April 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box

PopSugar mailed out my April box right when I was leaving for vacation so it took a very long time for me to get my hands on it. Needless to say I was impatient and started looking at spoilers. I was hoping on having my box delivered before my birthday but that didn't happen since the box was mailed out later than usual this month.

"Spring is finally here, which means it's time to think about getting outside, cleaning house, and going green. Embracing eco-friendly habits can be chic and fun, and we're here to show you how. Plus, make not only your home but also your makeup routine a little more awesome with some help from a gorgeous palette. You'll find all the essentials to keep you healthy and beautiful for April and beyond. Now you're ready to run the world."

Here are the contents of this month's box:

Must Have Food

1) Naturebox PopSugar Must Have Mix 4.5 oz.

    $5.00

Must Have Home
2) Fresh Pastry Stand Totally Awesome Tea Towel Set
    $18.00  
3) Graphic Image Pocket Notes
     $25.00
4) Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Hand Soap 10.8 fl. oz.
     $10.50

Must Have Beauty

5) Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

    $36.00

Must Have Fashion

6) BlueAvocado (Eco) Shopper
     $24.99

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $119.49
 

If you are interested in joining PopSugar click on the link below: http://popsu.gr/slJx

Promo Code: "Refer5" this code will take $5 off a monthly box 
                           "MAY10" this code will take $10 off a monthly box 

Darby Smart April 2014 Box "Metal Stamping"

April is the second box I have received from Darby Smart and once again the project isn't something I would have ever considered doing on my own. This months DIY project is all about Metal Stamping.

I am in the process of moving so I won't have time to actually play around with my kit for a few more weeks but thought that I would at least share the contents with you before May's box arrives.

The supplies included this month were:

• an 8 oz. hammer
•  a metal block
• Letter stamping set
• Blank metal pendants
• a ball chain necklace

** I will update the post with a photo of the completed project once I am done. I still have to figure out something creative to stamp on my metal plates.

UPDATE: I attempted to do this project this past weekend and I have to say it was definitely a miss for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the lowercase metal stamps, I found them to be too small, and after several attempts at stamping my pendants I gave up. I should be getting my May box soon and I am hoping that the project will be a hit, just like my first wood burning box was.

If you want to browse the Darby Smart website or learn more about their monthly DIY box click here: Darby Smart
Promo Code: "HOWDYDARBY" will take $10 off your first box, making it only $9 shipped.

French Macaroons: My first time

After a long lull in baking posts I finally have something new for you all. The past week has been crazy since finals are right around the corner. I have had exam, after paper, after project and am just exhausted. To help me with my stress I decided to do some baking. I don't know why I thought baking macaroons would be a stress reliever but it was the first thing that popped into my head. I am very proud of how these macaroons turned out, especially since this was my first time every attempting to make them.

First off, let me say that before I made these macaroons I watched a few videos on YouTube so that I could get some guidance, other then what the recipe was giving me.

Here are the videos I found the most helpful
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ636Y8N6E8
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sO7FeXTO-w

Ingredients Needed:

1 cup almond meal (or almond flour)
2 cups powdered sugar
3 egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
Gel food coloring








Directions:

1) Sift your almond meal and powdered sugar together and set aside. You want this mixture to be very fine and lack any lumps.
2) Next in a clean bowl, place your egg whites in and beat the mixture on medium for 4 minutes until the eggs become frothy. Then add your granulated sugar and salt to the mixture and beat the eggs on high for another 6 minutes until stiff peaks form.
3) If you want to color your cookies now is the time to add gel food coloring to your egg whites and beat the mixture so the color blends in.
4) Now gradually fold in the almond mixture with your egg whites mixture. This step is the hardest part because you do not want to underfold the mixture or overfold the mixture. You should be able to tell if the almond mixture has been folded because the mixture should be smooth.
5) Next place your almond mixture into a piping bag and start piping 1.5 in circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6) Once you are done piping out your macaroons slam the baking sheet a couple times on a hard service to smooth out the tops of your cookies. Let the macaroons sit for 30 minutes so the tops of the cookie set.
7) Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F. Bake your cookies for 18 minutes.
*Note: I used a hand mixer for this recipe so the times for how long to beat the egg whites are based on the equipment I used.

The Macaroons setting, before they go in the oven

Your macaroons are now done. You can fill them with buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, jam, or lemon curd. I ended up filling my macaroons with a chocolate hazelnut spread.

Project D.I.Y March 2014 Modern Heirlooms Collection

I'm sad to say that this is the last monthly collection being released from Project D.I.Y. The pictures of the projects were released this past weekend. For their last collection Project D.I.Y. was inspired by the idea that fashion history always repeats itself. Vintage styles from the past tend to reemerge again and again and fuse with contemporary styles to create new fashionable treasures.

"Our Modern Heirlooms collection includes trims and embellishments to make a series of vintage-inspired pieces including our Rose Blossom Hair Comb, Golden Arrow Hair Comb, and Timeless Wrap Watch."

This collection features a series of reimagined heirlooms for the modern age, using sophisticated and classic elements such as mother of pearl, leather and floral trims. You’ll be mixing metals and textures, and embellishing with stunning new shapes, creating your very own vintage-inspired statement pieces.

Project #1: Rose Blossom Hair Comb
Turn this:

Into this:

Project #2: Golden Arrow Hair Comb
Turn this:

Into This:

Project #3: Timeless Wrap Watch

Turn this:

 Into This:

 

It's official, this was the last box from the Project D.I.Y. subscription.
If you are interested in purchasing projects from the past DIY boxes you can order them here: http://www.mjtrim.com/project-diy.html
If you would like to know what is going on with Project DIY click here: http://mjprojectdiy.com/faq/