Rolled Paper Candle Holder

If you are on a budget but want to give a great gift try this simple rolled paper candle holder.

It will cost next to nothing to make the candle holder as long as you have the following items in your junk drawer:

-paper cutter (or ruler and scissors)

-glue stick

-an old magazine/catalog

-pencil

-candle

**Now that you know what supplies you need let's review candle burning safety - DON'T EVER LEAVE A BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED! This holder is, in fact, made of paper so please use common sense.

First, tear pages out of your magazine/catalog and then decide how tall you want your candle holder.

Start cutting strips of your magazine/catalog using a paper cutter or if you don't have a paper cutter use a ruler and scissors. You will want all of your strips of paper to be exactly the same width in order for your candle holder to sit flat. My paper strips are two inches wide and about 8 or 9 inches long.

**I used a Boden catalog since it has so many bright colors and bold patterns. If you are making this for someone who loves to read try using newspaper or an old book. Or, we all know someone who is afraid of color and their whole house is beige so maybe try a more muted magazine like where you can find a lot of subtle colors. You can also use old scraps of scrapbooking paper or any other paper you have sitting around.**

Once all of your paper is cut start rolling the strips of paper. With a glue stick put glue on one edge of the paper. Using a pencil (I used a tinker toy) roll the paper starting at the end without glue making sure you have a secured edge once rolled to the gluey end. Set aside and continue with the remaining paper strips. If you are following this exact pattern you will need 163 rolls - if I counted right! :)

When all of the rolled pieces are glued start assembling the candle holder. Choose a shape you want to make and again using your glue stick start gluing the sides of the rolls together. Continue gluing until you have the shape and size you want.

Dried Fruit Truffles

I make these truffles often for my family. They are healthy treats that are packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They are so easy to make and taste delicious.

The four recipes that I like to make most are listed below, however, any fruit and nut combination would work. I dressed the truffles up for the photo but the garnish/decoration is definitely optional.

Date Truffle

1/2 c. whole pitted dates

1/4 c. raisins

1/2 c. walnuts

1/8 c. oatmeal

1 T. ground flax seeds

Cranberry-Plum Truffle

1/4 c. dried cranberries (reserve one or two for garnish)

1/4 c. dried plums

1/8 c. oatmeal 

1/4 c. almonds (reserve one or two for garnish)

1 T. ground flax seeds 

Peanut Butter Truffle

1/4 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. raisins

1/4 c. almonds

1/4 c. oatmeal

1 T. ground flax seeds

Strawberry Truffle

1/2 c. dried strawberries (reserve one or two for garnish)

1/2 c. walnuts (reserve one or two for garnish)

1/8 c. oatmeal

1 T. ground flax seeds 

Using a spice grinder grind flax seeds to a powder. 

In a food processor add all ingredients (per truffle recipe). Turn food processor on and grind until mixture looks like course salt and can hold together when pinched. If
mixture is too dry to hold together grind a bit more until it does. The dried fruit will eventually become sticky if you grind it long enough.

Using a rounded tea spoon shape the mixture into equally sized round balls. You could also use a melon baller or small cookie scoop depending how large or small you
want the truffles.

Each recipe will make approximately 16 teaspoon sized truffles.

If you are making multiple recipes of truffles and peanut butter is one of them be sure and make that one last. I make one batch and use the food processor again for the
next flavor without cleaning. Makes it quick and easy!

Store refrigerated 7-10 days in an airtight container.

Quilt Cookies

If you aren't familiar with the term millefiori, it translates to a 'thousand flowers'. It is a glasswork technique of creating rods with multicolored patterns that can only be seen at either end of the rod. The rod can be cut in cross sections, or beads, and keep the pattern throughout. 

These cookies are inspired by the millefiori glasswork process but I think they look more like little quilts, hence the title 'Quilt Cookies'. The possibilities are truly endless using this technique. These will 'Wow!' almost anyone and make great gifts. There are many steps to making these cookies but they are not difficult as long as you have patience.

I mostly love this cookie recipe because it is a one bowl cookie dough! You will be kneading and mixing in food coloring later so the dough will be well mixed without sifting all of the dry ingredients separately.

Icebox Sugar Cookie
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until combined. Add egg and vanilla mixing well. Sift flour on top of wet mixture and before stirring add the baking powder.

When you start to combine the wet and dry ingredients, the flour and baking powder will incorporate well enough throughout the dough without needing to sift first.

Dump dough onto a piece of waxed paper and divide dough into six equal pieces. You can obviously use more or less colors but I chose six.

After dough is divided choose food coloring colors and mix into dough using your hands. I find that there is enough butter in the recipe that your hands don't take on the food coloring but you could use gloves if you want make sure you don't have rainbow hands when you are finished!

Once your dough is colored start mixing and making patterns that will become the final cookie. You can do something as easy as swirling the colors together or as complicated as making words and flowers.

Freeze the dough 3-4 hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove cookie dough from the freezer and slice in 1/4 inch pieces.

Bake for 7-9 minutes depending on how soft or crisp you like your cookies. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet.

Color will not fade while baking.