Holiday DIY guide 2 - Holiday gifts, drink recipes and yummy baked goods!

Cork Horse Ornaments

As a kid my favorite ornament to hang every year was the cork horse ornaments my parents got from a friend of theirs. I have found directions online and since made some for gifts by following these simple and fun directions. (I got these directions from mahalo.com and added some of my preferences) Remember don't hang the ornament too low on the Christmas tree if you have dogs or cats. I remember one Christmas, my puppy must have smelled the remains of the wine on the cork and ended up pulling our 8 foot Christmas tree down. There were pine needles everywhere!

In order to make a cork horse ornament, you will need to have the following supplies handy. If you don't have these items readily available, you can hit up your local crafts store, or simply borrow from a crafty friend or relative.
What you'll need:

1. 7 wine corks (try to use only corks that are 100% cork, a lot of wine makers are making the switch to more Eco friendly plastic substitutes and are not as easy to cut and don't look as nice on the finished ornament)
2. Gold or red string to hang ornament
3. Red yarn to make the mane and tail
4. Small piece of red plaid material
5. 2 small black poms-poms or I prefer "craft googly eyes"
6. Razor blade or sharp knife
7. Glue gun

The colors for the yarn, the pom-poms and the material are all completely up to you. The colors mentioned above are only suggestions, and ones that have traditionally worked well in this craft project.

1. Plug in the glue gun to allow it to heat up.
2. Designate one cork to be the body.
3. Take another cork and cut one of the ends off so that instead of having a straight edge, the edge is diagonal.
4. Spread hot glue on this diagonal edge. Press one of the straight edges of the body cork against the glue-covered diagonal and allow it to dry.
5. Now spread glue on the other, uncut, edge.
6. Take another cork and hold horizontally.
7. Press one end down onto the glue covered cork.
8. You have now formed the neck, head and body.
9. Take your remaining four corks and cut the ends diagonally in the same way you did the neck cork.
10. One at a time, spread hot glue on the cut ends, then press onto the body cork.
11. Attach two at the front and two at the back, with one of each pair on either side of the cork. This forms the horse's legs.
12. To create the horse's tail, take several short pieces of red yarn. Knot them together at the top.
13. Spread some glue on the end of the body cork and press the yarn into the glue.
14. Now take the string you selected to use to hang the ornament, loop it and tie it into a knot.
15. Glue the thread, knotted end down, to the body cork, just behind where the head cork connects to the body cork.
16. To make the cork horse's mane, take your yarn and wrap it around four of your fingers approximately 15 times.
17. Take the yarn off your fingers and tie it in half.
18. Glue the mane to the back of the head cork. Once the glue dries, spread the yarn out so that the it looks more like a horse's mane.
19. Cut a small rectangle from the fabric you chose earlier. Make the width slightly less than the width between the cork horse's legs. Cut triangles into each end.
20. Glue the fabric onto the body cork to form a saddle.
21. As the final step, glue the pom-poms onto the head cork as eyes.
22. Hang on your tree or attach it to the bow on a gift.

Lip Gloss

What you'll need:

Vaseline

Powdered eye shadow or blush

Small empty container

Small mixing utensil

1. Fill your container with Vaseline (petroleum jelly).

2. Sprinkle your favourite eyeshadow or blush on top. I use bare minerals eyeshadow: daydream or demure, but any color you want will work.

3. Mix it all together well. Clean up the edges.
4. Place in one of the containers
5. Apply!

Hot Buttered Rum Batter Try and say that 10 times fast! (and then try saying it 10 times fast again after you've had a few!)

This was a hit last year at my Ugly sweater party!  But I made enough for 100 servings and was serving it all the way until March when my roommate decided it was time to toss the remains. It will stay good for a long time in the freezer and is an easy quick hot toddy mix that is super rich! I have cut the recipe that I found at allrecipes.com down to 50 servings so that it is a little more realistic, the recipe is easy to double if you are interested in entertaining a huge party and want left overs for the rest of the winter season ENJOY!

What you'll need:

1/2 pound butter

1/2 pound brown sugar

1/2 pound confectioners' sugar

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

A large Tupperware container to store in the freezer

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Blend in brown sugar and confectioners' sugar. Remove from heat, and whisk in the ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture into a plastic container, seal, and freeze.


2. In a coffee mug, measure 1 tablespoon Hot Buttered Rum Batter and 1 fluid ounce of rum, then fill cup with boiling water. Stir, and sprinkle top of drink with nutmeg.
   
   I like to add a cinnamon stick to the coffee mug for decor and flavor. These are super rich, so pace yourself on them! Sure to warm you up on a cold winter night and excite all your holiday guests! Also try adding a candy cane to mug if you'd like to make it a more festive holiday drink.

Homemade Holiday Liqueurs

In my last DIY guide I explained how to make raspberry infused liquor. I thought to myself, why stop there? So I searched through the web to find a detailed description of how to make liqueurs. The best, most detailed step by step process on "how to" was from allrecipes.com Enjoy!

Most homemade liqueurs start with vodka. This spirit is an ideal base for liqueurs because it's colorless and flavorless, making it the perfect blank canvas.

Try creating some of the most popular liqueur flavors, like coffee, amaretto, and Irish cream--they all rely on vodka for their kick.

Or, you may prefer to infuse the subtle essences of herbs, spices or fruit. Don't be afraid to experiment with rum, tequila, gin, brandy, and whiskey infusions as well.

Whichever alcohol you decide to use as your base, choose a decent-quality brand. There's no need to break the bank for the premium varieties, but avoid the cheapest ones if you want to enjoy your liqueurs straight.

Pick a FlavorThere are two ways to add flavor to liquor:

1. Mix flavored extracts right into liquor.

2. Choose the flavoring ingredients in their raw form and allow them to steep in the alcohol for days or weeks.

Using extracts is the fastest way to make a batch of liqueur, and there are a few cases (e.g. with almond extract), where this is the best way to achieve the flavor you're after. More often than not, though, you will get the best results when you slowly infuse the liquor with fresh ingredients. For example, lemon cordial made with fresh lemon zest will taste much better than something made with lemon extract. Using fresh ingredients also allows you to introduce more variety; you won't be able to find as wide a variety of extracts and essences as you will of fruits and herbs and spices.

Infusing liquor is not an exact science, but more a matter of taste. Infuse each flavor to suit your own preferences and if it ends up tasting too strong, you can always dilute it with additional liquor.

Here are some flavoring ideas:

Fruit: Orange zest, lemon zest, kumquats, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, tart apples, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, dried apricots, or dried sour cherries. Whole fruit should be sliced and/or mashed to allow the juices to escape and let the liquor come in contact with as much surface area as possible. Leave the skin on for maximum flavor.

Herbs and spices: Vanilla beans, coriander seeds, peppercorns, hot chiles, lemongrass, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, whole coffee beans, dill, thyme, basil, tarragon, rosemary, or even garlic. Be sparing with the cloves and nutmeg: too much of these ingredients can produce a numbing effect in your mouth!

Try combining a couple of different flavors in the same batch: how about apple-cinnamon, chile-lemongrass, lemon-tarragon, orange-cranberry, or raspberry-vanilla? Just don't try to pack too many different things into one bottle, or you won't be able to distinguish the flavors.

Give it a RestOnce you've chosen your alcohol and your flavorings, simply combine them.

• Put flavorings right into the liquor, or any glass or earthenware jar/bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
• Keep the container in a dark place and leave it at room temperature. If you don't have a dark cupboard in your house, put the bottles in a paper grocery bag and stir or rotate them a couple of times a day.
• Depending on how potent your flavorings are, you'll need to let them steep for anywhere from a day to a few weeks. Most fruit needs a full two to four weeks for all the flavor to be transferred to the alcohol, whereas chiles, garlic, and most fresh spices only need a couple of days.

Smell and taste the infusions to decide when each is ready.

Strain Your ResourcesIf you've used mashed fruit, your infusion is now going to have bits of sediment in the bottom. To get rid of it, simply line a strainer with a coffee filter and slowly pour the liquor through. Don't try to save the fruit that's been soaking in the booze--it won't have any flavor left in it.

Add a Little SweetnessWhen sweetening your liqueurs, don't add sugar directly to the alcohol--it will take too long to dissolve and you won't be able to tell right away how sweet it is. Instead, make a simple syrup of two parts sugar to one part water. Combine them in a saucepan and simmer them on the stove until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the syrup cool to room temperature and then sweeten the infusion to taste. Once a liqueur has been sweetened, most of them taste better after they've had a chance to "age" for a month or so. Aging allows the flavors to mellow and blend.

Bottle it UpScour local import stores, thrift stores or your own cupboards to find interesting glass bottles (if they don't have tops, you can buy corks at craft stores or wine making supply shops). Have fun creating your own custom labels and "garnish" each finished bottle by dropping in a small quantity of the original ingredients (a few berries, a twist of citrus zest, an herb sprig, etcetera).

ServingMost homemade infusions are wonderful when served unadorned, straight out of the freezer. They are also beautiful when mixed into a fresh cup coffee or drizzled over a scoop of good vanilla ice cream,

Any homemade liqueur can be substituted in a traditional cocktail with wonderful results. Make amazing martinis with your infused vodkas, or have fun inventing your own brand new signature drinks!

Candy Cane Cocoa (Serves 5 cups)

5 cups milk

5 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1-1/4 cups whipped cream

5 small peppermint candy canes

3-3/4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped 
or if you prefer  **1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips**

1. In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.
2. Add alcohol if you prefer and enjoy! :)

DIY Holiday Gift Ideas - Get Crafty!

Although I love spending money on family and friends around the holidays, a DIY gift says that you put actual LOVE and TIME into the gifting process. Which is way more valuable than any store bought gift.

So this year I have decided to only give homemade gifts and not only save some of that money that seems to be burning a hole in my pocket for my snowboard trips this season, but also put some TLC into the gift giving experience. 'Cuz isn't putting some thought and love into gift giving really what the holiday is all about?

Here are some of the easy DIY gift ideas that I will be creating this year.... 

Body Scrubs

Holiday Sugar Scrub

What you'll need:

1 cup – demerara, turbinado, or organic granulated sugar (unbleached)

1 cup – light olive oil or grape seed oil

4-5 drops vitamin E oil or  sweet almond oil

5 or 6 drops – of peppermint or hazelnut essential oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

I like to use a blend of both turbinado and organic raw sugar.

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Using a spatula, transfer mix into the container and secure lid. Contents will settle, mix before using. Try to mix it up with any of your favorite essential oils. Some of my favorites are: jojoba, sandalwood, cedarwood, lavendar, jasmine, rosewood, rosemary, chamomile and hazelnut.

• Sugar acts as an exfoliant.
• Sweet almond oil softens the skin and adds moisture.
• DO NOT use cinnamon, as it can burn and exacerbate skin. 
• You'll want the oil to cover just above the sugar mixture. Portion size will depend on jar size.

Strawberry Exfoliating Facial Scrub

The strawberry exfoliating scrub smells sweet and exfoliates dry, flaky skin. Strawberries are also rich in salicylic acid and will help prevent breakouts.

What you'll need:

4 pureed strawberries

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP vegetable oil

4 TBSP of sugar

Mix all the ingredients. Put it in a unique jar - try a craft store and tie with a festive bow. Attach recipe and add a personalized touch!

Bath salts (not the drug that makes people turn into cannibals)

What lady doesn't love taking a nice relaxing bath!? These bath salts are so easy to make, make great gifts for any one and they are festive too!

• Salt of your choosing, but a good choice can be a mixture of sea and epsom salt. An alternative salt combination that is a good choice is half turbinado sugar and half fine raw sugar.

Essential oils of your choosing some relaxing choices are Chamomile, Sandalwood and Lavender. For an energizing holiday scent try Peppermint.

A mixing bowl and large fork, spoon or whisk

shop at craft and thrift stores for unique jars and personalize with your own handmade tag.

• For a perfect stocking stuffer size, use gift basket strength saran wrap and a cute ribbon to conceal your bath salt creation.

Though optional, an all-natural dye to create a colorful bath

This recipe is SO easy:

• Begin by mixing salts together in a bowl
• Add a drop or two of your essential oils and mix it up getting rid of any clumps
• Add natural food grade dye, mixing it in and adding until you get your desired hue (don't use too much dye unless you want to stain someones bathtub, a tiny bit goes a long way!)
• Funnel salts into the jars and seal them, adding personalized labels listing ingredients!

And VOILA! Super easy!

Green Tea Toner

Green tea and witch hazel will tone the skin while grapefruit acid helps to boost collagen production.

What you'll need:

1. 2 green tea bags steeped in 1 cup water and cooled.

2. 1/4 cup witch hazel

3. Juice of 1/2 of a red grapefruit

Steep the tea bags in the water and let cool. Remove the teabags. Add the witch hazel and the grapefruit juice to the tea water. Transfer the liquid to a spritz bottle and personalize the bottle!

Raspberry Infused Vodka

What you'll need:

3 cups vodka - 750 ml bottle of vodka
18 ounces raspberries, crushed

Directions:
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vodka with the raspberries. Close the jar tightly and let stand at room temperature for 2 weeks. Strain the vodka through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Strain the vodka a second time through a coffee filter into a clean jar and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

RIP ZIG ZIGLAR - A Great American Icon

RIP Zig Ziglar (November 6, 1926 - November 28, 2012)

An iconic figure, famous salesman, motivational speaker and one of my personal favorite authors, Zig Ziglar died today at 86 years old from pneumonia. Some of his more popular reads are titled "See you at the top", "Over the top", and "Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing the Sale"

Ziglar’s speaking career had lasted more than 50 years before he retired in 2010. He was known for corporate training and motivational speeches that aimed to improve people's personal lives and careers. His company includes more than a dozen other speakers who advocate "The Ziglar Way."

 

Here are just some of his famous quotes:

"You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”

“There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”

"Lack of direction not lack of time is the problem. We all have 24 hour days" 

"People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

"If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

“A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

"Money isn't the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen on the 'gotta have it' scale."

"Success is dependent upon the glands - sweat glands."

"Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust."

"Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful."

"You don't drown by falling in water; you only drown if you stay there" 



Just your average Socal girl... An Introduction :)

“You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.”  ― C.G. Jung

Life is about action... Don't just talk about it, be about it. I think that anyone can talk about and write about life, but getting out and living it is something that not everyone does. I have decided to start writing about my many interests and passions and think that a blog is a perfect start!

This blog is primarily going to be about snowboarding, fitness, health, food, culture, advertising, music, fashion, and events that I attend.

My name is Lisa and I am just your average 20 something socal girl who enjoys snowboarding, music and the great outdoors. Born and raised in Los Angeles County, I grew up skiing as early as I can remember with my family. My parents met in a ski club through mutual friends at their work and continued their yearly trips throughout their marriage. Their love of the great outdoors and skiing was passed down to me.

As snowboarding grew in popularity my interest in skiing diminished. My friends insisted on teaching me how to snowboard at 14 and I have been in love ever since. Every summer I look forward to the winter time and my trips to the local mountains. I enjoy going to Big Bear most often, but frequent Mammoth, Mountain High, Mt. Baldy and several resorts in Tahoe.

Although I have no desire to compete at any level I enjoy the ride, the escape from reality and the people that also love the sport. During the summer time you can find me hiking with my pitbull, out on the lake or at the beach, working out in the gym to stay fit for next season and working at my sales job. During the winter months I handle my school schedule (business marketing student), work and my weekend excursions to the mountain with friends and family.