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This sampler book © 2012 by Quirk Productions, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
e-ISBN: 978-1-59474-642-0
Microcrafts copyright © 2011 by Quirk Productions, Inc.
Crafting with Cat Hair copyright © 2009 by Kaori Tsutaya
Craft-a-Day copyright © 2012 by Sarah Goldschadt
Pure Vanilla copyright © 2012 by Shauna Sever
Booze Cakes copyright © 2012 by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone
Marshmallow Madness! copyright © 2012 by Shauna Sever
The Cookiepedia copyright © 2011 by Quirk Productions, Inc.
The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook copyright © 2012 by Lindsay Landis
Tiny Food Party! copyright © 2012 by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park
Witch Craft copyright © 2010 by Quirk Productions, Inc.
Quirk Books 215 Church St. Philadelphia, PA 19106
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Thank you for downloading the Quirk Books D.I.Y. Gift Guide, curated by Homemade Quirk!
Homemade Quirk is a cozy little community for do-it-yourself adventurers to share stories and ideas and meet new friends. We offer crafting advice for repurposing old books. We put booze in our ice-cream cakes. We promulgate our love of bacon. We give away cool stuff and much, much more. This holiday season we invite you to D.I.Y. your way through your gift- giving list. Here we’ve rounded up some of the best crafts and baked goods that Quirk Books has to offer. So if you have special people on your list who appreciate cute and quirky items and edibles, use this guide to create one-of-a-kind presents that will show them just how well you know them and just how much you care. If you want to share your creations or are just looking for more original D.I.Y. projects, join us and our fun friends at Homemade Quirk online.
homemadequirk.comtwitter.com/homemadequirk
facebook.com/homemadequirk
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Cont entsfor the bookwormTiny Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Cat Book Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Lightning Bolt T-Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
for the lovebirdsFlower Sticks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Vanilla-Bean Meringue Kisses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Pink Champagne Cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
for the kidsMallow Cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Whale Onesie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Temporary Tattoos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
for the animal loverCat Portraits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Animal Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Dog Gadget Sleeve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
for the foodieCandy Charms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Inside-Out Cookie Dough Truffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Homemade Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Sugar. . . . . . . . . 42
for the geekSolar System Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Mini Homemade Pop Tarts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Bottled Potions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
For the Bookworm
For friends and family who love to read, we’ve got the perfect homemade gifts! Make miniature books, cat book covers, or lightning bolt T-shirts for Potter fans.
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tiny BooksFrom Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share by Margaret McGuire,
Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, and Friends
With paper odds and ends, you can make miniature books to display on your bookshelves or give to your friends. This project by Microcrafts contributor
Melissa Jacobson also shows you how to insert a loop or eye hook in case you want to turn your miniature books into charms or earrings. You can even
tie them to ribbons to make the perfect bibliophile bookmarks!
supplies
1 8-by-5-in sheet office paper
Craft knife and cutting mat
Ruler
2 1-by-11⁄8-in sheets decorative paper
1 1-by-1 1⁄8-in sheet of scrap paper
Foam or cardboard scrap
Awl or sturdy pushpin
Nylon thread and embroidery needle
1 2-by-1-in (at least) piece of thick card stock or thin board
Craft glue
1 2-by-1-in sheet decorative paper (for the cover)
Wax paper scraps (optional)
1. Make the book’s interior by folding the 8-by-5 ∏-inch office paper 3 times. Trim the unfolded edge
to 7⁄8 inch wide. Cut the remaining piece widthwise into 5 sections that are each 7⁄8 by 1 1⁄8 inches;
these will be the signatures, or groups of pages in the book. When folded, each signature will have 16
pages, or 8 leaves.
2. Make the endpapers by folding the 2 1 ∏- by-1 1⁄8-inch decorative papers in half, matching the size
of the 7⁄8 -by-1 1⁄8 -inch signatures. These endpapers will attach to the inside of the cover.
3. Make a sewing template (for binding the book) by folding the scrap paper in half to measure ∂ by 1 1⁄8 inches. Open the paper and lay it on foam or cardboard. using an awl or pushpin, punch 5 holes in the
fold. (Mark the top with a pencil so you know which way is up.) use the template and the awl to punch
5 holes into the fold of each signature and endpaper. Keep track of the top of each so that the holes
align when you sew everything together.
4. Make the book block by aligning and sewing together the endpapers and signatures, following the
numerical order shown in the diagram (see next page). Note that solid lines indicate stitches outside
the folded edge (spine), and dotted lines indicate stitches inside the fold. Knot the thread at the end
of the stitches to secure.
fold fold fold fold
5¾" 5¾" 5¾" 5¾"
8" 4" 2" 1"
sewing template
continued...
8
5. Make the cover by cutting the card stock into 3 pieces to fit the front, spine, and back of the book
block. Glue the pieces to the wrong (back) side of the 2 ∏-by-1 ∏-inch decorative paper, leaving a
very small space between them, as shown. After the glue dries, trim the corners of the paper, leaving
enough to fold over the card stock. Apply a small amount of glue around the edges of the paper and
fold it over the card stock, tucking the corners in.
6. Glue the cover to the endpapers on the outside of the book block. press the book under a heavy object
(we recommend Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition). To prevent glue from seeping
onto the book’s pages, place wax paper between the inside covers and endpapers.
7. To add a belly band like the turquoise one on page 6, cut a 1⁄8-inch slit ∑ inch from the bottom edge
of a ∑-by-2∏-inch strip of decorative paper. Wrap the belly band tightly around your finished book,
mark where the slit touches the opposite end of the strip, and cut a 1⁄8-inch slit from the top edge at
this point. Now wrap the belly band around your book and slide the two slits into each other to fasten.
start
end*
5055
56
57
58
54
5352
51
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
4039
38
3736
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22†
2120
19
18
17
16
1514
13*
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
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*step 13 and end: tie knot with loose end
† step 22: loop around step 9, repeat loop at each top and bottom stitch
5 signaturesendpaper endpaper
trim the cover’s corners
cover widthfold fold cut
cut spine width spine width
belly band
tiny Books, Cont.
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1. Cut your sheet of felt to the proper size to match the book. Fold one edge over and apply the strip of
cotton tape to the opposite side. secure everything with dress pins. With the sewing machine, sew 1⁄8 in from the top and bottom edges, sewing over both ends of the inside flap and the cotton tape to
secure.
Hint: It’s also okay if you cut straight across the felt using pinking shears.
2. Trace one of the cat designs below onto cardboard or create your own.
supplies
Cat hair, a mound just big enough to fill both hands
Cardboard
pencil or pen
Craft knife
Cutting mat
Felting needle
sponge
1 sheet of store-bought felt (typically 7 by 14 inches to cover a hardcover book, 6 by 14 inches to cover a paperback book)
Cotton tape
A bit of felt, for decorations
TOOls
Whatever other things you want to use, like a sewing machine, sewing thread, dress pins, or scissors
Cat Book CoversFrom Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat
by Kaori Tsutaya, translated from the Japanese by Amy Hirschman
All the cat-hair felt crafts in Crafting with Cat Hair are made using a simple stabbing technique and a felting needle. You can use whatever type of cloth you like for
the sheet-felt base, but wool (as opposed to cotton) is really the most suitable. The surface is smooth like tweed, and the texture is closer to that of the cat-hair felt.
Hardcover
Paperback
2 inches
2 inches
cott
on t
ape
cott
on t
ape
continued...
cat patterns
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3. On top of the cutting mat, use the craft knife to cut out your cat pattern (previous page).
4. place the pattern wherever you like on the sheet of felt and then place that on top of the sponge.
5. Hold the pattern down firmly to keep it from slipping, put the cat hair into the design area, and stab
evenly with the felting needle to secure the shape.
6. After you have applied the cat hair, remove the pattern. At this stage, the contours of the design are
still rough.
7. poke neatly around the contour of the design to secure it.
8. Cut out designs from your other felt sheets for decoration and attach them with your felting needle
for a perfect finish.
Cat Book Covers, Cont.
TIP: If you want to use cloth rather than felt, you’ ll need to manage it so that the edges won’t fray. You can prepare for this by increasing the measurements a little.
step 3
step 5
step 7
step 4
step 6
step 8
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1. Trace the bolt design below onto the nonwaxy side of freezer paper with a pencil.
2. On a self-healing cutting mat, use craft knife to cut out and discard the lightning bolt shape, keeping
the shape around it to use as a stencil.
3. place T-shirt on ironing board with towel underneath. position freezer-paper stencil with the waxy
side down and iron it onto the T-shirt.
4. Mix craft paint with fabric medium (2:1 ratio) to make fabric paint; put a piece of cardboard inside
the T-shirt.
5. spread yellow fabric paint inside stencil. let air-dry for 24 to 28 hours.
6. peel off and discard freezer-paper stencil. iron for 30 seconds to heat-set the design.
supplies
pencil
Freezer paper
self-healing cutting mat
Craft knife
T-shirt
ironing board and iron
Towel
Yellow craft paint
Fabric medium
Cardboard
paintbrush
Lightning BoLt t-shirtFrom Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects by Sarah Goldschadt
Harry Potter fans and book nerds, unite! Here’s a simple do-it-yourself iron-on that doesn’t require any special supplies.
TIP: No need to buy expensive fabric paint! A jar of fabric medium will last forever. Just mix it with any water-based paint to make your own wash-able, waterproof fabric paint.
For the LoveBirds
Make something special for your
sweetie or anyone dear to your
heart. With a bouquet of paper
flowers, a box of homemade
vanilla-bean meringue kisses,
or a lovely pink champagne
cake, it’s fun and easy to show
how much you care.
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1. Trace the flower below onto parchment paper with a pencil.
2. Transfer pattern and cut shapes out of purple and yellow card stock.
3. Arrange flower centers as shown on the previous page. Glue in place.
4. Tape to the ends of bamboo skewers.
supplies
pencil
parchment paper
purple and yellow card stock
scissors
Glue stick
Clear tape
Bamboo skewers
FLower stiCksFrom Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects by Sarah Goldschadt
Trace, cut, and tape your way to a pretty paper bouquet for that special someone. These flowers make a great gift on a holiday or any day.
Instant bouquet— no watering required!
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1. position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 200°F.
line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, cream of
tartar, and salt on medium-high speed until very foamy and just barely holding shape, about 2 minutes.
3. sift sugars together into a small bowl and then gradually add sugars to egg-white mixture, continuing
to beat until batter holds firm peaks, about 3 minutes more. increase mixer speed to high and beat for
1 final minute, adding vanilla extract and vanilla bean caviar.
4. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large round or star tip.
5. pipe meringues about 1 ∂ inches in diameter onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch be-
tween them. Bake until meringues are firm and crisp, about 1 ∂ hours. Turn off oven, open the door
slightly, and let meringues cool completely in oven, about 1 hour more. store in an airtight container
for up to 1 week.
iNGRedieNTs
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
∑ teaspoon cream of tartar
∑ teaspoon salt
∂ cup granulated sugar
∂ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 ∂ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Caviar of ∂ vanilla bean
vaniLLa-Bean meringue kissesFrom Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques by Shauna Sever
Meringue nears the top of our list of Best Foods on the Entire Planet. It’s so beautiful and delicious in its simplicity and serves as a backdrop for so many different flavors and add-ins. But, as purists, we find its angelic texture and melting sweetness ideal for showcasing pure vanilla flavor. It’s a delicious treat that your darling will love.
Makes 4 dozen 1 ½-inch kisses.
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1. preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. in a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. in a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar 3
to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat in egg whites one at a time.
3. Mix in food coloring. Beat in flour mixture and champagne in three alternating additions, starting
and ending with flour to prevent curdling. pour batter into pans and bake 35 minutes, or until a knife
inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. For the frosting: in a mixing bowl, beat butter 1 minute. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar,
champagne, milk, vanilla, and food coloring; beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Once cake has cooled completely, place bottom layer on a cake plate and spread half the frosting
overtop. Add top layer and cover with frosting.
FOR THe CAKe
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
∂ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg whites
A few drops red food coloring
2 cups champagne
FOR THe piNK CHAMpAGNe FROsTiNG
∏ cup (1∂ sticks) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
∂ cup champagne
∑ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
A few drops red food coloring
Pink ChamPagne CakeFrom Booze Cakes: Confections Spiked with Spirits, Wine, and Beer
by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone
Traditionally, a champagne cake is a white cake layered with rum, Bavarian or whipped cream filling, pink buttercream icing—and not an ounce of champagne! This recipe
lightens the crumb by including a splash of bubbly. Any way you slice it, this light dessert is perfect for giving to dear ones on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and especially
New Year’s Eve. Makes 1 layer cake.
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For the kidsSimple crafts and edible treats are fun to make with—and for—little ones. Whip up a batch of dreamy delicious mallow cones, stencil a baby blue whale onto a onesie or
kiddie T-shirt, or make and share cool homemade temporary
tattoos in any design you like!
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1. Make the cones: position a rack near the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. line baking sheets
with a silicone baking mat or lightly butter it. in a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar,
butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Whisk in the flour. scoop 4 two teaspoon-sized spoonfuls onto
the sheet. use a small offset spatula or your fingertip to thinly smooth the batter into 4-inch rounds.
Bake until the rounds are lightly golden all over and deeply golden at the edges, 8 to 9 minutes. Working
quickly, roll each circle around a large pastry tip to form a cone and pinch the ends together. Rest them
on a wire cooling rack; they will crisp as they cool. if the rounds become too firm before you’ve rolled
them, pop the sheet back into the oven for 30 seconds to soften them. Repeat until all the batter is
used. (if not using a silicone baking mat, butter the sheet pan before each batch.)
2. Make the marshmallow batter: Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften
for 5 minutes.
3. stir together the sugar, ∑ cup of the corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240°F. Meanwhile, pour remaining ∑ cup
corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on
high until completely melted, about 30 seconds. pour it into the mixer bowl. set the mixer speed to
low and keep it running.
4. When the syrup reaches 240°F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. increase the speed to medium and
beat for 5 minutes. increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting
for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla; the finished marshmallow will be opaque white, fluffy,
and tripled in volume. Beat in coloring and flavoring if desired.
5. load the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe it into the cones. decorate with
sprinkles or other decors. let set for 1 hour before serving. The longer the cones are stored, the softer
they will become, so assemble as close to serving time as possible.
FOR THe CONes
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
∂ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
FOR THe MARsHMAllOW FilliNG
4 ∂ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
∂ cup cold water
∏ cup sugar
∂ cup light corn syrup, divided
∑ cup water
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
FOR THe TOppiNG
Gel food coloring, in any color
sprinkles or decors
maLLow ConesFrom Marshmallow Madness!: Puffalicious Recipes by Shauna Sever
Swirl f luffy clouds of homemade marshmallow filling into crispy cones for a delightful party treat! Tint the marshmallow pink (or any color you like) and
top with loads of sprinkles. Makes 12 small cones.
TIP: The cones can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. If they soften during storage, recrisp them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Cool, dry days are best for making both the cones and the marshmallow.
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1. Trace the whale design below onto the nonwaxy side of freezer paper with a pencil.
2. On a self-healing cutting mat, use a craft knife to cut out and discard the whale shape, keeping the
shape around it to use as a stencil.
3. use hole punch to cut eye stencil out of freezer paper.
4. place onesie on ironing board with a towel underneath. position freezer paper whale and eye stencils
waxy side down and iron them onto the onesie.
5. Mix craft paint with fabric medium (2:1 ratio) to make fabric paint. place a piece of cardboard inside
the onesie.
6. Brush blue fabric paint inside the stencils. let air-dry for 24 to 28 hours.
7. peel off and discard stencils. iron onesie for 30 seconds to heat-set the design.
supplies
pencil
Freezer paper
self-healing cutting mat
Craft knife
Hole punch
Onesie
ironing board and iron
Towel
Blue craft paint
Fabric medium
Cardboard
paintbrush
whaLe onesieFrom Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects by Sarah Goldschadt
You don’t have to be crafty to stencil this simple— and super cute—whale onto a onesie or kid-size shirt.
TIP: No need to buy expensive fabric paint! A jar of fabric medium will last forever. Just mix it with any water-based paint to make your own wash-able, waterproof fabric paint.
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1. print your images using an inkjet printer and plain paper as a test run. When you’re satisfied with how
they look, print the images on the glossy side of the decal paper. print one sheet at a time to avoid jams.
2. Allow the ink to dry fully, which will take a few minutes. Remove the clear side of the adhesive sheet
and apply it to the printed decal paper. Cut around each tattoo design.
3. ink yourself! Choose a spot for your tiny tattoo. Remove the adhesive backing from the decal paper
and apply it to your skin, pressing firmly for about 20 seconds. use a sponge or cloth to wet the paper
for 60 seconds and then peel away the paper to reveal the design.
4. if you have a scanner and photo-editing software, you can scan the images below or create your
own designs.
supplies
digital images
inkjet printer
Office paper
Clear temporary-tattoo inkjet waterslide-decal
paper
Adhesive sheets
scissors
sponge or cloth
temPorary tattoosFrom Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share by Margaret McGuire,
Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, and Friends
Only the most careful observers will notice a pony-shaped beauty mark on your face or a raccoon crawling across your foot! But your mom has eyes like a hawk. With these temporary tats, you won’t risk being disowned. Plus, they’re small enough to slip into
a card to give to your favorite little rebel.
your favorite freckle
here
TIP: Getting inked is easy—and painless!—when special decal paper is put to the task.
For the animaL Lover
What’s a fun quirky gift for people who love their animals? Portraits made from their pet’s fur, of course! If that’s not your style, whip up a batch of yummy animal cookies and gift them in a nice box or tin. Or take up a needle and thread and a few pieces of felt and stitch up a cute doggie gadget sleeve in no time!
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1. Trace and cut out the pattern below. depending on the size of your frame, you may need to increase
or decrease its size.
2. put the cloth backing on top of the sponge, followed by the pattern, and
then the cat hair. Hold the pattern down firmly to keep it from slipping, put
the cat hair into the design area, and poke evenly with the felting needle
to secure the shape.
3. After you have applied the cat hair, remove the pattern. poke neatly around
the contour of the design to secure. if you have spots or other points of a
different color that you want to add, simply lay them on top and felt them
down in the same way.
4. Glue on beads or glass eyes and add a decorative ribbon or thread with a bell around the neck. For
extra embellishment, embroider your cats’ names onto the cloth backing. place the finished portrait
into the frame and you’re done!
MATeRiAls
Cat hair, a mound just big enough to fill both hands
Cardboard
pencil or pen
Craft knife
Cutting mat
Felting needle
sponge
some kind of cloth, like a sheet of felt or suede to use as a background. Measure it to fit the frame
Frame, one without glass or with the glass removed
Cotton batting, measured to the size of the frame
TOOls
Glue, beads, googly eyes or glass eyes for plush stuffed animals, decorative thread or ribbon, sewing needle, etc.
Cat PortraitsFrom Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat by Kaori Tsutaya,
translated from the Japanese by Amy Hirschman
Remember your kitty forever with these adorable felted portraits. All you need is clean cat hair groomed gently from your pet, plus a few simple tools.
TIP: Brush your cat’s hair gently, being sure not to overbrush or the coat will become too thin. Remove the sheet of cat hair from the brush and store it f lat in a clean tin until ready to craft.
pattern
step 2 step 3 step 4
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1. preheat oven to 350°F. Beat the butter for a minute on its own, then add the sugar a little at a time.
Take a break to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla, until both are fully incorporated. Time for the dry ingredients: Com-
bine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and add to the butter mixture half at a time. it might
take a while to form a dough. Keep mixing!
3. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and shape it into a disk. Chill it for at least 2 hours or
overnight.
4. When you’re ready to bake, roll out the dough to 1⁄8 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters and
place them on parchment-paper-lined sheets 1 ∂ inches apart. if the dough is soft, stick the sheets
in the freezer for 15 minutes (or in the fridge for 30). Then bake the cookies until golden, 10 to 12
minutes. Frost when completely cooled.
Tie-dYe ANiMAls
Add a splash of color! swirly tie-dye cookie dough is fun to make, especially for animal cookies.
Here’s how: divide the dough in half before chilling. Add a few drops red or blue food coloring to one half
and knead the dough to incorporate. Add a few drops green or blue food coloring to the other half and
incorporate. Recombine the doughs, pressing your fingers through them just enough so the colors start
to blend together, but don’t fully mix. Chill, roll, cut, and bake as directed above.
iNGRedieNTs
∏ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
∂ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ∑ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
∂ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Frosting, food dye, and deco-rating sprinkles
animaL Cookies From The Cookiepedia: Mixing, Baking, and Reinventing the Classics by Stacy Adimando
Pulling together this simple dough is practically as easy as opening a box, but it’s loads more fun. The dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor, just like the store-bought version.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
TIP: If it’s tricky to roll your dough at first, just let it hang out at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
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1. Trace the dog design below onto parchment paper with a pencil. Measure your gadget and add ∑ inch
to the top and sides to make your own sleeve pattern on parchment paper.
2. Transfer patterns and cut two shapes out of brown felt for the sleeve. Cut dog shapes out of tan, red,
black, and cream felt.
3. Arrange shapes on one sleeve piece as in the photograph on the previous page. use a straight stitch
to sew in place.
4. use a backstitch in embroidery thread to create the mouth.
5. Align front sleeve piece with back. sew pieces together using a blanket stitch along the sides and
bottom.
supplies
pencil
parchment paper
scissors
Tan, brown, red, black, and cream felt
sewing thread
sewing needle
embroidery thread
embroidery needle
dog gadget sLeeveFrom Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects by Sarah Goldschadt
Keep gadgets safe and snug in an adorable hand-stitched sleeve. It’s easy to customize the design to make the dog look like your favorite pooch. Woof!
For the Foodie
Who doesn’t love food? Everyone
is sure to love these irresistible
gifts. Here you’ll find simple
instructions for crafting sweet
candy charms out of polymer
clay. Also included are recipes
for insanely good inside-out
cookie dough truffles, vanilla
sugar, and vanilla extract. Yum!
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CupCAKe
1. Make the base by rolling a clay ball into an egg shape. Cut off the thicker end by sawing gently with
the craft knife while rotating the clay, applying equal pressure all around. use the blade’s blunt side to
lightly press lines around the circumference of the base to make ridges, like those on cupcake papers.
2. Make the frosting by rolling a second ball of clay into a thin log. place one end in the center of the cup-
cake’s top, curling outward to the edge. Wrap the log around the cupcake’s top, making consecutively
smaller circles. Cut off excess clay.
3. use a wire cutter to cut an eye pin to the length of the cupcake and insert it in the middle.
4. Bake according to the directions on the polymer clay package. Allow to cool. Coat with clear nail pol-
ish and allow to dry. Note that, after baking, you can remove the eye pin, dip it in strong bonding glue,
and reinsert it.
lOllipOp
1. Roll a ball of clay into a thick log. loop it around another ball of clay, cut off the excess, and loop it
around again to make a cross. Gently roll to blend the colors and make a log, then twist to swirl the
colors. Roll up the log to make a coil.
supplies
Blobs of polymer clay in a few colors
Craft knife
eye pins
Wire cutter
Clear nail polish
Bonding glue (optional)
Candy CharmsFrom Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share by Margaret McGuire,
Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, and Friends
Satisfy your sweet tooth without risking a cavity! Use these make-and-bake cupcakes, lollipops, and chocolates to decorate bracelets, necklaces, and more. Once you get used
to working with polymer clay, it’s easy to create your own microfood designs.
continued...
press coil
wrap and then roll trim the coil
TIP: Secured into the baked clay with bonding glue, metal eye pins make it easy to loop your charms onto necklaces, ribbons, keychains—whatever you like.
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2. Make the lollipop stick by trimming a toothpick to the desired length. insert the sharp end into the coil;
if you want to hang your charm, insert an eye pin into the end opposite from the stick.
3. Bake according to the directions on the polymer clay package. Allow to cool. Coat with clear nail polish
and allow to dry. After baking, you can remove the eye pin, dip it in strong bonding glue, and reinsert it.
CHOCOlATe
1. Flatten balls of brown clay into pancakes and then wrap each around different-colored balls of clay.
Roll with your hands to smooth out the surface. lightly press to flatten the bottoms of each ball.
2. Make “frosting” decorations by rolling leftover clay into thin logs and pressing them onto the surface
of each chocolate in decorative patterns. if you want to hang your charm, insert an eye pin into the
top of the chocolate before baking.
3. Bake according to the directions on the polymer clay package. Allow to cool. Coat with clear nail pol-
ish and allow to dry. Note that, after baking, you can remove the eye pin, dip it in strong bonding glue,
and reinsert it.
wrap
decorate
Candy Charms, Cont.
TIP: Nobody wants lumpy chocolates! Trim excess clay from the outer layer before completely wrapping it around the ball.
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1. in a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix
in milk and vanilla. stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incor-
porated. stir in white chocolate. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
2. Form dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. place sheets in
freezer and chill for at least 15 minutes. Melt candy coating in a double boiler or microwave according
to package directions, being careful not to overheat it. using a fork or dipping tool, dip truffles one at
a time in candy coating to cover. Tap fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess coating, and return
truffles to baking sheets until set.
3. if you have any leftover coating, transfer to a piping bag or squeeze bottle fitted with a small round
tip and pipe decorative lines over top of truffles. Refrigerated in an airtight container, truffles will
keep for up to 1 week.
FOR COOKie dOuGH
1 stick (∂ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
∂ cup granulated sugar
1⁄3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons milk or cream
∂ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
∑ teaspoon salt
∂ cup mini white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
FOR WHiTe CHOCOlATe COATiNG
8 ounces white-chocolate candy coating
inside-out Cookie dough truFFLes
From The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook: Cookies, Cakes, Candies, and More by Lindsay Landis
Just when you thought cookie dough truffles couldn’t get any better, we turn that notion inside out. Dark, rich chocolate cookie dough on the inside, sweet white
chocolate coating on the outside. You can’t go wrong with this combination. Makes 30 to 40 truffles.
TIP: Look for mini white choc-olate chips in specialty candy suppy shops or online. Also try the ice cream aisle—Nestle has a product called Mini Toppers, perfect for these truff les.
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And it couldn’t be simpler. All you need is a clean jar or bottle with a
tight-fitting lid, whole vanilla beans, and a clear neutral-tasting liquor
(vodka is my top choice). For an 8-ounce jar, 2 split beans should do, but
you can add more if you like. let the sealed jar sit in a cool, dark place for
about 2 months before using. i also add scraped seedpods to the extract
jar after i’ve used them in recipes, unless they land in my container of
Vanilla sugar first (below). As you use the extract, top off the jar with
more of the same type of liquor for a nearly neverending supply.
Aside from being a great way to save money on a pricey ingredient,
making your own extract is a an excellent opportunity to use some of
the more exotic flavors of whole beans in liquid form, since store-bought
extracts rarely come in such varieties. Magical! You can also combine
several different varieties of vanilla in one batch of extract, creating
your own special blends. Few things make a more fabulous edible gift
than homemade vanilla extract in a vintage bottle decorated with a
darling handmade tag. Martha’s got nuthin’ on you.
homemade vaniLLa extraCtFrom Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques by Shauna Sever
Homemade vanilla extract is one of those glorious things that cause people to marvel at your Martha-esque domestic skills. It’s both terrific party-conversation fodder and
an economical way to enjoy copious amounts of pure vanilla extract.
homemade vaniLLa sugarFrom Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques by Shauna Sever
If you’re anything like me, the elegant canisters of vanilla sugar sold in gourmet shops and grocery stores tempt you with their dreaminess . . . until you see the
eye-popping price tag. I’ll let you in on a little secret: you can totally make your own, and for dirt cheap. Here’s how.
Fill a lidded container with about 2 cups granulated sugar. Bury a vanilla
bean (or two, for more intense flavor), split lengthwise, in the sugar.
Tighten the lid and shake the container like you’re competing in a dance
contest at a dive bar. store in a cool, dark place for 2 days and then
open the container, take a deep whiff, and die a little from the glorious
fragrance of homemade vanilla sugar. it’s that easy! You don’t even need
a whole unscraped pod—use the empty scraped vanilla beans from
recipes that call for just the caviar.
store the empty pods in the sugar; when your supply runs low, replen-
ish by adding more fresh sugar on top.
To turn this recipe into a gift, pack the vanilla sugar in a decorative
container—like a vintage Mason jar—topped with a scrap of fabric and
festive ribbon. For an even fancier version, use raw turbinado sugar
instead of granulated sugar (as a general rule, you’ll want to use about
2 cups of sugar per bean).
use vanilla sugar the same way you use the granulated stuff. it adds
a bit more oomph to baked goods and is a delicious addition to coffee
and tea.
TIP: Package up pretty vanilla baskets or boxes of heavenly goodness: mini Mason jars of homemade vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, and vanilla-infused vodka or simple syrup tied up with pretty ribbon or baker’s twine makes the perfect gift for your favorite foodie!
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For the geekWhat do you give the geek who has everything? The
world? No, the solar system! You don’t have to be handy
with tools to construct a cool planetary mobile. Mini home-made pop tarts and bewitching
bottled potions are fun and simple gifts for geeks, too.
_
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1. start by separating strands of yarn for each planet so that you have a fuzz-ball clump. You’ll need 20
to 40 inches of yarn per planet, depending on the size of the planet and the weight of the yarn.
2. Wet a clump of yarn under hot—but not scalding—running water. Add hand soap to the clump and
start rolling it into a ball under the running water. it should form a ball within about a minute. Repeat
with the remaining 8 clumps of yarn.
3. set aside each clump on a paper towel to dry completely. it may take about a day.
4. To make a mobile, cut the heads off 2 long match sticks or use dowel rods, BBQ skewers, or tree
branches cut to length. position like an X and wrap string or fishing line around the middle, knotting
at the beginning and end and securing with glue.
5. Cut 9 strands of fishing line for hanging planets, but make each one twice the length you want. Thread
a needle with fishing line and feed through planet until half is on each side. Then thread the other end
of fishing line back through bottom of the planet so that both ends are coming out from the top. Tie a
knot around the top of each planet with one end of the fishing line, snip and tuck it inside the planet.
Tie the other end around part of the mobile, and secure with glue. Repeat with the rest of the planets.
6. Hot, soapy water transforms yarn scraps into felt, in a snap!
supplies
scraps of bulky-weight wool yarn in varied colors
Hand soap
paper towels
2 long match sticks, dowel rods, or BBQ skewers
Fishing line
Glue
soLar system moBiLe From Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share by Margaret McGuire,
Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, and Friends
Pluto’s been kicked out of the solar system? Not in our book! Pay homage to the little blue (ex-)planet and its eight cosmic buddies with these easy balls of felted fluff.
Science nerds will think this adorable mobile is out of this world.
untwist plies pull fibers apart
TIP: The sky’s the limit! Hang stars made of sparkly yarn or even toy spaceships from your mobile.
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1. preheat oven to 375°F. line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine fruit filling ingredients and 3 tablespoons water in a medium pot over medium heat; stir.
Gently mash berries with the back of a wooden spoon and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40
minutes, or until filling has thickened. let cool.
3. Cut chilled dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll 2 pieces into equal rectangles about 3 by 8 inches. Fill a
piping bag with Nutella and a second piping bag with marshmallow crème. Onto one of the rectangles,
pipe rows of Nutella ∂ inch apart. pipe rows of marshmallow crème on top.
4. To make the egg wash, whisk together egg and heavy cream. using a pastry brush, carefully brush
egg wash onto dough between the rows of filling. Gently lay the second dough rectangle over top and
press around each mound of filling. {Tip: This is the same method used for homemade ravioli.} Cut
1-by-1∂-inch rectangles with a pizza cutter (you should have 12 tarts) and press the back of a fork
along the edges to seal. place tarts on one of the prepared sheets and brush lightly with cream. Cut 3
tiny slits in the top of each tart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. place on wire racks to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining two slabs of dough and
the cooled fruit filling to make 12 fruit-filled tarts.
6. For the icing, in a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg white on medium-high
speed for 2 minutes, or until light and frothy. Add powdered sugar, ∑ cup at a time, until mixture is
thick and smooth. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute more. spread icing onto pastries with an offset
spatula or your fingers. Top with sprinkles.
CRusT
1 chilled pie dough, home-made or store bought
FRuiT FilliNG
1 cup hulled and chopped strawberries
∂ cup blueberries
∂ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey
s’MORes FilliNG
∏ cup Nutella
∏ cup marshmallow crème
egg wash
1 egg, lightly beaten
∑ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing pastries
ROYAl iCiNG
1 egg white
1∑ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
sprinkles, for decorating
mini homemade PoP tartsFrom Tiny Food Party!: Bite-Size Recipes for Miniature Meals by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park
These freshly baked bite-size treats are fun for kids and adults alike. We like to make two flavors: strawberry-blueberry and s’mores. Feel free to substitute your favorite
fruit flavors. Make and eat them right away, or pack them into airtight containers to gift to your favorite snack lover! Makes 24 (12 of each flavor).
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1. Cut a 5-inch piece of wire. if you’d like an accessory loop, use pliers to twist it twice into a tight curl
about 2 inches from one end so it’ll face out when you hang your bottled pendant from a ribbon.
2. Wrap wire around bottle neck.
3. straighten ends into a right angle. With pliers, bend longer end into a teardrop shape loop.
4. Coil shorter end around base of loop 3 to 6 times. Trim excess wire if necessary. Bend loop upward so
that it makes a good pendant.
5. Fill bottle with a liquid potion, lucky stars, or other tiny treasures! The next page tells you how.
6. For handmade labels, write the name of your potion onto pieces of paper. Affix them to bottles with
glue. Or use store-bought sticker labels.
supplies
Wire cutters and needle-nose pliers
20-gauge jewelry wire (about 5 inches per bottle)
liquid potion or lucky stars or other tiny treasures of your choosing (see next page)
Bottles and corks
paper or stickers for labels
liQuid pOTiON iNGRedieNTs
Cake shimmer* and water
1 pinch salt for every 2 milli-meters (or 1 tablespoon for every 4 ounces)
Food coloring (optional)
A few drops glycerin
*Cake shimmer comes in a rainbow of colors, and you can mix silver or white cake shimmer with diluted food coloring to create your own hues.
BottLed PotionsFrom Witch Craft: Creepy-Cute Toys, Magical Treats, and More!
by Margaret McGuire and Alicia Kachmar
With this special project by Witch Craft contributor Carol Lin, you can bottle and carry love potions, magical dragon’s blood, wolfsbane, antidotes, shimmery lucky stars, and
flying potions, or your own special concoctions!
continued...
accessory loop
tear drop
for 90°
pendant
accessory loop
(bird’s- eye view)
TIP: Tiny origami stars, pretty beads, and other charms can be threaded onto wire and secured to accessory loops.
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liQuid pOTiONs
lOVe pOTiON: Mix pink cake shimmer into your potion to capture your beloved’s heart.
dRAGON’s BlOOd: Add extra red food coloring to carry the protective magic of dragon’s Blood with
you everywhere.
WOlFsBANe pOTiON: Add green food coloring to your potion to ward off werewolves.
1. in a bowl, mix water and cake shimmer with a paintbrush. Mix in salt and glycerin, which will thicken
mixture and help suspend sparkling cake shimmer. Then add food coloring, if desired.
2. using a pipette or funnel, fill bottles with potion. seal with corks.
ANTidOTe: Combine water and green food coloring to reach desired hue. Fill bottle two-thirds with mix-
ture and top with a few drops olive or other cooking oil for a two-tone effect. Keep a bottle on hand
to reverse any curse imaginable!
luCKY sTARs
For years of good fortune brought on by shimmery lucky stars, you can purchase tiny origami stars
or make your own. Origami paper strips can be purchased in craft stores and online. They’re typically
∑ inch wide by 5 7⁄8 inches long and come in shimmery, neon, patterned, or even glow-in-the-dark styles.
1. use scissors or a utility knife and a ruler to make paper strips even smaller (2 to 5 millimeters by 6 to
7 millimeters). Variation in size is okay; you need only one strip to make a star.
2. Fold a knot toward the end of one strip. Tuck in short end to make a pentagon shape, with one short
end and one long end.
3. Fold short and long ends around the valleys of the pentagon.
4. When they’re too small to keep folding, tuck into pentagon.
5. using your fingers, pinch in all five corners to puff your star. done!
BottLed Potions, Cont.
Use a 1:1 ratio of water to cake shimmer for transparent potions. Use a 1:3 ratio for dark, vibrant potions.
1/2 water
1/4 water
TIP: Add oil after colored water so that it sits on the surface instead of clinging to the sides of the bottle.
like the projects and recipes in this sampler? There’s more where they came from! Check out the books below
and click for more information or to purchase._
