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!!!  

Sweets for the Sweet

Sweets for the Sweet  Wood #122510 $25.95, Clear 122512 $18.95

Fun, summertimey set....love all the thing you can do with this!!!!  And now we have the Pinwheel die....goes with this so well!!!!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending time with a great group of ladies, as we stamped the day away.   WE get together once a month, I call them my power stampers!!!!  It was a snowey day so we stamped and ate....ate too much!!!!  Thanks Phyllis for hosting.  We usually do a swap...and this month's theme was Black and White.  Here is my card...you've seen it before...it was one of the ones I did in the Black & White Class a few months ago...but I love this card....so simple, but elegant!!!!  You can't pick up on the Big Shot embossing...in the scan....but it makes a very pretty card. 

Here are some of the cards I got as swaps...

Made this up the other night....sometimes, I just love having breakfast foods at dinner time....but these are good for b-fast also!!!! 

Breakfast Burrito

4 large eggs

1/2 lb. Chorizo Sausage , browned

1/4 C. green pepper

1/2 C. Cheddar Cheese

4 Tbls. Salsa

4 medium tortilla

Spray a fry pan with non stick spray and heat on medium burner.  Brown sausage and green pepper in skillet, drain excess grease.  Beat eggs with fork till fluffy, add eggs to sausage and peppers.  Stir gently until eggs are almost set, turn burner off.  Sprinkle cheese and salsa evenly on top of eggs, cover to melt cheese.  Evenly divide among 4 warm tortillas, roll and serve.  Enjoy, and Bon Apetite!!!!

Oval Collection Framelits Dies

Ovals Collection Framelits Die #129381, $26.95

I kept saying....Stampin' Up! needs to make an oval framelit die...and guess what....I think they heard me....because this one is great.  Not only for cutting out ovals....but it goes with many of our shapes in our stamp sets.....Thanks Stampin' Up!  

Finished up the sample cards for the Black & White and a Splash of Color Class next month.  It will be on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00.  Cost is $16.00 and we will make 5 cards with envelopes.  Love these cards!!!! 

These are the last of the stack of projects on my desk....I have a Technique Class tomorrow, and will post what we did after, along with my swap and project for Sunday's Stamp Day at Phyllis'.  The top card was done by Leatha, not sure who did the bottom one....but great cards!  Still have a basket full of projects on my desk....but I think it is under control now!!! 

I love dessert pizza's....and this one is yummy!!!!

Strawberrry Pizza

Crust:
2 sticks butter
1/2 C. powdered sugar
2 C. flour
Glaze:
1 pt. strawberrires
4 Tbl. cornstarch
4 Tbl. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1tsp. red color
1 C. sugar
Filling:
1 (8oz.) cream cheese
1 C. powdered sugar
90 oz. cool whip
Topping:
1 pt. strawberries, washed and sliced
Cool Whip
Crust:  Mix soft butter with flour and sugar until blended.  Pat into greased pan...14" with sides.
Prick with fork.  Bake 15-20 min, at 350. Cool
Glaze:  Blend or puree all.  Cook over medium heat till thick.  Cool
Filling:  Beat cram cheese and sugar.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread on crust.  Spread glaze.  Layer strawberries.  Top with Cool Whip.  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!! 

Create a Cupcake

Create a Cupcake Wood # 121915 $22.95, Clear #121982 $16.95

This is a great set to have on hand....who doesn't have tons of birthday cards to send out!!!  I know I do with cousins, and Aunts and Uncles, and siblings, nephews and nieces, and children!!!!  There isn't a week that goes by that I don't send a b-day card!!!
 
These were the Seasonal Ornaments that we made in Class on Saturday...you missed a good one if you weren't here.  Next class will be on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00....Black and White and a Splash of Color.  I will post pictures as soon as I have all the proto's done!!!! This class is similar to the Black & White class I did last year....which was loads of fun!!!  Great cards!!!

Here's some cards that we did for the Stamper's 10 in March.....

 The Pinwheel card is such a fun card...and super easy!!!!

Steven and I have been trying to eat as healthy as possible as of late.  I did a craft fair last fall, and the booth next to me was a gal who had written a book on low carb cooking.  I bought it as that was where we were trying to go.  It is a great little book.  Breakfasts to me are boring...and I need them to be quick to make.  I'm not much of a smoothie person....but there are protein smoothies in the book that are great...and they stick with me till lunch!!!!  Here's the Strawberry one:

Fresh Fruit - Strawberry Smoothie

Place 4 large ice cubes in blender, blend on high till crushed.  Add 1/3C cold water, 1 scoop protein powder (I use vanilla Slim Fast), and 1/2 C. frozen Blueberries.  Blend on high for at least 2 minutes.  The longer you blend...the thicker it gets.....I like mine a bit thinner, so I usually add a little more water.  Enjoy, and Bon Apetite!!!

Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper

Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper #127540

                                                              

Those that know me, know I love paper...and this paper is just so special.  It is part of the Sale-a-Bration picks....and Sale-a-Bration ends on March 22....so you do need to get it now if you want it.  I have time to do one more evening workshop, or a book party, or you can place an order of $50 and get it free also!!! The paper is a great omen of Summer to come!!!  I just love it!!!!

Our theme for our swaps at last  month's Inkslingers was "Green"....and this was my swap....I love monochromatic cards....and we are doing it again this month with "Yellow".  Another fun card!!!!

Here are 4 more of the swap cards from Inkslingers....I love the variety!!!!  Theresa did the one in front, Carol's is on the left, and not sure who did the other 2.  But great cards!!! 

Here's another yummy pork recipe...very tender!!!!

Cuban Pork Roast

1 C. lime juice

1 C. orange juice

10 cloves garlic

4 tsp. gr. cumin

2 tsp. dried thyme

2 T. fresh cilantro, minced

4 bay leaves

1 (3 lb.) boneles pork roast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a bowl combine juices, garlic, cumin, and herbs; mix well.  Pour half the marinade into a zip-lock type bag, add pork.  Seal bag and turn to coat, refrigerate for 2 hours.  Refrigerate remaining marinade.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Drain and discard marinade from pork.  Place roast in an ungreased 9 X 3-inch baking dish.  Pour reserved marinade over roast, season with salt and pepper.  Cover and bake for 1 hour.  Uncover, baste with pan drippings.  Bake 15 minutes longer.  Discard bay leaves.  Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy, and Bon Apetite!!!!

GoD And DoG by Wendy J Francisco

Sunday post....a gift to all!

Was having problems getting this on here....but this is a wonderful video....so go check it out...it should show up on the link above

Oh, Hello

Oh. Hello, Wood #130730 $ 25.95, Clear #130733 $18.95

This is such a great set...and goes so well with the Tea for Two Designer Series Paper that we also carry.  Thank you Stampin' Up! for making things that truly go together!!!!

Here's a simple card using the set.....the Chevron from the oval stamp is carried over in the embossed area on the card base.  By adding this one simple effect...the whole card tied together....it would have just been boring without it!!!!

Last night was my Altered Book Club....I love this group so much....we kinda free form it, and everyone kinda does their own thing...but last night they all pretty much stuck to the layout I did....with their own wonderful variations.

and here are a few of the ones they all did....Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!

 Here's a sample card I was working on...I love this set....It was in the Holiday Catalog....and I hope it is carried over into the new catalog!!!!  

Here's a yummy Pork Roast recipe we did a while back when we were in our Pork mode!!!!  WE seem to be doing chicken now!!!! 

Pork Roast with Vegetables

2 garlic cloves, minced

5tsp.dried rosemary, crushed

4 tsp. dried marjoran

1/2 tsp pepper

1 (2 1/2-lb.) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

8 sm. red new potatoes, quartered

1 lb. fresh baby carrots

1 T. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325.  In a small bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, marjoram and pepper; set aside i TBL,  Rub remaining mixture over roast; place in a shallow roasting pan.  In a large reseaklable plastic bag, combine potatoes, carrots and oil.  Add reserved spice mix and toss to coat.  Arrange vegetables around roast.  Cover and bake 1 hour.  Uncover and bake 1 hour longer.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy and Bon Apetite!!!! 



Mouthwatering

Mouthwatering Wood #125675 $20.95, Clear #125677 $16.95

I love the luscious boldness of this set.  Great for summer cards!  And great for the smell-o-vision embossing powder!!!!!  You can also mix regular KoolAid  with clear embossing powder, to get smells we don't carry!!!!

It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Thursday night we had our make-up Technique class for the one that was cancelled due to snow!!!!  We were looking at dying with the re-inkers.....so here is what we did.  This first one is a gift card holder.... and was our project card.  We used the new filter paper, and brayered ink onto it.  Then made a little card to fit inside it. 

This one is using the bath dying with the Cabvas Creations in the  Spring Catalog.  We all died some canvas for our page in our book.  It's a graduated dye....and looks much better in person!!!

This one is my favorite.  I used the 5/8" Flower Trim in the Spring catalog.  Clipped of 2 of the flowers, and died them the same way I did the canvas above.  they weren't getting quite as dark as I wanted so I put a few drops of re-inker in one of the little spritzer bottles and a few drops of alcohal, and spritzed them...and that did the trick!!!! 

Here are the cards that we did as projects at Inkslingers, last week.  I love the butterfly one!!!!

This is a really easy lasagne recipe....I need easy, my life is just too complicated!!!!  I like that you just use regular lasagne noodles...and don't have to pre boil them!!!! 

Simply Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

2 1/2 C. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese

1/2 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, beaten

1 jar(26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 c. water

 

Heat oven to 350F.  Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, mix 1 1/4 C.  mozzarella, ricotta cheese. 1/4 C. Parmesan, parsley and egg until well blended, set aside.  drain meat.  return to skillet, stir in spaghetti sauce.  add water to empty sauce jar, cover and shake well.  Add to meat mixture, stir till well blended.  Spread 1 C. sauce onto bottom of 13 X 9-inch baking dish, top with layers of 3 lasagne noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 C. sauce.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with remaining noodles, sauce and cheeses.  Cover with greased foil.  Bake 1 hour.  let stand 15 min.  before cutting.  Enjoy, and Bon Apetite