Awesome Bracelets and a Yummy Recipe Accident

Hi everyone and happy Sunday!  It most definitely is a happy Sunday in my opinion because it is a Sunday of a three day weekend!  I have been busy and I am dying to share a project I completed yesterday. 

I don't know if you are familiar with those trendy bracelets that are half chain, half braided cord.  I have been seeing them everywhere so I decided to recreate my own version. 




I started out with the materials I show in the picture.  I bought the silver chain and the white cording at Walmart and the endcaps, lobster clasps and the silver and black cording at Michaels.  I don't live in a big city so the endcaps were not the easiest to find.  JoAnn had them online but not in our local store.  They come in different sizes so purchase them according to the size of the cording you are using. 

I measured out my chain.  I used 3 1/2 inches but you could change that based on your wrist size and how much chain you want to show.  Next, I measured out the cording to 3 1/4 inches and wrapped a very slim piece of tape around it so I could cut it and it wouldn't unravel.  I repeated that so I would have 2 pieces of cording cut to size.  I glued the ends in an endcap with E6000 glue.  I had to replace the jump ring that came with the endcaps to a large one because the chain I picked was too big for the little one.  I connected the cording to the chain with the large jump ring and attached the toggle clasps to either end.  I had so much fun with this bracelet, I looked through my stash and came up with two other different ones. 

As you can see by the picture of the different bracelets, you can mix it up by switching out the chain sizes and styles, colors and diameters of cording and the way the bracelet clasps.  I had the small piece of decorative chain left that you see on the black bracelet and I was thrilled I could use it.  It is a great way to use up snippets of chain.  I think these would make great gifts, especially if you chose to make a bracelet like I made the black one.  The lobster clasp and dangling small chain make it adjustable.  Have fun with this if you decide to make one.  It really was easy. 

I also want to share a happy recipe accident with you. 

What you see here is a plate of peanutty goodness that tastes just like a Payday candy bar.  It was supposed to be, according to the recipe, peanut brittle.  The texture was solid enough to come off the buttered cookie sheet intact and be cut into squares, but it was chewy and gooey-just delicious.  Here is the recipe and you will end up with brittle or what I ended up with-either way, it's a win!
Line a cookie sheet with foil and butter it.  In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon course salt.  Heat over medium low heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring the whole time.  Boil over medium heat 4-5 minutes, until it turns a dark amber color.  Adjust heat to maintain a steady boil but not to scorch or boil over.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts.  Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet and allow to cool for about an hour.  Break into pieces.   Mine never turned amber in color but I didn't want to go beyond the 5 minutes.  Now I know most of you would say that a candy thermometer would be a wise choice for a brittle recipe and you would probably be right.  I am not sure why I resist using one of those, except to say my Mom never used one and used to tell me they were too complicated when I was young and showed her a candy recipe I wanted to make that required one.  Now I am on a quest so I will get the candy thermometer out from the cupboard(I think I got it as a gift) and give a real brittle recipe a try.  But in the meantime, this recipe turned out delicious and I hope lightning strikes twice and it will turn out the same next time.  It was a happy recipe accident! 

I hope you all have a great week ahead.  I finally broke down and signed up for a Pinterest account.  I don't know why I waited so long(maybe it is like the candy thermometer!).  I will probably be experimenting with "pinning" a lot this coming week.  If you have any tips, feel free to email me.  I am new to it.  Take care.  Nancy