Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Happy Halloween friends! I didn't know if I'd be able to post this closer to Halloween as we are having a Halloween party, and I'm having a tough time making time to do things for the blog. Here is a fun recipe that puts a fun twist on normal rice krispie treats.

What you need:

1 box of Rice Krispie Cereal / Puffed Rice Cereal

2 bags of small marshmallows

2 Sticks of unsalted butter

1 orange to grate

1 lemon to grate

food dye or coloring in orange and yellow

vanilla flavoring

cooking spray

The process:

Separate your box of cereal into 3 equal parts as well as your bags of marshmallows. Coat a cooking pot generously with cooking spray and add 3 tbsp of unsalted butter to the pot. Pour in 1/3 of the marshmallows as well as a tablespoon of vanilla flavoring and stir mixture until it is runny and gooey. Add 1/3 of the cereal and mix until the cereal is thoroughly coated then pour into a square baking pan. Let it cool for a few seconds then pat the mixture flat with your hands so that it only takes up 1/3 of your pan.

You don't have to wash out the pot this time as you didn't use any coloring, but generously coat the pot with cooking spray again and add 3 more tbsp of the unsalted butter. Pour in another 1/3 of the marshmallows, a few drops of orange food coloring and about a tablespoon of grated orange zest into the mix. Stir the mixture until it's runny and gooey again and add another 1/3 cereal and stir until the cereal is coated in a beautiful orange marshmallow coating. Pour the mixture on top of the first mixture in your baking pan and flatten it down so that you leave 1/3 of the pan free to the yellow color.

This time you need to wash out the pot so that whatever remainder orange coloring will not stain the yellow layer. Once the pot is clean coat the pot with cooking spray and add 3 more tbsp of unsalted butter. Pour in the last 1/3 of marshmallows, a few drops of yellow food coloring and about a tablespoon or grated lemon zest into the mix. Stir your mixture until it's runny and gooey and add your last 1/3 of cereal. Stir until the cereal is coated in a bright yellow marshmallow coating and pour this layer on to the previous two layers.

Let this sit for a few hours then cut to your liking. As a bonus you can also shape these treats into triangle shapes with gloves and make them the traditional shape if you have the time, but even if you don't no one is going to care with how delicious these are!

Product Review: Avon Nail Art Design Strips

Today I want to do something different for this blog. I want to do a product review. I see makeup and nail art to be somewhat of an artistic and creative outlet that allows individuals to wear their personalities in a somewhat subtle way when clothing and other outlets have been stifled.

You may be familiar with Avon products as the name has been around since 1886, providing all sorts of things for women and their families. Popular products included perfumes, ANEW brand products and Skin So Soft. Recently, a friend of mine has started to sell Avon products and I am thrilled (my dwindling paycheck is the proof there).

I bought the two nail strip sets you see above and thought tonight that I wanted to spruce up my nails, but didn't like the hassle of being in 'Wet Nail Jail' as I like to call it. I got out my strips, a pair of scissors, and a nail file. I also had pushed back my cuticles prior to application.

These are super simple to use and are essentially stickers but with a super adhesive that makes them last for weeks. There are easy to follow instructions on the back, but having tried Sally Hansen's version of these strips I was familiar with the method. I stuck the sticker that best fit my nail to the base of my nail and rubbed it out towards the top of my nail so not to get wrinkles or bubbles. I then rubbed it down with one of those wooden sticks that are flat-angled  on one end and pushed the sticker down again in all angles. I folded over the excess of strip that was not on my nail then cut it off. Finally, I filed down the small sharp pieces. It was as easy as that. I find that I can get nail strips to last one more week (they are said to last around 2) by coating my nails in a clear top coat of Sally Hansen's Tough as Nails.

My only complaint is not about the product itself but about my nails! My nails are oddly shaped and sometimes the sticker is not wide enough. Stinking genetics...

Making Ribbon Elastic Hair Ties

I have noticed that these hair elastics which are no pain, all ages friendly, and very simplistic are everywhere, and sometimes are even being worn as bracelets. I decided to find the materials to make my own.

First of all you can now find the elastic trim at Hobby Lobby. I'm sure JoAnn's, Michael's and other craft stores have them as well, but I found mine in both the sewing department and in the wearable art department at Hobby Lobby (also, they were half price at the time as they go on sale with ribbons and tulle spools). I know there are stores on Etsy that sell the material for these by the yard so there are probably many other vendors besides Etsy that sell it too.

The materials needed aside from the elastic trim are a pair of sharp scissors and either a lighter or clean nail polish to seal your ends. I went with the latter of these options.

First of all measure out around 9.5 - 10 inches of the trim and cut it at an angle.

Make sure both cuts are running the same direction when trim is folded in half.

Next, lay these out somewhere where they won't be disturbed for a few minutes and coat the ends of each cut with clear nail polish. Let them dry so that the ends can seal.

Once dry, bring both ends together to begin the knotting process.

Make a knot and pull it closer to the ends. Pull on both the end pieces and the now longer loop piece to secure the knot once it's where you want it to be.

That's it! (Don't my fingers look weird here. It was an odd angle now that I reevaluate the picture.) But now you have some fashionable hair ties that were really easy to make!