DIY: Christmas Cards (& Other Embarrassingly Easy Things)

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I made pumpkin muffins this weekend and had an epiphany.

I will never make complicated things. I will never be a pastry chef. I will never bake perfect pies. I will never cook anything that has 52 ingredients because it’s just too much work.

And that’s okay. Most of the best foods we eat are simple things.

These muffins are no exception. Embarrassingly easy and perfect for someone who only has a few minutes in the kitchen at a time.

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can) 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 1/4 sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 t nutmeg 1/4 t ginger

(chocolate chips or glaze – optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups or grease pan heavily.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips if you desire it to taste better (Baby Daddy does not).

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full). I made mine in a greased mini muffin tin.

Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack. If you left out the chocolate chips because you are kind of lame like that, I would suggest making a simple glaze to add a little sweetness.

I also made some Christmas cards. Not because of my love of crafting ( I am not naturally crafty) but because of my slight obsession with stationary.

I found the idea on Pinterest (shocker) and then begged my sister-in-law, Zoe , to do it with me.

{Click For Source}

She agreed, but only if I took some pictures of her kids. Too bad it was windy, cold, and all of them turned out like this (or worse):

But she agreed to help me anyway, and when all the kids were down for a nap–we began.

Two hours later and I only had five cards, proof that I am craft-challenged. At one point Zoe said, ever so sweetly, “Maybe crafting just isn’t your gift. You’re creative in other ways…”

A nice way of saying–uh, you’re done.

So I made 5 cards which means I will probably just keep them for myself because I am a hoarder.

Remember when you were a kid and obsessed with stickers? The Highlights magazine would come in the mail and all of a sudden it was man-to-man warfare with the siblings to divy them out? Well I still have all those stickers.

I’m not going to write out the instructions on how to make these cards because I don’t want to insult your intelligence. The pictures explain it all. And even if they don’t, I’m probably not the best one to ask. I had to have help with the scissors (note the very terrible circles at the end).

Good luck.

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18 Comments

Filed under Motley Mama

Tagged as DIY

Papa November 14, 2011 at 11:25 am Forget the chocolate chips….plain pumpkin muffins for me please! :) Reply motleymama November 14, 2011 at 11:27 am You’re so boring. Reply

Forget the chocolate chips….plain pumpkin muffins for me please! :)

motleymama November 14, 2011 at 11:27 am You’re so boring. Reply

You’re so boring.

Hannah November 14, 2011 at 11:28 am I’m not naturally crafty either…but I think I could do these cards–right? I love them! Reply motleymama November 14, 2011 at 11:28 am Yes! Reply

I’m not naturally crafty either…but I think I could do these cards–right? I love them!

motleymama November 14, 2011 at 11:28 am Yes! Reply

Yes!

BB November 14, 2011 at 11:29 am Your circles are so sad…. haha Reply

Your circles are so sad…. haha

Viv November 14, 2011 at 11:30 am I’m listening to your mixed tape while making a grocery list and adding your pumpkin muffin recipe ingredients to it. Motley Mama is up in this house! Reply

I’m listening to your mixed tape while making a grocery list and adding your pumpkin muffin recipe ingredients to it. Motley Mama is up in this house!

casey November 14, 2011 at 11:32 am Love these cards! I saw them on your Pinterest board along with some others that looked fun! Reply

Love these cards! I saw them on your Pinterest board along with some others that looked fun!

Tina November 14, 2011 at 11:32 am “Uh–you’re done.” Baha Reply

“Uh–you’re done.” Baha

Shirley November 14, 2011 at 11:34 am Well that would wipe me out too–the splendid cards, not the muffins. So forgive yourself. (I hope you can come to Thanksgiving.) Reply

Well that would wipe me out too–the splendid cards, not the muffins. So forgive yourself.

(I hope you can come to Thanksgiving.)

Erin November 14, 2011 at 11:58 am Every year I want to make homemade Christmas cards. But then I’m think, “Am I really going to make 30 of ANYTHING?” And the answer to that is no. You may make easy muffins and basic crafts, but your kid is all kinds of awesome. So focus on that. Reply

Every year I want to make homemade Christmas cards. But then I’m think, “Am I really going to make 30 of ANYTHING?” And the answer to that is no.

You may make easy muffins and basic crafts, but your kid is all kinds of awesome. So focus on that.

Dara November 14, 2011 at 12:15 pm Those are cute! And they look better than what mine would look like if I tried. I am also not crafty, I hate cooking and am pretty much not the typical housewife :P Those muffins look fun to make–the ones I generally make come in a bag from Duncan Hines :P Reply

Those are cute! And they look better than what mine would look like if I tried. I am also not crafty, I hate cooking and am pretty much not the typical housewife :P Those muffins look fun to make–the ones I generally make come in a bag from Duncan Hines :P

Suz November 14, 2011 at 12:16 pm what’s wrong with your circles?! they look great. Reply

what’s wrong with your circles?! they look great.

Sister November 14, 2011 at 12:46 pm Your trees have chicken pox. Reply

Your trees have chicken pox.

jodi November 14, 2011 at 2:45 pm I love this post! I am a huge fan of embarrassingly easy crafts and recipes. I think your muffins and cards are awesome :) Reply

I love this post! I am a huge fan of embarrassingly easy crafts and recipes. I think your muffins and cards are awesome :)

Heather November 14, 2011 at 4:07 pm I’m making these cards! I don’t do hard things either! Reply

I’m making these cards! I don’t do hard things either!

Bec November 14, 2011 at 9:29 pm little man in the sweater vest has the cutest/funniest expression! pumpkin muffins look great…must make them this week. Reply

little man in the sweater vest has the cutest/funniest expression! pumpkin muffins look great…must make them this week.

Nat November 14, 2011 at 10:11 pm Just so you all know – Kate brought these muffins to a family get-together where my son and daughter begged me to eat them all day long. They were awesome!! (I was impressed they were mini-muffins… that seems like a lot of work to me – especially w/o papers!) And I love the cards too. Reply

Just so you all know – Kate brought these muffins to a family get-together where my son and daughter begged me to eat them all day long. They were awesome!! (I was impressed they were mini-muffins… that seems like a lot of work to me – especially w/o papers!) And I love the cards too.

margo November 14, 2011 at 11:31 pm those cards are cute! But I would space out after only a few, I think. I can’t even think of Christmas cards yet. Reply

those cards are cute! But I would space out after only a few, I think. I can’t even think of Christmas cards yet.

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