For Jaimie…

Sister, this is so you can see the text. The k-drama is called Goddess of Marriage.

The Chair Project

It all started innocently enough. I was keeping one eye open for CURB ALERTs, so I could actually have furniture, as opposed to an empty apartment. That was when I ran into these two chairs. They were in perfect working order, and I kind of liked them…

But they were a little beat up. They were a little bruised and a little scarred, but considering the price, I figured I couldn’t go wrong.But I kind of shelved my project, until one day, I started thinking about the iron-on vinyl… and the fact that I… but I am keeping that a secret! Look forward to the final Chair Project post coming in the near future!

Anyway, I decided if I was going to do the thing, I was going to do it up right. I love the combo of black and red, and it would not only complete my vinyl project but emphasize it!

So, I went rummaging about for how to paint wood furniture. My favorite article is located at The Frugal Girl.

I had to sand it… then I primed it. Then I painted with a nice oil-based paint.

But I marred it a tad. So I buffed and painted again.And voila! Even without my secondary project, I really like them. The contrast between the red and black is so striking… What do you think? 

Making Me

I recently had the opportunity to do a great deal of research into the field of DIY beauty…

Some of it was fun. Some of it made sense. Some of it was just bizarre.

But there I was trotting along, reading article after article relating to apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, tea tree oil, jojoba, etc, etc, etc… And then I decided that I needed to get back into the swing of things. I happen to adore DIY, and I was more than willing to try these natural remedies and treatments.

I started with coconut oil… If you have not luxuriated in the sheer decadence of a sugar scrub that used coconut oil, then I have a sneaky suspicion that your body is in for a treat. Once I started using it on the outside, I started using it in my food, and let me tell you, coconut oil is one of the things that made my body super happy with me. If you want good, natural oil that wont block your pores, look no further (and this is coming from a girl who used to have oily places on her face!)

Then I went to apple cider vinegar. I use it as a toner, and my face is so pleased with me. Before, I was committed to benzoyl peroxide, and anyone else who has used it can attest to the fact that it can dry your skin out and leave you red and rough. Not so with ACV. Just make sure to dilute the solution before putting it on your face. I’d say about two parts water to one part ACV. But that’s just me. Others say a 1:1 ratio works for them. ACV restores your skin to a normal pH!

These are some of my most recent loves, but stick around. I will be providing recipes (DIY beauty AND munchies)!

And then there was… another one.

Now let’s be honest. I have been remiss in posting. Chalk it up to my lack of a kitchen (which I am working my hardest to correct) or my brief period without any sort of life, but I plan to put it to rights.

To begin with, I have been working on a new concept, and I am really excited about it. The Bobby Pin Brigade is a new blog/lifestyle that I am working on. If you are looking for happiness, fun, vintage and friends, check out the Bobby Pin Brigade! The first post went up TODAY, and I already have several other posts written, waiting to use them to brighten your day.

But, I will be posting again. Food and fun is coming back to Vintage Sweetheart!

Perfect Puff Pastry (easy too)

It all began harmless enough. I was looking at a homemade pop-tart recipe on a popular blog, and it called for puff pastry dough. This was new to me. I had never heard of it, but being the DIY girl I am, I did not heed the blogger’s warning to buy it in the freezer section. Little did I know it was a warning… I hurriedly hastened onto Google to find the perfect recipe. I mean, I wasn’t a novice baker by any means; I could make dough.

It was disastrous. If the Hindenburg had been a pastry dough, mine would have laid waste to not only my kitchen, but probably the block as well. There was all this rolling, and I think I was supposed to fold it, but the butter kept oozing out… Suffice it to say, it was nightmarish. And for once, I carefully followed the recipe without a hint of variation.

When I told my oldest sister about the debacle, her reply was, “I always heard that it was ridiculously hard, and it is just better to buy it from the freezer section.” Aw, now I see.

Well, I decided that I would surrender the pastry for now. Maybe time would bring me more baking skills… then one fateful day, at a library sale, I found Lessons in Gourmet Cooking by Libby Hillman (1963). As I was flipping through, what should I happen upon but “Quick Puff Pastry.” My destiny was sealed…

Quick Puff Pastry

1 lb sweet butter (if you dont have any, go unsalted and add a touch of sugar/honey)

4 cups of flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c water

1/4 c white vinegar

1 egg

1. Place butter in a large bowl. Add flour and salt. Blend together, breaking butter into large clumps.

2. Make a well in the middle, add water, vinegar, and egg. Stir wet ingredients and gradually blend in butter and flour. Combine all lightly for 1 minute. (It’s OK if the mixture may be lumpy, uneven, and somewhat unmixed).

3. Roll mixture back and forth into an oblong shape (messy is OK. It starts to take shape after the first rolling).

4. Fold dough by placing top third over center third. Fold bottom third over center third. There are now 3 layers of dough. Now, like you were closing a book, fold the dough in half right to left, leaving you with 6 layers.

5. Turn the dough around once to the left, and rough again into strip 1/2″ deep. Repeat folding, turning and rolling about 4 times.

6. If at any time the dough becomes sticky, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

7. After you are done rolling and folding, refrigerate overnight after covering well. Dough can be kept up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

OVEN TIME!

8. Preheat oven to 425 F.

9. Refrigerate formed pastries before baking. It makes them hold the shape better, and the insides are less messy.

10. Brush all pastries with beaten egg.

11. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 375 F the rest of the time. (20 minutes for small. 30 for middle-sized. 40-50 minutes for large.) Dont get tempted to open the oven the first ten minutes!!

 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

I have a love/hate relationship with cinnamon rolls. 3/4 of the time, they could not be more perfect… 1/4 of the time, I could not fail worse if I tried to bake in Siberia without an oven. I would like to attribute this to the fact that I was recently in Idaho, and things just don’t rise the same way they do in Texas. As I continue to bake, I have had less fail attempts and more successes. Either way, this is delicious!

Delicious holiday cinnamon roll for those who love themes… or pumpkin.

I found this version of the recipe on AllRecipes. I personally do a variation because I am a variation kind of girl, but these are delicious.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

1/4 c warm water

2 1/2 tsp yeast

5 oz evaporated milk (makes it sweeter, but just milk will work)

3/4 c white sugar

15 oz mashed pumpkin

3 Tbl olive oil

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp pumpkin spice

Inside

1/4 c melted butter

1 1/4 c brown sugar

2 Tbl pumpkin spice

Pumpkin Spice (8 Tbl)

4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

Put warm water in large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Let it stand 5-10 minutes or until the yeast is creamy. Stir in milk, sugar, pumpkin, oil and egg. Mix completely, then add pumpkin spice, and slowly mix in flour for a bread dough. Knead until elastic, roll in a ball, and place in slightly oiled bowl. Allow to rise until almost double.

Oven should be heated to 350. Grease a baking pan.

Punch down the dough and shape it roughly into a rectangle. Roll it out to roughly 18×26 inches. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle brown sugar and pumpkin spice mixture over the top. Roll the dough up. Using either a sharp knife or dental floss (my personal favorite), cut the dough, and lay the rolls into the prepared pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

*Delicious*

I’m Back!

It has been an interesting span of time, but it is true. I am back and literally better than ever. Did you wonder where I had gone? School. I just finished school. But the time has come, and I am back and better than EVER.

Join me as I find and try vintage out. Vintage fashion, vintage recipes, vintage class… This is a new Vintage Sweetheart, and all you have to do is stick around for the ride.