All Things Crafty!

With Love

2012-01-27T07:35:00.003-05:00

This is a card using digi's from Nicecrane Designs...don't you just love the vintage goodness? The paper is from the Mystique Nature collage sheet which you can find HERE! The paper in this set is very versatile...I have used it for all occasions! And the main digi image is from one of the new Valentine sets which you can find HERE! I also added a ribbon from my stash and a grungeboard heart with crackle paint.

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments - Use the word "Love"
Crafty Ribbons - Love is red and black
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Cupcake Craft - All you need is love
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Valentine's Day theme
Simon Says - Anything goes
SSDS - Have a heart
The Pink Elephant - Photo Inspiration

Lazy Lasagna

2012-01-24T20:27:00.002-05:00

Click HERE for the recipe. I added my normal mushrooms, onions and some extra spices. This turned out delicious and best of all it is soooooooooo easy with the pre-cooked no boil lasagna noodles! If you have never tried these type of noodles I highly recommend them!!

Enjoy! :)

Softie Socks Cupcake!

2012-01-23T17:24:00.003-05:00

Here is another fun project I made using an idea I got off my pal Becky's blog. Click HERE for the tutorial!

A project like this or the altered address book in my last post are great ideas if you want to join in the challenge this month over at Unstampabelles with our "Anything Goes" challenge! Just make sure you don't use any stamps (digis or rubber).

I was also lucky enough to win a scarf giveaway Becky had on her blog!!
She packaged it up so beautifully!!

Here is a close-up to show the details...aren't those flowers so pretty?!

This is the jacket I wear alot of the time and I just think the new scarf goes with it perfectly!

Thanks again Becky....for the prize AND for your inspiration! You rock! :)

Altered Address Book!

2012-01-20T06:52:00.004-05:00

Good grief...I sure haven't done a very good job at keeping up with my blog. I sure do appreciate you all hanging around waiting to see what I come up with next! :)

Today I have for you an address book that I altered for my bud Annmaree! It just had a plain black cover so I thought it needed some pretty paper and a nice big sparkly flower!!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins!

2012-01-17T14:36:00.002-05:00

The only thing I did different was use cherry preserves instead of strawberry jam. These make a really nice breakfast with a glass of milk or snack!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

Blitsy! Discounted Craft Goodies!

2012-01-11T08:52:00.003-05:00

There is no fee to sign up ... just an e-mail address and password to create an account! Some great discounts on supplies! They also have a referral program and you would be helping me out if you signed up through this link HERE! Thank you so much!!

Autumn Lady Birthday

2012-01-11T08:23:00.003-05:00

I made this for an Aunt whose birthday was in November. I used some more of that digi paper (Mystique Nature) by Nicecrane Designs and the beautiful lady digi image is from Nicecrane Designs also! Colored with my copics and hot glued some leaves on the front.

You can find the background paper in the Nicecrane Designs store by clicking HERE! You can find the digi image by clicking HERE!

Cherry Chocolate Brownies!

2012-01-10T17:07:00.002-05:00

This year I had intended to make everyone a mini rum cake for Christmas but time ran out and I only had enough for the immediate family. Not wanting to leave anyone out I happened to come across this recipe on my blogging pal Becky's blog the day before Christmas Eve and decided to whip up two batches and put in pre-made treat boxes from the dollar store....they were a hit!!
So soft and yummy!! You can find the recipe HERE!
The only thing I did different was drop the white chocolate chips into the batter before baking instead of afterwards and smearing like icing.

Enjoy! :)

LOTV Candy!

2012-01-10T11:25:00.002-05:00

LOTV is having a super duper mega candy giveaway....check it out HERE!

Re-worked Card

2012-01-05T12:25:00.004-05:00

I usually don't redo cards because I could spend AGES tweaking by adding this, taking away that, etc. I would never get anything done! LOL!

But this card was eating away at me and I just had to make a tiny little addition and boy did it make a world of difference!

Here is the original card and you can click HERE for the original post.

............and this is the after!!!

Gotta love embossing!! :)

A Vintage Merry Christmas Card!

2012-01-04T10:16:00.008-05:00

This vintage digi image is from Nicecrane Designs and you can find it in the store by clicking HERE! These are so easy to work with and you get a great variety in the collage sheets!

I also embossed some digi paper by Nicecrane Designs which you can find
HERE!

Added a big brown bow and voila...a pretty card for Christmas! :)

Challenges:
Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
Crafty Calendar - Cold and Frosty
Crazy 4 Challenges - Santa
Delicious Doodles - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Winter Wonderland
Shopping Our Stash - Rewind or MelJen's Image (Redid Challenge #27 which is Christmas or Winter Related)
Stampin' For The Weekend - Anything Goes (digi stamped image)
The Pink Elephant - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes

Thin French Apple Tart

2012-01-03T16:04:00.001-05:00

Click HERE for the recipe!

My nephew loved this so much he DEVOURED half of it in one afternoon! LOL!

Enjoy! :)

Unstampabelles Challenge #7

2012-01-01T16:45:00.003-05:00

Time for our seventh challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month it is nice and easy with ANYTHING GOES! You have until February 3rd to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on February 6th.
*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is The MerryMade Store!

The picture below shows the prize on offer for this month!

Now for my DT cards to get you started!

I actually had a dream with the design for creating these cards! I got up one morning and whipped these up in a matter of minutes! That rarely happens so I guess it was just meant to be as I had such a clear vision on how these cards were going to turn out! I used a Martha Stewart Punch to create the window and the snowflakes are Martha Stewart pre-glittered stickers (no mess!) and then I ran the front through my Cuttlebug with a snowflake emossing folder. Finished them off by rounding the corners. I was very pleased how these turned out...wish I could have more crafty dreams to get my mojo flowing! LOL!

Challenges:
Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
Crafty Calendar - Cold and Frosty

Pressies and Cards!

2012-01-01T14:16:00.003-05:00

I want to share with you the cards and pressies I received from a few blog buddies for Christmas!

This cute snowy card is from Dawn

This yummy looking gingerbread is from Curt

This adorable girl is from Corry

....and all these lovely goodies are from my best friend Annmaree who spoiled me rotten!

Thank you so much!!! I truly appreciate you all thinking of me! :)
I also want to thank everyone that sent me an e-mail or posted a comment on my blog wishing me a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year! Thanks for taking the time to send those warm wishes! Big hugs to you all!

- Stacie

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2011-12-31T15:31:00.003-05:00

Hope everyone has a safe evening and wishing you all a HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!

P.S. For those of you who have wondered where I have been lately...I have been busy with holiday stuff and my mom also had surgery right before Christmas so I have been taking care of things with her too. I will be back tomorrow though with a card for the new Unstampabelles Challenge! Stay tuned..... :)

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

2011-12-27T20:27:00.002-05:00

Rich and delicious!!
Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-24T23:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday!

Spinach Pie

2011-12-20T16:02:00.002-05:00

I was having a "popeye" moment and just had to try this spinach pie with goat cheese, golden raisins and pine nuts! It was definately time consuming and a little finnicky working with the phyllo sheets but overall a good recipe! I had to put my own spin on it of course and added some mushrooms and basalmic vinegar...I also used 5 packages of frozen spinach (thawed) instead of fresh because it is much cheaper!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

Check It Out!

2011-12-20T10:46:00.002-05:00

A new challenge blog and they are also giving away candy!

Click HERE to find out how you could win!

Fairytales!

2011-12-15T15:23:00.004-05:00

I created these cards using cute digi images from Nicecrane Designs!
Here is a preview of the collection!

You can click HERE to go directly to this collection in the store!

Challenges:
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Delightful Challenges - Anything goes

Broccoli and Chicken Casserole

2011-12-13T15:35:00.002-05:00

Time for another Tasty Tuesday....I wonder where the last week has gone?! This time of year seems to fly by!

Today I have for you another Cooking Light recipe....you can view it by clicking HERE!

I did change a few things....I used regular quick cook brown rice instead of the long grain. Left out the celery and added mushrooms. I add those to everything! LOL! I also baked this in a 9x13 casserole dish instead of individual ramekins. This is a good way to get in some more green veggies in your diet!

ENJOY!

Roasted Veggies with Chickpeas!

2011-12-06T19:47:00.002-05:00

Click HERE for the recipe!

The only thing I changed was the onion....I used yellow instead of red.

This got rave reviews at Thanksgiving!!

Enjoy!

Unstampabelles Challenge #6

2011-12-04T17:05:00.002-05:00

Time for our sixth challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see CHRISTMAS! We are also going to offer you an extra entry for the prize if you do the technique and for this month we want you to use "stickers"! You have until December 30th to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on January 2nd. Remember you MUST use the theme CHRISTMAS on your project and "stickers" are optional but it will get you an extra entry!

*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is The Sticker Store!

The picture below shows the prize on offer for this month and there will also be 10 sheets of DL sized acetate included!!

Now for my DT card to get you started!

I used a snowflake folder to emboss the background paper, did some real stitching around the edges to make a frame, made a rosette for the center and finished the card off with a sticker from The Sticker Store!

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments - Any winter holiday sentiment
Craft Your Passion - Tis the Season
Crafty Calendar - Cold and frosty
Crafty Catz - Colors of Christmas
Crafty Creations - Photo Inspiration
Delightful Sketches - Let it snow
Fab N' Funky - Anything goes
Polka Doodle - Italian Christmas
SSDS - Holiday card
Simon Says - Anything goes

Sympathy

2011-12-01T22:05:00.005-05:00

* Stamp is from Hero Arts

This is the type of card that is really sad to make. My local post lady lost her son recently so I made this sympathy card for her and on the inside it says, "Thinking of you during this difficult time."

Challenges:
Creative Craft - Free for all
Fab N' Funky - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
ABC - E for embossing (swiss dots)

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars!

2011-11-29T12:50:00.002-05:00

This year I made some "untraditional" Thanksgiving dishes and this is one of them from a "Cooking Light" magazine which is quickly becoming my fav go-to magazine these days! The bars were very delish and my sister even snagged a bunch to take home!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

Autumn Happy Birthday!

2011-11-26T08:26:00.001-05:00

Here is a birthday card I made by simply using a background picture from Nicecrane Designs and then adding a rub-on that says Happy Birthday! Easy when you need to make a card in a hurry and perfect for men or women!

The digi background I used is in a sheet called Mystique Autumn and you can see what is included in the picture below.

Click HERE to go directly to this in the store!

Challenges:
Creative Craft - Free for all
Fab N' Funky - Happy Birthday

Thanksgiving Place Cards!

2011-11-25T20:20:00.003-05:00

I made these pretty Thanksgiving place cards from Nicecrane Designs! Just cut and fold! Then stamp individual names on them!

There are 4 different designs available that you can see in this preview.

Click HERE to go directly to these in the store!

Happy Thanksgiving and WINNER!!!

2011-11-24T20:12:00.000-05:00

And now for the winner of the My Memories Suite Software...........

Gail from Gail's Crafty Goings On

Congrats! I will e-mail the company and send you the code once I receive it!

Candy holder and SALE!!!!

2011-11-22T16:22:00.004-05:00

I created these sour cream containers and filled them with bite sized chocolate candies (snickers, milky way, twix, etc.) for everyone this Thanksgiving (girls get the cornucopia and boys get the turkey! They turned out even better than I had planned! :) You can find a tutorial HERE!

I also used products from Nicecrane Designs! Ignacio sent me those cute Thanksgiving digis to use for my tags and he also sent me some fun digi papers called Mystique!

You can get the digi images by clicking HERE and you can get the digi paper pack by clicking HERE!

Guess what is even better.......there is a SALE going on over there RIGHT NOW!!! You have to act fast because it expires Nov. 25th!

Just click HERE and at checkout use the promo code below! HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Challenges I am entering with these treat containers:
Creative Craft - Free for all
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Thanksgiving
Top Tip Tuesday - More than 1 fold

Quick Pastitsio!

2011-11-22T16:12:00.003-05:00

Made this for "the guys", which is just my dad and hubby, while they were working on the house this last weekend. I used a really good quality ground sirloin like they recommend in the recipe instead of the regular cheap stuff and I could definately tell a difference! Much leaner! Hubby actually thought it was deer meat! LOL!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to enter the My Memories software giveaway in my last post....you could win software for FREE!!! You have until Wednesday night! Good luck!

My Memories Suite Giveaway!!

2011-11-20T14:54:00.006-05:00

I know most of you have probably seen these giveaways floating around but I hope you will take a moment to read what I have to say about the product. I am a hands on gal and I wasn't really sure how I would like doing digital pages but I gotta say it is sooooooooo fun and easy! What would normally take me an hour to do I can complete in 5 minutes!! For a busy person like me this is very helpful! There are a ton of options and freebies too! You can even have them printed out into an album for you! How cool is that? So far I am pretty impressed!

I can't show you any pages with people on them because I do not have their permission but I did a sample page (only took 2 minutes!) using the My Memories Suite Software with some pics of veggies out of my garden.

Gotta say this could get addicting!! :P

If you plan on purchasing the My Memories Suite software click HERE! Be sure to use the code I have in the upper right hand corner of my blog because that will get you 10 dollars off PLUS another 10 dollars to use in the store! Talk about a great deal! :)

And for the most exciting part....I get to give a copy of this software away for FREE! WOOT WOOT!

All you have to do is visit the store HERE and tell me what your favorite layout is and what you would scrapbook first if you won this software! You have until November 23rd at midnight (EST). I will draw a winner on Thanksgiving day!

Good luck!

Unstampabelles Design Team Call!!

2011-11-18T07:11:00.002-05:00

Yes, we are in search of three new members for our Design Team to start January next year for a six month stint.

Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to Mandy, Kerry and Kaye at the end of our December challenge. They already know that 2012 is going to keep them plenty busy in real life but I am sure they will still find time to visit in the future. We will miss their wonderful inspiration.

On a positive note though....this now gives you the chance to be part of our fun and friendly team!
We will require a creation from you each month to showcase at the start of each challenge.
If you have the time possibly a second card during the month to keep the inspiration flowing.

What to do to be considered:

Please just add a link HERE of a project that you have posted (current or older) on your blog that will fit our challenge criteria.
Remember, all types of papercrafts and any technique....but NO STAMPS.

Our call will stay open until 12th December.

Exciting Announcement!!

2011-11-16T15:28:00.001-05:00

Some of you might have noticed a new logo on the left side of my blog and if you haven't let me just tell you that I have been asked to be a member of the Nicecrane Designs Team! Thank you Ignacio and Dawn!! WOOT WOOT! :) I'm very excited to work with these products!!

My first creation is this beautiful victorian style Christmas ornament!

Here I decided to make it a bit fancier by adding gold glitter strips to the top and bottom flaps!

Here is a preview of what it looks like from the store. All you do is print, cut, fold and glue!

You can find this product in the store by clicking HERE!

Challenges:
Crafty Calendar - Winter Wardrobe
Crafty Catz - Use A Digi
Cupcake Craft - Two's Company
Fab N' Funky - Baby It's Cold Outside
Paper Sundaes - Use A Digi
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Women Only
ABC Challenge - D for Dazzle (gold glitter)
Totally Gorjuss - Christmas Traditions
Whoopsi Daisy - Colors of Winter

Grilled Stuffed Portabello Mushroom!

2011-11-15T16:19:00.003-05:00

For those of you that are still in "warm weather" mode even after outdoor temps have cooled off...here is a recipe for you from Weber's Big Book of Grilling!

Ingredients:
2 slices bacon
4 large portabello mushrooms
olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Remove and discard stems and gills from the mushrooms. Wipe clean and brush both sides with olive oil. Set top side down on a platter.
In a large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Add onion and red pepper to the bacon fat and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute. Then add the bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir to blend and remove from heat. Add the bacon and cheese. Mix well and put stuffing in the mushroom caps. Grill the stuffed mushrooms over INDIRECT (or they will burn to a crisp!) high heat until soft and lightly browned. About 8-10 minutes.
Serves 4

ENJOY!!

German Tasty Tuesday!

2011-11-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

Today I have an entire meal to show you! I fixed up a German inspired meal of crispy pork, fried taters and brussel sprouts!! SUPER YUM!

Crispy Pork Medallions - Click HERE!

Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts - Click HERE!

Fried Taters - This is just my own recipe. Slice up some potatoes (any variety) and fry them in a little olive oil. Add whatever you like to them and cook til tender. Make sure you toss frequently so the potatoes don't stick to the pan! In this particular picture I added mushroom, onion, pepper and saurkraut to my taters! :)

ENJOY!

Unstampabelles Challenge #5

2011-11-06T17:00:00.004-05:00

Time for our fifth challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see TREES! We are also going to offer you an extra entry for the prize if you do the technique and for this month we want you to try out "paper punches/die cuts"! You have until December 2nd to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on December 5th. Remember you MUST use the theme TREES on your project and "paper punches/die cuts" are optional but it will get you an extra entry!

*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is CMD Cards!! They are offering the winner a $10 gift certificate to their store!!

Now for my DT card to get you started!

I used some CMD Cards tree die cuts (thank you Merry!) .... love the colors! Rounded the top corners of my card and finished off with a sentiment from The Sticker Store!
CMD Cards

Challenges:
Allsorts - Anything but square
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
SAS4Kids - Christmas card for a kid

Thank You!!

2011-11-02T10:41:00.003-04:00

I wanted to show off a few items I received in the mail this week!

One is this tissue holder that Halle sewed up just for me! Isn't is FANTASTIC?!! I LOVE the colors and cherries are one of my favs! :) She also takes great photos and incorporates them into cards. You can check her blog out HERE!

The second is a Halloween card from Curt! I can't tell you how AMAZING this card looks in real life...such a great scene and so sparkly! My husband was even wowed by it!! You can check out his blog HERE! Make sure you watch the cute videos of his dogs "kids" while your there! They are very talented!

Thanks to both of you for thinking of me...it truly warms my heart!! :)
Hugs!
-Stacie

Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Muffin!

2011-11-01T22:46:00.002-04:00

Click HERE for the recipe!
I used a regular sized muffin pan instead of the large size and put the strawberries in whole rather than slicing them. Overall, a very delicious muffin!

Enjoy!

Happy Haunting!

2011-11-01T14:00:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween yesterday! I have been so busy I didn't get a chance to make any Halloween cards til today. I just look at it as being early for next year! LOL! Sure feels good to be back in my crafty space for a little while!

Here is a card I made to encourage anyone and everyone to go take part in the current challenge over at Unstampabelles! You still have a few days to enter the Fall/Autumn theme! Just remember no stamps are allowed! Also, if you use stitching (real or faux) you will get your name in the pot twice for the monthly prize which is kindly sponsored by Pizzazz Aplenty!

The orange rhinestone on the top of the cats hat is from Pizzazz Aplenty...just adds that perfect touch! The main cat image which already has a faux stitching border and the sentiment are cut out from patterned paper....I received the paper from a friend (thanks)! I believe it is from the Rusty Pickle company and the "Addams Family" line. I also fussy cut the skull out of paper and covered the eyes and nose area with orange glitter.

Challenges:
Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Halloween
Fab N' Funky - Hubby,Bubble,Toil and Trouble
Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Halloween
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Paper Cupcakes - Trick or Treat

Yogurt Cake!

2011-10-25T22:20:00.004-04:00

The original recipe was for a lemon yogurt cake but I am not very fond of lemon so I tweaked the recipe to my tastes. You can click HERE for the original recipe!

I used vanilla yogurt and almond extract. As an icing I just used powdered sugar, milk and some extract (can't remember if I used vanilla or almond...maybe both?) and then topped it all off with some toasted almonds.

If you plan on giving this cake a try I would suggest reading some reviews....several people have experimented with trying to reduce the amount of sugar...I know I cut WAY back on that and also used an egg substitute to lessen the calories a bit. I like dessert ALOT so I gotta cut calorie corners somewhere! LOL!

ENJOY!

Birthday Cupcake Bookmarks! - 2nd post today

2011-10-25T16:23:00.003-04:00

*Cupcake/sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up!*

Challenges:
Crafty Catz - Birthday
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday - Something food related
Sir Stampalot - Food

Mad For Markers GD Card!

2011-10-25T11:31:00.002-04:00

Thanks for waiting on me to post something crafty...I know it has been a LONG time! Life sometimes gets in the way as I'm sure you are all familiar with that every now and again!
Here is my guest design card for the current challenge going on over at Mad For Markers and you can check me out over there by clicking HERE!

Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Autumn
Cardmadfairy Challenge - Spots and Stripes (hope you can see the embossed spots on the red cardstock)
Charisma Cardz - Embossing (dry embossing on red cardstock)
Kaboodle Doodle - Fall
Lollipop Crafts - Atleast 3 Embellishments
Shopping Our Stash - Fall Colors

Tomato and Herb Tostada!

2011-10-18T21:04:00.002-04:00

Click HERE for the recipe!

* I did alter the recipe some. I used premade tostadas to save time. Added sauteed onions and mushrooms. And instead of mixing the cayenne pepper into the beans/rice I just sprinkled some on top of the ones I wanted hot for hubby and then left it off mine. Yes, I am a baby when it comes to "spicy/hot" food!!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies!

2011-10-11T23:55:00.003-04:00

* Picture is before adding powdered sugar *

This size of cookie is perfect for a little treat and they sure don't last long around the holidays! Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Butterfinger Caramel Cake!

2011-10-04T17:49:00.001-04:00

So good it is hard to eat just one piece!!! Click HERE for the recipe! I did not do the sweetened condensed milk layer. I also used a tub of cool whip instead of whipping my own.

Enjoy!

Thanks Chickadee!

2011-10-03T16:28:00.004-04:00

*All stamps are Lawn Fawn except the clouds and that is from Practicing Creativity*

Sending this to a pal that has done something nice for me!

Challenges:
Lawnscaping Challenge - For World Card Making Day! Use their stamps and any theme!
Lawn Fawn - Make a thank you card using their stamps and send it to someone special!

Unstampabelles Challenge #4!

2011-10-02T16:46:00.008-04:00

Time for our fourth challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see FALL/AUTUMN! We are also going to offer you an extra entry for the prize if you do the technique and for this month we want you to try out "stitching"! You have until November 4th to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on November 7th. Remember you MUST use the theme FALL/AUTUMN on your project and "stitching" is optional but it will get you an extra entry!

*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is Pizzaz Aplenty!!
The winner will receive a $10 surprise package of goodies!

Pizzazz Aplenty began with only a bit of bling and some ribbon, but in the last few months, we've added so much more... from cardstock to cello bags, as well as charms, stick pins, brads, buttons, cords, twines, laces, and over 20 colors in flatback pearls and rhinestones. The newest additions are teardrop pearls, button stick pins, leaf pins, heart pins, resin cameos and flowers!

* I have personally ordered from this company a few times in the past and Judy (the owner) is FANTASTIC! She replies fast and is super quick on shipping! Her costs are a real bargain and I always love the extras she puts in the orders! I encourage you to check out the store...you won't be disappointed! To go directly to the store click HERE! ... AND NO I WAS NOT PAID TO SAY ANY OF THIS! * :)

Now for my DT card to get you started!

I cut out the tree and sentiment with my Cricut "Just Because" cart. Used some scrap paper and added the perfect final touch...orange rhinestones and cranberry flatback pearls from Pizzaz Aplenty!!

Your turn! I sure hope to see more of you over at Unstampabelles this month!

Added note: Thanks to my blogging pal Dawn I am now able to increase my font size....let me know what you think!
Curt....you can put those glasses away now! LOL!

Challenges:
One Crazy Stamper - Fall Theme
Penny's Challenge - Anything Goes
Phindy's Place - Autumn/Fall
Send A Smile 4 Kids - Fall Colors
Simon Says - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - A for Anything Goes

Happy Birthday Mr. Cool!

2011-09-30T07:08:00.003-04:00

I think this guy looks so "cool"....the image is from Whiff of Joy Stamps and I colored him with my copics. Used my Copic 0 blender pen on the jeans and jacket to give it a faded/washed out look! Pretty cool huh? I have another one I did a different way using the blender pen but will show it later....gotta keep ya in suspense as though I'm sure that will keep you up at night! LMAO!

Challenges:
Mad For Markers - Colorless Blender
Aud Sentiments - Happy Birthday
C.R.A.F.T - Inspiration Picture
Paper Sundaes - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Men Only
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - Anything Goes

Freezer Peaches

2011-09-27T19:59:00.003-04:00

Some of you might remember me talking about going to an orchard to get some peaches over the summer. They had "seconds" for sale which just meant they might of been bruised or had cuts in them. I was just going to slice them up to freeze anyways so we took a box of them....then she said how about two boxes for the same price....well DUH of course we will take them!! So we ended up with 172 peaches for 10 dollars!! BARGAIN!! So mom bought all the canning supplies and put me to work! It took me a few days but I sliced and peeled each one and put them in these jars with screw on plastic lids to keep in the freezer...now we will have that fresh peach taste all year! :)

I did not want to make a sugary syrup so I read somewhere online I could use white grape juice and lemon juice....seemed to work great! You just use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for every 4 cups of 100% no sugar added white grape juice. Just make sure you cover the tops of the peaches or they will brown! When your ready to eat or if you want to use them in a recipe just thaw...and you can use the juice that is leftover in recipes too so nothing goes to waste!

Hope some of you can give this a try!
Enjoy! :)

Another Birthday Card!

2011-09-21T14:49:00.003-04:00

Here is another birthday card that I sent to my blogging pal Curt. This was actually done over the summer but I forgot to post it on my blog...whoops! I actually have found several today while searching through my computer so I will be showing those soon too!

The digi image is from Karen's Doodles and I colored Bigsby with my Copics. Then added some glossy accents to the juggling balls and a silver nailhead on the bike wheel.
I thought it turned out pretty good considering I'm not very good at making male themed cards!
I made this post BOLD but I don't think it really looks much different so does anyone know how to make my font bigger?? I can't seem to find that option...I only have bold and italic.

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - Anything with a digi
Cardmadfairy - Lots of layers
Crafty Sentiments - Happy Birthday
Creatalicious - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations - Let's Celebrate
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Lots of layers
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays - Birthday

A Beary Special Birthday!

2011-09-21T14:00:00.002-04:00

Here is the card I made for hubby! I just love this cute bear stamp from Whiff of Joy! Colored him with my Copics and added a bit of liquid applique to make the icing look puffy. Cut the main base with my Cricut Wild Card cart...it is actually an invitation but thought it made a fun card design!

*Click on pictures to enlarge*

Challenges:
Crafty Calendar - Bears
Crafty Sentiments - Birthday
Creatalicious - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations - Let's Celebrate
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Fab N' Funky - A Hard Theme (Male card....so hard because I always want to use flowers or bling!)
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays - Birthday
TMITA - Someone Special

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

2011-09-20T14:27:00.005-04:00

Hubby had a birthday on Saturday and he LOVES peanut butter so I made him a new dessert I found online. I am not a huge fan of PB but I tried a bite after they were done and sure enough SUPER DUPER PEANUT BUTTERY!!! He was thrilled and he didn't even have to share with me! LOL!

Click HERE for the recipe!

New Release and Blog Hop!

2011-09-18T11:37:00.002-04:00

Join the fun with High Hopes Stamps on Sept. 22nd! Click HERE!

Strawberry Shortcut Cake!

2011-09-13T17:21:00.002-04:00

If you like strawberries and cake this is the recipe for you! The only thing I did differently was add more marshmallows at the bottom...one cup was not enough in my opinion! Click HERE for the recipe!

Click HERE for an alternate version that uses a box mix. It is also kid friendly for those of you that want to bake with your kiddos!

Enjoy!

Paper Bead Necklace For Fundraiser!

2011-09-12T17:40:00.002-04:00

I saw this post HERE and immediately knew I wanted to help....the story just tugged at my heart strings. So I sent this necklace as a donation to help raise funds for Lyndall. You can view this item and others for sale by clicking HERE! Please consider helping Lyndall in any way you can!

*Click images to enlarge them*

The necklace is made out of paper beads, then covered with silver glitter and topped off with a several coats of UTEE.

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - Anything but a square
Delicious Doodles - Fresh new start (new technique)
Southern Girls - Lots of layers (paper, glitter, UTEE.....this could also be a birthday present but this particular piece is donated for a fundraiser)
Stamp Something - Anything goes

Award!

2011-09-12T10:16:00.000-04:00

Isn't this such a pretty award?! I would like to send a special thanks to Linda over at Payne Holler Cards for awarding this to me! HUGS!

Here are 10 questions that I need to answer:

Q1) Name your favorite color? Blue
Q2) Name your favorite song? Uh....I don't have one.
Q3) Name your favorite dessert? Too many to list!! LOL!
Q4) What annoys you at the moment? That is a loaded question...but I will just say the economy and leave it at that.
Q5) Your favorite pet? I couldn't choose between the two so I will say my chinchilla Akina and my choc. lab Willie!
Q6) Black or White? Interesting question...not sure what this is referring too but since I am building a house I am thinking of furniture, decorations and stuff and I choose white hands down. In my current house we have alot of black and it is a pain to keep clean....dust just clings to it!
Q7) Your biggest fear? Failure
Q8) Best Feature? Smile
Q9) Everyday attitude? I'm not going to lie....it truly depends on the day!
Q10) What is perfection? Anything that I am completely happy with
Q11) Guilty Pleasure? DESSERTS!!! I have a serious sweet tooth!
Q12) When you're upset you? Usually vent to my best pal (Annmaree) or hubby
I always feel better when I talk and get it out of my system! :)

I am sending this award to the following people:

Becky
Merry
Annmaree
Michelle
Corry
Olga
Curt
Dawn
Lorraine
Leigh

WINNER!!!!

2011-09-10T10:36:00.003-04:00

I want to send a huge thank you to those that wished me a Happy Birthday/Blogaversary! I truly appreciated all the comments! I was thrilled at how many of you entered my candy draw and also answered some of my questions! Plus I gained a few new followers...hope you are all here to stay too! THANK YOU AGAIN! :)

It took me awhile but I finally got through all the comments and verified all the entries for a total of 56! Hubby isn't here to draw from the lucky camo hat so I wrote them in order on a piece of paper and now I am getting ready to hit the button on random.org! Are you ready? Drumroll................................... and the winner is....................

True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
50
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

#50 on my list is Mallika from India!!! She just happens to be a new follower too! Congrats Mallika! You have until Wed. Sept. 14th to contact me.

If the winner doesn't contact me by that date I will pick a new winner on Sept. 15th.

Thank you all for playing and don't worry if you didn't win this time because there will be more mini drawings in the future....as you know I do love my guessing games!! HEHE!

Tomato Freezer Jam!

2011-09-06T15:37:00.002-04:00

Do you have a bunch of tomatoes in your garden? Try making some tomato jam and you do not have to "can" these you can simply put them in the freezer! :) I made two kinds...one with yellow pear tomatoes and the other with candy cherry isis. Delish! This stuff tastes great on biscuits, rolls, etc. but I also found out it is wonderful on pork!!

Tomato Jam in A Flash

This recipe makes 4 or 5 pints of yellow tomato jam which can be processed in glass jars or frozen and kept for several months in the freezer. Red tomato jam is also good, but yellow tomatoes are less acidic and offer a different flavor.

INGREDIENTS

•2 - 3 Pounds of yellow tomatoes
•1 Whole lemon, washed and sliced thin
•1 Tbsp white vinegar
•2 tsp ginger
•1 stick of stick cinnamon
•4 Cups granulated sugar
•1 Cup spring water

INSTRUCTIONS

•Wash the yellow tomatoes, but do not peel.
•In a large saucepan, place all ingredients together over medium high heat.
•Bring the pan to the boil and reduce heat to medium low.
•Simmer the jam for 2 hours, or until thickened.
•Remove pan from heat and take out the cinnamon stick and discard.
•Pour into canning or jelly jars and seal with lids and rings.
•Process the jars in a hot water bath for 20 minutes OR put them in the freezer!

You can also click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

My Blogaversary/Birthday Candy!!!

2011-09-05T18:30:00.002-04:00

*Candy now closed...winner will be announced soon*

Last month I celebrated my 2 year blogaversary and today I'm celebrating my 30th birthday! By the time your reading this I will be on my way to Lexington, Kentucky with my hubby for a little getaway!

As promised not long ago I have some super yummy and calorie free blog candy for my followers! I truly appreciate all the love you leave for me on my little ole blog...it warms my heart when I read your wonderful comments! So a big THANK YOU goes out to all of you! :)

Updated picture 8-30-11

How can you get your paws on the goodies??
The only mandatory thing you have to do is be one of my followers and leave me a comment! That is it...easy peasy right?

OPTIONAL but it will give you an extra entry for each one that you do (just make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!)
1. Spread the word either in a post or on your sidebar OR BOTH :) (you may use the candy picture).
2. Tell me what you like most about my blog.
3. Tell me if there is something you would like for me to change or if there is something you would like to see me post in the future.
4. When was your most favorite birthday and what made it so special?

You have until the end of the day on September 5th (Indiana Eastern Time) to leave your comments!
Good luck!!

Unstampabelles Challenge #3

2011-09-04T17:00:00.002-04:00

Time for our third challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see ANIMALS! We are also going to offer you an extra entry for the prize if you do the technique and for this month we want you to try out "dry embossing"! You have until September 30th to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on October 3rd. Remember you must have an ANIMAL on your project and "dry embossing" is optional but it will get you an extra entry!
Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is Cathy from Cathy's Creative Corner! She has kindly donated the following prize package!

Now for my DT card to get you started!

I used a polar bear chipboard piece out of a Basic Grey set called "obscure" and painted it with a Ranger acrylic paint dabber in "snow cap". Used some paper I got from my pal Annmaree along with some ribbon from my stash that I stuck on with my Tim Holtz tiny attacher. Drew on a little face with my Copic multiliner and added some Viva Decor pearls to the corners. Isn't that polar bear so adorable?

Your turn! I sure hope to see more of you over at Unstampabelles this month!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
Delicious Doodles - Fresh New Start (new chipboard)
Penny's Challenge - Inspiration Photo
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes

Martha Stewart Punch Storage!

2011-09-03T12:49:00.002-04:00

I wanted to show you my new Martha Stewart punch storage! Before I had them in these cups from IKEA but decided to buy a few of the really long metal bars from IKEA and store them on the wall and I LOVE IT! It is much easier to see what I have and grab what I want! :) Unfortunately my other punches (EK Success, Fiskars) do not work on this metal bar....does anyone have any other suggestions? I don't have that many so they are now resting in those cups but I would still like a better way to store them!

BEFORE

AFTER

* By the way you still have a few days to enter my candy drawing...it is a sticky at the top of my blog! * :)

One week left to enter my candy....NEW PICTURE!

2011-08-30T11:51:00.002-04:00

I have updated the picture to include everything I am giving away in my Blogaversary/Birthday candy! You still have one week left and if you fancy a chance at winning go to my original post HERE!

Candy includes the following:
7 Gypsies book cover (you just punches holes and add a metal ring or ribbon to make a mini album!)
K&CO paper (6 sheets that fit the 7 Gypsies book and another 6 sheets sized for cards)
Sizzix sizzlit (frame) - Use it to emboss by hand, run through a Cuttlebug OR perfect for painting/misting!
Tim Holtz filmstrip - 1 foot
Butterfly ribbon roll
Martha Stewart - Vellum punch outs in an envelope
Making Memories - Combo stylus and paper piercer
Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo
Mini Glossy Accents
Distress Stickles - Rock Candy
Glue Dots - 4 sheets
Cuttlebug embossing folder - Distressed Stripes
Assorted Studio 112 stickers, chipboard, vellum quotes (Distributed by K&Co.)
Filmstrip rubber stamp from Rubberstamp Ave. (already mounted on cling foam)
Mini roses
Assorted Tim Holtz metal embellishments

WHEW! How is that for a prize? Hope to see a bunch more people enter....good luck!

Mini Meatloaves!

2011-08-30T10:04:00.002-04:00

I'm always looking for new recipes to make for my dad and hubby so they have something easy to reheat for lunch while building the house. I found this great mini meatloaf recipe on my pal Becky's blog! Click HERE for the recipe! This was my first time ever making meatloaf and it was super easy and cooked up fast! The guys really enjoyed them and hubby said it was the best meatloaf he has had and I can make them again anytime! :)

Enjoy!

What We Bought.....

2011-08-29T15:30:00.003-04:00

Some of you had some good guesses on what we bought. Even though it was an antique store they still sell newer items...some are even brand new. I'm not sure how old the item is we bought but it definately isn't vintage as it is in great condition! Here is that item that we HAD to buy!! An All American 941 Pressure Canner! :)

This thing is HUGE! The jar in front is a pint to give you a reference. It has two racks so you can have three tiers of jars....it holds 19 quart jars!! This brand is the best of the best here in the USA and retail you pay a pretty penny of 450 dollars!! Yep, you read that right....450 DOLLARS!! We only paid 70 bucks for this bad boy! I was so excited...it felt like an episode of American Pickers! LOL! So next year "WE" (hubby wants to can also!) will probably be canning anything and everything we can get our hands on! LOL!

Thank You! (Long post about our trip)

2011-08-24T22:36:00.005-04:00

Thank you for the birthday wishes! Hubby and I are back from Kentucky and we had a splendid time! We went to a chocolate factory where we watched them make different candies like chocolate covered bourbon cherries (and we got lots of free samples)....YUM! Also bought some himalayan sea salt chips covered in chocolate....sweet and salty (a deadly combo)! HEHE! Then we went to a brewery....I gotta say I am not a beer drinker at all nor do I care for bourbon BUT Kentucky has this bourbon ale that is FANTASTIC!! We had 3 free BIG samples at the end of the tour and she gave me an extra for my birthday! Needless to say we walked outta there with a couple of growlers to go! I went to get a one hour professional massage and also got a free hand paraffin dip for my special day! The perks of having a birthday right?! Then we went to this amazing restaurant where I stuffed myself silly and then was offered a FREE dessert....who can turn down dessert? So I got this HUGE chocolate chip cookie with ice cream and caramel sauce! I'm pretty sure I gained 10 pounds in just a few short days! LOL! The next day we went to pick up a bourbon barrel for our new house....we are converting it into a bathroom vanity and it smells soooooooooooo good! Hubby thinks he will have me drinking bourbon soon since now I like it in beer, chocolate and I really like the smell but I am not crazy about the burn so I think I will stick to the wussy side of bourbon! Went to a winery but there was nothing too grand so we didn't buy anything. Plus all the wines seemed to be more expensive than what we are used to getting AND you gotta pay for samples which we usually don't do where I'm from either! Went to a distillery .... gosh I'm starting to sound like a lush aren't I?? I really don't drink that much...just felt like touring some different places! Anyways, the distillery grounds were gorgeous and the process of making bourbon is very unique! They gave us free labels....and of course at the end we got 3 free samples to drink AND bourbon chocolate! I can't believe how generous everyone was giving away free samples at all these places! I took some sips but gave the rest to hubby....that stuff is just too strong for me! On our way home we stopped at Bardstown where we ate at this cool tavern that was built in the late 1700's! See our trip wasn't all about booze....we actually got a taste of history! :) On our way out of town we passed this antique store....I had wanted to stop at one the entire trip but hadn't been able to so we turned around and all I had was 15 minutes before they closed. Well, as soon as I walked in there was this wonderful thing I HAD to buy.....stay tuned and I will be posting a picture soon! Any guesses on what I bought? I'll give you a hint....it is food related!

Pie and Winner!!

2011-08-23T21:49:00.003-04:00

Did you have fun guessing what kind of pie this is? I really enjoyed reading what everyone thought!

The pie I have in the picture below is a concord grape pie!

Click HERE for the recipe! If you plan on making this pie it is worth reading the comments to customize a little more to your own tastes.

Now for the winner!! I put all the names into hubby's camo hat and had him draw out one and the winner is.......drumroll please.......................................

.............MICHELLE H.!!! Congrats! I will be sending you a little something in the mail! :)

Enjoy!

Diaper Cake!

2011-08-21T22:25:00.002-04:00

I'm back to show you the diaper cake I made that matches the card earlier for the baby shower today! This was so fun to make and much easier than I had thought it would be. It was a little tricky holding the diapers all by myself but I managed. I looked up a few tutorials and then added my own twist to them. For the center I used two small travel sized baby powder bottles on top of each other instead of the normal paper towel cardboard or bottle. The base is usually made out of cardboard or plastic trays but I came up with the idea of using a 12 inch pizza pan! It worked perfect and made carrying the cake a breeze because it was so sturdy! The little rubber duck on top has a hole in the bottom so I used a small coffee stirrer in it and just poked it in between a rolled up diaper in the middle. I also had the idea to fold up the washcloths and pin them like diapers and just for something different I fanned the one that had ducks all over it!
Needless to say this was a big hit at the shower amongst all those women!

Challenges:
Creative Craft - Anything but a card
Phindy's Place - Something new
Sir Stampalot - Whatever you fancy

Baby Ducks!

2011-08-21T17:28:00.003-04:00

I just got back from a baby shower and this is the card I made for my hubby's cousin. Didn't realize the ribbon was a little slanted until later but oh well ... it still turned out cute! :)

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
Fab N' Funky - A Stitch In Time
Phindy's Place - Something New
Shopping Our Stash - Weakest Link (ribbon)
The Pink Elephant - Stitching
Woodware USA - Sketch (flipped)

Lots of paper!

2011-08-21T10:44:00.003-04:00

Would you like a chance to win this paper or perhaps some stamps? If so click HERE to find out how you could win!

Good luck!

Tasty Tuesday Guessing Game!!!

2011-08-16T22:06:00.002-04:00

Alrighty....it is time for another one of my super fun guessing games! HEHE! Do you all have your thinking caps on? If not, you better go grab them because this week is a whopper! What kind of pie did I make in the picture below? All you have to do is leave a guess (you don't have to be right) for a chance to win a little surprise RAK from my stash! :) Good luck!

Blog Candy Alert!! ** Last month was my 2 year blogaversary AND I am celebrating my birthday (THE BIG 30!!) next Monday the 22nd so all my followers better keep an eye on this blog because I am gonna have some super yummy candy to giveaway!! **

Now lets see those guesses on that pie!
-Stacie :)

Annabelle Stamps 2nd Birthday!

2011-08-15T14:52:00.001-04:00

You can join and help spread the word by grabbing the blinkie! Also there is a prize available for one lucky winner!
Click HERE for more details!

Hey Dude!

2011-08-13T12:09:00.002-04:00

First off I want to thank those of you that took time to leave baby shower gift suggestions....I love all of the ideas! I chose to go with the diaper cake! I bought all the items last night and hope I can find time to pull it all together in time! :)

As promised I have a card for you this week.....nothing like waiting til the end of the week right?! I am such a procrastinator! LOL!

Stamp is from InStyle Stamps

I made this card and sent it to this great place called Send A Smile 4 Kids! For more information on donating cards click HERE!

Challenges:
Crafty Catz - Emboss It
Cute Card Thursday - CAS
Send A Smile 4 Kids - Anything Goes (as long as it is for kids)
Shopping Our Stash - Dogs, Digis or Denim (denim colored pants)
Stampin' For The Weekend - Spot and Dots
Top Tip Tuesday - Straight Edges
Totally Gorjuss - Round and round (round designs on DP)

Baby Shower Gift Ideas???? Please help!

2011-08-11T10:27:00.003-04:00

I have a baby shower to attend next weekend for hubby's cousin. I have no clue what to make for her....she is very creative and artsy so I want to make something special. She also likes vintage. Does anyone have any cute ideas for baby shower gifts? Oh and she does not know the gender of the baby so I can't go all boy or girl for a theme!

I appreciate any ideas you can give me!

Persimmon Drop Cookies!

2011-08-09T16:26:00.002-04:00

If anyone has frozen persimmon pulp in their freezer like I do give these cookies a try...you won't be disappointed!!

Click HERE for the recipe!

My version: NO NUTMEG and more cinnamon! As for the raisins or chocolate....of course I did chocolate but I used the white and I think that was a good choice!

IF you don't have persimmon my guess is you could try with pumpkin and it would probably work too...anyone ever tried that as a substitute before?

I'm off to IKEA!

Random Pics!

2011-08-07T16:15:00.006-04:00

I don't have a card or anything I created for you today but I do have some random pictures to share!

Warning: VERY PHOTO HEAVY POST!!

I have been meaning to show this to my blogging pal Annmaree for months because we both love Spongebob! I finally found the picture and thought I would share with everyone! This was a cake my nephew got from his parents on his birthday back in February....he turned 19! HEHE!

My blogging pal Becky talked about these Orange Cream Slushies from Sonic. I don't have one of those near where I live but when mom and I were out driving to get some fresh peaches at an orchard I ran across a Sonic and even though I had just eaten lunch I had to get one of these to see what the big deal was about....now I know! YUM!! :)

Don't ya just love the retro cup?! So cool and shiny!

This is where I had just eaten lunch prior to having my ice cream treat at Sonic! A lighthouse restaurant literally on a boat! I didn't expect too much as the menu was very small and the place was too. How good can the food be on a boat right? Let me tell you this was THE BEST reuben I had ever had!!!! I am very picky on my meat and the corned beef was heavenly!! :)

Wanted to show off the lanterns we just put up next to our garage door...I HEART them soooooooooo much!!!

Here is a close-up! Pretty snazzy huh? They were on clearance being discontinued at the store and they only had two left....talk about lucky!!

Pretty sure this should go in the Guiness Book of World Records....luckily I took a snapshot before shoving it down my throat! LOL! Is this not the biggest blackberry ever?!

Also growing some huge melons this year! LMAO! I'm sure some of you will get a good chuckle out of that! :P Anyways, at the family reunion last weekend one of hubby's uncles told me an easy way to figure out if cantaloupe were ripe and since then I have successfully picked three of them! Before I would either pick too green or over-ripe and rotten so I am very happy to know how to pick these now! I go by color and smell....I can't seem to master the knocking method that some people do!

Doesn't that look delicious...especially on a hot summer day?!

Still with me? Great! Only one picture left!

A few weeks ago I went to a WOW (Women of the Woods) program. It is at a local fish and game club....you do not have to be a member and it is completely FREE! I went to the first one they had two years ago and loved it so much I decided to go back! The purpose of this is to teach women stuff like gun safety and how to shoot, fishing, canning and preserving, tree identification, outdoor cooking, etc. They also provide breakfast and lunch....free booklets and brochures....AND give away door prizes! Many other facilities have something like this but charge 50 to over a hundred dollars! So I feel lucky to have found this one for free and all the instructors are so helpful and patient! Anyways, this year I won a brand new pink fishing pole! SO EXCITING as I LOVE to go fishing!! I usually catch bluegill but the other night I went with hubby and my dad and I caught my first bass! WOOT WOOT! It was too little so I had to throw it back. It has to be 14 inches or more to keep but mine was only around 10 inches...even though it wasn't big enough to keep I was still happy to have caught one! :) Next time I'm going for the monster! :P

Well I hope everyone has enjoyed my random pictures and I will be back next week with some craftiness!

Hugs!
-Stacie

Reuben Time!

2011-08-02T10:42:00.002-04:00

Today I have for you Reuben Eggrolls! The best part about eggrolls is you can make a bunch and freeze some for later which makes a quick meal! And I bake mine instead of deep frying which is even healthier! If you want to freeze some after baking let them cool,roll in foil and place in a freezer bag. Then when your ready to eat just reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes! Voila!

Click HERE for the recipe!

* This recipe tells you to deep fry them but if you want to bake them instead just line them on your cookie sheet, spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 425 degrees til golden and crispy...about 15 minutes depending on your oven. Sometimes I even turn mine halfway...I don't think that is necessary I just have a habit of doing that with most things I can flip! LOL! *

Here is one opened up so you can see the inside. I smothered it with my homemade thousand island dressing which I usually don't do cause I am not a fan of that dressing but my MIL's dad was a chef and I have his recipe....so good! He also has a bleu cheese one that is AMAZING! But I won't be sharing those just in case someone in the family decides to make millions off of the recipe! LOL! :P

What if you run out of eggroll wrappers and still have filling left? Just scramble it up with some eggs! I also added fresh mushrooms and spinach....season to taste with salt/pepper (sometimes I add garlic) and it makes a yummy lunch! :)

ENJOY!!

Week 4 Giveaway!

2011-08-01T12:43:00.002-04:00

Click HERE to find out how you could win!

Wheels and a challenge rule change....

2011-07-31T17:00:00.002-04:00

Time for our second challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see WHEELS! We are also going to offer you an extra entry for the prize if you do the technique and for this month we want you to try out SPIRELLI! You have until September 3rd to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on September 5th. Remember you must have wheels on your project and spirelli is optional but it will get you an extra entry!

RULE CHANGE: We were allowing stamped sentiments but since our primary focus is on papercrafting techniques and not using stamps we decided to change this rule to NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is Kelly from Kel's Kaszazz Kaleidoscope! She is offering up the wonderful goodies you see in the picture below!

Here is my card to get you started!

* Please click on the image to see the swiss dot embossing on the top two panels...I couldn't use my light box and this was the best photo I could get without it. *

I used the spirelli technique on the center green scalloped piece. If you need a tutorial on this technique click HERE! I had this great baby carriage 3D sticker for my wheels! Used some ribbon in my stash and added another 3D sticker for the sentiment along with two heart rub-ons.

Go ahead and give NO STAMPING a try! You have an entire month so I hope to see some of you over at Unstampabelles!

Challenges:
Allsorts - Free and Easy
Card Patterns - Sketch
Phindy's Place - Delightful Diecuts

Fishing You A Happy Birthday!

2011-07-30T14:40:00.002-04:00

I know it has been WAY TOO LONG since I last posted something I created! Let me give you a little rundown on what I have been doing the last few weeks. I attended a Cincinnati Reds baseball game (they won!) against the Cardinals and then we watched fireworks afterwards....so fun! My hubby's sister had her pinning ceremony for graduating from her LPN program. Then we took her two boys (ages 3 and 4) and they stayed with us for a few days. My mom took us all to the Newport Aquarium and everyone had a grand time...we were all completely wiped out afterwards! LOL! Then my hubby's grandma had a party that weekend for a cousin that just graduated college, found a job down in Mississippi and moved away this week. Went swimming a few times with my mom...it is so hot out so the water feels great! Have been plucking tons of stuff from my garden and preserving it along with getting some fresh peaches and corn from other places. Managed to get 172 peaches for 10 bucks and 14 ears of corn for 3 bucks!!! Great bargains!! Tomorrow I will be attending a family reunion for my hubby's side of the family. Yep, all of this and more just in two weeks! Don't forget the normal house stuff (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.)...plus working on our house which takes a crazy amount of time!! Hopefully that explains why I haven't been on here much! WHEW! Are you exhausted just reading about my crazy schedule?

Now for the reason you are here.....my card!

Stamp: Birthday Fish by Dustin Pike ... sold at High Hopes Stamps
Sentiment: Computer Generated

Challenges:
Allsorts - Free and Easy
Crafty Calendar - Under the Sea or Water Theme
Crafty Sentiments - Polka Dots
High Hopes - Birthday
Phindy's Place - Delightful Diecuts
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes

A new blog I found plus candy!

2011-07-28T22:28:00.004-04:00

Go on over and check it out HERE!

Blueberry Banana Bread!

2011-07-26T11:09:00.003-04:00

Blueberries are in season and I found this wonderful recipe to try. Gotta say it has quickly become one of my favs! I have made it twice and even shared with my mom/dad and everyone really likes it! Click HERE for the recipe!
Warning: It does take a long time to bake (80 minutes for me!) so you might want to make extra and freeze the leftovers. I just baked mine while doing house chores!

Enjoy!

Thinking Of You Flowers

2011-07-20T12:27:00.002-04:00

Challenges:
Allsorts - Free and Easy
C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Butterflies
Crafty Creations - Seeing Double
Flutter By Wednesday - Use a butterfly, fairy or angel
Phindy's Place - Pretty Pastels
The Pink Elephant - Colors

Japanese Cucumber Salad

2011-07-19T22:08:00.003-04:00

I LOVE getting fresh produce from my garden but when you get one you get a TON! LOL! So I'm always looking up new recipes on how to use up some of my produce and this week I found a new recipe for cucumbers. This is a Japanese Cucumber Salad and you can view the recipe by clicking HERE!

ENJOY!

Hello Harold!

2011-07-18T15:32:00.004-04:00

Digi is a freebie from Doodle Pantry called Harold Duck
Sentiment is a dollar stamp from Michaels

Challenges:
Doodle Pantry #14 - Use a Doodle Pantry image
Allsorts - Free and Easy
Cardmadfairy - Include an animal
Crafty Creations - Boyz to men (I think this would be cute for a young boy)
Polka Doodles - Long Hot Summer (summery outdoor colors)
Shopping Our Stash - Out With the Old and In With the New (everything I used on my card I have had FOREVER!)
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Stamptacular Sunday - Animal Antics
ABC Challenge - Y is for Yesterday (Feb. 2, 2011 - Nestie)
Totally Gorjuss - All About Boys

A Few More Giveaways!!

2011-07-17T22:27:00.001-04:00

This is part of one giveaway....you will have to click below to see the rest!

Go check it out HERE!!

Top 3!

2011-07-16T22:08:00.002-04:00

I am beaming from ear to ear as my "Swimming Lucy" card was picked as one of the Top 3 over at Shopping Our Stash!! Click HERE to check it out! :)

A Friendly Mid-Way Reminder! :)

2011-07-14T15:09:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to remind everyone that you still have til the end of the month to enter a CELEBRATION project without stamping (except sentiments) over at Unstampabelles! There is a prize on offer too! :) The challenge goes by Aussie time but no worries I won't make you do the calculating as there is a time clock on the challenge blog in the upper left hand corner!

Hope to see you there!!
Hugs!
-Stacie

Cool and Refreshing Tasty Tuesday!

2011-07-12T22:54:00.003-04:00

After all the heat some of us have been enduring I thought you might like to see this cool and refreshing dessert called "Layered Pudding Dessert". You can click HERE for the recipe! The only thing I did differently was put the whipped topping on the side instead of covering the top in a thick layer.

*Mine never look as good as the original pictures but they still taste great and in my book that is all that matters! :)

Enjoy!

Shimmerz new product!!

2011-07-12T07:40:00.004-04:00

*Picture is from their blog

Shimmerz has released a cool new product called Enamelz! You can check out a video by clicking HERE!

Happy Birthday Mom....and gift set!

2011-07-11T18:59:00.004-04:00

Today is my moms birthday and I made her this gift set of a purse style notebook and some homemade foot cream! I used her FAV color of green (the brighter the better for her!) and it also matches the spirelli card I made for her which I have posted HERE!

* Hope you can see all the bling!! The letter "P" is covered with stickles and so are the flowers on the foot cream!

Challenges:
Allsorts - Free and Easy
Charisma Cardz - All About Flowers
Creative Craft - Pretty Blossoms
Kaboodle Doodle - Use scissors (I had to cut the purse shape on the notebook)
Shopping Our Stash - Candy, Kits, RAKS and SWAG (I won the big yellow flower)

Gina K Giveaway!

2011-07-09T22:38:00.002-04:00

Click HERE to find out how to enter!

Getting Ready For CHA BIG Sale!!!

2011-07-09T22:29:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to the store so you can buy all those goodies on sale!!

You can also win something really cool just for spreading the word about this sale!
Click HERE for details!

Swimming Lucy

2011-07-08T15:59:00.004-04:00

I think Lucy is having some serious fun in the sun! LOL! :)

Stamp is from Sparkle Creations

Challenges:
A Spoonfull of Sugar - Sewing (I used faux)
Crafty Calendar - Water Theme
Creative Inspirations - Seaside
Paper Sundaes - Stitching
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Summer Fun
Shopping Our Stash - Candy, Kits, RAKS and Swag (stamp was candy)
Simon Says - Stitching
Sparkle Creations - Sketch
Sparkle Creations - 1st Anniversary Throwback (Use 1 of the original 8 stamps released)
The Lollipop Ladies - Fibers

Fishing Trip!

2011-07-07T12:26:00.002-04:00

Hubby and I decided to take some time out from working and do a little local fishing! So much fun especially when you actually catch something! LOL!

He caught the "Big One" ... a 4.5 pound catfish! We did not keep this one to eat as he said the meat is usually yellow with bigger catfish and not very good.

I was catching these bluegill and we ended up with enough to keep and eat so hubby filleted these and we will get a good meal out of them! :)

Anyone else out there like to go fishing? If so I would love to hear what kind of fish you catch!

Thinking of You Hedgie AND a question!

2011-07-06T14:52:00.004-04:00

I have my settings on blogger set to upload all my cards at the biggest setting but they still seem small. Any suggestions on how to make them bigger?

Hedgie stamp is a Penny Black

Challenges:
Card Patterns - Sketch
Creative Craft - Pretty Blossoms
Penny Black at Allsorts - Flower Power
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Desert Island Stamps (a PB stamp you couldn't be without)
Stamptacular Sunday - Seeing Double (Two of the corners on the main image panel have the same bling!)
Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Free and Easy

Fruit Cobblers!

2011-07-05T19:27:00.002-04:00

I had some berries to use up before fresh ones come on for the year so I decided to make a blackberry cobbler. I liked it so much I decided to make another, but that time I did a strawberry one with cinnamon!

Blackberry

Strawberry

The recipe is REALLY EASY and uses few ingredients!!!
Click HERE for the blackberry recipe!
For the strawberry version just use the same amount of berries and sprinkle some cinnamon in the mix (however much you want).

TIP: If using frozen berries make sure you thaw then DRAIN excess liquid off otherwise it takes alot longer to bake!

Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July!!!

2011-07-04T11:11:00.004-04:00

In honor of this day I wanted to show you a red, white and blue creation I made for my mom. Some quilled flowers using a cuttlebug quilling die set! I put them in a Brown County wine bottle which is where we went for Mother's Day so I thought it would make it more special! :)

Here is a close-up of the flowers....I love how they turned out!

Challenges:
Allsorts - Free and easy
C.R.A.F.T Challenge - gardening (flowers)
Creative Inspirations - Red, white and blue
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Delightful Sketches - Red, white and blue
OTWC #56 - red, white and any shade of blue

The Pink Elephant - Red, white and blue
Top Tip Tuesday - Triple flowers
TIP: When making quilled flowers it is best to die cut (punch or handcut) a small circle out of stiff board like a cereal box and glue the entire flower onto that so it doesn't come undone. For the wire you just add glue and poke it through!

1st Unstampabelles Challenge!!!

2011-07-03T17:00:00.003-04:00

Today is the launch of our first challenge over at Unstampabelles! Our theme for this month is CELEBRATIONS and you can create anything you want as long as there are no stamped or digi images (except sentiments). For my DT sample I have made a gift set to show you. I saw this set on my blogging pal Becky's blog (Thanks Becky for the inspiration!!) and thought it was brilliant! This set in particular will be given to my husbands cousin which just graduated college!

This is a notebook purse and you can find the tutorial by clicking HERE!

This is a wonderful homemade foot cream and you can find the recipe for this by clicking HERE!

Here is the matching card I made and I used a sentiment sticker from The Sticker Store! They just so happen to be our sponsors for this month!

Here is a close-up picture so you can see the actual sentiment sticker better! I just LOVE these stickers!

The Sticker Store was gracious enough to offer the goodies in the picture below to one lucky winner!

I hope to see several of you over at Unstampabelles playing in our first challenge!

I am entering these items into the following challenges:
Allsorts - Free and easy
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Stampalot Challenge - Anything goes
Stampin' For The Weekend - My favorite things (bright colors, flowers and bling)
ABC Challenge - X for crossing ribbons (all the ribbons are crossed on top of the jar)
Top Tip Tuesday - T for turquoise or three items!
TIP: Want a glittery flower but don't have one...just add some distress stickles to the petals of a plain flower and smear around with your fingers!

Introducing a new challenge blog with CANDY!!

2011-07-03T01:00:00.000-04:00

*This will stay at the top until July 3rd .... please scroll to see newer posts*

You all like blog candy right? Here is an EASY way to win some!!
All you need to do is help us tell everyone about our new challenge blog "Unstampabelles Challenges".

About our challenge blog:
This challenge blog was created to share all types of papercrafting techniques without the use of digital OR rubber stamps (sentiments are permitted).

We would love for you to enter any type of paper creation like cards, scrap pages, boxes, books, calendars, etc.

Some examples of techniques are: papertole, quilling, iris folding, stitching, beading, origami, fancy folds, die-cutting machines, paper punches, canvases, stickers, rub-ons, etc.

Above all have fun!!!

How to Enter:
1. Add our Button to your sidebar or do a post telling everyone about the new challenge blog.

2. Then go back to the Unstampabelles Challenge blog and add your name and blog link to the blue frog at the bottom of the post.

3. A random winner will be drawn and posted on July 4th with our first challenge!
The winner will receive an AUD $15.00 gift certificate to the online crafting store they desire!!!

Hope to see everyone join in the fun!

-Stacie

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!

2011-07-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

If you have not already checked it out head on over to the new Unstampabelles Challenge Blog! You still have a little over 18 hours left to enter the candy draw and our first challenge will also go live tomorrow! Stay tuned...