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Holiday Project:  How to Make Printed Tea Towels

Image via: Apartment Therapy

Video – How to Make Printed Tea Towels

Link to video: how to make a printed tea towel

Things You’ll Need

• White cotton towels (You can also use other colors but avoid very bold colors which overwhelm the patterns).
• Fabric Markers
• Pen and Paper
• Iron

Procedure

1. Place the towels on a flat surface like a table. If you have a small table, work on one towel at a time.
2. Print the stencils you want or draw them if you’re artistic. Cut them out of the paper.
3. Place the shapes on the towels and trace them. Steady your hand to avoid making a mess.
4. Remove the stencils and color in.
5. Secure the paint by ironing the towels

Image via: Etsy

If you are looking for a holiday project, try this one. The towels will protect your hands and add a dash of color and personality to your kitchen. What’s more, you can also hang them in the bathroom and they’ll look just as good. They are easy to make so you will be able to admire your work in no time. You don’t even have to buy new cotton towels; you can use your stained ones. You can make many tea towels and give some as gifts. Naturally, your family and friends will be impressed.

Which patterns will you use for your DIY tea towels project

This Aioli recipe is a popular Spanish sauce that is similar to mayonnaise but is prepared with olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil. Served most often with fish, grilled meats, or vegetables, Aioli makes a delicious dip or sandwich spread. Unlike, its store cousin, homemade Aioli is much healthier and is preservative free. Even though it has a reputation of being tricky to prepare, we point you easy steps to make scrumptious mayonnaise every time.

Authentic Spanish Aioli Sauce 

Image via: Food Network

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Preparation time: 45 minutes

Makes one cup of Aioli

Ingredients:

1 Egg Yolk

7 ounces of olive oil (Consider an olive oil with a delicate aroma)

4 garlic cloves

1-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice

A pinch of salt

Image via: Dishing the Divine

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, crush garlic cloves and add salt to the it.
2. In the same mixture, add egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is smooth. You can use a blender, stand mixer, or, an electric mixer for this step.
3. Now add tiny drops of olive oil into the bowl and stir gently using a whisk. There is no need to whisk vigorously, just enough for the ingredients to blend.
4. Keep on adding olive oil every one minute and whisk between oil increments. Make sure to add only tiny amounts of oil for the first 10 minutes until thick base is formed.
5. In the end, add fresh lemon juice to your taste. This will help to liquefy the sauce, giving it a crisp, fresh color.
6. Let it stand in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
7. Serve it with seafood, French fries, or use it as a sandwich spread.

Tip: The failure or success of Aioli sauce depends on the first 10 minutes of preparation when the olive oil comes in contact with the garlic and egg. The factor that makes it work is mixing the egg yolk with tiny drops of olive oil. If too much oil is added the recipe is beyond repair.

For more food recipes on Stagetecture, click here .

Even a small accessory can make an impact to enhance your summer party theme, just like fun and whimsical ice cream wrappers. You don’t have to stick with the manufacturer’s design as have it perform its function. You can definitely do something more out of your usual ice cream wrappers.

How about making your own ice cream wrapper to match the Memorial Day party? This should remind the kids and the kids-at-heart about the reason for the celebration. Make the most of your ice cream wrappers to emphasize your theme and make the party more fun.

Image via: Martha Stewart

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Check out this cool Memorial Day craft, ice cream wrapper, to enhance your party accessories:

Tools and Materials

• Paper
• Computer printer
• Template
• Craft knife or scissors
• Bone folder
• Glue stick or double-sided tape

Image via: Something So Classic

Procedure

1. Download a picture that has something to do with the Memorial Day celebration. You can also create your own template like having blue horizontal lines and red stars combined. Print your design into your desired paper (blue or red), and trim.
2. Make sure that the dimension is just right with the standard cone size. Go along with the dotted lines. Then, fold back to create a tab.
3. You may do some trial-and-error to ensure that you have the cone properly wrapped. Then, wrap to form a cone. Attach sides with glue stick or double-sided tape. Make sure that it is properly attached since children are not so particular with proper handling.

This is a very simple DIY project that you can do a few days before the Memorial Day party. Although simple but then your guests will surely notice this great accessory. Your time spent and efforts exerted will certainly payoff with appreciations.

For more summer ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

]]> https://stagetecture.com/easy-summer-entertaining-idea-custom-ice-cream-wrappers/feed/ 0 48751 https://stagetecture.com/diy-craft-idea-how-to-create-customized-fabric-vases/ https://stagetecture.com/diy-craft-idea-how-to-create-customized-fabric-vases/#respond Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:33:14 +0000 https://stagetecture.com/?p=27614 Entry #1252, June 4, 2012

There is no better way to enhance your home than with DIY or do it yourself projects. One of the things you can do is to create a customized fabric vase. This is a simple project to make your desk look fabulous or to give as a thoughtful gift. These fabric vases only take a little of your time and you will love the result once you’re finished!

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Decorative centerpieces requires materials that are readily available at your home. To achieve a unique and decorative fabric vase, you can do these simple steps:

Prepare all the materials needed

The primary material for this project is the fabric. The length and width of the fabric will depend on the size and number of vases. You also will need a pair of scissors, glue gun, vase or container and sewing materials. You can use recycled materials for the vase like empty cans, plastic containers and other things that can serve as a vase.

Cut the fabric accordingly

You can have several designs you want to cover your vase with the fabric. But if you just want to have an overlapping fabric design vase, the easiest way is to cut the fabric lengthwise.  Make sure that the length is enough to cover the diameter of your vase.

Image via

Seam the fabric

You may use a running stitch for a quick and neat finish. It is best to use a similar color of thread to match the fabric. However, this process can be optional depending on how you want your design to look. Contrasting thread color can be a design statement in itself!

Stick the fabric to your vase

For overlapping fabric design, you start by gluing the fabric at the bottom of your vase. Then, overlap the next on top of the other. You can do this repeatedly until you reach the top and virtually cover the entire flower vase.

Image via

Fabric can change the usual glass bottle, plastic pot, or even tin pail into a beautiful and customized home decor item. Use any available material you have at home or choose materials that match with the decor in your room, your work or home office. You will love the look when you are done, and what a smile it will bring to your face!

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

]]> https://stagetecture.com/diy-craft-idea-how-to-create-customized-fabric-vases/feed/ 0 27614 https://stagetecture.com/guest-blogger-enhancing-your-backyard-with-beautiful-water-features/ https://stagetecture.com/guest-blogger-enhancing-your-backyard-with-beautiful-water-features/#respond Wed, 30 May 2012 19:41:51 +0000 https://stagetecture.com/?p=27445  Guest Blogger #545, Entry #1235, May 30, 2012

There are few things better than coming home after a long day of dealing with gridlock and the demands of a busy job and finding a tranquil atmosphere in which to let your hair down, take off your shoes, and breathe a sigh of relief. As humans, our threshold for managing stress has its limits, which means if we don’t get a break we’ll eventually blow a gasket. So most of us create some kind of sanctuary at home that allows us to relax the moment we arrive. And in case you didn’t know, the sights and sounds of nature are ideally suited for creating a sense of serenity.

Image via: Houzz

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Enhancing your backyard

Once you’ve got a fence and some foliage for privacy, a patio complete with comfy furnishings and hanging lamps, and plenty of fragrant plants to eradicate the smell of exhaust and provide you with a much-needed infusion of oxygen, it’s time to consider how you can entice your auditory sense, as well. A water feature can offer a fantastic solution.

Benefits of adding a water feature

There are several benefits to adding a water feature to your backyard space. Aside from the peace and tranquility it can provide thanks to burbling and tinkling sounds, it also creates a sort of white noise that can help to diminish competing annoyances like shouting kids, barking dogs, your neighbor’s television (audible thanks to his open window), and nearby traffic. Of course, you can also create a gorgeous focal point in your yard, up the style factor, and increase the intrinsic value of your outdoor space. With many homeowners looking for ways to virtually expand the square footage of their tiny spread by creating an outdoor room, you can do a lot by designing a seating area with a watery centerpiece.

Image via: Houzz

Where to start?

So how do you go about incorporating a water feature into your outdoor décor? In truth, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Since you don’t have to worry about spillage or splashing like you would with an indoor fountain, the only limitations are the amount of space you have, the budget you’re working with, and your own imagination. The size and cost of your water feature are determined by finite limitations, but your imagination can really go wild here. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to check out your options amongst the offerings already on the market. You simply have to decide if you want to go with basin fountains, wall fountains, drip features, or pools of some sort, and then select from materials that are natural or synthetic.

For example, water walls are fairly popular embellishments for backyards these days, and you could select a wall made from rough stone or one formed from beaten copper. The difference in material, texture, size, and shape will alter the way the water sounds as it falls. You might also go for hanging beads suspended from a beam of some sort with water dripping down them into a pool (or skip the beads and just let the water fall). Or you could opt for graduated pools where water falls from one to the next only to be recycled to the top pool. Whatever you choose, it’s sure to make your space that much more relaxing and provide for the outdoor haven that will have you itching to get home each day.

For more gardening tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Now that Easter has past and the Easter home decor goes away, what happens to the dinner table? Is it left bare until the next holiday comes around or do you just throw an old tablecloth over it and forget it? In my household it’s the latter and I realized that your dining room table can have everyday centerpieces that allow for beauty 24-7.

Here are some wonderful ideas for bringing touches of inspiration and aromatic touches to your dining room table, until the next holiday rolls around!

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Simple galvanized pail with fresh blooms

Create a festive centerpiece with fruit

Create a tablescape with apothecary jars

Group your favorite herbs together for a simple centerpiece

Try these simple ideas for bringing color and creativity to your everyday dining room table. Use your imagination to create a unique sanctuary of family memories, hints of nature, or something you enjoy looking at throughout the day. Your dining room table never looked so good!

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The long nights and dark days of winter bring with them an instinct to hibernate.  Although most of us still have to scrape the car windows, shovel the sidewalk, and head out into the winter winds each day to get the kids to school and ourselves to work, we spend the day dreaming about a hot bath and a bowl of stew when we get home.  The warm comforts that wait at home are the only things that make the winter months bearable.  And yet, if you’re not looking to some cuddle time with your honey to help stave off the chills that abound during this season, you’re missing out on a major source of shelter from the storm.  So leave your flannel PJs in the closet and get ready to generate some body heat with a winter bedroom makeover that’s geared at romance.

Image via: Luxury-Idea

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Make a nest

Okay, so you don’t need to pile on the pillows in order to create a warm and inviting love nest.  Even most women will admit that removing a bushel of pillows from the bed in order to get romantic is a hassle.  What you should do instead is use color, texture, and a few well-placed pieces to create a lush look that isn’t a frumpy, over-stuffed detriment to your sex life.  Forget about winter whites, which show every stain, and opt for high-thread-count linens in saturated jewel tones to entice the eyes.  Top them with a couple of fuzzy blankets and a gorgeous quilt that goes with your decor (skip the patterns and opt for a single color for a sophisticated look).  Then add just a few pillows in different sizes and maybe a bed scarf to approximate the feel of a posh hotel.

Dim the lights

Nobody feels sexy under harsh fluorescent lights, and even bright overheads can make you feel self-conscious.  So add a little mood lighting by dimming the bulbs in your bedroom lamps (try downgrading your 60-watt bulbs to a dim 25) and looking for options in soft pink (it’s flattering to every skin tone).  Candles are another option, and their gentle flicker will help to set the mood.

Use common scents

Your bedroom may not necessarily be smelly, but if you want to do your best to fan the flame in your relationship, it behooves you to tantalize all the senses.  For some warm and romantic relations in the heart of winter, consider scented candles, oils, or air fresheners that make you think of home.  Those that smell like foods are probably your best bet, with apple scents and baked goods topping the list of deliciously appetizing smells.  But you might also bring about a love connection with some light flower scents (just avoid heavy, cloying odors like gardenia or jasmine).

Avoid electronics

There is no quicker way to kill the romance than with a TV that is always on or a thousand lights blinking around the room.  If you really want to create a retreat geared towards a healthy relationship, consider ditching the electronics altogether.  Relegate the TV to the living room, send your gadgets to the office for nightly charging, and remove your digital clock in favor of your old analog standby.  You might be surprised what this simple transformation will do for your love life.

Image via: House Garden Design

Add romantic touches

Romance isn’t something that just happens on its own; you’ll have to make an effort.  And unless couples counseling is on your agenda this year, it behooves you to do what you can to keep the spark alive.  So introduce some massage oil, a few nice lingerie items, and even racy romance novels to your bedroom atmosphere to spice up the space and complete your romantic winter retreat.

For more bedroom & living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Merry Christmas Eve to you and your family! We continue today with our DIY Holiday Saturday with wonderful ideas for Christmas day brunch. Whether you will be hosting friends and family for Christmas, or you will bring a dish to an Christmas brunch, Food Network has some great recipes!

Image via: Food Network

Last week, I helped you get your Christmas dessert ready, and today Bobby Flay gives you brunch ideas in a You Tube video, then make some of these yummy brunch items. Isn’t it great to already know what delicious meal you will have ready for tomorrow? From french toast to Cinnamon buns… I’m in heaven!

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Bobby Flays Holiday Brunch

Food Network’s Brunch Ideas

Almost Famous Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the Filling:

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don’t stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)

Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.

See how to form these Cinnamon Buns

Hash Brown Eggs

Ingredients:

Onion
Grated potato
Butter
Cheddar Cheese
2 Eggs
Salsa

Directions

Fry 1 cup each chopped onion and grated potato in a cast-iron skillet with butter until crisp. Add 1/2 cup grated cheddar and crack in 2 eggs. Bake at 425 degrees F until set; top with salsa.

French Toast Panini with Grilled Bananas

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium orange)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cognac (optional)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt
• 8 slices Texas toast or other thick white bread
• 3 large ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
• Pure maple syrup, for garnish

Grilled Steak and Eggs with Beer and Molasses

Directions

Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, orange juice, vanilla, cognac, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

Place the bread in 2 shallow baking dishes in a single layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread; let soak for 10 minutes.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup lager-style beer
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

For the steak and eggs:

• 2 1-pound strip steaks (1/2 inch thick)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 grilled eggs (recipe below)

Directions

Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients; bring to a boil, then simmer until the sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium-high. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and rub with the oil. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the beer-molasses sauce and the grilled eggs.

Grilled Eggs:

Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill; add butter, oil or bacon drippings. Crack in eggs and season to taste (the Neelys use a blend of paprika, sugar and onion powder, plus salt and pepper). Cook until the edges are crisp but the yolks are still runny, 2-3 minutes.

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

]]> https://stagetecture.com/diy-holiday-saturday-82-the-perfect-holiday-brunch-recipes-the-food-network-video/feed/ 0 21609 https://stagetecture.com/creative-homemade-stocking-stuffers-for-everyone-on-your-christmas-list/ https://stagetecture.com/creative-homemade-stocking-stuffers-for-everyone-on-your-christmas-list/#respond Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:35:18 +0000 https://stagetecture.com/?p=21223 Entry #837, December 15, 2011

Every year, do you feel like you give out the same stocking stuffers? What used to be a tradition for kids, is now a fun filled activity that every age enjoys opening on Christmas morning. After all, who doesn’t enjoy receiving trinkets and small gifts  in addition to the presents of the holiday!?

Today I found these stocking stuffer ideas from Martha Stewart. From handcrafted ones to thoughtful sentiments that are sure to be enjoyed, here are some of my favs!

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Tooth Bear

How to Make the Tooth Bear

Snowman Pencils

These easy-to-make snowman pencils will look jolly peeking out of a stocking on Christmas morning.

How to Make the Snowman Pencils

Custom Cufflinks

How to Make the Custom Cufflinks

Striped Soaps

How to Make the Striped Soaps

Bath Fizzies

Stuff stockings with effervescent bath treats in a variety of shapes and colors.

How to Make the Bath Fizzies

Candy Sticks

How to Make the Candy Sticks

For more holiday gift ideas on Stagetecture, click here.