How To Make A Miniature Fairy Garden In A Bottle

Jul 15, 2016 · 2 Comments

How To Make A Miniature Fairy Garden In A Jar: Tutorial using polymer clay to make adorable mushrooms and a fairy house, and then arrange in a teeny, tiny glass bottle.

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I saw these little jars or bottles at the dollar store one day, and thought they'd be perfect for a little, teeny, tiny Miniature Fairy Garden in a Jar. I love how they turned out, and they were a lot of fun to do one afternoon with my little girls.

We each made one, making a sweet little trio. They look great as a centre piece on the table, someplace where someone might notice them as they sit, since they're so teeny, weeny.

I was inspired by Pixie Hills mushrooms and miniature houses, if you don't know this blog then you're in for a treat! I made mine out of polymer clay, and it worked great.

miniature polymer clay houses and mushrooms in a jar

Fairy Garden in a Jar Supplies:

Polymer Clay
straight pins
matchstick
moss
tiny rocks
small glass bottles
white glue

How To Make a Fairy Garden in a Jar:

how to make a miniature fairy mushroom from polymer clay

Mushrooms

Start out with your polymer clay, we used red, white, beige, and pink made by combining red and white. Knead your clay to soften it, and then use a very small amount to make the mushroom stem around the straight pin. The straight pin will make the finished mushroom stronger and easier to work with. Slowly work your clay around the pin, rolling and shaping it with your fingers. Once the stem is made, make a little mushroom cap and press it onto the stem. Feel free to change the shape, and colours of the mushrooms and even add spots of white clay to some.

Houses

The houses are made by making little rectangles, then an angled roof by pinching and shaping with your fingers. Lastly use a matchstick's square end to make window and door indents.

We inserted our mushrooms into a piece of fruit to keep them upright while we baked them. Bake your clay according to the manufactures directions, based on the thickness. We did ours about 5 min. Then let the baked clay pieces cool a little.

Putting The Fairy Gardens Together

Next, you're ready to put your garden together, with moss on the bottom as a little base. We glued our houses in with white glue. The mushrooms were a little long, so I used some wire cutters to shorten them a little.

Fitting everything in the jar is a little fiddle-ly. I found tweezers helpful for this step.

Remember it doesn't have to be perfect. Add in some tiny rocks too, if you like.

How To Make A Miniature Fairy Garden In A Bottle

I also found the tweezers helpful to wipe the inside of the jar with a tiny piece of damp paper towel, to remove the moss residue at the top.

This is the perfect rainy day summer activity…or maybe just any day.

With a sweet little Miniature Fairy Garden in a Jar, life really is a party!

More Inspiration

You might also like our Teacup Fairy Garden here.

Also check out our Felt Mushroom Tutorial here.

DIY Felt Mushrooms: easy to sew red and white polka dot mushrooms with felt, and cork and wooden spool stems. Perfect for your spring decor.

You might also enjoy our Miniature Fairy Garden Dioramas here.

Potato Print Geometric Pillows

Jul 12, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Potato Print Fabric Pillows: Easy potato print triangle geometric pillows. A fun and inexpensive way to design your own fabric.

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Sometimes when you can't find exactly what you want the best thing to do is to just make it yourself. These Potato Print Fabric Pillows were something I'd been thinking of for a while, but hadn't seen anywhere.

They were the perfect finishing touch to my Spray Paint Wicker Chairs Makeover -see them here. The pillows were really inexpensive to make, since I had the fabric, paint, and pillow inserts. The only things I had to pick up were a few potatoes, lol.

Potato Print Supplies:

Potatoes
Craft Paint
Drop Cloth Fabric
Pillow Inserts
Sewing Machine

How To Potato Print Fabric:

To begin with, cut your fabric to fit your pillow insert, adding a little for seam allowance. I used simple, inexpensive drop cloth fabric. It has a really great texture and colour -a little like linen, and of course, its price. I had some scraps left over from other projects.

Next, cut out your stamps. I used a little paper pattern to make sure my triangles were all the same size. It was easiest to cut one potato stamp for each colour of paint I used. I used white, grey, aqua, lime green, and pink for mine. You could use any colours you like. I used regular craft paint. You could also use fabric paint, or there is an additive for craft paint that you can buy and add to any craft paint to turn it into fabric paint.

Then, it's time to get stamping. I laid my fabric out on newspaper, and worked away in a random pattern. I also left some spaces blank. You can use a small paint brush to take off any excess paint from the edges of the potato.

It doesn't need to be perfect. Random is good, Handmade looking is good. I tried to keep things as straight as I could, but it's not all lined up perfectly. I kind of like the wonky-ness of it. If you really wanted it straight, you could use a disappearing ink marker from the fabric store to measure out some straight lines of reference before you began.

After the fabric was all dry, I cut out the back pieces and sewed them into cushions. Easy peasy.

I've been using them outside, but they're not weather proof, so I make sure I bring them in at the end of the day. Inside my house is decorated in fairly neutral colours, so it's fun to be a bit more bold and colourful outside for summer.

I love how this quick afternoon project turned out -adding bit of colour and pattern to the our summery space.

With Easy Potato Print Fabric Pillows, life really is a party!

More Inspiration

You might also like our Pillow Fort here.

How To Build A Pillow Fort -make a magical pillow fort with fairy lights and starry decorations, and star themed snacks for family night or date night.

Also check out our Dip Dye Table Runner and Napkins here.

Dip Dyed Table Runner and Napkins: Easy how-to instructions to make your own napkin and table runner with a beautiful dip dyed ombre effect.

You might also enjoy DIY Rainbow Book Art here.

DIY Rainbow Book Art: Using old books as a canvas this DIY rainbow art in mustard yellow and pink is fun to make and inexpensive.

Fairy Garden Fish Hook Miniature Chandelier

Jul 7, 2016 · 2 Comments

DIY Miniature Chandelier: how to make a miniature fairy chandelier out of a fish hook, polymer clay, and beads. Perfect for a fairy garden or doll house.

DIY miniature chandelier for a fairy garden.

What does every Fairy Garden need? A Miniature Chandelier. And what does a fairy make a chandelier out of…a Fish Hook.

DIY Fairy garden miniature garden chandelier

The other day I shared our sweet little Miniature Fairy Pergola, and today as promised, is the tutorial to make your very own Fairy Garden Fish Hook Miniature Chandelier.

How to make a fairy garden miniature chandelier

DIY Miniature Chandelier Materials:

Triple Hook Fish Hook
Pliers
Small Hack Saw
Birthday Candle
Polymer Clay -white
Bead Caps
Small glass beads and pearls
Fine Thread
Bead Needle
Super Glue

How To Make A Miniature Chandelier

Remove Fish Hook Barbs

1. Begin with the fish hook, this is the hardest part of the project. Use pliers to hold the hook, and a small hack saw to cut the barbs off of the hook.

My husband helped me out with this. If you weren't able to get the barbs off, I think you could make a small ball/bead with polymer clay, and bake it around the barb to cover it up and prevent it from poking anyone.

Make Candles

2. Next make the candles. I used a real birthday candle and used the wick from it. Then, I formed a candle shape from polymer clay. I made sure to place it on the top of the hook to make a small indentation which made it easier to glue afterward.

Once the polymer clay is formed into the candles, bake it according to the package directions to make it hard.

diy Miniature doll chandelier candelabra

Once the clay is baked it's time to glue it together. Make sure to put the end bead first, then glue on the candle, and glue the end bead underneath it. Super glue is a little tricky, so be careful of your fingers!

diy Miniature doll house chandelier candelabra

Chandelier Beading

3. The last step is to add the hanging beads to the chandelier. I used small glass beads, and fine plastic thread. Tie the thread right under the end bead, and use enough beads to make a nice swag.

I tied the chandelier onto our little Miniature Fairy Garden Pergola and set up the sweetest little Fairy Picnic underneath -see how to make the fairy garden picnic food here.

With a sweet Fairy Garden Fish Hook Miniature Chandelier, life really is a party!

You might also like our How To Make a Fairy Garden House tutorial here.

Also check out our Fairy Garden Birthday Party here.

Also check out our Fairy Garden in a Teacup here.

Fairy Pergola

Jul 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment

DIY Fairy Garden Furniture: easy how to instructions to make a miniature twig pergola/gazebo/arbor for a fairy garden using twigs, glue, and paint.

Last week I gave you a tour of my Summer Deck Makeover, and a little sneak peek of our Fairy Gardens. Today I want to share how easy it is to make your own DIY Fairy Garden Furniture with this fun fairy garden pergola or arbor or gazebo. What ever you call it it sure is cute.

Fairy Gardens have become a fun little hobby, and this year I thought it might be cute to make a some mini fairy garden sized furniture. I settled on a fairy pergola / arbor / gazebo, to kind of match our large pergola in the back yard.

I was inspired by the twig houses I made here.

The Fairy Gazebo turned out so sweet, and it was really easy to put together.

Materials:

Sticks -I used some dogwood branches
Glue -hot glue, or gorilla glue for a stronger finished product
White Paint

How To Make A Fairy Garden Gazebo

Start out with some straight sticks and use your garden clippers to cut them to the right length pieces. I didn't give you measurements because this really doesn't need to be very precise.

First make one side of the gazebo structure, and then make the other side to match. I used hot glue here, but something like gorilla glue would make the finished gazebo even stronger.

You want to make your gazebo a little extra tall, so that you can push the posts into the dirt to secure it in your fairy garden. So keep that in mind when you decide on the height.

Once the sides are glued together, use two pieces the same length each to create the gazebo structure. You want to create the characteristic gazebo overhang on the ends.

Now for the fun part, cut about 5 or 6 pieces so that they will be a little longer for some overhang and evenly space them along the top.

Now paint with some white exterior paint, I gave mine a few coats.

I used my gazebo as the centrepiece of this little fairy garden. We added some birch rounds to make a patio underneath it. Click here to see the sweet little fairy chandelier tutorial, and the gazebo is the perfect structure to hang it off of. Underneath, I set up the sweetest little fairy picnic. I hope the fairies love it!

With a Fairy Garden Gazebo, life really is a party!

Easy Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Jun 30, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie: Easy recipe with no-fail, no-roll crust, a creamy cream cheese cheesecake layer, and fresh strawberries.

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It's strawberry season here, and time to make strawberry cream cheese pie. This is one of those strawberry desserts that I look forward to this time of year. With fresh seasonal strawberries topped in a sweet glaze, a creamy filling of no bake cheesecake, and an easy no-roll pastry crust you'll want to add this strawberry cream cheese pie recipe to your recipe collection too.

This is the perfect treat to enjoy in the garden on a warm summer day. Serve the strawberry cream cheese pie with whipped cream for the perfect summer fruit dessert. This homemade pie is quick and easy to make, and always a hit with strawberry lovers.

Fresh Strawberries

This pie is made with fresh strawberries. It's best with local in season sweet strawberries. The strawberries are sliced and covered with a sweet glossy glaze on top. If you're looking for a great strawberry dessert to use up remaining strawberries after a day of picking, this recipe is perfect. It's sure to become a favorite summer dessert.

Cheesecake Filling

This no-bake cream cheese filling is creamy and sweet and delicious. We prefer to use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe as it gives the best creamy texture to the pie. You can substitute low fat cream cheese in this recipe if you prefer to but it will be a slightly different texture. The cream cheese combined with sugar and almond flavoring creates a cream cheese mixture that is light and delicious. The cream cheese layer combines perfectly with the cookie like crust, and tart sweet glazed strawberries.

This filling includes almond extract which gives it a unique and delicious flavor. If for some reason, like a nut allergy you can not use almond, feel free to substitute vanilla extract for a different but delicious flavor.

Easy No-Roll Pie Crust

Unlike a no-bake strawberry pie, this one has a quick and easy pie crust that needs a few minutes in the oven to bake. It's more like a cookie dough than a traditional pastry crust. It's mixed together and then pushed into the bottom of the pie plate to form the crust, with your fingers. No difficult pie pastry crust to form and roll out with a rolling pin. Just mix this quick crust together, press into the pie plate, and bake for 10 min.

Allow the pie crust to fully cool before adding in the layer of cream cheese pie filling, to avoid it melting. Then top with strawberries and glaze and let it all set in the fridge for a few hours.

Whipped Cream

Serve this pie with some whipped cream on the side. To make homemade whipped cream, add 237mL of heavy whipping cream to a stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 3 teaspoon sugar, and mix to combine.

Store this strawberry pie in the in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

This strawberry pie recipe is particularly great since it has a simple no-roll homemade pie crust. The crust comes together quickly, and then you just use your fingers to push it into the pie plate. Easy Peasy, no-fuss, no-fail -my kind of pie! I love the combination of the tart, fresh berries, and the sweet creamy cheesecake layer. It's sure to be a crowd pleaser, and the perfect dessert during the summer months. We love it for summer birthday celebrations.

Recipe

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie with whipped cream

With fresh strawberry cream cheese pie, life really is a party!

More Strawberry Dessert Recipes

You might also like our Donut Strawberry Shortcake here.

Also check out our Strawberry Frosting recipe here.

You might also enjoy our Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream here.

Summer Deck Makeover

Jun 29, 2016 · 11 Comments

Summer Deck Makeover: simple and pretty summer deck makeover ideas with a rug, outdoor pillows, flowers, and a snack area.

Today I'm sharing my Summer Deck Makeover for the Canadian Bloggers Summer Patio Tour.

Earlier this spring my poor old deck was looking a little rough, and a little barren. Everything has to get packed up and put away for cold Canadian winters, so in spring, after the rain, it's time to bring it all out again.

You can see in this "Before" shot, the chairs and little bench are out, but that's about it. My girls had been playing with their water table, and there were some very dead pansies in some containers. Time for some sprucing up for sure!

New Rug and Cushions

I started out with the pretty rug. Since in my experience, they only last one summer, I shopped around for an inexpensive one. I love the subtle pattern, and the grey colour, and it's so soft underfoot.

Next we moved our umbrella from the back corner. We found that when we want to sit out the sun is on the far side, and it didn't really provide much shade where it was located. It's much more usable now.

The chairs we bought to mark our very first wedding anniversary(15 years and counting) -well these are actually their replacements. We had wood Muskoka chairs originally, but over the years, and a few coats of stain, they had definitely seen better days and I was so tired of repainting them every few years. Two years ago my husband convinced me to replace them with these zero maintenance ones, and they have been great, and I'll never have to worry about restaining or decay with them again.

New for this year are the pretty cushions. I like pink, and it hasn't been around for a few years, so when I saw these with a little pink, and the trendy geometric pattern, I thought they'd be a nice addition. They're made for outside, so if I forget to bring them in one night, it's no big deal. I love the colours they bring in and how they help update some of the older pieces.

Snack Area

The little pink bench is one I've had for years. It's so handy here, it can be extra seating for a party, or a serving area -great for a few summer refreshments.

There's nothing better on a hot summer day than a bowl of cold cherries.

I was inspired by the colours in the cushions to add some colour to the string of lights. I picked up an inexpensive string at the dollar store, removed the rattan balls, and spray painted them with some left over pink and aqua paint to match the cushions.

They're so pretty at night, and a pop of colour in the day.

The cushions and their colours also inspired these fun geometric wooden blocks. They're made with some fence post off cuts. My brother-in-law made them for me by sawing off the edges to create the geometric shapes, I painted them to match the cushion colours, and gave them a coat of mod podge to seal them. I love the mix of the modern geometrics and the old thrifted teapot with flowers.

Flowers

Down the stairs I added more pots of flowers. I love using vintage containers for flowers, just be sure to add some holes in the bottom for drainage.

And, if you look carefully at these pots, you might notice that I have fairies living in my garden.

There's a few pretty houses in my neighbourhood.

And a new fairy pergola that's very similar to our grown up version. See how I built the fairy pergola here.

The deck is a favourite spot to sit in the evening and look out on the beautiful forest we have behind our house, and I'm so glad that I invested in a new rug and pillows, did a few DIY's, moved the umbrella, and planted the pots. I'm looking forward to a summer of enjoying it all.

With a Summer Deck Makeover to enjoy, life really is a party!

You might also like our Black and White Garden here.

Black and White Garden -an old garden is refreshed with a new pea gravel seating area, and lots of black and white accessories and plants, including a garden of all white plants.

Also check out our Deck Irrigation System post here.

You might also enjoy Fairy Gardens for Kids here.

Fairy Gardens For Kids: kids can paint their own fairy houses, choose plants, and create their own fairy garden containers to grow and play with all summer.

How to Make an Ice Cream Sundae Kit Gift Basket

Jun 24, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Create a thoughtful ice cream sundae gift basket with everything needed for the perfect sundae. Includes what to include, repackaging tips, and presentation ideas for any occasion.

Ice cream sundae making kit gift basket.

Quick Look

🍦What: Ice Cream Sundae Kit Gift Basket
🎁Perfect For: Teacher gifts, hostess gifts, birthdays, party favors, thank you gifts
🕓Time to Assemble: 30 to 45 minutes
✂️Difficulty: Easy
⭐️Customizable: Highly adaptable to recipient preferences

Why You'll Love This

Universally loved: Everyone loves ice cream, making this a safe gift choice for almost anyone.
Easy to customize: Tailor the toppings and presentation to match the recipient's favorites or the occasion.
Budget friendly: You can create a beautiful gift without spending a fortune, especially when buying in bulk and repackaging.
Looks expensive: The repackaging and presentation make store-bought items look custom and premium.
Perfect for any occasion: Works for teacher gifts, hostess gifts, birthdays, party favors, and more.
Interactive gift: Recipients get to customize their own sundaes, making it more than just a typical gift.

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Ice cream sundae kits are one of my favorite gifts to give because they're thoughtful, fun, and easy to personalize for any occasion. I've made these for teacher appreciation gifts, summer hostess gifts, birthday presents, and even party favors for ice cream themed celebrations. The best part? You can customize each kit based on the recipient's favorite flavors and toppings.

What makes these kits special is the presentation. By repackaging store-bought items in clear cellophane bags and arranging everything in a pretty basket or box, you can create a gift that looks expensive and custom made. The recipient just adds ice cream and they're ready for a fun sundae night at home.

Whether you're headed to a BBQ, cottage weekend, or need a thoughtful thank you gift, this ice cream sundae kit is always a hit. It's simple to put together, looks beautiful, and works for almost any occasion or age group.

If you love ice cream as much as we do, you'll also want to check out our complete guide to Ice Cream Party Ideas and our Ice Cream Charcuterie Board.

What to Put in an Ice Cream Sundae Kit

The key to a great ice cream sundae kit is variety. Include different options so recipients can customize their perfect sundae.

Ice Cream Cones

Ice cream sundae kit waffle cones, sugar cones, and waffle bowls.

It's fun to include a bunch of different ice cream cone options. I always include waffle cones, sugar cones, and waffle bowls so everyone can choose their favorite style. You can find all of these at the grocery store. For something extra special, look for chocolate dipped cones, Oreo cones, or other specialty varieties.

Pro Tip: Repackage cones in clear cellophane bags tied with twine or ribbon. This makes them look custom and protects them from breaking.

Sauces and Cherries

chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, maraschino cherries

I always include classic chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Strawberry sauce is another great option. You could also look for magic shell (the kind that hardens instantly on ice cream) for something fun and different.

Don't forget the cherry on top! I wrap the cherry jar with a little kraft paper and twine and it looks so pretty. If you want to go the extra mile, you can make homemade hot fudge sauce and package it in a mason jar for a really special touch.

Fresh Fruit Option: Include fresh bananas for banana splits, though these should only be added if giving the gift immediately.

Bowls, Spoons, and Napkins

The sweet little bowls and spoons are from the dollar store, and the ice cream napkins too. Don't they look cute tied with a little twine? Disposable wooden spoons would be a great choice too. Small plastic ice cream sundae bowls in pastel colors are really cute and reusable.

Keep your eye out for ice cream themed bowls and napkins at the beginning of summer and stock up when you see them. An ice cream scoop would be a great addition too, especially for a hostess gift or housewarming present.

Candy and Sprinkles

Ice cream sundae kit sprinkles, candies, marshmallows, and wafer cookies

I wanted to include a few candies and sprinkles for variety. I love colorful rainbow marshmallows, and a selection of favorite sprinkles. Chocolate candies like Smarties or M&Ms are always popular. I also included rolled wafer cookies because they're such a perfect addition to a bowl of ice cream. Look for them in different flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut.

Other Great Candy Options:

Gummy bears
Mini peanut butter cups
Chocolate chips
Crushed cookies
Toffee bits
Candy coated chocolates

I picked up sprinkles at the bulk store. The ice cream cone shaped sprinkles were the cutest! The containers are from the dollar store. I should have picked up more for myself because I love them. Small mason jars work beautifully for packaging sprinkles too.

If you're making your gift basket for a special occasion like Valentine's Day, Christmas, or Halloween, look for sprinkles in coordinating colors. Pink and red for Valentine's, orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas. Shaped sprinkles (hearts, stars, holiday themes) add a festive touch.

Ice Cream

If you're giving your ice cream sundae kit immediately, and the recipent is at home and put the ice cream in a freezer you are welcome to include it. If including look for gourmet varieties, or interesting flavors. And of course you can't go wrong with classic vanilla and chocolate.

But if the recipent won't have access to a freezer immediately, it's best to leave the ice cream out. Add a not that says something like "just add ice cream and you're all set". It's also a great idea to include a grocery store gift card to cover the cost of the ice cream.

How to Assemble Your Ice Cream Sundae Kit (Step by Step)

The key to making this gift look special is all in the packaging. Here's how to create a professional looking ice cream sundae kit.

Step 1: Choose Your Container

Pick a basket, sturdy gift box, or gift bag with a cardboard bottom. The size depends on how many items you're including. For a full kit with multiple cone types, several toppings, and sauces, you'll want a medium to large basket. For party favors, smaller containers work perfectly.

Where to Find Containers:

Dollar stores (great selection at low prices)
Craft stores (look for sales)
Thrift stores (unique baskets at bargain prices)
Gift shops (for premium presentation)

Step 2: Gather Packaging Supplies

You'll need cellophane bags in different sizes, ribbon or twine, and optionally, labels or gift tags. All of these are available at dollar stores or craft stores.

Supplies Checklist:

Clear cellophane bags (various sizes)
Ribbon, twine, or raffia
Tissue paper or shredded paper filler
Gift tags (optional)
Labels (optional)
Scissors

Step 3: Repackage Bulk Items

This is the step that makes everything look custom and put together. Take items out of their bulky, commercial packaging and repackage them in clear cellophane bags. This is especially important for candy, sprinkles, and cookies.

How to Repackage:

Use different size bags for different items
Fill bags about two thirds full
Tie each bag tightly with ribbon or twine and make sure it's air tight
Group similar items together
Leave some items in original packaging if they look nice (like sauce bottles)

Why This Works: Breaking up large packages lets you create multiple gift baskets from one shopping trip, and it allows you to offer a little bit of everything in each basket. Plus, the presentation is so much prettier than commercial packaging.

Step 4: Arrange Items in Container

Place taller items (sauce bottles, cone packages) toward the back. Put shorter items (bags of candy, sprinkles in containers) in front. This creates visual interest and makes sure everything is visible.

Fill any gaps with tissue paper or shredded paper to keep items from shifting and to add color. I like using bright, fun colors that match the ice cream theme.

Arrangement Tips:

Create height variation
Group items by color for visual appeal
Make sure gift recipient can see everything
Balance the arrangement (don't put all heavy items on one side)

Step 5: Add Final Touches

If you're using a basket, you can wrap the entire thing in clear cellophane and tie it with a big bow. If you're using a gift bag, arrange items inside and add tissue paper on top.

Optional Additions:

Gift tag with recipient's name
Small card that says "Just Add Ice Cream"
Ribbon on the handle
Fresh flowers tucked in (if giving immediately)

Ice Cream Sundae Kit: Perfect for summer gift giving. Wrap up your favourite ice cream toppings, sauces, cherries, ice cream cones, and ice cream.

Perfect Occasions for Ice Cream Sundae Kits

One of the best things about ice cream sundae kits is how versatile they are. Here are my favorite occasions for giving these gifts.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts: This is the perfect sweet gift heading into summer. Teachers love receiving something they can enjoy with their families, and the timing is ideal since summer is ice cream season. I put these together as thank you gifts for my kids' teachers and they were a huge hit.
Hostess Gifts: Bringing an ice cream sundae kit to a BBQ, cottage weekend, or dinner party means you're bringing dessert and entertainment in one package. Everyone can customize their own sundae, which makes it interactive and fun. It's a welcome change from bringing wine or flowers.
Birthday Gifts: Works for kids, teens, and adults who love ice cream. You can customize the toppings based on the birthday person's favorites. Pair with a gift card to a grocery store if you want to help them buy the ice cream to go with it.
Party Favors: Make smaller versions as party favors for ice cream themed birthday parties. Include just 2 to 3 toppings, a cone or two, and a small sauce in a clear bag or box. Kids love taking home their own mini sundae kit.
Thank You Gifts: A thoughtful way to say thanks to neighbors, friends, babysitters, or anyone who's helped you out. The personal touch of repackaging and arranging everything shows you put thought into the gift.
Christmas: Red and green sprinkles, peppermint candies, candy canes
Valentine's Day: Pink and red sprinkles, heart shaped candies, strawberry sauce
Summer Holidays: Red, white, and blue sprinkles, festive napkins
Halloween: Orange and black sprinkles, candy corn, Halloween themed napkins

Tips for a Professional Look

These simple tricks make your ice cream sundae kit look like it came from a fancy gift shop.

Repackaging Secrets

Use Clear Bags: Clear cellophane bags let you see the colorful contents, which adds to the visual appeal. Stack items in bags so the colors show through layers.
Consistent Ribbon: Use the same ribbon or twine on all bags for a cohesive look. Natural twine, colorful ribbon, or raffia all work beautifully.
Remove Commercial Packaging: Taking candy out of branded wrappers and putting it in clear bags makes everything look more upscale.
Small Containers: Use small mason jars, spice jars, or dollar store containers for sprinkles. They look much better than plastic bags.

Presentation Tips

Color Coordination: Stick with a color scheme. Pastels (pink, mint, yellow) for spring/summer, or bright rainbow colors year round.
Label Everything: While not required, small labels on bags (chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, etc.) add a nice professional touch.
Odd Numbers: Arrange items in groups of 3 or 5 for the most pleasing visual arrangement.
Fresh Look: Make sure everything looks fresh and sealed. Replace any items that look damaged or crushed.

Ice Cream Sundae Kit Variations

For Kids

Focus on fun, colorful toppings:

Rainbow sprinkles
Gummy bears
Chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows
Colorful cones
Fun napkins with ice cream designs

For Adults

Include more sophisticated options:

Dark chocolate sauce
Caramel with sea salt
Nuts (pecans, almonds)
Wafer cookies
Coffee flavored toppings
Nice ceramic bowls instead of disposable

For Special Diets

Dairy Free Kits:

Include only toppings that are naturally dairy free
Add a note suggesting dairy free ice cream brands
Most sprinkles, many candies, and fruit toppings are dairy free

Nut Free Kits:

Skip all nut toppings
Check candy labels carefully
Focus on sprinkles, chocolate chips, gummies, marshmallows

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I put in an ice cream sundae kit?

nclude a variety of cones (waffle, sugar, bowls), sauces (chocolate, caramel, strawberry), sprinkles, candies (chocolate candies, gummies, marshmallows), cherries, bowls, spoons, and napkins. Everything except the ice cream itself.

Can I include ice cream in the kit?

Only if you're delivering it immediately and the recipient can freeze it right away. Most people give these kits without ice cream and include a note that says "Just Add Ice Cream" so the recipient can buy their favorite flavors fresh.

What's the best container for an ice cream sundae kit?

Baskets work beautifully and look classic. Sturdy gift boxes are good for shipping or mailing. Gift bags with cardboard bottoms are convenient for transport. Choose based on how many items you're including and your presentation preference.

How far in advance can I make these kits?

Most items are shelf stable, so you can assemble these 1 to 2 weeks ahead of when you need to give them. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This makes them perfect for making in batches.

Where should I buy supplies for ice cream sundae kits?

Dollar stores have great containers, cellophane bags, ribbon, bowls, and spoons. Bulk stores let you buy just the quantity you need for sprinkles and candy. Grocery stores have cones, sauces, cherries, and most toppings. Craft stores have pretty ribbons and gift packaging supplies.

How many servings does one kit make?

It depends on what you include, but most full sized kits make enough for 4 to 6 generous sundaes. You can also scale them down if you wish.

What if the recipient has dietary restrictions?

It's easy to personalize a kit like this and make it dairy free kit by including only toppings that don't contain dairy (most sprinkles, many candies, fruit based sauces). For a nut free kit, skip all nut toppings and check candy labels carefully. For gluten free, most toppings are naturally gluten free, but check labels on wafer cookies and candies, and cones or waffle bowls.

Can I make homemade sauces for the kit?

Absolutely! Homemade hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce adds a really special personal touch. Just make sure it's properly sealed in a clean jar, and be sure to mention it needs to be stored in the refrigerator right away.

More Ice Cream Inspiration

If you use this Ice Cream Sundae Kit Gift Basket or any other ideas from the blog, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks for visiting Life is a Party today!

Geometric Pink and Gold Tablescape

Jun 21, 2016 · 4 Comments

Geometric Pink and Gold Tablescape: pretty peonies, DIY candle holders, paper gems, and homemade napkins make a gorgeous and inexpensive tablescape.

I always love pink and gold together. Fresh pink flower peonies and sweet William couldn't be prettier along with a few DIY additions to this pretty pink and gold tablescape.

It's well into June, and today I'm sharing my #ayearoffeasting party for the month. At the beginning of the year my husband and I decided that we wanted to have a little more fun this year, and connect and re-connect with our friends by hosting one get-together a month. Some of them have been large, some small, some fancy, some casual, but all fun, and all times of real, authentic relationship building and fun. It's fair to say we're already feeling so glad we took on this little challenge.

And it's not too late for you join in too. At this stage of life, with kids and now even a puppy, it's not as easy as it used to be to go out, and see our friends. This challenge has helped us be intentional about having people over, and it's been great so far.

A Special Table In Pink and Gold

This month we re-connected with a few old and very dear friends. I wanted to set a pretty and special table, to hopefully make them feel a bit special.

We had an easy menu -a charcuterie board in the kitchen to start, a lovely summery salad with grilled flank steak for dinner, and one of our guests brought an amazing dessert. Since the menu wasn't too tricky, I had a little more time to work on the table.

The Flowers

The best part might have been the flowers. I headed out early to the Friday farmer's market, about 20 mins. away from my house, hoping for some beautiful peonies for the table. But they didn't have any. I did find the last two bouquets of pretty pink sweet william, so I picked it up. Then later, as I finished up grocery shopping, at my regular old discount grocery store I saw these beautiful pink peonies at the cash register. They hardly ever have flowers, and I certainly wasn't expecting to find these beauties there, so I brought a bouquet of them home too.

I love how they look mixed together, and in simple tin cans painted gold. I used an elastic on the stems to hold each arrangement together, which worked great.

Candles

The candle holders were a fun DIY I started last summer and finally finished up. I love how they look with their light pink, grey, white, and gold leaf for sparkle. When I was at the craft store I just happened to find a smaller version. So I brought them home too and painted them up to match.

I already had the pretty gold geometric candle holders.

Linens

For linens I used a couple casual linen runners, and picked up some fabric at the dollar store that I used for the napkins. I didn't even hem the edges, since I thought the frayed look was pretty and casual.

Geometric Theme

With my geometric candle holders, I wanted to continue the geometric theme to each pacesetting. So I made a simple paper gem for everyone's spot. I found the pattern on-line, and printed them, cut them out, folded and glued them. For a little sparkle, I added a little gold scrapbook paper to each one.

Tips For An Inexpensive Tablescape

This pretty tablescape was a lot of fun to put together, and really inexpensive since I used what I had, and DIY'd a few projects. Don't forget to "shop your house", use what's in season like the peonies, and look for things in unexpected places like my fabric pieces from the craft section of the dollarstore that I used for napkins.

With a pretty Geometric Pink and Gold Tablescape, life really is a party!

You might also like our Summer Table here.

Summer Tablescape -garden flowers in vintage bottles under glass cloches create a simple, easy summer time table for entertaining.

Also check out our Rustic Casual Tablescape here.

You might also enjoy our Three Steps To An Easy Summer Table here.

Three Steps to an Easy Summer Table: learn how to start with the basics, add items for interest, and look in unexpected places to set the perfect table.

Spray Paint Wicker Chair Makeover

Jun 15, 2016 · 8 Comments

Spray Painted Wicker Furniture Makeover: learn how to spray paint wicker furniture with tips for the very best results on this beginner level project.

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Give new life to old wicker pieces with a fresh coat of paint. We used spray paint to give our outdoor furniture a makeover. Learn how to spray paint wicker furniture.

So one Tuesday morning, yes it was for sure a Tuesday since that's garbage day on my street, I noticed these poor abandoned wicker chairs. They were set out at the curb waiting for someone with a little vision…or the garbage truck. Lucky for them, I came by before the garbage truck and I saw the potential in this old rattan furniture. Sure they were a little discoloured, a little past their prime, but nothing a few cans of spray paint couldn't fix. I knew they'd be perfect for our #12MonthsOfDIY challenge for June -spray paint.

Spray Paint Wicker Chair Makeover: Easy how-to spray paint wicker.

I love spray paint, and these great little chairs are the perfect example of why spray paint is such an easy way to transform so many things.

Makeover Materials:

old wicker chairs
semi-gloss white spray paint

Spray Painted Wicker Furniture Makeover:

Getting Started and Prepping Your Surface

I didn't really need to do anything to prep these chairs. They were already weathered and a bit rough probably from being outside a long time. This natural wicker furniture had not been previously painted, so there was no old peeling paint to worry about.

If your piece of furniture was previously painted, your first step would be to make sure that there was no flaking paint. You might use a wire brush to remove any old paint, but take care not to damage the furniture piece.

If you're wicker garden furniture was dirty it might be a good idea to wash it with some warm water or use an air compressor as a great way to remove any loose dirt. If you have a lot of dust build-up you could also try washing it with a pressure washer, which could also help remove any old paint or loose dust. You don't want to paint wet wicker, so be sue to factor in some drying time.

Our chairs were in great shape, the wicker wasn't cracked or coming apart or broken anywhere. This is definitely something to consider before painting to make sure the project is worth it.

Why Spray Paint?

You can paint wicker furniture with different paints, so how do you choose your type of paint for the project?

Regular outdoor paint would work fine, but to get even coats of paint and an even finish you would need a stiff brush to get into all the nooks and crannies and a lot of patience. That's why we choose spray paint as the best option. Its the quickest and best way to get a great paint job on a surface like wicker. If you have a spray gun this would be a great project to use it for. But even without your own spray gun, you can use spray paint for a great finish.

Setting Up To Paint

Spray paint should be used in a well-ventilated area because of the paint fumes. You will also want cover the area under the furniture with a plastic drop cloth. And you may want to consider if there is a breeze in your work area. Spray paint can have what's called over spray where the paint marks things around it, or is carried onto the surfaces of things around what your painting by the wind. One of the first things you want to do before actually beginning spray painting is to make sure there's nothing in the area that can be damaged by over spray.

Many Light Coats of Spray Paint

One last thing before you begin painting, after prepping the actual outdoor wicker furniture surface, and after preparing the area is to shake your spray paint cans. There will be instructions on the side of the spray paint can telling you how long you need to shake the paint. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. A diy project can be ruined by skipping this simple but important step. Use your watch to actually time the three minutes, or whatever time is suggested to make sure you shake it long enough.

The name of the game when spray painting is many, many light coats rather than trying to do one heavy one. A heavy coat will create runs in the paint. So be patient, and do lots of light coats until you have the coverage you want. Don't worry about the coverage of the first coat of spray-paint. Let the first layer dry and add more with a second coat, continuing until you're happy with the coverage, and being sure to give it some dry time in between each coat.

Spray Paint From Every Angle

Also with wicker because it is a woven material, you need to spray from lots of different angles to get into all the grooves. So flip them over, turn them on their side, and flip them around to get all the nooks and crannies with a good layer of paint.

You will need more than one can of spray paint to give two chairs a new coat of paint. It took 4 cans of semi-gloss white to cover our wicker outdoor pieces. It was about $30 worth of paint, but all in all, since they were free, it was a pretty good investment. They still had an Ikea sticker on the bottom, they were originally $39 from Ikea.

Cozy Outdoor Setting Area

I put the chairs with their new paint job in the corner of my yard. I'm spending lots more time out here lately since we have a brand new puppy. I thought this was the perfect project to add him posing in the corner, so you could "meet" him, although he doesn't know "stay" yet so it was a little tricky, lol.

Oscar is a 10 week old Havanese puppy, who we've had with us for about a week and half now. We're busy training him…or at least trying, which means lots of time in the garden for potty breaks. This little corner has a bit of shade and these little chairs with their fresh paint are the perfect spot to sit when we're out there.

I added a simple yarn tassel bunting, and these pretty geometric stamped pillows -see how to make them here. Now it's the perfect little spot to sit.

With a Spray Paint Wicker Chair Makeover, life really is a party!

More Inspiration

You might also like our Spray Paint Cutlery and Vase Makeover here.

Spray Paint Cutlery and Vase Makeover: give inexpensive thrift store vases and cutlery new life with spray paint, perfect for entertaining.

Also check out our Black Paint Dipped Brass Candlesticks here.

You might also enjoy our DIY Concrete Side Table post here.

Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

Jun 13, 2016 · 6 Comments

This homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe is easy to make and delicious. Plus check out our free printable labels for gift giving.

Montreal steak seasoning recipe with ingredients on a cutting board.

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Why We Love This Recipe

It's delicious and takes your average steak up a notch in terms of flavor.
In our homemade version you can alter the spice and salt level to fit your personal taste.
It's really easy to make, and a great recipe to make with kids.
It is great for gift giving, especially if you're looking for a great Father's Day gift.

Montreal steak seasoning is a popular dry rub seasoning mix used to add flavor to steak and grilled meats. Our homemade steak seasoning is the best way to season steak and perfect for grilling season. This easy recipe is quick to prepare. This flavorful steak seasoning is also a great gift.

It's almost Father's Day and after the success of my Homemade BBQ Sauce last year, this cashew coconut brittle, and this homemade hot sauce, I thought it might be nice to share a Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe that I made for my husband this year.

Kid Friendly

We love this idea for Father's Day because it's super easy to make, so even the youngest kiddos could help put it together and it's really delicious. I usually try really hard to avoid stereotypes, I'm sure not all husbands or dads are the main bbq-ers. So it might work for your crew for Father's Day, or it might work for your peeps for Mother's Day. Let me just say that if you're into steak, it's really yummy, and it's really easy to make. So this homemade spice blend is ticking all the boxes on my list, tick, tick. 😉

DIY Montreal Steak Seasoning spice rub recipe

Montreal Steak Seasoning History

This popular Canadian steak seasoning has its origins as the recipe used to flavor Montreal smoked meats. The spice rub traditionally includes garlic powder, coriander seeds, black pepper, cayenne pepper, herbs, and coarse salt.

Ingredients

See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

You can use ground spices, or start with whole spices and grind your own in a coffee grinder or spice grinder for the freshest flavors.

Use this Montreal steak spice on any grilled meats. It's the best steak seasoning, try on your favorite steaks, like filet mignon, flank steak, sirloin steak, chuck roast, and more. You might even like on pork chops.

Salt

In general meat loves salt, having said that, this seasoning mix is quite salty. I'm a big fan of it being on the salty side. But you can start with a little bit, and add more if you feel it needs it.

The beauty of making the homemade version, is that you can make it your own blend and customize it to your personal taste.

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Does having the pepper freshly cracked make a difference? Yes fresh is always best. But feel free to substitute ground black pepper if that's all you have.

Dehydrated Onion and Garlic

We prefer the dehydrated onion and garlic because they have a little more body to them. They'll rehydrate with the juices of the steak. You can susbitue onion powder or garlic powder if that's what you have on hand.

Coriander Seeds and Red Pepper Flakes

These seeds and spice add a little zip to the mix. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes depending on the level of spice you enjoy.

Dried Herbs

Dried thyme, rosemary, and coriander are the traditional herbs used in Montreal steak seasoning. The dried version of these makes the seasoning shelf safe, and they add so much flavor.

Homemade DIY Montreal Steak Seasoning in a mason jar

Instructions

1. This recipe is so easy to put together, just combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container.

How to make DIY Montreal Steak Seasoning

Free Printable Gift Tag

I packaged my delicious seasoning up along with a few other BBQ treats for a great DIY gift for my guy. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature. A mason jar, or spice jar. or any airtight jar works well for this flavorful seasoning mix.

You can download the free printable gift tag in our Free Resource Library. It's free for subscribers, and you can subscribe below for instant access.

I included a jar of the Homemade BBQ Sauce -find our recipe here, the Montreal Steak Seasoning, a little bag of BBQ Ring-o's, a "Dad's" rootbeer, and a grill cleaning brush. And, if you're giving this gift to someone, you should probably make sure there's a steak or two in the fridge. 😉

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reduce the salt?

Yes, if you find it too salty, simply reduce the salt to your prefence.

Can I substitute garlic powder and onion powdered for dehydrated?

Yes, if you can't find the dehydrated garlic and onion, feel free to substitute them for the powdered version.

How long will it last for?

Your Montreal Steak Seasoning should be made with fresh seasonings and will last up to 6 months in a sealed container.

If you tried this Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

More BBQ Inspiration

Recipe

Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

This dry seasoning rub is easy to make and perfect for using with your favourite steak.

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 3kcal

Author: Dannyelle Nicolle-Ramjist

Ingredients

▢ 4 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
▢ ½ tablespoon dehydrated garlic
▢ ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
▢ ½ tablespoon dried thyme
▢ ½ tablespoon dried rosemary
▢ ½ tablespoon dried coriander
▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients together, and store in a sealed container.
To use, rub on steak before grilling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 3kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Sodium: 560mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LifeisaParty or tag #lifeisaparty!

Homemade Honey Cruller Donuts

Jun 8, 2016 · 12 Comments

These homemade Honey Cruller Donuts are the perfect French Cruller recipe, made with choux pastry, and a honey glaze. If you're a cruller lover, you will love this homemade version.

French cruller donuts staked on a napkin.

A Quick Look At This Recipe

📋 Recipe: Homemade Honey Crullers
⏲️ Ready In: 35 minutes
👪 Servings: Makes about 18 -great for company!
🔪 Difficulty: This recipe involves making choux pastry, piping, and frying. Not difficult, but several steps involved.
💭 Top Tips: Make sure your oil is at the right temperature to avoid soggy or burnt donuts. Don't overdo the glaze or they'll be too sweet. Best if eaten the same day they're made.

These were delicious and simple! -Nekane via Pinterest

Why You Will Love This Recipe

There's nothing like a fresh, and homemade donut. These are so good!
Crullers are light and airy, especially compared to a regular donut.
The honey glaze adds the perfect sweetness to this dessert.

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One of the best things about having a blog is an excuse for me to do things like make Homemade Honey Cruller Donuts!

Homemade donuts are such a favourite like our Princess Tiana Homemade Beignets Recipe, or these Easy Bread Machine Jelly Donuts, or these Sour Cream Donuts. Also check out our Homemade Fair Funnel Cakes Recipe.

Turns out they're not that difficult to make, and certainly worth the effort.

Sometimes called French cullers, they're made with a different type of dough then traditional donuts. Traditional crullers are made from choux pastry, like cream puffs or chocolate eclairs.

Unlike cream puffs or eclairs though, instead of being baked the French cruller donut recipe creates a fried pastry.

It's not difficult, but is a little time consuming. It's worth it though because they're so good!

French cruller donuts staked on a serving board.

Homemade Is Always Better

I have found that in general, anything homemade is better than store bought -it was true of, the homemade graham crackers, the homemade marshmallows, the homemade bbq sauce, the homemade baked beans…I could go on.

A solid belief based on rigorous at home testing.

But the first time I made these, after I made the glaze, I dunked one in there, on both sides and tried to wait for the glaze to set. I tried, really I did, but I had to give them a try, in case they needed adjustment. With the glaze not quite set, I had my first bite of them and they were not as amazing as I'd hoped. They were way too sweet when drenched in the glaze.

Dipping fried French cruller donuts into honey glaze.

Letting The Glaze Set

Next attempt, just dunk the tops in the honey glaze, and again patiently wait for them to set. This time I had to run some errands so I wasn't tempted to eat one before the glaze set.

When we tried them they were AMAZING, home run, how many of these French cruller donuts is it reasonable to eat in one sitting, kind of yumminess.

And, indeed, further evidence that the homemade version is always better. And…you get to eat like a dozen of them or more (my batch made about 18 little-ish ones) because they're really better eaten the same day you make them -maybe invite some friends over, or if you have kids...

Ingredients

Eggs -these donuts are made with a choux pastry. It's made from flour, water, and butter that is cooked. Next the eggs are added to the cooked batter in a stand mixer. The eggs lighten up the batter and are beaten into it, just like a traditional choux pastry.
Vegetable Oil -these donuts are deep fried. It's the deep frying that makes them different from something like a eclair, or cream puff that is also made from a choux pastry.
Honey -the honey in the glaze adds a great flavor and gives these donuts their name of honey crullers.

Equipment

Deep Fryer: These donuts are fried. If you bake choux pastry you are making a cream puff. Donuts are fried. You can use a pot of oil on the stove and a thermometer to help you regulate the oil's temperature. It's much easier with a small deep fryer because the oil temperature is regulated for you. You can pick up a small one at a kitchen store very inexpensively, or even look for one at a second hand store.
Piping Bag and Star Tip: These donuts are piped, so you will need a piping bag for them. You will fit it with a star tip. The star tip forms the lovely ridges on a honey cruller. You will want to twist slightly as you pipe to create a bit of a swirl. The ridges look great, but also fry up nice and crispy and help hold the glaze.
Parchement Paper: You will pipe your donuts onto parchement paper. This makes it much easier than trying to pipe into the hot oil, and form a ring. Cut your parchement paper into squares 3 x 3 squres. You will drop the donuts into the oil, parchment paper side up, and with a few seconds the donut will detactch itself, and you can use some metal tongs to remove the paper.

Homemade honey cruller donuts broken into pieces on a napkin.

How To Make Honey Cruller Donuts

Step 1. To begin with, bring the water, butter, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Then, add in the flour and use a whisk to incorporate. Switch to a wooden spoon, and lower to medium heat. Stir the dough and cook until the bottom of the pan is covered in a thin film and the dough has dried out.

Making choux pastry for honey cruller donut batter.

Making choux pastry for honey cruller donuts in a white pan.

Whisking choux pastry together for honey cruller donuts.

Cooked honey cruller donut batter in a white pan.

Step 2. Put the hot dough into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed to cool the dough slightly. Add in the whole eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated.

Honey cruller donut batter in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 3. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Cut out square 3 x 3 sheets of parchment paper (my batch made about 18 smallish donuts), and pipe donuts onto the parchment squares, being careful to pipe an even circle of dough without overlapping the beginning and end of the donut.

Piping honey cruller donuts onto squares of parchment paper.

Step 4. Heat oil to 375 degrees in a deep fryer. When the oil is hot, place one or two donuts, paper side up, donut down, into the hot oil. The donut will separate from the paper in a few seconds, and you can remove the floating paper with tongs. Allow the donut to fry until it is a deep golden brown, then flip over and do the same on the other side. (Test your first donut to make sure it's not doughy in the middle and adjust your cooking time if needed). To remove the cruller donuts from the oil, use tongs or a slotted spoon and allow the donuts to cool on a paper towel or cooling rack, and finish frying them all.

Frying honey cruller donuts in home deep fryer.

Fryed honey cruller donuts resting on paper towel on a baking sheet.

Step 5. To make the honey glaze, combine the powdered sugar, honey and milk in a small bowl and stir the glaze ingredients together. Dip the best side of the donuts, one at a time, into the glaze. Set on a wire rack to set completely. Enjoy!

Honey cruller donut glaze in a mixing bowl.

Dipping honey cruller donuts into glaze.

Expert Tips:

Only dunk the donut into the glaze one side, otherwise it's too sweet and over powers the donut. Also, let the glaze set completely before serving them.
Make sure your oil is the right temperature for frying. Too cool and the donut will absorb oil and become soggy. Too hot and the donut will cook too quickly on the outside and be dough inside.
Let the glaze set before eating. It gives the donut the best texture and mouth feel.
Make sure to cook your choux pastry until a film develops on the bottom of the pan. This indicates that it's probably dried out, which helps the donuts to maintain their structure.

Storage

These donuts are best served the day that they are made, and best stored on an open plate to retain their crispness.

If you have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake honey cruller donuts instead of frying them?

No, these are best fried. Baked choux pastry is a cream puff, not a donut.

Do I have to use a deep fryer to fry honey cruller donuts?

No, you don't have to use a deep fryer to make your honey crullers. You can use a large pot on a burner with a thermometer in it. It's a little harder to regulate the temperature of the oil and keep it even, so keep an eye on the thermometer and adjust the heat accordingly. Also take care not to overfill the pot with oil.

What's the difference between a honey cruller and French cruller?

There is no difference, they are the same. They are sometimes called honey crullers because of the honey in the glaze. They're also sometimes called French crullers because they are made with choux pastry which is a French baking method.

Why is my honey cruller donut soggy?

Make sure your oil is the right temperature for frying. If it's cooler than it should be the donut will absorb too much oil and become soggy. Also only glaze one side of the donut, and allow to the glaze to set. Don't cover your donuts once they're made. In an airtight container, they will lose their crispness and can become soft and soggy. These are best eaten they day they are made.

More Donut Recipes

If you try this Honey Cruller Donut Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

Homemade Honey Cruller Donuts on a serving board.

Recipe

Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

May 31, 2016 · 2 Comments

Cherry Almond Coffee Cake: I lovely not too sweet coffee cake, with cherries, almond, and streusel topping. Made with sour cream to keep it lovely and moist.

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love the combination of cherries and almonds and this cherry almond coffee cake with its streusel topping and icing drizzle is so good! It's so perfect to enjoy with a cup of coffee.

This is the time of year, when there is nothing nicer than a little time to sit and enjoy the garden with a cup of tea or coffee and a lovely slice of cake. It's also the time of year when you're more likely to spend all your time in the garden weeding, planting, mulching, and digging.

I certainly have lots to do in my garden. But even though it's not all done, even though there are weeds and things looking a little more wild than perfect, it's still worth some of my time to sit back and enjoy it. And nothing could be better than to sit here and enjoy this cherry coffee cake recipe.

So last weekend, Maddie and I set up a little spot to enjoy an afternoon snack together, this lovely Cherry Almond Coffee Cake. It's made with sour cream, which makes it lovely and moist. The crumb topping is the perfect contrast of textures with the cake. I think the addition of cherries makes this cake so much more exciting and delicious than traditional coffee cake. To me this cake is a real taste of home. It's a great idea to enjoy this recipe as a little something sweet to go with your coffee. It's also one of my favourite breakfast cakes. You can even serve it as a not too sweet dessert option.

Cherries

I have used frozen cherries in this recipe and they're delicious. Add them to the batter while they're frozen. You can also use fresh sweet cherries during cherry season, look for them at the grocery store or the farmer's market. But, frozen maybe cheaper and easier to work with, since the pits are already removed. If you are using fresh cherries you can remove the pits with a cherry pitter.

This really is the perfect cake to enjoy during a little break in your day, whether enjoyed in the garden or not. The cake is not too sweet with lovely plump tart cherries, almond, and the sweet crunch of the streusel topping. The sour cream and cherries help make a nice moist cake. Yum. The little drizzle of glaze on top is the perfect addition and finishing touch to this delicious cake. If you're a cherry fan this is sure to become one of your new favorite recipes. And if you're serving this delicious cherry coffee cake as a dessert after a meal you might want to make it even more special by serving with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This is the best coffee cake to enjoy with a hot drink, or serve to guests. If you have any leftovers be sure to store it in an airtight container, or wrap your leftovers tightly in plastic wrap to keep the cake nice and moist and prevent it from drying out.

Recipe

With homemade Cherry Almond Coffee Cake, life really is a party!

More Recipe Inspiration

You might also like our Almond Cake with Raspberry Jam recipe here.

Also check out our Peach Almond Crumble Muffins here.

You might also enjoy our Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies here.

Mexican Themed Party Ideas for a Backyard Fiesta

May 27, 2016 · 2 Comments

Mexican Themed Party Ideas: a backyard fiesta with DIY party decor, and an amazing menu, including dessert ideas.

Backyard fiesta party ideas for decor and menu.

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It's that time of year when we love to get outside in the backyard and host family and friends, we hosted a fun Backyard Fiesta this week, turning your regular backyard BBQ up a notch! We have lots of Mexican themed party ideas to share with you, including decor ideas, the menu, and easy recipes. These ideas are great for any Mexican-themed party, birthday theme, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, or even just an amazing taco Tuesday.

Backyard Fiesta Party Decorations

When I think fiesta, I think yummy Mexican food, and bright, beautiful decorations. We decided to go with a summery colour scheme of red, orange, and pink for our fiesta. The party turned out colourful, fun, and delicious just like we had hoped so here's how we put it all together. Hopefully you'll be inspired to host your own get together this summer!

We set up our backyard fiesta under our pergola, and my girls pitched in to help…along with my sister's dogs who we were doggie sitting. 😉

DIY Papal Picada

Since we were under the pergola in our backyard, I thought it would be fun to use some pretty papel picado -the beautiful Mexican paper banners. These make the best DIY Mexican fiesta party supplies. We made our own Mexican decorations out of tissue paper in the vibrant colors of our color scheme.

We used scissors and few different hole punches to create our DIY papel picado. They're really easy to make. Cut out your tissue paper into rectangles. Keep the tissue paper stacked and cut out many at a time to make it easier. Use hole punches in different shapes and sizes, and use scissors, folding the tissue paper over to make the cuts as easily as possible. Once the designs are all created just separate the tissue paper into individual flags. These were inexpensive and add so much to the decor. It was a little breezy for our party, but even blowing around a little they sure were gorgeous and the best Mexican party decorations.

We used a little twine to string them up over the table. Ribbon or string would work well too. This would also be the perfect spot to add some beautiful string lights. They would look gorgeous with the papel picado also adding a glow to evening as it gets dark.

Table Setting

I wanted the table to feel really bright and festive. We started with some orange fabric as a runner, and then layered on a few cutting boards for all the yummy food. I didn't have an orange table runner, but I went to the fabric store and picked out some gorgeous and inexpensive orange fabric. Instead of hemming the fabric, I just folded the edges over and it worked perfectly. This is such a good trick when you're entertaining and struggling to find a table runner to fit your color scheme without breaking the bank. Just buy some fabric at the fabric store and use it on the table.

At the place settings we used our regular white everyday plates, and some beautiful gold cutlery. We repeated the gold in a few different places to tie it all together. We used some pretty cloth napkins in pinks, and oranges with the perfect gold dot details. For glasses we used some pink recycled glass, that gave the perfect Mexican fiesta party vibes to our table settings. We also used these cute donkey pinatas that we picked up in the party supplies section of the store. We filled them with a little candy. These were such fun touches at everyone's seats. They're a "sweet" take-home gift for guests and add lots of fiesta fun to the table. Make them extra special by looking for Mexican candy at a speciality store, or online.

Centrepieces

On the table, we used some really inexpensive centrepieces. I used old tin cans spray painted gold as the containers for the flowers. You can save your empty tin cans to use them, or do what I did, and walk around your neighbourhood on recycling day. Help yourself to empty cans in your neighbours recycling bins. When you get home just clean them, and remove the paper labels. Once they were dry I spray painted mine gold. They looked great, and were also really inexpensive.

I filled the gold cans with water and then some flowers from my garden and bright orange, red, and pink carnations from the grocery store. They were bright and fun and perfect for a fiesta. I love how the bright colors look together. They're a real focal point for the table, and add so much fun.

I also used some Old El Paso tin cans -from the delicious refried beans and green chilies we used for our taco bar. For these ones I left the colorful fun labels on the cans. I planted them with some cute cactus, and they added a real Mexican touch! Be careful when you're replanting your cactus. Wear gloves to protect yourself from the prickles, and also wrap the plant itself in newspaper, or use long salad tongs to handle the cactus safely. These turned out so cute, and would also make great party favors.

Lastly we included some different lanterns and candle holders in our bright party colors. These were from the dollar store, and worked perfectly. They look so gorgeous at night as well.

Fiesta Drinks

Off to the side we set up a little drink cart. This is such an easy way to serve drinks at a party, especially with a large crowd. Even with smaller numbers, it's nice that guests can help themselves whenever they want throughout the party, and that having the drinks off to the side frees up more space on the main dinner table. I made strawberry lemonade, by just adding some strawberry puree to regular lemonade. It was quick and easy and so yummy!

My fun little plastic donkeys had to make an appearance. They're just from the dollar store, but such a fun touch for a fiesta and so perfect for our party theme.

And since it was a hot sunny night, we also served some water in pretty glass bottles. Another great option would be some Mexican beer with some fresh lime wedges. Or a tequila tasting could be a great idea too.

Backyard Fiesta Menu

Now on to the menu! I wanted a casual feel for our party food, and guests to be able to help themselves, and eat and talk and eat and talk the night away. So, I set up the taco bar down the centre of the table. It was so delicious, that we really did sit and eat and talk, and eat and talk and eat again. We had a great selection of party food that the guests all loved.

From the grill for our main course, we had some grilled peppers and mushrooms, along with grilled chicken and steak. We used a little taco seasoning for a dry rub on the meat, and it was simple and so, so good. We made sure everything was sliced and easy to add to plates before we served it.

I also added lots of fresh veggies, like tomato, avocado, shredded lettuce, limes, and cilantro. The food added lots of bright colour to the table, and looked so delicious arranged on the different cutting boards.

I made some guacamole, and we had some chips too.

We also had some Mexican rice, and refried beans, along with bowls of sour cream, salsa, caso cheese dip, and my homemade baked beans. It was the perfect backyard menu, and fun being outside together grilling, and then feasting.

Backyard Fiesta Dessert

For our Mexican party dessert table, I set up a fun ice cream sundae bar at the edge of the patio, with delicious Mexican inspired toppings. We used a low bench that worked perfectly, so that everyone could easily help themselves.

The bowls made amazing ice cream bowls, especially after we fried them in hot oil and coated them in cinnamon sugar! They were crunchy and sweet and the perfect way to enjoy ice cream with grilled pineapple. Everyone raved about them, and they're an easy recipe to make.

what to serve for dessert at a fiesta themed party

Recipe

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Bowls and Grilled Pineapple Sundaes

Crispy tortilla bowls covered in sweet cinnamon sugar and filled with grilled pineapple and ice cream.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Dannyelle Nicolle-Ramjist