Savor The Frosting

BY AMY

This week is National Waffle Week!  I love waffles but they can be so time consuming to make compared to pancakes. There are pretty good frozen waffles that satisfy a waffle craving, but they don’t compare with a fresh, homemade waffle, fresh off the waffle iron.  Most waffle irons only allow you to make one or two waffles at a time, and what family has time (patience) for that?  Sadly, I have a Belgian waffle maker that usually collects dust. This week I got inspired and pulled it out from the back of the cupboard, blew off the dust and heated that baby up.  I actually made waffles for dinner tonight. We topped them with fresh berries, a little syrup, and enjoyed a couple slices of bacon on the side.  My family loves breakfast for dinner.  I started thinking about all of the different ways you could celebrate Waffle Week.  After all, there are still a couple of days left.  I found the pictures below inspiring.

 Allrecipes Classic Waffles, Rachel Ray’s Gingerbread Waffles, Phoenix favorite, Lolo’s Chicken and Waffles, Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches from PassTheSushi.com

Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure any week can be Waffle Week.  Whether you grab a box of frozen waffles from the grocery store or pull out that waffle iron you got as a wedding gift and make your own, take the time to enjoy these delicious breakfast treats. If you need supplies or recipes to make the waffle magic happen, Amazon has everything you need.  Enjoy!

Don’t forget to savor your frosting today,

Amy

BY AMY

Turning tumbled stone tiles into shabby chic coasters or trivets is an easy project, with options limited only by your imagination.  The tiles can be purchased at your local home improvement store and the transfer paper is found with your office or craft supplies.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. No two tiles are identical in texture.  As a result, you will never have two coasters that look exactly the same.  Some take the transfer better than others, but that’s what gives them the vintage look, which is what I love.

2. Photographs of  faces do not work as well.  If you transfer on a tile with a lot of texture, sections of faces don’t always transfer well.  There are other options for photographs which I will share in an upcoming post.

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Here are the supplies you need:

• Tumbled stone tiles
• Photo or picture uploaded to your computer
• Transfer paper
• Scissors
• Printer
• Towel to lay tile on
• Iron
• Clear coat  (optional)
• Felt pads for back of tiles

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Here is how you decorate the tile:

• Preheat iron on highest heat. If it’s a steam iron, make sure the water is emptied before beginning this project.
• Prepare tiles by wiping of any dust or dirt. Lay on towel in preparation for iron.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

• Place transfer paper in printer.  Print a MIRROR IMAGE of desired picture or photograph (using the settings on your printer).  For best results, use the best printer setting. See the mirror image of my photo below.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

• Cut out picture to fit the tile and place face down. Firmly iron the image (do not use steam).  Slowly move the iron in circular motions, focusing on edges and corners first.  Keep moving the iron, pressing firmly, for 2 minutes.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

• Slowly peel back transfer paper and remove. If you notice that the picture didn’t transfer, lay the paper back down and iron on again.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

• Reveal your finished product.  Spray with one to two coats Clear Coat if you want to add extra protection to your design. I’ve done tiles with and without this step and both seem to be fine.  You can also put felt pads on the back to protect your tabletop.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

Warning:  Once you realize how fun and easy this is, you will likely become addicted.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

You will want to try all kinds of designs. Even children’s artwork works if the tile is smooth enough.

SavorTheFrosting 2011

Have fun, use your imagination, and create your own personalized tiles. Then take a picture of them and share with us!

Don’t forget to savor your frosting today,

Amy

P.S. Something to keep in mind is copyright laws.  Make sure you have permission to use your chosen images, especially if you decide to sell your tiles. Click here for some helpful information.