I am now officially a Norwex consultant!

 Learn how to clean your home safer, faster and cheaper!

This is a link to my Newsletter:

 

http://imakenews.com/norwex/index000499331_13.cfm?x=b11%2C--b12HsQt7%2C1&ck=20110322053844

 

If you want to host a party email me at aqua333air@yahoo.com let me know if you have questions too!

I am about to become a Norwex Independent Sales Consultant!

My Mom loves their products and soon we all will! She convinced me to become a consultant! I start at the end of this month. I made a page about it on Facebook and invited a group of people to my first party/learning demonstration. I have been reading about their products all day and they seem perfect for anyone!

Enviro Cloths for cleaning dirt, grease and moisture

Dryer Balls

Magnet Ball

Microfiber vs. Cotton

Well I can't wait to start using these products, saving money and teaching others!

Oreo Cookie Truffles

I saw this treat on Facebook and I had to make them!

It is much easier than it looks or sounds!

I used:

• 1 package of Oreo Cookies
• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1 chocolate/mint candy cane (optional)
• 1 package of white candy melts (or almond bark)
• Red food coloring (I used a few tiny drops to make some pink because I just found out we're having a GIRL!!) You can leave them white or add another color.
• small cupcake wrappers

Directions:

1. Put whole oreos in a food processor (or blender) and mix until it looks like crumbs (I did about 5 at a time because my food processor is small).
2. Take out cream cheese and open package. Let it sit out for about a half hour so it gets softer.
3. Put half of oreo crumbs in a seperate bowl. Leave the rest in food processor and add half of the cream cheese (I added it in smaller chunks and that blended easier).
4. When that half is blended well and looks like "dough" add the remaining oreo crumbs and cream cheese and blend again until it balls up.
5. Scoop a small amount out with your hand and roll into a ball. Make it all into balls!
6. Put wax paper on a cookie sheet and place the balls in the fridge for at least a half hour.
7. Crush candy cane into tiny pieces
8. Melt the candy melts/almond bark/chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds stir repeat until all is melted. 
9. Use a wooden scewer or toothpick to pick up each ball and dip into melted candy. 
10.  Sprinkle candy cane pieces on the top of each ball truffle before they cool.
11. Put them onto the same waxpaper cookie sheet and cool in fridge for about a half hour
12. ENJOY!! Pretty much everyone will love these! Just make them try! They taste so fancy, but they are pretty simple and you don't have to bake them!

My 1st Ice Cream Cake!

The idea to make my first ice cream cake came from a dream! I had seen a commercial for Baskin Robbin's Valentine ice cream cake and thought about making my own. In my dream I did make one, but of course I didn't get to eat it! So I decided to learn how to make one for my Brother in-law Josh and myself for our Birthday. I watched a few videos online and got some ideas. I went to the store and bought:

• Double Stuffed Oreos (you can also use regular)
• Golden Oreos
• Strawberry jelly in a squeeze bottle
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Whip Cream
• Butter
• Peanut Butter cups (I used 4, but I only did one layer with them. I suggest doing all of the chocolate oreo layers with them!)
• 1 gallon of Neopolitan ice cream
• strawberries
• chocolate and multi colored sprinkles
• red food coloring

The cake I chose to do was an experiment so I used different layers to see what I would like best. All of them were great and you could use them all in one cake! I think my favorite was the chocolate oreos with peanut butter cups.

I started with a round cake pan and a round pan about the same size. I took a row of oreos and put them in a zip-loc bag. Then I smashed them with a rolling pin.

Then I melted 2 tablespoons of butter in a bowl and added the oreos. I stirred the butter into the oreos. OR instead of butter, use 3-4 melted peanut butter cups (melt for about 30 seconds stir and microwave longer if needed). Then I put it all in the bottom of the cake pan that I lined with saran wrap and spread it out evenly.

I did this in two pans and froze both for a half hour. You can use one pan if you want to make a smaller one. This would be a good time to take out the gallon of ice cream and let it melt for around a half hour. Take the pans out of the freezer and scoop in a layer of ice cream. Spread evenly and freeze for 45 minutes to an hour. If the flavors melt together, that's OK! Mine did and it tasted great! While those layers were freezing, I started making the Golden Oreos with strawberry jelly. This is what I used...

I melted about 2 tablespoons of butter and added red food coloring (optional) and 1/3 cup of strawberry jelly. I stirred it up and then added a row of Golden Oreos and mixed it all together. Let that mixture cool down as you wait for the ice cream layer to freeze. Take out the pans and spread the Golden Oreo mixture on top of the ice cream.

Freeze for about a half hour. Take out of freezer and add another layer of ice cream. I put my Ice cream in the fridge at one point so it didn't melt too much. I put the pans back in the freezer over night. You should have it in there at least 3 hours before you decorate. I took both pans to the Hart family house and decorated them there about an hour before dinner and put it back in the freezer. I took the cakes out of the pans by pulling the saran wrap and unwrapped each one. I put one on top of the other. To decorate I mixed the entire container of cream cheese frosting and Whipped Cream (regular size). Then I frosted the top and sides. I cut up some strawberries and placed them around the cake. Then sprinkles! You could decorate how ever you like! Maybe use peanut butter cups, oreos and or strawberries. Here it is!

It was very good! I will be making more in the future! Let me know if you have any questions. It is pretty easy, just takes awhile to wait for layers to freeze.

-Nikki

Valentine Cards

The first one is a funny story... I was looking for fish because I wanted to do a Valentine card with fish. I came upon a silly pink fish with legs and posted it on Facebook because I thought it was so weird and cute! It took a few days and finally my friend Kari found out what it was. It is a "Mexican Walking Fish" aka "Axolotl". It is actually endangered. SAD! Save this fish! It is so cute!

Ubercool "Mexican walking fish" Nearing Extinction : TreeHugger

www.treehugger.com

Check it out, it is an interesting story! Just click on the link above and share with friends if you want. Here is my Axolotl fish heart I made today...

Love like ours is endangered!

I also made 5 cupcake Valentines. I don't know why I chose cupcakes... Just thought they would be fun to decorate. I couldn't come up with many cute sayings, so I found a few online...

 

Stay awake... Cupcake!

Have a sweet Valentines day!

You are sweet!

Have a sweet Valentines day!

I tinkle sprinkles!

-Nikki

First Glass Candle Holder Finished

I added more drips yesterday and I like how this turned out, but I know I will get better as I practice more. I need to figure out a way to make it with out bubbles. I used the paint too soon after shaking it.

I tried a few different ways to show the candle light and how the colors show through. I am using my camera on my phone so it isn't the best quality. The picture above didn't capture the colors dancing on the floor like I had seen with my eyes!

In the picture above you can see the colors on the wall. It is much prettier in person!

This is the best picture I could get! I put it in the sink and it looked so cool! This is my favorite picture!
I want to get a Pebeo Vitrea 160 black glass paint marker so I can do some stained glass looking pieces and outline them. I think that will be a better way to design. I am going to have to go to Michael's Crafts and see what they've got! We have one a few blocks away from our house! Dangerous! Hahahahaha!
-Nikki

My First Sample Glass Piece!

I waited to take it out of the oven until I woke up this morning. Plus it was too hot last night. As I do this project, I am researching and learning along the way. It is a lot different than painting on a porous surface. I also learned that if I shake the paints I need to wait awhile to use them. There are some bubbles because I didn't know that. It is OK, I will use it as a candle holder! Here it is!

I used every color to get an idea of what they all look like. I am thinking of adding more to it today. I think layers of drips will look really pretty when a candle is in there. Here is another picture...

My husband called this afternoon and said they weren't coming home for the Super Bowl! Well I guess I will work on this candle holder some more today. I will get some pictures of it tonight with candle light. I will also share some of the tips I have learned so far...