Archive for ‘Chocolate Craft’

Chocolate Lovers Bottle Cap Earings

By , 13 May, 2012, No Comment

I love making things and my obsession for all things chocolate tends to spill over into other areas of my creative life.  Totally inspired by the vintage images that are everywhere right now I made these cute little earrings.

Tutorial:

1. First punch two holes into each of your bottle caps.  The holes will be for the hook and the decorative dangle so they need to be positioned at the top and bottom of the bottle cap.   I used a really sharp craft punch hammer to make my holes.  Its a good idea to do this on a cutting board to protect your work surface.

2. Into the top and bottom hole add a jump ring.

3. To the bottom jump ring add a charm or pretty bead.

4. Using a hooped head pin add some decorative beads, close the end of the pin using round nose pliers and attach this part to your earing wire.  With the hoop part of the head pin attach to the top jump ring on your bottle cap.

Here comes the best part decorating the inside of the bottle cap.

5. Using a 1″ circle punch cut out the background paper for your bottle cap. Glue into place.  When I first started making these I cut the background circlesby hand, as soon as I saw the circle punch in my local craft store I had to buy it.

6.  Create a collage.  I found some pretty vintage images on google, and typed out my words, Mmmm Chocolate, I printed these out and made  my collage. Finally I decorated them with sequins and some fine glitter.

7. When you are happy with the look add a protective layer to keep the collage in tip top condition, I used a layer of Anitas 3-D
Gloss Finish.

8.Finally package your earrings up ready to sell or give to a friend….that’s if you can bear to part with them.

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Christmas is coming, here is a simple chocolate calender

By , 24 November, 2011, No Comment

Christmas is a great time of year for my family, it is a time to get crafting together, bake crimbo goodies and generally just spend time together doing a heap of fun things. It isn’t a religious affair but more of a celebration of family and friends and “I LOVE IT”.

I love looking on the Internet at peoples crafty blogs and finding great ideas for crafts I can do with my family. Being slightly obsessed by chocolate I love advent calenders and this year I found a really nice simple idea for a handmade chocolate advent calender that’s so simple even the smallest children can help with.  If you want to make your own chocolate calendar without all the mess then this is the perfect pre Christmas project and best of all there is  no chocolaty mess.

http://madebyjoanne.blogspot.com

I found this crafty make on the blog “Made by Joanne” and although she has made her own papers with rubber stamps and things but this would work equally well with an assortment of wrapping papers or create a simple effect with brown paper and ribbon. Either way it is a super simple make that even the smallest of family members can get involved with.

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Halloween Chocolate Box

By , 1 October, 2011, No Comment

I love Halloween it’s a great time to get in the kitchen with the nippers and get making all kinds of goodies.  Chocolate is of course a Halloween favourite and you can buy some really great, themed chocolate moulds perfect for making your own Halloween chocolates to adorn your party table.

When making halloween chocolates the trick is to get the presentation just right, and this year I have been looking for a great way to give to my party guest my popping candy truffles and I stumbled acros a fantastic site full of halloween printable goodies, including these mini coffin boxes.

http://www.ravensblight.com/Box.htm

I really looking forward to making these. I’m going to add some truffles inside and maybe a few jelly worms just for effect. Halloween is a great opportunity to revert back to beeing a child, this is going to be our first Halloween party in Qatar and I want to make it really special for everyone. I’m having a little trouble with finding decorations out here but www.ravensblight.com has saved my skin, all I need is to top up on the printer ink and we are well away.

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How to make Chocolate Lollipops with Molds

By , 16 August, 2011, No Comment

Chocolate Lollipops

The summer holiday in Qatar is sooooo long compared to back home in the UK, don’t get me wrong the time off from work is to be frank blissful, but finding fun things for the children to do while they are cooped up indoors isn’t easy.

Well it was my husbands birthday recently and we made some lollipops …plus a few extras just for Morgan and Joshua!

What you will need:

Chocolate lolly molds
Chocolate – your preference,
Lolly sticks,
Microwave safe bowl

 

  • Chop your chocolate up into pieces and place in a clean dry bowl.
  • Pop into the microwave at 10 second intervals, until all the chocolate has melted.
  • Gently stir trying not to get too many air bubbles into the chocolate
  • Spoon or pipe into your chocolate molds, place the lolly stick into place and gently knock the mold on the counter top to even out the chocolate and help remove any air bubbles.
  • Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes until set, the gently tap out.

I tend to melt chocolate in the microwave when doing things with the children, just because they have no patience, you can however use the double boiler method to melt you chocolate.

I used a wilton chocolate mold, bought here in Qatar at Tavola but I found them online at Amazon. The wilton molds are made from a thin plastic which bend easily, I wouldn’t say that they are professional quality molds but they do have a nice range.

I found a nice tutorial on youtube as sometimes pictures are better than words.  It really is very easy to make chocolate lollies with moulds so why not give it a try.

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Chocolate Pasta Recipe

By , 16 August, 2011, No Comment

Chocolate Pasta Recipe

While sat at home with the children, waiting for the hubby to return home from a hard days slog at work(well that’s what he tell’s me anyway), I was trying to think of ways to get my two little monsters removed off the sofa and away from the Disney channel and engaged in some other kind of activity which actually involves using their brain cells.
As usual I thought of doing something in the kitchen with them, they both really enjoy helping me out ….Yes I did say helping even with broken eggs on the counter and flood the sink…still we all have to start somewhere!

I’m rambling…sorry

Photo www.flickr.com/photos/justinwkern

Anyway I asked the two little monkeys what they wanted to cook, one shouted pasta the other shouted chocolate…a EURKA moment…. with google to the rescue I found a recipe for yes Chocolate Pasta!

With the recipe in hand and the pasta machine dusted off, and with the help of an overly talkative 6 year old and teenagerish  9 year old, the chocolate pasta quest commenced.

Chocolate Pasta Recipe:

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 eggs
1tsp Vanilla extract (essence will be fine)
pinch of salt

  1. In a large bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together. Make a well in the center of the flour and cocoa mix and break the eggs. With a fork combine the eggs to the flour bringing in the sides of the well a little at a time, add Tbsp oil and 1 tsp vanilla. Keep combining the ingredients until it forms a soft ball of dough.
  2.  When you have your dough, knead for 5-10 minutes on a floured surface until the dough is elastic and even in color. Cover the dough and let it rest for an hour before rolling.
  3. Roll the dough through your pasta machine if you have one or simply roll out with a rolling pin and using a pizza cutter cut out strips of pasta.
  4. When you are ready cook the chocolate pasta for about 6 mins in unsalted boiling water, drain and serve.

We served the chocolate pasta with fresh fruit, grated chocolate and whipped cream.

The Results:

I would probably give this another go but instead use dark chocolate melted into the chocolate pasta mix somehow.  It was sweet and a little stodgy but the texture was probably due to me overcooking it!  I always forget how quickly fresh pasta cooks!  My husband Simon was not a fan, he didnt like the texture and not having the biggest sweet tooth he found the sweetness a little to much!  The children on the other hand really loved the chocolate pasta so in conlusion RESULT!

A little oddball but this chocolate pasta recipe is so simple to make and my children loved getting their hands dirty making the pasta dough.  Perfect for a summer holiday activity with the children.

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How to Make Your Own Chocolate molds

By , 17 January, 2011, No Comment

Chocolate moulds come in all shapes and sizes, but if like me you want to be individual then finding an original chocolate mould can be a bit of a challenge.

I have started to look around the Internet for different ways you can make your own chocolate molds.  Here is a really good video from YouTube showing how to make a mold using fimo and two part mould making compound.  I may have to give this one a go for one of a kind special chocolates. It looks really easy to do, and is probably a really fun activity to do with children for unique teachers gifts.

If you are looking for an individual wedding favour for your guest perhaps you could follow the instructions in the video and make a caricature of the bride a groom and make cookies or chocolates as favours.

You will need:

Fimo Classic – it doesnt matter what colour

Gedeo Siligum Silicone Moulding Paste

If you want to give this method a go you can find all the materials you need from your local art and craft store or try online.

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Mint Choc Bath Salt

By , 2 January, 2011, No Comment

Mint Choc Bath Salt Recipe

For a really uplifting and refreshing bathtime treat this mint choc bath salt recipe is bound to hit the right spot.

1 cup sea salt
1 cup Epsom salts
2-3 tsp cocoa powder
5 drops peppermint essential oil

Simply mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl before adding the wet ingredients, when thoroughly mixed transfer into an air tight container.

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Soothing Chocolate Almond Bath Soak

By , 12 December, 2010, No Comment

Soothing Chocolate Almond Bath Soak

Bath like Cleopatra, know for bathing in milk this chocolate almond bath soak with powdered milk makes this combination luxurious and soothing!

1 cup dried powdered milk
1 cup sea salt,
1 cup Epsom salt,
2 tbs. of sweet almond oil
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a bowl add together the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the almond oil and almond extract  and mix well.  Store in air tight containers.

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Chocolate Orange Bath Salts

By , 7 December, 2010, No Comment

Chocolate Orange Bath Salt Recipe

I love the classic combination of chocolate and orange and even in this easy bath salt concoction you’ll be in for a real treat. To make this recipe into a scrub omit the epson salts and add enough sweet almond oil to cover the salt.

5 drops orange essential oil
1 cup Epsom salts
1 cup sea salt
2-3 tsp cocoa powder

Add together the all ingredients and mix thoroughly, keep in an airtight container. To use, run the bath and under the running tap add a a tbsp or two of the mixture, then sit back and relax.

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Chocolate Bath Salts

By , 3 December, 2010, No Comment

Get creative this festive season and make this inexpensive treat for friends and family or mix up a large batch and keep some aside for a little self indulgence.

With some wonderfully intoxicating chocolaty scents combined with citrus or mint you really cant go wrong.  All the recipes are really simple to make and most of the ingredients you already have in your kitchen cupboards.

Delicious Chocolate Bath Salt Scrub Recipe
1 cup sea salt
3 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. oil (almond or olive work well)

In a bowl, add together the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Add the vanilla extract and oil, mix until completely blended. Transfer into an airtight container, a kilner jar works well.

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