Strawberry Roses for Valentine's

We are getting closer to Valentine's Day and "love is in the air." So, here is a very creative idea that someone sent me. Beautiful, interesting and can be used to decorate a chocolate cake or as a bouquet. 

These roses made out of strawberries seem to be easy enough to make, and you can use regular straws to hold the stems. If you make a bouquet to give to someone, make sure to wrap it in a beautiful cellophane paper and decorate with a beautiful bow. Do not use tissue paper.
Thank you for stopping by. May the God, who is love, bless you and yours. 

Vanias Reed    

Money Candles

Before I start posting Valentine's Day projects, I'd like to share a birthday card that I made for my nephew with you. I saw this idea on a website, and I really liked it. So here is my version.

Supplies needed to make this card
Paper: Natural, brown, orange and white cardstock. Nature stripes paper (recollections)
Tools: Cutting/ embossing machine, stripes embossing folder (the Paper Studios), eyelet settler, precision scissors, orange-red colored pencil
Stamp: Happy Birthday! (Stampabilities)
Ink: Espresso (Recollections)
Embellishments: eyelets, "candles" made out of dollar bills, candle "fire"

This is a simple, but very cute idea for a young man or a boy. 

Thank you for stopping by. God bless you.

Vanias Reed    

First Anniversary

One year ago today I published my first post to start this blog, which I called "New Beginnings".  I cannot believe that a whole year has gone by already. It all began because I wanted to share some of the things I have learned about and have come to love. But God has been so good to me that out of this came a small business. So today I want to thank all of you who have visited my blog, pinned, liked, used and shared my projects. Most of all I want to thank God for inspiring me and giving me the ability to create and make things, and I want to thank my husband for his huge support. 
Here is a little bit of what has been published here.

Paper Creations

ETC

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

May the Lord of lords, the Creator of everything, Fountain of all creativity and Loving God bless you and yours.

Vanias Reed  

Creamy Sweet Corn Bread

Here is another delicious recipe for these cold days.

Ingredients

1 cup fine corn meal

2 cups milk

1 can sweet condensed milk

1 can water (use the empty sweet condensed milk can)

 3 eggs

 2 tbsp butter

 1 tbsp vegetable oil

 1 1/2 cups sugar

 3oz grated parmesan cheese

 1 tsp baking powder

 1 pinch salt

Using a blender, blend milk, condensed milk and water. Add eggs, oil and butter. In a medium bowl mix corn meal, sugar, cheese, baking powder and salt. Add the dry mix to blender jar slowly. Blend everything a little more until well mixed. Spray PAM on a 9in x 13in baking pan and coat with corn meal. Bat at 350F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Thank you for stopping by. Keep warm and God bless you.

 Vanias Reed  

Creamy Hot Chocolate

Now that I live in the south I love winter because it is not as severe as in the north. Today, for instance, we woke up to a temperature of 41 degrees. So nice and dry. Now what goes really well with a cold weather? Hot cocoa of course. So today, I'm posting a recipe for a delicious, creamy, rich hot chocolate that I tried when I went to a town on a mountain in Brazil. Enjoy.

  Creamy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

½ cup table cream

½ cup milk

1 tbsp sweet condensed milk

3oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped cream and cinnamon (optional)

In a pan stir and heat table cream, milk and sweet condensed milk in medium heat until thick. Turn off heat and add the chocolate chips. Mix well until chocolate is completely melted. Put back on stove and, in medium heat, stir it until creamy. Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Variations: Use mint baking chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a minty taste.

Add 1tsp of honey if you like your hot cocoa sweeter.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Stay warm and have a blessed winter.

Vanias Reed  

New Year's Resolution

This year make a resolution that will last forever, invite the Christ of CHRISTmas to be the Lord of your life./ Faca uma resolucao de ano novo que dure para sempre. Convide Jesus para ser o Senhor da sua vida.

Thank you all of you who have visited my blog during 2013, enjoyed and used my ideas, created and handmade cards and gifts, but most of all read and accepted the message of God's love for you. I wish you a very blessed 2014.

Vanias Reed  

Table Decor for the New Year

I cannot believe 2013 is pretty much over! Here comes 2014. Are you excited to begin a new year? Do you have a celebration with friends and family? Here are a couple of ideas you can use for your New Year's dinner table or save for next Christmas. Wow! Did I say next Christmas already? hahahahaha

The napkin folded as a Christmas tree is not my idea. You can find it at the link posted with the picture below, but the star is. It's a die-cut that you can use to replace the place card. I used gold scrapbook paper (Recollections) and a glitter green gel pen. 

Another idea is the place mat. This one is from the dollar store. Sew a piece of fabric, poinsettias and gold beads (middle of poinsettias) to it, and you have a beautifully decorated place mat for your table.

Here is the "how to" make the Christmas tree with the napkin. The idea is from Handimania 

 I hope you have a wonderful 2014, full of God's presence and blessings. 

Vanias Reed