#1Whole Wheat Valentine's Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees - Makes 12-15 little cakes
Ingredients:
1/3 c. shortening
1 large egg
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 1/2 c. freshly ground soft white wheat flour
1 3/4 - 2 c. milk
In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, sea salt and flour. Set aside.
1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in and whisk or beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add the dry ingredients and the 1 3/4 c. of milk. Beat in, but don't over beat. Your batter needs to be just like a boxed mix in consistency. Whole wheat soaks up liquid quicker than white flour, so let you batter sit for 10 minutes then check the consistency. If it's too thick, add a another 1/4 c. of milk, beat and let sit for a few more minutes. Too little milk, and you'll have little holes in the top of your cake.
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
4 Tbsp. milk
Add pink food coloring if desired. I used candy instead. I piped some icing around and on the tops. The cake is pretty sweet and doesn't need a lot of frosting.
Enjoy!
#2 Silk Ribbon Heart Embroidery
Decorate or give as a gift!
This project is fairly simple. I know it looks detailed but ribbon is very forgiving!
You'll need:
4mm silk ribbon - Buy at Joyous Home OR hand-dyed from Priti Ribbons
Chenille 22 needle
#8 Pearle cotton- Pink and Red
Transfer pencil, tracing paper
Something to embellish - I used a dish towel. You can do embroidery on blank cards also.
I have put the template for you to download HERE. Personal use only - please do not share, have your friends come by to download! Thank you!
I used chain stitches for each flower, petal stitches and colonial knots. To start, knot the end of the thread, and come down about 3" from where you'll start, leaving the knot on top. This is later cut and the thread is weaved through the back threads. This prevents little knots all over the back.
1. Print out the template. Use tracing paper, and trace with an iron-on transfer pencil. Iron to your cloth - not sure if you can do this onto a card. (Maybe transfer it with graphite paper.)
Just press down flat with the iron and lift. Do not move the iron or it will smear. Press, 20 seconds, lift. Make sure to get the whole pattern. Sometimes I tape mine in place, but don't touch the iron to the tape.
2. Outline in the between the flowers with a straight stitch using the pearl cotton. Come up through the back, take a stitch back down. Easy.
3. Knot the needle - It doesn't matter what stitch you start with. I started with the chain. Secure a knot on the end of your needle. Put the thread through the needle, and go back in at the end, pull the knot closed.
3a. Chain Stitch - Come up through the back, take a stitch, but don't pull through yet. Wrap the ribbon flat around the tip, and then pull through. Come down at the top to secure. Make these in circles of 5 or 6 for each flower, alternating colors.
4. Petals - Come up, lay the ribbon flat, about 1/8"-1/4" take a stitch down on top. Pull gently so a little curl forms at the end. Pretty and very easy!
5. Colonial Knots - Come up, holding the thread in a slight curve, put the needle under the thread. Wrap once and still holding the thread, put the needle down close to where you came up, pull taut, and go down. Be careful not to pull through too quick. If this knots, you'll need to pick it out, and it's not fun.
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