August 2014 ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Spicy Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

A spicy spin on my Cornbread Stuffing that EVERYONE loves!

Sweet Potato Souffle for Thanksgiving

One of my most popular recipes EVER, and just in time for Thanksgiving!

DIY Painted Photo Backdrops

Super easy backdrops for your photo, plus a few tips!

Golden Sweet Corn Bread Mini Muffins

A sweet spin on traditional cornbread!

Easy Sweet Potato Pie (without a crust!)

The easiest (and healthiest) pumpkin pie recipe ever!

Do Tell Tuesday #36 & 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 a burger post last week, and I hope you caught all of the features in yesterday's Unique & Delicious Burger Recipes post.  Next week's round-up theme will be...

LIGHT & FRESH RECIPES!


Submit your 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!


Do Tell Tuesday on Diane's Vintage Zest!

Say hello to my fellow co-hosts too!

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


Do Tell Tuesday on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Recently seen on Vintage Zest...


Do Tell Tuesday #36 & features on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Shibori Print Dress

How to: Mend a Ripped Seam

Weekly Wrap-Up: L.A. events & O.C. shopping!



Do Tell Tuesday #36 & features on Diane's Vintage Zest!

Spoon Me Sweetly feature & GIVEAWAY!

Sunday Synopsis

Unique & Delicious Burger Recipes!



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!


Unique & Delicious Burger Recipes!

This week I am sharing a few unique and delicious burger recipes from linkers at Do Tell Tuesday and myself!  Each recipe is slightly different than your regular old beef patty, so I hope you enjoy picking out your favorite to grill up for what's left of summer.  :)  And honestly, maybe the last two can't actually be considered burgers, BUT you will definitely enjoy them!

Before we get to the round-up, remember to link up at tomorrow's Do Tell Tuesday party because next week I will be featuring... FRESH recipes!  That's anything that is cool, light, and fresh for summer, maybe to accompany one of these awesome, burgers?

Now, to the recipes!


Unique and Delicious Burger Recipes!




Unique and Delicious Burger Recipes!




Unique and Delicious Burger Recipes!




Unique and Delicious Burger Recipes!




Sunday Synopsis

Happy Sunday!


http://www.vintagezest.com/2013/10/weekly-wrap-up-new-orleans-la.html

Wow, I had such a fun night and I can't wait to share with you on The Episodic Eater and on next week's weekly wrap-up.  Here's a quick peek of what's in store...  :)





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


Sunday Synopsis



Monday:  A round-up of raspberry recipes to celebrate the season!

Tuesday:  Do Tell Tuesday #35 along with awesome features from last week.  :)  Come link up and try to get featured on all six blogs next week!

Wednesday:  A fun DIY for the summer, a tie-dye shibori print dress!


Sunday Synopsis on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Thursday:  An easy tutorial on how to mend a ripped seam for all you sewing newbies out there. :)

Friday:  So much fun this week, including one of my favorite L.A. events and a bunch of incredible restaurants!

Saturday:  Check out Spoon Me Sweetly's feature and giveaway on Shop Small Saturday Showcase.  So many pretty pieces!



Sunday Synopsis on Diane's Vintage Zest!




Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!




Spoon Me Sweetly feature & GIVEAWAY!

I had the pleasure of meeting the sweet ladies of Spoon Me Sweetly at Artisanal LA a few months ago.  Besides the fact that I was super excited to find something perfect for my sister's engagement party, I had to feature the pretty little creations on Shop Small Saturday Showcase!

Take a look at all of the gorgeous creations and see all of the creative flavors.  My favorite flavored sugar might just be the unicorn poop... for real!

Also, make sure to entire the giveaway below for a Soiree Box with a dozen spoons of the latest flavors and sugar drops.  Sweet!

********************



Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My background is in design and marketing. I'm a brand development consultant by day and a sugar peddler by night! I've always been obsessed with beautiful packaging and really well designed products. I frequent at craft stores and can get lost in the aisles of 'possibility' for hours! I've always been an experimenter in the kitchen and love any excuse to share homemade treats with friends and family.


Where did the name of your store come from?

There's nothing cozier than a sweet hug or a loving snuggle from people you love. As cheesy as it sounds, the name 'Spoon Me Sweetly' was inspired by my boyfriend, who in fact spoons me sweetly; I wanted to recreate that ooey-gooey-mushy feeling into a sweet and edible experience...and we do desserts and sweeteners on spoons, which is a double meaning win-win!




Why did you start making goods for Spoon Me Sweetly?

Being from Los Angeles, it's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, commuting, juggling schedules, etc. Rarely do you have a chance to sit at a coffee shop, read a book, and enjoy a little treat – taking a moment for yourself comes too infrequently and often times you feel guilty doing so. Spoon Me Sweetly are conveniently packaged desserts on a spoon, you can indulge without being over indulgent...it's just a spoonful.


What is your favorite item?

I love our signature honey dipped spoons! They are the product we launched with before we got into the crazy flavor combos with chocolate, flavor extracts, etc. I always grab 2, one for my tea and one to just enjoy right off the spoon! They're made with organic clover honey and cane sugar, simple and delicious.




What is your most popular item?

Weekly Wrap-Up: L.A. events & O.C. shopping!

I had so, so much fun this week!  A couple of amazing events in L.A. and so much fun with friends and family.  Let's get to it!


Precap (jump to):



Crave Expo

Mid-week, I went to the Crave Expo, a food expo with a fun mix of chefs, event planners, media, and individuals looking for inspiration.




I was just a bit more interested in the food than anything else, of course.  :)




However, I found some great desserts that may be destined for my sister's engagement party, bridal shower, or wedding some time soon!




It was a fun time with some serious party atmosphere!

How to: Mend a Ripped Seam

Today, I have a super easy tutorial for sewing newbies on how to mend a ripped seam.  Why is this necessary?  If you have an over-excitable man in your life who lunges during World Cup matches with pants that don't stretch... well, this will save you a trip to the tailor or from tossing your favorite garment in the trash.  :)

You can use the same technique with or without a sewing machine, so if you are handy but not skilled with a machine, you can still fix those pants yourself.


How to: Mend a Ripped Seam on Diane's Vintage Zest!


How to Mend a Ripped Seam
What You Will Need

  • Item to be fixed
  • Thread that matches your garment
  • Sewing machine OR needle
  • Pins (optional, but useful depending on size of rip)


Directions

  1. Turn your item inside out and examine the rip.


Shibori Print Dress

This is a sponsored post from I Love to Create for the Blueprint Social. #tiedyeyoursummer #tdys


Today, I have a fun oldie-but-goodie craft with a new twist!  I received a package of white T-shirts and beautiful tie dye colors as part of Tie Dye Your Summer.  I put on my thinking cap on how I could make something completely different and it came to me... a Shibori Print Dress!


Shibori Print Dress on Diane's Vintage Zest!


I decided to make it an ombre dress with more saturated colors on top, down to almost white at the bottom.  I love how easy it was to make this dress with the Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye and I definitely want to make a few more items of clothing using this technique.  Want to see how I did it?  Read on for the tutorial!


Shibori Print Dress on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Shibori Print Tutorial
What You Will Need

  • Item of clothing suitable for tie dye, prewashed  (dress, shirt, PJ pants, etc. made of 100% cotton, rayon, or silk)
  • Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye, your choice of your color
  • Rubber bands (included in kit above)
  • Gloves (included in kit above)
  • PVC pipe or something similar  (See note below)
  • Plastic wrap
  • Protective surface


Shibori Print Dress on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Before I begin with the step-by-step tie-dye directions, here's a look at what my dress looked like, crafted from the two oversized white T-shirts.  If you want to do make same thing, check back next for next week's tutorial!

Do Tell Tuesday #35 & 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 Twitter!

Second, thank you to all of you that linked up a raspberry post, and I hope you caught all of the features in yesterday's Raspberry Recipes post.  Next week's round-up theme will be...

BURGERS!


Submit your 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!


Do Tell Tuesday on Diane's Vintage Zest!

Say hello to my fellow co-hosts too!

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


Do Tell Tuesday on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Recently seen on Vintage Zest...


Do Tell Tuesday #35 & features on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Bambu Earth feature!

$900 Giveaway!

Weekly Wrap-Up: Sake Express, Renegade Craft Fair, and more



Do Tell Tuesday #35 & features on Diane's Vintage Zest!

Thread Therapy feature & GIVEAWAY!

Sunday Synopsis

Raspberry Recipe Round-up



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!


Raspberry Recipe Round-up!

This week I am sharing twelve lovely and delicious raspberry recipes!  After I started with two sweet round-ups of blueberry and strawberry recipes, I followed it up with Mason jar projects and Unique Lasagna recipes.  I'm so happy that I decided to go with more desserts, because there were so many beautiful links from Do Tell Tuesday.

I have a love-hate relationship with raspberry recipes because I wait all year to eat fresh raspberries during the summer, and then I usually end up eating the whole basket before I can make a recipe with them.  :)  These gorgeous recipes look so amazing that I can definitely exercise some willpower.  Or, I could always buy two baskets: one for snacking and one for cooking!

Before we get to the round-up, remember to link up at tomorrow's Do Tell Tuesday party because next week I will be featuring... BURGER recipes!  Yum!

Now, to the sweet (and tart) raspberry recipes!


Raspberry Recipe Round-up at Diane's Vintage Zest!




Raspberry Recipe Round-up at Diane's Vintage Zest!




Raspberry Recipe Round-up at Diane's Vintage Zest!




Raspberry Recipe Round-up at Diane's Vintage Zest!




Sunday Synopsis

Happy Sunday!


Wow, I had such a fun night and I can't wait to share with you on The Episodic Eater and on next week's weekly wrap-up.  Here's a quick peek of what's in store...  :)


Sunday Synopsis on Diane's Vintage Zest!



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


Sunday Synopsis



Monday:  A round-up of unique lasagna recipes to celebrate National Lasagna Day!

Tuesday:  Do Tell Tuesday #34 along with awesome features from last week.  :)  Come link up and try to get featured on all six blogs next week!

Wednesday:  A mid-week Shop Small Saturday Showcase from Bambu Earth!


Sunday Synopsis on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Thursday:  Need a little cash?  Check out this $900 giveaway!

Friday:  Another wonderful fundraising event, plus a craft show, and yummy food.  Fun!

Saturday:  Check out Thread Therapy's feature and giveaway on Shop Small Saturday Showcase.  So many pretty pieces!



Sunday Synopsis on Diane's Vintage Zest!




Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!




Thread Therapy feature & GIVEAWAY!

I am really, really looking forward to covering some white walls in the new house, and I have a Thread Therapy piece in my sights!  I went to Patchwork Long Beach a few months ago thinking that I might find a couple of new shops to feature and I just fell in love with Crystal's creations!

Let's get to the feature, plus enter to win a giveaway for your own creation!




Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My name is Crystal. I grew up in a small desert area of Southern California about an hour northeast of LA. Growing up, I always loved to create. Coloring, painting, makeup, crafts, food... anything I could make, I wanted to try. At 16, I started cosmetology school and completely found my niche. I met my husband at 18, started dating at 19, and we were married when I was 22. When I was 25 I had my first daughter and cut down to just two days in the salon which enabled me to stay home with her most of the time. My second daughter arrived just 20 short months later and again, I cut my time down in the salon to one day a week. I'm carrying my third baby girl right now and there will be a 19 month gap between the second and third. Having the three little ladies in such a short period of time was NEVER my plan, but God always knows better than me and my husband and I are so very much in love with them.


Where did the name of your store come from?
 
When I made my very first piece I found it very therapeutic. I had a simple piece of wood with some nails in it sitting in my lap. I slowly started pulling the string in all directions and as the gaps of wood became less evident, a picture began to form. I looked at my husband and said "Look at this, this is so cool and really therapeutic." He laughed at me and I said, "I'm serious, I'm gonna start a business and call it Thread Therapy! It's perfect alliteration!" Again he laughed and I laughed too.




Why did you start making goods for Thread Therapy?

I was asked to teach a DIY class at a local consignment store where I had some various things for sale. I dabble in everything from acrylic painting and watercolor to sewing and refinishing furniture, but I didn't feel like I had anything great to teach. I looked and looked at crafts online and bookmarked a few things. I am forever saying "I could do that" when I see a project, so I decided to try a few to see which would work for a class. The first thing I tried of course, was the string art because to me it seemed like a skill you learn and develop and can then turn it into a gift for anyone in your life, so it seemed great for a class. My first piece was a star that came out a little crooked because it was a little harder than I had anticipated. I went to sleep that night plagued with images of string and dancing nails. The next day I made a few more and figured out a few techniques. I posted it on my Instagram page (with no real intentions of selling these) and within an hour I had my first order and probably close to a dozen other inquiries. Thread Therapy was born and I never did teach that class.




What is your favorite item?

My favorite piece that I've made is hanging on my living room wall. It's a larger piece around 2 feet long and it says "peace" in variegated tones of yellow and green. My living room is yellow and green because I love color and I wanted a cheery, happy, yet PEACEful place to hang out with my babies. Peace is something that everyone craves in every area of their lives, it's the reason behind nearly every decision you make. You eat, pray, listen to music, hang out with friends, exercise... All for what? To bring a sense of order and peace to your life. In this day and age there is so much chaos and ugly happening in our world, people spend their whole lives looking for peace, I have found mine in God. I seek peace daily in my own home with my crazy girls and since I'm a visual person, I wrote it on my wall.


What is your most popular item?

Weekly Wrap-Up: Sake Express, Renegade Craft Fair, and more!

Last weekend was so much fun, because I was REALLY looking forward to Renegade for the longest time.  At the last moment, I thought that I wouldn't be able to make it yet again... but luckily I did.  :) Let's get to the wrap-up!


Precap (Jump to):



I was stuck way out in the middle of nowhere (a.k.a. Sierra Madre) and dinner plans had changed.  So, we visited one of my favorite spots: The Oinkster!




Besides the awesome burgers, a pastrami sandwich, piggy fries, and an ube milkshake, we had this banana split cupcake!  To see more delicious photos and one of my favorite signs of all time, head over to The Episodic Eater.




On Friday, we went to Sake Express, a fundraiser held at the iconic  Union Station!




There was tons of sake, beer, and plum wine to try.  :)

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