I have a table in my entryway that holds a plant and hides our Christmas DVD's and CD's underneath it. It usually has a green tablecloth on it and a plant. It gets kind of boring. To spice it up and decorate for holidays, which I love to do, I have an easy solution.
First, purchase a yard of fabric in a pattern you like or a holiday theme. I use a 40% or 50% coupon at my local craft store. To give the fabric a hem, pin it all the way around the rectangle about a quarter inch. Next, straight stitch by hand or on your sewing machine. Now you have a table top cover! Just place on top of your existing tablecloth and you have a different look. I did splurge and buy an off white cloth at a local discount store for under the holiday patterns. It is so inexpensive with a coupon to make these that you can change it out often and not spend a lot of money!
My birthday was this month and on your birthday in my family, you get to choose what kind of cake you would like. Ever since I can remember I have always had the same thing - it is my favorite and has a secret surprise inside!!! It is Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Glaze. Oh, and to learn the surprise, keep reading!!
Ingredients Needed:
Your favorite Angel Food Cake recipe (I use a box mix) and the ingredients to make it.
For Glaze:
1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 tbsps. butter
3 tbsps. milk
1 cup confectioners sugar
First, bake your cake according to your favorite recipe. I have made angel food cake from scratch before and it is a lot more work than a box mix (that to me tastes just as good). So I take the quick and easy way out and use a box mix. I always use a bundt pan to cook the cake in. Make sure when cooling your angel food cake
to invert it in the pan on top of a bottle so it cools evenly.
While the cake is cooling, you can work on the secret surprise! My grandmother always put money, yes money, inside the cake for us! And everyone got a coin in their slice. It was the best part of having the cake. And yes, I still have them do it for me!
First, take an assortment of coins and wrap them in plastic wrap. We usually use quarters, dimes, and nickels. No one liked getting pennies.
Then, take a knife and poke a hole in the cake and slide the coin in.
Then keep sliding the coins into slits in the cake. How many coins depends on the size slices you like. We tend to put a lot in and some people get 2 or more coins - bonus!
***If you make this recipe, please let people know before eating the cake that there is money in it and have them poke their slices with a fork or spoon to find the money before consuming their piece of cake!!!***
To make the glaze, melt the chocolate, butter and milk over low heat in a saucepan until melted.
Add the confectioners sugar and stir until smooth and runny.
Next pour over the cake. It will be runny and drip down the edges. You do want it to do that.
Then you let it cool. Since I live in Florida where it is really humid I do put it in the fridge to set up.
When ready, serve and have fun looking for money!!!
I changed out the banner in my front entryway to Back to School to match my front alcove. It was so easy and inexpensive!
Supplies Needed:
Back to School shaped cutouts (I bought mine at the Dollar Tree)
Vinyl Letters or Scrapbook Letters
Mini Clothespins for Hanging
First, I cut out vinyl letters with my Silhouette to spell out "SCHOOL". You could also buy pre-made letters. Next, I put one letter on each of the die cut shapes.
Then I used mini clothespins to hung the cutouts on the ribbon in my front entryway.
And that is all there is too it!! Easy, inexpensive, and helps get the kids excited about school!
