Bravely Bohemian Favorites

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Apple Spice Bar Cookies or Apple Spice Cake

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If you are looking for a flavorful Fall or Holiday apple recipe, try these yummy Apple Spice Bar Cookies (or Apple Spice Cake). The Apple Spice cookies have lots of cinnamon and nutmeg in them, plus molasses. They have an almost gingerbread flavor and are delicious with a cup of tea or mulled cider on a chilly Fall day.

Apple Spice Bar Cookies Recipe

These cookies are cake-soft. Bake them in a 9×12 pan if you prefer a cake or a 10×15 if you prefer bar cookies.

I grew up in 4-H, where I learned many life skills, including baking. One of the projects I entered in the County Fair was an apple recipe collection. New York State is known for many fantastic apple varieties. We had to pick a main ingredient and then make at least ten recipes using that ingredient. We then had to write a review, as well as try and make the recipes as healthy as possible. I think I was about 12 at the time. Check out that snazzy handwriting! I don’t know what happened to the rest of the cookbook, but as you can see, I did happen to save the original Apple Spice Bar Cookies page I created for my recipe collection. This page has been well loved over the years. You can see some of my later notes. I also added a lemon sauce to the recipe.

Apple Spice Bar Cookies Original Recipe

My mother taught me one of the best baking tricks: If you want raisins to be plump and soft in your cookie and cake recipes, simmer them on the stove for a few minutes before adding them to your recipe. Measure out the raisins first then place them in a saucepan. Cover the raisins with water (1 to 2 cups). Then place them on medium heat until they almost boil. Simmer for several minutes until the raisins soften up. Drain the raisins and then let them cool. Stir them in the colander a few times to help the raisins cool faster and release extra water.

If you add boiling hot raisins to your recipe directly, the eggs will curdle. Also, you can use some of the leftover raisin water in your recipes in place of other types of liquids. I don’t use the raisin water in this particular recipe, but with some experimenting you could probably replace some or all of the milk.

Apple Spice Bar Cookies Recipe

Apple Spice Bar Cookies (Or Apple Spice Cake) with Warmed Lemon Sauce

¼ cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ cup milk
1 cup simmered raisins, (drained and cooled)
2 cups diced apple

1. Simmer the raisins on the stove, then drain and cool. Also peel and dice the apples. Set aside.

2. Cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the egg and molasses.

4. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the batter alternating with the milk.

5. Add the raisins and apple and carefully stir.

6. Pour into a greased 10×15 pan for apple spice bar cookies or 9×12 pan for apple spice cake.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. (Insert a knife or toothpick in the middle to test. It should come out clean of batter).

8. When cool, cut into bars and serve with warmed lemon sauce or lemon yogurt.

Lemon Sauce

1 ½ T. cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
½ cup cold water
½ cup hot water
½ lemon, juice and zest
2 T. butter

1. In a saucepan, blend cornstarch, sugar, and salt until no lumps.

2. Slowly add the cold and hot water while cooking over medium-low heat, stirring regularly to dissolve the dry ingrdients.

3.Cook 10 minutes, then add the lemon juice and zest and the butter. Stir well.

4. Drizzle over the Apple Spice Bar Cookies (Or Apple Spice Cake).

We hope these Apple Spice Bar Cookies become a delicious Fall tradition in your house! Enjoy!

Check out more delicious recipes here!

Apple Spice Bar Cookies Recipe

Make a Trendy Boho Tray with Tassel Trim

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I love to decorate our home with unique, eclectic items from around the world. I especially like bohemian functional décor. Check out this boho tray I just made that uses turquoise wood stain, batik fabrics, silver faux leather handles and handmade tassels. Full directions are below!

Boho DIY Tray with Tassels

What You’ll Need:

Wood Picture Frame Tray (with Removable Backing) OR
Unfinished Wood Tray and Custom Glass Inset
Sandpaper
Paint or Colored Wood Stain
Clear Varnish
Up to 12 Different Cotton Batik Fabric Quarters
Scrap Paper or Tissue Paper for Pattern
Thread and Metallic Thread
Clear Caulk Sealant
2 Reels Faux Leather Cording
Glue Gun
4 Large Jewelry Clasps
8 Large Hole Silver Beads


I am a sucker for picking up amazing fabrics, though I have never been a quilter. Cotton batiks are one of my favorites. I love the random patterns and organic melding of colors in these dyed fabrics.

Batik Fabric Quarters_Boho Tray Project

Boho Tray Directions:

Start by lightly sanding the wood tray, wiping it down with a damp cloth, then staining it with the colored wood stain. I found the unfinished tray and wood stain at Michaels or you can order the stain from Amazon. I used the Plaid Folkart Ultra Dye, which comes in numerous fun, vibrant colors. I chose the turquoise shade which goes with the décor on our back screen porch.

You may want to add several layers of stain to your tray. It gets slightly darker each time you stain. You can also lightly sand in between coats to keep the wood tray smooth.

Turquoise stained Boho Tray

You can also choose to paint your tray instead of staining it. My tray was unfinished wood to begin with. However, painting might be easier if you are upcycling a photo tray.

Next I added 2 layers of clear varnish to the tray to seal in the wood stain and help protect the tray from wear and tear. Places like Lowe’s and Home Depot have additional varnish choices if you want to add a glossy, polished look to your wood.

The inner part my boho tray is a slightly odd size, so I had to cut glass to fit. I tried a few times to cut my own but decided after a few breaks to spend the $10 to have the professional at our local frame shop cut the glass for me. Set the glass aside. We will install it after the fabric part is inlaid into the tray.

***Note: If you cut your own or you have the glass custom cut for you, the edges are EXTREMELY sharp, so handle with care so you don’t cut yourself. ***

Calculating size of fabric squares for boho tray

Now you are ready to play with the batik fabrics that will line the inner part of your boho tray. Measure the interior of your tray and decide how you want your fabrics laid out. I decided to use 12 different batik squares in coordinating and contrasting colors. I used scrap paper to make a pattern and adjust the size of the squares to fit the space in the tray. For my tray, I cut 4-inch squares that included ¼ inch seam allowance on each side. So the final size of the completed squares, when sewn together, would be about 3 ½ inches each.

Add seam allowance to boho tray fabric squares

Next, use your pattern with seam allowance added to cut out your squares. Stitch them together, right side of fabrics together, joining them into a grid.

Once the squares are sewn together, iron all of the seam allowances flat. Then using a half cotton poly/half-metallic thread mix, top stitch your squares. On my fabric squares, I used black and silver metallic thread in a large machine zigzag stitch.

***Note: You can also use completely metallic thread. However, it can be finicky, so you may need to use a special needle in your sewing machine. Also, practice on scrap material. Here are some good tips for working with metallic thread.***

Iron once more and then you are ready to slide the batik fabric squares into the tray. I then carefully set the glass on top. If your fabric is sticking up on the sides beyond the height of the glass, carefully trim it. I had to take about 1/8 of an inch off the edges all the way around.

Boho Tray with batik fabric and glass insert

Once you have the fabric and glass in place, carefully seal the edges of the glass insert with clear silicone sealant. This will protect your fabric from dirt and water when you go to clean the tray, plus will also seal in the sharp edges of the glass overlay.

faux silver leather wrap on boho tray handles

Next, wrap the handles of the tray in the faux leather trim. Practice how you want it to look and then use a glue gun or jewelry glue to affix the trim. (It may or may not help to have a cat participate in this step).

Cat Helps with Art Project_Boho Tray wrapped handles

I decided to make tassels for the handles and attached them to the handles using large jewelry clasps. This allows them to be removed when cleaning the tray.

Closeup of removable tassels and faux leather handle wraps on boho tray

My tassels are made out of batik fabric scraps that are cut, rolled and held together by wide mouth silver beads. Here’s how to make the tassels:

Boho Batik Tassels:

Cut a desired length of batik.

Select and prep fabric to make tassels

On one half of the fabric’s length, make vertical cuts most of the way toward the middle of the fabric, 1/8 to ¼ inches wide. Continue until the end.

Turn the fabric and do the same to the other length so that each side of your fabric becomes fringed.

Fold the fabric in half, wrong sides together, right sides out. Roll the fabric into a fringed tube.

Rolling fabric into tassel for boho tray

Secure with the silver wide mouth bead.

completed fabric tassel for boho tray

Use your metallic thread and stitch through the top of the tassel above the bead, then loop through the jewelry clasp and knot the thread several times. Trim thread. Make your loops different lengths to give your tassels a cascade look. Afix to the handles of your tray.

Enjoy decorating and entertaining with your new boho tray! Your tray will make a great centerpiece when you throw your next bohemian themed party (with or without cats).

Inspired by this project? Check out more great bohemian DIY projects here. Happy Boho Crafting!

Final look at Boho Tray with glass and batik fabric inlay


More Boho Valentine Cards to Make

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February is the perfect time to express your love by making your own boho Valentine cards. There’s something extra special about receiving a handmade card from someone you love. The following are 6 bohemian-themed cards I made to inspire you to get your own boho crafting spirit in gear for Valentine’s Day.

DIY Boho Valentine Cards

Love Forever Boho Valentine Card
DIY Boho Valentine Cards_Love Forever

For this first boho Valentine, I found some great bohemian themed scrapbooking papers from Colorbok that easily mixed and matched. Colorbok makes a lot of coordinating double-sided papers. I used one printed paper for the background of the card, then added two vertical strips of paper in coordinating prints. I then rubber stamped the “Love” and “Forever” designs in black on white cardstock. I framed these with additional printed paper from the scrapbooking pack. After assembling the card, I topped it off with two gold printed on wood leaf embellishments. I really like how the muted papers look together combined with the boldness of the stamped images.

Love Grows Boho Valentine Card
Love_Grows_Boho_Valentine_Cards

One of my husband’s favorite bohemian hobbies is to take a nap under a tree, especially if that tree happens to be in a famous location such as a historical site. There’s something very romantic about hanging out under big trees. Even more so if there is a swing or two to sit on.

For this card, I used a pink polka dot scrapbook paper for the backing of the card. I stamped the tree in pigment ink on pale yellow cardstock and then embossed the image with dark blue embossing powder. I framed the image with matching blue cardstock behind the image, then attached it to the polka dots. I added a row of pre-cut floral and dotted paper pennants by Me and My Big Ideas, attaching them to the card with 3-dimensional tape. I also added jute twine knotted at each end to connect the pennants together. To complete the card, I added two tiny hearts to the swing.

This is one of my favorite boho Valentine cards. It makes me smile whenever I look at it.

You Are So Lovely Boho Valentine Card
DIY Boho Valentine Cards_You Are So Lovely

I picked up a scrapbook pack of paisley papers recently. Paisleys make me so happy. I wanted this card to be boldly bohemian. First, I split a piece of mostly black and white paisley paper in half, leaving the middle of the white cardstock showing. I found this great wood dream catcher to use as the centerpiece of the card. Next, I layered several red and hot pink silk flowers together with a silver brad and added the embellishment to the card. Finally, I added a sticker that says “You Are So Lovely” to the bottom left side.

I like the way this card came together. The bright flowers give the card almost a Mexican flare (maybe I was channeling Frida Kahlo since I saw a big exhibit of hers in Florida last year?) and I love all of the dimension in the card.

Very Boho Elephants Valentine Card
DIY Boho Valentine cards_Very_Boho_Elephants

Speaking of working in dimensions, this is my “go big or go home” bohemian valentine. I have a massive wall of ribbons and trims hanging in my art studio. I consider it my wall of possibilities because there are so many choices to use in my artwork. I have caught myself staring at recently acquired pompom trims sitting on the wall just waiting for the right opportunity to come along to use them.

I started the card by die cutting the elephants, flowers, and hearts. I found the elephant and flower scrapbooking dies at AliExpress.com and had them shipped in from China. It takes about a month for the scrapbook dies to arrive, so remember to place your orders well in advance of holiday crafting. I then cut all of the trims- 2 hot pink pom poms, 2 yellow pom poms, 2 turquoise pom poms, 2 bright green lace, and one hot pink grosgrain ribbon. Remember to cut your ribbons slightly longer than your card length. Arrange and adhere to the white cardstock, trimming the ribbons to fit. Lastly, I attached the die cuts. I used 3-dimensional tape on the elephants and hearts to give the card a little extra pizzazz.

The Very Boho Elephant valentine card is really bright and a bit crazy for my personality, but there’s also something fun and 1970s about it. It kind of reminds me of our childhood, when my sister decided to decorate her room in purple shag with pompom trim. It sounds hideous, but it was a pretty cool place to hang at the time.

Southwestern Hearts Boho Valentine Card
DIY Boho Valentine Cards_Southwestern_Hearts

I love this Southwestern-themed boho valentine card. Sizzix has come out with a leather jewelry cutting system called the Big Shot Jewelry Studio which I can’t wait to play with. I ordered the Sizzix Southwestern pattern Thinlets Die (#661510) to start.

I used the Sizzix die to cut two out in dark red paper and adhered those to white cardstock. I decorated the center area of the card with Southwestern- themed ribbon. I then found 2 chipboard hearts and embossed them with several layers of bright gold embossing powder. I saved the red punches that fell out when I ran the Southwestern die through my Sizzix Big Shot and added them to the fronts of the gold hearts. I then die cut the love arrow (another scrapbooking die I found at AliExpress.com) and attached it to a black arrow. I then assembled the pieces to the card.

My Heart Soars Boho Valentine Card
DIY boho Valentine cards_My Heart Soars

I am a sucker for picking up vintage-themed rubber stamps and love using them in boho valentine cards. Maybe it’s the steampunk gal in me? Hot air ballooning goes back as far as the 1700s and has always been a bohemian pastime- romantic and dangerous at the same time. So I had fun making this card, though I have yet to get the hubby up in a balloon. Maybe this year?

This card uses 2 different patterned scrapbook papers cut corner to corner. I used a blue polka dot combined with a red and white patterned paper. After attaching the papers to the cardstock, I then ran gold and black arrow ribbon down the angle of the card. Remember to cut your ribbons slightly longer than the card so you have room to adjust the ribbon, then trim it after adhering to the card. I then used Tim Holtz Fired Brick Red ink to stamp the balloon and cut it out. I found brick red paper to attach the balloon to and then cut out the background frame about ¼ inch larger than the balloon image.

Next, I designed the text, “My heart soars when I am with you” on Canva.com, saved as a .pdf and printed it out in black. (Oops! The first time, my printer fit the image to the page, so I ended up with my quote being sign-sized. Check your printer settings to make sure it prints out 2 x 2 ½ “ or whatever size you prefer.) I trimmed the quote and then mounted it on brick red paper. I attached everything to the card, making sure to give the hot air balloon a nice lilting look as though the wind is taking it on an adventure.

I hope these boho valentine cards inspire you to craft your own cards for the people you love. For further inspiration, click here to see the boho valentine cards I made last year.

Happy boho crafting!


Velvet Throw Blanket Love! Add Super Soft Plush Blankets to Cozy Up Your Boho Décor

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Plush_Throw_Blanket_DIY_Joann_Sew_Lush

It’s Velvet throw blanket time of year! With winter weather fast approaching, it’s time to cozy up and stay warm.

Velvet throw blankets are one of my absolute favorite items. Throws add comfort and a cozy feel to any living space. We’ve been busy redecorating our living room in shades of gray, adding in select bohemian décor to make the room pop. Shopping around, I haven’t found the perfect throw blankets yet- the kind that says, “Take me home!,” so I decided to make some on my own.

Jo-Ann Fabrics is having some amazing sales lately on all of their Fall/Winter plush fabrics. I immediately fell in love with Jo-Ann’s Sew Lush line of fabrics. Sew Lush is by far their softest line of velvet plush fabrics and it comes in over 40 colors and prints. Sew Lush solids are around $12.99 a yard and prints are around $14.99, though they are often on sale or you can use a coupon to reduce the cost of your purchase.

For my velvet throw blanket project, I chose the Navy Geometrics pattern. I like the boho design of this fabric. The fabric comes in a 57 inch width, so I purchased 2 yards for each blanket. To start, I trimmed about one-half inch off the raw selvage edge. I used regular white Coats & Clark thread, but definitely suggest putting a medium weight ballpoint needle in your machine. Ballpoints are best used when stitching knit or other stretchy, performance fabrics.

DIY_velvet_throw_blankets_Sew_Lush_from_JoAnn

I began by sewing the long lengths of the blankets first. You can pin ahead if you like, but I found it just as easy to create a rolled hem as I sewed. I turned under about one-quarter inch of the fabric edge, then turned the hem a second time to hide the raw edge. I used a medium width large zigzag stitch that easily caught the raw edge underneath. I noticed that my commercially made plush throws only rolled the hem under once, but I decided I liked the cleaner look of the double rolled hem and hope that it will prevent the blankets from letting off excess lint.

As with any new fabric, remember to wash your blankets after you craft them to get rid of any unhealthy chemical finishes that are on the fabric. (You can also wash them before.) Washing should also help cut down on the lint coming off the plush.

Boho_Throw_Blanket_How-to

And like any project in our house, I had help. This is Squee, our newest rescue cat. Squee is our household’s quality control expert and confirmed the Sew Lush fabric was indeed super velvety soft and cozy. He was parked on the fabric before I even started sewing. I have a feeling that we are going to be arguing over whose blankets these are in the coming days!

Happy Boho Crafting!


The Locker Hooking Experiment- Boho Fiber Crafting Fun

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Hello boho crafty friends! Question for you…Have you ever heard of Locker Hooking? (Insert funny, off-base comments from my husband here!)

I was a child of the 80s, so every kid I knew who was remotely crafty had to go through a creative rite of passage: Receiving latch hook kits for Birthdays and Holidays. And making goofy pillows in middle school Home Economics class. (My pillow was an apple with a worm coming out of it and my sister’s pillow was a turtle. I think we both also completed horse latch hook kits).

Locker Hooking Black & Gray Grid Pillow

I have to be in the mood to work on hand stitching projects because, at times, I still find them a little tedious. I also really have to pay attention if I am knitting so I don’t drop stitches and have to take out numerous rows. So I recently found a fun craft that is in between- not quite as slow as latch hooking but easy to fix in a hurry, unlike most knitting screw-ups.
Introducing Locker Hooking!

About Locker Hooking

Locker Hooking is a continuous rug hooking technique that uses latch hook rug canvas and fibers such as yarn, string, and narrow fabric strips. A locker hooking tool has both a crochet end and a needle end. You simply use the crochet hook end of the tool to pull your yarn or fabric up through the latch hook canvas holes. Then use the needle end to thread a simple black cotton yarn through the loops to “lock” the loops in place. Click here to get step-by-step locker hooking instructions.

According to Theresa Pulido, author of the books, Hook, Loop & Lock, and Locking Loops, locker hooking originated in England in the early 1900s where wool yarn was used to create rugs. Some Americans took up locker hooking in the 1940s, but it never became a widespread craft. More recently, artisans have begun experimenting with fiber techniques and with the help of Lisa’s books and projects, locker hooking is becoming more popular worldwide.

My Locker Hooking Projects

So far, I have completed 3 locker hooking projects so far and I LOVE the art!

1. I started by making a square pillow using dyed sari fabric yarn from India. The yarn is so colorful and I love the texture the fabric makes when it is looped through the latch hook canvas.

Locker Hooked Pillow_Front

2. For my second project, I experimented with multiple colors of bamboo yarn and designed a tribal pattern. The loops of bamboo yarn are super soft (like kittens), but slippery to work with. Because the yarn is super soft, the pattern also came out a bit less structured, but the design is still eye-catching.

Locker Hooked Pillow_Tribal boho design

3. For my third project, I decided to run with a serious pattern. On Pinterest, I noticed people posting cool designs that were created on Grid-Paint.com. I selected one of the patterns pinned on Pinterest, then went onto Grid-Paint.com and doubled the design to make the end result big enough to be a pillow or wall hanging. I then chose black and gray chunky cotton yarn to complete the locker hooking. I love the result! The chunky yarn held the pattern well and this piece adds wow factor to our living room.

Locker Hooking Black & Gray Grid Pillow

To learn more about locker hooking, check out my instructions here. I also suggest you get your hands on Theresa Pulido’s books to give you further locker hooking project ideas. She also sells some great colorful locker hooking kits and supplies on Amazon and her site, ColorCrazy.com. I am also happy to see her cat participating in her instructional videos.

Happy Boho Crafting!