Crepe-Paper Roses

These crepe-paper roses are a beautiful way to add color to any room or office.

Tools and Materials
Large flower template
Double-sided crepe paper
Smooth-sided pencil
Paper-covered floral wire
Floral tape
White craft glue

Large Flower How-To
1. Enlarge and print template. Use the template to trace and cut five teardrop-shaped petals and 15 heart-shaped petals from double-sided crepe paper.

2. To shape petals, cup in center; wrap left and right top edges around a pencil to curl.

3. Make a stem by wrapping three paper-covered wires together with floral tape.

4. Start building flowers by first placing teardrop petals around the stem and securing with floral tape. Place heart petals around the "bud" you have created and secure with more floral tape.

5. Trace and cut the calyx shape from green crepe paper. Wrap calyx around bottom of rose and glue in place.

6. Trace and cut out three leaf shapes from green crepe paper. Draw a bead of glue down the center of each leaf, place a paper-covered wire down, and pinch the crepe paper together over the paper-covered wire "vein" to hide it.

7. Attach the leaves to the stem by wrapping in floral tape.

8. Wrap stem with strips of green crepe paper to cover floral tape; glue in place.

Resources
Double-sided crepe paper is available at castleintheair.biz and at select Michaels stores. For store locations, please visit michaels.com. Glue and floral tape are from Martha Stewart Crafts. All other tools and materials are available at crafts stores and art-supply stores.

For more information on Morgan Levine, editorial assistant in the holiday and crafts department of Martha Stewart Living, or to purchase her flower barrettes, visit amblethroughbramble.com. For more great ideas, check out these floral-inspired crafts. Or make Morgan's gorgeous hard flower barrettes -- they're great hair accessories.

From The Martha Stewart Show, January 2009

Char Kway Teow :)

Grilled Chicken and Herbs

A Mother's Day special :)

I cooked grilled chicken and herbs. First I marinated the chicken with garlic, calamansi juice, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary and thyme for 30 minutes. Then I drizzled it with olive oil to prevent it from sticking to the grill. I made sure to pre-heat the stove-top grill to capture the grill marks on my chicken. I cooked it for at least 15-20 minutes. Then for the onion sauce, I poured the oil (drippings) from the chicken. I sautèd the onions until translucent. Then I added 2 cloves of chopped garlic and cooked it until golden brown. Poured the remaining marinade and added a teaspoon of brown sugar and a pinch of pepper to taste. I then poured the sauce over the chicken and garnished it with fresh thyme.

P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there! :)

Spaghetti with Mozzarella Meatballs

Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis =)

Road trip up North :) pt. 2

More of our road trip to Cagayan and Ilocos. Mom and I went to the market to check out what we can bring home. And we saw alot! :)

Ballesteros Public Market.

Kuhol. (snail)

sili (jalapenos)

red bell pepper.

Melon.


Onions.


Puso ng saging.

Road trip up North :)

Me and my family went to Ballesteros, Cagayan to visit our relatives (Lola's side). It's a 16 hour drive and man! my butt hurts! :P But the travel was worth it because of the scenery and ofcourse! The food! :) Authentic local food! Before you reach Cagayan you have to pass by Ilocos first and the famous spring water from the mountains.

Taken from the famous spring water from the mountains.
(And fyi, the water is clean and you can drink it! Cool!)

Burong Isda or Mata as what the locals call it.

They call this one gamet. A dried seaweeds.
You put this in a water and it expands then put a few tomato, onions, ginger
and sprinkle some calamansi juice and you now have an ensaladang gamet.

Me Likey!!!