Calligraphy made easy

In my childhood, I used to get these strong thoughts in my head about how talented I would be at something. I had this vision in my head of me becoming the next famous softball player, scrabble player, or baton twirler and begged my parents for lessons or to join a local team. My parents knew that these things probably wouldn't be my cup of tea and that I might embarrass myself in the process, but they let me take lessons and learn my lesson the hard way. I joined a local softball team and almost broke my hand by putting my hand in front of my glove to catch the ball (why!?), I lose at almost scrabble games (I still love it though), but my my mom  put her foot down when it came to baton twirling lessons, thank goodness. And now I'm not even sure why I was interested in taking those!

But I am totally into calligraphy and one of my goals this year is to become super-amazing at calligraphy. I recently took a class on SkillShare and haven’t looked back since, which you've probably noticed on our Instagram. I think this might actually be my thing. In fact, I might be {one day, if I practice} pretty good at it. *gasp* So since I’m basically a calligraphy prodigy (haha) I figured I better fill you in on a few tips since calligraphy is totally trending right now!

WHAT YOU NEED TO START CALLIGRAPHY:

Things to know :

-This is not your grandmother's calligraphy. But it can be if you want it to be. There are all styles of calligraphy, and I happen to like modern… not traditional.

-Calligraphy supplies really aren’t that expensive. You need:

• nibs
• pen
• paper
• ink

-You do not have to have amazing handwriting to start calligraphy. If you practice your style enough then you can totally pull it off!

-Calligraphy is super messy, at least for me. Make sure you aren’t writing on a nice desk, because ink will most likely be splattered all over it, and not in a chic way.

-Practice makes perfect, so practice, practice, and practice some more.

Places to learn calligraphy :

-Skillshare > search Calligraphy.  This is where I learned. Since I loved it so much, I'm going to be take more classes, maybe here, maybe one of the awesome places below, to keep learning! Uh, maybe this summer when school slows down. Junior year is buuussssy.

-Fake it ‘till you make it - not really calligraphy, it's, wait for it… how to fake it. Or if you want a true short cut, just buy the font.

-I still love Calligraphy - I don't know much about this, but it looks pretty.

-LH Calligraphy has a a super-cute starter kit on Etsy and a gorgeous Instagram! The price is reasonable too.

photo via LH Calligraphy

Please let us know if you try any classes and what you think of them, plus tag us and show us your calligraphy skills on Instagram! xo ~chloe

IF YOU ENJOY THIS: check out How to Make A GIF {without Photoshop}

Candy Lollipops, Part 2

We're back with more lollipop ideas! We had so much fun making glitter lollipops, that we decided to get even sweeter this time around with candy lollipops. They're easy to make (see the recipe here) and you just add in the candy you like - so we chose red hots and candy hearts for Valentine's Day. This time around we decided to use  candy molds which gave our lollipops the perfect round shape. Our friend, and newbie blogger Christy at The Bourbon Blush {be sure and show her some love} lent us her candy molds, but you can find them here: balloon sucker molds or round sucker molds.

Have fun cooking up a sweet treat and enjoy your candy lollipops!

Glitter Lollipops, Part 1

As a lover of all things Etsy, all things gold, and anything glittery that doesn't make a mess, it was true love when I discovered Sweet Caroline Confections glitter lollipops. Of course, the first thing that popped in my head was, "I could make those!" Typically, you know the drill, about 50% of our DIYs never make the pages of our blog, but make good stories for Chloe and I to laugh about… later. Once we get over the frustration of having tried to recreate something. But these glitter lollipops are fun and easy to make, and color customizable like our Marshmallow Pops.

Even if our Glitter Lollipops aren't the perfectly round, clear perfection we saw on Etsy, ours are perfect for Valentine's Day (or just change the glitter color and customize them for any occasion, from weddings to prom parties to baby showers, reveal parties, and bar mitzvahs). The possibilities are endless, which is what we adore about the this glittery confection, besides the fact that it only has a few ingredients and is simple to make once you master the technique of the what I prefer to call the "slow pour."  So let's get started!

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar 2/3 cup light Karo corn syrup 1/4 cup water edible glitter of your choice {you will also need lollipop sticks, a candy thermometer, and a bowl partially filled with ice water set aside}

Directions:

1. Prepare your work area since it is important that once your candy has finished cooking you can work quickly:

a. If you have granite or marble countertops, lay parchment paper directly on them in long strips. We found this the best method to work quickly. If not, then use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (Note: we tried using Silpat, but ended up with a pattern on our lollipops from the sheets. Yours may not make a pattern, so feel free to try it!)

b. Sprinkle your glitter in 3" circles about 3" apart in 2 rows so that lollipop sticks can face in opposite directions and lay completely flat. If you are using candy, then you can place candy into the lollipops after pouring.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan with a pouring spout. Stir until the sugar is dissolved while bringing to a boil.

3. Once boiling, place your candy thermometer in the pot and use a pastry brush to wash down the sides so crystals don't form.  Do not stir, but boil until mixture registers 300 degrees to 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 - 7 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and set in the bowl partially filled with ice water for 15 seconds. It will steam loudly! You want most of the air bubbles to be gone, but don't want the mixture to cool off to much because then it won't pour well - and it cools very quickly!

5. Pour very slowly in the middle of each glitter circle until a circle is formed and press in lollipop sticks. Let sit until completely cooled.

Note: I did re-warm the syrup over the lowest heat to soften it slightly when it began to harden. Also, clean-up is easy if you soak everything in very hot soapy water.

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com 

And, if you noticed the title, it says Part 1, so yep, we had so much fun making these, that we'll be back for more ideas after we order a few supplies (hint-hint) for more Glitter Lollipop goodness!

xox, Kim

IF YOU ENJOY THIS: check out our Calligraphy Made Easy & Drink Stirrers