Homemade Irish Cream

St. Patrick’s Day is less than a week away. Are you thinking about the possibility of creating Irish cream liquor at home instead of buying a bottle? Take a crack at our Homemade Irish Cream recipe below….you'll never buy a bottle in the store again!

This Irish Cream is soooo good!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Godiva chocolate liquor

2 cups Irish whiskey

2 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half-and-half , light cream or heavy cream 

2 eggs (optional)

4 teaspoons chocolate syrup

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut or almond extract

2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or instant espresso (make sure it's instant so it dissolves)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a glass bottle or airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months (if it lasts that long).  Shake well before serving.

 Recipe intended for those whom alcohol consumption is appropriate. Always drink responsibly.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Kilkenny's Irish Bread

Kilkenny's Irish Bread

This by far is my favorite Irish Bread.  Some recipes are dry, but the Kilkenny Irish Bread is so moist and delicious!  Even if you are not Irish, you will LOVE it!  This bread can be served for breakfast, dessert or just a yummy snack.  

Here are the ingredients you need:

2 ½ cups of flour

1 cup of sugar

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of baking powder                                   

½ teaspoon of salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of butter (melted)

2 cups of buttermilk

1 cup of raisins

1 tablespoon of caraway seeds (optional)

 Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and sift.

 Add raisins and caraway seeds, and set aside.

Melt butter, and mix with buttermilk and eggs.

Combine the two mixtures, and mix well.

Grease loaf pan with butter.  Bake at 350^o for 1 hour – bread is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  I normally have to bake it for approximately 10 to 20 extra minutes.

Cool in loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Enjoy this delicious Kilkenny recipe!

Bag Full Of Gold

These shamrock decorated muslin bags are perfect for wrapping up goodies for friends or your kid's classmates!

We're using the same technique we used for our Valentine's Day bags here.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Shamrock Craft punch
Freezer paper
Iron
Muslin bags 
Craft paint

Glitter
Foam brush

1. Use a punch to cut out a shamrock out of your freezer paper.  You can also draw or print out an image and cut it out with an x-acto knife.

2. With a dry iron set to medium heat, iron the freezer paper stencil (shiny side down) onto the muslin bag.

3. Slip a piece of cardboard scrap or a piece of freezer paper inside the bag so the paint won't bleed through and then dab craft paint on muslin bag.  Sprinkle glitter onto wet paint.

4. Carefully peel away freezer paper while paint/glitter is still wet.  Paint a light coat of Modge Podge over the paint/glitter when it was dry to seal in the glitter.  

5. Fill your cute muslin bag with gold candy coins and give to all of your family and friends!

Muslin bags-www.sugarconfetti.com
Gold coin candy-Wegmans
Freezer paper-Any Supermarket

Oscar Party Ideas

And the Award for Best Oscar Party goes to….

  Here are some simple and glitzy ideas we found to get you in the party mode and make your Oscar Party awesome!

These cups are perfect and are really easy to make! Print out the statue silhouette onto some black card-stock, cut out and glue to a gold paper cup.  Download the statue silhouettes http://www.andweplay.com/home-/oscars-party-cups

Check out this 2014 Oscar ballot free printable from DIY Studio. Print yours here http://www.studiodiy.com/2014/02/19/free-printable-2014-oscar-ballot/

http://www.studiodiy.com/2014/02/19/free-printable-2014-oscar-ballot/

These DIY Tuxedo Confetti Poppers are so much fun!

http://www.kristimurphy.com/blog/oscars-viewing-party

Bring some sparkle to your party with easy-to-make glitter champagne flutes.

http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/how-to-make-glitter-champagne-flutes/index.html

And the winner is….

 Get the recipe for these Oscar Winning cookies here.

http://www.bakerella.com/and-the-winner-is…/

http://www.bakerella.com/and-the-winner-is…/

  Try making these three-dimensional statues.  Free template 

http://www.twigandthistle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/TwigAndThistle_Oscar_Statuette.pdf

Get a few Ken dolls, Spray paint them gold and hot glue them to a painted stand.  So cute! 

http://www.everydaycelebrating.com/2011/02/glaming-it-up-for-the-oscars.html

How about making a sequin wall to use as a photo booth backdrop.

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/12/sequin-photobooth-diy/

            Serve up some popcorn and mini size candy bars for snacks!

http://www.sugarconfetti.com/Popcorn-Vintage-Style-Boxes_p_114.html

http://ohhappyday.com/2012/06/styled-eats-food-for-an-outdoor-movie-night/

                            Enjoy the Oscars!

Strawberry Shortcake Pink Party

This Strawberry Shortcake party is the cutest! Krista Salmon from KiKi's List created this party for her daughter Lou's 4th Birthday.  She tried to incorporate lots of strawberries, but the overall theme was everything pink.  Perfect for little girls.  

Thanks for sharing Krista.  Visit http://kikis-list.com/2012/05/16/lous-4th-birthday/ for more ideas!

Confetti Fun

Do you have a birthday party, shower, or celebration on the horizon?  Why not have some fun with confetti?

Celebrations and parties are all about the details. We have found some pretty clever ideas out there that utilize our party favorite... Confetti!

Want to make the perfect photobooth backdrop for a party?  Use large floating Confetti.

http://www.studiodiy.com/2013/08/07/diy-floating-confetti-photobooth-in-a-box/

Confetti Dipped Balloons! Perfect for any occasion.

http://www.studiodiy.com/2013/09/11/diy-confetti-dipped-balloons/

Balloons, Confetti and Money…might be the best gift ever!

http://sugarandcharm.com/2012/05/money-balloons.html/

Dress up your gifts with confetti! Use spray adhesive or double side tape.  Just spray and dip in confetti!  

Photo via pinterest

If you have some hot glue and confetti, making this cake topper will take less than 5 minutes!

http://www.auntpeaches.com/2013/02/confetti-cake-toppers_13.html

This confetti banner will make you want to celebrate all the time! Use a store purchased banner (or make your own by cutting letters out of cardboard), glue and confetti for a quick, fun decoration at your next celebration!  

http://bestfriendsforfrosting.com/2013/11/diy-confetti-banner/

Cue the confetti at your next event! Perfect for birthday parties, weddings and more! Turn these wands into party invites by adding a label with all party details. What fun!  

http://www.sugarconfetti.com/Colorful-Confetti-Wands-_p_575.html

These sweet confetti dot plates, cups and milk bottles are perfect for your next party or any fun occasion.  

http://www.sugarconfetti.com/Confetti-Dot-Paper-Plates_p_604.html

With some craft tubes, confetti and balloons, you can make these DIY confetti launchers for your next party!

http://www.myownlabels.com/blog/handmade-confetti-launchers/

Nothing says Happy Birthday like balloons!  Add some confetti and letters and make a message banner!

Confetti Message Banners!
http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/entertaining/decorations/how-make-banner-

Glue some confetti onto glassine bags and use them as cutlery pouches.  

http://www.thinkgarnish.com/blog/2013/04/10/fun-with-confetti/

Confetti table runner…pair this beauty with our confetti paper placemats for a complete confetti celebration! 

http://www.sugarconfetti.com/Celebration-Runner_p_116.html

This confetti collection from the shop is perfect for any celebration!

http://www.sugarconfetti.com/Confetti-Triangles-Party-Plates_p_478.html

Hooray for Confetti DIY's!

Hooray! We love this DIY Backdrop from http://www.lifesweetlifeblog.com/2013/07/manny-maevas-confetti-birthday-party.html

Check out the shop for more confetti party supplies!

www.sugarconfetti.com

February Sponsor $100 Target Gift Card Giveaway

Hi friends! Today the sponsors and friends of A Night Owl are joining up to bring you an amazing $100 Target Gift Card Giveaway! And we all KNOW you love Target, so what are you waiting for? Enter today via the Rafflecopter  link below! Enter today via the Rafflecopter form below!

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