Salted Caramel Apple Bites

It's that time! We love caramel apples! Apples are on sale and so are caramels-seemed like the perfect time to make a batch! Since we really love the caramel I decided to try something different this year.

I added just a little half and half to the caramels to melt them-actually added too much! Will adjust for the next batch. Melted the caramels low and slow.

We used a melon scoop and toothpicks to get perfect little bites from a granny smith apple.

Dipped them and ate them! We ate one whole apple fresh out of the pan! The next apple we put on wax paper and chilled in the fridge.

We had a little caramel leftover and decided to try to make a salted caramel coffee drink. This might have been the best part of the whole day! Mixed a little salt and sugar. Whipped some half and half. Added the leftover caramel to the drink and sprinkled some sweet salt on top. Oh MY!

Next time we will sprinkle this sweet salt on the apples too!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Vintage Belt Bench Footstool

My work bestie, Geryl, decided she wanted to make a gift with vintage belts that were very special to her.  So we headed out on our lunch hour. The Peddler's Mall turned up this cute footstool for $12. We took the top off by removing 4 screws.

We used some Formby's Tung Oil to clean the wood up. The grain is so pretty.
We think it might be cherry! 

Then we laid the belts out and braided them to get some idea of how it was going to look. Readjusted a few times and then flipped the whole thing over and started attaching the four corner belts to the footstool.

We used drywall screws and neoprene washers. We attached the end belt on all four corners then flipped and adjusted the belts again.

We decided to screw down the long side first. We screwed the middle belt on both sides. Screwing in one side first and then pulling as hard as we could and screwing the other side in. We measured out all the rest of the belts to make sure they were equidistant apart, and then screwed one side then the other until we were done. Then we flipped and adjusted again.

We kept flipping and adjusting because of a few nostalgic belts that needed to show in the final product. Tugging and moving a little this way or that.

One more flip! We screwed every belt on one side in and then pulled the belts tight and screwed each one in on the other side. This is a job for two people! 

Then we cut off the extra on each belt and flipped it over. 

Time for the finished product!

This piece was created as a memory piece in honor of the life of Jim Dailey as a gift for his wife.