DIY Life

For the last couple of days, the weather has been humid, without much wind to cool it off. It was hot enough outside that I had to split the lawn mowing into two days. I will not complain, though, as I will take the heat, sans humidity, any day of the year.

Unfortunately, it gets pretty hot in my house too, as we don't have much shade or air conditioning. It wasn't enough that I had cold water to drink: I needed something more to help cool down my body temperature. I wasn't prepared, but next time, you can bet I will be with these 6 simple frozen treats I can concoct myself.

S'mores are traditionally melted over a blazing camp fire. I enjoyed these summer evening treats when I was younger, and want to pass on the ooey-gooey tradition to the sweet toothed kids in my life. We just can't get out in front of a campfire this year, but that isn't going to stop us from indulging in the graham cracker goodness.

When I first heard about microwave s'mores, I was horrified at the whole idea. I really thought that s'mores should be left where they belong: on the campgrounds.

After trying them, it's all I can do to not microwave one for myself right now.

If you've got kids, you know what a hit anything bite-sized is. My son is such a fool for anything tiny, I sometimes think he would eat liver and onions if I could make it bite-sized. (Lucky for him, I'm not that mean!) These bite-sized cupcakes on a stick are sure to be a new favorite for the kids (and adults) in your life.

The cupcakes aren't baked in a mini-cupcake pan like you might expect. Instead, the cake is baked in a 13X9 pan and then crumbled and formed into balls with either frosting or cream cheese. In addition to increasing the yum factor, this step probably makes the cakes more stable on the stick.

Part of the ball is then cut away with a mini-cookie cutter to form the base of the cupcake. The the bottom is dipped in chocolate and the top is dipped in a melted white chocolate or colored candy melts. Bakerella has instructions with photos and a video clip.

Be sure to check out all the fun varieties, then put your thinking cap on and come up with your own decorating ideas -- the sky is the limit!

[via CraftyStylish]

Remember the super sweet personalized M&M's Francesca brought to our attention? They are the perfect gift to give when letting someone know just how much, or not so much, they mean to you. They are also great to give as a party or wedding favor.

My M&M's now has custom printed photo M&M's available. You send in a photo you took per their guidelines, and they will print the image out on the M&M's using food-grade ink. You can personalize your message relevant to the face(s) in the photo.

My baby turns 3 next month, and I think that the M&M's would be a perfect treat for her birthday party. My only problem would be keeping them out of everyone's mouth until we've sung Happy Birthday! I think the same would go for the lucky couple on their wedding day.

[via: Photojojo]

Do you remember Magic Shell? It's that weird and wonderful chocolate creation that, when poured over ice cream, hardens so you get to crunch through.

As a kid, it was just pure fun. As an adult, I have to wonder what in the heck goes into that stuff. It turns out that certain oils keeps the chocolate liquid until poured over the ice cream. What's more, you can make it at home.

All you need is some finely chopped eating chocolate, coconut oil, and a pinch of salt. Brownie Points gives us the how-to. You can even add different flavor extracts to create your own varieties of Magic Shell that can't be bought in stores.

I admit it: I am a chocoholic. I probably eat a tiny bit of chocolate every day, usually a section or two of the super-dark organic Dagoba Eclipse.

And eating it is not enough. I like to make Cocoa Patchouli Body Butter and slather it on my hands and body. I sniff cocoa absolute just for the fun of it. Heck, I just got immense pleasure from writing about it! Now I am thinking about planting a chocolate lover's garden.

I didn't know that some flowers actually come in a rich cocoa color, like cosmos and daisies (called the chocolate flower), and what's more: they actually smell like chocolate. I love that these are perennials and will reseed themselves each year.

One of my favorites, chocolate mint, makes the most amazing tea; it spreads so wildly in your garden that it's nearly invasive.

You can even get a chocolate climbing vine and a chocolate mint geranium that smells like a peppermint patty! So check out Pioneer Thinking's full article on planting a chocolate lover's garden for all the details of the chocolate flowers you can have for your own outdoor chocolate fix!

Spring has sprung, at least on the calendar. There is still plenty of snow on the ground in many parts of the country, but the end of the winter season is in sight. It is time to start thinking about outdoor grilling.

Part of the fun of grilling is making S'mores. What if you don't want to start the grill every time you want the gooey chocolaty goodness? What if you don't want to build a fire just to make the wonderful treat? Making S'mores in the microwave is just wrong!

Instructables has an awesome tutorial on making a mini S'mores grill. You'll need a cedar plank, nuts, bolts and washers, stainless steel condiment cups, toothpicks, and the knowhow to make S'mores. Check out the step by step directions; I promise you won't be disappointed!

Definitely use this mini grill outside, or at least keep a fire extinguisher handy if you do use the mini grill in the house. You'll also want to put the grill on a flat surface, and supervise the kids when they use the S'mores grill.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do on Easter morning was to hunt for my basket. I knew that my mom would fill it to the brim with chocolate, and I looked forward to the milk chocolate Easter bunny. I always bypassed the jelly beans and the Peeps just to get to that bunny, and I would keep my fingers crossed that it would be solid chocolate, all the way through.

For those of us who love our chocolate, receiving a hollow bunny is always a disappointment. Really, what is the point of an empty, air-filled chocolate bunny? Maybe to make an Easter turducken! You'll need miniature Cadbury creme eggs, marshmallow Peeps, and a hollow chocolate bunny. Make a slit in the Peep, stuff it with the Cadbury creme egg, and stuff that pregnant Peep into the bunny.

Voila!, an end to the horrible hollow bunny. Since this candy rabbit version of Turducken is very high in calories, you may want to eat just a few bites at a time. You may also want to stick to the traditional Easter ham, but if you aren't worried about calories, go ahead and make Turducken for your Easter table.

[via: BoingBoing]

Reduce, reuse, recycle has become the motto of people all over the world, as we strive to bring our environment into shape. Our landfills have become so strewn with garbage, we just don't know what to do with it anymore. Stop and think for a minute before you decide to throw something in your trash bin. Can it be reused for something else, something needed anyway?

Jenny thought about what she could do with an empty candy box, and decided to repurpose it into a picture frame. She glued the top and bottom together, and then cut out an easel from the back of the box so that it could stand upright. Check out her full step by step instructions to make your own photo frame.

Jenny used a heart shaped candy box to make her picture frame, but I am sure you can use any kind of candy box. You can even put the box in a frame and hang it on the wall. Embellish it with ribbons, buttons or stickers, and you have yourself a one of a kind picture frame.

[via:Craft]

Talk about the ultimate Valentine's Day stunt! Described in this Yahoo news bulletin as a "shameless commercial promotion," an all-chocolate room constructed for chocolatier, Godiva, is now complete and open for viewing in New York City. The styling mouth-watering room, officially dubbed the "Godiva Decadence Suite," is located in an office building in Manhattan's East Village. Its purpose is to publicize Godiva's annual Valentine's Day competition. As if the room itself was not enough, Godiva also brought in a glamorously-clad Ali Larter, star of the TV show Heroes, to help showcase its creation.

Visitors to this room of sweet decadence are given strict instructions not to lick the walls, furniture or artwork, all of which are crafted from chocolate.

Although foam-stuffed felt gingerbread houses have their allure, nothing compares to a real, edible gingerbread house. Who cares if it's ephemeral, or if it's a potential target for pets and pests? It's all about the prettiness. And the wonderful smell. And the sugar. (Mmm, sugar.)

You could just buy a kit... and maybe, if it's your first time, that's what you want to do. But if it isn't, you will probably appreciate Gingerbread Lane (a.k.a. Ginger Lane Kitchens), a site with lots of ideas and advice for budding cookie house architects. Everything you need to know to be a successful builder is right there.

You'll find gingerbread and icing recipes, suggestions for which decorative candies to use, a pattern for a "beginner's" basic 8"x8"x12" house, construction and preservation tips, a gallery of creations by the site's owner and others, and plenty of links. While you're there, don't miss Ginger's Parisian street scene... featuring a gingerbread Eiffel Tower!

If you're thinking of putting together your own edible house, why not check out the Flickr Gingerbread House Showcase pool for ideas? Better yet, check out our gingerbread house gallery: it starts right here.

Does your puppy linger under the children as they open their advent calendar, hoping some chubby little hands will drop a piece of chocolate? I never would have thought of including the pets in this, but if you're looking for a way to give your pet his own advent calender, this is a great project for you. It only takes about an hour and you probably have most of the materials around the house. Here's what you'll need:

1. Green poster board (or another color with a green cellophane overlay)
2. pen or pencil and marker
3. Scissors
4. Tape
5. Glue gun or stapler
6. 26 foil cupcake liners
7. 25 Dog or cat treats

The full instructions and pictures will guide you through crafting this treat tree. I think it's a cute idea to make an advent wreath for your pet, but I don't see that this design has to be for an animal. you could use all the same ideas and fold chocolate or other candy into the cupcake liners. Better yet, make your children and the family pet matching calenders. The countdown started Saturday so you better get crafting!

Have you ever indulged in a Twix candy bar and wondered how they create such a delicious cookie, caramel, and chocolate creation? Maybe the Almond J or the Snickers bar are the ones that you steal from your little guy's Halloween bag. Now you can duplicate these famous recipes at home. You can use higher quality ingredients and transform a convenience store chocolate bar into a true delicacy. You'll probably need some candy-making experience, or at least be a confident baker before you take these on. The art of tempering chocolate or perfecting a caramel recipe are beyond me, but I'm ready to learn after finding out that I could be making my own candy bars!

I wouldn't suggest handing out homemade candy on Halloween. Instead, make these tempting chocolate bars and indulge in them while you sit at the door and hand out the store-bought stuff to your trick-or-treaters.

It's time to ditch the excessive supplements and energy drinks and start using natural foods to increase energy and elevate mood. It doesn't take much, and you'll be feeling better and have more energy to take on your next project. Kick-start your day with these 11 mood-lifting foods:

1. Milk
2. Chocolate
3. Whole grain rice or pasta
4. Mackerel
5. Broccoli
6. Coffee
7. Turkey
8. Liver
9. Blueberries
10. Brazil nuts
11. Any food that tastes good

Check out the full article for details on these foods and reasons why they are each beneficial. Add some of these to your daily diet and you'll immediately notice an improvement. These incredible stress busters will have the added benefit of tasting great. After the break I'll point you to some meal ideas that easily include these 11 mood lifting foods into your diet.

You might not have the knife skills of an Iron Chef, but don't let that crush your dreams of ever managing those paper-thin slices of garlic you've seen clinging to the linguine in swanky restaurants. And you don't even need a pricey mandoline slicer to pull it off. All it takes is a simple kitchen tool designed for shaving truffles that happens to work wonders on other foods as well. Formally known as a tagliatartufi, luckily this device is much easier to use than pronounce.

But before you go Googling "tagliatartufi," or even the less expensive-sounding "truffle shaver," be prepared for prices as high as you'd expect for something meant for use with rare fungi that have been sniffed out by specially trained sows in the forests of Italy. It's not unusual for specialty shops to list them around $35, and some cost upwards of $60.

Here's a little tip: When called a "chocolate shaver," the same little puppy will set you back a mere 7 to 10 bucks. And it certainly works wonders for coaxing delicate curls from a hunk of dark chocolate to sprinkle on cakes and other desserts.

Most truffle shavers are adjustable so you can determine the thickness of the slices. Tighten it up and you can quickly turn a clove of garlic into dozens of wispy slivers that will make even simple soup and pasta dishes look glitzy. It's definitely easier than chopping, and the results are so much more impressive. Try sprucing up your salads with a topping of ultra-thin slices of garlic or shallots that you've fried till crispy in a small amount of olive oil.