In the Kitchen Archives

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It has a little bit of farmhouse flair that so many of us are in love with right now. Now, this sign could be a little intimidating with all of the little letters but, don’t let it be intimidating. YOU CAN DO THIS! All you need is a little patience. So many people try and rush through a project and they get easily frustrated and then their project fails. That is so SAD! Step back, grab a Diet Coke (or, whatever it is that makes you happy), and ENJOY the process of creating.

For today, I’m focusing on just the vinyl transfer part of sign making. I’m working on a few more tutorials on how to create your sign in the NEW Cricut Design Space that was launched in BETA mode a week ago. It’s fabulous! I’ve been having a ball getting to know the new, faster & more user-friendly Design Space. I’m sure you’re going to love it too! It’s so easy to create your own designs within the Design Space or you can create in other programs like Photoshop or Illustrator and import your PNG files directly into Design Space and create that way as well. I’ll be working on more tutorials for both of those options soon.

I’m also working on a video tutorial on how to weed your vinyl. That’s the process of removing the negative part of your design in the vinyl. It’s really not hard, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will make it a little easier. Today, I’m just going to focus on how to apply vinyl. Here’s a quick video to show you how to apply vinyl to any type of smooth surface.

Pro Tips for Applying Vinyl

How to Apply Vinyl Have you always wanted to create beautiful vinyl signs but, can’t quite get the hang of applying vinyl? Look no further, I’m sharing my pro tips for how to apply vinyl to create beautiful vinyl signs like this, "The Kitchen is Now Open Sign" with menu from WhipperBerry.

Take your time – like I said before, don’t rush. If some of the vinyl lifts while you are transferring it to either the transfer tape or your sign… Don’t stress out. Lay that section back down and press on the vinyl with your finger and then try again. You’ll get it, just don’t rush.

Make sure your surface is clean – Now think about this, if you try and place a sticker on a surface covered in dust, dirt, sand, or general grime, what will happen? The sticker won’t stick. Same thing with adhesive vinyl. Whatever you are adhering it to needs to be clean. Nothing is more frustrating than laying down some vinyl and then finding a little piece of dirt stuck under the vinyl image making an unsightly bump. Take the time to make sure everything is clean.

Trim excess vinyl backing – Again, vinyl is just one big sticker. Stickers are placed on backing to keep the adhesive side sticky. The same applies to vinyl. Once you have cut your design on your Cricut machine, you’ll weed your vinyl and then you’ll want to cut away the excess vinyl backing. This will help when laying down your design and making sure it is placed the way you would like it.

Create a hinge – Several years ago, when the Cricut cutting machines made cutting your own vinyl possible, a good friend of mine, who owned a large-scale sign-making company, taught me her tricks for applying vinyl. Each of these tricks, I still use them every time. One of them is to use the transfer tape to create a “hinge” at the top of your design. Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean.

Pull transfer tape low, slow, and diagonally – My sign-making friend also taught me this years ago. When removing the transfer tape, pull low, slow and diagonally. What I mean by low is, that you are essentially folding the non-sticky side over on itself as you are pulling as close to your surface as possible. When do that along with pulling diagonally, you’ll be less likely to pull the vinyl back up as you remove the transfer tape.

A Quick Note on Materials

Here we have it… Not all vinyl and transfer tapes are created equal!! I have tried many brands of both vinyl and transfer tape. I’ve used what the professionals use and basic crafters vinyl. I LOVE the Cricut Transfer Tape!! It’s clear and so easy to use. I’ve also been very happy with the Cricut Vinyl. I have exclusively used the Premium Outdoor Vinyl for most of my projects and have been thrilled with the results. I made some travel mugs with the Premium Vinyl and have run them through the dishwasher many, many times and have yet to have any issues with the vinyl coming off. I LOVE that!

Stay tuned for more Cricut tutorials and projects coming to WhipperBerry! By the way… If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment here. I would be happy to help!

Disclaimer // I am a Cricut Ambassador and receive product and payment to help with my projects. As always, I will NEVER promote a product that I don’t truly believe in!

Over the years, cooking has become quite a passion for me and I’ve become a bit of an accidental expert on cookware in the process. Nothing feels better than working on creating a meal for your family and then having them melt after taking their first bite. I have so many memories of my Mom in the kitchen working on creating all kinds of tasty combinations for the family. She is a fearless cook and I’ve inherited her spunky way of cooking. No recipe is too daunting & no ingredient is too hard to find (thanks to the internet.) Frankly, most of the time we fly without wires and make up the recipe as we go. We love to experiment and play around with tasty ingredients and come up with something new and exciting.

The thing is, a cook is only as good as their cookware! Over the years, I have found some great tips for finding great cookware. Nothing is going to turn out right when using pots and pans that aren’t truly meant to stand up to the rigors of the kitchen. I remember my first set of cookware and how light it was. I could barely stir anything without holding on for dear life, in fear that the pot was going to go flying off the stove. I would constantly burn dishes because my cookware was about at sturdy as a foil pan. It didn’t conduct heat well and all around it was horrible. After doing some research and going through all kinds of trial and error, I have found the key to finding a good pot, pan, skillet or bakeware. When it comes to cookware here are a few things I try to keep in mind.

Don’t be stingy! You don’t need to buy the most expensive pot or pan but, you do get what you pay for. Cookware is an investment. You want these items to last for years and not have to replace them time after time.
A good piece of cookware is going to have a nice heavy feel in your hand. You want something that has a nice solid base that is made out of a metal that conducts heat well. Copper is one of the best.
Don’t fall for fads. There is a reason that the classics are so good.
What is the clean-up like? Are you going to have to spend all kinds of time hand washing your cookware or, can you stick it in the dishwasher? Not all cookware is created equal in this category.
If your budget is small, go for a couple of the basics that can get you by as you add to your collection. Here are a few that I would suggest.
- A set of French skillets
- 3 1/2 Quart Saucepan
Once you have those few items, then I would invest in,
Good bakeware in the kitchen is essential as well. Again, make sure they have a nice heavy feel to them. You don’t want something flimsy standing in the way of great baking. You can start small here as well. Here are a couple of my suggestions. Once you have those you can build up your collection.

I have used many of the cookware & bakeware items that I’ve listed and I LOVE them!! Like truly, madly, deeply love them. They come from a fabulous company called Anolon. Anolon makes some of the best cookware for the home and social chef. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or just getting started, these pots and pans are a true gem in your kitchen. They have that nice heavy feel to them, you can tell that with their solid base they are going to cook evenly. I especially love their Anolon Nouvelle Copper line. All of the pots and pans have copper layered in the base of the pans which promotes fabulous cooking. Remember, copper is one of the best metals to cook with.

They are hosting a great sweepstakes! Go check out their Facebook page to enter the Holiday Hosting Sweepstakes!

You can also find all kinds of great info, recipes, and deals on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube & Tumblr.

One of my favorite pots is their Anolon Nouvelle Copper 3.5-QUART COVERED STRAINING SAUCEPAN…

It’s perfect for all kinds of sauces, small batch soups and it’s lovely to use when needing to drain your pot. Look at that fabulous lid and the handy pour spout. This is truly one of my go-to pots!

Another favorite is my Anolon Advanced Bakeware 12-CUP COVERED MUFFIN PAN…

It’s nice and heavy to promote even baking and it has silicone handles that provide great grip when removing your item from the oven or carrying your muffins or cupcakes to an event. It even has a nice cover for when you are traveling and it tucks nicely under your pan for storage at your event. No more lost lids!

Another all-time favorite that I’ve used in my kitchen a bunch is the Anolon Nouvelle Copper 3-QUART COVERED SAUTE PAN WITH HELPER HANDLE. I make all kinds of stuff in this favorite go-to. I know that I can be fearless with any of these pots and pans because they are going to give me the best results. Here is my Sauce Pan in action as I make Shakshuka, a lovely Israeli egg dish perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Shakshuka Recipe from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

This Anolon Nouvelle Copper Nonstick 3-Quart Covered Saute is great for the stove top or in the oven, so it’s perfect for a dish like Shakshuka. It’s truly non-stick but can give a good sear thanks to their premium nonstick technology. You can even use metal utensils on the non-stick surface and not destroy the pan. It’s also oven safe up to 500˚.

So, take my advice. Invest in a good set of both cookware and bakeware and your time in the kitchen will be so much more enjoyable. No more frustration because you don’t have the right tools for the job. You might even discover a passion for the kitchen that you never thought you would have!

Shakshuka

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This simple Israeli dish served with bread will soon become a favorite in your home. It's easy to prepare for any time of the day and packs all kinds of amazing flavor!

Author: Heather // WhipperBerry

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

2-3 teaspoons olive oil
½ of a large white or yellow onion
1 cup of diced sweet peppers
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large can of plum tomatoes whole, diced or crushed
5 eggs
feta cheese

Instructions

In a medium to large oven safe sauté pan over medium-high heat, add your olive oil and let it heat until it starts to shimmer.
Add your diced onion & peppers and let cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.
Turn down the heat to medium. Add the cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper & tomato paste. Cook for another 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes. If they are whole tomatoes crush them with the back of your spoon or with a potato masher. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Again, stirring occasionally.
Remove pan from the heat and add 5-6 eggs. Place in a 375˚ oven for 7-10 minutes or until the eggs are set to your desired taste. Traditionally they are pretty soft, but it's up to you.
Top with feta and serve with a nice loaf of bread or pita.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Anolon. The opinions and text are all mine.

How to Apply Vinyl Tutorial + New Kitchen Sign Design

Download Kitchen Sign for Free

Video Tutorial for How to Apply Vinyl

Pro Tips for Applying Vinyl

A Quick Note on Materials

Tips & Tricks to Finding Great Cookware + Bonus Shakshuka Recipe

In the Kitchen

Download Kitchen Sign for Free

Video Tutorial for How to Apply Vinyl

Pro Tips for Applying Vinyl

A Quick Note on Materials

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