Q: Why is it called milk's favorite cookie???...A: OREO Tres Leches Cake

So after trying an amazzzzing Oreo Tres Leches Cake at Mi Tierra in San Antonio, I knew I had to find some how, some way this recipe. After googling long and hard for a Oreo Tres Leches Cake recipe with no luck, I decided to take a leap of faith and make up my own recipe.

I used a mix of generic brands and name brands to save a little money.
Here are the ingredients:
-box of vanilla cake mix (need eggs and oil for cake mix)
-1 can of evaporated milk
-1 can of sweetened condense milk
-pint of heavy cream
-small container of cool whip
-1 package of Oreo cookies

Bake the cake according to cake mix directions. Allow the cake to cool completely. Take a paring knife or spatula and move it along the side of the pan. Flip the pan upside down to release the cake from the pan. Cut the cake down the middle. Then cut the cake again horizontally to make four equal pieces.

Then crush two rows of cookies (about 30 cookies). Save the third row for decorating the top. I used a cookie sheet and lined it with the oreos. I then covered the oreos with plastic wrap, and used a hammer to make the oreo crumbles.

Using the pan used to bake the cake. Put two pieces of cake along side the bottom. Then top the bottom cake layer with the crumble oreo pieces.

Layer the final two cake layers on top of the oreo crumbles. Then poke holes evenly through the top using a sharp knife or fork.

Then mix the can of condensed milk, can of evaporated milk, and pint of heavy whipping cream until a consistent mixture is achieved.

Pour the mixture over the entire cake. Then top the cake with cool whip.

You can cut the unused cookies and cut them in half, and place them evenly on the top. You can also slice fresh strawberries and place them on the top. Here is the final product. It is definitely best served after sitting covered in the fridge for two days. I learned the longer it stays in the fridge, the creamier and milkier it taste. Enjoy!











Two Is Better Than One...

So to go along with the tutus, I decided to make onesies. At first I wasn't sure what kind of onesies would be cute for twins. I googled "twin onesies" and saw this...

I loved the idea so much, although I thought the above picture was a little plain. I decided to do patterned lettering. I found something called iron-on flock transfer, which is essentially a patterned iron-on sheet where you can cut out any design you would like. I also bought Heat n Bond Hem (3/8 inches thick) to outline the letters with ribbon. I don't have a sewing machine (bummer!), so Heat n Bond Hem and Iron-On was a god send. See what I used below...

 I typed out T-W-I-N letters on a Word Doc (I think I used font size 200). I then cut out the paper letters, traced them onto the iron-on sheet (ensure the letters are traced backwards so that they are read correctly once ironed on), and cut out the iron-on letters. See below...

I then ironed the letters to the onesies (which were pre-washed). Then, I cut the Hem n Bond to the appropriate length and width to fit the ribbon border, which I cut to the length of the letters.

I continued this until the border was complete. I set the iron to the 4 setting, and continuously ironed (about 1 minute per letter) on all the edges of the letter to ensure it was secure. Here is the finished product...

Here is the finished product with the tutus =)



Tutu Cute...

I've always LOVED tutus on little girls, and when I realized I can simply make these I was ecstatic! I was especially excited when I was able to make some for a friend's twins =) Although making a tutu seems difficult, it is actually easier than you think. It actually does not require any sewing what so ever. You simply need elastic, a roll of tulle, and whatever embellishments you want for the tutu (optional). I bought a thick elastic (1 inch by 1 1/4 yard). This roll of elastic was enough for two infant sized tutus. Also I recommend one roll of tulle for one tutu. Here's what I bought...

I found specialty tulle at Hobby Lobby, which is the silver glitter roll of tulle of the far right. But, once I opened the packaging the glitter started coming off and getting everywhere. I decided against using this on the tutu, although this tulle would of been freaking cute. I then cut the elastic band to my desired length and double hand stitched the elastic together. I figured cutting the tulle ahead of time was more efficient. I used a ruler, measured 18 inches, and cut the tulle into strips. I then began tying the tulle to the elastic band, and I double knotted it for extra security. Here is the beginning of a tutu...

This is pretty much all there is to it. It is a simple process, but quite time consuming. It will take probably 45 minutes to make one. Try to use the entire roll of tulle, the more tulle used the fuller (and cuter) the tutu will be. As far as embellishments, I just opted to use simple streams of ribbon throughout the tutu. You can sew flowers to the tutu, sequins, or other designs. Here is the final product...

Embossing 101

I discovered embossing when visiting Paper Source store a couple weeks ago and was so fascinated by all the crafting possibilities I saw there! Please visit their website for great crafting ideas... http://www.paper-source.com/ I didn't even know this store existed, but thanks to Sprinkles Cupcakes which was our original destination we found this little crafting gem. It is a must stop if you're a craft-a-holic like me! One of the friendly staff members was glad to show me how easy embossing is. With only 4 items needed (embossing ink, embossing powder, embossing heat gun, and a rubber stamp), it seemed fairly easy. So with ideas brewing, I decided to go to Hobby Lobby for the all the tools needed for embossing. Armed with the 40% off coupon, I bought the embossing gun for $12 (originally $19.99)! The stamp was $6.49, the embossing ink was on sale for $1.50, and the embossing powder was $4.99. Here are the tools I bought...

I was originally looking for a peacock feather stamp, but unfortunately the Hobby Lobby at The Fountains did not have any. However, I did find one that looked peacock inspired and would go perfectly with my peacock wedding motif. I also bought a eggplant colored embossing powder and clear embossing ink. I tried it on several types of paper (metallic silver paper, lime green paper, and plain ol' white card stock). Surprisingly I thought the plain white card stock looked best with the ink. I had to ensure I applied a fair amount of ink and made sure to evenly stamp the paper. Also I made sure to sprinkle a hefty amount of embossing powder on top of the stamped paper, and tapped the paper to ensure the powder was evenly distributed. The embossing powder goes a long way, so don't be afraid to sprinkle a good amount on. You can save the unused powder that does not stick. I then used the embossing gun to emboss and essentially melt the powder into the ink. This only takes a few seconds, since the embossing gun gets super hot. I highly recommend the embossing gun as oppose to a regular hair drier. Here are some of my practice runs (on the white cardstock, green cardstock, and an asymmetrically corner stamp (which I loved!))...

                  

It took a bit of work to get it right, which I think may be attributed to the stamp being new. So I did see some spots where the ink did not really stick, but hey that's what practice is for! Here is an up close picture of my first embossing work. You can definitely see the raised embossing the powder creates and the shiny sheen as well. Isn't it cool! I can't wait to apply this technique to my wedding invites! So exciting!