Creped Filter Paper

I know the picture isn't much...this one was a hard one to photograph....but I love this product.  Sometimes you just need a light weight material to go over or under something...and this one does the trick.  I used it here to make this cute little gift card holder.  Brayered the filter paper pink!!!

Been busy working on my new business...historical outfits for the historical American Girl Dolls.  Here is my first model...Felicity or Lissie for short.  So that is what I have been up too latey...stay tuned for the Grand Opening of my Etsy shop.

There always seems to be people at the house...how can that be, the kids are all grown and gone.....so, I'm always on the lookout for snackey type foods!!!!  Here's a really good one!

Bean and Bacon Fiesta Dip

8 slices bacon

1-16 oz. can Refried Beans

1-4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained

1 c. frozen corn

1 can (15 0z.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 jar (16 oz) Thick & Chunky Salsa

6 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend

sour cream

corn tortillas

Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel.  Set 2 slices of bacon aside, crumble remaining.  Spray 8-inch square, microwavable dish with cooking spray.  In medium bowl, mix refried beans, green chilies, and crumbled bacon.  Spread mixture evenly in sprayed dish.  Sprinkle frozen corn and black beans evenly over refried bean mix.  Pour salsa over top.  Sprinkle cheese over salsa.  crumble remaining bacon over cheese. Microwave on high 10-15 Min.  until cheese is bubbly and mixture is heated.  Garnish with spoonfulls of sour cream and serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!

Baby Bundle

Baby Bundle, Wood-#118525 $27.95, Clear-#120576 $19.95

I love this set. We used it to make the announcements, and favors and decorations for my Grandson, Samual's baby shower.  Great to have on hand for those last minute baby cards, and gifts!

Our projects at Stampin' Friends stamp day this past month, was Spring...so here is my project. Trying to use up some of the newly discontinued papers.

These are some of the projects that other's brought to do!  Love the little birdie one....that punch is great!

Today is May 1st, but here in Colorado, it is snowy, blustery and cold....a good soup day.  Here is a great potato soup recipe, that is super easy, and oh, so yummy!

Loaded "Baked Potato" Soup

1 lb. baking potatoes (about 2), cubed

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken broth

1 cup milk

3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 green onion, sliced and divided

1/4 cup sour cream

Microwave potatoes in large microwavable bowl on High 5 min. stirring after 2-1/2 min.  Stir in broth and milk.  Microwave 10 min.  stirring after 5.  Carefully crush potatoes with potato masher.  Reserve 2 Tbl. each, bacon, and cheese, and 1 Tbl. onions for topping.  Stir remaining bacon, cheese and onion into soup.  Serve topped with reserved bacon, onions, cheese, and sour cream.  What could be easier on a cold and snowy day!!!  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!

Tea for Two Designer Fabric

One day we have snow, the next it's in the 70's....springtime in Colorado!!!!  Ya gotta love it, never a dull moment!!!!  Today it is beautiful out...and should be for the next 5 days...starting to think about planting the garden....Steven needs to get the new raised beds set in the ground, and filled with soil!!!!  Can't wait to get fresh tomatoes!!!!

Yum....isn't this fabric yummy, I love the colors.....so summery.  Can't wait to make doll dresses out of the Coral and Pool Party prints.  Wouldn't the pinwheels make a cute doll quilt?

My Dowline Group does a swap each month....and this is the card I got from Karen....I love it!!!  Very stylish!!!!

This is the swap card I did for our Stampin' Friends April get together.....We had a Spring-time Theme....and I just love this paper from Sale-a-Bration....

And here are some of the swap cards I got!!!!  I love the look of Black and Yellow together....this one is so whimsical!!!  And the rose card is stunning!!!!

Here's a really easy chicken recipe....I love good food, but I love easy even more!!  I need to start taking pictures of these recipes....

Chicken & Rice

2 boxes wild rice mix

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, undrained

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, undrained

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place both boxes of rice in bottom of ungreased roaster, with cover.  Sprinkle on of the seasoning packets over rice.  Lay chicken over rice.  Pour mushrooms and oranges with juice over chicken.  Sprinkle with second seasoning packet.  Add water according to package directions to cover rice. Cover and bake 1 hour and 40 min.  Remove cover and bake an additional 20 min.  Easy Peasy...and super yummy!!!  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!!

Pretty Postage and Color Changes!!!!

The above chart is the new color line-up for 2013-2014.  Sad to see some colors go, but loving that they are keeping some of the old In-Colors.  Now is the time to order paper and re-inkers....as when these are gone...they are gone!  Contact me today, and we will get them for you.  I do know that the Not Quite Navy paper is gone, as are the Certainly Celery re-inkers.

Pretty Postage, Wood # 123095, $11.95, Clear # 123097, $8.95

This is a great little set, especially if you are new to stamping.  These images fit the Postage Stamp Punch....so you have quick little accent pieces that you can make up to use on your cards and projects.

I fell in love with a similar card in the Annual Catalog, and since I love our ribbon, and love sewing...it just all came together.  Just love the look of the ribbon sewn to the cardstock.   

Going thru my mail box....here's a great little card from Marion!!!!  Love that grass stamp!!!

Haven't done much beading lately....this is my latest creation....a little out of my comfort zone...but I saw one similar to it...and this is what I came up with.  Kinda like it.  Check it out on my Etsy shop... https://www.etsy.com/shop/ladystamp  Now to make a bracelet and earrings!!!  

Here's a great recipe to try for the weekend....love Chicken A La King!!!!

Chicken Crescent-Topped Chicken A La King

Casserole:

2 TBl. butter

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 C. carrot strips, 

1 1/2 C, fresh green beans

1 C.  thin red pepper strips

1/2 C sliced green onions

1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp.  salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 3/4 C. Chicken broth

3/4 C milk

1/4 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

Topping:

1 (8 oz.) crescent dinner rolls

1 egg white, beaten

2 Tbl. grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 375 F. In large skillet, melt 2 TBL butter, over med-high heat.  Add chicken, cook and stir 3 min.  Add carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and onions, cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off.  Add flour, Italian seasoning, salt, & pepper to skillet.  Stir in broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Stir in 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese.  spoon into ungreased 2 1/2 qt. oval casserole.  Separate dough into 8 triangles.  Starting at short side of triangle, roll each triangle up halfway, sprinkle with 2 tabl. Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 F for 15-20 min. until golden brown.  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!

Paper Doilies

Paper Doilies, #129399, $2.95

Anyone who know's me know's how much I love the BoHo, Chabby Chic' look.  These doilies sure do make life easier.  I have a ton of large doilies...but these smaller ones are really hard to find!  Here's a card we did for a class awhile back....

Naomi was our teacher at last months Inkslingers meeting...and we made these gorgeous envelope journals....I need to rebind mine...just realized my back cover is on backwards....

I love the BoHo look, not sure if I will keep this one or use it as a gift!!!!  Lots of pockets for lots of "things"!!

Cleaned off my desk and found some more mail box cards!!!

Thank You from Karen B.Love the embossing, and the flowers are so delicate!

Another Thank you from Karen B.  My favorite tree set!!!

And a Halloween card ...also from Karen B.  

And now, for a super, yummy salad recipe.....

Grilled Chicken Salad with Basil Dressing

1/2 C. pesto
3 Tbl. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 tsp.  Italian seasoning
8 C. mixed greens red onion, chopped
8 plum tomatoes, quartered
8-oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
Preheat grill.  In a bowl, combine pesto, yogurt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Rub chicken with 1/4 tsp pepper and Italian seasoning.  Grill over medium for 6 min, or until no longer pink.  Cool, slice.  In a mixing bowl, combine greens, onion, tomatoes, and cheese.  Add Chicken.  Toss with dressing and serve.  Wnjoy, an Bon Apetite!!!!

Thoughts & Prayers

Thoughts &; rayers, Wood # 113252, $25.95, Clear #127805, $18.95

It's a little hard to see this set...it's one of the ones that they did, using one block for 2 stamps....so it makes it a little hard...but I just love the tree and flower stamps in this set....it is a great Sympathy set....but also a great all around set!!!!  as you can see....this is a much loved set!

Here's an extra card I found that I had made up using stuff out of the Holiday Catalog...I think that is my all time favorite Catalog!!!! This may be next years Christmas card!!!!

Here are a few cards that we did as projects at Phyllis' this past month.  Love the Sesame Street ones!!!!  And they are just so dang easy!!!!

Been big into baking lately....I'm just not usually a pie person...but have made some killer ones lately!!!  Here is a really good Pecan Apple one....

Caramel-Pecan-Apple Pie

Crust

1 box refrigerated Pie crust , softened

Filling

6 C.  thinly sliced, peeled apples(@6 medium)

3/4 C. sugar

2 Tbl. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbl. lemon juice

Topping

1/3 C. caramel topping

2-4 Tbl. chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 425 F. Make pie crust as directed on box for 2-crust pie using a 9" glass plate.
2. In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients, spoon into crust.  Top with 2nd crust, seal edges and flute. Cut slits or shpes in severl places on top of pie.  Cover edge with 2-3" wite strips of foil, and femove during last 15 minutes.
3. Bake 40-45 min or until apples are tender and crust is brown.  Immediatly after removing pie from oven, drizzle caramel topping and sprinkle with pecans.  Cool at least 2 hours.  Enjoy and Bon Appetit!!!  

Thought I's show you the project I've been working on the past few weeks....

It was supposed to be larger...but first I couldn't find a piece of Aida cloth large enough without ordering it, and them after I got it all done, couldn't find a ling skinny frame big enough...so, thee is a whole section after the welcome, that I will have to make a paper weight out of.  I like the way  it came out! 

5/8" Flower Trim

5/8" Flower Trim  #126869, $6.95  2 yds.

I love this Flower Trim....use it on lots of cards and projects.  Great for the Vintage and Chabby Chic look.  You can change the color by either soaking the flowers in a dye bath of warm water and a few drops of our re-inkers, or make up a mixture of  a few drops of re-inker in one of the spritzers filled with alcohol, and sprits them(this is my favorite...colors are a little more vibrant!!!!)  You get a ton of flowers in 2 yards!!!!

Our theme for our Stamp Day get together was Spring, or Baby.....this is my project ...I love the embossed background!!!!

And here are some of the swap cards!  Love the Black and White theme!!!!  I'm totally lovin' the little elephant!

Made these Chicken Kebabs a while back....can't wait till we will be grillin' again full time!  I've been saving recipes all winter!!!!

Lime Chicken Kebabs with Mango Salsa

2 limes

1 1/2 C. diced mango

1/4 C. diced red bell pepper

2 sliced scallions

2 TBL. chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. salt

1/2 stp. black pepper

3 Tbl. olive oil

6 boneless , skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 red onion cut into wedges

2 orange bell peppers cut into wedges

Preheat grill.  Squeeze juice from 1 lime , cut other into wedges.  In a bowl, mix mango, red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, ginger, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp, pepper, and 1/2 Tbs. lime juice.  Refrigerate.  In a large bowl, stir 1 Tbl. lime juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. and olive oil.  Add chicken and marinate for 10 min.  Alternate chicken and vegetables on skewers.  Gill over medium for 10 minutes,  Serve with salsa and lime wedges.  Yummy!!!  Bon Apetite!!!