DIY Project: “Cork” Board

January 21, 2015 by ·

Harry Dalian

This is an interesting project that anyone can do with all the extra wine corks laying around the house. Collect all your wine corks and make your kitchen, work or desk space less cluttered with a nice display board.

Time: 2.5 hours. You’ll need:

Wine corks.
Picture frames (preferably with a nice frame).
Acrylic paint.
Glue gun with sticks.

1. Gather all your requirements.

2. Paint the picture in the picture frame (or background paper) with black acrylic paint.

3. Let dry, place corks horizontally on the surface and position them so they all fit nicely.

4.Take a few corks out at a time so as to not lose the arrangement of the corks on the board.

5. Glue each one individually on one side and place back in it’s spot not he board.

6. Hang the new cork boards on the wall and start pinning things.

Harry Dalian

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DIY Apple Cider Caramels

December 15, 2014 by ·

What’s a better treat for this holiday season? Apple-Flavored caramels really evoke the essence of the holidays. These candies cook up very fast and make a sweet gift for friends and family. Boiled cider, fresh nutmeg and cinnamon add the warm, baked-apple flavor. Harry Dalian

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup boiled cider*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Directions:

  1. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with shortening. Line it with a piece of parchment that overhangs the long edges of the pan.
  2. Stir together the heavy cream and syrup in a 6 quart stock pot. Add the granulated sugar, cubed butter and boiled cider. Stir well until the mixture is a consistent color.
  3. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot, or insert the wand of a digital thermometer into the mixture and set the alarm to 248°F.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. When sugar is dissolved and mixture is at a full boil, decrease the heat to medium-high. The mixture will continue to bubble. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the candy thermometer reads 248°F.
  5. Stir together the salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small condiment cup. Remove the pan from the heat source. Be careful, it will still be bubbling.
  6. Stir in the spice mixture.
  7. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.
  8. Let the pan stand, uncovered, at room temperature overnight. You may also refrigerate the pan for quicker setting. Run a knife between the parchment paper and pan.Turn the solid caramel block out on a work surface or cutting board. Cut it into 1 x 5-inch lengths.
  9. Wrap the caramels in 6-inch squares of wax paper and twist the ends to close. Be sure to wrap them soon after they’re cut into pieces; if left at room temperature for an extended period of time, the caramels will relax and lose their shape. Keep caramels in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 8 days. Caramels will keep slightly longer when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

 

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DIY How to: Homemade, Healthy Granola

November 4, 2014 by ·

Granola is, hands down, one of nature’s greatest gifts. The wholesome goodness contained in oats, nuts, and fruit makes for a tasty and filling snack. But granola can be extremely frustrating to buy in stores because so many brands infuse their recipes with processed ingredients and extra sugars.

Here is a healthy and tasty granola recipe that you can use as a staple and pass down to your children and grandchildren. It comes out crunchy and clumpy, just the way you like it. (The secret ingredient is the egg whites.) The best part is you can switch out the fruits and nuts with whatever combination gets your taste buds dancing in joyous harmony. Enjoy!

DIY Homemade Healthy Granola

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 ½ cups salted sunflower seeds, cashews, and almonds
1 ½ cups dried banana chips
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ – ⅓ cup agave nectar
5 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together all your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then, whisk all your wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then mix it all together until everything is well-mixed and evenly coated.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and then spread the wet granola mixture evenly onto them. (Aluminum foil is okay, but your granola might not cook as evenly.) Use a fork to push the mixture down firmly and evenly so that it everything lies flat.

Let bake for around 25 minutes or until granola appears lightly and evenly toasted and the outside begins to brown. Let it sit for a few minutes, then break apart and enjoy!

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Cooking For A Large Family On A Budget

October 2, 2014 by ·

Black and White Photo, Woman CookingLarge families around the world have to deal with a variety of issues when it comes to dinner time. The biggest hurdle is how to feed many people on a small budget, and it’s not just about money either, it’s about time. The more family members, the higher the cost in terms of time and money that many have to deal with. It’s with that in mind that many are looking for new ideas and options in regards to moving forward within the right framework. So how do you cook for so many people? Here’s your DIY:

The Bulk Route

The first option that many will immediately think of is in terms of bulk. Buying in bulk is definitely a smart move, and with many large chains offering membership plans and options that could allow you to gain access to bulk, commercial grade options, you can definitely plan food and preparations months ahead of time.

The Soup and Salad Option

Some families focus on creating soup and salads a great deal, and they definitely stretch a great deal. Rice and pasta also stretches too, and with a large family, this means that more can be easier than individual portions made by other recipes. Not only that, soups and salads provide an option of health that can be purchased in season, for cheap. Fruits, vegetables, and much more can be stretched and placed within these options to help with healthy living as a whole.

Cheap Cookbooks

With the economic downturn hitting many around the world, it’s interesting to see the cookbook world light up with options. You’ll find that many authors are focusing on low cost solutions that can have dinner available for around $5. Casseroles, crock pots, and much more are discussed as part of these ideas in many of the cookbooks that are being highlighted by the general public today.

The best way to feed a large family on a budget, is to work together, and look for seasonal, bulk, items to offer within varied recipes that can stretch. With a concerted effort and a few options in terms of food storage, freezing, and more, things can look up in terms of budgeting for food in a large family.

For more DIY and budgetary tips, visit Harry Dalian on StockTwits and LinkedIn.

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DIY: Home Nessecities You Can Make Better Yourself

July 31, 2014 by ·

If your in charge of your family’s finances, or your own, you’ll know that there is a strategic way to plan your costs for each month. You’ll also know that the little things add up- fast. If you spend $20 a day on food, that becomes $140 a week, and $560 a month.

The little things like laundry, toiletries, and cleaners can also add up even more. Hopefully you have been buying yours in bulk or in larger quantities already, as opposed to buying, say, single serving laundry detergent. Here, however, is a way to save even more than buying store brand bulk household items. Here is how to make them yourself.

DIY Laundry Detergent

Harry Dalian, DIY Detergent

Laundry Detergent expenses can add up, especially if you’ve been used to buying the single serving packages from the laundromat. To save yourself even more money, here is a recipe that will create other household materials into a great, effective solution.

Ingredients: (Found in the Laundry Isle)

  • Borax (4 pound container)
  • Baking Soda (4 pound container)
  • Washing Soda
  • Oxy Clean (4 pound container)
  • Laundry Soap Bars (3 bars, Fels-Naptha brand is good)
  • 4 Gallon Container (to Mix and Store, Round container will be easier)

Procedure:

  • Grate the laundry soap bars into your container
  • Pour in the rest of the ingredients
  • Shut the lid securely, roll the container to mix the detergent.

This is a relatively uncomplicated process. It creates an amount of detergent that should last you the year depending on how much you need to use it. The ingredients are cheap themselves By creating a year’s worth of detergent you are saving yourself the $20 you will save every time you need to replace the deter you’ve used up over the year.

Along the same lines, you can create Dishwasher Detergent on your own as well.

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

So you can save on something that is overpriced because so many of us buy it just because it is what we know. Why rely on all these other brands when you can make this stuff well more simply for yourself. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of Borax
  • 2 cups of Washing Soda or Baking Soda
  •  1 cup of citric acid
  • 1 cup of kosher salt

Remember you can use white vinegar as a rinsing agent. Other than that, here is a cheap, useful, and good homemade recipe for DIY Dishwasher Detergent.

Stay tuned for more updates of similar recipes! Enjoy!

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5 Easy DIY Tricks to Transform Your Home

June 10, 2014 by ·

If you too are looking to get the most out of your home and to transform it into a comfortable living space, this list may just have a few tips for you to do all you can do. While you can add some stylish and well practical additions to your home without having to spend the money. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Bookshelf from Household Objects

Harry Dalian, DIY BookshelfIf you were thinking of spicing up your home a little bit and wanted to add some ambiance and organization, try adding a bookshelf. One, you can keep organized with your entire family’s reading, and two, the bookshelf will be a classy addition to your home that also looks good.

If you’re not planning to spend the cash on one, or you don’t want to build the simplistic and boring bookshelf from spare wood, try this cool recipe: chances are you’ll have a step ladder or two. Now with the addition of some spare wood from before, you can have a sweet design that is totally modern. While this shelf can be a man’s man’s mode of storage, you can see the same design used by such celebrities as Ellen Degeneres and her styling counterparts.

Harry Dalian, DIY Mail HolderWindow Shutter Mail Holder

If you have an extra window pane laying around, or have easy access to one, you can make yourself another stylish alternative to this otherwise seemingly useless object. With the natural grooves in a traditional window shutter, you can make a perfect, quant, and modern looking place for people to leave you mail. Just imagine how this looks as opposed to a traditional wooden box.

DIY Shoe Holders

Harry Dalian, DIY Shoe RackWith a little bit of PVC piping, the kind you would use to build a waterway or a house’s plumbing, you can create an easy way to get organized with any extra shoes you may other wise have laying around. Whether they are yours and laying around in your closet with no better place to be, or they are your kids and family’s laying around in the house always ready to make a mess and add to clutter, you can take care of this by creating a little home for each pair. All you’ll need is a circular saw and some work goggles. Take a look at the picture.

Harry Dalian, DIY NightlightDIY Nightlight / Emergency Lighting

With an old headlamp you might have had once for that camping trip you may or may not have ever taken, you can create a brilliant emergency lighting source. If you are currently a father, mother, or ambitious kid, go ahead and make yourself a nightlight by strapping the light to a gallon water jug. You’ll find it nicely lights up the room for a comforting effect.

DIY Bulletin Board / Message Board

Harry Dalian, DIY Bulletin BoardNeed a way to communicate with your family that looks classy and is not costly? You could post one of these behind your front door to instantly communicate with your family and leave a message behind such as the week’s assignment of chores. Try getting a painting frame, size of your choice, and filling it up with used wine corks.

With your new DIY tricks, your friends and family will be impressed with the clever and classy organization you’ve introduced into your home. Don’t forget to share a few tricks with them, and maybe you’ll figure out a few new ones to add!

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