Petit fours are tiny, iced layer cakes. Often served as part of an assorted pastry tray, these elegant treats are usually made with layers of génoise cake, jam, and French buttercream frosting. This simplified recipe features shortcuts that let you focus on the fun part—decorating.
Make your petit fours extra special with these ideas for decorating these miniature filled and iced cakes. From a simple drizzle of melted chocolate to sugar glass and edible lace, these decorations will delight your guests at dessert time.
An easy, delicious recipe for homemade scones bursting with fresh raspberries and bits of crystallized ginger. Also includes a recipe for homemade clotted cream to serve with the scones.
This recipe for fresh strawberries dipped in, and then drizzled with, melted chocolate makes a light, refreshing, and decadent dessert that's also low in calories. These berries are easy and quick to prepare and also make a beautiful garnish to any plate or tray of sweets.
Learn how to choose the best champagne glass, chill your bubbly properly, open the sparkling wine safely and confidently, and pour this classic beverage with minimal foaming for maximum effervescence.
Use these recipes for traditional or more contemporary sandwich flavor combinations to give an afternoon tea or special occasion luncheon a delicious flair.
A collection of vintage-inspired jewelry making techniques including collage or assemblage jewelry, working with brass filigree, cagework or tapestry beading, memory wire bracelets, and patina.
Sloppy Joes sandwich recipe with sweet peaches, peach nectar, ketchup, molasses and peach jam plus smoky BBQ flavors from ketchup, mustard, vinegar, chili powder, smoked paprika and liquid smoke.
A healthier recipe for candied walnuts or pecans, toasted with unrefined coconut sugar and coconut oil. Delicious flavor, crunch, protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids for salads or snacks.
Learn how to make a beautiful beaded necklace that can also be used as an eyeglass or a mask holder. This jewelry tutorial has detailed step-by-step instructions with close-up photos to ensure successful results.
Learn to make earrings featuring heart-shaped beads with this easy, step-by-step tutorial. This romantic jewelry would make a beautiful handmade gift for Valentine's Day or an anniversary or birthday.
Storing beads and jewelry findings is a challenge for everyone who makes beaded jewelry. Here are a variety of recommended bead storage solutions and cases for storing jewelry findings successfully.
A delicious, vegan blueberry muffin recipe bursting with coconut, fresh lime, and juicy blueberries. These healthy muffins use mostly unprocessed and use mostly unrefined ingredients.
This recipe for irresistible Italian ribbon cookies, also known as Neapolitan slices, Venetians, or rainbow cookies, uses tinted almond cake layers joined with raspberry jam and topped with chocolate.
My grandmother's authentic Old World recipe for rugelach cookies. Cream cheese dough filled with jam, raisins, nuts, and brown sugar are perfect for holiday baking—or for any time of year.
A detailed review of Sue Heaser's book, "How to Make Silver Charms From Metal Clay". Learn easy techniques to make pure silver charms in nearly any style or theme you want, to wear yourself or give as unique, personal gifts that reflect your recipients' hobbies or interests.
A review of "This Is Spinal Tap", a mockumentary / rockumentary starring Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer that follows an over-the-hill heavy metal rock band on tour.
Halloween party dessert recipes include fun and frightening roach-infested popcorn, gory cake ball brains, chocolate cookie dough rats, zombie and spider cupcakes, cute werewolf snack cakes, and more.
A detailed review of Lisa Barth's deservedly popular book in which she teaches her techniques for designing exquisite fine silver metal clay bezel settings inspired by the gemstones themselves.
This recipe for chunky gazpacho soup gets its bright flavors from fresh tomatoes, crisp bell peppers, cucumbers, and sweet onions, with ideal seasonings of fresh cilantro and/or basil.
10 luscious dessert recipes including Gordon Ramsay's lava cake, Maida Heatter's Queen Mother's Cake, pain au chocolat, dark chocolate fondue with honey and cognac, truffle brownies and more.
A step-by-step tutorial for making colorful polymer clay fantasy flower jewelry. Wear these bright spring or summer blooms all year long or give them as inexpensive handmade gifts for women or girls.
Learn British afternoon tea customs, traditions and history plus party planning tips including setting the mood, invitations, menu and recipe suggestions and beautiful tablescapes.
A guide to the top 10 travel gifts to help business travelers be more productive, comfortable, relaxed, and refreshed during work trips—at prices to suit every wallet.
A delicious recipe for pumpkin whoopie pies from Amy Bouchard, creator of the famous Wicked Whoopies treats from the Isamax bakery in Maine.
In this article, I demonstrate why actual whoopie-pie-baking pans are way better than using cookie sheets. Includes recipes for making delicious chocolate, chocolate mint, and pumpkin whoopies.
A look into the history of clay animation as well as insight into how it works.
A polymer clay mokume gane tutorial with step-by-step instructions for making a mokume veneer sheet that can be used to cover polymer clay beads or other forms and how to create mokume gane cabochons.
Here are my top ten travel tips to make your beach vacation fun, relaxing, safe, and enjoyable.
Learn how to custom paint leather shoes, boots or sandals successfully with acrylic paint and then how to trim and embellish them with rhinestones, faux gems, sequins and other fashion accents
Metal clay articles and step-by-step polymer clay and beaded jewelry tutorials by designer Margaret Schindel. Learn jewelry making techniques easily with detailed instructions and close-up photos.
A quick, easy recipe for a luscious dark-chocolate fondue enhanced with honey and cognac brandy that's perfect for Valentine's Day or a romantic, sophisticated dessert any day of the year.
Create a luxurious spa-like candlelight bubble bath experience to relax, unwind, indulge yourself and perhaps set a romantic mood for your partner. Follow these 10 steps to a perfect soak in the tub.
How to make silver, bronze or copper clay oil paste using plant-based essential oil or Sherri Haab Pastemaker and how to use it for strong joins in metal clay. Includes full lavender paste recipe.
Learn the best way to rehydrate / reconstitute partly dry or fully dried metal clay with water to bring it back to a moist, pliable consistency.
Metal clay must be dry before firing to avoid steam that can distort or mar the sintered metal. Learn several methods for drying metal clay on open-cell foam, nonstick sheet, or a hotplate or cup warmer, in a food dehydrator, or with a handheld hairdryer and a DIY cardboard drying box.
Tips for keeping metal clay moist during work sessions and for short-term and long-term storage.
Recommended sources for where to purchase the best vintage beads and jewelry supplies, by a designer who has shopped for and used them in one-of-a-kind pieces for nearly 30 years.
A retrospective of Joni Mitchell's career and a tribute to this remarkable artist's music, poetry, art and activism with insights into the personal relationships that informed her songs and singing.
Learn about the tools and supplies needed to fire BRONZclay metal clay successfully and what to look for when deciding which ones to get. Most also are needed to fire other bronze clay formulas.
A comprehensive guide to working with Metal Adventures' original BRONZclay brand bronze metal clay. Includes techniques and tips for working with this clay, firing schedules, troubleshooting and more.
An introduction to bronze clay, differences in firing schedules and methods compared to silver metal clay, and an overview of major bronze metal clay brands, formulas and jewelry making techniques.
Unbiased reviews of metal clay related products including the Ultra-Lite Beehive Kiln and custom name/logo stamps by Metal Clay Artist Magazine's senior editor and technical editor Margaret Schindel.
Learn how to weave flexible metal clay sheet or paper to make woven metal jewelry. This illustrated step-by-step weaving tutorial demonstrates a simple method with helpful illustrations.
Learn how to texture metal clay with carving, tear-away textures, photopolymer plates, household items, leaves, food, purchased and homemade mats, molds and tools in this comprehensive guide.
A comprehensive guide on gemstone setting techniques in metal clay before and after firing. Learn which stones are safe to fire in place and how to set them in fresh, dried or fired metal clay.
Learn about gold and silver metal clay formulas from Art Clay and PMC brands plus Aura 22 and AGS (Accent Gold for Silver and the key characteristics and best uses of each formula from those brands.
An overview of the five forms of commercial metal clay products - lump clay, metal clay powder, slip or paste, syringe, and metal clay paper - and the characteristics and uses of each form.
A detailed list of basic, nice-to-have and specialty materials, tools, supplies and equipment for working with metal clay. Learn how to build a metal clay toolkit or see what's missing from your kit.
An introduction to silver and gold precious metal clay and a guide to recommended metal clay artists, teachers, organizations and projects suitable for metal clay beginners. Education and inspiration.