BEST Sugar Cookie Recipe

With Christmas coming and all the parties and get-together's I love quick and easy recipes for things I can bring along or serve. I tried out this recipe and it is probably the best sugar cookie recipe I have come across. It's so easy, you probably already have the ingredients, you don't have to chill the dough and they taste amazing! So here's my sugar cookie recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together butter and sugar until smooth 

Beat in egg and extracts

In a separate bowl mix together flour and baking powder and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture

You can either flour your counter, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters OR

you can make 1" balls like I did and place them on the cookie sheet. 

Use something with a flat surface and push the cookies down so they are flat. I used a measuring cup.

Now bake your cookies for 6-10 minutes, This depends on the thickness of the cookies.

Now once they're removed from the oven, let them cool for a couple minutes. 

Using a deep spoon, push in the centre of your cookie. 

This leaves a spot for icing. Use a piping bag to add the icing to your cookies. It was red food colouring for the icing but it turned pink.

And there you got. The easiest, most delicious sugar cookies. 

Let me know what you think allisoncdale@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.

DIY Monday- Santa Bottles

I came across this picture last Christmas and thought I'd give it a try. They are cute and turned out so well. The best part- everything (except the bottles of course and clear spray paint I used in many of my previous tutorials) came from the dollar store. The bottles I've been saving- but even a vase will work and those you can get from the dollar store. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures throughout but looking at the final picture and reading the instructions is very simple :)

What you'll need:
Red and black paint
Sticker Gems
Button Gems
Twine
Bottles
Clear Spray Paint
Glue
Bells- if you want

I got everything at The Dollar Tree.


To start paint your bottle red. I did 3 coats just to make sure it was completely covered.

For the black line, using a pencil I traced a line around - I just eyeballed it but you can use painters tape to make sure they're perfectly straight. I did 2 coats of black.

I then sprayed it with the clear spray paint once it was totally dry so it would be shiny not a matte finish.

Once the spray paint is dry if you used it- you can then put on the sticker gems. My sticker gems came in a line so that made it easy to place them in a square for the belt buckle.

With your button gems, place 2 above the belt buckle you made with your sticker gems and 1 below. I used hot glue to glue them on but super glue or Modge Podge should work too.

For the twine, On he back at the bottom I put a drop of glue and placed my twine onto it. When it dried I then wound it around and glued the top to the back as well and then did the same for the top. and then glue or attach your bells with string if you use them.

There you have it. I did 3 and place them in a corner and everyone loves them. Here's how mine turned out...

As you can see I left out the  bells and they still look cute!


Thanks for stopping by,
Allison.

My Week

So I'm not going to lie- This has not been a very productive week in Studio 266 unfortunatly. However I did get my PaperPumpkin from Stampin Up and I couldn't be more happy with the contents and crafts. Here's what the finished products looked like...

It had about 10 tags and 8 cards and only $30.00! If you love paper crafting like I do, I highly recommend the Paper Pumpkin. 

New on the blog:

Monday- DIY Chalkboard Countdown Sign

Wednesday- Tutorial- How to cut your own images on the Silhouette Cameo

Don't forget the launch of Monogram items in the shop! I am so excited about the ornaments they are soooo cute. I am getting nervous but excited so make sure to keep your eye on the shop on December 1st.

What am I up to this week?

This week I am finishing up my Monogram items and goimg to see the new Hunger Games movie once I finish the book. I love this series!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.

How to cut your own pictures with the Silhouette Cameo

As you guys know I got my Silhouette about 2 weeks ago and I LOVE it. I have had few issues with the blade not cutting precision around letters but maybe that's because I haven't figured out the settings. Has anyone else had issues with letters being cut and being jagged? However, I did manage to make a cute Christmas ornament with some vinyl.

While I was trying to figure out how to cut out pictures I got from the internet, I thought I wasn't the only one right? So here's how I cut my own pictures with the Silhouette Cameo.

Step 1:
Find your picture. When doing this make sure you find one with crisp lines or else you won't have a clean cut. Save it to your pictures on your computer.

Step 2:

Open Silhouette Studio. Click "File" then "Open".

Step 3:

Once you have "My Pictures" open, change "Files of Type" to "All Files" (the very last one). Click and open the picture you want.

Step 4:

Once you have chosen your picture click "Trace Window" in the upper right hand corner. It's a little square with blue in the centre. Then once you have that sidebar open, click "Select Trace Area" and drag a box around your picture. This is what it should look like. Your picture may not be completely yellow but we'll fix that later.

Step 5:

In "Trace Settings" area on the right side of the screen un check "High Pass Filter"

Step 5:

If your picture was not yellow like mine, this step is for you. Again under the "Trace Settings" tab turn up the "threshold" until your picture is almost solid yellow. Then with the "Scale" turn up and down until the letters in your picture and the outline of your picture is clear and crisp. This will ensure your cut is clean. However, if you only want the outer edge of the picture cut (not the inside detail) don't worry about making the inside lines clean, just the outer.


Step 6:

Once you finished adjusting your picture, on the right side of the screen you'll see three options for tracing:
              1. Trace
              2. Trace Outer Edge
              3. Trace and Detach

If you want the letters or details inside your picture cut as well as the outer edge, click "Trace". For those that only want the outline of their picture cut, click "Trace Outer Edge". (I haven't yet figured out option 3.)

Once you've clicked your trace option move your picture it and under it should be your outline that's to be cut. All the lines should connect and it should be clean. If not, you may have to go back and play around with your Threshold and Scale options.

It might seem intimidating at first, I know I was when I started. But if you slowly go through this tutorial step by step you'll catch on really quick. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email allisoncdale@gmail.com. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.

DIY Monday

Ok so I'm excited about this weeks DIY Monday. I have a lot of exciting big days coming up in the next month or so, so I thought this would be a perfect DIY for me. It's also that perfect time of year that you can also make it for Christmas and change up the colours and customize it for yourself.


So here it is.. my countdown sign!

What you'll need:
Paint
Clear Spray Paint
Wood Sign
Chalk
Vinyl or Stickers

I got my sign at Walmart. It's 10in x 10in and only $6.97.

To start, paint your sign until it's totally covered. I did two coats but you can do as many as you'd like.

 I used acrylic paint from the dollar store but using chalk paint will eliminate the need for the spray paint in the next step.


Once your paint is dry, using the clear spray paint spray the board until there is a thin layer on the whole thing. Try not to hold the spray in one spot too long or this can create air bubbles.
Spraying your board is what lets you write on and erase the chalk.

For the writing I used my Silhouette Cameo and using the font Adobe Song std L and cut out "{days until}. You can also use stickers you find at the dollar store. To make sure my words were straight I used Silhouette Vinyl tape. This made it easier and quick to transfer all the letters instead of doing them all individually.

And there it is! Your own countdown sign. Here is mine. It's great and so easy to customize for any occasion.

So easy and perfect for kids Christmas countdowns!! 

Any questions or comments? Feel free to email me anytime allisoncdale@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison. 

My Week

So I've been a little MIA this week (sorry) but I am working on some pretty great stuff for Christmas. If you've been following me you'll know I ordered a Silhouette Cameo a couple weeks ago and I am so so so excited because it's finally here which means keep an eye out for December 1st because my vinyl line of monogram products will be up and for sale on my Etsy shop! How exciting is that? 

Tonight my boyfriend and I are doing our first vinyl project making some Christmas ornaments for our friend. How cute is it that he's trying to spend time crafting with me because he knows that that's something I like to do!

Keep your eye out on the blog for some tutorials, and DIY projects with the Silhouette Cameo. I can't wait to get started!

Let me know if there are any items you would like to see in the monogram line because I'd love to customize something for you!! 

Don't forget to check out this weeks DIY Monday...

A mason jar soap dispenser! SO cute and so easy! I will also take orders if you're not a crafter! $8 + shipping! (soap not included). Send an email to allisoncdale@gmail.com.

Don't forget to check out my Etsy shop December 1st if you love monograms!

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.  

DIY Monday

So it's time for another DIY Monday! And I LOVE this one! If you've been following my blog you can tell I'm a lover of the cute, simple DIY gifts and this of course is one of them! I saw the idea on Pinterest and figured I'd give it a try and I am so happy with how it turned out!

So here is a DIY mason jar soap dispenser...

What you'll need:
Mason Jar
Soap Jar (I had bath and body works but any kind will do)
Screw driver
Glue (I used hot glue but I think super glue would have worked better)

To start leave the lid on the jar. Using your screwdriver put and few little holes in the middle of the jar lid and circle it around to get your desired size circle. You don't want to make it very big just big enough to fit the soap tube. 

Now put in the pump you took from the other soap jar.

(WARNING: There may be sharp edges inside where you made your circle so be careful)

You want it to be a tight fit so if you can easily turn it your hole could be too big! The first one I did I made my hole to big so I used lots of hot glue to fill in the gap (the picture above). But with the good one in the above picture, I still put hot glue around to prevent it from moving. 

The soap tube for bath and body works was too long for this mason jar so all you have to do is trim it down with scissors. Now fill your jar with soap and there you have it! Your very own mason jar soap dispenser. How cute is that?? And of course makes a great housewarming gift or stocking stuffer. 

If you would like one and don't want to make it yourself send me an email allisoncdale@gmail.com and I will make one for you for only $8 +shipping!  (Soap NOT included) I can personalize it for you by changing the colour of the pump just let me know what colour you're looking for!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!! This week hasn't been the busiest in Studio 266 but I did manage to add a new item to my shop (super cute mug cozies) and post a DIY project. 

Check out the cozy...

Comes in purple as well! Makes the perfect gift for any coffee or tea lover! 

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Studio266?ref=search_shop_redirect

And the DIY project. Personalized coasters. I made these as a gift for my friend and he absolutely loved them and it was under $10 for a set of 10. Tutorial on my DIY Monday post! 

And can't forget about this! My Silhouette Cameo purchase. Not only and I super excited for it to get here but I only paid $206.99 for this entire bundle. I saved over $140- find out how on my previous post. It will be here on Tuesday and I already have ideas ready so be excited for some new Christmas DIY and some cute Christmas decorations coming to my etsy shop.

What's up in Studio 266 next week?

Of course some project making will be happening with my Silhouette..I'm counting down the days until it gets here!! But I also bought a pattern for a chunky crochet blanket so keep your eyes on DIY Monday for the finished product.

This weekend is the Santa Claus Parade here in London so hopefully the weathers nice for that!! 

What are you all up to this weekend? Making any fun crafts or taking at easy? Send me you DIY Projects and I'd love to feature them on my blog! allisoncdale@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison. 

Project Life Organization: When you fall behind!

I love scrapbooking but unfortunatly like most, I often fall behind. When it's time to catch up it's hard to remember what day and what pictures go before others. This post is to help others discover a way to easily organize their project life pages when they fall behind. It worked great for me, I hope it works for you too.

I went to wal-mart to develop all my pictures which some are from last winter- I know I'm very behind. This meant I had a giant stack of pictures and I really didn't know where to put them when I got home that they wouldn't mix up. While at wal-mart I went through the office supply isle. There I found this super cute Case File. It was only 13 and has 19 slots.

There were cheaper ones but I spent the extra couple bucks to have one easy to carry around and it was cuter!

Because I would always be changing what goes in the slot, I didn't want to write on the file itself.  I found some file folders at home and put them in the slots. This way I can take them out, write and each slot hold more than one making more room in case I get over 19 pages behind! Hopefully that never happens but you never know.

Even if I don't have the pictures developed yet I still put a folder in just so I dont forget what order everything goes in! 

And there you have it. How I stay organized with my Project Life pages when I fall behind! :) 

Allison

DIY Monday

So it was a crazy weekend. Halloween on Friday and my dads and brothers birthday party yesterday with both sides of family over. Needless to say, the house was crazy. However, I did manage to add a new item to my etsy shop and complete this DIY project to have ready for today. So here it is- easy do it yourself coasters.

What you'll need:
Tiles- $0.39 from Rona
Clear Spray Paint
Paint Brush
Pictures
Modge Podge

To start find pictures that you want to use- they can be real or ones you find on the internet. Mine were from the internet. To size them to your coaster, paste them to word, and double click the picture. This opens the edit picture tab. In the top right corner click crop, aspect ration and one to one. Also change the size of the picture to 3.77 in in both boxes and print.

Once you have your picture cut out, paint a thin layer of Modge Podge on a tile and place your picture on trying to avoid air bubbles. I used my cricut scraper to get out any air bubbles. Once your picture is on where you want it, paint another layer of Modge Podge on top of the picture. Make sure to get the sides really well. Let dry until no longer sticky.

When your coaster is completely dry, spray the clear spray on top. Let dry completely and repeat. I usually do 3 layers just to be sure but 2 is totally fine. 

And there you have it. Your personalized, one-of-a-kind coasters. I made these as a house warming gift for my boyfriends best friend and he LOVED them!

They do make the perfect gift for anyone, especially if you use real pictures! 

Check out my etsy shop for these super cute cup cozies, only $6.50 each! Make the perfect gift for any coffee or tea lover! https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Studio266?ref=search_shop_redirect

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about personalized orders or DIY projects you would like to see for future DIY Mondays! Or email me just to just say hey- I love to hear from fellow crafters and bloggers! 

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.

How I got my Silhouette Cameo for $100 less then retail value!

So I loved my Cricut Expression. It's great and does so many things and as a card maker and crafter that's exactly what I thought I needed. But then I discovered the Silhouette Cameo.

This machine does amazing things and you don't have to pay for the fonts and pictures you want. The Cricut however can only be used when you buy they're special cartridges and each cartridge can be $30-$100 EACH! That's insane. I knew I had to have to Silhouette. Once doing a little research I realized the Silhouette is $350. So I had to really think because I already had the cricut, did I need to buy the Silhouette too?

Searching around on the interenet I found google shopping. What it is, is a place where you type in what you're looking for and it shows you that item, all the places that have it and how much.

This is where I found the Silhouette Cameo started kit for only $229.

All of this for $229 and free shipping! I was so happy! But the savings dont stop there! Because I was new to overstock.com they sent me and email for 10% off saving me another $23 bringing my total to only $206.99. I saved over $143. With that savings it doesn't include all the vinyl and other goodies it comes with. I am one happy crafter and going to be a busy one when it comes. :)

Don't forget to find me on instagram studio266.

Thanks for stopping by,

Allison.