How to make simple bookmarks with things around your house

I love being crafty. Years ago, I was going to a blogging conference and I didn't have business cards. I know I know, bad Sheilacakes. I decided instead of printing business cards, I wanted to be different. I had started making bookmarks randomly. I had purchased a bookmark making kit on clearance and decided to try it. I made bookmarks in the past for my mom and her friends. It was just something fun to do before I started blogging. I quickly went through the materials in the kit. I wanted to make more. Honestly, all I used was the cardboard base. I purposely kept a bare cardboard base and started making my own out of random pieces of cardboard and cereal boxes. Making bookmarks is easy and fun.

How to make beautiful bookmarks:

Cardboard from a cereal box or any other thin cardboard.

Patterned Paper If you don't have patterned paper you can stamp or draw on them

Solid colored paper

Hole punch

Double sided tape

Different flat embellishments like shaped paper shapes, stamps or stickers

Cut bookmark shaped pieces of cardboard. You can use any bookmark you might have around the house.
Repeat the shape with the patterned paper and solid color paper

Using double sided tape tape the patterned paper and solid colored paper on different sides

Embellish any way you would like

Punch a hole towards the top of the bookmark and tie ribbon on it. 

There you have a simple handmade bookmark made with love. 

Old Spaghetti Factory Cotton Candy Drink

 

We love going to The Old Spaghetti Factory downtown. Noah always gets a delicious cotton candy drink called the Cotton Candy Limeade. He loves cotton candy almost as much as I do. It's his favorite part of going to The Old Spaghetti Factory. My cousin's kids also like the Cotton Candy Limeade. It's a cotton candy flavored drink with cotton candy on the straw. 

I had purchased a snow cone set while we were in Florida. I realized like a week later, I could clone this drink. I had cotton candy snow cone syrup. I am assuming they use a different kind of cotton candy syrup. I thought what the heck and tried it. I found cotton candy on clearance at the store before I had this epiphany. Either way I own my own cotton candy machine.I didn't make cotton candy for the drink this time.

  

Here's the recipe:

4 tablespoons of cotton candy snow cone syrup. 

Fill with lemon lime soda and ice

Add a squirt of lime juice.

Top with a piece of cotton candy on the straw. 

I had Noah try it and he said it was right. You may have to add more cotton candy syrup if you want it to taste stronger. I made up the recipe so I didn't want to add too much. 

Enjoy and stay tuned tomorrow for another homemade Sheilacakes original clone.

How to make chocolate covered Strawberries

 When you are going to romance someone the best way is through their stomach. It doesn't matter if they are male or female or who they are. Everyone loves to eat. If you think about a luxurious dessert, you may think of chocolate covered strawberries. Sure you can buy them from the bakery or at a specialty store but prepare to pay out the nose for them. The chocolate covered strawberries could cost you a couple bucks each. I remember making them randomly in my apartment before I was a mom. It just sounded good. I didn't have the money to buy some at the local chocolate shop. So I made my own. I have made them with all kinds of chocolate. Everything from chocolate chips to candy bars. 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Big strawberries
Chocolate of your choice 
1 teaspoon of shortening 

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals until smooth. 
Dip the strawberries and put it on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. 

Here's some ideas to make them more fancy:

You can add crumbled candy bar and sprinkle on

Sprinkles or chocolate chips

You can drizzle candy melts or another type of chocolate on them after they dry. 
Just have fun with it. 

Put in the refrigerator to harden and enjoy!