Thursday, October 25, 2012

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?

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17 comments:

  1. I love the way the bunting sign turned out and how it looked at the park for the party. It fit in so well with everything else you had.

    And the cake balls were simply awesome. Everyone loved them and I would be hard-pressed to say which one was my favorite, they were all soooo good. Anyone who decides to make any one of those cannot go wrong!

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    1. Thanks! Yeah I don't think anyone didn't like any of them or at least if they didn't, they didn't say anything to me. Good choice on the carrot cake balls, they were GOOD!

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  2. Thanks for posting these recipes! We don't have a TJ's that's less than a 2hr drive, boo! Do you have any suggestions for to substitute for the maple cookies? I can definitely make the m&m pretzel truffles though ; )

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    1. You could use Golden Oreos (or similar yellow sandwich cookie) and maybe add 1/2 tsp of maple flavoring.

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  3. Those just look yummy. I may have to give the maple ones a try. Those cookies look just like the maple cookies I've seen at Safeway so even though it's a different brand I'm sure they'd be the same thing. I just need to figure out a place to take all but one of them.

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    1. I'm sure the Safeway ones would be just fine, they probably have less calories too. The TJ's ones are 110 calories PER COOKIE! I almost keeled when I saw that after I bought them.

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  4. Mine favorite would probably be the carrot cake, although the thought of the maple with a pumpkin spice kiss in the middle is very interesting. I didn't even know there were such a thing so now have to go looking for them!All look so good I bet it is hard to limit to just one. Maybe I can make them for my nephew's football games this weekend and then just keep one back (of each) for me! Thanks!

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    1. The Maple Pumpkin Spice Kiss ones are very rich but the kiss is the perfect compliment to the maple. I have no idea what gave me that idea but I'm glad I had it! :)

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  5. There's no way I could choose a favorite, these all look too delicious! Think I'll just avoid making any of them, unless maybe the carrot cake balls to send to hubby's workplace for Halloween. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm going to make them all, and if hubby's co-workers get any, they'd better thank their lucky stars!

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    1. LOL...I guarantee you'd be the hit of the workplace if you made them. I know I am! ;)

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  6. I just so happen to have those maple cookies in the pantry right now! They are GOOD. It's so hard to limit myself to just one. All of these truffles sound so freaking good--I will take one of each!

    And you made me laugh with the sassy scrapbooking paper. Gonna go to Michael's and ask for that. :D

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    1. What a shame to have them on hand! HA! We split one the first time we tried it because we read after the fact they were 110 per cookies. I almost poo'd mahself!

      Yes, do be sure when you go to Michael's you ask specifically where they keep the "sassy" scrapbooking paper because no other paper will do!

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  7. You really do love that man. Like there was a question before. I'm gonna hire you for my next birthday :)

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    1. Yes I do! I'm glad it shows. :)

      If you ever need ideas, give me a theme and I'll see if I can come up with something. Of course, you're on Pinterest so it's not like you don't have a billion ideas at your fingertips!

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  8. Mmmmm pumpkin balls. Who would've thought that castrating a pumpkin would produce such a yummy treat! ;-) (The trick is you've gotta cut them up realllll high - I'm sure you've GOT to know that movie reference!)

    I definitely want to try the pumpkin truffles out when I have some time to experiment in the kitchen! It all looks delicious!

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  9. Ok, I had no idea you MADE the truffles. I thought you just bought them at some fab store. So yes...I'd like to reserve you for my next party. AWESOME!

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  10. I have to pick just one? Eeeeee...The carrot cake, no the maple, no...see the problem? Those were some very lucky guests! It was a lot of fun to follow along as you would talk about getting stuff ready. Nice to see the end result. You had me scouting Ebay yesterday for those mason jar lids - SO cute!

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