Simple Saturday// Make Your Own French Curve

I'm always on the lookout for things I can make inexpensively instead of buying to save a few bucks. I was in Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago, looking to buy a french curve to aid in drafting clothing patterns and it hit me that I probably didn't really need to buy one. I figured it must be pretty simple to make one and I was right. Google gifted me with a free printable courtesy of Jamie over at The Sewing Notebook. Thanks Jamie! Just a tip for the technologically challenged like me, or if you don't have a printer: open up the pdf copy of the print on your computer, tape together two sheets of computer paper, and lightly trace the french curve right off your computer screen. For durability, I then traced my paper french curve onto a thin piece of cardboard and cut it out. The whole process took all of 15 minutes and I saved about ten bucks. Not bad.

Simple Saturday// Candied Orange Peel

 Guys. This recipe is divine. If you like those candy fruit wedges or chocolate oranges then you have to try making your own candied orange peel. It's super simple and the end candy is chewy and delicious! You could also use grapefruit, lemon, or lime peel. Keep in mind that the candy needs a day or two to dry out so plan ahead!

You will need:
2 oranges
2 cups of sugar
water
1 bar of dark chocolate (optional)

 1. Cut off the ends of your oranges and score the peel. You want to try to keep the peel as intact as possible when you remove it.

2. Remove the excess pith (inner white stuff on the peel) by gently sliding a knife along the peel. Slice the peel into quarter inch slices.

3. Boil the peel slices for 15 minutes. Drain the water, rinse the peels, then drain again. Set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups of water with 2 cups of sugar over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring this to a boil then add the peel. Wait for the sugar water to reach a boil again then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the peel simmer for 45 minutes until very soft. Remove the peel and save the orange syrup for cocktails, ice cream, waffles etc.

5-7. Now you have a few options with what you can do with the peel. You can leave it plain, you can toss it in sugar, or you can coat it in chocolate. If you're leaving it plain, separate the slices on a sheet of foil and let it dry on the counter for a day or two. If you're tossing it with sugar, do so right after cooking then set out on a sheet of foil to dry for a day or two. 

8. If dipping in chocolate, lay the slices out to dry for a day or two then coat in chocolate. I found it easiest to melt my dark chocolate with a bit of butter over a double boiler just to make sure I didn't burn it in the microwave. Let it set up. If you're impatient like me, throw it in the freezer for a few minutes.

9. Devour!

Simple Saturday// Ginger Syrup (used 3 ways)

 I've mentioned before my love for whiskey gingers. It's one of my favorite cocktails. Normally I just use ginger ale, but I decided to broaden my horizons and create a ginger simple syrup. It makes such a huge difference! I'm a total convert. Ginger syrup is so easy to make. There's no reason not to have some on hand all the time. It can stay in the fridge indefinitely and can be used for cocktails, stir frys, over waffles or ice cream. Whatever you can think of! It's delicious. Today I'm sharing three different drinks using ginger syrup.

 First, the simple syrup. I did a 1cup-1cup-1cup ratio of water, sugar, and grated ginger. Make sure you peel the ginger before grating. The easiest way to do this is to take a spoon and just lightly scrape off the outer layer. It should come off pretty easily. From the package above I found that I got about 1 cup of ginger from grating 2 pieces (one big, one small). In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium/low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then add the grated ginger. Simmer the mixture on low for about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly then strain the liquid into a jar. Set ginger pieces aside. Instead of tossing out the ginger, blot it dry between paper towels and dip both sides in sugar. Let it dry out for several hours and then use as a garnish.

Here are 3 simple and delicious drink recipes using the ginger syrup. Adjust the amounts of alcohol and ginger syrup to taste. If we're being honest here, I just eyeballed the amounts of everything and tasted as I went for balance so the measurements are a bit of a guess. It's part of the fun!
(Modified) Tom Collins: 1 part gin, 4 parts club soda, 6-7 tablespoons ginger syrup, a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest
Whiskey Ginger: 1 part whiskey, 4 parts club soda, 6-7 tablespoons ginger syrup
Homemade Ginger Ale: 6oz club soda, 8 tablespoons ginger syrup

All of these drinks were pretty exceptional, but my favorite actually turned out to be the (nonalcoholic) homemade ginger ale! It was so refreshing with more of a bite than regular pop and way less sugar. I highly recommend making your own ginger syrup and having a little cocktail party of your own. Slainte!

Simple Saturday// Oreo Fudge

 Today I'd like to share a super simple recipe that my family added to our holiday dessert repertoire years ago: 3 ingredient Oreo Fudge (or wegman o's fudge or whatever knock off Oreo cookie you want to use). All you need is 8 oz of semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of crushed Oreos, an 8inch square baking pan and wax paper. **We doubled our recipe in this picture so we used a baking sheet and a whole package of Oreos, but the process is the same. I haven't tried it, but I'd bet this recipe would be good if you substituted Oreos with thin mints or tagalongs or whatever other kind of cookie tickles your fancy.

 Start by putting your Oreos in a plastic bag and crushing them into small pieces.

 Pour your chocolate chips and butter into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 min, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.

 It won't look like much as it's melting, but if you persevere and stir it together...

 you'll get...

 silky smooth, chocolatey deliciousness!

 To this melted mixture pour in your crushed Oreos and mix until totally combined. Try not to shove your face into this deliciousness because it's hot and will probably burn your face.

 Spray your baking sheet with a little nonstick spray and place a sheet of wax paper on top. Pour your Oreo mixture on the wax paper and spread out until you have a smooth layer on your baking sheet.

 Refrigerate the tray for a few hours until solid. When you remove it, carefully lift the whole tray of fudge up by the wax paper on the ends and gently flip it over. You'll want to remove the wax paper before cutting the fudge into pieces. Because of the Oreo chunks you won't get nice even pieces, but instead a charming array of different sized Oreo goodness and this is what you want because it is quite rich so some people will appreciate a smaller piece while others will appreciate the larger pieces. And I guarantee everyone will come back for seconds...and thirds. The fudge will stay nicely for weeks in the fridge. Perfect to take out for all of those holiday get togethers. Enjoy!

Simple Saturday// Picture Wall

I've been so inspired by picture walls lately, I wanted to create my own. Plus, it finally gave me an excuse to print some pictures which I've been meaning to do for ages. There's no real way to enjoy all of my photos when they're just chilling in files on my computer so this was the perfect project to get some out in the open. I signed up for Snapfish and got my first 50 photos printed for free. I got a mix of my own photos and some inspiring images and quotes from Pinterest. The idea is to create a visually appealing and inspiring collage. Here are some picture walls that have me swooning.

A Beautiful Mess

Design Traveller

I used mostly small photos and one print that I made on my computer. I ended up putting the collage on my door because as it turns out my walls are so covered in posters, artwork, and magazine clippings already that there really isn't any substantial amount of room for a new picture wall. When I eventually have my own home/apartment I'll probably expand on this idea, but this is what I came up with for my current living situation.

Please excuse the poor quality of the last photos. I used my phone and I guess I was a bit shaky, but you get the idea. Do you have a picture wall? I would love to see photos!