If you live in a college town or anywhere near a college campus, you know what time of year it is… GRADUATION!  It seems every other day this month, kids are receiving diplomas and throwing up their caps. And before you know it, next month it will be time for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school graduations. If you have any grads in your family, why not celebrate this milestone with some sweet treats?

 Photo: Bakerella

These chocolate graduation caps are simple to create and easily customizable for school colors. You can make them chocolate lollipops or just clever candy sans the sticks, depending on your preference. To make them, you’ll need: miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, melting chocolate, chocolate squares (Dove or Godiva make good ones, but even small chocolate covered graham crackers or square chocolate covered wafers will do), miniature M&Ms, sour strings (Airheads Extremes Rainbow Berry Sweetly Sour Belts work great), and lollipop sticks (optional).

You can work in any order you prefer, but we’ll start with the top of the caps. Unwrap your chocolate squares and separate your sour belt ribbons by color. Choose the school color and cut or tear a small piece off (about an inch to an inch and a half in length—you can eyeball this). Draw a thin line of melted chocolate with a toothpick on the chocolate square from the center to an edge and glue on the sour belt string and a mini M&M to match.

Now for the bottom: chill your peanut butter cups in the freezer for a few minutes so the wrappers remove smoothly. If you’d like to make these as lollipops, let the cups return to room temperature (on a sheet of wax paper), then dip the end of a lollipop stick in melted chocolate and carefully insert it about halfway into the peanut butter cup and let it dry.

 Photo: Family Life with a Mom Who is All Hart

Once hardened, adhere the tops to the bottoms with some more melted chocolate and let dry. If they’re lollipops, stick them into a Styrofoam block to dry standing up. If they’re without sticks, leave them on the wax paper.

There you have it! Tasty, adorable, and celebratory treats worthy of your graduate! These are very easy to customize and substitute ingredients. For example, you could use icing or candy coating instead of melting chocolate and you could use pull-apart Twizzlers instead of sour belts. You could even use white chocolate for all the ingredients, so feel free to play around and see what you come up with. Congrats to all the classes of 2013 on their accomplishments and the many more to come.

Photo: Bake Me More

Share

Who’s ready to decorate some Easter eggs for this weekend?

The tradition of dyeing them with food coloring is certainly pretty and fun to do, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a little creative and trying some unique ways to adorn your little hardboiled canvases. We’ve been showcasing some fresh and fuss-free ideas to try this year. You can check out our post on permanent marker Easter eggs here.

Another super fun and simple technique? Using temporary tattoos! All you need are your hardboiled eggs (shells on), temporary tattoos, and a damp sponge. You can buy some designs that appeal to you or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can print graphics of your own choosing on temporary tattoo paper and cut them out (Country Living provides this link to purchase temporary tattoo paper). It takes a bit of patience to ensure you press the tattoo flatly on the egg—just hold it down with your damp washcloth for about thirty seconds. It transposes onto an eggshell the same way it does onto skin.

This is also perfect if you’re looking to maximize decoration and minimize cleanup.  It’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and looks impressive! Now that’s a winning combination. There are plenty of tattoos of butterflies and flowers to be found if you want to stick with images of spring, but feel free to pick out any tattoos you like. Maybe put a couple tattoos on the same egg to create a little scene.

Do you have any tips for mess-free, creative Easter egg decorations? Do you still prefer classic dyed eggs?

Photo: Country Living

Photo: Ramblings of a Formerly Rock’n’Roll Mum

Share

For those who’ve been reading this blog for a while, you may remember how I sometimes see snacks in art. Well, call me crazy but there really are snacks in this art! Jelly Belly, the famous jellybean company decided that their tasty candy isn’t just for eating. It’s also for creating beautiful art!

Jelly Belly Candy Company commissions talented artists, such as Kristen Cumings, Malcolm West, and Peter Rocha, to create masterpieces entirely out of jellybeans. Some of these include already famous works of art, like the Mona Lisa originally by Leonardo da Vinci, Starry Night originally by Vincent Van Gogh, and American Gothic originally by Grant Wood. They also have portraits of pop culture icons and politicians, like Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher.

These impressive pieces are usually around 4 x 4 feet or 4 x 6 feet and can contain up to 12,000 jellybeans attached with spray adhesive. With Jelly Belly’s incredible variety of flavors, artists have so many options when matching shades and choosing color palettes. Consequently, these candy creations have a beautiful depth and precision worthy of a spot in any museum.

Want to get in on the sugar-filled creative action? Grab some jellybeans, glue, and cardboard and get started! It helps to give yourself an outline to work with (it will be covered by the beans anyway) and organize your colors a bit before starting. Or hey, why not make it entirely edible? Use some sort of baked good as your flat surface (a cake, brownie, or cupcake) and frosting as your adhesive.  This could be a perfect treat with Easter coming up. Yum!

The Starry Night by Kristen Cumings, original by Vincent van Gogh

Martin Luther King, Jr. by Peter Rocha

American Gothic by Kisten Cumings, original by Grant Wood

Here’s a fascinating  peek inside how artist Kristen Cumings works on her jellybean creations.

To check out more Jelly Belly art, take a look at their website gallery. Have you every tried making art with edible materials? What food or candy do you think would make great art supplies?

Share

Hi Scribblers!

I had so much fun making these chocolate marshmallow snowmen and think you will too.  I initially came across the marshmallow snowmen on the Tatertots and Jello blog.  What a terrific activity to do with your little ones for the holiday.  I wanted to try something a little different and what could be better than frosting the marshmallows with white chocolate!  How decadent, how yummy!!   I brought them to a holiday party and the snowmen were a real conversation starter, they were also devoured within minutes of being placed on the table.  Try them, they are easy to make, your kids will love them and they make a wonderful hostess gifts too!

Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen-Yummy!!!

You’ll need some Marshmallows – any brand will be good.  Some mini M&M’s, Red string licorice or Twizzlers makes a red licorice that pulls apart (Pull n’ Peel Twizzlers), wooden or cardboard sticks and white chocolate melts.

Things needed to make Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen

Put 3 marshmallows on a stick and set them aside.

Marshmallows waiting for chocolate

Melt the chocolate and smooth onto the marshmallows.

Frosting the marshmallows with chocolate

Once you have frosted the marshmallows with chocolate and before the chocolate dries, add the mini M&M’s and string licorice to create the snowman’s eyes, nose, buttons and hat.

Decorated Marshmallow Snowman

You’ll have to place the frosted marshmallows onto wax paper and let dry completely before serving them.

There you have it!  Chocolate marshmallow Snowmen!

I decided to put the finished snowmen onto a wreath, to bring as a hostess gift.

Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen Ready for Gift Giving!!!

So easy and so much fun!!!

Enjoy and happy holiday!

Share

Most holidays have a representative candy that is the superstar for that celebration. Halloween has candy corn, Easter has chocolate eggs, Hanukkah has gelt… and Christmas has none other than… the candy cane!

Do you like candy canes? It’s funny… instead of having a bunch early in the season and getting sick of them, I avoid them for a long time. I somehow convince myself that I don’t really care for them and then eventually after being surrounded by the red and white treats for weeks, I give in and try one… and then presto! I remember I actually like them. Think of all that perfectly good time I waste not eating the peppermint delights.

Now of course candy canes are iconic for their color and shape. The red and white stripes twisting up and over the crook is a classic Christmas theme. But who’s to say we can’t change things up a little and get creative?

This very quick and simple tip is such a fun way to add an unexpected twist to your candy cane display!

Are you ready?

Here it goes…

Soften them in the oven and mold them into new shapes!

What?! How?! Well, I’ll tell ya. If your candy canes are wrapped in plastic, remove the wrapping and lay the canes out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Put it in the oven at about 300 degrees for 6-7 minutes. They should soften so you can bend and reshape them, but don’t let them melt. If you press two pieces together while they’re warm, they should also fuse together. You can break them up before baking so you have different sized pieces to work with.

Want to do it even faster? You could try the microwave! This time, leave the plastic wrapping on and place the candy cane in the microwave for about 15 seconds. If that’s not enough time, work in very small increments because you don’t want the plastic wrapper to melt.

Spell out words, make pictures, create hearts and shapes… however the holiday spirit moves you! This is also a great way to bring new life to broken candy canes. Enjoy!

Photo via Handmade Type

Photo via From Glitter to Gumdrops

Photo via Make and Takes

Share

Happy fifth night of Hannukah, everyone! Latkes aren’t the only treat you can whip up to celebrate. Today’s craft, seen on The Shiksa in the Kitchen and Parents.com is just as tasty as it is festive and it’s inspired by the classic game of dreidel! These sweets may not get much spin, but they’re easy to make, delightful to look at, and yummy to snack on!

You will need: jumbo marshmallows, pretzel sticks, chocolate kisses, Nutella spread, and cake decorating gel. A quick note: regular marshmallows are not kosher as they contain gelatin. If you’re keeping kosher during the holiday, pick out marshmallows from a kosher grocery store or the kosher section of your regular supermarket.

To assemble your dreidel, push a pretzel stick into the flat side of a marshmallow as far as it will go without puncturing the other side. Next, spread a little Nutella on the bottom of a chocolate kiss. This works as an edible glue when you stick the kiss to the other flat side of the marshmallow. And besides, Nutella makes everything better. Now it’s time to add your Hebrew letters with the cake decorating gel.

Here are the Hebrew letters that go on a dreidel.

In case these fun snacks inspire you to give the real game a whirl, here’s a quick crash course in how to play dreidel. There’s no limit to how many people can play. Everyone starts with a set amount of gelt (chocolate coins wrapped in foil). You can also play with pennies, raisins, M&Ms… anything that will work as game pieces. Each player puts a coin in the pot to start. One at a time, each player spins the dreidel and follows the direction of whichever symbol it lands on. Nun means “nisht” in Yiddish, or none (the player doesn nothing). Gimel means “gantz,” or everything (the player takes everything in the pot). Hey means “halb,” or half (the player takes half of the pot). And finally, Shin means “shtel,” or “put in” (the player adds a coin of his or hers to the pot). At the beginning of each round, every player adds another coin to the pot and it begins again.

Now back to the snacks at hand! If you’re feeling fancy, you can skip the Hebrew letters and dip your marshmallow dreidels in chocolate and sprinkles. Or make some decorated with gel and some covered in chocolate. Whichever aesthetic you choose, make sure you allow time for your dreidels to set so they don’t melt or run. Enjoy!

Photos via The Shiksa in the Kitchen

Share

Sari Toivola (Sari): Hi! I’m Sari Toivola a Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Vantaa, Finland. I love drawing, designing, comics, history, horses and cats.   I’m working as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator and my business name is Sari ja kuva. I am also a qualificated special needs assistant and have worked with kids, so I’m really excited when I get a chance to create something for them!

Katteja by Sari Toivola

Scribble Town (ST): Thank you Sari for being with us at Scribble Town!  I like your business name ‘Sari ja kuva’ because when I did a translation of it from Finnish to English it means ‘Sari and picture’.  I started playing around with your words and found that if you put them all together (take away the i) sarjakuva means cartoon!  How clever of you to come up with that name!  It makes perfect sense why a girl named Sari from Finland should be an illustrator and comic lover.

With that said please tell us more about yourself.  What are you up to these days?

Sari: At the moment, I’m doing different kind of works for small companies, associations and private persons. Drawing and designing isn’t only work for me, it’s also a hobby and a lifestyle.

Wonderland by Sari Toivola

ST: What do you like most about illustrating?

Sari: Drawing is creative and the most natural way for me to express myself. By drawing you can mix reality and fantasy, only sky (and your own imagination) is the limit. It’s also rewarding to draw for some specific purpose where illustration is supposed to be a part of the big picture and support, for example, a text. I’m always trying to create something a bit new and bring the subject a new point of view. I also want to express feelings through my pictures, hoping they will touch the viewers as well.

ST: What is your favorite place to create?

Sari: Most of the time I work at home but some days it’s also nice to go to a nice coffee house and work there. It totally depends on my mood… If I’m tired I’d rather stay at home but sometimes it’s good and healthy to go outside and then I usually pick a nice place with some background noise which helps me concentrate.

ST: What art techniques or tools do you like to use?

Sari: Mostly I draw digitally on the computer using a mouse and a few programs, but I also use pencils and markers for sketching. I usually start a new work by drawing and sketching by hand. Then I scan my sketches and finish the work with a computer by drawing the lines and coloring.

ST: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Sari: I get my inspiration from every day life, people, animals, and nature. I’m also very into European history of arts and culture. This is one of the things that inspires me most.

ST: Do you have a craft, piece of art, or art technique you can share with our Scribblers for them to make at home? Any tips would be great!

Sari: I have been working with an intreresting technique lately called “Taikataikina,” which translates to “Magic Dough.” Everyone can make it, you just need some wheat flour, salt, water and cooking oil. You can handle it like play dough or clay and it can be harden in a regular oven.

Instructions on how to make Taikataikina aka Magic Dough:

Taikisnaamio or Magic Dough by Sari Toivola

3 dl wheat flour

1½ dl salt
1½ dl water
(dl= deciliter)

1 spoon of oil

If you like you can also add a hint of food colouring to the dough for more color.

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add water and oil. Fold the dough until it’s smooth and then start creating.

If you don’t use all the dough at once, keep the rest of the dough in fridge so you can use it later.

Finished artworks can be harden by heating them in an oven about an hour in 125 celsius degrees. Hardened works can be painted and varnished by using water colours, acrylics or permanent markers.

Sari Toivola's Taikisnaamio or Magic Dough going in the oven

This dough is very easy to make and simple to work with. It’s 100% non-toxic, so it’s also suitable for small children. And it is cheap and can be hardened at home without any complicated or expensive equipment.

Here are a couple of photos of fresh Magic Dough Masks waiting to get cleaned up and colored.

ST: What a great idea, Sari! Perhaps the Scribblers out there could make their own Magic Dough and send in pictures of their creations. We can post your Magic Dough sculptures on the Scribble Blog. I’m definitely ready to get my hands all floured up and turn 2D into 3D!

Here's what Felipe, Christian, M, & Pierre look like with color! Painted by Sari Toivola

After the Magic Dough creations bake in the oven you can paint them.  To the left are Felipe, Christian, M, and Pierre with rosy lips and faces full of color.

For more info about Sari and her artwork please have a look at www.sarijakuva.fi.  I’m sure she’d love hear from you!  In Finnish you can say “moi” or “hei” for hello. Hay is not just for horses in this part of the world

Thanks Sari for all the inspiration you have given us!

Scribblers, don’t forget to send in jpegs of your Magic Dough creations to info@scribbletown.com. Can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with!

Kissalumiukko "A Snowman Cat" by Sari Toivola

Kameleonttilinnut ja neljä vuodenaikaa "Cameleon birds and the four seasons" by Sari Toivola

My Life and Ego by Sari Toivola

Share

What are your feelings on candy canes? Come wintertime, they’re just all over the place. While they make lovely seasonal decorations, they often lead a lonely existence. Sure, every so often, someone will eat one, but that’s it. As a stand-alone snack, they’re fine, but imagine how yummy they’d be with some tasty partners in crime!

These adorable sled snacks from Gluesticks and Planning with Kids make a perfect treat for the kids… whether it’s for a party or just hanging at home. All you need are mini candy canes, some chocolate frosting, mini Milky Way bars, and Teddy Grahams.

Cut your Milky Way in half and use the chocolate frosting to adhere it to two candy canes for the sled. Then stick a Teddy Graham in between the chocolate bar halves for the driver. That’s all it takes!

Mmm… chocolate and peppermint that’s as tasty as it is adorable. Now, there’s a winning combination. On your marks. Get set. GO!

photo via Gluesticks

Share

So today is my birthday! Woohoo! Time to eat cake… although I don’t see how that makes today different from most other days. Anyway, I’d like to use my birthday as an excuse to share this absolutely adorable sponge cake postcard created by Sandra Denneler at She Knows. Instead of just a regular ol’ card in an envelope, you can send that special birthday someone their own little cake!

To create these delectable desserts, you’ll need: a large sponge, spray paint, caulk, spray adhesive and heavy paper. And with only a few simple steps, this project is (literally) a piece of cake!

For full directions, and even an instructional video, head over to She Knows. If you want to see the Thanksgiving version, check out Sandra’s pumpkin pie variation on her own blog, Project Denneler.

These are the tastiest looking sponges I have ever seen—seriously, good enough to eat and awfully realistic! What a unique way to wish someone a celebratory day. Would you give these a try? Do you have any fun birthday traditions? Anyone out there also celebrating today!? Well, as a gift to me, you can all go have a joyous, creative, wonderful Wednesday!

 Photo: Sandra Denneler for She Knows

Share

I am more of a baker than a blogger but I had to share this adorable Ghost Cake for Halloween.

Step 1. Grease and flour baking pans and line with parchment paper.

Step 2. Bake cakes according to instructions. Note the deeper bowl will take longer to bake. Keep checking it with a skewer.

Step 3. Cool and remove cakes from pans.
Chill cakes in frig, (wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent drying). This helps make fewer crumbs while icing.

Step 4. Stack the two 8″ rounds with a 1/2-inch of butter cream icing in-between layers. Top layer should be the bowl, (dome side up).
Note * use a sturdy plate or board that will support the weight of the cake.
Use offset spatula to apply butter cream icing and smooth over the entire assembled cake. Butter cream Icing will set; also referred to as “crusting”. Set cake aside.

Step 5. Sprinkle your counter with powdered sugar. Knead the white fondant and then roll it out with rolling pin. Fondant should be rolled out large enough to cover the entire cake.
Lift fondant off counter and drape over cake. Work quickly. Creases and folds add to the charm of the ghost.

Step 6. Roll out a small amount of black fondant, cut out free form eyes and a mouth shape.
Apply a small amount of water with paint brush to the back of the cut out fondant shapes and gently press to the front of the cake.

I promise you this Cake will be a big hit with all the ghouls & goblins….

Share