Rosie's Yummy Cakepops

I tried my first cakepop at Starbucks and I loved it.  The small size gives just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your healthy eating habits.  Rosie's cakepops kick it up a notch in their creativity and colorfulness.  They look too cute to eat!  See below for a recent sampling of cakepops she baked. 

Hamburger pops

Candy Cane Pops

Turkey Pops

MP Soap: Gingerbread Men Lollipop Soaps

Project Level:
Estimated Time: 1/2 Hour
Yields: (24) Lollipop Soaps

These clever little soaps make great presents by themselves or even to add to your gift wrap for a festive pop.  You can also make a version of this in paper if you are in a rush!

Ingredients
  • 2 Pound(s) Extra Clear Soap
  • 1 Chromium Oxide Green Pigment Color Bar
  • 1 Red Oxide Pigment Color Bar
  • 2 Ounce(s) Fragrance Oil - your choice
  • 24 Piece(s) Gingerbread Men (Mini) Toys
  • 1 Guest Round - Silicone Mold
Equipment
  • Cello Bags 2.5 x 2 x 6
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Freezer
  • Glass Pyrex Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Microwave
  • Mixing Spoons
  • Plastic Bottle with Alcohol (spritzing)
  • Plastic Dropper
  • Soap Pop Sticks
  • Thermometer
Directions

From: Wholesale Supplies Plus

NOTE: If you are making these products for sale, good manufacturing practices recommend you wear a hairnet, gloves and a mask. We also recommend a clean apron.

Place silicone mold on cookie sheet to make it easy to move when placing in freezer.

Remove clear soap from 2 lb. plastic tray. Cut off one of the 4 squares which will be 8 oz.

Cut 8 oz. block into smaller chunks and place in glass pyrex cup.

Remove 1 square from the red pigment color bar. Add 1/2 of the square to the cut up clear soap. This will melt along with the soap.

Heat in microwave until completely melted. Remove from oven.

Add 7.5 ml of Mulberry fragrance and mix well.

Carefully pour into mold cavities. Fill each cavity about 3/4 full. Spritz top of soap with alcohol.

Place in freezer for about 5 minutes.

While soap is setting up, cut off another 8 oz. block of clear soap. Cut up into chunks and place in separate glass pyrex cup.

Place cup in microwave and heat until melted. Remove from oven.

Add 7.5 ml of Mulberry fragrance. Mix well.

Spritz top of red soap with alcohol. Checking to be sure temperature of melted soap is no higher than 125 degrees, carefully pour clear soap over the red.

Take a gingerbread man and place in center of each soap cavity. Spritz top of soap with alcohol.

Let set at room temperature for about 10 minutes. To check soap, gently press down on top of soap. If it is hard, it is ready to unmold. You want to be able to unmold the soap but have it soft enough to push the popsicle stick through.

Placing soap mold into freezer will speed up the process but can also make the soap brittle and it may crack or separate when pushing stick into soap.

Taking one popsicle stick, gently push into the colored soap behind the gingerbread man.

Place each lollipop into cello bag and tie with ribbon.

You will have a small amount of red soap left. You can melt this and pour into 1 or 2 cavities depending on the amount of soap left.

Repeat above steps using the green color bar and continue making lollipops until all soap and toys have been used.

Recipe should yield 24 lollipops - 12 red and 12 green or whatever color combination you would like.

New use for Sake boxes

Having just returned from Japan, I miss all things Japanese!  Found this great use for sake boxes....and of course, directions to make them.

Wooden sake boxes topped with plastic wrap can be used as miniature greenhouses for a gift of cuttings. Drill four drainage holes in the bottom of each box. For scented geraniums, like the ones pictured here, cut actively growing shoots with at least three leaves from healthy plants. Fill the sake boxes with vermiculite; water until moistened. Use a chopstick to make a hole in the vermiculite, and insert a cutting. Settle the vermiculite around the cutting, covering at least one leaf node, and rewater. Heavy-duty plastic wrap, supported by 18-gauge copper wire, retains humidity. Insert one end of a 9-inch-long piece of copper wire into the vermiculite in one corner of the box; bend the wire diagonally across the top of the box, and insert the other end in the opposite corner. Do the same with a second piece of wire, crossing the first, as shown. Hold the plastic wrap in place with a rubber band. Create a name card for the cutting with care instructions inside, and tuck it into the rubber band.
From our friend martha.

Geeky Cupcake

To follow on the Star Wars theme from last week...this funny little cupcake may put a smile on your face

Jaba Cupcake.  Not sure who took the photo but here's where I found it.

if you have any funny food pictures, send them my way and you may see it posted here!

Gift Idea: Making flavored sugars

Scented sugar adds a subtle perfume and flavor to coffee, fruit desserts, and baked goods. Layer granulated sugar with aromatic edibles like scented geranium leaves, rose petals, orange and lemon peel (first set out for a day to dry), or vanilla beans. Mix small batches, and let them sit for a few days in tightly sealed jars while the scents infuse the sugar. One jar or a trio serves makes an unusual present for whomever you think could use a little sweetness.

I received vanilla sugar as a gift and I loved it in sugar cookies, as well as adding to tea for a subtle vanilla layer.

From our friend Martha.

Annie's Capri Sun Pencil Pouch

My little friend Annie turned her lunch time juice boxes into this unique pencil pouch.  She hand stitched them together!  Click here to learn to make your own or to try your hand at totes, belts, and other crafts from capri sun juice pouches.

Saturday morning farmers market

Love how these butternut squashes stay warm!  Those ear muffs and knittted caps are way too cute! This clever display made me smile, and now I want to go buy a bunch of butternut squash and knit cute little accessories for them!  What about a scarf with leftover yarn?

Photo by Weezie

 

I didn't get the squash but I did get some colorful flowers and made a small litlle bouquet for my neighbors.  I may need to take a flower arranging class but I think that's not bad for an amateur.  

Anyway, here's a picture to wish you a "happy Saturday"!

Photo by Weezie