Over the Top, DIY Summer Ideas

We've got a case of the summer fever, and have been searching for days and days to find you fabulous, DIY ideas to create for the perfect summer get together.


Spiked Watermellon Keg



Materials & Ingredients

We got this one from Evite!

10-pound seedless watermelon
Sharp knife
Big spoon
Big bowl
Drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit
3/4-inch ball-valve faucet with a handle that’s easy to turn with one hand
PVC-to-faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the faucet
Rubber O-ring that fits the back of the faucet

Blender
Sieve
Pitcher
1 1/2 cups rum
4 limes

To view the instructions, please visit http://blog.evite.com/evite/2007/09/end-of-summer-b.html


Paper Treat Candy Cones



These are great to put summer treats in! Pretzels, Popcorn, or candy!

Materials and Ingredients

gift wrap or other decorative paper
lollipop sticks
craft styrofoam sheets – approx 1″ thick
shallow tray or vase/container
candy/treats for the cones
candy/treats to cover the styrofoam
tape, glue stick & scissors

Instructions

1. Create a template for the cones.
2. Trace the cone template onto the paper, then trim out. Repeat as many times as you need.
3. Roll the trimmed paper into a cone shape, making sure there’s enough of a hole left in the bottom of the cone for the lollipop stick. Secure the cone shape with a piece of tape on the inside, and use the glue stick to make the outer edge lie flat.

For the Display:

1. Cut a piece of the styrofoam sheet to fit securely within your tray or vase/container.
2. Place the styrofoam in the container, then insert the lollipop sticks into the foam, leaving a few inches in between the sticks to make room for the cones. (You can insert the sticks in neat rows or in a random configuration – whichever you prefer!)
3. Pour candy or popcorn on top of the styrofoam until it is completely covered.
4. Fill each paper cone with candy, popcorn, or another treat, then slide them onto the lollipop sticks.


Mosquito Repellent

Materials and Ingredients

2 ½ teaspoons of any mixture of the following essential oils: basil, catnip, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, lemongrass, myrrh, palmarosa, pine, rose geranium or rosemary.
½ cup of 190-proof grain alcohol (such as high quality vodka)
½ cup distilled, filtered or spring water

Put this mixture in a small spray bottle, shake it up and you’re set.


Festive Drink Umbrellas



Materials and Ingredients

Soup can
Origami-paper sheets
Pinking shears
Wooden skewers

From each circle, remove a pie-slice shape measuring about 1/8 of the circumference. Fashion into a cone, slightly overlapping straight ends; use a glue stick or double-sided tape to secure. Dab white craft glue inside nose of cone, and pierce tip with a wooden skewer (snip skewer for a custom fit); allow to dry.


Mix and Match Napkins




This one is great if you have lots of random napkins left over from previous parties!

Materials and Ingredients

White doily bands
Random napkins
Plastic forks

Fold two napkins together. Cut a strip from a round or square paper doily; for a band that's lacy on both edges, accordion-fold a small doily in the middle. Wrap it around napkin; tape at back. Tuck in a plastic fork.

25 Ways to Use Your Pimp Cup

Ever since Lil Jon introduced the 'Pimp Cup' to today's pop culture, it has quickly become the 'must have' item of the bar scene. Besides drinking pimp juice out of your pimp cup, we have compiled a list of 25 things to do with this wonderful invention to keep the crunk goin!




25 Ways to Use Your Pimp Cup

1. Give it as a gift. (we have a pimp cup for every occasion!)
2. Take it to the bar.
3. Give it to your child for their prom (this is a top trend in action!)
4. Display on your living room mantle.
5. Give to a bachelor or bachelorette (we have a set!)
6. When you win something, bring it to the celebration.
7. Give it to your dog to play with.
8. Be Lil Jon for Halloween.
9. Take it to Walmart, and walk around with sunglasses on. (Everyone will wonder who the hell you are!)
10. Take it to McDonald's and get a refill in your cup.
11. Throw it away.
12. When your sick of it, take off the rhinestones and decorate your cell phone.
13. Make your own pimp juice, and fill your cup.
14. Use it as a piggy bank to store your dolla dolla bills baby.
15. Use as a fish bowl. (we suggest a clear pimp cup for this idea, so you can monitor your fish!)
16. Buy a "Ho" one and put it in someone's yard that ya know...fits the description.
17. Take it to the casino to fill up with your winnings.
18. Complete your look with a grill.
19. Give it to someone who is very modest.
20. Start a collection.
21. Make your own music video and have it go viral on Youtube.
22. Pass it down to your children.
23. Throw a Pimp and Ho Party, and give out Pimp Cups to your guests.
24. Design your own.
25. Don't have one? Put it on your wishlist and buy one at www.trendsettersthestore.com

How to Brew Your Own Beer

Why would anybody in the world want to brew your own beer, when you can easily hop in your car, bike or motor chair and drive on down to the distributor! Well, making beer is not only fun, but extremely cheap, and the perfect addition to any summer party or bbq! We promise your guests will be so impressed with your creation, they may actually want to buy it. If not, who cares...they will still be impressed that you made your own beer...Who does that... You do, because your a Trendsetter!




What You Will Need: Can be found at your local hardware store

- One 10-gallon "food grade" plastic pail with lid. Cost: about $12.00
- Siphon hose. You'll need a 74" length of 5/16" "food grade" vinyl tubing. Cost: $2.00
- Hose clamp for siphon. Cost: $1.00
- Twelve 2- liter plastic pop bottles, with lids.
- Hydrometer. Cost: $8.00. A thermometer is also useful.
- Large pot, or turkey roaster.

Ingredients

Malt Extract. One 40oz. can of any flavor you like ( light, dark, stout), or a 1.5kg "tall" can of same. The 1.5kg can contains more malt extract so you can make a larger batch or use the same method here to make a richer beer. You can also buy 'pre-hopped' extract which will impart more of a hop flavor to your beer.
- Yeast. 1 tsp brewers' yeast. Note: some malt comes with little packets of yeast included.
- Sugar. 6 - 7 cups of regular white sugar, or 8 - 9 cups of corn sugar (preferred).

These ingredients should cost between $10.00-$15.00, which will in the end yield at least 65 bottles or cans of beer. The average 12 pack of beer costs around $10.00, which is about the price of these ingredients. That means your getting more than 5 times your money's worth! How trendy!

Brew

1. Pour 10 liters of fresh, cold water into the 10 gallon plastic pail (carboy). If the pail is new, wash it out first with a mixture of water and baking soda to remove the plastic smell.
2. In your largest pot, bring 7 liters of water to a boil.
3. Add one can of malt extract. Stir and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
5. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, pour contents into the carboy. Pour, or 'splash', the contents quickly, which adds air to the mixture. The more air the yeast get initially, the better. It allows them to rapidly grow and get things going.
6. Top up with bottled drinking water or tapwater until temperature is neutral. (If using tapwater, it is recommended to boil first to kill bacteria, or use an ultraviolet light water filter.) Test using a clean, sanitized thermometer. The carboy will now be a little more than half full.
7. Sprinkle in the yeast, and stir well. Cover with lid. (Set lid on loosely; if capped too tightly, a carboy can explode from the carbon dioxide gas that is produced.)

Keep covered and avoid unnecessary opening. The beer will be ready to bottle in 6- 10 days, depending on ambient temperature of the room and amount of sugar used in the brewing. Room temperature should be 20-24 Celsius at the highest; 16-20 Celsius is better but it will take the beer a day or two longer to ferment.

Test for readiness with a hydrometer. Set hydrometer into the beer and spin it once to release bubbles which cling to it and give a false reading. The "ready to bottle" reading should be about 1.008 for dark beers and 1.010-1.015 for light beers. If you don't have a hydrometer, you can judge readiness by tasting a sample - it should not be sweet tasting. There should be little or no bubbling action in the beer.

Bottle

Set the carboy on a sturdy table and the 12 2-liter bottles on the floor, with newspaper underneath to catch drips or overflows. Using a funnel, put 2 level teaspoons of sugar in each bottle.

Siphon the beer into the bottles, trying not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the carboy. (One method is to tape a plastic straw alongside the bottom end of the siphon hose with 1" projecting beyond the end. The tip of the straw can touch the bottom of the carboy without the siphon drawing up sediment.) Tip the carboy as you near the bottom.
It is important to not splash or agitate the beer too much when bottling as any oxygen introduced can lead to oxidation and a “cardboard” taste.

As you fill the bottles, keep the end of the siphon tube near the bottom of the bottle to avoid frothing. It is essential that the bottles ar not completely filled - leave an airspace. Screw the caps on tightly. Invert each bottle and shake to dissolve sugar on the bottom. Set bottles in a warm area for the first few days, then store in a dark, cool spot. You can drink the beer within a few days of bottling, but it will improve with age.

Scrumptious Recipes Using Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola will always be known as a cool, refreshing, soda-of-choice for many, and Pepsi rival for others. Back here in Pittsburgh from where we are writing this blog, it is currently 80 degrees outside and rising! Barbeque, swimming, and a nice refreshing drink are all I can focus on in this blistering heat! Speaking of bbq and Coca-Cola, I have always heard people talk about the mysterious, exotic taste that Coke can bring to your typical bbq dish, so I decided to explore. Lucky for you, I am going to share all of these yummy recipes...any HEY, even if your freezing your patootie off in sub-artic weather, these recipes will be sure to warm you up!



Your Typical Bbq, With Coca-Cola Flare

Prep Action:

Coca Cola Barbeque Sauce


Cook 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped cloves garlic in 2 tablespoons butter until soft.
Add: 2 c. catsup
6 oz. Coke
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Mustard
2 tbsp. Vinegar

Simmer 1 hour or until thick.

Appetizers

Baked Beans

3 cans pork & beans, drained
1 c. Coke
1 c. catsup
1/2 onion, chopped
2 slices bacon, cut up
1/4 c. sugar

Stir all together and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Pineapple Empanadas

6 c. flour
2 c. butter flavored Crisco
8 to 10 oz. Coke, at room temperature

FILLING
1 (16 oz.) jar pineapple preserves
4 to 5 tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar

Bring filling ingredients to boil. Mix flour and shortening together. Make sure shortening is well mixed. Add Coke, gradually mix well. Make dough into balls, according to the size of empanadas you want and press ball using a tortillera (tortilla press). Press around edges after filling has been added. Bake in ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees. Sugar the empanadas as soon as they are done. Yield: 4 dozen.

Main Courses

Brisket

1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 jar chili sauce
1 can regular Coke
1 lg. untrimmed brisket
Put brisket in roasting pan, fatty side up. In bowl, mix soup mix, chili sauce and Coke. Pour over brisket. Cover roaster and bake in 300 degree oven for at least 5 hours. Remove brisket from gravy and slice diagonally. Skim fat off gravy and serve as sauce for the meat.

Crock Pot Spare Ribs

2 to 3 lbs. country style spareribs (pork), fresh or frozen
1 c. ketchup
1 c. coke

Combine ketchup and cola. Place ribs in crock pot. Pour mixture over ribs. Cook 2 hours on high and at least 2 hours on low. May cook for several hours on low. Baste occasionally if desired. Serve with a side dish of cauliflower in cheese sauce.


Barbeque Wieners

10 oz. Coke
2 tbsp. Horseradish
1 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 pkg. Wieners

Mix. Cut wieners in bite size pieces. Bring to boil, then simmer, cover until sauce thickens, about 25-30 minutes.


Dessert

Cola Frizz

1 can Eagle brand milk
1 (12 oz.) Coke

Mix both ingredients together. Put in an ice tray and freeze overnight. Cut in squares and eat with a spoon.

Applesauce Brownies

2 sticks margarine
3 squares chocolate
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. applesauce
2 c. flour

Melt margarine and chocolate; add remaining ingredients. Bake in greased and floured oblong pan at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

FROSTING
1 stick margarine
3 tbsp. Cocoa
6 tbsp. Coke

Melt margarine; add cocoa and coke. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Add 1 box powdered sugar. Stir until smooth, then pour while hot over cake.

Food & Beer Pairings

Wine and food pairing is very popular these days, and is a simple way to impress your guests at a party. However, what about all the beer drinkers? Have we been left out of the world of pairing? Most people don't even consider pairing their beer and food selections, however it is a great way to compliment your lunch or dinner menu. Check out our custom choices, and explore the options!



Appetizers

Fried Food with Pilsner, Pale or IPA

Soups

French Onion with Strong red or Brown ale
Cream soups with Pilsner
Beef Stew or hearty soup with Porter

Salads

Caesar with Pilsner
Leafy Green with Brown Ale
Fruit with Fruit or Wheat

Poultry

Chicken with brown gravy with Nut Brown Ale
Fried chicken with white gravy with Oktoberfest
Turkey with Bock

Beef & Lamb

Porterhouse Steak with Porter
Prime Rib with Brown Ale
Herbed Lamb with ESB

Seafood

Crab or Lobster with Stout
Shrimp with Wheat
Fish with Pilsner
Oysters with Stout

Dessert

Chocolate with Oatmeal Stout
Cheesecake with Chocolate Stout
Ice Cream with Fruit Beer

The Truth Behind Ed Hardy

Here at Trendsetters, we sell Ed Hardy products. Everything from flasks, to neon signs, and cell phone covers, and do you know why? We love Ed Hardy, but several people today have turned their back on this brand due to the new portrayed image. When looking for definitions of Ed Hardy, some may have stumbled upon these...

"A douchebag brand NOT worn by hipsters. Ed Hardy consists of ridiculously low quality garments at a hideously jacked up price. No, people aren't jealous of Ed Hardy wearing Douchebags, they actually have better taste.

The average person who wears Ed Hardy probably thinks he's "hardcore" and the girls who wear them are Trendwhores. If you have an Ed Hardy shirt, True Religion Jeans or Rock and Republic or Juicy Couture, guess what? You are a douche. Please log off earth."

Well then...it's a good thing that we don't sell shirts. However, we want you to get to know the real Ed Hardy, that nobody bothers to even understand. We want to show you the true designer behind the clothing...Don Ed Hardy.



Did you know that the clothing and so called "expensive" clothing you see were actually not put out there by Ed Hardy himself? Christian Audigier licensed the rights to produce the Ed Hardy clothing line, which is based on Hardy's imagery. Prior to the Ed Hardy clothing line, Audigier was the Head Designer at Von Dutch Originals, which marketed the imagery of Kenny Howard. In fact, today Ed Hardy is focusing on print work, and painting rather than tattoo designs. It is a shame that society has forgotten that Don Ed Hardy is known worldwide for his paintings and intricate designs, along with tattoo work. Several now bash the brand, due to the once celebrities that were drawn to Ed Hardy clothing, that now attract virtually anyone. It is no longer exclusive, and people miss that.

However, here at Trendsetters, we still honor Ed Hardy! We know when to value someone's work, and even though were up to date with trends, we believe Ed Hardy's true work lives on.

You may know the Ed Hardy designs that are ever so popular such as "Love Kills Slowly," and the Geisha, but we bet you have never seen the designs featured below:

Trend Report: Iron Man & Marvel Comics

Have you seen the new Iron Man yet? Do you remember reading Marvel comics? Are you surprised by the recent uproar? We want your thoughts, rants, raves, reviews, and feedback on the new movie! Looking for Marvel comics gear? Check out www.trendsettersthestore.com for all of our gear!