Browsing Tag

diy

Drinks

The Goldberry Cocktail

The festive season has died down ( if you’re in Ghana like myself, it’s still winding down), and I for one am not happy about it. The end of the holidays means school and work and no more of those lounging-in-PJs-forever days. Blergh.

But as much as we all like to hold on to the scanty remnants of the holiday season, I think we all secretly like to watch it go. Productivity is what most of us run on, and it’s great to get back in the groove of real life. I got back in the groove of my real life with this amazing-as-hell cocktail recipe that I’m pretty sure you guys will enjoy too!

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Funny story – I didn’t want to photograph the egg because I was too scared it would fall off the table and crack and it was my last egg!

What you need:

1/2 cup of blackberries

2 tbsp agave syrup

2 tsp blackberry liqueur

1 shot vodka

Juice of half a lemon

1 egg white

Edible gold foil for garnishing

First make blackberry syrup by bringing 1 cup of water  with 1/2 cup of muddled blackberries and agave syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. You can increase the recipe to make large amounts of the syrup and store this. Strain and allow syrup to cool before mixing in cocktail.

In a cocktail shaker, add blackberry liquor, vodka, 1 cup blackberry syrup, the juice of half a lemon and 1 egg white. Shake vigorously for at least 3 minutes. This is a very important step, as you need the egg white to emulsify to give you that beautiful and yummy foam. Pour into glass, garnish with edible gold foil and serve.

That foam is on fleek.

Not gonna lie I was horrified when I first learned of egg white being used in cocktails. As someone who absolutely cannot stand runny egg yolk this sounded like a nightmare to me. But let me tell you – I was SOLD when I had it. It adds extra texture and flavor to any drink and there really is no substitute for it. If I tried it, you can too.

Off to sip on the good stuff while I try to be a real human again!

xo,

Essie

Drinks

The Great Gatsby Cocktail

 

It’s that time where everyone keeps saying “it’s been a great year”, but as cliché as it may sound it is so true. In this year I’ve seen the biggest growth for EDS and I’ve also met and  connected with many other  creatives whose advice and insight has been so helpful. So yes, Continue Reading

DIY

DIY: 3D Christmas Cards

Here’s another handmade Christmas card project! I actually made this one weeks ago and completely forgot about it, but as I sat behind my books studying into the night yesterday, I remembered that I did. Because that’s what studying does to you right? You forget the very thing you just read but you can recall Continue Reading

Free Stuff

Freebie: Isaiah 6:3 Phone Wallpaper

This is something a little different that what you guys are used to from me – but it has a purpose!

Sometimes I get into these really happy praise moods and this wallpaper is the result of one of them! As I read through Isaiah this morning Continue Reading

DIY

Mini Cranberry Wreath Placecards

I have mixed feelings about the Thanksgiving season because it makes me miss my family in Ghana, but then I also know that should we be given the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving – we for sure will NOT lol. It’s not a Ghanaian holiday. I do love me some Turkey though!(not the bland kind, please keep that away from me ugh)

If you’re like me and you’re not Continue Reading

Drinks

Cranberry-Ginger Fizz Cocktail

I know I’m getting ahead of myself with this Thanksgiving Dinner cocktail but I’ll do anything for Pimm’s. Speaking of Pimm’s, America, let me introduce you to Mr. Pimm’s. It’s a very popular liquor in the UK (my bestfriend buys it anytime he visits from London – shoutout to the real MVP) and it’s hard to imagine why it’s not a big deal over here too. Anywhoo, it’s really good. More like amazing. And you can get it in some liquor stores in the US! Continue Reading

DIY

Handmade Christmas Card

I’m not a fan of the rush into “holiday season” right after Halloween. Like, let me enjoy Thanksgiving for a sec before we start singing ‘All I want for Christmas is You’, yes? But also I like to be what I call ‘seasonally prepared’ so I understand why people get started so early. So for the first time ever I’m doing my first Christmas DIY in November!!

I’m trying to switch things up by sending out more thoughtful cards/notes for Christmas to my friends and family, so what better way to do this than by hand making my cards. It’s a very nice personal touch. I’ll be making a variety of cards so I’ll be sure to share the how-to for each one! Read to the end to find out how much this project cost me.

What you need:

  • Blank greeting card
  • Green cardstock in 3 shades
  • Brown cardstock
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Marker/calligraphy pen (not pictured)IMG_2777

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Cut 3 different sized triangles out of the green cardstock. Cut 3 different sized rectangles out of the cardstock.

Stick the brown cardstock on your blank greeting card first, then the triangle – so that they look like teeny christmas trees. The tree in the center should be the most prominent.

This is optional but you can also cut out a star (or a circle like I did) from gold cardstock and place it at the top of the middle tree.

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Write ‘Merry Christmas’ – or your message of choice – on the front of the card. Letter your card in a style that’s easy for you.

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And that’s it! It’s super easy and the tutorial gives room for your own personal style.

How much this project cost:

I had glue and scissors lying around (and this is assuming you do too!) so the real cost came down to the cardstocks.

-Green cardstocks = 60 cents each ( I bought them in a pack at Michaels)

-Brown cardstock = free, yes FREE. There was brown paper in a package I’d recently received so I used it for the project. Look around your home for pasta boxes, brown envelopes etc.

-Blank card = $1.00 from a paper shop in New York

-TOTAL: $2.80

Are you making personal gifts this season? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

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DIY

Gold Chevron Wall Art

Man I’m on a roll with these DIYs, huh? Haha well not really because I’m not posting them as frequently as y’all would like but hey perfection takes time!

It’s been a wonderful past couple of days in New York City and I can hardly believe that it’s fall. With this fab weather and my Continue Reading

DIY

Anthropologie Inspired Globe

Howdy peeps! So this is a project and not just a 2-step DIY. Like seriously – it’s taken me 3 days to finish it, but mainly because I’ve been super lazy about it and it also involves lots of paint drying. But let me tell you the story Continue Reading

DIY

DIY Cutout Greeting Cards

There’s nothing like a handmade greeting card to make someone feel special. When I have nothing else to do I (let’s face it, I mean procrastination) I make cards and wait for an occasion to pop up where I can send one to somebody. Speaking of pop-up, these cards were inspired by a sweet little card I saw in a bookstore near Columbia University.

This is an easy DIY and it’s pretty much zero effort if you additionally have an electronic cutter. I recently got myself a Cricut machine and I’ve been going crazy with it. I’ve cut out about everything from all colors of paper – sue me.

Anywhoo, in this tutorial I’ve included some FREE printables that will help guide you if you do not have an electronic cutting machine. I’ll be showing you how to make a whopping TWO cards so Go on and get to creating!

What you need:

-Cardstock (preferably something with much more weight that ordinary paper)

-Exacto knife – you won’t be needing this if you have a cutting machine

-Glue

-Colorful gift tissue

-Large hole paper punch

-Gold paint

-Small paint brush

Step 1:

For card one (left in the image of the two cards), click here to download and print your free cutout file. This card is the pop-up card.

For card two (on the right), click here to download and print your free cutout file. This is the confetti filled-card.

Step 2: 

If you have an electronic cutter, go ahead and use to downloaded files to make cuts, no need to print.

If you don’t have a cutter, this is where your elbow grease will be required. With card 1, cut the entire ‘YAY’ shape out of your yardstick by following the outline. With card 2, cut ONLY the black lines printed on your cardstock. This is so that you have a foldable side on the bottom of the letters.

Step 3:

Get rid of unwanted pieces. Fold card 2 at the bottom of the letters (the area you left uncut) so that they pop out of the card

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The next few steps will be specific to only one of the cards so make sure you’re working on the write one – although there are pictures to guide you so you know.

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Card 1:

  • Put a small amount of gold paint on your brush and paint your pop-out letters in faint strokes. You want to leave some of the white areas showing for that “paintbrush effect”.
  • Allow to dry for 10 mins and voila, you’re done!

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Card 2:

  • Punch out holes in your gift tissue with the hole punch.
  • Write whatever message you want inside the card.
  • Paint glue on the inside of the card as close to the edges as possible. Don’t use too much glue or you’ll create a mess when you seal the card!
  • Place the confetti inside the card, avoiding the glue on the edges.
  • Seal the card. You want the card recipient to have to rip the card open – this is what makes the confetti jump out at them!

Whether it’s for a birthday, to say congratulations or just because these cards make an excellent and thoughtful gift. I can’t wait to make more variations and send them to everyone I know! I might be listing these in my Etsy store also, depending on response so watch out for them.

 

Spread the confetti.

xoxo,

Essie