Issue #3 | November 2016
crafting & cooking
Christmas Hoop Crochet festive napkin rings | New Year Advent Calendar | Woodland Sugar paste cookies | Christmas Bath Salts! | Painted Candles
Angeliki | www.cookika.com
I'
m Angeliki and my friends call me Kika. Since I was a kid, l constantly meddled in my mother's kitchen. I liked to collect images, smells and tastes, while trying to save as much information and experience for future use. I have a weakness for sweets and therefore I'm constantly looking for healthy alternatives that offer enjoyment without the caloric burden while I give particular importance to the nutritional value of my ingredients. For me, being in the kitchen and testing new recipes is the best psychotherapy. I feel complete when I share my food with loved ones, old friends and new which I make thanks to CooKika's virtual kitchen.
Anna | journeycreativity.blogspot.gr
Atena | www.craftcooklove.gr
H
i, I am Athena owner of the blog craftcooklove.gr. I enjoy cooking and baking, decorating my space, easy crafting. I share all of this experience with my blog readers. Also I try to squeeze all of my roles within 24 hours: being a mum to Penelope, being a spouse to John, being a dog mum to Pares, being a working girl. Wish me luck!
H
i, I am Anna. Graphic designer, mum to Stefanos, wife to Theo but above all creative! Love colors, circle, sphere, photography, nature, recycling… I am exciting to find ideas and transform simple materials into craft original items. You can find me on “Journey into Creativity”.
Zina | www.efzincreations.com
Eleni | craftwithmom.blogspot.gr
H
i! My name is Eleni and you can find me and read me at my blog, CraftWithMom. Mom of two, but also addicted to crafts, the past 5 years I am trying to combine both of them. In love with the three men of my life, I am always getting inspired by them. I adore the sea, seashells and Greek islands, but also a walk in the mountains and rainy weather. I enjoy camping and spending time with my friends. I admire handmade things, made with love .
I
love to create things from old materials and especially jewels. My first love was sewing, but then I was trying to find more materials to use to create something useful. My first attempt? When I was almost 6 years old I created a necklace with beads from my grandma’s old curtain! More experiments followed with uncommon materials but finally my latest and biggest love is fabric buttons!!!! My life completed with my young princess and the young prince! Crafting small creations and jewels with my girl is something really relaxing for me. And what about the prince? Well, yesterday he started using glow! He will soon be an active member in our projects!
Maro | www.akamatra.com
H
i! I am Maro also known as Akamatra, which is an old fashioned way to say (in Greek) that a woman is lazy in house related chores! That's me! I love to experiment with DIY projects (blame it on my Chemistry background) instead of doing the dishes! I am addicted to crafting, drinking tea and eating chocolate. I try to make things that I need and I don't bother myself with complicated DIYs that produce sophisticated stuff no one is going to use! Stick around, we'll have fun!
4
crafting & cooking
Editorial
A
t last Christmas is here!!! It's time to wear your red socks, eat delicious candies, enjoy Christmas cookies and have an amazing time this holiday season!!! It is the most wonderful time of the year after all! Are you ready? Because we are going to fly in the magic place where 6 elves are waiting for you and they are ready to offer you a cup of hot chocolate and the most amazing creamy pavlova, help you make cute hoops, the cutest tiny trees, gorgeous candles and rings for your napkins!!! And as a good Santa Claus helper, you will earn your own Christmas Hat! Let’s open the mystic Advent Calendar and have fun! Congratulations!!! You are in nice list so milk and owl cookies for you!!! Rudolf is going to be jealous of you! Have sweet Christmas dreams!
! o H ! o H Ho!
Contents Pavlova Christmas Hoop Crochet festive napkin rings New Year Advent Calendar Salty Baci di Dama Paint on fabric with stencil! DIY Mini Straw Trees!!!! Woodland Sugar paste cookies Christmas Bath Salts! Painted Candles Oreo Reindeers Santa's helper hat Christmas Paper Tree DIY Stitched paper - Christmas Wrap! Christmas Decorated Hot Chocolate Family Christmas Meal 6
08 14 20 26 32 38 44 46 52 58 62 64 68 70 72 78
7
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Pavlovas Athena | www.craftcooklove.gr
T
he mini Pavlovas were the dessert of our family Christmas
meal. These fluffy and light as air sweets were definitely a hit on our table. In my version I used chocolate meringue and my beloved red fruits (raspberries to be more exact). The crème is Nutella based and so so yummy. With this recipe I would like to wish you Happy New Year and all the best for you and your loved ones. Remember life is short, lick the bowl!!
8
»
9
12
Ingredients (16 pieces): • 4 egg whites in room temperature • 1 cup of white sugar • 1 tbsp Dutch type cocoa • 1tsp vanilla extract • ½ tsp crème of tartar • 2 tsp corn flour • 1can of vegetable cream 250gr
• 4tbsp Nutella • 100gr dark cooking chocolate • 200gr raspberries fresh or unfrozen • Raspberry or chocolate syrup • 100gr dark cooking chocolate • 200gr raspberries fresh or unfrozen • Raspberry or chocolate syrup
Instructions 1. Prepare the oven at 120o Celsius 2. Beat the egg whites in a standing mixer until they become white 3. Pour in the vanilla, sugar and crème of tartar and keep beating until we get a firm meringue 4. Add the cocoa and gently mix with a silicon spatula 5. In a large tall bowl place a plastic bag and fill in with the meringue. 6. Place parchment paper on a shallow oven pan 7. Form mini round shapes with the meringue and bake for 90minutes 8. Keep the oven door closed until the meringues cool off completely 9. Store the meringues in a well-sealed box 10. With a potato peeler cut the chocolate in flakes 11. For the cream beat the crème with the Nutella to get an even mixture 12. Place the mixture in a large plastic zip bag as we did for the meringues 13. Just before serving, place an amount of cream above each meringue, add the choco late flakes, the syrup and the raspberries.
13
Christmas Hoop Zina | www.efzincreations.com
D
on’t you think that hoops are a material that you can use for
almost everything? I really like them and I have plenty of them for playing with fabrics and ribbons and paper! But for this Christmas I wanted to create something cute with my kids' help and to use it in my home décor. Unfortunately it was not possible to use a sewing machine for two reasons… 1) the kids were next to me, 2) I am not an expert with the sewing machine! So, this is actually another way to have fun and to create something beautiful at the same time! Let’s do it…
14
»
15
18
What are we going to need:
• Embroidery hoop • Fabrics • White and green felt • Ribbons • Scissors • Paper and pencil • Hot glue • Glue on bias tape or fabric glue First draw the size of the hoop on the paper and draw what the image you wish to have as a theme. My kids helped me with that… simple snow and pine trees! Use the scissors and cut the shapes that you will need. Place them on the fabric and cut the same pieces. Now let’s start "scrapbooking" our hoop. Put the main fabric as background and place on the top the shapes you have created in order to make the picture you like. Use bias tape (or glue) and iron them. Let it dry for a while and place it on the embroidery hoop. Your picture is ready! If you wish to make it even more unique, use ribbons to decorate the wooden hoop and maybe wooden tiny ornaments (like my star) for your main picture. For both of them you can use hot glue. Cut the remaining fabric piece on the back of the hoop and glue it with hot glue. Leave it as it is (in that way you can just remove your fabric scrapbook and reuse the embroidery hoop) or just use a piece of felt to cover it and make it more stable.
Happy Crafting!!!
19
Crochet festive napkin rings Maro | www.akamatra.com
H
ello, hello! Winter is coming, yayyyyy!!!
It's a wonderful season with lots of opportunities for parties and celebrations isn't it? So I am going to show you how to make festive ring napkins for your table.
20
Âť
21
24
With a worsted yarn (color isn't important) make 12 chains and close to the ďŹ rst one with a slip stitch to form a circle. Secure and cut the yarn. You are going to use this circle as a way to form your ring. I choose a silver yarn to give a festive metallic shine to my rings. You start by doing a lot of single crochets into the circle. Continue in this way until all the yarn is covered and you have a fully covered ring. Slip stitch to ďŹ rst single crochet and chain 1. Now you are to form some petals. Skip one stitch and do 5 double crochets in the next. Skip next stitch and slip stitch to the next. Repeat this until you reach the end of your ring. Since you didn't count the single crochets, it's possible that there will be some single crochets missing or in abundance. No need to worry, this is a very forgiving pattern. Just skip two stitches in the last petal. Pass your napkin through the ring and your table is ready to decorate!
Happy Holidays everyone!!!
25
New Year Advent Calendar Eleni| craftwithmom.blogspot.gr
I
t is the third year that we are making a New Year advent calendar and we all love it!
In essence, it is a December calendar, just a little more fun than common ones. Every day children open, rip, make a hole (there are countless ideas on how to build one!) the date and a surprise awaits them. Our 2017 New Year Advent Calendar is deďŹ nitely outside of beautiful and super easy too! Lets start making it!
26
Âť
27
30
MAterials 31 cardboard cups, a large piece of cardboard, silicone gun, stick glue and print operations lids will find print here. Arrange our cups with the bottom resting on our board so as to form a Christmas tree. Roll up one by one and put a little glue with the silicone gun at the bottom. Put them back by pressing lightly. After we finish we fill our cups with surprises. Do not give a lot of money, children take pleasure with very simple things, believe me! You can put a cookie, a few crayons, a toy car, a ticket to the theater or cinema or a family activity! After putting all the surprises inside you can start closing the cups. Put around the rim of the cup stick glue and glue the caps with the numbers that you have print and cut. Ready! I'm sure your little ones will love it!
Happy Holidays! Ho Ho Ho!!
31
Salty Baci di Dama Angeliki | www.cookika.com
B
aci di Dama, are a typical sweet delicacy of Piemonte and
the legend says that they were invented Κn 1852 by a chef of the royal court of Vittorio Emanuele II. Since then, many versions of these cookies stuffed with chocolate have been seen and my latest experimentation were the salty ones.
05 32
Âť
33
36
Ingredients For 32 cookies, 16 baci: For the cookies: • 80 gr Flora with Butter (margarine) • 80 gr Volaki or Parmigiano, grated • 100 gr strong flour 00 • 100 gr almond flour • 20 ml tsipuro/ grappa or white wine a pinch of salt
For the filling: • 60 gr soft fresh cheece/ kopanisti/ • formage fresh • 30 gr cream cheese • 2-3 tbsp heavy cream • Pink pepper • Pistachios
Preparation: In a bowl, mix all ingredients for the cookies until you have a soft dough. Wrap with cling film and let it rest in the fridge for an hour. Prepare the filling by pulsingsoft cheese, cream cheese and cream in a food processor, until you have a smooth cream. Place in bowl and refrigerate. Preheat oven in air at 180 degrees and cover a baking oven with greaseproof paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and mold small balls. It is advisable to use an electronic scale in order for all your balls to have the same weight, 10 grams each, so that they fit nicely when you pair them.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. When cool, cover the bottom of a biscuit with cream cheese and top with another biscuit. If desired, lightly sprinkle the surface with roughly chopped pink pepper and pistachios. Keep them refrigerated, sealed in a glass bowl for 3 to 4 days. Attention: those baci are addictive and since they are bite-sized, you simply can not just stop at one.
Enjoy!
37
Paint on fabric with stencil! Eleni| craftwithmom.blogspot.gr
G
ood friends, a magazine with crafts and delicious recipes,
an idea and eagerness for work are enough for the perfect craft & cook party! The third in line party took place in a fantastic space! With wonderful sponsors and our guests, who arrived full of enthusiasm a Sunday morning, we were able to have fun in such a different way. By creating! The craft construction preceded as it was an essential accessory for the cook section! We decorated an apron using stencils and colors suitable for fabric. Enjoy!
05 38
Âť
39
42
MAterials Apron, 2 fabric colors, 2 pads, 2 containers for paints, paper tape, silicone gun, a piece of wax paper, pom pom and a stensil. Here you will find a printable with our Cupcake! Place the stencil onto the apron and to the point that you want. Stick security with paper tape. Pour a small amount of our colors in the containers. Get a little bit color on the pad and begin to dab slowly onto the stencil. Repeat at the top of our cupcake with the second color. When you finish remove the masking tape and stencils. Allow 10 minutes to dry and stick the pom pom on the top of the cupcake. Our apron is ready! And now let’s cook! What we will make? Cookies with Sugarpaste! With Athena the result could only be sweet in all respects. I'll let the pictures speak. A big thank you to our favorite girls - guests who were there! And another huge to our sponsors!
Engoy!
43
DIY Mini Straw Trees!!!! Zina | www.efzincreations.com
I
am in Christmas mood, that's why when I discovered
these cute drinking straws that reminded me of caramels, I used them for creating small cute Christmas trees. A really fast and easy procedure and of course with materials that you already have, so no money spent!
Click Here For more!
44
45
Woodland Sugar paste cookies Athena | www.craftcooklove.gr
Τ
he woodland theme has been my favorite from the past holiday
season! I really loved this theme in my Christmas deco! Our junior tenant also got really excited watching all these cute wood animals in our living room so they are here to stay! This year the woodland theme got one step further and became the theme of our Christmas cookies. What if we do not have the proper cookie cutters? You just need a little imagination and everything is possible in sugar art! So stay with me for this tutorial and make the most amazing owls and foxes cookies!
46
Âť
47
We just need one oval shaped (or round one) cookie cutter.
The sugar cookie recipe is this one:
250gr butter 200gr sugar 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg in room temperature 500gr all-purpose flour
Instructions
Place the butter off the fridge and on the working bench Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius ( convection air ) As soon as the butter gets a little smoother, beat it with the sugar on the mixer just to get the ingredients mixed Add the egg and the vanilla extract and the sea salt and continue beating with the mixer Gradually add the flour with the mixer motor running Using our hands, mix the butter making a ball Spread a large piece of cooking paper on the working bench and using a guide (I am using two small cutting boards ) open the pastry in approx 5mm height. Cut the cookies with the cutters and with a large spatula move them to a large baking pan which is already covered with cooking paper. Bake for approx 7 to 8 minutes. They are ready as soon as the turn gold on the edges. Let them chill for about 10 minutes and get harder and then spread them on a rack and let them chill completely. As soon as they get in room temperature we can start decorating them with royal icing, sugarpaste and truffles according to our likings!! Don't be afraid to mix colors and ingredients. As soon as they get in room temperature we can start decorating them. 50
When cutting the cookies to shape, use the oval cutter and make an egg. Using the same cutter cut from the large side using the narrow side a piece to create the owl / fox ears. Just like that:
The owl wings/fox cheeks can be cut with the same cutter.
Continue cutting the sugar paste with the same manner using the cookie for sizing.
Place them on the cookie, some eyes and noses and you are ready!
Aren’t they the cutest forest animals? I just gave them away, I didn’t have the heart to eat them myself! Dare to make these cookies they are really not that hard. Use your small helpers and make yourself a magical Christmas forest.
51
Christmas Bath Salts! Ζiνα | www.efzincreations.com
W
hy I love Christmas??? Because of the gifts! Ok, not just
for the gifts, but mainly for them! And not only for the gifts I receive, but mostly because of the gifts I will prepare. It is a great challenge every year to decide what to craft for each of my beloved. Something unique just for him/her. Aroma and relax and precious moments on a jar... this year this gift is going to be for my best friend! Join me to create it together!
52
»
53
56
Ingredients for Red Bath Salts: 1 cup of Mineral and Dead Sea Salt 4 tablespoons dried roses 1/4 cup Epson salt Red Food Coloring
Ingredients for Green Bath Salts: 1 cup of Mineral and Dead Sea Salt 1/4 cup Epson salt Green Food Coloring 6-8 drops of your favorite Essential Oil (I have used Jasmine) The procedure is really easy and it will take less than ďŹ ve minutes to prepare them. In a bowl add the ingredients for the green bath salts and mix them. For the Red Bath salts, ďŹ rst put the dry roses into a food processor and mix for just a few seconds! The petals break up into beautiful tiny pieces. In a second bowl add the materials for the Red Bath salts and mix them too. The bath salts are ready. Last step is to put them in a glass jar, starting with one color and then put the other color. Since we have used only essential oil in green bath salts, we are not going to mix up aromas, but again the dried roses will add a detail of aroma that will make them even more gorgeous! Decorate the jar with ribbons or fabric scraps or tiny ornaments and offer them as a gift to your beloved friends! They will love it!
Happy Crafting and Merry Christmas!!! 57
Painted Candles ANNA | journeycreativity.blogspot.gr
Τ
ransform ordinary candles into something special!
These painted candles make a beautiful centerpiece or a thoughtful gift.
Click Here For more!
58
59
60
61
Oreo Reindeers Aggeliki | www.cookika.com
I
t's this time of the year that I go childish once again.
I really love Christmas time and I enjoy every moment. So I thought I would play along with my mood and make some oreo reindeers. Put on some jazzy and Christmas music, get your kids some aprons and get started for some Rudolf rednosed reindeer cookies.
Click Here For more!
62
63
Santa's helper hat - Crochet pattern Maro | www.akamatra.com
I
am pretty sure most of you know how much I love Christmas! I
mean I am a good old cynic most of the year but I become a downright romantic when the holiday season approaches! I don't really know what's wrong with me and I don't want to ďŹ nd out! I love almost everything about Christmas! I become a child all over again and have so much fun! Most of all I love making presents for my loved ones! I felt like a Santa's helper at that time! That's why I decided this year I should look like one too!
Click Here For more!
64
65
Christmas Paper Tree DIY Maro | www.akamatra.com
I
know some of you think it’s too early for Christmas
decorations and I used to agree with you but recently I’ve decided to stop procrastinating when it comes to DIY projects. See how you can make a beautiful tree made of paper for your desk!
Click Here For more!
68
69
Christmas presents from stitched paper! Eleni| craftwithmom.blogspot.gr
H
ow about a unique wrapping; So beautiful that
you will hardly rip !! These Christmas we will sew paper and ďŹ ll it with chocolates and confetti. Trees, stars and snowman full of sweet surprises.
Click Here For more!
70
71
Christmas Decorated Hot Chocolate Ageliki | www.cookika.com
C
hocolate and cold weather are ment to go together!
There is nothing more comforting than a hot chocolate in the warmth of your home. And now that the holidays are approaching and we decorate houses, balconies, streets, cars ... why not decorate and our drinks? Festive cubes, easy and playfully, ideal to decorate our hot drinks and give joy!
05 72
Âť
73
74
75
76
Ingredients: For Christmas cubes (about 15 pieces) 250 ml double cream 2 tsp. powdered sugar
Preparation: Beat the cream with the icing sugar to whipped cream. Spread a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the whipped cream about 1.5 to 2 cm thick. Let it freeze for several hours. With your cookie cutters we make various designs / cubes, according to your tastes and your mugs. Store in the freezer, in a plastic bowl, for about a month.
For Hot Chocolate(2 servings): 2 cups water 4 tsp. sweet cocoa 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. spice blend with cinnamon, cloves, ginger 25g. chocolate For the hot chocolate, pour in a small saucepan water with cocoa, brown sugar and spices. Stir to dissolve the cocoa and let it shimmer. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Mix well and serve in a large mug with a Christmas cube.
Enjoy!
77
Family Christmas Meal Athena | www.craftcooklove.gr
D
oes planning a christmas family 5 course meal seems like mission impossible?
Don't you worry I got your back! With planning tips, recipes and ideas!
Click Here For more!
78
79
crafting & cooking
Craft Party #2! C2 team and our favorite guests had a great time. We made scented rose and lavelder salts for the bath and hoops with case of fabrics. We tried all the sweet and savory treats our hostess Zina made, as well as Athenas apple pie!
80
Οι Χορηγοι μασ!
81
crafting & cooking
Craft Party #3! Our third party took place in a fantastic space! Thanks to our sponsors and our enthusiastic guests we had a great time! We decorated aprons with fabric paints and made some delicious woodland sugar paste cookies!
82
Οι Χορηγοι μασ!
83
The End
crafting & cooking