Verve Project Parade ~ Day 5 ~ Home For The Holidays!!!

Good Morning!

This month's Verve Project Parade theme is "Home For The Holidays".  I love making Holiday gifts and decorations!  This is going to be a long post so grab a cup of coffee, it will DEFINITELY make it more enjoyable.

My project to share with you today is a Cupcake/Treat stand. This was actually VERY easy to make and REALLY inexpensive as well! Here is the BEFORE picture ~

Here is an AFTER picture!!! LOL!!!


The most expensive part of this entire project was probably the white "dingle balls"!! LOL!!! The only other products I had to purchase was the 6" and 8" corrugated circles and My Minds Eye Colorful Christmas Collection. My first step was to cover the corrugated circles and I did this by rubbing a glue stick generously all over the circle and then adhering the decorative paper. After this was dry, I cut off the excess paper. I then used Elmer's glue to adhere the dingle balls.

I used the Christmas in the Air stamp set. I LOVE that set! It is SO versatile. I cut circles of wax paper for the treats to sit on so the paper wouldn't get ruined. Here is a picture of the top cupcake holder (at the bottom of this post, I will give you the AWESOME frosting recipe) ~

I stamped the snowflakes, again, from the Christmas in the Air set, using Basic Black ink and then colored using my Celery, Razzleberry, Tangerine and Baja Breeze ink pads and a blender pen. I added Stardust Stickles to the centers of all the snowflakes as well as around the top scallop Razzleberry piece.

Here are pictures of each side of the base of the second layer. The snowmen are from the decorative paper. I cut them out and mounted them using dimensionals. Aren't they PERFECT with the trees??? Also, I used a bunch of the different patterns which are included in the Colorful Christmas Collection for the trees which, I might add, are from the Christmas in the Air set ~ see what you think!!!

The "snow" is just Whisper White CS cut using my Wavy Cutter from Creative Memories and then I added Stardust Stickles for shine.  The tree trunks were stamped using Chocolate Chip ink on Soft Suede CS and then cut out and adhered to the backs of the trees.

Here are the step by step instructions for completing the stand.  You can dress it up to fit your theme!

Step #1 ~

Cover the 2 corrugated cardboard circles (I used 1 6" and 1 8") by rubbing the glue stick generously over the entire circle and then press and smooth your chosen decorative paper on top.  Once they are both dry, this won’t take very long, cut the excess decorative paper off.  Before going to the next step, stand each circle on it’s side separately.  You can hold them up by placing anything heavy on each side.  You are going to glue your trim on.  Add some Elmer's glue to the side for approximately 1-2 inches, add your trim, let dry and then do it again until the entire circle has the fringe added.  While the fringe is drying, you can go on to step 2!

Step #2 ~

For the top single cupcake holder ~ punch a 3” scallop from your chosen decorative paper AND 2 from your cereal box chipboard.  NOTE:  I added an extra scalloped circle using my Nesties and cut it from the striped patterned paper.  Use your glue stick to glue the chipboard together.   While this dries, cut a strip of card stock for your single cupcake holder base.  This strip needs to be 2” X 8 ½”.  Score this at 1 ¾” a total of 4 times.  Stamp and decorate as you desire.  Adhere the short flap to the inside of the last square using red line tape to hold it firmly in place.  Using Elmer's glue, glue the stand you just made, to the bottom of the scalloped circle piece.  You might want to lay something on top of it to make sure it glues together evenly.

Step #3 ~

For the second tier (assuming your fringe has been glued on and dry at this point), you need to cut 2 pieces of card stock  measuring 2 ½”x7 ½””.  Score these at ¼”, 3 ¾”and finally at

7 ¼”.  Again, decorate as you desire.  To adhere these 2 together, put a strip of red line tape on the SCORED edge on the opposite sides of each panel (this is so you will not double up on the adhesive to adhere the flaps together).  Adhere these together to make a square.  Now glue this square to the bottom of your middle layer using Elmer's glue.  NOTE:  You can make your strips wider for this layer to be up higher. 

Step #4 ~

This final layer will have 2 bases under it to add extra support!  The inside square will be (2) 2” x 7” and will be scored at ½”, 3 ½” and 6 ½”.  The outer square will be (2) 2” x 11” and will be scored at ½”, 5 ½” and 10 ½”.  If you choose to decorate these pieces (the outside one) you will want to do that now.  Adhere these just as you did the middle base using the red line tape.  You will also want to glue these using Elmer's glue. 

Here is the frosting recipe (my cupcakes are just boxed white cake) as well as the Peanut Butter Cup Kisses recipe!  My daughter tried one and said it was AWESOME! LOL!!

Ingredients:

1 Cup white sugar 

1/3 Cup water  

1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tarter

2 Egg whites

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1.  In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and Cream of Tartar.  Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peeks.  Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes.  Frost the cake of your choice.

Here is the recipe for the Peanut Butter Cup Kisses ~

Ingredients:

72 Hershey Kisses, divided

1 Cup Peanut Butter

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions:

1.  Line 24 small muffin cups (1 3/4 inches in diameter) with small paper bake cups.  Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2.  Place 48 chocolates in small microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute, stir. Microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chocolate is melted when stirred.  Using small brush, coat inside of paper cups with melted chocolate.

3.  Refrigerate 20 minutes; reapply melted chocolate to any thin spots.  Refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight.  Gently peel paper from chocolate cups.

4.  Beat peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed in small bowl until smooth.  Spoon in to chocolate cups.  Before serving, top each cup with a chocolate kiss.  Cover and store in refrigerator.

So, now it's your turn! We'd love for you to play along with us and show us your homemade goodies for the upcoming giving season! Verve stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em, why not show 'em a little love? ;)

And, as with all of our project parades, we've got prizes!
To enter, just link up your Home for the Holidays creation to the Mr. Linky widget on THIS post before midnight MST on Thursday, November 26. One lucky stamper will win a $30 gift certificate to the Verve Store. And for another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout out in the comments as they parade their fabulous creations inspired by this month's theme. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (Nov 11 - 25) will win their choice of any Verve set.

Comments

[Jennifer Woodward]

Lynda, you need to have a DROOL WARNING sign at the start of this post! Great! Now my keyboard is wet and I can't even blame the dogs. :o)

This is so clever and fun! I love it! And thank you for sharing your recipes. What a wonderful and cute project!

Dang...now I have the munchies....

[Keri Lee Sereika]

Ok this is so totally cute cute cute! Cupcakes are in baby!!! LOOOVe the choice of papers that you used!!

[Tanya P]

Oh wow, so cute! and I know my daughter would love to help making this. :)

[Gabi With An Eye]

Clearly there is no end to your talent! I love your cupcake stand, and your cupcake is downright beautiful!

[Cindy Haffner]

Lynda this is fabulous!!

[Linz]

OMG THIS IS SOOO AWESOME!!!!!! You really did a fantastic job Lynner!!!

[Lenoria]

Yummy, makes me hungry! My Mom used to make this icing. She called it 7-minute icing and I love it! I haven't made it in years, but yours looks so great I think I need to try it again. It is also good on a cake with coconut (if you like coconut) sprinkled on top. I cannot wait to try your chocolate p'nut butter cupcake! Thanks for the recipes.

[Michele B.]

Wow! This is so creative! And CUTE!