My favorite DIY craft found on Pinterest.

I found and pinned this site tonight.

Her {handmade gifts tutorial} are amazing and pretty. These are something I would like to try it out and to give to friends and family as present.

Below are a few of the 25 Handmade Gifts Under USD 5 I would like to make in the future.

Source: the36thavenue.com

Source: the36thavenue.com

Source: the36thavenue.com

 

Source: the36thavenue.com

 

Source: the36thavenue.com

For more please click {here}

Thank you for stopping by !

Petite Meringues with White Chocolate Pudding

I am sorry if you see that all pictures here are smaller. I do not know why when uploading picture the format has changed slightly. There is no font button, and images has became smaller. I hope this is temporarily and blogger should bring the old format back.

{2 hours later. I apologize, I did not know why the format changed but when  clicked 'custom' it went back to normal again. My bad ! I am fixing it right now!}

These little snowy white delicate tower meringues treats are pretty to display on the Christmas desert buffet. Although it taste a little sweet {it is meringue, you know} but eating it with White Chocolate Pudding is quite tasty. 

 

::Recipe::

PETITE MERINGUES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

~ 4 egg whites

 ~ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 ~ 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup extra-fine granulated sugar White Chocolate Pudding *Pomegranate seeds* (optional) Small fresh mint leaves (optional) 

1. Place egg whites in a large bowl; cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter and a pencil, trace 12 evenly spaced circles on each sheet of parchment. Turn parchment over; set a side. 

2. Preheat oven to 225 deg.F. For meringue; Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl over). Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). 

3. Spoon a rounded 1 tablespoon of meringue onto each parchment circle on the baking sheets. Using a thin metal spatula, spread as evenly as possible to the edge of each circle. Place baking sheets on separate oven racks; bake for 40 minutes. Turn off oven and allow meringues to dry in the oven overnight. 

4. To assemble each serving, spoon 1 teaspoon of the White Chocolate Pudding onto a serving plate (this will hold meringue in place). Top with a meringue, then about 1 tablespoon of the pudding, and finally a third meringue. If desired, garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Serve immediately. 

Makes 8 servings. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE PUDDING. In a medium bowl, beat 2 egg yolks with a fork, set aside. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 4 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir in 1-1/2 cups milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of the milk mixture to milk mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 4 ounces white baking chocolate (that contains cocoa butter), chopped; 1 tablespoon butter; and 1 teaspoon orange food flavoring or vanilla, stirring until melted. Pour pudding into a bowl. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Stir before assembling petite meringues. 

 Note. To easily remove pomegranate seeds, quarter a pomegranate and immerse the pieces in cold water. With the fruit under water, use your fingers to remove the seeds. Drain, reserving seeds, discard fruit. Prepare the White Chocolate Pudding and the meringues as directed through step 3. Chill pudding for up to 24 hours. Store meringues in the unheated oven. Just before serving, assemble as directed in step 4. 

{Aghhhh....this is so much better posting now !}

Good luck Everyone ?

 HAPPY HOLIDAY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL......

The Power of Positive Thinking

Have you ever encountered a situation where thing is going down the hill and you feel bad and sad then you start saying to yourself; it will be working out just fine ? 

Well I have the same situation just a few days a go. Although this is not a huge problem but I believe in positive thinking and the power that comes within.

As we all know that I love making vintage cake stand and I am selling them through my Etsy store called MelatiRose. 

Last time I was in Florida for a month and there were lots of purchasing through my store in Etsy during that month coming to Christmas time. One in particular is from Paris who asked about the cost of shipping of one of the cake stand that she interested in purchasing. I literally took a few plates and brought them over to the post office near our home in Florida so that I can provide her with the shipping cost estimation. The actual cake stand was in New York. Long story short we went back and forth and she agreed to put the cake stand on hold. So I did just that. But when I arrived in New York ready to ship it she backed out and decided not to purchase the cake stand because at this point she afraid it will not be arriving on time for Christmas Eve. So that is fine with me. Little disappointed but that's okay !

Then about 5 days a go someone asked if she paid the cake stand {different one} now could she  gets it on time by Dec. 24th. I immediately check usps.com  on the internet and found out that it takes 1 week to get to her zip code and the next day was Saturday.  I told her if she paid now I will ship it tomorrow {which was Saturday} she will get it by Dec. 22. I did not hear from her. At this point I packaged the cake stand ready to go for shipment on Saturday morning. A day past by, 2 days past by. I did not hear from her. So I figured by this time there is no way she could get the cake stand on time unless she is willing to pay for an express overnight package which can cost a lot just for shipping. So another cake stand that did not sale !

3 days a go I opened my Etsy account found that similar plate bought and paid by another person along with 2 of my vintage earrings. Yes, that same cake stand. But saw a note  below the invoice saying that she is collecting vintage cobalt blue and gold accent china and asked if I can change the top smallest plate with the same color; cobalt blue with gold accent. And she added by saying that the cake stand is so pretty !

Now, this is the power of positive thinking comes in. When the first person did not reply I knew somebody else will eventually buy this cake stand. And I was thinking to change the listing by changing the smallest plate to the same cobalt blue with gold accent like the middle plate and the bottom plate so they will be all similar in cobalt blue with gold accent theme. I happened to buy vintage plates everywhere I go if I see something that I liked and something that I can add to my current for sale cake stands to make them prettier. Recently in Florida I bought cobalt blue with gold accent small plate ready to replace the current one. See things comes in full circle as I was about to change it this person could read my mind and asked for a similar one which I happened to have. Because sometimes this request can not be fulfilled simply because I do not have the item.

Immediately I said to her; of course I would be happy too because I was about to change it anyway without additional charge. Not only that she purchased the cake stand she also bought 2 pair of vintage earrings along with the cake stand. So it is a happy ending story for me.

 

You see, it's not always about the money but I am happy when someone appreciates my creation and my choice in making and choosing these one of a kind cake stands. I put a lot of time searching on the internet for these plates so that they will look good together. I have to be extra careful with price also. Because some of them are really pretty but they cost almost a USD 100.00 per plate. If it is too expensive no one will buy them. So I must find the pretty one that is affordable so that I can make an affordable price for people to purchase as well.

They said, it is a lot easier to make a business if you really love doing what you are doing. And I love pretty vintage plates. Not only that I love mix and match them very much ! I love the process of creating it and see them becoming into one pretty cake stand and finally sold to someone who really loves them. I love it !

So back to the topic of this post, in life, thing like this happened to me so many times. I feel blessed and grateful for what I have right now. Sometimes little thing like this makes life so meaningful and so much more beautiful. 

I believe what ever you do; if you do it with 'passion,'' patient', 'hard work' and 'believe'; success eventually will be coming to you. Life is a journey. Everything in your life comes down to these 5 words.

 

Do you see that I changed the smallest top plate to similar theme; cobalt blue rim with gold accent ? It looks so much more beautiful now ! I think she will like them. Now that the smallest plate has similar cobalt blue and gold theme I kind a love this cake stand myself. Hhhhmmmm...!!

Thank you so much for stopping by !

Nov.-Dec. Picture Journal & Collage

I love the antique brown wood furniture and aged golden picture frame. The settee adds elegance and timeless beauty to the interior.

Thank you for coming and visit me......?

Christmas Dinner Table Setting With Gold Accent

I love those wine goblets with gold leaf DIY so much {last seen here} that I thought it would be a good idea to use them as  Christmas dinner table center piece.

Using what I have at the time, I was able to create this intimate Christmas diner table setting for four.

Do you see the motifs I painted using gold leaf on the rim of the wine goblets ?

Thank you for stopping by !

Christmas Macarons in a Gold Leaf Rim Wine Goblets {DIY}

I have not been making macaron in a while so I was facing troubles in making these macarons. After 5 times trying and wasted 10 eggs and failed I finally was able to make these Christmas pretty little macarons. I could not believe that I used to make these macarons with my eyes closed {well not really} but just like 1, 2, 3 and voila....out of the oven my pretty macarons. Not this time ! I guess baking macaron is not like baking chocolate cookies. You have to keep on practicing, once you stopped making it; it will be like start to learn on 'how to bake macarons' all over again. Well, at least that's what was happening to me.

I have been shopping at Goodwill in Delray, Florida for these pretty little wine goblets. I particularly looked for the ones that has a nice looking stem; kind a vintage and rare. They were only 1 or 2 similar one on the rack. But I did not care if they were all different because I like them when they are all not the same. I hand carried these wine goblets in the airplane to our home in New York. And I thought I could make some thing pretty out of these pretty dainty wine goblets.

Well guess what ! I gold leaf them ! And thought it would be pretty to put Christmas macarons red and green in them. An inspiration for Christmas food decor.

These are how they look like after gold leaving them. They were just regular plain wine goblet before. {I forget to take pictures to see the before and after}

The step by step.

What you need ;

~ An area or table cover with newspaper or table cloth to protect the furniture.

~ Gold leaf adhesive size "Monaliza" brand.

~ A pack of gold leaf "Art Minds" available at any art store.

~ Brush 1 inch size

~ Small brush to apply the gold leaf adhesive size

~ Tweezer 

~ A glass dish, wine goblet, or anything you want to gold leaf on. {here I have a glass dish that I want to put dot patterns on the top part of the bowl.}

First clean and dry the outer surface of your {let's say} glass bowl. Shake the adhesive size bottle before using it. Then dip the tip of the small brush in to the adhesive size, with the glass dish in your left hand start painting a motif. The adhesive size will look white like thin  milk but it dries very quickly (about 5 to 10 minutes) and because the surface of the glass is clear you will not see the applied size motifs but when the milky adhesive start to disappear and became clear and sticky then put the gold leaf on the painted area. {see below picture} tap it with your finger so that the gold leaf will cover all area that you painted on with adhesive size before. The gold leaf will stick to the adhesive size motifs. When you cover the whole area of adhesive with gold leaf then take your big brush and brush the whole surface in circular motion. The part that does not have adhesive size will comes off like a gold dust. Be sure to brush all motifs so that you will get a nice gold leaf motifs. That's all there is to it !

I have applied adhesive size of dot motifs on this dish below {but you can not see it because it has dried and clear looking}

I applied the gold leaf on the painted area and tap it with a finger. I can only suggest that you work per section until you finished with the whole edge rim of the dish. It is easier that way.

Then brush it off in a circular motion. Do you see the small particle of gold leaf falls off? Those are the part that does not stick on the adhesive. The part that stick to the adhesive size will create a pattern just like you did with the painted adhesive size.

I am finished gold leaving this dish.

I love how these wine goblets and the dish looks like now !

So what is your Christmas decor DIY this year ?

Thank you for stopping by !

Christmas Gift Wraps {DIY}

I always love hand made gift wraps. I remember when I was a small child I was always excited and asked my mother that I am the one who should wrap the presents but of course she won't let me because I can not do a neat job as she did. So I can only watched her doing it. Now thinking back I too has becoming like her; crafty and neat ! How I wish she is here with me to witness these gift wraps that I created. She will be thrilled to create one as well.

"Mom, these are for you. You are not here with me but I am thinking of you !"

What you need.

~ Any plain paper

~ Varieties acrylic water base color. I am using American craft acrylic paint available at Michaels and Acrylic artist colors.

~ Scissor

~ Brush

~ Martha Stewart rubber cling stamps {Christmas motifs}

~ Tape

~ Small cup of water

~ Small paint palette or plate to apply the paint on the brush.

Choose a working area to work this project on or you can use news paper on the table so you won't get the paint all over the furniture. Then take the plain paper cut into sizes as the size of your gift boxes to wrap. Do as many as your gifts boxes are. Then squeeze just a small amount of paint on to the plate. Take your brush just dip the tip on the water {be very careful as you do not want the brush too wet it will not make a nice pattern as it will look blotchy with lots of water} With your brush take generous amount of paint and brush on the stamp. Gently press the stamp on the paper. You might want to have a testing paper just for you to get the right paint to be able to get a nice clear pattern first. Do as many patterns and colors as you like. {As picture below} Let it dry for 10 minutes then wrap all of your gift boxes.

The embellishments

For this the sky is the limit. You can use pretty much anything as long as it is small or it would be nice if the size of the embellishment is in balance with the size of the box. And oh, what ever you think is pretty. Here I have; vintage flower, Christmas ornaments I bought from Michaels for USD 0.90, rhinestone embellishment I bought at Michaels for jewelry making, vintage ribbon, vintage trimmings, and cords to tie the box together.

Do you have a home made gift wrap that you did recently ? I love to see them.

Thank you so much for stopping by !