pink nostalgia

how to: sonic mojito

medium mint limeade/extra mint/easy ice/squeeze the lime/two shots white rum/stir/chips/salsa/back porch with someone who let's you laugh

how to: get a teenager to dance

In the living room/kitchen with the family:

- Let him play his own music (the clean versions, of course).  

- Glance, don't look, and smile.  But a small smile, like the kind of smile you give when Alex pronounces it "mininnilem."

- Ask what he has that he'd pick for you.  Ariana Grande.  And then turn it up.  UP.  And twirl.

- Get him to show you "that one new dance."  Move the coffee table if you need to.

 - Give his little brother a few head nods to invite him to join the party whenever he's ready.

- Whoop and holler when his dad busts out with the sprinkler, the cabbage patch kid, and the you'd-better-watch-this-hand.

- DON'T take pictures.  : )

When he thinks no one is watching:

- Show him a mirror.  ; )

When he knows everyone is watching:

Okay, he got a hit.  Cool.

What?! He's not stopping at second?!?!

Get down, baby, get down!!

TRIPLE!!!!!

- Wait for him to hit a TRIPLE during a baseball tournament in which his team will go on to win first place.

 

 

 

So, this breaks the first rule, but in my defense, he was dancing on a baseball field.  Pictures are fair game.  Ha, punny!!

how to: army fort birthday cake

Alex's birthday was this week!  I'm really digging the tradtion of homemade theme cakes.  The boys anticipate them.  : )

Alex asked for an army fort cake with camo icing just like last year (which translates to army green).  The only problem was...what does an army fort look like to a 9 year old?  And how does that fit in with a cake??

J helped a lot with the positioning of barricades, men, and equipment.  J vetoed the helicopter on TOP of the fort and the rocket-launcher guy, because, you know, it has to be realistic.

J had the idea to "reveal" the cake to Al once we were done that night rather than try to keep it hidden until family celebrated with us the next day.  That way, I could get genuine reaction photos instead of next-day cheesy smiles.  We moved it from the kitchen counter to the table when Al was in the shower.

So...what does an army fort look like to a 9 year old?  Apparently this one passes muster.

Happy birthday, Al!!!!

how to: resurrect leftover thanksgiving mashed potatoes

I made Ree's mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving again this year.  A few days later, I converted them into my steak-and-potatoes potatoes.

I added two big pinches of shaved parmesan instead of a few shakes of the canned grated parm.  Survey says: ahhh-mazing.  And J who claims he doesn't like parm couldn't tell it was in there.  They made the potatoes nutty and tangy and rich.

And I introduced J to my favorite cut of steak - porterhouses.  I got the steak plate* and he got the bone.  There was no talking - just moaning.

*the steak plate (th uh steyk pleyt): the regular dinner plate that the griller uses to bring in the meat.  It collects all of the steak juice perfect for sopping or sipping.  If it came down to be given the steak plate or flowers, well...I'd take the steak plate 4 out of 5 times.  But it should be noted that that means I'd take flowers every once in a while.  Math.  : )

how to: vodka dreamsicle

Super easy and super delicious.

3/4 c Tang
1 shot of cake vodka you bought on sale before you remembered that you don't like vodka
1 shot of whipping cream or whipped cream

Stir.  Drink.

I also very highly recommend this recipe for another dose of your cake vodka.

Cheers.

how to: grill J's favorite broccoli

Ready??

2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp bourbon

That's it.

Add the ingredients to a quart or gallon-size Ziplock bag.  Smoosh it around a bit to mix it together.  Wash and chop one head of broccoli and throw it in the bag.  I cut the bigger florets into pieces so that they grill better.

Marinate them in the fridge for as long as you have time for but at least a few hours.  I like mine to hang out overnight + all day (about 24 hours).  Turn the bag over when you come home for lunch the next day.

Grill over indirect heat at about 350 degrees in a grill basket, stirring once or twice, until they're a little past bright green and you have a few char marks (about 20 minutes total).

J recommends that you eat it as soon as it comes off of the grill.  And the two younger Wells boys will each try one piece.  : )

how to: motorcycle birthday cake

For the last MONTH, I've been asking J what kind of birthday cake he wanted.  Since Alex requested an army tank and Ethen requested a baseball stadium, I thought for sure J would want something outlandish.  Here's what he said:

"White cake with cream cheese icing."

Uhhhhh...

I told that story to the family on Saturday and J joked, "Well, I change hobbies about every week, so it was hard to decide what to ask for!"  I said, "Right!  I was going to make a drum set since he's playing with this new band, but then two days ago he bought a new bike, so then I had to change the cake!"

It IS a cool bike, though.

What were we talking about?  Oh right, cake.

J didn't know I was doing anything special for the cake until he walked into the kitchen an hour before the party when he was supposed to be quarantined outside.

Photo compliments of J.

A few tips that Mom and I discovered while laughing so we don't cry:

- Get your mom to help you!  Take turns saying, "How am I supposed to make a radiator/brake caliper/rear view mirror??"

- Don't use cream cheese icing!  Even at room temperature, it melts and puddles!  If your man requests it, try putting it in the fridge for a few hours before you work with it.  I know fondant is the bakers' choice, but none of us want to eat it.  We prefer taste over professionalism.  Strictly amateur hour up in here.  : )

- Silver bakers' spray paint works really well.  I sprayed the whole bike and wheels after Mom iced the cake with white cream cheese icing and before I added any of the black icing and gel.  But then don't touch it!  It wipes off of your icing really easily.

- Spray silver paint over aluminum foil so that you can't see the excess paint.

- If you're STILL not sure that your motorcyle looks like a motorcycle, label it!

- I would be disappointed in this cake if I wasn't laughing at it.  But J loved it.  He told me that he really appreciated it which was evidenced by his infamous smile.  Ethen even paid me a compliment with, "I can tell it's a motorcycle!"  And everyone loved eating it.  : )  So this tip is: It truly is the thought that counts, so go for it!  But just in case, razzle dazzle them with silver spray paint!

how to: get your girl out of her funk

This post is for men (which is very funny because I can only think of two men who read my blog, and neither one is Jason).

Nevertheless...

So your girlfriend/wife/daughter comes home in a funk.  She's says she's feeling wonky and doesn't know what caused it, but that it's not you.  The fact that she's still talking to you means she's telling the truth (compared to the "I'm fine" answer followed by stonewalling.  In that case, it IS you). 

But what do you do?  How can you help?

1. Hug her.  A really good, sincere hug for at least six seconds, and don't break away until she does, especially if she starts crying.  If she starts crying, it's because she's figured out what's bothering her, and then you have to listen until she's done.  Sorry, but you're in it now!

2. Buy her something small but thoughtful that only she likes, like grape tomatoes, Post-its, or a brand new pack of white flour-sack dishtowels.  It can't be something that you've been saying you need (trash bags) or something that you will also benefit from (ice cream).  It CAN be from the grocery store/Target/Dollar General.  And since it's about her and not about you, don't make a big deal about it.  I mean, don't chuck it at her, but just tell her you saw it and thought of her.

3. Buy her flowers.  Again, it doesn't have to be extravagent.  Grocery store flowers are fine.  For extra points, make up a reason why you picked them (the buds were still closed so they'll last longer, pink goes great with your eyes).  Never buy flowers in lieu of or in conjunction with an apology.  Every time she sees them, she'll think of the reason you had to apologize, which will make her want to shove the flowers down the garbage disposal.

4. Give her an hour or two to soak up some sun.  Suggest the pool, the lake, the backyard.  You don't have to go with her.  In fact, don't go with her.  Set out her headphones, mp3 player, and bottled water while she changes.  Don't text her while she's gone because she's probably thisclose to snoozing.  Rub aloe on her back when she gets home.

5. Ask her about the scrapbooking page she's working on.  If she answers half-heartedly, keep asking relevant questions (I know, but just do your best) until she starts babbling.  Smile to yourself and take your exit when she starts working on a page.  NOTE: If your girl doesn't scrapbook, do not ask her about scrapbooking.  Substitute scrapbooking with her biggest hobby.  The point is to be interested in what she's interested in and to remind her that she has a really fun thing she could be doing (i.e. scrapbooking). 

6. Chocolate.

7. Do yoga with her.  Funks tend to make you want to curl up on the couch with a whole pot of chili and just...sit.  Even if she works out regularly, she probably will not want to exercise to bust through the rut.  But yoga is exercise and will make her feel productive, and it isn't something you have to get pumped up for.  You might be thinking, "But I can't do yoga!"  Perfect!  Yoga is always one bent leg away from uproarious laughter.  Ask her if you're doing it right.  She'll look over and fall out of Warrior III laughing.  Don't get mad that she's laughing at you - your plan is working.  Throw in some commentary to keep her going.  Then continue doing your best it wrong. 

8. Pray with her. It doesn't have to be long or eloquent. Hold her hands. Just thank God for this wonderful woman He put in your life and that it's a privilege to be next to her through ups, downs, and funks. If she starts crying, see #1.

9. Ask her to help you with a problem you're having.  Her funk is likely due to something that she can't quite put her finger on.  So she can't solve her problem, but women are empathetic by nature, so she'll still want to solve yours.  Plus it will bust away some of the feeling of worthlessness that looms through funks.  The problem cannot be about her (as in: How do I get you to stop nagging me?) but it CAN be minor or made up!

10. Retell that story that makes you laugh uncontrollably.  Seeing you gasp for breath laughing will make her laugh.  If it's a story she hasn't heard yet, she'll be glad you're sharing with her.  If it's a story she was there for, she'll be glad to relive it.  Use hand gestures and get out of your chair for re-enactments if possible.

Bonus! 11. Let her pick dinner.  Because her core-funk-desire is to sit on the couch with a whole pot of chili, she does not want to suffer the tedium of cooking dinner (but beware, there ARE a few women who like to cook as an escape).  (Sidebar: She also doesn't want to work in the flowerbeds like y'all had planned.)  So offer to go out, and then agree when she suggests Wing Stop.  You don't get to counter with your first choice.  It doesn't matter what you had for lunch.  If she tries to be polite and refers to the at-home dinner y'all had planned or suggests one of your fave places, insist she gets her first choice.

As women, we know we can be difficult.  We often snicker about it.  But it's frustrating for us when WE don't even know what we need, so we know it's confusing to you.  Any effort is appreciated.  Panicking and leaving her alone is not appreciated.  Even if she says, "Leave me alone," slip a note under the door, text her a joke, or leave some Nutter Butters on the counter.  But she just said...right.  This is one of those times when we don't mean what we say and expect you to read our minds.  : )

Good luck!

how to: baseball field birthday cake

After Alex requested an army tank birthday cake, Ethen concocted his own outlandish request.  Naturally.

A baseball field stadium.  With fans.  And concession stands.  And hot dog vendors.

I vetoed the concessions (life's all about compromise), and here's the rest:

I have two favorite-favorite things about this cake.  The first is obviously Ethen.  He smiled big when he saw it and said, "That's impressive!" about three times before he started teasing me.  But even in the teasing in front of the grandparents and great-grandparents (where J explained, "Ethen doesn't give her ANY slack!"), E was beaming at me with genuine affection.

The second favorite-favorite thing is J's excitement.  J generally doesn't get as excited as say, I would.  When I'm grinning from ear to ear and clapping, he'll say, "Coo."  When I say, "Oh my goodness, these fajitas make me wanna slap my grandma, how are yours?" he'll reply, "Yeah."  So that's how high nonchalant the bar is.  It can be deflating.

But when he walked into the kitchen to see the finished cake, he got excited.  He started smiling at my anticipation before he even saw the cake.  He took it in for a minute then said, "Angela!"

Plus, it tasted good.  So, win-win-win.

P.S. A word to the wise - the birthday boy WILL inadvertently blow some turf, dirt, and people onto the table as he blows out the candles.  Plan accordingly.  : ) 

how to: sweet & balsamic zucchini

Ethen made spaghetti for dinner the other night (you can read that moment here), and I sauteed some zucchini to eat in lieu of pasta, Charlotte-style.  I had some leftover zucchini (I know.  I, too, was shocked that the boys didn't gobble it up.) that I experimented with last night, halfway hoping that I'd burn it so I wouldn't have to eat it.

But no.  It was delicious.

Here is is from start to finish.

Slice some zucchini and throw it in a big skillet on medium heat with several turns of EVOO.  When the first side is starting to brown, then flip them over.

Chop up 2 cloves of garlic per zucchini and add those to the skillet.  You'll have to start stirring every several seconds so your garlic doesn't burn.

Once the second side is lightly browned, you could call it done.  But then it wouldn't be sweet or balsamic, right?

Okay, so now you're committed.  Add about two turns of balsamic vinegar.  Let that hang out for a few minutes so that the liquid reduces a little.  Oh, and lean back because it will be fragrant.

This is going to seem crazy.  But drizzle on 3 seconds of honey.  I know.  But it won't taste like honey.  It will just take the tartness out of the vinegar.

This is like a deconstructed balsamic reduction, right?  Those reductions are SO HARD to get right!  (Well, the one and only time I tried, it was tasty but sticky and chewy.  I was digging it out of my molars for two days.)

So, this is like that but easier.

After another minute or two and a few more stirs, take it out of the skillet and put it onto your plate right next to the homemade lasagna that the boys claim they could eat 14 pans of.

Enjoy!

P.S. If the sound of lasagna and zucchini sounds good to you, try this.

tuna salad x3

I had a craving for tuna salad this week.  I use my mom's recipe plus a Gala apple.  And anytime there's mayo, there needs to be Miracle Whip.  Yummers.

And hey!  It's good three ways!  Put it on a sandwich, scoop it with Fritos, and scoop it with apple slices!

Yummers.

Did I already say yummers?

Yummers.

how to: army tank birthday cake

Preface I: Alex is turning eight years old this week.

Preface II:

me: So Al, I would like to make you a cake for your birthday.
Alex: Well, I think my mom is already bringing a cake to my party.
me: Right, but I wanted to make a cake just for our house.  Would that be okay?
Alex: Well...
Jason: You can never have too much cake, right??
Alex: Okay!
me: So what kind do you want?  You can pick aaaaaaanything!
Alex: Chocolate!  With white frosting!
me: Are you sure?  Out of everything, that's what you want?
Alex: Yes.
me (thinking piece of cake, I got this): Okay!
Alex: Oh, and by the way, can you make it look like an army tank?
me: Uhhhhhhhhh...

Ha, I guess this is what it's like to have boys.  : )

A quick Google search left me feeling intimidated, what with all of the marbled fondant and camo spray paint.  But then I found a few "regular" cakes and went from there.  And it was actually really easy!

Here's how I broke it down:

- two boxes of chocolate cake mix, one and a half in a 9x13 cake pan (buttered and floured), and the other half in a regular loaf pan (buttered and floured)

- increase the baking time by 10 minutes (for a total of 40 minutes at 325).

- cut the loaf cake in half for the tank hatch and stacked it on the 9x13.

- cut a rectangle at an angle out of the front of the 9x13 and rounded the front edges.

- army green = green food coloring + brown food coloring gel (by Wilton), in about equal parts into two cans of vanilla icing

- Oreos for the wheels

- Hershey regular size milk chocolate bars, broken into squares, for the tracks

- a hole cut out of the top for the hatch, just wide enough to fit an army guy

- an Oreo for the hatch door with a big glop of icing behind it to secure it

- black sparkle cake gel for the writing

- Alex's initials and age on the sides as the serial number

- a pretzel stick covered in chocolate for the tank gun

- leftover cake plus 4 graham crackers crumbled and crushed around the cake for sand and dirt

- total decorating time: 1.5 hours 

 

Lori (Aunt Lu) and Alex.

It was a huge hit.  Best army tank cake I've ever had.  ; )

steak and potatoes

I discovered a new delicious version of mashed potatoes last night.  I'm sure someone has discovered it before, but it was new to me.  And it was delicious. 

Oh, and it was delicious.

Here's what to use:

5 white potatoes
8 strips of bacon
1/2 of a yellow onion left over from double-cheesed it frito pie
3/4 cup whipping cream
grated Parmesan

Here's what to do:

Roughly peel and chop the potatoes; boil them until they're tender.  Then drain them and put them back in the hot pot.

Meanwhile, chop up the bacon (I trimmed off most of the fat) and onion and saute those in a skillet together on medium heat until they're nice and brown. 

Spoon them into the hot potatoes.  Add cream and mash.  : )

Then add some Parmesan.  I used the grated green bottle that everyone always has on hand.  I think they'd be reaaaaalllllly good with the expensive stuff.  If you don't want the Parm, then add a few dashes of salt.

Give them a little taste and then do a twirl around the kitchen because you're a genius.

Then twirl again when you see the steaks that J just pulled off the grill.

And put them together and just let your eyes roll to the back of your head.

Enjoy!

how to: sun-dried tomato tomato pasta

I created another pasta dish last night.  : )  This one is a little like pasta bebe but less fussy and more worldly.

I've gotten good at not measuring, but I'll give it a shot.  ; )

Add several turns of olive oil to a medium-hot skillet.  Throw in a package of grape tomatoes.

The tomatoes will start to get soft and blister.  Mmmm. 

After several minutes or at the next commercial break, add sun-dried tomato paste.  This was probably 1/3 of a tube (3-4 Tbsp), and it was all I had left.

Stir everything and let it cook for several minutes.  I added a few more turns of oil.  I also started popping the tomatoes with my wooden spoon.

Turn your heat down to low and add at least 1/2 cup of heavy cream plus a tablespoon of butter.  The cream really creates a sauce, and the butter smoothes everything out.  You won't taste the butter, but if you try it without, it will seem like something is missing.

Add 1/2 pound of cooked capellini and toss it all together.

Serve it up and eat immediately.  Yummers.  Why didn't I bring that for my lunch today??

Enjoy!

how to: ruffle a dust ruffle

So I have this dust ruffle that I've had since college that's cute, but it doesn't match my new bedding, and I didn't want to spend $50+ on the bedding's matching dust ruffle.  So...sew... 

Make a new dust ruffle by covering up the old dust ruffle with muslin + a 50% off coupon!  This project was about $12, plus I have fabric left over.

Here's what I did.

Cut fabric a little wider (mine is about 2" wider, an inch overlapping the mattress and a tiny puddle on the floor) and a lot longer than your old dust ruffle.  You'll need 1.5 - 3 times the length for a ruffle, depending on how large or small you want the ruffles.  I used 2 times the length (old bedskirt side is 54", new muslin piece is 108" that I will ruffle down to 54").

Much to my mother's chagrin: I didn't use seam allowances because I don't like to be slowed down by hemming!  I can't tell you how many times my mom said, "Plus a seam allowance," and I replied, "I'm not using a seam allowance!"

Note: If you don't use seam allowances, then you might want to notice where your selvedge edge is.  I put mine at the bottom because I didn't want it to look too frayed.  Obviously, the ends will fray (top, bottom, and sides) if you don't hem them.  The top will fray as you create your ruffle.

Sew a very wide stitch along the length of the fabric towards the top.

Ruffle your ruffle.  : )  Somewhat gently push the fabric down one thread to gather the fabric together.  Spread out the gather you just made by shimmying it along the length of the remaining thread.  Keep doing this until the whole piece is ruffled. 

Pin the new ruffles on top of the old skirt.

Sew a straight stitch over the new ruffle to secure it to and cover up the old ruffle. 

NOTE: Make sure you adjust your stitch length back to normal.  My stitch is about an inch from the top of the ruffle because that's how much I wanted to overlap the bottom of the mattress.

Rip out your long ruffle stitch.

Put the dust ruffle back on your bed and admire your handiwork as you jump up and down and clap a few times.  Don't forget the big goofy grin.  : )

Good luck, and feel free to leave questions in the comments!

y's favorite salad

This is how I got my best friend to eat spinach.

Fresh raw spinach, sliced (and scrubbed, ha!) strawberries, sliced pear, crumbled Feta (mmmm), chopped toffee-candied pecans (double mmmm), and the second-best dressing ever: Briannas Blush Wine Vinaigrette.

Out of this world.

pasta charlotte

Hey-ohh,

I had a friend in college named Charlotte.

Spring Break 2002.

When she made spaghetti, she would eat it over steamed zucchini instead of pasta.  I do this every once in a while, and over the weekend, I decided to come up with a  really good "zucchini pasta" staple for when I want pasta bebe but have a beach trip coming up in 4 days.  ; )

Here's everything: 2-3 zucchini, 1 package of grape tomatoes, a handful of spinach, a few four or five cloves of garlic, cottage cheese, sun-dried tomato paste, and olive oil.

Sautee the zucchini on medium-high with two turns of olive oil.  Let it go until it's a little soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Slice the tomatoes in half and chop the garlic.  Add them into the pan.

Once the tomatoes are soft (about 5 minutes), add a few good tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste.  Stir it around and give the paste a minute to warm up and settle in.  You can also add another two turns of olive oil if you like it saucy (!) like me.

Add a huge spoon of cottage cheese, about 1/4 - 1/3 cup.  I know it sounds weird, but trust me.  If you're not keen on cottage cheese, then you can use ricotta, and if your husband's not keen on cottage cheese, then don't tell him what it is before he tries it.

Stir the cheese in until it's all smooth and melty.  Turn the heat off, and add in a big handful of fresh spinach.

Stir in the spinach until it's a little wilted.  Then you're done.  : )

Charlotte, I hope you love it!

how to: bruschetta

Another great one to use up what you have.   I like making a bowl of bruschetta as an appetizer while I'm cooking a labor-intensive Italian meal.  I'll sneak bites between working at the counter and stove.  It's really easy to keep adding to the bowl - just chop up a little more of everything and throw it in. 

The ingredients:

Fresh tomato, sun-dried tomatoes from the back of the fridge, olive oil, fresh (not jarred) garlic, red onion if you need to get rid of some, and Basil from the front porch.

The rules: Dice the tomatoes.  I used two tomatoes and a handful (I have small hands) of sun-dried tomato.  Finely dice the onion and garlic.  I didn't have any onion this time, but I use 1/8 - 1/4 of a red onion.

 TIP: Fresh garlic can be kind of strong and spicy, so start out with a small clove, especially if you are preparing the bruschetta for later and not eating it right away.  Be sure to also chop it pretty finely so that you don't bite into a big chunk.

Stack up some basil leaves, roll them up tightly, and slice them into ribbons.

Throw everything in a bowl together and drizzle with olive oil, just enough to coat everything, but not enough to have a big puddle at the bottom of the bowl.

The bread:

My favorite is Asiago Cheese Italian bread from HEB.  I slice it pretty thin, put some on a cookie sheet, and broil it on low until it's just barely toasted.  I happened to be close to Panera this time, so I picked up an asiago cheese demi loaf and had them slice it for me. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Last week was the first time I used the Panera bread.  If you can, go up to 15 miles out of your way to get it.  It was so so good.

Best. bruschetta. ever.

how to: fruit salsa

Mmmm.  One of my favorites for oh, seven years now.  It's probably technically fruit pico since it's not blended, but that doesn't roll of the tongue as nicely as "fruit sal-sa."  You can squeeze a fresh lime wedge or orange wedge in if you have it, or throw in a jalapeno if you're crazy.  You can't mess it up, and it's a great way to empty out your fridge's crisper drawer.

Here we go.

1. Gather the players.  I used two tomatoes, a box of strawberries, a peach, red onion, and cilantro.  You could also use nectarines, mangos, oranges, watermelon, and apricots.

2. Dice tomato and fruit so that everything is about the same size.  Drop it into a mixing bowl.

3. Finely dice red onion and cilantro.  Add them to the party. 

4. Stir everything together and note that it gets better after it sits for a while.

5. Serve over your world-famous green chicken enchiladas.  It's also really good with pork chops or Ruffles Original potato chips.

Enjoy.  : )

how to: score a christmas tree

Hey Peeps,

I saw this card in Scrapbooks, Etc. magazine.  The instructions were pretty brief, so I thought I'd post my play-by-play here.  I think my favorite thing (besides the glass glitter) is that it uses non-tradition colors but is very clearly a Christmas card.

Here we go.  Hang on.  : )

Trim cream cardstock to 4 3/4" x 6 3/4 ".  Trim dark brown cardstock to 5" x 7".

Center cream cardstock over brown cardstock and adhere.

Draw a straight line down the center of the cream cardstock, stopping 1" from the top and 1/2" from the bottom.  Draw a horizontal line about 1 1/2 " from the bottom, stopping 1/2" from either edge.  Draw two more lines to connect the top of the vertical line to either side of your horizontal line.

Cut a small rectangle from the brown cardstock and adhere it to the center bottom of the card, covering up the bottom portion of the vertical line.

Punch a scalloped border with a border punch along the length (12") of 5 sheets of paper.  I used 4 sheets of patterned paper and 1 sheet of relief cardstock (the blue paper pictured above).

Cut a strip from each sheet of patterned paper to 1 1/2" wide (12" long).

Lightly sand the relief cardstock so that your background color comes through.

Use a scoring tool or scoring blade to make a crease from the inside of each scallop (the valley if it was a mountain range) to the straight edge.  Do this for each 1 1/2" strip.

Fold each strip accordian-style along the scored lines.

You have top make the tree starting from the bottom and working your way up, so arrange your patterned papers in the order that you want them.

Thread a thick-guage needle with a long piece of DMC floss.  Tie a knot at one end.  Thread floss through the bottom-most paper (bottom layer of the tree) from the back side (not the side that will be showing) through to the front, about 1/4" down from the straight (top) edge.  Then thread the floss from front to back about 1/8" from top edge.

 
Continue threading along the top edge across the whole strip. 


You can see that my 12" strip is now down to about 6".

Push your patterned paper down to the knotted end of the thread so that the straight top edge gathers together and the bottom scalloped edge flares out.  (This is similar to how you make a ruffle with fabric.) 

Continue to bunch the paper together to one end until the top gathered edge is a little wider than the width of your tree that you drew.  Once you have it as tight as you want it, tie off the end of the thread with a knot.

NOTE: You don't have to stitch and gather your top edges, but I had a hard time bunching the paper and getting it to curve and centering it and glueing it with only two hands.  If you have more than two hands, then by all means, skip this step.  ; )  Once I stitched the tops, all I had to do was center the strip and tack it down.

Place your gathered strip on top of your tree and draw a line where the top edge meets the cardstock.  Squeeze liquid glue just below your pencil line and adhere your folded strip to the cardstock.

I used Fabri-Tac liquid glue because it's strong but very gooey, so it is great for getting inside crevices.  It also doesn't dry as fast as hot glue, and if you work quickly, you can shimmy things around a bit before it dries.  You could probably use a glue gun, but you'd have to work quick like a bunny.

Continue the stitching and glueing steps with each layer.  Each layer is going to be a little shorter width-wise, so trim of one or two folds as you measure against the width of your penciled tree.  When you glue each top layer, add a line of glue to the top edge of your bottom layer (the layer that you're overlapping) to better hold each layer. 

NOTE: I made sure that my top layer covered the ends (length-wise) of my bottom layer, so my rightmost blue fold overlaps my rightmost pink fold.  Also, shimmy the folds of your top layer into the folds of your bottom layer.  They don't have to line up exactly, but they need to be flush against each other so that the glue will hold. 

Here's what it looks like once the tree layers are complete.

Punch a star out of extra patterned paper.

Cover it with glue and glitter (I used Glossy Accents because it's thin and super strong).

Once the glue dries, add some pop dots to the back of the star and adhere it to the top of the tree.

Punch a flourish tag from the relief cardstock.  Lightly sand the cardstock.  Add a sticker or rub-on or write a sweet sentiment.  Adhere it to the right edge of the card, just under the star.

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill.  Patterned paper: Lilly Bee.  Punches: Fiskars, EK Success.  Thread: DMC.  Glitter, rub-on.

And there you go!  Pretty enough for your mantle and easy enough to make on a weeknight.

You can get the supplies, including your pick of three different scoring tools, at my favorite store.

Good luck!