.com, TheNibble.com

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Category : Cocktail Corner, Holidays, Sweets and Treats

Tags : David Edessa, Guest Author, New Years

3 Comm

20th Dec2011

Holiday Martinis

by Dinah Wulf

One of my long time best friends, David Edessa is the best Mixologist I know! He can create a tasty libation like no other! Because I am such a lucky gal, David has agreed to share some of his cocktail recipes on DIY Inspired (I can’t contain myself!). This post is his first, a collection of yummy holiday martinis perfect for your Holiday or New Year’s celebrations.

Ginger Snap Eggnog Martini

1oz Godiva White chocolate

1oz Vanilla Vodka

1/2oz Goldshlager

2oz Eggnog

Rim with crushed ginger snap cookies

Santa’s Cookies Martini

1oz Baileys

2oz Vanilla Vodka

1oz Godiva white chocolate

Splash cream(1oz)

Rim with crushed Oreo cookies

Peppermint Bark Martini

2oz Vanilla Vodka

1oz Peppermint Schnapps

1/2oz Clear Crème De Menthe

1/2oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

1 tsp. Grenadine (for color… Not too much)

Rim with crushed peppermint bark

Trader Joes carries tasty ginger snaps and peppermint bark

Praline Eggnog Martini

1oz Vanilla Vodka

1oz Praline Pecan Liqueur

1oz Godiva Caramel

2oz Eggnog

Tip: When using goodies to rim a cocktail glass, make sure to crush the cookies as fine as possible. To rim, use simple syrup (sugar water), grenadine, or other syrup to adhere to the glass. You can also consider using Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec as well.

You might want to consider having a hot beverage like cider, hot buttered rum or peppermint chocolate (spiked, of course)! I hope you enjoy these and try them out! If you do, come back and leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!

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Category : Cocktail Corner, Holidays

Tags : Christmas, David Edessa, Guest Author, New Years

4 Comm

06th Dec2011

Coat Hanger Wreath

by Dinah Wulf

Coat Hanger Wreath written by Michal Sparks

My quick coat hanger wreath is one of those holiday decorations that you can make with
just stuff from your house and yard. The only item you might need is thin wire
such as green florist wire that can be found at any craft store.

OK, first you need, a coat hanger, greens, wire and pliers.

Now as for the greens, look around your yard and be creative, magnolia, yew, ivy,
juniper, all sorts of pine, rose hips (sans thorns!) This not a big wreath so
you don’t need much.

You want to get rid of the cardboard bottom of the hanger. If you are using a classic
hanger don’t worry about it, your wreath will just be larger.

Using your pliers just bend it into a circle and hook the two ends together and bend them closed.

Now start wrapping wire around the greens. Continue to add greens and wrap them all the
way around the hanger circle. You can make it as full as you like and mix the
different greens together, the colors really work! Keep in mind the hanger
“hook” at the top and try to have enough greens on so it will be partially hidden.

Now that all your greens are on it is time to embellish.

I used some wild rose hips for just a touch of color. I just tucked them under some of
the wire that was already wound around.

For my ribbon I used a piece of a green striped shirt from my scrap basket.

Last I added a tag made from antique book pages glued onto a piece of cardboard. I had
water colored it red for a bit of color.

This wreath would make a great little hostess gift or a hand delivered Christmas card!

Have fun with it and be creative!

To see more of Michal’s work, visit her Etsy Shop, A Clever Spark!

Check out more of Michal’s tutorials:

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Category : Holidays

Tags : Christmas, Guest Author, Repurposing Ideas, Wreaths

3 Comm

14th Nov2011

Upcycled Gift Card Charms

by Dinah Wulf

Upcycled Gift Card Charms written by Michal Sparks

Being the Mom to a couple of teenagers our life could not move forward without ipods and itunes so as a result we have numerous itunes gift cards. These cards are particularly brightly colored and my daughter Ivy and I got to thinking……We made heart charms that came out so cute and were super easy, fast and fun!

These are a few of the cards we had, any plastic gift card would work.

We cut each card into 8 squares.

Then using just regular scissors, cut the heart shapes.

I cut them free form as I think they look cool a little uneven.

Then we”sanded” them with a basic nail file.

When the hearts got roughed up they took on a whole new look!

Just punch a hole in one corner with a basic craft small hole punch.

Add a jump ring.

We added a little glass seed bead on a head pin for an accent color.

Put it on a chain and you’re done!!

Too cute!

Great for a party activity.

Go crazy, make two for earrings, cut different shapes, maybe squares that link together for a bracelet!

Have Fun!

To see more of Michal’s work, visit her Etsy Shop, A Clever Spark!

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Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, DIY Accessories, Gift Ideas, Guest Author, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

6 Comm

08th Nov2011

Easy Monkey Banana Treats – Free Printable!

by Dinah Wulf

One of the best parts of blogging, at least for me, is developing relationships. Thanks to the World Wide Web, I am introduced daily to creative people with my same interests from across the globe. Recently, I was introduced to Anneke van de Langkruis from Holland. She sells items at her Etsy Shop, Villa Figura, such as prints and gift tags with her whimsical illustrations, perfect for a nursery.

The tutorial and free printable below is courtesy of Anneke van de Langkruis! Follow her on Facebook here. Thank you, Anneke!

Easy Monkey Banana Treats by Anneke van de Langkruis

Preparing fun birthday treats for one or two year old’s can be a real challenge. Forget about hard candy, chocolate and chips. Too sweet and hard to chew with no teeth! Don’t bother coming up with original and complex ideas those little ones won’t even understand. Think simple and healthy!

Here’s a fun, fast and easy idea I designed for my son’s first birthday. Banana Monkeys! Their tail curls all the way around.

How to:

1. Print this simple design on craft paper or brown paper.

2. Cut around the monkey and cut out the tail into a spiral.

3. Curl the tail around a banana.

4. Fasten the little feet with a staple or small piece of tape.

Looking for a jungle-theme? Present the group of monkeys in a cane basket
and cut some green jungle leaves to affix to the basket.

- Enjoy!

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Inspiring People

Tags : Anneke van de Langkruis, Birthday Party Ideas, Free Printable, Guest Author, paper crafts, Party Treats, Paul Frank, Theme Party Ideas

16 Comm

04th Nov2011

Decorative Accent Pillow

by Dinah Wulf

Written by: Michal Sparks

Here is an easy DIY decorative accent pillow idea that is great for decorating or giving as a gift. I thought I would share how to use the iron on adhesive that makes your projects look like you really know what you’re doing!! The design I’m doing here is really simplistic. Just think, it would be really cute to do a letter for a kid’s room kinda off center, or maybe their whole name! Actually now that I’ve mentioned it I think I just might do some custom letters…..Anyway, this is simple enough to get you started and you can go crazy from here. I’m only showing how to do the front of the pillow, I will do a pillow tutorial on super simple pillow covers with piping, ruffle , types of closures and all of that another day. Oh, I added a little copper charm on top that is tied on with red embroidery thread for an accent.

1. OK, first you need the iron on adhesive. I bought mine at the local fabric store, no brand in particular, I just like the kind that is a little more heavy duty because I like to fuse heavier fabrics together, even though I sew it too. (I never trust that you don’t need to sew, that’s my old school mentality showing through!!) This was $9.99 for 5 yards and while waiting in line a customer ahead of me passed down some extra coupons she couldn’t use (50%off!!) so it was only $5! Just have to love people like that!! She made my day!

2. When you decide the accent fabric you want to adhere to the main fabric, or in this case the front of my pillow cover, lay it on the adhesive, wrong side of fabric on the textured side of adhesive, and cut out the shape. I chose this olive corduroy from an old pair of my daughters pants.

3. Flip it all over. Now fabric is right side down with adhesive on it and smooth paper facing up. Iron on the smooth paper side with setting of medium, no steam. Iron until you feel the adhesive has stuck to the fabric.

4. Let it cool for a minute then pull off paper backing. It feels weird and rubbery but really cool!

5. Since I’m using a 10″x10″ pillow, I have cut my base fabric (my son’s old jeans!) an inch bigger on all sides. This is for seam allowances and also you can always make something smaller but making it bigger usually doesn’t work. I did a rough drawing of what I was thinking for my design, kind of a modern tree, and cut out the pieces.

You can use a ball point pen on the rubbery side of the fabric to draw the shape you want to cut out. If you do decide to do a letter remember to trace your letter backwards so it will be correct when you iron it on.

6. Cut out your shapes and lay them on your fabric. My fabric is an old pair of my son’s jeans, (kids sure come in handy!)

7. Press with warm iron, again no steam, until everything is fused together.

8. I can’t resist stitching, I call it scribble stitching, where I just kinda freehand move the fabric around go forward, reverse, and let the machine stitch up a storm. Change thread color for more interest.