Spring Cleaning

OK...Look quick...don't sneeze, don't know how long this will last, but those of you that have been in my Studio....you know what this usually looks like!!! Well....had a bit of a cleaning frenzy this weekend...and my shelves and counters are...CLEAN!!!!

Steven hauled 3 black trash bags out, that he was saying not so nice things about, under his breath...ya, I heard ya!!!!  Drawers are next!!!  And here is what is left of 5 shelves of stamp sets, after I weeded out the discontinued sets....OH...MY!!!! 

Way Too busy Weekend!!!

Have our Dinner for Eight dinner at our home tonight.  Going the easy route and grilling up Chicken.  Started marinating it last night, just put it in the oven to pre-cook.  Steven will grill it up after that, will wrap it up and keep it warm in the oven.  As hostess, we're only responsible for the Main course, but we always seem to be short munchies....so I made up a 3 cheese dip....will see how it is. 

Here's some card pictures.  First one is the project we did for Stamper's 10 this month. 

This was the technique card, and the technique was, Distressed Acrylic.  Really great look, especially if you are going for that Chabby Chiche look.  You paint a really thin layer of Acrylic paint onto your cardstock and let dry.  Then run it thru one of the embossing folder in your Big Shot.  Sand down a bit with the sanding block.  Then sponge a contrasting ink, and wipe with a damp paper towel. 

These were 2 cards that we did as project cards for our Stamp get together at my home earlier this month. 

Getting behind in recipes....was cleaning out the fridge last week....had a few odd vegetables I wanted to get used up...so decided to roast them up. 

Vegetable Roast

2 cups broccoli florets

1 lg. red bell pepper cut into 1-in. squares

1 cup turnip, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/c cup onion, diced

1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425.  In a shallow, heavy roasting pan, combine vegetables.  Whisk vinegar and oil, and pour over vegetables, tossing to coat.  Pour chicken broth around vegetables.  Add thyme.  Roast for about 30 min.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!...Bon Apetite!!!  

Stamp Out Boring Mail!

I have a wall cabinet full of stamps about stamping.....thought I'd pull one out now and then and put them up here....some are pretty fun!!!  I like this one....it's what it's all about!!!!

Discontinued Stamps and Accessories....

Be sure and check out the lists...you can find them on the sidebar....They will continue to make the stamps, so we shouldn't run out of any of those, but accessories, once they are gone...they are gone!!!!  So order them now!  I have been cleaning out my office, have all the Sets pulled from my shelves....can't sell them till after June 1, and I will be doing my RMI Yard Sale again this year ...but it is on the 2nd of June....so I will have all the stamp sets out for you to look at, and will tag them for you , if you want any of them, just can't take your $$$until June 1.  Will let you know more about all of that when it gets closer!  I will also have my Open house in June, and will have all that I have for sale out in my studio, like past years...will have more info on all that later.

You should see my shelves though!!!! I have 111 sets discontinuing, and only 67 sets left!!!!  Had 5 shelves of sets, am down to 1 1/2 shelves...so lots of room for samples!!!  Haven't even thought about accessories!!!!

Getting behind in my recipes, here is the desert I made for last weeks stamp day....it was yummy!!!!  Steven wanted me to make it for one of the things we have this weekend...but I have a few more new ones I want to try!!!!

Fluffy Lemon-Raspberry Treat

Recipe from Kraft

1 roll (16.5oz) Refrigerated sugar cookies

1 bag (12oz) white vanilla baking chips (2 cups)

1 cup frozen raspberries thawed

1-1lb. container lemon creamy ready to spread frosting'

1-8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. lemon extract

1-8 oz container Cool Whip

1 tsp vegetable oil

1-Heat oven to 35-.  Grease 13x9-inch pan with shortening.  In pan, break up cookie dough; press even in bottom to form crust.

2-Bake 13-18 Min.  until golden brown.  Immediately sprinkle with 1 cup of baking chips, let stand 5 min.  then spread evenly over crust.  Cool completely, about 30 min.

3-In small bowl, stir 1/2 cup of the raspberries with a fork until broken up, and slightly mashed, refrigerate.  In large bowl, beat frosting, cream cheese, and lemon extract on med.-high for 2 min.  Fold in Cool Whip, refrigerate.

4- Spread mashed raspberries over cooled crust.  Place in freezer 15 min.  Spread frosting mixture over raspberries, refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

To serve, in small bowl mash remaining raspberries with fork.  spread this over frosting mixture.  In a resealable sandwich bag, place remaining chips and oil, and heat for 10 second intervals, squeezing to mix between times, until melted and smooth.  Clip small hole in corner of bag and drizzle over top of dessert. Cut into 24 squares.  Enjoy!!! Bon Appetite!!!!

Here's one more of the Candy Treat holders I did for this months Stamper 10 as a sample...this is my favorite one!!!!

And here are 2 more swaps from this months get together. 

Monday, Monday!!!

Another busy Monday....yikes!  Had my Funky Flowers Class yesterday.  I have a few kits of leftover supplies for the project, I am putting together, so watch for me to post those!!!!  Had dinner at our daughter Kris' last night, Dale smoked up a beef roast, was it yummy!!!! So today, I'm playing catch up!!!!  Went grocery shopping this morning...is it me, or have prices skyrocketed!!!!!  Can't wait for the garden to start producing....need to work on emptying the freezer so we can fill it up with fresh stuff!!!! 

Here's one of the projects we did Friday night at Stamper's 10.  Have decided to do more 3-D projects...will always do a card...but more fun things.  This month was little treat holders...complete with ... chocolate!!!!

Will post the extra project I did as a sample tomorrow...it is even cuter!

And 2 more Swaps from Aprils stamping get together.....

Steven has an inspection in Pueblo tomorrow....so I'm tagging along for the ride, so he doesn't have to drive so far alone....and then I get to eat lunch out with him!!!!  Fun!!!!

Don't forget to check out the Simply Scored Diagonal Scoring Tool on the left sidebar....besides the Big Shot...this is my favorite, and most used tool right now!!!!

Busy Weekend....

I love being busy, but this is a bit crazy, the whole weekend is busy.  I need a day from my days off!!!  Had my Stamper's 10 gals over last night...and I did snacks since our hostess was a long distance person...hey KC.  Made a dip that was so easy, and so yummy, have been nibbling on leftovers all day.

TACO DIP

1 Cup  mayonnaise

1 Cup sour cream

1-2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning ( depending on how spicy you like it!)

Mix all ingredients together and let chill for at least 1 hour.  Serve with Chips, or vegi's.

I'm doing a few new things at my Stamper's 10 meetings, and the hostess gets a gift of a stepped up version of one of our projects, like I do with Workshop Hostesses.  Here is this months gift, a little treat box, complete with .... Chocolate!!!

They are really cute....well off to make dinner, then they want to watch a movie!!!!

Trying Wednesday...New Class....Sneek Peek!!!

Sorry I didn't get posted yesterday....it was a trying day with our Internet being down all day.  We were having it upgraded so that it would be faster, and they took us down ALL....Day.  Then when it finally was able to connect...it was slower then molasses.  It finally seems to be better today.  I did get Classes worked on, and a new Class Brochure done, so in that, it was a good day!!!

New Class....  Create Your Own Texture Plates Class

You're thinking about purchasing the Big, Shot, or maybe you've had one for a while...now what do you do?..  Learn how to make your own custom Texture Plates.  You will make 2 plates to take home, and 4 cards and a pencil holder using plates I have made. 
Date:  Monday, May 21, 2012
Time: 6:30-9:30
Cost $15.00

And now for a Sneek Peek for our Stamper's 10 Club tomorrow night.

 

I will post the rest of the pictures on Saturday!!!!

Retired Stamps.....Oh My!!!

 

Sorry I  didn't get this posted yesterday...one of those days....where I was busy all day, got lots done, but nothing that I had planned on.  Started putting this up last night, and couldn't for the life of me get it saved off of the Stampin' Up! site, in a format that I could get onto my Blog....so I just now, Printed it out, scanned it, saved it as a JPEG...and that made the Blog program happy!!!  If these are hard to read,  you can go http://204.228.150.61/docs/lastchance/en-US/RetiredStamps_0412_en-US.pdf  and you should be able to see it better!!!  So many stamps going.....Now I'm getting very excited about the new catalog coming out!!!  You can order these until May 31...but don't wait till the last minute...sometimes it is impossible to get into the web site on the last day, due to high volume!!!! And I would hate to miss out!!! 

Made a super, super yummy chocolate cake for Sunday's lunch.....Unfortunately forgot to take a picture of it...picture a chocolate bundt cake with a rich chocolate glaze!!!

Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix (I like Duncan Hines Devils Food)

1 cup Sour Cream

1 4-serving size box or Instant Chocolate Pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

3 cups Cool Whip

1 box (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1-1/2 cups raspberries(can use frozen)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease 12 cup  fluted tube pan or 10 inch tube pan.  Beat all engredients except Cool Whip, Chocolate and raspberries with an electric mixer on low speed, just until moistened.  Beat on medium speed 2 min. scrapping bowl occasionally.  Pour into prepared pan.

2.  Bake 50 min. to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted neat center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 min.  Loosen cake from side of pan with a knife or metal spatula and gently remove cake.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Place on serving plate.

3.  Microwave Cool Whip, and chocolate, in a microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each min.  Drizzle over cake.  You may spoon raspberries into center...I like mine in a bowl on the side  (I'm a chocolate cake purist!!!!)

Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!!

And of course I had to share some more swaps from Sunday....such wonderfully talented Ladies!!!!

 This is such a wonderful Die...by Memory Box....good male or female card!!!!

Love this butterfly Die...so elegant!!!!

Simple but so pretty!!!!  Love the colors!!!!

I love hearing what you all think...so drop me a comment below....or e-mail me at ladystamp1@msn.com

Fun Stampin' Sunday

Today was my Stamping Group at my house.....started with a yummy lunch.  Forgot to take pictures of the food.....but will post some of the recipes.  Here is the Tortilla Soup that is uber easy to make!!!!  We had a good sized group....nice to see everyone!....

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

1-15 oz. can corn, drained

2-14 oz. cans chicken broth

1-10 oz. can chicken

1-15 oz. can black beans

1-10 oz.  can diced tomatoes with green chile

Open cans.  Pour everything into large stock pan.  Simmer over medium heat till heated through.  Serve with corn chips and grated cheese....yummy!!!!  Enjoy!!!!   Bon Apetite

And I can't forget to put some of the swaps on here...they were superb!!!!

  

This one was my swap....it opens like a regular card...but also has 2 pockets on the front for your tags....great for a gift card!!!

Great Men's card!!!  Never have enough of these!!!

 

And what would we do without a Fluffels card!!!!  More tomorrow.

I Feel Like Martha Stewart

Spent the day cookin' up a storm, for tomorrows Stamping Friends day at my home.....Cake is baked, just need to put the glaze on it, but will wait till tomorrow....don't want it to get soggy!!!  Enchilladas are made, will bake tomorrow.  Tortilla Soup is put together, will heat up tomorrow.  Salad is made, Just need to slice up the melon.  For dinner tonight I made a Mexican Lasagne....it was yummy...a little spicy...hope I don't pay for it tomorrow...but Nick and Steven really loved it.  

 The recipe was from one of our RMI pot lucks...I think it was Joyce's recipe.  I changed it up a little.

Mexican Lasagne

1 can Cream Mushroom Soup

1 can Cream Chicken Soup

2 cans Salsa(7 oz.) Green Chili Salsa

1 dozen Tortilla's cut into 1" strips

3-4 cups cubed cooked Chicken

2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese

Black Olives

Combine soups and Salsa.  Grease a 9 x 13" pan.  Layer tortilla strips, chicken, sauce, cheese and olives.  Ending with Cheese.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 until brown.  Allow to cool 5 min. before cutting .  Can be frozen before cooking.  

I will put the recipes for the cake and soup up tomorrow.  There was half of this left-over, so we will be having this tomorrow also!!!! 

Finished up another Bracelet....

 Had a bunch of beads left-over so thought I'd use them up!!!!

Quiet Thursday

Or at least quieter then the thunder last night.  WE sure did get rain last night...thought we would wash away....but we needed it...overflowed the birdbath!!!!

No new project pictures, although I am finally working on the last project for my class....WooHoo!!! 

Do have a yummy, yummy recipe to share though.....you are gonna want to make this one for sure!

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs. sweet potatoes

1 C. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. maple extract

1 tsp. vanilla

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch slices.  In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with water and boil until just tender; drain and keep warm.  In a small saucepan, combine apple juice concentrate and cornstarch.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in sugar, butter, maple extract and vanilla until blended.  Pour glaze over potatoes in serving bowl and toss gently, 8 servings.  

I cooked  up  some Italian Sausage and peppers and onions, and we also had some Easter leftover green beans....so, so yummy.....Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!!!  

Wet Wednesday....

Has been blustery all day....but it was actually RAINING this afternoon!!!  Smells nice and Earthy!!!!  Had my Business Women's Networking meeting this morning...turned in my registration...looks like a very good group!!!  Will have to bring some cards next meeting...some people have a problem visualising what I do.  No new pictures...although I am almost done my May class....so will post those as soon as I get it done. 

If you are not familiar with the Big Shot, check out the video on the left....it is my favorite Stampin' Up! tool.  So much you can do with it...and this next class will open up more possibilities. 

It's Tuesday!!!!

Had my Red Hat Day today....sorry...didn't take pictures.  We went to Frankies Two for lunch.   I had a wonderful bowl of Chicken Corn Chowder and a salad. Yumm!!!!  Dee 1 and Dee 2 were our hostesses...and we had some great doorprises.  I won the Sock door prize...which paid for my lunch...Wonderful!!!!  Dee made yummy Red Velvet Cupcakes. 

New catalog time is approaching fast!!!  If you need a current catalog, contact me, I still have a few...and if you want to be put on the list for the new catalog....contact me, as I am getting ready to Pre-order them!!!  I can't wait for the new catalog!!! 

Monday, Monday!!!!

Hope that you all had a Glorious Easter and Passover!!!!  The weather here in Colorado was beautiful as we celebrated with our girls and their families.

Saturday I got to spend the day with my Downline Karen...as we had our quarterly get together.  After a yummy lunch....we stamped and played and shared!!!!

Here is the little Easter Treat that we made for our project.  They came out so cute!!!

Don't forget to check out the upcoming events....Either click above on Calendar/Events above, or the Calendar on the sidebar.  Craftin' Bee is coming up along with the Funky Flowers Class, and it must be registered for by 4/15, as I need to order the Kits.

Windy Day!!!!

Oh, My, Gosh....the wind did blow today....oh my aching head!!!! 

The stack on my desk continues to grow....but still can't show them...but can do a Sneek Peak!!!

This will be the Project that we do at my Downline Meeting tomorrow.  Along with a yummy lunch, door prizes, recognitions...etc....we have a fun time.  Anyone thinking of becoming a Demonstrator, is welcome to join us!!!!  Just let me know.  We are a fun group. 

Also check out the FREE trial offer of My Digital Studio ...Click up top on the Free 30 Day Trial of My Digital Studio, and e-mail me if you have any questions!!!

Quick Post...and a Recipe

Steven had an inspection in Pueblo, yesterday, and no sooner got home and got another one for today.  So I decided to ride down with him, cause it is such a boring drive. (and I can always get a lunch from that!!!!)  Got home and Nick walked in.  He had a phone interview for an intern job...and wanted it to be quiet....so he came home, then ran over to say HI to the people he did his internship last summer.  He's thinking of taking the Fall off and doing a Co-Op, for the experience....so we shall see....

So I didn't get much stamping done today.  Wanted something light for dinner, so tried a new Chicken Salad recipe. So I made it up with some Cole Slaw....it was yummy.  Good summertime recipe...think we will need some cool ones like this!!!! 


                                                                  Chicken Salad

2 Cups diced cooked chicken(skinned before cooking, and cooked without salt.)
1 Cup finely chopped celery
3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2/3 Cup chopped onion
1 TBL. chopped pimiento
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
Lettuce leaves

1-Combine first 8 ingredients; stir well.  Cover and chill.
2- Serve on lettuce leaves. 

Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!!

Also check the Free Tutorial link up at the top.  I took all the past Tutorials and put them in one place so that you can access them easily!!!!

Mid Week!!!

Well, I have a big ole' stack of projects to post on my desk, but they are all for events that haven't happened yet...and I don't want to spoil the surprise, so you will have to wait!  Let's see...I know...I thought I had posted this after my Networking Meeting last week, and looking back, I never did, so this is the little treat holder I made, or what I had left, I did 30 or them.

They were a big hit...everyone wanted one, and they had my business information in them....so that was good!!!  I'm thinking of joining this group, I think they will be a good fit!

Don't forget that the Mini Catalog is only good thru the end of this month.  You can click on the Mini on the sidebar to see if there is anything that you can't live without!!!! 

Snow Day!!!!

After putting up with the WIND, all night long...woke to snow...Yuck!!!!!  Had planned on going to Sam's, and thought we would postpone till tomorrow, but by 11:00, the roads were just wet, so we did head on over.  First to Home Depot, for more primer, and spray texture.  Upstairs guest room is painted, but now Steven wants to do the area in the Breakfast Nook that he closed off the door to the pantry.  I think having Dinner for 8 hosted at our house has him looking a little more critically at the house...guess I will have to schedule company more often!!!  Then on to Office Depot for some business supplies, and then to Sam's.  By then it was lunch time...so had some Pizza and Hot Dogs.  Where else can you feed 2 adults for under $5.00?.  Guess they have to, cause I never get out of there for under $200. 

Here are the last 2 Swaps from Inkslingers:

Not sure who did this one, but it sure is a nice Springy card!!!

Leatha did this one....getting us in the mood for summer!!!!

Since it was windy and cold all day, thought I'd do a stew like dinner....and had all the fixin's for this.  It's from a pot luck we did for Inkslingers last year.  This is Carol's Recipe, with a few changes per me!!!  Steven, who is not real crazy about anything with beans in it, thought it was pretty tastey!!!

Carol's Bean Creation

1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Navy Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 can Northern Beans
2 cans diced Italian Tomatoes
2 Chicken Breasts, diced

Saute a couple of slices of onion and garlic in Olive Oil.  Add Chicken and cook till no longer pink.  Add drained beans  and tomatoes, simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese, and we had corn muffins to go with it...Yumm!!!  Enjoy and Bon Appetite!!!!

Finished up the bracelet to the Necklace I posted a while back, last night...

 Simple but nice...now I just need to do the earrings to the set.  Check it out on my Etsy Shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/ladystamp 

Baby...It's Cold Out There!!!!

The Temperatures have been ramping up and up...yesterday it was in the 80's......well, today it will be lucky to get to 40.  It is cold and blustery out there....just awful, and we're supposed to get snow tonite...Yuck!!!!

Here's a few more cards I got from the swap at Inkslingers last week.

 This is just the sweetest card.....just like it says!  I think Cindy did this one....

Not sure who did this one....but I'm lovin' the pleated ribbon!!!!

Thought I'd post a recipe....I love any vegetable creamed, and came across this creamed spinach recipe...so of course I had to try it...it was yummy!  Steven even liked it and he doesn't like cooked spinach!!!

Creamed Spinach
3 C. water
2 (10-oz.) containers fresh baby spinach
2 TBL. butter
2 TBL. flour
1 C. milk
2 TBL. grated Parmesan Cheese
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Ground nutmeg, to taste

Bring water to boil in a large dutch oven.  Add Spinach.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered. about 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.  Drain well; set aside.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Stir in flour; cook over medium-low heat 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Using a wire wisk, stir in milk.  Bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring constantly, 1-2 minutes, until mixture thickens.  Sir in cheese and pepper.  Stir spinach into sauce, and heat throroughly.  Spoon into serving bowl, sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.  Yumm...Enjoy-Bon Apetite!!!

Creamed Spinach

 

Busy Weekend

Was a very busy weekend, sorry I didn't get to post yesterday.  Started off the day, headin' up to a small  Stamp Show up in Denver with Kim and Laura...we had a very fun Girl's day!!!  Stayed at the show about an hour and then off to Ikea.  Kim and Laura had never been...so it was a fun trip.  I was so excited, as I found that they had the Kitchen Cabinets that I want in the full line now...so you can guess where I am draggin' Steven up to!!!  Then after we were totally exhausted from all of that, we headed over to Cheescake Factory for lunch.....yumm!!!!  I had the most heavenly Creamed Chicken Soup, and then for dessert....Red Velvet Cheescake.  Died and went to Heaven!!!!

Got home to find that Nick had gotten his Engine all back together and they had started it up and it runs great....I was so happy, was worried about that one, but he did great!!!!

Then off to Daughter Kris, for Granddaughter Abbey's B-day BBQ.  Yumm...think I had enough to eat yesterday!

So today is catch up day.  Straightened up the house, then paid Bills..yuck!!!  Now I'm off to work in my office.

Here are pictures of the projects we did at Inkslingers last week.

This one didn't travel home too well in my bag...but it is a great little Tea Light holder!

This is a great little bookmark...the funny thing is I had just worked out the supplies to do a similar one for my May Stamper's 10....Naomi, you did a great job!

Lastly, this my swap card for the Inkslingers swap this month.  Came out really cute.  The cone is the Pennant Punch, run thru the Lattice Die....Makes it look just like a Sugar Cone.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the New catalog Pre-Order...Click on the picture at the top of the page!!!