Heart Shaped Bon Bons

I saw the cake bon bons over at Sumo's Sweet Stuff - http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/2010/01/mouth-watering-wednesday-bon-bons.html and it was my inspiration to make heart shaped ones.

Items needed:

• 1 box cake mix
• Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Water
• Non-stick Spray
• 1 can of frosting
• Heart shaped tray(s) or cookie cutter 
• Potato Masher or large spoon
• Candy hearts, colored sugar, chocolate sprinkles or other decorations
• 1 small ziplock bag
• Freezer
• Wax paper

Makes approx 3 1/2 dozen.

Mix cake according to package. I used a Strawberry cake mix which used the mix 3 eggs, 1/3 Cup oil, 1 cup water and bake at 350 degrees for 32-36 min for 13x9 inch pan. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, spoon the cake and all but 2 tablespoons of the frosting (keep for decoration).

With a potato masher or large spoon, mash the icing and the cake mixture together until it is sticky.

In the bottom of a heart shaped mold (or sprinkle cookie sheet if spooning into a cookie cutter) sprinkle candy hearts , sugar or chocolate sprinkles. I got my mold from Dollar Tree and I only used one and repeated the process.

Spoon dough into the mold (or spoon onto cookie sheet and cut with cookie cutter). Place in freezer for approximately 10 minutes.

Line a 13x9 pan with was paper. Remove from mold (if mold used); flip right side up.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of frosting into a ziplock bag and close it. Smoosh it to one corner than make a small snip in the corner and squiggle it over the hearts.



After there are icing squiggles on the hearts, place pan in the freezer for 10 minutes before putting on serving plate to make it easier to work with (otherwise will be smooshy).

I am linking this up to Today's Creative Blog. Currently there are over 200 other projects linked up.

I am also linking up to Show And Tell over at Blue Cricket Design.   Go over and check out all of the other crafty creations!

BARBED WIRE HEART KEYRING WITH LIGHT

This is a keyring that I made for myself. It is a cross between my Thumbprint Heart Necklace http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/heart_thumb_print_necklace (as it is made by the same method and same materials and I had plenty left over from that project, except that I did not put a thumbprint in it) and barbed wire heart necklace at CO+K by Cat Morelyhttp://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/barb_wire_wrapped_heart_necklace

The heart charm is connected via a piece of silver elastic threa tied in knots to a safety pin and the safey pin is attached to a light up keyring with a foil heart glued to the top.

Barbed Heart Necklace

I made this for my niece, Trina's, 17th birthday and I hope she likes it. It is a cross between my Thumbprint Heart Necklace http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/heart_thumb_print_necklace

(as it is made by the same method and same materials as I had plenty left over from that project, except that I did not put a thumbprint in it) and the barb wire heart necklace by Cat Morley at CO+K

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/barb_wire_wrapped_heart_necklace

(added the barbed wire across the center).

I purchased the metal necklace cord with the bale at Walmart for around $3 (as it is for a present and I don't have experience putting together such things, I wanted to get something that would look nice) but attached it with silver elastic cording by tying it in knots (to keep with the barbed wire theme) from the heart then tied about 6 knots, threaded the cord through the bale, tied two more knots then cut off the excess.

I am linking this to

"Broken Heart" Thumbprint Keyring

I made this as a key ring for my son and the idea was to make it more masculine by adding the barb wire it, but it still came out a little too girly for him to be caught ever using so it will end up being a spare key holder.

This project is a cross between this project and the Barb Wire necklace here: http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/barb_wire_wrapped_heart_necklace

and my tutorial on the Heart Thumbprint necklace here:

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/heart_thumb_print_necklace I used Sculpey clay to shape the heart and it is intentionally mis-shapened with imperfections and gouges to symbolized a broken heart.

I then took a piece of jewelry wire and wrapped little pieces of wire around that wire to make the barbs, then pressed it into the heart, used a small straw to make the hold for the string, then baked it for 15 mins.

I then used silver elastic thread and strung it through the hole, added a paper bead, then tied it to the heart shaped keyring blank.

THUMBPRINT HEART KEY CHAIN

This is one of the hearts made at the same time I made the thumbprint heart necklace. This one is for Kyle's Dad. I know he would never go for anything frou-frou, so I scavanged the ring from my old Tony the Tiger keyring and strung some jewelry wire through the hole and twisted it then attached the keyring. This is the back of the keyring. To make it look more masculine, I used an eagle sticker. If I had more time, I would have had a picture of my son printed at Walgreen and attached instead (would have cost around 20 cents). Keyring scavenged from this keychain. I didn't have the heart to throw Tony away so will have to come up with another project to recycle him on to. Cost: Under 50cents Materials: Same basic materials as heart necklace, except instead of beads and ribbons used: - Keyring (free - scavenged from old keyring) - Jewelry wire (.33 cents 24 yd. roll - was on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics as pkg was damaged) - Eagle sticker (free - came in the mail with some address stickers)

HEART THUMB PRINT NECKLACE

Close up of heart (indentation is the thumb print

Close up of back of heart

I made this to be more of kid's project for a child to do for a loved one, but it could be made into a more grown-up version by using jump rings, clasps and a chain instead of ribbon.

The pictures I took really do not do it justice because it looks much better in person and you can easily see the ridges of the finger print.

Cost for each necklace is less than 50 cents each.

************************************************************************ Materials:

- 1 block Fimo Clay - makes 4 hearts (on sale at Michael's .99)

- Hearts ice cube tray ($1.00 from Dollar Tree)

- 18-24 inches of 1/8th inch wide Ribbon (97 cents per spool from Walmart), depending on length preferred

- 2 beads with 1/8th inch opening or pony beads (on hand from broken Dollar store watch) for each necklace

- Straw from bagged juice drink like Capri Sun (free as it was a used one)

- Aluminum pie pan to bake the fimo (free as it was a used one)

Optional: Nodi Nail laquer pink with stars or ($1.00 from Dollar Plus) or any other nail polish

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Works out best to divide the fimo into segments then kneed each piece in your hands for a few minutes to make it more pliabe, then press it into the mold and smooth off the top of it.

Take out of the mold and place in the aluminum pie pan right side up. Have the child press their thumb print into the center of the heart. They will need to press very hard to make an indentation.

You may need to shape the crease in the center of the hear on top up a little as the pressing will flatten it out. Use the side of the straw to press the crease back in the heart.

Use the straw to punch a hole in the upper right hand side of the heart.

Bake the fimo clay in the oven at 275 degrees for 15 mins. Do not overbake.

Use the nail lacquer to paint the heart

Thread ribbon through heart front to back, then tie in a knot at the top.

Close up of bead to show size of opening

Thread one bead on each side of the ribbon.

Tie a knot at the end of the the two pieces of ribbon and you are done!

HEART HEADBAND FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

TOTAL COST: Under 50cents TOTAL TIME: 15 MINS This in my first ever attempt at re-vamping a headband. I bought 1/8th of yard of the hearts fabric a week or so ago with this project in mind. The fabric was $2.44/yd. so with tax worked out to be about .35 cents and I still have enough left to make other small project like hair ribbons or scrunchies. I have found that people the cut fabric are very curious about what you are going to make when you request less than a yard of fabric. In this case I was glad I had an idea and ready answer because sometime the real reason is I like the fabric but I am on a tight budget and I will just have to figure out what I am going to use it for later. I chose this fabric as I wanted something for Valentine's Day, but also something that I could wear year round without looking it was just for Valentine's Day - this fabric was perfect as it has hearts but some of them are black, so it has a touch of goth. I had an old headband that was in good condition except the white was looking a little more like grey even after an attempt at washing it. I stripped of the black felt strip that was down the middle the underside of the headband then hot glue gunned the fabric to the headband then re-glued the felt strip. It turned out ok and I will wear it, but there are a few little puckers that no matter how much I pulled and glued and burned my fingers, it would just not go straight. When I try this project again, I will cut the fabric wider and cut little notches in it so it will go over the curves better.