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. 

Chicken Parmesan Recipe

 

My favorite Italian food is Chicken Parmesan. I order it at almost every Italian restaurant I go to. Parmesan is my favorite cheese after all. It seems like it's a difficult dish to make but it's not. It can be a little time consuming with frying the chicken. I like to make extra and freeze the cooked chicken for a quick meal later. I have been making chicken parm for years. I used to use Shake n bake but it wasn't needed. I did learn to not pour hot grease in a plastic party cup because it will melt quickly. 

 

 Here's my recipe:
 You will need:

A package of raw chicken tenders or breasts 
Pasta sauce of your choice. I make my own. 
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 
Italian cheese
Vegetable oil
Two eggs

Pound chicken very thinly between wax paper

Mix cheese and bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan. 

In a separate baking dish crack two eggs with a tablespoon of water. Beat together. 

Starting with the egg mixture place the chicken in and coat with egg. Then the bread crumb mixture. 

Coat the bottom of your skillet with oil about an inch. Heat on medium high and fry each piece of chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat until all chicken is cooked. 

In a 9x9 pan spread a layer of sauce. Then a layer of chicken. Followed by sauce and another layer of chicken followed by a final layer of sauce. 

Cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with Italian cheese.
Return to the oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve with shredded Parmesan on top. 

I like to make broccoli on the side. I make broccoli with Parmesan and bread crumbs. It ties together nicely. 

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!