Pink Strawberry Whoopie Pies

Okay, last whoopie pie recipe post for a while... I promise.

Happy Valentines Day everyone! My husband and I don't really celebrate the holiday, but I love the idea behind the celebrating St. Valentine and what he stood for. I also love pink and chocolate. So, because of these facts I'm posting a pink recipe. 

These are a pretty mild-flavored whoopie pie. They aren't as packed with in-your-face flavor as some of the other whoopies I have made (check out: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Oreo, and Oatmeal Cream), but they are very yummy.

There isn't any chocolate involved in this recipe (insert sad face), but its pretty festive especially considering strawberries seem to be the official fruit of Valentines Day. Plus, I'm sure you could add a little chocolate drizzle or something if you wanted.

Pink Strawberry Whoopie Pies

(Adapted from On Sugar Mountain)

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine oil and sugar, whisking until thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in sour cream and strawberries.
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Fold in flour mixture in two batches; do not overmix
Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheets approx. 2 inch apart (to allow for spreading).
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from one of the cookies.
Let cool on pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Buttercream

(Adapted from On Sugar Mountain)

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 drops red food coloring

Beat butter until fluffy, then add in powdered sugar. Slowly add in strawberries and food coloring and beat until frosting reaches uniform consistency.

Assembling the Whoopie Pies

Lay out your cakes in pairs (one for the top and one for the bottom) with the flat sides facing up, spread the filling on one of flat-sides of your cakes. You can do this with a spoon or a knife, or used a pastry bag or a cookie scoop. Top this with another cake to create a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of your pies.

For a great Valentine's craft, check out my KISS ME Conversation Heart Coffee Cozy!

Audrey Sunglasses Case (Tutorial)

I have needed a sunglasses case for years. I generally just toss my sunglasses in my purse or beach bag and they end up getting all scratched and smudgy. And who else to grace the front of a sunglasses case than the elegant lady who wore the shades so very very well?

Here is my tutorial for the Audrey Sunglasses Case.

Enjoy.

Create.

Share.

Audrey Sunglasses Case Tutorial

What you will need:

For the case:

• 9"x9" square of quilting cotton ("grey fabric")
• 9"x9" square  of quilting cotton ("multi fabric")
• 9"x9" square  thin cotton quilting batting ("batting")
• 1" squares of male and female Velcro
• Drinking glass or something with a round with a  2 3/4" diameter (doesn't have to be exactly 2 3/4" diameter, that's just the size I used) 
• The Usual Stuff (sewing machine, hand sewing needle, fabric scissors, paper scissors, straight pins, matching thread, rotary cutter and mat, square ruler, etc...)

Wash and press all fabric before using (just in case it shrinks)

Cut out pieces according to the measurements, or use a rotary cutter and square ruler. (Check out this tutorial for using a rotary cutter). 

Use the drinking glass to draw a half circle in two opposing corners, about 1/2" from the edge of the fabric. This is one of those cases where you should use tailors chalk, but I found that using a pencil was much easier because I could get much closer to the edge of the glass.

Layer the grey and multi fabrics (right sides together and matching up the edges), layer the cotton batting on top of this stack. Pin.

Stitch 1/2" seam alowance around the edge and along the rounded line you drew from the drinking glass. Leave a opening for turning on the opposite edge from the curved edges and in the middle of the squares.

Trim seams to about 1/8" all the way around except the unstitched opening for turning, leave this alone.

Turn the whole thing right sides out. Press very well, making sure to press the raw opening edges to the inside.

Pin the Velcro squares 1/2" from the top of the pouch (the side with the curved edges) and roughly 3" apart. Stitch around the edges of the Velcro and in an X across the square.

This is when you should stencil on your design, skip down to the bottom of the tutorial to find instructions of making an painting a stencil.

Fold the case in half with the multi fabric on the inside. Pin along the outside edge up to where the curve starts. Make sure the raw edges of the opening are not poking out.

Stitch right along the edge of the case, starting at the bottom of the curved edge and going along to the folded edge. 

Audrey Stencil Tutorial

What you will need:

For the stencil:

• Printer paper
• Transparency film
• Fine-tip marker
• Xacto knife and blades (always use a new blade for every new project you start)
• Self healing cutting mat
• Paper Scissors
• Masking tape
• Fabric paint
• Paint sponge

Print out the image onto regular printer paper. The image should measure roughly 4 1/2" x 4" when printed. (I printed mine onto scrap paper, that's why it has writing and other things in the background. Go green :).

Trace over the image with a marker to make sure you know where you are supposed to be cutting. 

Cut out the image and tape it to the cutting mat.

Tape a sheet of transparency film over the image. Make sure there is plenty of room around the image. I usually leave at least 3" around the image that I will be making into a stencil. That way you can be sure that there is no issues when painting. 

Use a sharp Xacto knife, cut out the area of the stencil that you colored with the marker. Continue cutting until the whole image has been cut out.

Test the stencil by placing it over a piece of scrap paper. Make sure not to brush the paint onto the stencil. Dabbing in and up and down motion is the best method. 

If you need to this is the time to make changes or slight adjustments to your stencil.

Tape your stencil in place on the case. Dab on the paint in an up and down motion. 

Remove the stencil and save for use on future projects.

A note on stencil images:

Find an image that you want to use, I chose this really great Audrey Hepburn image because it is simple and pretty much ready to go. If you want to find a different image try Googling things like "flower stencil," or "bird stencil," also using the terms "vector" or "clip art" can result in some really great stencil-ready images.

If you find an image that is not already a stencil then you will have a little more work ahead of you. It is easiest to just use images that are supposed to be stencils. If you fall in love with an image that is not already a stencil image then try to use something that is in black and white with clear lines. Remember that free floating doesn't work with stencils, there have to be connecting piece, so you may have to add these connectors.

I hope you are inspired to make your own sunglasses case. 

Let me know what you think of mine.

If you make one please share your thoughts on the tutorial and send me some pictures of your project.

Xoxo and Happy Stitching!

Corey

Conversation Heart Coffee Cozy

I don't know about you, but holidays always seem to creep up on me and I'm never ready. Especially Valentine's Day. Maybe because just as we are getting over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years thing we are slapped with this "Prove Your Love" Holiday.

Now, to be fair my husband and I have never celebrated Valentines Day. When we were little Ryan asked my cousin to be his Valentine and she turned him down for the new guy in school, hence the reason Ryan doesn't like Valentines Day. And I don't like the holiday because I wanted him to ask me and not my cousin. Guess I got the last laugh.

Nonetheless, I think the original reason for the holiday is beautiful and worthy of being honored. Also, I like pink and hearts. So, in honor of this classic Halmark Holiday, I have created a Conversation Heart Coffee Cozy. (Tutorial to come.)

3D Conversation Heart "Kiss Me" Coffee Cozy