The Mr's Birthday Party Tutorials: Part 2

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's post with the tutorials for some of the decorations at the Mr's birthday party.  I've got a few more for ya today.

Let's get started.

Scissors
Hole Punch
Craft Paint
Tape
Pencil
Card Stock Bunting template
Twine or string of your choice
Sassy solid color scrapbooking paper (12x12 get 2 bunting triangles per sheet)
Large stencils
Foam brush/stamp for applying paint


Trace around the bunting triangle template (homemade- just cut one to the size you want and use it for all of the triangles).  Cut the triangle out.

All ready to be decorated!  Center the stencil on your triangle and tape it down so it doesn't move when you blot on the paint.

Pour your paint out onto something you can throw away or wash and dap your foam brush in it.  Start filling in the stencil with the paint.

You can either blot or drag it.  I think I did a little of both.  Then gently remove the stencil to reveal your finished piece and let it dry.  Repeat until you have your banner spelled out.

You'll notice with stencils that there are gaps in the letter.  If you don't mind it that way, leave it as is.  If you're like me and don't like them, carefully fill them in to create a solid look.

Repeat until they're all done.  Hole punch each letter on both sides so you can string the twine through.

For the numbers, I just found the numbers I needed in an online image search and blew them up to print on a piece of card stock, cut them out and then traced them on the snazzy paper and cut them out.  Since I don't like it when banners say "Happy 40 Birthday", I freestyled a "th" to slap on the 40.  After I cut it out, I put some double stick tape on the back and pressed it on the zero.

Then I gathered all the letters and numbers and strung them together weaving them in and out until all of the bunting was strung.

How's about those truffles everyone was asking about?  Well, here ya go...

This one was high on the Mr's list of treats.  He LOVES carrot cake and cake balls?  Well, that just sends it over the edge.  I'm  gonna be honest, on these recipes, I didn't take pictures of the dipping process because I was over the top out of my mind with frustration but I know you guys can follow written directions so let's get to the stuff I did take pics of.

Bake then break a carrot cake.  I used a box mix subbing applesauce for the oil.  Then cool the cake and break it up in a big bowl.

Add 1/2 can of cream cheese frosting to the bowl.  Using a pastry cutter or a big spoon, combine the frosting to the cake.

Once it comes together and you can ball the mixture up and it sticks, you're ready to roll.  Literally.  Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out a little of the cake mixture and roll it into a ball.

Insert a small mini pretzel stick into the top.  This is either where you freeze them for future use or freeze them for 15 minutes then dip them.

Melt down vanilla bark and dip each ball using the pretzel as a stick.  Put each ball down on a waxed paper and sprinkle orange sanding sugar on top.  Don't even get me started as to why I didn't use colored melts and I think these looked pretty cute!

Moving on to the Maple Pumpkin Spice Kiss Truffles in the favor boxes...

What you'll need:

1 box Trader Joe's Maple Cookies
2-4 tbsp fat free non-dairy creamer
Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses
Vanilla Bark coating
Sprinkles

Put the cookies in the food processor and give them a whirl.  When they look like crumbs, add the creamer one tablespoon at a time.  (I used creamer over cream cheese because these would be out at room temperature)  When the crumbs bind together in a ball, its time to grab the small cookie scoop.

Unwrap a pumpkin spice Hershey kiss and push it into the ball and cover it with the truffle batter that pushes out of the scoop.  Melt down the vanilla bark and dip the truffles.  (I poured the melted bark over the top, then added the sprinkles.  When it was hard, I dipped the bottom in the bark)  Then when you take a bite, you've got this...

Last one...

For these you'll need:
1 box of Nutter Butters
2-4 tbsp fat free non-dairy creamer
Pretzel M&M's
Chocolate Bark
Sprinkles

Put the Nutter Butters in the food processor and whirl 'em until they're crumb-y.

Grab your creamer and add it 1 tbsp at a time then give it a whirl after every addition.

When it binds together, grab your scoop.

Push a pretzel M&M in the center and cover the M&M with the remaining truffle batter.  The candy coating on the M&M's will keep the pretzel all crunchy and yummy.

Melt down the chocolate bark and pour the chocolate over the top with a small spoon and smooth it to coat.  Add your sprinkles to the top.  When it hardens, dip the bottom in the melted bark and put them on a piece of wax paper.

These made the Mr's eyes roll in the back of his head.  I loved them too.

Oh, if you're looking for nutritional info on all of these, you're not going to find it because they were not made with caloric intake in mind.  I'll just say keep it to one of each.  *wink*

I hope you guys have enjoyed these tutorials!  I know I had fun making it all and people really seemed to enjoy everything.

Which truffle/cake ball looks like it would be your favorite?

====================

Like this post? Don't miss another one...subscribe via email or RSS feed. Prefer social media? I'm also on Facebook and Twitter