Author: Jane Allen Creates

Lover of all things creative
Art, Decorating

Still time to paint for fall

Jane Allen Creates

The days are getting cooler and I know that we are all anxious to get our homes decorated for fall.  How can we not be with all the merchandise being out in the stores for what seems like months.  In fact it makes us feel like we have already missed our window of opportunity. …but that is so not true.  We even have time to start painting a new piece or two for this year.  If you are looking for some great ideas you can find them in the new book Della presents

“Celebrating Fall with Friends”.Celebrate Fall cover copysm

These are pictures of the projects in the book, I think you will enjoy them. Continue reading “Still time to paint for fall” →

Art, Designing

Making it yours…the beginning of designing

Jane Allen Creates

This weekend I was at a painting seminar at my local chapter with Amy Mogish.  We had  time to chat as we were prepping our pieces and one of the girls said that she just realized recently that she could make designs her own by changing things instead of making it exactly the way the teacher did hers.

When I thought about it I realize this is the beginning of designing.  First we use a different surface, then a different color on a few elements.  Next we are combining a few patterns to create a project…..and then we try our hand at making our own designs.

I had made some changes to Amy’s original design “Simple Goodness” which was placed on a tin cake stand.  I wanted to place mine on a canvas because I was going to put it  beside an antique cake stand that was my mothers.

Amy's original design on cake stand
Amy’s original design on cake stand

Continue reading “Making it yours…the beginning of designing” →

Art, Decorating

Packing up Christmas 2014

Jane Allen Creates

If you remember from my first house tour post I had an empty stable.  Around the end of November I had mentioned to my husband that I might paint a nativity for the front yard.  I had the wood cut a number of years ago.  Before I knew it he build me a stable.  I had finished painting it a few days before Christmas.  Here is a picture of the whole yard with the nativity and also a close up.

#front3

#nativity

Continue reading “Packing up Christmas 2014” →

Art, Decorating

Christmas House Tour 2014 – Part 2

Jane Allen Creates

Before I took you on a tour of my Living Room and Dinning Room, this week I thought I would show you the rest of my decorating.  We will start in my living room and family room which is one large room.  You can see by the colors in the room that I like to use red in my decorating here, but there are a few balls with pink on them. Can’t help myself. 🙂

This is a view from our family room into the kitchen.

&kit1 Continue reading “Christmas House Tour 2014 – Part 2” →

Art, Decorating

Christmas House Tour 2014 – Part 1

Jane Allen Creates

Hello Everyone,
It has been a while since I posted on my blog. My husband Al and I have been busy decorating our house for Christmas and I thought you might enjoy a little tour. As some of you know pink is my favorite color. So Al being the good husband put pink and white lights outside.  The little structure to the right of the front window is a manger that Al has built for me for a nativity that I am painting.  I still have a lot of painting to do so I will update pictures of the nativity a little later. (not sure what year :))
!outside2
!outside1 Continue reading “Christmas House Tour 2014 – Part 1” →

Baking

Baking Day

Jane Allen Creates
picture of Emily using pastry board to roll dough
Emily rolling cookie dough on pastry board

Covering your tables with plastic table clothes and using parchment paper on trays will also make cleanup a lot easier.

Keeping pastry cloth and rolling pin cover lightly floured will make rolling dough out a lot easier.

When baking put the first pan in the lower shelf of your oven. Bake half of the time then turn pan and place on top shelf of oven. Place another pan on the lower shelf. Continue rotating pans through the oven this way. The lower shelf helps brown the bottom of the cookies and the top shelf helps brown the top of the cookies. Don’t rely on the suggested times for baking, you will need to watch to make sure everything is baking properly. Continue reading “Baking Day” →

Baking

Mixing Cookie Dough

Jane Allen Creates
Picture of mounds of cookie dough
A mound of chocolate chip cookie dough

I always start about a week ahead mixing up my cookie dough. I place it in food storage bags and write on the bags the type of dough.

You will need to decide how many cookies of each kind each person will take home. I would suggest at least 1 to 2 dozen of each. You will also have to decide how large you are going to make your cookies. I like to make mine small for cookie trays. I usually double the yield of a batch since I make my cookies about half the size I would normally. Then you will need to calculate how many batches of each you will need to mix up. Even though we made 28 kinds the last time, I think we mixed up over 60 batches.

This is a good time to ask others to help mix up some of the dough. Continue reading “Mixing Cookie Dough” →

Baking

Getting Started

Jane Allen Creates

It is not too early to start planning your cookie baking party. Think about who you would like to invite and pick a date. Since I want my cookies to be fresh (and still have some left) I usually pick the weekend before Christmas for my party. I keep the date consistent every year so that people can plan on it.

You probably will have some favorite recipes that you have made over the years, so start with those. Gather additional recipes from friends, cook books and magazines. Select recipes so that you have a variety of flavors choosing cookies that will also make a nice presentation.

You will find that there will be certain recipes that you will want to make every year. These make it easier because people know what to do.

So start contacting your friends and family so they can reserve the date. Remember to start small with the number of people you invite and the number of cookies you will bake.

Picture of Cookie Baking Crew
Happy Cookie Baking Crew after 7,000 Cookies