Spring

Spring
Blossom into spring

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Ombre Jake (Jar Cake)




A few weeks ago was my birthday and I always love throwing a party not for the gifts, but to make favours for those attending! Here is how I made these favours!

Materials:
  • 250ml Canning jars (can be found at Canadian tire for those in Canada approx. 6-7 dollars) they come a dozen per pack.
  •  2-3 baking pans (to make the process faster)
  • One box of cake mix will do 12 jars (I made 36 jars so I bought 4 boxes just in case but only used 3 boxes) *the cake mix i used was Betty Crocker Super Moist French Vanilla - $1 at Walmart*

Preparations: 
  1. Sterilize the jars before using them.
  2. pre-heat oven to the temperature the box indicates.
Assembly:
Cake:
So to make the ombre/gradient effect my friend and I made up the 3 batches of cake mix for each layer in 3 separate bowls all at the same time so that we could make 3 different shades of pink (pink is my thing)

NOTE:
once baked the colour changes about 3-5 shades lighter so if you're going for a light pink go a bit darker than what you would like.

Once the layers were baked in the cake pans and cooled, we took a fork and crumbled the cake so that the layers would be light and fluffy (and also its much easier to place each layer into the jar.)

We also thought of using a circular cookie cutter but never tried it I'm sure it just works fine. We just wanted to control the thickness of each layer without having to cut the cake.

Take a spoon large enough to fit in the jar and use it to spoon the fluffy cake into the jars.

Icing:
For the icing we used a butter cream recipe.
And again we separated the icing into 3 different bowls and made 2 shades of pink and left the top white. We then piped the icing into the jars (it takes 2 people to do this but it goes much faster once u have the rhythm.   
For the info on that just let me know and i will type that out.

TIPS:
The layers between cake doesn't have to be icing.
Try:
  • jam
  • peanut butter
  • nutella
  • pudding
  • whipped cream
  • cream cheese
  • whipped marshmallows
  • fruit
This is the inspiration for my cake.
I love the layers!



Then I thought the jars would be cool to showcase the layers!
For links to my inspiration pictures see my pintrest account.

Personally I think cakes in a jar are great for parties because its cake! (of course) It also doubles as a favour. My party was at an all you can eat sushi restaurant so I knew that most of the quests would be so full that if I had made a full cake there would be so much left over. With jar cakes, the guests are able to take them home and eat them when they were ready...or even take a few bites and save it for later.

This now has me looking at canning jars differently...I'm now using them for my lunches!

Had I known I was going to blog about this I would have taken decent pictures and showed what it looked like all packaged up and in the making of them. Maybe later if this post is unclear...I'll make more just so I can show the step by step.

Happy Baking! <3

Man do I want cake now!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Love in Paradise

I want to start this off by thanking my best friend Amber and her new hubby T.J. for inviting me to be a to witness their special day.

The wedding was beautiful and they could not have chosen a more wonderful resort! The day was forecast to be rainy all day, but as I had reassured Amber, it would rain the night before and be beautiful the day of.

 If a rainbow on your wedding day is not good luck, I don't know what is!
These two were meant for each other!

And I wish Amber and T.J. a lifetime of happiness and love!

 Exclusive photos of the Early Morning Trash The Dress Photo Shoot












Thank you again to Mr. & Mrs. T.J. Lee for inviting me to you wedding and vacation!
Its definitely one to remember!


Lots of Love,
Lian <3

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Magnetic Maddness!

So my brother was showing me troll physics (Google it and look at images) on the internet and most involved magnets. And while these were hilarious, it got me thinking...MAGNETS ARE UNDER RATED!


I have been eyeing a makeup case for a while but it costs 30 dollars. Its called a unii pallet. Check it out if you like! http://uniicosmetics.com/ Super cute right?


And while it looks pretty...I was not willing to cough up the dough. So being crafty AND thrifty, I have found the perfect alternative!


What you will need:
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Wipes/cotton balls/cotton swabs
  • A tin (make sure that magnets are attracted to the base)
  • a knife or exact-o knife.
  • Adhesive backed magnetic sheets
  • Makeup you want to condense (ones in tin pans only)
  • Mirror
Its a fun thing to do while catching up on TV shows.


STEP 1:
Apply drops of rubbing alcohol around the edges of the makeup.


STEP 2:
Let sit for atleast 15-30 minutes.


STEP 3:
Carefully take the knife  and slide it between the tin pan and the case its in. Glide the knife around the edge. If the pan does not start to lift then add a few more drop of rubbing alcohol and wait a few more minutes.


STEP 4:
Once the pan is lifted out of the case, clean off the glue residue and the sides of the pan using more rubbing alcohol and your wipes.


STEP 5:
Cut a piece of magnet to fit the bottom of the pan. Peel the paper off the adhesive side and adhere the magnet to the bottom of the pan.


STEP 6:
You can now place your makeup in the tin without it moving!


REPEAT ;)


I love the concept of a makeup pallet because sometimes you buy a makeup pallet and use only one colour more than others but the whole pallet takes up lots of room. I am going on vacation very soon and this magnetic pallet is just what I need!


Pictures to be posted soon.











Saturday, August 13, 2011

Fall Inspiration

While surfing the web I came across this amazing website! And I thought, all my DIY friends will love this site too! and even my non-crafters too! This website has fun and quirky clothing, accessories and other nick-nacks!


Here are a few things that caught my eye!


 Fringe Necklace
This fringe necklace is edgy and on trend for fall. Ladies, you can make this necklace yourself!
 Its super simple, even for those less crafty.
 Step 1: Take an old chain or plain necklace.
 Step 2: Take a handful of bobby pins and place them on your necklace.

 Tips: 
Mix and match with different colours and lengths of bobby pins to get completely different looks!
Play with the textures, some bobby pins have a wave effect to them.
 Alternate colours or which way the bobby pin is facing to give it a patterned effect.

 Below is a link to the necklace.

Storage


This button sewing box is definitely cute-as-a-button!

 The only suggestion I may have for the manufacturer is to make these in other colours as well.


Pleasant Peasant

This skirt is a fun and fresh twist on the peasant skirt! A great summer staple in any closet for any age! And a nice piece to transition into fall!

 For those who sew, this is a fast and simple skirt to whip up!


Friday, May 13, 2011

My introduction to the world of blogging

After years of hearing friends talk about blogging...I, Lian, am entering the blog world!

On the right of the page I have a list called "Bucket 25". The best way to explain this list is that its like a bucket list.However, this list of 25 things must be done while I am 25. My friends and family during my birthday helped me to think of things to put on this list. They range from simple small things to things that are out of my character.

In this blog, I will show how I accomplish these tasks. I will also show crafts and more!