Do Tell Tuesday #30 with Features!

I am so excited that you can be here for my favorite day of the week!  First of all, today's Social Share is INSTAGRAM!

Second, thank you to all of you that linked up an ice cream post, and I hope you caught all of the features in yesterday's post about 25 Creative Ice Cream Flavors.  Next week's round-up theme will be...

BLUEBERRIES!

Submit your blueberry-themed posts in the linky below or in the comments.  :)  Click here for the full rundown on how to participate and...

Welcome to Do Tell Tuesday!

Say hello to my fellow co-hosts too!

• Tori from Lil' Mrs. Tori
• Lisa from Mabey She Made It
• Cassie from Little Red Window
• Stephanie from Crafting In The Rain
• Melanie from The Crafty Cupboard

They are all lovely and talented, so pop on over and say hello!  Now, let's get to the party!   :)

Recently seen on Vintage Zest...

July 4th Recipes for Vegetarians

Buffalo Chicken Dip & Jalapeno Poppers Wrapped in Bacon

20 Recipes for July 4th!

Wilderess Feature & $20 Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

Sunday Synopsis

25 Creative Ice Cream Flavors

The Sycamore Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA)

fōnuts (Los Angeles, CA)

The Belvedere (Beverly Hills, CA)

Z'Tejas (Costa Mesa, CA)

Bistango (Irvine, CA)

Il Fornaio (Irvine, CA)

Alegria Cocina Latina (Long Beach, CA)

All of us hosts and guest host pick our own features, and we all share the most viewed link too.  If you are all ready to see the features, here we go!

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25 Creative Ice Cream Flavors + 6 Serving Ideas & No-Churn Recipes!

You might have know this, but tomorrow is National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day!  It's the start of a new month, so why not try a new ice cream flavor?  I assembled this round-up of 25 amazingly creative flavors of ice cream and sorbet from lovely linkers at Do Tell Tuesday, plus a few recipe sharing groups.  By the way, next week's round-up is going to feature Blueberry recipes, so make sure to share those at tomorrow's link party!

At the end of the post, I am sharing a few serving ideas once you whip up one of these delicious recipes, if you want something a little fancier than eating it out of a bowl.  Yum!  Plus, I included a couple of methods on how to make ice cream for all of you without a ice cream maker.  Now there's no reason that you won't be able to make one these unique desserts!

And yes, I did place them in rainbow order (à la my closet) because that's the kind of person I am.  :)  Click on each title or the photo to be taken to the recipe.

Enjoy!

Creamy Coconut, Raspberry & Blueberry Ice Cream (Dairy-free!)

Strawberry FroNana "Ice Cream"

Salted Watermelon Ice Cream

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Sunday Synopsis!

Happy Sunday!

I am no doubt recovering right now from my two events yesterday at Tacolandia and L.A. Street Food Fest.  Lots of food and to see it all before the post on The Episodic Eater, check out my Instagram feed!

Lastly, here are last week's posts in case you missed any.  :)

Sunday Synopsis

Monday:  An awesome wood round ring holder from guest poster Erica!

Tuesday:  Do Tell Tuesday #29 along with awesome features from last week.  :)  Come link up and try to get featured on all six blogs next week!

Wednesday:  Check out this recipe round-up for the vegetarian at your July 4th recipe by Rini!

Thursday:  Check out these fun Buffalo Chicken Dip and Jalapeño Poppers wrapped in Bacon from Home.Made.Interest.!

Friday:  I put together a round-up of 20 Recipes for July 4th!

Saturday:  Check out Wilderess' Shop Small Saturday Showcase feature & enter the GIVEAWAY to win $20 to her store and a tealight scent pack!

The Sycamore Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA)

fōnuts (Los Angeles, CA)

The Belvedere (Beverly Hills, CA)

Z'Tejas (Costa Mesa, CA)

Bistango (Irvine, CA)

Il Fornaio (Irvine, CA)

Alegria Cocina Latina (Long Beach, CA)

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

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Wilderess Feature & $20 Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

I first met Kristina of Wilderess at the end of a very long day at Artisanal LA, and I was just pooped.  However, I totally perked up when I saw her amazing booth, and even more excited when I saw saw all of the pretty items she handmade!  She is super sweet, and after running into her two more times at Patchwork Long Beach and Penelope Lane Boutique, I am so happy that I finally have this feature to share with you all!

Today, she is offering one of you lucky readers a $20 certificate to Wilderess plus a tea light scent pack.  Awesome!  Plus, she is offering a promo of 15% to everyone, which you can find at the end of the post.

But first, find out which unique candle scent is Kristina's favorite, if you are a Wilderess (a word made up by Kristina), and much more!

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

Growing up as the youngest of three, we didn’t have a lot of extra money for fancy toys.  For that reason, I definitely developed an insanely imaginative mind.  My neighbor’s dad was a construction worker and had a big workshop filled with tools and wood scraps in his garage.  His son and I would sneak in there as kids and take all the scraps off the ground and build ourselves dollhouses to use with what toys we did have.  We didn’t necessarily know how to use the tools properly, but we both learned quickly by studying finished pieces or watching his dad work on things.  Arts and crafts has always been an outlet for me in every sense of the word.  When I graduated university with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Italian Language, I thought what every new graduate does: now what?  I was fortunate enough to land a really great job at one of the largest shoe companies in the world.  I lasted for a week.  I realized within a  day how much I really did not like the corporate world, the mass production, and the lives made for people overseas behind said production.  I cried every single day of that week in my car in a random parking lot during my lunch breaks.  I decided to quit before I got stuck and it was the best decision I ever made!  I definitely went through a little bit of a “what-did-I-do” phase and took up gardening to get my mind off the feeling that “real life” was settling in.  One afternoon, I was in my bathroom getting ready to meet my mom for lunch and I inspected a lip balm I had in my make up bag.  Since life had slowed down a little bit, I was paying more attention to the small details.  I read the ingredients and was disappointed that this “natural” lip balm had nearly 30 ingredients, most of which I couldn’t decipher without a Google search.  I went online later that day and did research on how to make my own.  I researched ingredients, production methods, and created my own recipe.  The end product was something I personally loved using.  I handed samples out to friends and family and the response was so positive I launched an Etsy shop!  Two months later, I taught myself how to make candles.  It’s true, I don’t have formal training on cosmetic or candle production, but I’ve always been a good student and a quick learner so I was able to teach myself the techniques and skills needed for these crafts.

Where did the name of your store come from?

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20 Recipes for July 4th!

Have you decided what is on the menu for your July 4th party?  It's only a week away!  Fortunately for you, I put together a round-up with a bunch of dishes for you to make complete with appetizers, salads, easy entrees, grilled entrees, desserts, and even a kid-friendly dish!

Appetizers

Red Pepper Spread with Roasted Eggplant & Garlic

Creamy Jalapeño Poppers with Sausage

Lettuce Wraps

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Buffalo Chicken Dip & Jalapeno Poppers Wrapped in Bacon from Home. Made. Interest.

Today's post comes from Kat and Melinda of Home. Made. Interest. who are regular Do Tell Tuesday linkers and make some amazing recipes and crafts!  In fact, I have featured them twice, so you know I'm a fan.  :)

Check out their two awesome recipes below!

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Hi all!  We're Kat and Melinda from Home. Made. Interest. and we're so excited to be guest posting on Vintage Zest today!

Melinda and I were sitting around the other day talking about recipes, trying to come up with something different...but still delicious, when we came up with these buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers. Buffalo chicken is one of our favorite, easy-to-make, dips and it is loaded with hot sauce, and cream cheese. It seemed like the perfect thing to stuff inside of a jalapeño, especially if you like things spicy! We decided to wrap it in bacon because, well, obviously everything is better wrapped in bacon :).

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5 Vegetarian Dishes for July 4th from Rini!

This is one of the last recipe guest posts for the month, and it's a special holiday round-up with a collection of five recipes.  Yep, it is ending with a bang from today's post courtesy of Rini of Healing Tomato!  As you already know, I love tomatoes and many of the recipes I share here vegetarian or rely heavily on vegetables, but Rini has the vegetarian thing all wrapped up!

Today, she is sharing some great dish ideas for your July 4th bash for vegetarians and veggie lovers alike!  I am drooling over the corn, and laughing over her vegetarian woes.  :)  Check it out!

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What To Feed Vegetarians On July 4th

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Do Tell Tuesday #29 and features!

I am so excited that you can be here for my favorite day of the week!  I have a quick announcement to make before the festivities get underway.  For a few months, I have been struggling to figure out ways to get more of your lovely projects featured because you are all just so talented and I always want to feature more than my usual six.  Well, I decided that I will make separate themed-feature posts each week!  So, I will announce the theme of the week, and if you add a link that fits, you can be part of the round-up!  Next week's theme is...

Ice Cream!

Add your ice cream-related posts and leave me a comment if you want.  :)  Or, tag me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Google+ with your recipe link, if you REALLY want me to take notice!


Also, remember to link up to our Social Media link-up below, and this week is Twitter!  Click here for the full rundown on how to participate and...

Welcome to Do Tell Tuesday!

Say hello to my fellow co-hosts too!

• Tori from Lil' Mrs. Tori
• Lisa from Mabey She Made It
• Cassie from Little Red Window
• Stephanie from Crafting In The Rain
• Melanie from The Crafty Cupboard

They are all lovely and talented, so pop on over and say hello!  Now, let's get to the party!   :)

Recently seen on Vintage Zest...

Pattern Drafting Series from Kathy!

Perfectly Purple Summer Dress from Natasha!

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark from Sandi!

MFEO feature & GIVEAWAY!

Sunday Synopsis

DIY Wood Round Ring Holder from Erica

All of us hosts and guest host pick our own features, and we all share the most viewed link too.  If you are all ready to see the features, here we go!

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DIY Wood Round Ring Holder from Erica

Today's amazing post comes from Erica of Dwell Beautiful!  Remember the fallen wood that I wasn't sure what to do with?  Well, I have (at least) one slice set specifically aside for this project!  It looks so good, but Erica explains step-by-step how to make it, so you can whip one up lickety-split.

Now, over to Erica!

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Hello Everyone!

I'm super excited to be guest posting today at Vintage Zest!  Diane is a fabulous blogger and I'm honored to be here.

A bit of background info about me - I'm Erica over at Dwell Beautiful and I specialize in DIY craft and home decor tutorials and decorating your house on a budget!  Today I'm bringing you a special tutorial on how to make your very own wood round ring holder.  I had several rings that were just sitting getting dusty in my jewelry box and decided they needed a good place to be displayed when I'm not wearing them. This is a super easy and quick tutorial that anyone can make!  Let's get started :)

Materials

• Wood Round (I found mine at Michael's for a few dollars!)

• Drill with 3/32 size drill bit

• 3/4" gold cup hooks

• China marker or pencil

• Optional: hanging or stand making materials

Step 1

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Sunday Synopsis

Happy Sunday!

I'm studying as usual with my two study buddies below, whom I introduced on Instagram.  Meet Al & Kidney Bean Bryant!  For more info about them, check out the link to the pic!

I hope you have been enjoying the guest posters for the past couple of weeks.  They are amazing, aren't they?  Their projects have been so fun!  Next week is going to be just as awesome.  :)  Yay!

Lastly, here are last week's posts in case you missed any.  :)

Sunday Synopsis

Monday:  Check out this Summertime Wreath from guest poster Katy!  It's actually super easy.  :)

Tuesday:  Do Tell Tuesday #28 along with awesome features from last week.  :)  Come link up and try to get featured on all six blogs next week!

Wednesday:  Love this Pattern Drafting post from Kathy.  Vintage fans will be happy!

Thursday:  See all the details on Natasha's Perfectly Purple Summer Dress!

Friday:  I just know you are excited to make this Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark from Sandi!

Saturday:  Check out MFEO's Shop Small Saturday Showcase feature & enter the GIVEAWAY!

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

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MFEO feature & GIVEAWAY!

Today's Shop Small Saturday Showcase feature comes from MFEO, a husband and wife duo that combines that retro, mid-century modern vibe with natural materials.  Can you tell that this is my style to a T?  Yes, I absolutely adore every single item that they make.  Seriously everything, which includes lighting, tables, seating, beds, mirrors, accessories, and serveware.

In fact, speaking of the serveware, MFEO is going to be giving away a 4 pack of bottle stops to one of my lucky readers!  That will be at the end of the post, but before you enter, make sure to check out the interview!  Find out how a favorite rom-com inspired their name and the one-of-a-kind materials that started their journey into making beautifully designed pieces.

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

Soon after meeting, we dreamt of launching a small, design-based business. A love of mid-century modern paired with a shared interest in living a more sustainable lifestyle, we decided to create a furniture and housewares collection. Stars quickly aligned for the new venture when my grandfather offered us his 100+ year old barn as a material resource. MFEO was born, a joint effort to handcraft sustainably sourced materials into heirloom quality pieces for the home.


Where did the name of your store come from?

MFEO is an acronym for ‘Made for Each Other.’ It’s originally a quote from the film, Sleepless in Seattle. We liked the idea that each piece we make is destined for a certain home.

Why did you start making goods for MFEO?

I started designing and building furniture about two years ago. I originally studied graphic design, multimedia and animation. Ten years later I realized that my career had veered down a less creative path and I found myself in advertising. So I decided to simply start over and reconnect with my creative side. I wanted to do something very hands-on and provide a product that people could love for years to come.


What is your favorite item?

Our favorite item is our Rohe club chair. When we originally salvaged what we believe to be a vintage Modernica or Mies van der Rohe chair, we were in love with the beautiful chrome base, but the upholstery was in tatters. We ended up replacing the entire seat and back with the barn wood and it is without question our trophy piece. We will be sad when it sells one day, but are happy to enjoy it in the meantime.

What is your most popular item?

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Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark from Sandi!

When I put out the call for guest posts, Sandi of Fearless Dining asked me if she would like to contribute.  Of course!  I have seen her recipes and loved so many of them, so I just knew she would make something amazing for you guys.  :)

I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but one of my least favorite kitchen tasks is melting chocolate and butter.  I am so impatient that I usually end up burning it and having to start over again.  However, this recipe for Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark looks so good that I am willing to patiently wait and watch.  Need I say more?

Take it away, Sandi!

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Are you a choco-aholic?

Don't feel guilty, I am as well :-) .

When my friend, Diane, said she needed some help with guest posts while she was studying, I knew just the post to share with her readers.

I can't help it, give this girl dark chocolate and I am happy as can be. I recently fell in love with these Pound Plus chocolate bars at Trader Joe's. They are available in Dark Chocolate, Bittersweet, or Milk Chocolate. They are only $4.99 for the giant bar, a fabulous bargain. This chocolate is made in Belgium and is really good.

And even better, it melts down really nicely, making it perfect for making candy.


For this recipe, I used just three ingredients:

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Perfectly Purple Summer Dress from Natasha!

This week, I have a post from Natasha of The Telltale Tasha.  You might remember the sewing challenge that we had for a Simple Dress.  Well, I can tell you now that the members of Stitch Once, Rip Twice have totally outdone themselves!  I cannot wait to post the round-up for the challenge in a couple of weeks.  You will be floored.

But lucky you, here's a sneak peek from one of the members!  When I saw the dress from Natasha below, I thought she looked just like a movie star.  No joke.  So, I'm just going to keep my mouth shut now and let the pictures and Natasha herself do the talking.  :)  Enjoy!

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"All the other colors are just colors, but purple seems to have a soul..." - Uniek Swain

Hey Vintage Zest readers!!  Natasha here from Diane's sewing group "Stitch Once, Rip Twice" :-D  I'm representing The Telltale Tasha.

Summer style has the ability to be so versatile. Maxi skirts, mini skirts, tank tops, and crop tops, maxi dress and so much more!   I prefer, though, to live in dresses. They're so comfortable and cute!  And super easy because you don't have to coordinate separate pieces!  #win

This dress is McCall's 6752 View B.

I figured I've enough wrap bodices for the time being so I opted for the droop neck lol I got this fabric from Fashion Fabric Club.  It is described as Violet Blue Stripe Activewear ... I just call it purple.  Lol!

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Pattern Drafting Series from Kathy!

For today's guest post, I have Kathy from SewMuch2Learn with a treat for anyone who sews or loves vintage things.  When Kathy asked if she could contribute a post with tons of details from a vintage pattern drafting book, the nerdy seamstress in me was super excited!  She was worried about it being too much of a rambling post, but if you're a reader of mine, you're already used to my long-windedness.  ;)  Besides, I love seeing how items were made back then, and there are lots of pictures in the post below showing each step.  For those of you who have never drafted a pattern, this should be fairly simple for you to recreate yourself.  Sounds fun, right?

Take it away, Kathy!

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Welcome, My name is Kathy and I normally post on SewMuch2Learn but Diane has graciously invited me to host a day for her.  I am also excited that I am guest hosting on one of my favorite blogs, Vintage Zest.  This is my first time hosting so bear with me as I  ramble on.  I am collector of vintage sewing items, where it be buttons, spools of thread, thimbles I love them.  I have managed to collect a few packets that claims to make the perfect pattern, fitted just to your body.  I thought I would give them a try.

Pattern Drafting Series

The Magic Seamstress

Part One

It hails as a home sewing dream come true, an easy way to a perfect fit pattern, all with up to date fashion styling.

My booklet is copyrighted by the American Fashion Institute in 1971

The introduction says that Cinderella solved her fashion problem with a fairy godmother and now Magic Seamstress solve yours.

In essence it is a simple measurement system, using the dot to dot system. It only uses two measurements, bust and hip. It claims that it helps you create a basic pattern, but also offers five variations to create your own fashion styling.

In the back of the book there is a special enlarging rule and a french curve rule.
You will be using these rulers to create your basic shift dress pattern.


Meet Stef, my dress form. She is going to be my partner during this series.

First Step: Measurements 

It is important to use accurate measurements.

Bust Measurement

Place your tape over the bottom part of your shoulder blades and bring forward to measure across the fullest of the breast.

Hip Measurement

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Do Tell Tuesday #28 and features!

I am so excited that you can be here for my favorite day of the week!  Remember to link up to our Social Media link-up below, and this week is StumbleUpon!  Click here for the full rundown on how to participate and...

Welcome to Do Tell Tuesday!

Say hello to my fellow co-hosts too!

• Tori from Lil' Mrs. Tori
• Lisa from Mabey She Made It
• Cassie from Little Red Window
• Stephanie from Crafting In The Rain
• Melanie from The Crafty Cupboard

They are all lovely and talented, so pop on over and say hello!  Now, let's get to the party!   :)

Recently seen on Vintage Zest...

Grilled Tilapia with Spicy Mango Pineapple Salsa

Turkey Pot Pie

Easy Painting Tip from Heather

Sunday Synopsis

Summertime Wreath from Katy

Healthy Habits: Summer Essentials!

Happy Birthday To Me!



Recently seen on The Episodic Eater...

La Parolaccia (Long Beach, CA)

Spago (Beverly Hills, CA)

Slater's 50/50 (Southern California)

Anaheim Packing District (Anaheim, CA)

Candle Light Bakery (Norwalk, CA)

Lee's Sandwiches (Western U.S.)

La Boulange (Los Angeles, CA)

All of us hosts and guest host pick our own features, and we all share the most viewed link too.  If you are all ready to see the features, here we go!

Read More