Charmed Life

A little bit sweet... a little bit sinister...

2010-08-10T08:12:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to announce that I have been asked to be one of the designers for Kari Ramstrom's annual Halloween extravanganza... otherwise know as Sweet & Sinister! This is an incredible collection of artists that I will be joining this year...

Kerry Lynn Yeary

Heather Rowley

Julie Thompson

Heidi Wallingford

Hope Wallace

Crystal Hanehan

Cassondra Walters

Michelle Geller

Catherine Thursby

Candice Carpenter

Kris Hurst

Laurie

Linda Crispell

Karin

and more to come...

You won't want to miss out on this year's festivities! In case you aren't famliar with Sweet and Sinister... Kari hosts it every year on the for of both a swap and a private blog chock full of inspiration! For more information, head on over here and read all about it! Hope to see you all there, and get in the spirit for one of my favorite holidays!

Better late than never...

2010-08-04T08:44:00.011-04:00

Wow. The settled dust is literally inches thick around this joint. I've had so many people ask me lately why I stopped blogging. Stopped crafting. I think everyone has those creative glitches... for whatever reason. Life gets in the way. You lose your mojo. You forgot why you started doing it in the first place. You turn in different directions.

I had a conversation with a really good, old friend the other day. She said I inspired her. She asked me what stopped inspiring me. Life. People. I lost myself somewhere along the way over the last 6 months. How do you find yourself again? You stop living your life for other people (except your kids... they always come first). You stop worrying about what other people think so much. You do what's best for you... not for them. You pull yourself up by the boot straps, and carry on. You rediscover the things you used to do that made you happy. You rediscover the things that got you by.

I've spent much too much of my life being a people-pleaser... family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances. As I get older, I realize it never got me anywhere. It might have made someone else happy along the way, but it certainly didn't do much for my own well-being. Enough of that. Life is too short. I refuse to spend the rest of mine walking on eggshells, and worrying more about everyone else than I do myself.

WIth that said... I am diving back into crafting, scrapbooking, cooking, decorating head-first. And, I'm thrilled. I have some VERY EXCITING projects, guest designing spots, and news to share with you all over the next few weeks. We'll start with some American Crafts projects today.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but Dear Lizzy is one of my FAVORITE product lines of all time! I love creating with it. The variety of embellishments is amazing, the fabric paper... SWOON! It all came together to make a spectacular spring banner...

The fabric paper is fun to cut into strips, fray they edges, remove the adhesive backing and tie into little fringes between each banner piece. I really had a blast making this banner. Okay, so I didn't finish it in time to actually hang up for spring. But, it'll be at the ready for next year. NOW... if I could just get my hands on the upcoming Dear Lizzy holiday line. *le sigh* It's beautiful. I'm crossing my fingers to have my American Crafts DT contract renewed for another year just so I can get my Christmas crafting on with that line!

Another one of my favorite American Crafts supplies is their selection of 3-Dimensional stickers. I stink at making cards... it really isn't my forte. But, the dimensional stickers make it SO easy! Here's a quick card with some Dear Lizzy and dimentional stickers...

And, if you haven't had enough of a Dear Lizzy fix... head on over to the American Crafts blog to check out the page I made. It's punches week at American Crafts! So, break out your punches and play along! Our designers have some fabulous projects for you. You won't want to miss Paige's AMAZING altered purse featuring punches! See you there!

One for Mom, one for Dad, and one for everyone in between...

2010-05-31T13:59:00.004-04:00

With all of the holidays swirling around us lately, I have been busy making A LOT of cards. And, fortunately, I have A LOT of American Crafts goodies to play with! I'm finding that their 3-dimensional "Remarks" stickers are the PERFECT thing for making cards!

My mother absolutely adores bird-watching. So, this one is especially for her...

And, this one is perfect for that special man in your life on Fathers Day...

Last, but not least... I'm sure we all know someone with a birthday coming up. This card is bright, playful, and just right for the young ones in your life...

I encourage you to check out the entire line of 3-dimensional "Remarks" stickers from American Crafts. There is literally something for EVERYONE. Cats, camping, circus, snowflakes, birds, Matroyshka dolls... you name it, and they probably have a sticker for it! And, like I said... these are great for cards (or to add that little extra pop to your layouts)!

I will be back on Wednesday with a "Dear Lizzy" spring-inspired banner. Hey... better late than never! ;0)

xo,
Holly

life is messy...

2010-05-25T21:02:00.002-04:00

Things get in the way of creating. But, I've got a few things up my sleeve in the coming days. In the meantime... a pretty song. An amazing video. Listen. For you. "If you want to, I am game..."

Welcome to my abode...

2010-04-05T10:43:00.021-04:00

How does this thing work again? I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last updated the blog. What happened? Oh, yeah... a hectic cheerleading schedule and life in general. But, I thought there was no better way to get my blogging feet wet than to participate in today's American Crafts blog hop!

Today, we are working with the new Abode line... so adorable and lots of fun embellishments to play with! Next to scrapbooking, home decorating/DIY is one of my favorite hobbies. I am constantly tearing pages from magazines, collection wallpaper and paint samples, and bookmarking ideas on the internet. So, I figured it was high time I made a little binder to keep all of my ideas and inspirations in!

I bought this album as part of a kit from Studio Calico over a year ago with the intention of using it for this very project, but I never came across the right product to work with this project... enter American Crafts "Abode" line!

I divided the insides of the book up into four sections: Living, Bed, Bath and Yard...

Each section is marked with these really cool, thick acetate tabbed dividers. They take rub-ons perfectly!

Inside each tabbed acetate sheet, there are thin chipboard dividers that I covered with patterned paper and embellishments that are used to further divide up the book. For the living area, it is divided into "Living Room," "Game Room," "Kitchen and Dining," and "Entryway."

The "Bed" section is divided into "Hazel's Room," "Luka's Room," "Master Bedroom," and "Guest Room."

The "Bath" section is divided into "Kids' Bath," and "Master Bath."

And, finally, the "Yard" section is divided into "Front Yard" and "Backyard."

And, now you have a fun little binder to stuff full of all kinds of home decor inspiration! There are even lined pages that fit into each section for you to write notes, room measurements, etc. on! It's a handy thing to toss into your purse so you'll have it at the ready the next time you're shopping for ways to improve your house!

I'll be back on Wednesday for some fun, alternative ways to use your scrapbooking supplies to make all kinds of team spirit projects... perfect to support your favorite little sportsman!

In the meantime, be sure to hop along over to all of the other talented American Crafts designers' blogs that are participating in the hop. There is sure to be lots of inspiration out there!

Kim Arnold
Moon Ko
Kathy Thompson
Katrina Simeck
Melanie Louette
Piradee Talvanna
Loredana Bucaria
Martha Bonneau
Nichole Duenke
Shannon Zickel
Beth Proudfoot
Paige Evans
Wendy Sue Anderson
Doris Sander
Mary Jo Johnston
Elizabeth Carney
Dusti Nakamura
Kim Watson
Danielle Layton
Kelly Purkey
Amy Tan

sweet as candy

2010-02-16T14:07:00.013-05:00

Today, I have a fun little shadow box project to share with you. These are super-easy to put together, and make for a lovely gift. This particular shadow box was made for my daughter as a gift for her birthday next month. She has the biggest sweet tooth I have ever seen, and will just love this little candy shoppe wall hanging...

First, we'll start of with the lid to a papier mache box and we'll paint the outside and inside edges...

Once that dries, we'll adhere a piece of glittered cardstock inside. American Crafts makes some wonderful glittered cardstock that comes in a wide array of colors...

Now we'll start making our candy "shelf." This particular box lide measures 4 3/4" x 6 3/4." So, I cut a piece of patterned paper that measures 5" x 6 3/4." Get out your bone folder and a ruler so that we can begin scoring. Make your first score 1/2" from the edge of the paper...

Your second score will be made 7/8" from the previous score...

Now, repeat the same scores on the opposite end of the paper...

Fold along your scores, and apply adhesive to all but one tab. Leave one of the 7/8" sections without adhesive. This will be the top of your shelf...

Adhere the shelf to the inside of the box...

Next, add a silver pipe cleaner around the inside top edge of the box...

Take your stickers (these are made by American Crafts), and adhere the to a piece of white cardstock. Trim around the stickers, leaving a little tab at the bottom...

Use a bone folder and ruler to score the tabs of your candy jars. The tabs will then be adhered to to top oof the shelf. I used small dots of hot glue for adhesive. Then, add a little piece of trim along the edge of the shelf...

Use more of the American Crafts stickers, some of their mini jewel brads, and pop dots to create your store's sign...

Almost done! Run around the edge of the box with some decorative tape for an added touch...

Finally, make a hanger for your shadow box. I used more of the same scalloped velvet trim and some American Crafts pearl brads to create mine...

And, we're done! I hope that you enjoyed this fun project, and that it inspires you to create your own shadowboxes.

Hello... is this thing on?

2010-02-16T10:38:00.007-05:00

Wow. It has been quite a while since I've ventured out into blog land. But, I had to come out of hiding to share with you an awesome opportunity that I had this month. The insanely talented (not to mention totally sweet) Kerry Lynn Yeary invited me to be the guest designer for February over at Kenner Road!

I had a blast playing with all of the beautiful, inspiring product that she sent my way. Lots of new Crate Paper goodies! And, I would like to share with you! So, here they are...

Stay tuned later this month to the Kenner Road blog for a special project tutorial that I am working on!

New Bleuprint!

2010-01-16T06:32:00.004-05:00

Every Friday over at Bad Girls, one of our Elite Artistes shares an inspiring new Bleuprint. For those of you that don't know, our Bleuprints begin with a source of inspiration (a magazine ad, a painting, a color palette). From that, we build a sketch. And, finally we create fun layouts combining our source of inspiration and sketches.

This week was my turn, and this is what I came up with...

I was looking for a fun way to scrap some photos I had from Christmas, and was inspired to create a page that, itself, looked like a wrapped gift. American Crafts' "Merrymint" collection was perfect for this! To see where my source of inspiration came from, and for a sketch to give you a jumping off point... take a peek here.

Have a great weekend! I know mine will be spent getting messy with the new American Crafts "I Heart You" line. Stay tuned for some cute V-Day projects!

2010...

2010-01-11T12:14:00.004-05:00

Brought to you by the letter "H" for...

Health in all areas of life.

* Health in the traditional sense. More exercise. I'm on Day 8 of my Wii 30 Day Fitness Challenge, and I have more and more energy every time that alarm goes off at 6 am. Yay! Eat healthier. More fruits and veggies. I am a notorious veggie-hater. I'm getting better. Baby steps, baby steps. Cut out soda and alcohol. I have a Coke every couple of days. I haven't had a drop of wine (or any other alcoholic beverage) for 10 days now. Instead, I drink about 10 glasses of water a day. Doin' good.

* Family health. We are spending a lot more quality time together. Dinners at the dining room table. Mondays are family movie night, Thursdays... family game night. Once it warms up, we'll be spending a lot more time playing outside. Hazel is now a Daisy Girl Scout, and I am a co-leader for her troop. It's an excellent way to spend quality time together.

* Creative health. I was taking on so many jobs and projects that it was starting to burn me out. I've taken a creative break to get the juices flowing again, reprioritized some of my commitments, and hope to be back to inspiring you all very soon. I will continue to reevaluate my commitments in the industry until I find a happy medium.

* Mental health. Not in the loo-loo crazy sense. More in the remembering not to be so hard on myself, and introducing more time for relaxation in my life sense. In this day and age, I think we could all benefit from taking some time to breathe and appreciate all we have in life. It doesn't always have to be so high-stress and go, go, go all the time.

I think the best idea behind new year's resolutions is to set small, attainable goals and build on them. If I went in with the goal to work out 3 hours a day, that would last maybe 3 days. Instead, I started out with the 30 minute Wii fitness challenge. Then, I'll slowly add too it... a couple of days of yoga here, some Wii Fit exercises there. It makes everything seem that much more possible. On that note, I have some organizing to do before I can get back to creating. So, I'll leave you with some snap-shots from the holidays...

Happy New Year, and here's to you achieving all your goals for 2010!

the wrap

2009-12-24T10:19:00.005-05:00

Am I the only one that was crazy disappointed with this year's selection of wrapping paper and accoutrements? Usually Target has several different coordinated lines that have matching paper, bags, tags, ribbon, package decorations. Apparently, they decided to do away with that this year... much to my dismay. The best paper I found was actually at Michael's and Walgreens. Go figure. So, here I am, Christmas Eve... decent paper with no pretty package decorations to accessorize them with. Why not make our own?

These are super-quick, and are a perfect Christmas Eve craft to make with the kiddos. You don't have to clue them in to the fact that they are actually helping you with your last-minute wrapping. *wink* *wink* Not to mention... they make lovely keepsake ornaments after they are done with their job adorning your packages!

Grab some new Pink Paislee "Cupid" products. They might be intended for Valentine's Day, but they look lovely with the holiday bird paper I found at Michael's.

Start with some chipboard birds. Maya Road and Jenni Bowlin both make some cute ones. Cover the chipboard pieces with some patterned paper, accent it with glitter...

Add a flowered tail, and finish off your creation with some pretty jewels...

Then, punch a hole at the top of the bird, loop some ribbon through, and make a little hanger for the bird. Now it's ready to tie onto a package (or adorn your tree).

Now you have some pretty little birdies to perch atop your packages! The sky's the limit with decoration them... you imagination is the only limit.

** Incidentally, this will be my last project for Pink Paislee. I decided not to reapply for the 2010 team. Not that I don't love their product... I'm just trying to reorganize and reprioratize for the new year. I want to take this opportunity to thank Rebecca, and everyone else at Pink Paislee for the opportunity to design for them over the last year. It has been a wonderful experience, and I enjoyed it every minute. To the upcoming 2010 DT... you won't be disappointed! This is a fabulous company to work for!**

Happy holidays everyone!

no Christmas for me...

2009-12-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

Beautiful. I came across this song several months ago... before I found out that my husband would be home for Christmas. I dedicate it to all the military wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters out there... and anyone else that finds themselves without their loved ones this holidays season.

I hope this finds you all warm, well, and in the arms of your loved ones this holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah... whatever you celebrate... merry, merry!

xo,
Holly

a picture...

2009-12-02T12:16:00.006-05:00

is worth 1,000 words.

That picture... that whole layout pretty sums up how I've been feeling lately. I haven't blogged in, oh, about 3 weeks now. I just haven't had it in me.

For the most part, I consider myself a pretty strong woman. I get through deployment after deployment... and all the little things that go along with that. I rarely cry about it. I don't whine constantly about wanting my husband to come home. I married an army man... I knew what went along with that when he slipped the ring on my finger. You just have to pull on your big girl panties, suck it up, and carry on. After all, what does crying really do to solve anything? Not much, in my experience.

But, then you have a month where... Your stove breaks. Your heater clunks out. Your 5 year old is cutting molars, which makes her an incredibly difficult little girl to deal with. The military shorts your paycheck $250 (at Christmas-time no less). Your kids catch the flu... twice. You end up in the emergency room with one child whose temperature you can't get under 102. You get sick yourself. You have a frightening health scare which, after all, turns out to be nothing.

You can't help but want to throw in the towel, and call it quits. You don't feel particularly creative. You force yourself to make SOMETHING for your deadlines anyway. It feels like the perfect time to throw a pity party. And, I did just that. But, then, like every other time... you get over it. You pull yourself up by the boot straps, so to speak. You start to feel a little bit better. You remind yourself for all the things you are grateful for in your life, and you get on.

So, this is me... getting on. I'm determined to make the most of this Christmas. To help my children enjoy it... even with their dad thousands of miles away. I'm gettin' my mojo back. The lovely new "Letterbox" line from American Crafts helps a lot in that department. You can't help but make beautiful things with such beautiful product...

It's all availble on 2Peas now. So, head on over and grab some up!

As for me, I'm diving head-long into the holiday joy... I'll be back to spread some around here over the next few weeks. Can you believe it's already DECEMBER?!?

A Home for the Holidays

2009-11-09T11:54:00.004-05:00

Head on over to the Bad Girls blog today to check out some more holiday crafting inspiration that in have in store for you! A fabulous vintagey waterless snowglobe project...

Full instructions for this project can be found here.

Also, I have entered my American Crafts paper flower wreath into the Michael's "Handmade Holiday" contest. The grand prize is a trip to NYC, and tickets to the Martha Stewart Show. So, if you could please, take a moment to head on over to the contest gallery and vote for my wreath. I would REALLY appreciate it. :0) Just click on the snowmen under the photo of the wreath to cast your vote. It won't look like it's actually registering your vote... nothing will happen when you click on the snowmen. But, rest assured, it IS actually working. Again, thank you so much for taking the time... and a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has already voted!

Happy holiday crafting to you! Enjoy!

Deck the doors!

2009-11-05T10:31:00.008-05:00

In the process of writing up a tutorial for my paper flowers technique, I was trying to think of unique was to incorporate them into a project. And, like a lightning bolt, it hit me... these would make an AWESOME Christmas wreath. Then, when I discovered that the American Crafts "Flair!" was the p.e.r.f.e.c.t. size to cover the brads in the center of the flowers... it was like the crafting gods had their divine intervention!

What you will need...

For the wreath base:
*One 18" styrofoam wreath
*16 yards of ribbon to wrap the wreath base with (all my ribbons are the American Crafts holiday line sold at Michael's in individual 3 yard rolls... you'll need 6 rolls)
*One roll of extra-wide wired ribbon for the bow at the top of the wreath
*Picture hanging wire
*Hot glue gun

For the flowers:
*One sheet each of 6 different styles of patterned paper (all papers and other products here are from the new American Crafts holiday line)
*24 large brads
*24 rubberbands (I use the colored rubberbands you can buy for children's hair at the grocery store... don't worry about the colors b/c you won't see them)
*Glue dots
*3 packages of American Crafts holiday Flair! (coincidentally, there are 3 different set of Flair! with 8 designs per package. That equals 24 pieces of Flair!... which is exactly how many flowers you will need. See, I told you... divine intervention of the crafting gods!)

Start out by wrapping the wreath with ribbon, securing along the way with hot glue. Ideally, it would be great if you could get 6 rolls of the same ribbon. However, if your Michael's is as small as mine, you will only be able to get 2 of the same design. It's not that big of a deal. You won't really see it anyway when the wreath is done... unless you're looking at it from the side. And who really looks at it like that if it's on your front door? Not me. Anyhow, wrap the wreath...

Set the wreath aside, and start working on your flowers per the previously mentioned tutorial. Each sheet of patterned paper will provide you with (4) 5" squares to make flowers from. Once you have the basic flowers assembled, glitter the edges of them with glitter glue. Usually, I'm the biggest Stickles advocate, but in this case... I used the cheap stuff from Michael's. Trust me... you'll need that big bottle, and it gets a thicker line of glitter that is preferable for this project...

Then, add your Flair! to the middle of the flowers, and you'll be done with them. Now, all you have to do is adhere them to the wreath base using hot glue. I overlapped them so that none of the ribbon below was visible. This will leave you with a gap at the top, but that's okay because we're going to cover it up with that pretty bow! Just tie a simple bow from a 2' length of extra-wide wired ribbon, and trim the ends. Secure the bow to the wreath with more hot glue, and run a length of picture wire through the back of it to provide a hanger for your wreath. Voila! Now, you've got a beautiful wreath that will greet your guests at the front door year after year.

**THANK YOU so much to all of the ladies over at 2Peas that voted for my wreath... #1 by votes in LESS THAN 45 minutes! That's just freaking amazing. And, layout of the day to boot! Thank you!!! xoxoxo, Holly**

We've Got Spirit!!!

2009-11-03T13:11:00.011-05:00

Yes we do! Some of you might be wondering what I have been scrapping as of late. The answer? Not much. I have taken a little scrapbooking hiatus for the last week or so to work on some spirit goodies for Hazel's competitive cheerleading squad. Now that we are part of the Cheer Extreme family of gyms, Hazel and her team have really started to blossom on their skill level. Here she is modeling her new uniform...

I must admit... I'm a total sucker for the new team colors. Teal is my favorite, and I loved having a chance to create with it! I've been making cowbells for the team moms to bring to competitions with us. Us cheer moms... the noisier, the better!

And, then I started on a project that harkened back to my days in high school football-crazed Texas. For those of you that have never lived there, went to high school there, or had a child that went to high school there, let me introduce you to the mum...

Now, let me just tell you... this is a VERY scaled-down version of the "everything's bigger in Texas" mums that the high school girls sport during the annual homecoming football game/dance. In fact, this is more of what you would consider a "garter," and would be worn by... get this... THE GUYS. Yes, guys wear these frilly, sparkly things as a garter around their upper arms. Manly, is it not?

The girls? Well, let me tell you... I stand at about 5'5", and my homecoming mums in high school nearly reached my ankles. Don't believe me? Check these ladiesout! No, I don't know the crafty lady whose blog I pulled this from. She just had the best photos (actually ON a person) that I found when I Googled photos of homecoming mums.

Mind you, I graduated from high school over 13 years ago... but, these things seem to have only GROWN in size since then. At least we used to be able to pin them to our shirts. Sure, it might have taken 5 safety pins... but, we weren't wearing them around our necks like they do now. I get it, though... the bigger, the more sparkly the mum... the cooler you thought you were. Well, at least until you looked back 13 years later. LOL! They even make ones that light up and play music... I kid you not.

So, back to my little mum. This guy only measures 12", and is a great way to show support of your cheerleader. There were moms that wore them back in high school to support their football-playing sons, cheerleader daughters, etc. So, I thought I'd bring a little of that good old Texas tradition right here to North Carolina. We'll see how this catches on... or not. It sure was FUN to make, though. And, you all know how much I LOVE anything that sparkles! Lights up and plays music? Not so much. We'll save that for those Texas gals.

If you're a Cheer Extreme mom, find yourself reading this, and are interested in your very own mum to support your little cheerleader... please feel free to contact me.

Speaking of cheerleading... it's about time for practice. We have our first competition this weekend, and need to get ready. I'll leave you with a photo (and a video) from their recent Showcase performance...

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T11:23:00.010-04:00

Just a quick little last-minute project made with all of the cool new "Twilight" goodies from Pink Paislee. This makes a great little card for your kids (that can later be used as a door hanger), or even a quick hostess gift for those Halloween parties I know you;ll all be attending tonight. It only took about a half an hour to put it together (aside from waiting for the glitter and glue to dry).

Everyone in the Hanks houshold wants to wish you the happiest of Halloweens as well. Including our new rescue Frenchie, Zee...

She looks real happy, doesn't she? Yeah... not so much. Next year I'm going to devise a costume for her that looks like "Spike" from the movie, Gremlins. Everyone keeps telling me she looks like a gremlin, so I figure, "Why not?"

Sake's just glad that she avoided having to wear the hot dog costume again this year. The skeleton suit is much more dignified... and it glows in the dark!

I'm quite certain that my dogs hate Halloween. But, not my kids. Luka threw a fit until I relented, and bought him this Brobee costume. Not the most manliest of things, but Bryan isn't home for this Halloween to complain. *wink*

As for Hazel, we've managed to avoid the generic princess costumes... until this year. But, her obsession with all things glittery has taken over, and she fell in love with this Cinderella dress when she spied it this summer at Disney World. Fortunately, the Disney Store had it for about $30 cheaper. She looks beautiful... if I do say so myself.

I hope you all have a wonderfully fun (and safe) Halloween! Trick-or-treat!

Happy birthday in a jar!

2009-10-22T09:26:00.006-04:00

My dear, sweet husband recently celebrated his 29th birthday... his third birthday in Afghanistan. With every birthday in the sandbox, comes a birthday without cake (something he misses a lot). So this year, with a bit of research and experimentation, I found a way to can up that sweet, celebratory starch and send it on it's way across oceans and deserts. My version is super-easy, and uses a boxed cake mix. Of course, you can get all Martha Stewart with it, and whip up your own cake recipe. Either way... Anyhow, several people asked me to share the secret, so here we go...

Start off by getting yourself some 4 oz. (you'll need about 24) or 8 oz. (You'll need about 12) wide-mouthed jars. You'll want the variety with the straight side so that the cakes will slide right out. Otherwise, if there's a mouth to the jar, you'll have to just settle for spooing it directly out of the jar into your mouth... which can be okay too. *wink* *wink*

Coat the insides of the jar with Baker's Joy. This stuff is great, if not sometimes hard to find. It's like flour and butter all in one convenient aerosol can. If you can't find it... go the old-fashioned way: butter and flour the jars by hand.

Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Fill those jars up to about half-way full. Don't go more than that, or it will ooze over the edges of the jar while baking. The confetti cake happens to be B's favorite, and fortunately it makes for some pretty looking jars!

Arrange the jars on a baking sheet... just in case there's any over-flow. Pop them in the oven at the box's recommended temperature. I found that the 4 oz. jars take about 20 minutes to bake, and the 8 oz. ones about 30 minutes. But, I have a convection oven so, even with conversions, my times are often different than most other people's. You'll just want to check on your cakes frequently. I always keep long wooden skewers handy for BBQ'ing, and those are perfect for checkind doneness in the taller jars. Just insert one of the skewers into the center of the jar. Once it comes out clean, your cakes are done.

Now, here's where you have to make some decisions. Are your cakes traveling 3 days in the mail to someone a few states away? Are you taking them down the street for a neighbor's birthday party? Or are they being boxed up to be shipped thousands of miles away with no definitive delivery date? If you picked the latter, I recommend not icing your cakes. Instead, let them cool outside of the oven for 2-3 minutes. After that 2-3 minutes, immediately seal the jars. The remaining heat will actually create a seal to the lid. It will keep those cakes good long enough to reach their overseas destination, but isn't intended for long-term preservation. Throw in a tub of icing, some sprinkles, and a plastic knife with the box, and your recipient can ice their own cakes.

However, if an 8,000 mile trip to Afghanistan isn't in your cakes' future (and for presentation purposes here)... you can do the following:

Allow the cakes to cool completely in the jars. Once cool, slice off the muffin tops to the cakes so you have a smooth, clean top. I jiggle the cakes out of the jars a little ways because you'll actually want the tops of the cakes to sit about 3/4" from the top of the jar...

Now, it's time to make those cakes pretty. I take a tub of the whipped icing (it's easier to work with), and spoon it into a large Ziplock bag. Squeeze the icing into a bottom corner of the bag, and cut the tip off. Of course, if you have the forethought to actually purchase one, a pastry bag works just as well. Squeeze the icing, working in a circular pattern until the tops of your cakes are completely covered, and the icing is about 1/8" - 1/4" from the tops of the jars...

Add some rainbowliscious sprinkles...

Seal up your jars, and deliver some birthday wishes in a jar to someone you love!

Friday Fill-Ins

2009-10-09T09:55:00.008-04:00

1. Sweet dreams of pumpkin pies will fill your head when you give one of these a go! Pumpkin pie potpourri...

To be honest, some of my Martha experiments have gone less-than-perfectly in the past. Either that woman has the Midas-touch when it comes to anything crafty and can turn any potentially disasterous project into gold, or she doesn't have a very good test team and the rest of us aren't as domestically-inept as she would have us believe. So, I was a little skeptical about this idea. But, it actually works WONDERFULLY, and I'm enjoying the scent of fresh-baked pumpkin pie as I type this. These little pumpkins are $1 at Wal-Mart, and it took about 15 minutes to make one. Nearly effortless, and smells just as good (if not better than) any $20 candle I've bought in the past.

2. Something made especially for me...

by my Sweet & Sinister swap partner, Kari Ramstrom. She really spoiled me for this swap! I'll have to share some more of the goodies I received with you all soon.

3. Silliness is a necessary component of any life. At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. ~Jean Houston. I love that quote.

4. I am completely ready for this Halloween. Some of our decorations...

5. Outstanding or not, this week is finally over! It's been a real doozey.

6. Peace and quiet is what I want right now! That concept has been lost on my co-habitants for days on end... both with the human, and furry variety of squatters.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with a stack of books received in my most recent Amazon order. Some of the titles include...

I'm already about halfway through this book, and it is wonderful! Some of you might already be familiar with the author through her delicious little blog, Orangette. This is more than just a cookbook... it's a reflection on life through the memories associated with some of her favorite foods and recipes. It's lovely... a must-read.

I have yet to only flip through this book, but the food photography is AMAZING. I'm sure you all know that the styling of food in photographs can make or break your decision to actually put something in your mouth. We've all seen the less-than-appetizing photos on some menus... lots of Chinese and Mexican restaurants come to mind. But, the pictures in this book make you want to break out your collection of pots and pans, and attempt to cook EVERYTHING. The book is extremely visual, and interstingly divided into chapters based on the colors of the food. For instance, the "pink" chapter contains recipes for everything from Pomegranate Sorbet to Beet Gnocchi. Bon Appetit!

Anyhow, tomorrow my plans include a babysitter, and ladies-night-out!

And Sunday, I want to make jars upon jars of yummy applicious treats with the apples we collected last weekend!

Enjoy your weekend!

re-cap

2009-10-05T09:26:00.010-04:00

This past weekend was the one I eagerly anticipate all year long... our annual trip to the apple orchard.

This year was actually somewhat disappointing. There were easily 5 x's as many people as when we went last year. I'm not sure if it's because we went a week earlier than usual, the fact that everyone is doing "stay-cations" now, or that a bunch of people wised up and realized that they can get about 30 lbs of apples for the same price they would pay for less than half that many at a grocery store. And that all those apples make lovely applesauce, apple butter, apple bread and apple pies of their own. Whatever the reason, it was frustrating to wade through that crowd and try to enjoy ourselves. But, we managed anyway.

They make the best homemade donuts at the orchard... great with a warm cup of cider. But, after waiting in a line 20 people deep for almost half an hour without moving an inch, I gave up. The kids didn't mind the wait, though. They were busy rolling around in the hay.

We managed to find some lovely pumpkins. They always have such gorgeous heirloom varieties. I just wish the large crowds hadn't forced us to park nearly 3/4 of a mile from the orchard, so that I could have brought more of these beauties home. As it was, I could barely carry everything back to the truck. But, lugging these chubby gourds back was well worth it.

For me, one of the best parts of the trip is always on the way home... our stop at Flat Rock Village Bakery just a couple of miles down the winding lane from the orchards. Oh, it is delicious! They have their own brick wood-fired oven, where they fire handmade pizzas from the freshest ingedients. We enjoyed sharing a margherita pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil. They also offer a variety of sandwiches, organic juices and fresh-baked loaves of artisan bread for you to take home. I've never bought any of the bread, but this year I couldn't resist the 3 cheese with basil loaf.

To be quite honest, I wasn't entirely sure that I hadn't wasted $6 on this loaf of bread. I thought it impossible for myself to devour the whole loaf, and my little ones aren't big starch eaters. I toasted a couple of slices for dinner that night... pretty yummy. Then yesterday, I had a delicious revelation... I could make sandwiches out of it. But, this bread... it is deserving of something more than just processed lunch meat. Once or twice a month, I make one of these chickens for dinner. WIth Bryan gone, it is entirely too much food for the kids and myself to eat in one sitting. So, I shred the left-over chicken and snack on it for a few days afterward. It just so happens that I made one a couple of days ago, and had some left over. With some fresh spinach leaves, a little spicy brown mustard, some mayo and a slice of pepper jack cheese... heaven between 2 toasted slices of 3 cheese basil bread.

Have you ever eaten something that was so delicious, it nearly brought tears to your eyes? You probably think that sounds silly. But, trust me... there are a few meals out there in this earth that can evoke such feelings. The first time I ever experienced it was earlier this year when my great-uncle took me to lunch at Magnolia's in Charleston, SC. There, I had a bacon, lettuce, lump crab meat and fried green tomato sandwich with homemade sweet potato fries. I had never put something so amazing in my mouth... but, that's a stoary for another time. I had certainly never made something so awe-inspiring in my own kitchen... until this sandwich.

It's a good thing that bakery is over 4 hours from my house. Otherwise, it might well be responsible for adding about 100 extra punds to my figure. But, trust me... if you ever find yourself in the Asheville area, a side-trip to Flat Rock is worth the extra time in the car. Then, you can have one of these delicious artisan loaves of your very own.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have about 5 dozen apples calling my name... waiting to be turned into something warm, sticky, sweet and homemade.

I've been a very Bad Girl!

2009-10-01T12:22:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited to FINALLY announce that I will be the new Design Team Coordinator for the infamous Bad Girls Kits. You can read the official announcement here to find out who the rest of my partners in crime will be.

In case you didn't know... Wendy puts together some GORGEOUS every month, and October's kits are no exception! Take a look at the main kit...

Holy smokes! That baby is packed with some killer goodies! There are also 3 add-on kits... some of them with their own vintage spooky theme. You can check them out here. I don't know about you, but I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on some of that badness!

That's about all I have to report from the crafting frontlines today. Like most of this infected nation, the flu has hit our house... HARD. We've all taken turns being bed-ridden this week, and most recently I've taken my turn. I'm still not feeling 100%, but I'm getting there. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on my blog reading soon... don't want anyone to think I forgot about them! I'll leave you with a couple of fun American Crafts projects (including this one that is LOTD at 2Peas today)!

Those little photos were taken with my new Fuji Instax camera. Gosh! I love that thing! And, as you can see from this layout... the little edges of the photos are the perfect place for journaling!

And, here's a spooky little card just in time for Halloween!

Well, that's it for today. I'm going to pour myself a tall glass of DayQuil, and watch some movies with the little man. Hope you're all having a better week than I am. Achoo!

Gettin' spooky...

2009-09-22T08:25:00.015-04:00

I am so lucky to be able to participate in this year's Sweet & Sinister Halloween swap hosted yearly by the queen of Halloween, Kari Ramstrom aka Artsy Mama. (Who coincidentally also happens to be my swap partner!)

One of the swap items is to be something that we handmade especially for the recipient. So, here are some little trinkets that I made for Kari and her two kiddos.

If you've been paying any attention around the vintage/home decor circles lately, you'll know that collecting old prize ribbons (especially of the equestrian variety) is all the rage. Who would have thought all those ribbons I won way back when I showed hunter jumpers would actually be considered a hot commodity in the circles of home decorating someday? Good thing my mom saved plastic tub upon plastic tub filled with them. I really should ask her to send them to me...

Anyhow, if you aren't fortunate enough to have your own collection of dust-collecting rosettes sitting up in your attic, you can always make your own. And, they're quite simple at that. All of these prize ribbons are made from the new "Twilight" line by Pink Paislee, some bits of vintage trim from my stash, and a little bit of Stickles (because we all know I can't create something without a little sparkle).

I tried a couple of different techniques for the centers of the rosettes. The most simple is to start off with a couple of the circular designs from the Twilight Punchouts. I used a 2" circle punch to trim them down, and then punched out 2 circles for each rosette from a piece of thin chipboard (like you'd find on the back of a slab of patterned paper). Mount the punch-outs on top of the punched chipboard. This just gives it a little more of a sturdy background. Ink the edges of the rounds with some black dye ink. You'll end up with something that looks like this:

You'll notice a different method used for the piece on the bottom left. For that, I cut a 3" circle from one of the Twilight Patches. Then, I only inked the edge of the circular tree stamp from this set, and stamped it onto the fabric (using some black Fabrico ink). Then, I secured it to another 2" punched circle of chipboard. Secure the edges of the fabric to the back of the chipboard using hot glue. You'll have something like this:

Next, we'll be working with some of this fabulous fringed crepe paper from Bethany Lowe. I cut a strip of it, and then cut it in half length-wise to get a thinner strip with a straight edge. Use hot glue to run it around the back edge of the chipboard:

Then, we'll add an edge of pleated black satin ribbon. I buy pre-pleated ribbon, but if you're a whiz with a sewing machine... go ahead and pleat your own. But, as I said... I buy mine (to save both time AND sanity). Affix it to the back of the chipboard using hot glue:

The back will look like this:

Now for the ribbon tails. I cut 3 lengths of black satin ribbon to about 6" long. Attach them to the back of the chipboard like so:

This is all beginning to look a bit messy, isn't it? Not to worry! Remember those extra circles we punched from the chipboard? We'll just cover that mess up with one of those (and some more hot glue):

I know, I should really buy stock in whatever company manufacturers hot glue. It is my best sticky friend. Again, with the hot glue... adhere a pin back to the back of the chipboard:

Now, it's time to get those rosettes prettied up in the holiday finest! I added names to the ribbons using some Expressions Whimsies Alhpas in "Pumpkin," and added a little sparkle atop them with my trusty Stickles. I also edged some elments in the centers of the rosettes with a bit more sparkle. Add some bling... make it purdy!

To the center of the fabric covered rosette, I used the bat image from the Twilight Rub-ons, applied it to a piece of smooth white cardstock, cut it out, and adhered it to the middle of the fabric circle. You can see it in the bottom right of this next image... all gussied up with some sparkle of its own:

"Now, what the heck am I actually supposed to USE these for?" you're asking. Well, I used them to label little goodies bags filled with Halloween treats. Simply punch two small holes at the top of a folded-over goodie bag, and run the pin back through them:

Something else that might be fun... make actual prize ribbons out of them! We host an annual Halloween costume party at our house every year. Well, every year that B isn't deployed. So, instead of names on the ribbon, wouldn't it be cool to write "1st Place, "2nd Place," etc., and hand them out as awards for the best costumes at your party? I'm definitely adding that to my to-do list for next year's party. *wink*

A Fond Farewell

2009-09-18T15:38:00.007-04:00

Well, folks... this is my last month with Label Tulip. It's a tad bittersweet to say goodbye, but there are exciting things to come! Without further ado, here are my final LT projects...

This month's member lift comes from the very talented Leigh Penner. Here is her layout that she was so kind as to let us lift:

And, here's my lift of it (finally... a page design that worked well to scrap about all of my canning experiments this summer!)...

A little "outside the box" creation using the large, gorgeous Prima flower and Maya Road velvet trim from the main kit...

And, just in time for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, a little card to tell someone that you love just how thankful you are to have them in your life...

Finally, one last layout for this month's challenge: write a letter to your 18 year old self, and scrap about it. It's hard to believe that was my senior picture... 14 years ago. 14 years. Wow. Just typing that makes me feel old. It seems like it was just a couple of years back...

Well, that's all she wrote for the Label Tulip chapter of my career. It has been a good run, and I thank Cathy from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to be the coordinator for her amazing design team. I've met so many fun, talented, and insanely creative people through the Label Tulip community. I'm thankful for all of you, and hope we can stay in touch.

As for me... stay tuned for a VERY EXCITING announcement coming around abouts the 25th of this month. *wink* *wink* Happy weekend!

Not too Shabby...

2009-09-13T07:16:00.012-04:00

I am so honored to have been asked to be the September guest designer over at Shabby Chic Crafts! Veronica has some of the most gorgeous tags... lots with that lovely vintage look that is becoming so sought-after in the scrapbooking community these days! I had so much fun creating with them, and would love to share some of my projects with you!

First up, a layout about Hazel's first day of school made using theWood Grain Tags (one of my absolute FAVORITES), a Vintage School Card, one of the Vintage School Circles, and lots of yummy Cosmo Cricket and Sass goodies!

Next up: my December Daily journal for this year! It feels like such an accomplishment to have it done so far in advance, and the Shabby Chic Crafts tags were the perfect addition to this colorful album! I used one of the Creative Imaginations Easel Frame Albums for this, and I love that it has the easel back that pops out so that my book can stand up, and be displayed throughout this holiday season! Plus, lots of last year's KI Memories Christmas goodies...

And my final project... a 2010 calendar (and this month's 12 Months of Christmas project)! This is a super easy gift to make for a family member, and can easily be completed in an evening or two. It uses up lots of those scraps you have lying around, and its creative possibilities are endless! (If you're my mom, and happen to be reading this, now would be a good time to avert your eyes... unless you want to spoil one of your Christmas gifts). ;0)

For my calendar, I used 2 pieces from an older Maya Road acrylic album. The pieces are thick enough that they support the calendar on their own when stood open. The covers are adorned with buttery Hambly rubs, some teensy Thickers, and a Vintage Label. For the insides, I trimmed lots of colorful Hambly scraps to fit, using a corner rounder punch to finish them off. Then, I added a photo of the kids to each calendar page. I tried to print a picture from this year (or last) that was taken during the month that it represents on the calendar.

For the calendar itself, I not only wanted a tiny little calendar, but a place for the recipient to add little notes each month. So, to accomodate that wish (and to add some extra color), I actually combine two Shabby Chic Crafts calendar tags! I used the Vintage Note Calendars for the base. Then, I trimmed the edges off of the Square Stamp Calendars, and added them on top of the calendar that was printed onto the Vintage Note Calendar tags (the calendar is the same size).

You can use tiny pearls and gems to mark special dates (i.e. birthdays, holidays, etc.) on the calendars. And, for some added decoration, you can add some tiny flowers centered with more gems. This is a great way to use up all those jars of tiny Prima flowers I'm sure you have lying around!

To bind the calendar together, I punched holes at the tops of each calendar page and reenforced them with some... wait for it...

EYELETS!

See, I told you this was a great way to use up your supplies! I'll bet you haven't played with eyelets in years, huh? To be honest, it was kind of fun to break out the hammer and setter, and pound away! To put the whole calendar together, I used some earring hoop findings. Binder rings aren't thin enough to go through the eyelets, so earring hoops it was!

It was such a fun project to make, and I hope you'll give it a go! It makes a quick check-off on your Christmas list too. ;0)

A big thanks to Veronica at Shabby Chic Crafts for having me as their guest designer this month! Please check out their blog, and leave a comment here for a chance to win some fabulous fall tags (she's leaving the contest open for a couple extra days, so there's still time)!

labor of love...

2009-09-07T14:06:00.009-04:00

It's Labor Day here in the US. So, I thought I'd create a little post on, what else... labor! But, a labor of love. You'd have to love it, or the labor that goes into this jelly REALLY isn't worth it. Fortunately, I love it (and I'm sure you will too)!

Muscadine grapes (also known as scuppernogs) are supposedly one of the Southeastern US's greatest, exclusive treats. Nature's candy. Well, that's what I tell my kids when they ask for candy: "How about some of nature's candy?" Whatever. It gets them to eat their fruits and veggies.

Ever since we moved to North Carolina, I have heard all about muscadine grapes but never actually laid eyes on one. They grow them at the apple orchard that we frequent every fall. But, by the time October rolls around for us to go on our orchard adventure... the muscadines are already done for the season. And, up until last week... I had never seen them in a grocery store (let alone the commissary where the produce is usually less than appetizing). Imagine my surprise when I walked into the commissary last week to find bins upon bins of these:

At $2 per pound, I quickly filled my produce bag with about 3 pounds of these treasures. All along, I had planned to make jelly with them. However, I couldn't not try one in it's raw glory. Muscadines are sort of the little odd-fellow of the grape family. To my senses, they are some odd combination of plum, apple, grape and kiwi... not your typical grape at all. The skin (or hull) is very tough and tart... like the skin of a plum but tougher. They look a bit like tiny apples with their brown speckled skins. Their insides are reminiscent of kiwis in both their taste and appearance. And, they're BIG... much bigger than your average grape:

Not the best raw, but a very interesting experience for your taste buds. They're much better as jelly!

My trusty Ball Canning cookbook mentioned nothing of a muscadine jelly recipe, so I had to do the research for one on my own. There are many recipes out there, but they all seem basically the same. And, the ingredients? Super simple... grapes and sugar. That's it. Not even any pectin. Good thing the recipe is simple, because the process is anything but.

You'll start by giving 2 quarts (about 3 pounds) of the grapes a good rinsing, and remove their stems. Then, you have to remove the pulp from the skins (separating and reserving both parts). I start by inserting my fingernail into the top of the grape near where the stem would have been:

This relieves some of the pressure when squeezing the pulp out (otherwise the grape will just explode everywhere. You'll be surprised how easy the hulls separate from the pulp, and you'll end up with a bowl of hulls like this:

And, a bowl of pulp that looks like this:

That was the first LONG step in this process. It took me over 30 minutes to hull the grapes. Anyhow, once you've hulled them all... place the hulls in a blender or food processor, and chop them until they look more like this:

Prepare your jars for canning per the instructions found within this post. Meanwhile, lace the hulls in a pan with 1/2 C water. Simmer the hulls until tender (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. At the same time, simmer the pulps in a separate pan until tender (about 15 minutes).

Remove both pans from heat. Press the pulps through a sieve to remove seeds. Oh. my. God. This took F.O.R.E.V.E.R. The pulp is a bit stringy, so it took forever to get it all through the sieve. Really, the only thing you want left behind in the sieve is the seeds... no pulp. I'll bet this took me nearly 30 minutes. The seeds are huge, though... easy to pick out. They resemble a small pine nut:

Now, combine the pulp and hulls into a large pot, and add about 3 1/2 C sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Mine definitely boiled into the 20 minute range (maybe a minute or two more) before it had reached the gelling point. You can test for gelling by removing a small sample of jelly from the pot and cooling it quickly in the fridge. Once you reached the gelling point, quickly pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Wipe jar rims clean, and secure on a lid and screw band. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove, and let cool/stand on the counter for 24 hours before storing/consuming.

This is a lovely jelly... a bit more tangy than grape jellies you would find in the store. It goes nicely on your morning whole wheat toast...

And, as of this afternoon, I can attest that it is most delectable as part of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yummy! And, if you find yourself in a neck of the woods that doesn't have muscadines for your jelly-making pleasure... ask nicely and I might give you some of mine. ;0) Happy Labor Day!

Here's to new beginnings!

2009-09-01T14:09:00.006-04:00

But, first... a winner for the Pink Paislee goodies! Per the trusty random number generator...

Here are your random numbers:

26
Timestamp: 2009-09-01 18:11:25 UTC

And, #26 is...

Christina said...
I love tutorials. Thanks for sharing!

August 30, 2009 2:59 AM

Congratulations, Christina! Please e-mail me at charmedgirlnc@gmail.com with your mailing address so I can get your goodies in the mail to you as soon as possible! :0)

Thanks so much to everyone that checked out my garden journal video tutorial. A lot of you mentioned that you really wanted to make one, so if you do, please feel free to post 'em up somewhere so I can take a peek!

Today has been such a bittersweet day. Hazel started her first day of kindergarten.

I promised myself that I wasn't going to cry IN the classroom when I dropped her off. I didn't. I made it all the way to the parking lot before the waterworks started. *sigh* They grow up so fast. I just wish her daddy was here to see it.

The mornings are starting to get cooler. I haven't had my A/C on in 3 days. Fall is settling in here. Is it just me, or does fall always feel like it has wiped your slate clean? A fresh start... new beginnings... anything is possible. Aside from Hazel starting a brand new school year, there are lots of other new beginnings going on around here.

As you may or may not know, I have resigned from Label Tulip effective September 30th. I have been with them for over a year and a half... more than a year as the DT coordinator. It was such a wonderful experience, and I thank Cathy from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to work with her and be part of her amazing team! But, all good things must come to an end, and I felt it was time for me to explore other creative opportunities. What might those be? Only time will tell. ;0) But, rest assured, I am not going anywhere!

One place that you can check out my work is at this fabulous new challenge blog! Point.Blank.Period. This is the most amazingly talented group of ladies! And, our first prompt went up today! Here's the skinny:

Life is so much more than a box. So think outside of it:

JOURNAL PROMPT:
Let go of your comfort zones what do you thnk holds you back from

being a better person .. or are you already exploding to the new and better you?

RULES:
-- COLOR, BRIGHT and slap it with blue .. and let go of all inner secrets trapping you.
-- Must add ribbons or buttons, also add bling
-- Black and White Photo ..

TWISTS:
-- No bigger than 8.5x11 or Art Journal size ..
-- and ELABORATE on your brightest color .. (hmmm)

Here's my spin on it...

Now, let's see yours! Jump on into our community! I'll be there waiting. :0)

Aaaaand, she's back!

2009-08-29T09:32:00.002-04:00

Holy crap. What a week! That's all I can say. This deployment is kicking my butt, and we're only one week into it. You name it... it has gone wrong. Terribly wrong. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

Anyhow... on to more fun, pretty, crafty things! Today, I have a video tutorial (and a GIVEAWAY of *NEW* Pink Paislee) for this garden journal that I made using the new Pink Paislee "Amber Road" line...

In addition to being something nice to make for yourself (that is, if you're a gardener), these also make lovely gifts for any gardening friends you might have OR a lovely housewarming gift for a new neighbor! There are so many great flowers and veggies that make for great fall-starts in your garden. Here's an article that talks about all of your fall/winter vegetable gardening options.

As for the journaling kit, hey're quite simple to make and only require a few basic supplies. There are 6 coin envelopes contained inside the box that are the perfect size to store a packet of seeds, and have plenty of room on the outside for your gardening notes! So, shall we learn how to make one of these? Yes, let's...

Now that you've kindly sat through my video tutorial, I have an opportunity for you to win some *NEW* Pink Paislee "Amber Road" goodies. You will win everything pictured here:

It includes:
* A template for the garden journal box (that's right... no measuring or cutting for you!)
* 6 coin envelopes (not pictured)
* One of each of the new patterned paper designs that are part of the "Amber Road" line
* One pkg. "Amber Road" Bella Brads
* One pkg. "Amber Road" Punch Outs die cut tags
* One piece of "Amber Road" Patches canvas tag
* One pkg. "Chocolate" Expressions cardstock alphabets
* One pkg. "Pear" Expressions cardstock alphabets
* 1 yard cream grosgrain ribbon
* 1 yard jute twine
* 1 coordinating Prima flower

You have until Monday, August 31st at 11:59 pm PST to leave a comment on this post to be entered to win this nice little prize pack! I will announce the winner the following day (Sept 1st).

Speaking of video tutorials, my fabric embellishment tutorial was featured today on Mod Podge Rocks. So, if you missed the tutorial a while back on the Label Tulip blog, be sure to check it out!

As for all of the projects that I had been planning on featuring this month... not to worry. They will all be coming over the next few weeks. This start of this deployment has been much harder than I had anticipated... especially for the kids. That, and I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger for the last several days (you'll understand VERY soon exactly why). *wink, wink* Thanks for your continued readership and support... I promise not to disappoint. There are lots of fun projects, new ventures and secret surprises in store! Stay tuned...

* you are goodbye*

2009-08-22T12:58:00.005-04:00

It seems we're always saying goodbye. I can't believe he was only home for a little over a year before we had to send him back. The kids are having a harder time than I expected. So, of course, Mommy is having a harder time than expected.

Things are slowly finding their way back to normal. Well, as normal as things can be when you send your loved one off to war for a year.

You start counting your "lasts." The last dinner you cook for them. The last time you will pick up their mess. The last time you will wash a load of uniforms. The last time you will fold up their socks. The little things. But, then you close the drawer and try to get on.

It takes some time to find your way, but you always do. Please bear with me while I find mine... and help my children find theirs. You'd think it would get easier after you send them off time and time again. It doesn't.

Thank you for all your kind e-mails and comments. They mean a lot to me, and I will soon find the time to respond to each of them. Take care of you. Hug your loved ones extra-tight. Enjoy your weekend.

xo,
Holly

Hello, tulip.

2009-08-19T15:47:00.007-04:00

Label Tulip, that is. Here they are... my pages in full view!

A super-fun summer layout using some of the slip 'n slide pictures from my visit to Illinois a couple weeks back.

I've really been trying to scrap my way through an old box of family photos, and this month's kits really lend themselves to those beautiful old photos. Very vintage-inspired! This is a photo of my grandmother, Hazel, who my daughter is named after.

There is a beautiful folder from Cavallini & Co. in this month's main kit. Coincidentally, I discovered on a trip to Anthropologie last week that you can also purchase the folders there. Anyhow, this month's challenge is to use that folder to create something fabulous. I used mine to make this little tribute to my great aunt's and great uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. I'm considering giving it to them for Christmas. Or, maybe not.

This is my version of this month's member lift... my favorite layout of them all! The original layout comes to us from the talented Leah Findell. Here is her inspirational layout...

So fun to lift! Thanks for checking out my pages, and I hope you enjoyed them. :0)

Sneaky, sneaky...

2009-08-18T10:12:00.005-04:00

We're busy around here... saying our final goodbyes to my husband before he deploys. But, I wanted to give you a peek at the rest of my projects from Label Tulip using August's kits. My gallery will go live later on this evening, so be sure to check out the LT gallery! I'll be back tomorrow to post the full view of my pages, but here's something to tide you over in the meantime...

Until tomorrow, my friends...

Just a Quickie...

2009-08-14T19:06:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know I missed yesterday's post. Things have been absolutely crazy around here this week. Bryan deploys in a few days and we have in laws en route to our home as we speak. I've barely had time to think straight... let alone blog or even do anything creative. But, I wanted to go ahead and post the winner of the Label Tulip RAK real quickly. So, without further ado...

Here are your random numbers:

23
Timestamp: 2009-08-14 23:07:14 UTC

And, #23 is...

Stephanie Baxter said...
Wow...it looks so yummy!

Congratulations, Stephanie! You are now the proud owner of Label Tulip's add-on kit #1! Please send me a quick e-mail at charmedgirlnc@gmail.com with your mailing address so that I can get your goodies in the mail to you!

As for me, it will probably be a little quiet around these parts for the next couple of days. My Label Tulip gallery will be delayed until the 18th, but you can catch the rest of the girls' creations on the regular reveal night... the 15th! Once things quiet down on Tuesday, I will be back in full effect with lots of fun projects and tutorials to share (and another giveaway)! Stay tuned...

spare change

2009-08-12T21:23:00.006-04:00

Some people save it in a jar. Some people collect it in coin holders. And, SOME people skip the spare change all together, and make pretty things out of the coin holders!

Bazzill used to make these coin holders a few years back. Unfortunately, I think they discontinued them. Not to worry! You can get the silver dollar coin holders from Michael's for next to nothing, and they're similar in size and shape to the Bazzill version. Then, you can paint them up or cover them in patterned paper or cardstock.

I *really* dipped into my stash to make this. I used some old Foof-a-La rub-ons (so pretty), Making Memories metal words, and various odds 'n ends from my embellishment drawers. It's a great way to use up stray, small embellishments that you have lying about.

As for the photos, I wanted to keep the look of the Bazzill texture cohesive throughout so I printed my photos on some white Bazzill cardstock. It gives a beautiful painted canvas look to your photographs. Bust out some of your trusty circle punches, and punch a couple of the smaller photos out to go inside a few of the coin slots.

These make great gifts... especially for those people in your life that sit behind a desk for 8 hours a day. It's a great way to display photos of your loved ones inside your cookie-cutter cubicles. This is one that I made for my husband to take with him on this deployment. All the photos were taken right after Luka was born in 2007... the last time Bryan was deployed.

Totally simple, and fun... you definitely need to give one of these a go!

12 Months of Christmas Catch-Up (Part 2)

2009-08-11T21:42:00.007-04:00

It's time to make some red pepper jelly!

Come Christmas, it would look beautiful in a basket with this, some crackers and a nice set of cheese spreaders.

This jelly differs from the green pepper version not only in that it is MUCH simpler to make, but also in that it has a different taste. The red pepper version, while still slightly sweet, is a bit more savory due to the addition of garlic. It can still be used as a delicious spread over some cream cheese with crackers, but it is far more delicious as a glaze for meats... particularly chicken and pork tenderloin. This recipe makes approximately 6 (4 oz.) jars.

So, here's the easy peasy recipe...

1 C. finely chopped and seeded red bell peppers

3 lg. cloves of garlic, cut into thin slivers

3/4 C cider vinegar
3 C granulated sugar
1 pouch (3 oz.) liquid pectin

Prepare canners, jars and lids per the instructions included here.

In a lg. deep saucepan, combine red pepper, garlic and vinegar. Stir in sugar. Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 min. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam. Quickly pour jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until fingertip-tight. Place the jars back into the canner, making sure they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove jars; allow to cool for 30 minutes.

At first, the peppers and garlic will still be at the top of the jar. After the initial 30 minute cooling time, gently twist and/or tilt each jar to begin distributing the peppers and garlic throughout the jelly. DO NOT turn the jar completely upside down. This could result in gel failure. Repeat throughout the setting time until the fruit particles are suspended throughout the jelly.

Now you've got six pretty jars filled with some delicious jelly ready for gift-giving come the holidays. But, don't worry... I won't tell if you sneak a jar for yourself between now and then. ;0)

Trade ya'...

2009-08-10T21:55:00.006-04:00

one contest for another? Here is what the trusty random number generator came up with for the winner of the Chatterbox goodies...

Here are your random numbers:

10

Timestamp: 2009-08-11 01:58:40 UTC

Julie said...
WOW that is sooo awesome!!! congratulations to you!!! have a great vacay.
and thanks for the fab giveaway!

So, Julie... send me an e-mail at charmedgirlnc@gmail.com with your mailing address, and I'll get your goodies in the mail to you!

Now, time for the 2nd giveaway for my blogiversay extravaganza! This time, I will be giving away a lovely Label Tulip add-on kit from the August kit selection. It is full of vintage-styled goodies. In fact, here is a peek...

***The only thing not included in this kit is the pearl head pin behind the flower***

If you're a Label Tulip subscriber, it will be add-on #1. And, not to worry... I will announce the winner the morning of the 14th. So, you'll know if you won before the kits go on sale (just in case you had your eye on #1). Just leave a comment here. You have until August 13th at 11:59 pm PST. Good luck!

footprints...

2009-08-09T22:05:00.009-04:00

of where we've been this weekend. I mentioned that we were heading out last Wednesday for Illinois to celebrate my great aunt's and great uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. We had such a lovely time. We're such a small family, and everyone is spread out. It's a rare occasion that we are all able to get together. But, I can't think of a better reason to spend time celebrating with family than a 50th wedding anniversary!

We swam.

We slipped and we slid.

Then we decided it might be better to walk.

We played piano with cousins from Switzerland that we met for the first time.

Can you tell Hazel has a flair for the dramatic?

We came across strange winged things.

But, most importantly, we helped this darling couple celebrate 50 years together...

and, toasted to many more happy years of marriage.

Happy anniversary Aunt Marty and Uncle EM!

independent

2009-08-08T18:00:00.001-04:00

I love independent artists. I would, hands down, any day of the week prefer to support their efforts rather than a big box store. I could spend lifetimes sifting through all of the treasures to be found on Etsy. I'm always thrilled when I come across something new and special. Something perfect for the corner of that little shelf. Something perfect for the kitchen. There are so many products on Etsy... it's impossible to find all of the freshness on your own.

When I posted the giveaway on August 4th and asked for any great links you guys had, you all did not disappoint! Here are some of my favorite new things (thanks to you)...

From Fey Handmade. I've wanted a cuckoo clock for quite some time now. But, the $100's-$1,000's the cost? Not in my budget. At $28, this one is much more affordable... and possibly a great deal cuter! Fey Handmade has a great variety of products... check 'em out!

From MiChiMa. Uh, hello? Felt + alphabet + magnets + rainbow colors = PERFECTION. Love these! If only I didn't have a stainless steel refrigerator that magnets won't stick on. :0( She does have some non-magnetic versions that would make great teaching tools, though!

From Carolina Patchworks. Who wouldn't love to curl up under this beauty on a cool fall evening? Okay, maybe you can't wrap your head around that idea right now with this 90 degree heat. But, it's beautiful nonetheless. And, the quilter is from Raleigh, NC... right in my own backyard. Gotta' support the local crafters!

From Tessa Ann. Gasp! How could I possibly have not come across her site before? She makes the most awesome handmade buttons! If I ever owned my own kit club, I would be commissioning this woman to make some buttons for it!

From The Rainbow Room. This woman has everything rainbowlicious! This is a necklace, but couldn't you imagine it as some garland for your Christmas tree? *drool*

From Sweet and Sassy Accessories. Cute hair clips galore!

From ormolu. Gorgeous paper embellies, and this woman is definitely doing her part to save the environment. A lot of her products are printed on recycled papers, and printed with soy inks using wind power.

Thank you so much for sharing all of your handmade finds! You all are quite the bunch of enablers, aren't you? If you haven't already entered my Chatterbox giveaway, you can do that here until 11:59 pm tomorrow (Sunday) night.

something simple

2009-08-07T18:00:00.001-04:00

Everybody likes simple projects that use up our extra scraps, right? Well, I have a quick little project to share today that anybody can do, and has so many possibilities!

Hazel has this on the nightstand in her room. It keeps all of her little earring safe inside. But, you could always use it to house other things... spare keys on a table near the front door, cotton balls in the bathroom, you wedding ring (if you take yours off while doing dishes like I do).

These box come in all shapes and sizes, and are available at Michael's starting at about 99 cents. Just like the uses for the box, the embellishing has endless possibilities. The above box is made using all products from Pink Paislee's "Enchanting" line. To start, you'll want to cover the box in patterned paper (or you could even paint it). I used super-strong double-stick tape from Magenta to adhere the paper to the box, but you could use any strong, dry adhesive. Heck, you could even Mod Podge it!

Once you cover the box, you can start adding the extra special touches. For the top box, I used one of Pink Paislee's Petals topped by a wee brad. The edge along the box top is trimmed with some pretty ribbon from last year's holiday collection. I finished it off with some glass pebbles glued to the bottom for "feet." You don't have to do that, but I like to keep the paper of the box off the surface it sits on... just in case something gets spilled near it. ;0)

And, to give you some different decorating ideas, here's the box I have in my room for my earrings...

These little boxes are great ways to use up odds and ends from your stash. And, if your little girl is is anything like mine, she'll have plenty of treasures to stow away inside. I'm thinking about making another one to hold her collection of holiday pins that seem to be breeding atop the vanity in her room.

Of course, you could always make a few of these at Christmas time, and stash a gift card inside. Then, the recipient would have a lovely box to keep, and a gift card to spend! See? Endless possibilities...

Go-To Recipe

2009-08-06T18:00:00.003-04:00

We all have them. Those recipes we know by heart (or nearly so) that we always turn to in a pinch. I have two. This is one of mine. It's delicious, quick, and elegant at the same time. It is something that can be thrown together last-minute, but also serve as a nice meal when you have company. In fact, I always keep a whole chicken in my freezer just in case this meal needs to make a quick appearance. Everything is cooked together... meat and veggies... just add some rolls (or biscuits in my case). See...

It's a beautiful meal... even before you pop it in the oven.

My other go-to recipe is my dad's family secret chili recipe. I'm going to break the secrecy and share it with you all... only because my dad uses this as a base recipe, and changes it a bit every time. ALSO, because I have put my own spin on it to make it my own. So, here is my spin on this yummy meal.

2 lbs ground turkey or chicken
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt
1 bottle of beer
1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste, 1 can-full of water
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs dried parsley (or 1 handful of chopped fresh parsley)
2 tsp. terragon
2 tsp. sweet basil
1 tsp thyme
1 (15.5 oz.) can Ranch-style pinto beans, undrained
1/4 C. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lg. square baking chocolate
1 handful yellow cornmeal
A couple of dashes of mango habanero hot sauce (I use my dad's secret homemade sauce, but you can find variations at your local supermarket or gourmet store)

Brown the turkey (or chicken), 3 Tbs. chopped onion, garlic and salt in a skillet over med-high heat. Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients to a crock pot. Once meat is nicely browned, add to crock pot. Cook in crock pot on low 3-4 hours.

See? So simple, but so hearty and delicious! You can add other things to the chili... molasses, cooking sherry, etc. My version makes a moderately spicy chili, but you can adjust the spices according to your taste. Go ahead... make it your own! And, just a hint... this makes the PERFECT accompaniment.

So, what's your favorite go-to recipe? Do share. I love to try new things!

adorn it

2009-08-05T18:00:00.001-04:00

Your home, that is. It seems that whenever Bryan deploys, I busy myself with making my house prettier. I guess I feel that if I fancy her up a bit, make her more comfy-cozy, that those feelings will spread to the other areas of my life. Deployments, after all, are very discomforting, quite gloomy, seemingly endless chunks of time. I find the busier I keep myself, the better off I am. My mind wanders into dark crevasses less often. Here are some projects from the last go-round...

My vintage bottle cap table that my dad helped me make.

My cobblestone patio that I built with my own little hands. And, the pergola that, although I didn't build it with my own little hands... I designed it for some contractors to build. That is an old photo from when it was built in the winter of 2008. The star jasmine has since grown up the supports. And, a lovely dining area and fire pit make themselves at home atop the cobblestone. It's like an outdoor living room... we spend a lot of time out there in the summers. I'll have to update with current pictures soon.

Anyway... it also helps that my in-laws are coming to visit next weekend before the hubs departs... that's always a kick in the pants to get your home looking its most dapper. A sister-in-law and her 3 children that have never been to my home. A brother-in-law that hasn't either (but, in reality, probably couldn't care less what these digs look like). Why do I feel some unnerving need to impress in the home decor department?

It all started with an old military pull-out drawer filing cabinet (more like the size of a dining room buffet, though) that I found at my favorite antique restoration place back in early spring. If you're in the Raleigh/Durham are of North Carolina, a trip to Revival Antiques is a must! In addition to their brick and mortar store, they also have a pretty impressive weekly booth at the Raleigh Flea Market at the fairgrounds. I've bought a couple of their pieces, and they are amazing (not to mention VERY reasonably priced). When I saw that file cabinet, I knew it would fit perfectly in our dining room. If you've ever been to our home, you know that we are rather short on storage. So, whenever I find a new piece of furniture... LOTS of storage is a must! And unusual. I don't like available-at-every-big-box-store pieces of furniture. Or, at least I don't like my furniture to look that way.

We were stupid not to buy that filing table when we saw it. Of course, when I called this week, it was long gone. Revival told me they had a couple of similar things that I might like, but with less storage. Hmmm... After much consideration, we decided not to use a whole tank of gas to drive to Raleigh for something that might or might not suit my fancy. Instead, we would run our errands (which included a trip to Pier 1 for some new, more durable place mats. That's where I discovered this...

Originally a $500 piece of furniture, it was on sale for $350. Plus, they gave me an extra 20% off because they are discontinuing it, and all they had left was the floor model. You never would have guessed it to be a floor model... not one thing wrong with it. Score! Plus, I had a $100 gift card for Pier 1 that I had been hanging onto forever, burning a hole in my pocket.

And, with all the money I saved (we had planned on paying about $800 for that piece at Revival), I was able to pick up some other fun extras for the house! Urban Outfitters has these great marquee letters for atop my new buffet...

And, before anyone says anything (like my husband did)... "H" for Hanks... not "H" for Holly. I'm not THAT vain.

Some pretty curtain tie-backs (also from Urban Outfitters) for my dining room so my curtains don't get smashed behind the buffet...

A cute little thought bubble chalkboard from Red Velvet Art.

I missed out on the bigger version they offered several months back, and was kicking myself. I'm so glad they came out with this new one... even if it is smaller! It won't go in the dining room with the rest of the stuff. But, I'm sure it will find its own special little nook.

So will this clock we also got at Pier 1...

I love how a lot of their new stuff is so unusual looking. Most of it, you would never guess was bought from a chain store.

Getting everything organized and hung the way I want it should keep me busy for a while. If not, I can always purchase some of this wallpaper that I have been milling over in my head...

It's available here. At UK pricing. The problem (other than the exchange rate)? I am terrified of the process involved in actually hanging it. And, if you saw all the cabinetry obstacles on my kitchen wall, you would be too. I might just have to get some professional quotes. We shall see.

I'll share pictures of everything once it has found its place in our home. In the meantime... do you have any great internet finds for home decor? Changing up what's inside these walls is a passion of mine, and I love to find intriguing pieces to add. So, if you've got 'em... do share! I hope you enjoyed my shares, and found your own inspiration for changing up your scenery!

CELEBRATE

2009-08-04T12:42:00.013-04:00

Did you all see this? I can't believe I have been able to hold that exciting news in all weekend. I can't wait to get to work with all of the fabulous new American Crafts goodies! And, what an insanely talented bunch of ladies! Congrats to you all! I'm so honored to be a part of this team!

And, to help me celebrate... I'm sharing the love with all of you. I have a RAK filled with a rainbow*licious assortment of Chatterbox's artsy.licious goodies! I was saving this until a little later in my month-long blogiversary celebration. But, in light of this exciting news... I couldn't save it any longer! There will be at least one more giveaway this month too. *wink* *wink*

You will receive one of *almost* ever sheet of their gorgeous papers (there were a couple of designs that I don't have extras of).

You'll also receive one of each color of their lace paper designs.

In addition, I will include...

a kohl velvet mini-album,

alabaster frames,

bloom Splendid Ribbons,

chocolate tags,

peacock Fine Pressed chipboard letters,

ruby Fabulous Brads,

and willow Splendid Treasures.

All you have to do... leave a comment here. A link to your fave Etsy shop, some visual inspiration, just a friendly "hello"... whatever you like. You have until 11:59 pm PST on Sunday, August 9th.

We are leaving tomorrow for a 5 day trip to Illinois to celebrate my great aunt's and great uncle's 50th wedding anniversary (not to worry... blog posts are already scheduled for my daily blogiversary party). Once we get home, I will select a random winner from the comments to receive this rainbow assortment of goodies, and announce it here on Monday.

Thanks for helping me celebrate this exciting news!

12 Months of Christmas Catch-Up

2009-08-03T19:55:00.012-04:00

Okay. The last time we visited this year-long project was waaaay back in February. Lovely, I know. But we're getting all caught up this month, starting... NOW!

Red and green. The colors of Christmas. Also the colors of some DELICIOUS jellies! Chances are, if you're my neighbor, a friend that lives in town, or someone that I will be visiting over the holidays... you will be getting a prettiful basket filled with lots of gourmet treats. And, some of them will be homemade... fresh from my garden.

Who doesn't love gifts for the tummy during the holidays? It's a time when we always seems to have an influx of friends and family in our home.. Gifts of food are always appreciated around here. It makes things so much easier when those unexpected guests pop in for a visit!

This green pepper jelly is scrumptious, and fairly simple to make. And, summer is the perfect time to make this jelly. You can put it away and save it for your holiday gift giving. It'll be good to go (at its freshest) for a year in those jars. Peppers are pretty prolific (at least in my garden), simple to grown, and are quite hardy. Bell peppers, jalapenos, habanero... I grow 'em all. For this recipe, though, we will be using only green bell peppers (4 of them) and jalapenos (2 of them). Of course, if you don't grow your own, peppers aren't all that expensive to purchase (and are definitely worth the purchase for this yummy treat). This recipe yields about (7) 4 oz. jars. Here's how we do it...

4 green bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and deveined
2 cloves garlic
2/3 C white vinegar
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 pkg (1.75 oz.) regular powdered fruit pectin
3 2/3 C granulated sugar

Chop peppers into large chunks. In a blender, puree green peppers, jalapeno peppers and garlic cloves until smooth.

Looks disgusting, right (smells pretty good, though... kinda' like guacamole)? Yeah. Kinda' reminds you of that slime they used to dump all over people on "You Can't Do That On Television." Anybody else remember that show? No? Okay... moving on.

Now, if you can find a jelly bag for this step... use it. Unfortunately, none of the stores around here carry jelly bags... so I rigged my own contraption...

You start with a mixing bowl on the bottom, then insert a colander over the top. Line the inside of the colander with a few sheets of cheesecloth. Then, pour the puree on top of the cheesecloth. Let drain, undisturbed for 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare your jars for canning per the instructions included here.

You will be surprised how much liquid actually drains out! You'll need 1 1/2 cups of it. I didn't quite get that much liquid. So, if that happens to you... never fear! Just add 1/2 C boiling water to the remaining pulp in the cheesecloth. This will extract additional juices. I had to do it twice before I got enough liquid. But, eventually, you'll end up with something that looks like this...

That would make a cool looking witches' brew at Halloween, right?

Transfer that pepper juice (you can discard of the puree now) to a lg. saucepan. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.

Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Quickly pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.

Wipe rims of jars. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to finger-tip tight. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid; wait 5 min before removing jars. Then, move them to an area where they can cool.

I've already sampled some of this jelly, and it is wonderful! So, now you're probably asking, "What am I supped to do with green pepper jelly?" Well, them best way to serve it is atop a brick of cream cheese alongside some of your favorite crackers (I recommend table water crackers, but the less-discerning tastebuds of my family prefer Ritz...

Use a cheese spreader to add some jelly and cream cheese to the crackers... DELISH! It was gone in no time at a party I attended this past weekend. You can also use it as a glaze on meats before you cook them or as a dipping sauce for your favorite cooked meat.

A couple of extra tips...

* This is NOT a spicy jelly at all. I prefer my dad's spicier jalapeno jelly. But, there again, my family's tastebuds overrule me on this one. I might try adding a couple of drops of my dad's secret homemade mango habanero sauce to the pureed mix next time around. I think that would make for the PERFECT jelly! If you don't have a dad that's talented in the kitchen and is kind enough to share a couple bottles of his hot sauce with you... you can find mango habanero sauce at gourmet stores and online specialty shops!

* The recipe recommends adding a few drops of green food coloring to the jelly after you remove it from the stove, just before you pour it into the jars. I don't like that fake green look. I think the jelly looks beautiful just the way it is. But, you are welcome to add the food coloring if you'd like.

And, there you have it... yummy (and surprisingly simple) green pepper jelly! I'll be sharing some other homemade treats that will be gifted as my blogiversary continues (and at least one more in the coming months).

crazy...

2009-08-02T20:03:00.007-04:00

A while back, I was asked to guest for The Design Experiment. And, I realized that I never shared my project (or the little story behind it) with all of you here.

The prompt was to scrap the craziest thing you have ever done. Me? Crazy? I don't really think anything I do to be all that "crazy" or "adventurous." I'm more of the "play it safe" type girl. Skydiving? Never. I hate flying... I'm certainly not going to JUMP out of a perfectly good airplane ON PURPOSE! Bungee jumping? Don't think so. I don't prefer to go careening head-first towards the ground with only a tiny little chord to keep my head from exploding onto the ground like a watermelon.

So, what was I supposed to scrap about? I thought, and I thought. Then I thought some more. One afternoon, I decided to sort through some old photos that had been piling up inside a box in my craft room. I came across some photos of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. That's it! That's what I would scrap about.

I was younger, more naive, love-struck. I sold off all my worldy possessions and "moved" to St. Thomas. I use quotation marks only because it hardly lasted. I soon came to realize that I made a huge mistake, and cut my losses... moving back home. But, that's a longer, more private story. Not one for Blogger ears.

But, here's my page... beautiful pictures of a crazy opportunity that I just had to chase after at that point in my life.

So, there you go... you learned something about me that I'll bet you didn't know before. Do I wonder what my life would have been like had I stayed there? Sometimes. Not often. I realize that I would never be where I am today had I stayed there. And, I happen to love where I am today.

Posting this made me think of my girl, Sasha... formerly part of The Design Experiment team. She has her own thing going on these days. Something exciting. Something that I so honored to be a part of. Seriously, there are some fabulous ladies that I will be creating alongside. Have you heard of this yet...

No? Well, you should definitely join us here. We go live September 1st. Be there or be square. Trust me... you won't want to be square.

Well, that's it for tonight. I'll be back tomorrow with the first catch-up post in my 12 months of Christmas project!

in a pickle

2009-08-01T16:00:00.004-04:00

We're gonna' kick of the blogiversary with a foodie post of sorts (which also, coincidentally, has a little craft project to accompany it). Perfect, right?

It's safe to say that I am officially addicted to this whole pickling/canning/jelly-making thing. Not only is it delicious, but it's so rewarding to be able to provide food stuffs for your family. AND, *bonus*... a basket full of home-canned goods with some accompaniments makes for a lovely gift! Please, please, please... don't let yourself be intimidated by canning your own goods. Seriously. I was for years. But, it is SURPRISINGLY easy once you get than hang of it. Even jellies are pretty simple (we'll save that for another post, though.) Anyhow...

I have finally (after much trial and error) perfected a dil pickle recipe that I wanted to share with you. The last pickle recipe I shared was for a bread and butter pickle (a little on the sweeter side). But, this one is for those tried and true dill pickles we all love. And, they're pretty delicious if I do say so myself. I found the recipe in the Ball canning guide to be a tad on the salty side with a little too much of a pungent flavor, so I've tinkered and tweaked it a bit to get it just the way I like it. Plus, their recipes always call for huge quantities of produce that my garden doesn't, well... produce. So these quantities are adjusted to suit the more average gardener like myself. This recipe makes about 3 wide-mouthed pint jars full of pickles. Ready? Here we go...

"Grandma's Dill Pickles"
For the pre-soak (Yes, folks, this is a 2-day project)...
4 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced to about 1/4" thick rounds
Lots of ice (like clean out the bucket of your ice machine "lots")
1/2 C pickling salt
4 C water

In a lg. stainless steel or glass mixing bowl, alternate between layers of ice and cucumbers (ending with a layer of ice on top). In a lg. pitcher, dissolve pickling salt into 4 C water. Pour over the cucmbers/ice. The cucumbers should be entirely covered with water, so keep adding plain cold water until they are covered. You'll end up with something that looks like this...

Invert a plate over the top of it, and weigh it down with a couple of jars filled with water. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, but no more than 18 hours.

For the actual canning process...
4 C water
1 Tbs. pickling spice
3 C white vinegar (Once you get into canning, you'll be wanting to buy those HUGE jugs of vinegar - both the white and apple cider variety. I always looked at those in the store and wondered who in the H-E-double hockey sticks would need that much vinegar. The answer? You will... if you want to do a lot of canning!)
1/2 C pickling salt
1/8 C granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp mustard seeds(this will be divided later)
1 1/2 Tbs, plus 1 1/2 tsp. dill seed (this will be divided later)
3 cloves of garlic (I use the minced variety that comes in a jar. This will also be divided later.)

Prepare your canner jars and lids. If you need some hints on how to do this, I provided a pretty easy step-by-step in this previous post. Meanwhile, tie your pickling spice into a spice bag or a square of cheese cloth. In a lg. saucepan, combine 4 C water, pickling salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Reduce heat, cover and boil softly for 15 min. Meanwhile, transfer cucumbers to a colander placed over a sink and drain them. Rinse with cool running water, and drain thoroughly. Pack cucumbers into prepared jars, filling to within 1/2 from top of jar. Add 3/4 tsp. mustard seeds, 1/2 Tbs. plus 1/2 tsp dill seed, and one clove of garlic to each jar. Ladle hot pickling liquid into hot jar to cover cucumbers, leaving 1/2" head space. Wipe rim. Center lids on jars. Screw band on until fingertip-tight.

Places jars back into canner, cover completely with water, cover and bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes at a boil. Then, remove canner lid; wait 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool and store. Voila! Delicious pickles! Be sure to wait 24 hours before ravenously diving into your pickles.

But, wait! Don't want to eat all of those pickles yourself? How about sharing some with your friends and neighbors? You'll want to pretty those jars up first, though! This is a great way to use up your fabric remnants and assorted scrapbooking supplies.

First, find a circular object that is a couple of inches larger in diameter than the top of your jar. I used this roll of tape... a plate would also work well. Use a fabric marker to trace the circle onto your fabric.

Use pinking shears to cut out the circle of fabric.

Secure the fabric around the top of the jar using a rubber band.

Use a dot of hot glue to secure some ribbon to cover the rubber band.

Then, adorn away with tags, stickers, rub-ons... whatever your heart's desire. And, there you have it... a lovely homemade treat in pretty packaging!

Thanks for joining me today! I haven't quite decided on tomorrow's project yet, but I'm thinking I might share some peeks of my Christmas ornaments I'm making to swap this year (we'll see how much I get done between now and then)! See you tomorrow!

Friday happiness

2009-07-31T14:40:00.008-04:00

My favorite new musical artist (well, new to me). And, no, it isn't just because we share the same name. ;0) She just plain rocks. Holly Conlan...

On to some Friday fill-in's. The questions just plain suited me this week, so I had to post 'em!

1. It's time for my blogiversary!
That's right... I've been at it here for 2 years! Hard to believe. I never even kept a pen and paper diary going for that long. Maybe it's just the amazing blog community that keeps me going. Yep. That must be it! Anyway, I know NaBloPoMo is usually observed in November, but I'll be celebrating my version of the daily blogging ritual during the month of August. That's right... a post a day. Lots of inspiration, crafting, tutorials, recipes and even a couple of giveaways! That's right... free stuff! And, good free stuff too! Not just stuff I scrounged from drawers in my craft room. And, remember that whole 12 months of Christmas project? Yeah... we're getting back on track with that! So, be sure to check back... the fun starts tomorrow! ;0)

2. North Carolina; it's not a bad place for seafood. Look at these little guys that Bryan picked up on the way home from work today...

$12 for a dozen! Can't beat that. I see lots of blue crab nights in my future.

3. I must be crazy... to have shown those LIVE crabs to the kids. Now, they want to keep them... as pets.

4. Loving them...

is the best thing I have ever known. Even if they have *TOTALLY* tried my patience this last week, and worked every last nerve. They're still the sweetest things on earth.

5. My life is simply wonderful right now! I am enjoying every last second with Bryan before he leaves. We're having tons of fun, and making lots of memories.

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was last night... at one of my favorite episodes of George Lopez. Yes, I'm a Nick at Nite junkie!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to... cooking up those yummy blue crabs up there!!

Tomorrow my plans include... a garage sale. No fun, no fun. But, the get-together afterward with friends will make it all worth it!

And Sunday, I want to... take a trip to the Raleigh flea market to see what treasures I can find. Hopefully something as cool as this vintage canister set that I scored just recently...

Happy weekend!

I ♥ Sushi!

2009-07-28T10:00:00.003-04:00

It's no secret. I love the raw stuff. And, since sushi is on the, shall we say "expensive" side here in the dirty south (not to mention the *good* stuff is hard to come by)... I try to find other ways to get my fix. I've found some lovely creations through Etsy, and just thought I would share with my fellow sushi lovers! There is sushi goodies to adorn, literally, every surface known to man. I figure if I can't actually consume the sushi, I can at least adorn myself (and nearly every surface of my home) with it! Check it:

Sushi for your ears...

from PetitPlat.

Sushi for your bulletin board...

from Bear Duck Designs.

Sushi for your refrigerator (the outside of it, that is)...

from gossamer*buddha designs.

Sushi for your bathroom...

from Bunny Bubbles.

Sushi for your wall...

from beepart.

Sushi for your wrist...

insanejellyfish designs.

Sushi for your purse...

from Madame Cupcake.

Sushi for your finger...

from Elleban's Cuties.

Sushi for your... whatever...

from Jenny Pie Productions.

Sushi for your kids to pretend-play with...

from Sam McLean Designs.

Sushi for your neck...

from Bead Passion.

Even sushi for your precious little baby's feet...

from Sushi Booties.

Bon appetit! Or, as they would say in Japan... "douzo meshiagare."

NEW Pink Paislee

2009-07-26T07:58:00.011-04:00

As promised, albeit a day late (sorry, my mother-in-law is in town for her birthday, and we have been entertaining her)... If you haven't already been checking out the Pink Paislee blog to take a gander at their new products for release at the current CHA, I have some little peeks to share with you here. First, we'll start with my favorite collection... "Cupid":

Then, there's one of my favorite new collections for Christmas, "Mistletoe & Co.":

Then, we have their fun Halloween collection called "Twilight":

And, finally... some lovely "Amber Road":

These collections were just begging to be paired up with some vintage photos, so this was the perfect opportunity to break into a box of old photos that my dad recently gave me.

I think you all will really enjoy playing with these new collections. In my opinion, they are some of the best Pink Paislee project ever, ever! I have lots of fun projects planned for putting them to use throughout the rest of the year, so keep your eyes glued to the Pink Paislee blog for more fun in the coming months!

Friday Fill-Ins

2009-07-24T13:34:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since I've done Friday fill-ins. So, just for kicks on a Friday...

1. Deployments are not the end of the world. I need to make that my mantra for the next few months. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. Hopefully, this one will be a little easier.

2. Sitting here, listening to the sound of rain falling, I miss Seattle. Rain always makes me think of Seattle. It will be the best day of my life when Bryan retires and we can move back.

3. Cupcakes taste so good! I just ordered these pretties from Bake It Pretty. They will be making their debut as teacher/neighbor/cheerleading coach gifts this Christmas. A beautifully decorated cupcake, wrapped up in a wee little cupcake box, topped off with a handmade chocolate lollipop. So fun! Now, I just need to find the perfect cupcake recipe...

4. Sometimes, putting others first is not the best plan. Admittedly, I am a people-pleaser. I always have been. My children, my husband, my parents... but, as I get older, I realize that sometimes it is necessary to do something nice for yourself. Don't worry so much about making everyone else happy all the time.

5. New Mexico is breathtaking, really. In my opinion, it is the prettiest place in the United States. The colors, the culture, the landscape... If you've never been before, I highly recommend going!

6. Well, maybe there is a chance that Bryan will be home for Hazel's first day of school. Their deployment might have gotten pushed back a wee bit. Small, reserved *yay*!

7. And as for the weekend, today I'm looking forward to making red pepper jelly. Actually, I already did that with some beautiful peppers from my garden. Can't wait to try it!

Tomorrow my plans include celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday (she is flying in tonight for a weekend visit).

And Sunday, I want to (make that NEED to) weed my flower beds!

That's it for me. I gotta' get ready to go pick my MIL up in Raleigh. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I'll be back tomorrow with some Pink Paislee peeks. You won't want to miss out!

dream team

2009-07-21T17:28:00.003-04:00

As most of you know, American Crafts recently had a call go out for their new contributing design team. What a dream job! I mean... who doesn't *love* Thickers? I know my collection takes up numerous drawers in my craft room!

I'm not holding my breath on this DT announcement... everyone and their mother tries out for this one. As it is, I think this is possibly my 3rd time (definitely my 2nd) to try for this team. I wish everyone who submitted GOOD LUCK! Anyhow... I thought I would go ahead and share my submissions...

Well, that just about sums it up! Now, the waiting game begins... August can't come soon enough!

Cherry Clafouti

2009-07-20T22:00:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, we had a birthday party to go to. Everyone was asked to bring a dish. Me? I brought baked beans and cherry clafouti.

This truly is my *OWN* recipe. For years, I've had a recipe stashed away for cherry clafouti from Martha Stewart. I finally decided to pull it out. It called for almonds (we have nut allergies in this house) and LOTS of eggs. So, I researched a few other clafouti recipes. Turns out, *4* eggs (WAY less than the Martha recipe) was *too* much for some people. Hmmm... what to do? Nothing left to do but experiment! And, I came up with something that definitely satisfied my taste buds.

Two points before venturing out on making a clafouti of your own...

1). If you don't like custards or flans... you won't like this recipe (no matter how many eggs you omit).

2). If you don't like cherries (like my husband)... you DEFINITELY won't like this recipe. But, you're in luck! You can substitute lots of other fruits for the cherries. *wink* *wink*

3). Serve this WARM. When we brought it to the party, I forgot to remind the hostess not to refrigerate it... and to REHEAT before serving. It's *not* good cold!

***As you know, measurements and instructions need to be very specific when it comes to baking.***

Here's my recipe...

1 Tbs unsalted butter *at room temperature*
1/3 C, plus 1 Tbs granulated sugar
3 large eggs *at room temperature*
6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest (approx. 1 lg. lemon)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. fresh red cherries *pitted*
1 Tbs. turbinado sugar
Powdered sugar (for serving)
Vanilla bean ice cream (for serving)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Start pitting the cherries. If you're lucky, you'll be able to get your hands on one of these. They're freakin' adorable, and sure to get your kids in on the action. But, if you're like me, your Bed Bath and Beyond will suck and not carry them. Not to worry, just buy a cherry pitter (about $13) and do it yourself.

After the cherries are pitted, butter a 9" square baking tin with the unsalted butter. Then, sprinkle the pan with the 1 Tbs of granulated sugar. In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk (or whisking by hand), beat the eggs and 1/3 C granulated sugar on med-high until fluffy (about 3 min.).

Switch the mixer to low speed and add the flour, cream , vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt. Beat until combined; set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the pitted cherries on the bottom of the baking tin. Then, pour the batter over the tops of the cherries. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes (until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm).

To serve... sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. YUM!

If there are left-overs... just refrigerate them, and reheat! (This has been serving as a very yummy breakfast treat for me over the last several days).

Here we go...

2009-07-19T15:31:00.010-04:00

I guess it's about time that I posted my layouts from Label Tulip this month! We have been so busy these past few days, blogging has been at the bottom of my priority list. 'Tis the season for CHA project deadlines, summer BBQ's, and *dream* DT call try-outs! ;0) But, I decided to take a break for a few minutes to show my blog some love. And, the LT kits truly deserve their due attention this month 'cuz they are *A*mazing!

This month's challenge was to scrap about one of the most exciting moments of our life. One of mine had to be when I got to meet Tori Amos. If you know me at all, you know how much I love my music... and Tori has always been one of my favorite artists.

This is my take on this month's member gallery lift, which came from the talented Amy Coose. Here's her beautiful layout...

Gorgeous, isn't it? It was so much fun to lift!

A quick little card.

And, then there's the project that ate up nearly all my product and time from this month's kit. LOL! My mini-book about our trip to Disney World...

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You can view the book in its entirety here. A couple of fun tips for working with Donna Downey's Prima fabric albums...

If you have A LOT of pictures (like me) that won't all fit into the book in a larger format, sew little pockets into the plastic page protectors included with the book. Then, you can print out lots of smaller photos, back them with some pretty patterned paper, and label them on the back with what the photo is of...

To make pretty backgrounds on the fabric pages, lay a piece of lace cardstock (like the Little Yellow Bicycle travel-themed one in this month's kit) over the fabric, and spray over it with some Maya Mist from Maya Road...

The creative possibilities are endless with this kit! Another great month with Label Tulip. :0) I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I'm off to finish up my Pink Paislee projects for CHA. You're gonna' LOVE their new goodies! And, I'll be back tomorrow with a little foodie post. Until then...

eye candy

2009-07-14T14:39:00.005-04:00

Just a couple of last-minute Label Tulip sneaks!

Be sure to check out the Label Tulip gallery tomorrow at 6pm PST to see the full reveal of all our talented Tulip Girls' work this month!

♪♪♪ It's a small world ♪♪♪

2009-07-12T22:13:00.005-04:00

Maybe it's the recent trip to Disney World, and hearing that song pumped through speakers all over the Fantasyland area of the park... but, I am currently obsessed with all things small. Tiny little worlds under bell jars, in photographs, on top of spools...I love them all! So, I thought I would share some of my favorite miniature artists as of late...

Katie Runnels has LONG been one of my favorite crafters. She's know particularly well for her yarn wreaths, of which I used to be a proud owner of... until my wreath hanger snapped while I was away from home, and Sake chewed it to bits before my return. :0( But, more so than her wreaths, I adore her magical dioramas!

Swan Song
Originally uploaded by Katie Runnels

Happy Bird
Originally uploaded by Katie Runnels

These particular pieces are part of the Deep South exhibit. But, Katie does have an Etsy shop, The Constant Gatherer, where you can purchase her works when available.

Amy Powers of Inspire Company create some insanely detailed miniature scenes. My favorite are the ones atop spools of thread...

It's been all I can do to restrain myself from placing that little guy into my virtual shopping cart. But, alas, we're trying to save some money after our Disney World splurge. I'll just have to cross my fingers and hope it's still there the next time a few extra dollars float my way. Want one for yourself? Amy's Etsy shop can be found here. Just promise not to buy my fave, k? ;0)

How about a crocheted terrarium scene?

Freakin' fabulous, right? They're from JackRabbit. She has tons of other cute stuff in her shop as well.

I've been a fan of Erin Tyner's work for quite some time. In fact, I've mentioned her on here once before. I adore her photographs of these wee dioramas. They are eerily beautiful.

Erin's prints can be purchased at her Etsy shop.

Those are some of my favorite arts in miniature. Have any that you'd care to share with me?

***For some Label Tulip sneaks, head on over to the LT blog. As part of our 2nd birthday celebration, I have created a fabric embellishment tutorial along with some sneaks of my projects for this month. Plus, you;ll get to learn a couple of nutty facts about me.***

"Now, that's what I call magic!"

2009-07-10T14:51:00.023-04:00

Those were Hazel's exact words about halfway through the 4th of July fireworks show at Disney World. I had her on top of my shoulders so that she could see when I heard those words whisper from her little mouth. It brought tears to my eyes. Sappy, yes. But, it's those kind of moments that I will treasure forever.

Originally, Bryan and I were supposed to take the trip to Disney by ourselves. We've been married going on 5 years and, thanks to the hectic military schedule, never got to take a honeymoon. So, we finally made time for one before he deploys again next month. After spending 5 days in the park just the 2 of us, we agreed that we HAD to bring the kids back... on our way home to North Carolina for the 4th of July. It was the best decision I have ever made. I've never seen my kids so happy, and that was an amazing feeling.

Anyway, as I said, Bryan and I spent a few days by ourselves while the kids stayed behind with Mimi and Grandpa. There, they caught lobsters from a crane machine and helped Grandpa boil them up for dinner!

Hazel says, "Why don't we eat like this at home, Mom?" If only we had crane machines where you could catch a lobster for only $2... or if lobsters grew on trees!

Meanwhile, Bryan and I explored the parks. It was a Tuesday, and the park was amazingly uncrowded. We got to ride EVERYTHING! The teacups were Bryan's favorite. And, I think this has to be my favorite picture from the whole trip. It was hard to hold down my lunch and try to get this picture, though. LOL!

Disney was most amazing at night. The fireworks, the light parade... awesome!

I was really bummed that the Cinderella pumpkin float was excluded from the light parade when we took the kids back. Cinderella is Hazel's favorite. :0(

The next day, we check out Epcot. That was, by far, our favorite park (although, the kids wouldn't have been able to do much there... the height requirement for most of the rides was too tall).

Epcot's food was most amazing. We booked some great dinner reservations for our trip (including one of Emeril's restaurants), but Epcot still reigned superior. Well, at least to me. We ate lunch at The Biergarten Restaurant. Although the food wasn't the absolute BEST I had, the atmosphere was insanely fun. In fact, the whole German area of Epcot's World Showcase had me really crossing my fingers that Bryan gets stationed in Germany next time around. I just love the culture!

Dinner was at San Angel Inn. I had been there years before on a trip to Epcot with my parents. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous... a faux outdoor (it's actually inside) Mexican cantina under the "night sky" with Mayan ruins in the background. The atmosphere is insane! And, I had the best chicken mole I've had since we discovered a little breakfast joint down an alley in Cozumel. You just can't find mole like that in the states! YUM!

I must admit, though... I had the BEST sushi ever at Rangetsu of Tokyo (outside of DIsney). If you're a fan of sushi, and find yourself in Orlando... this place is NOT to be missed! And, if you're into teppanyaki a la Benihana... Mikado's Japanese Steakhouse at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort (that's a mouthful) is to die for! If you can spring for the lobster and steak... go for it (*drool*)!

Okay, back from the food diversion... Bryan and I also got to visit Disney's Animal Kingdom, where we saw the tree of life:

Which is where I got my pic snapped in front of this amazingly carved monkey...

I also got to meet MY most favorite of Disney characters: Stitch!

Our last day was spent at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park. (Sorry, no bathing suit photos... that would be just criminal). If you want to check out the water park, I recommend getting there when it opens. Believe me, even at 9 am, Orlando is HOT enough to enjoy a water park. We got to go on every ride in the park (with hardly ANY lines), and were ready to leave the park by 12:30.

Then, we checked out Downtown Disney... lots of SHOPPING and FUN restaurants (even a Cirque du Soleil show). This was a nice way to unwind in the afternoon (and the parking is FREE... no admission to the area either). They have an amazing World of Disney store full of every souvenir you could imagine! Seriously... 12 ROOMS full of Disney goodies! Totally overwhelming (and not recommended to take kids to if you're on a strict budget... LOL!)

The best part of Downtown Disney was T-Rex Cafe. It was created by the same folks that brought you The Rainforest Cafe... same gig except with animatronic dinosaurs instead of rainforest creatures. Bryan and I saved that restaurant until we brought the kids back. If you have a boy like mine that loves dinosaurs, this restaurant is a MUST-DO! And, the food isn't half-bad either (although, a little on the spendy side).

Another part of Downtown Disney I was most impressed with was The Lego Imagination Center! It's a HUGE Lego store. There's even a room full of different bins containing various Lego pieces, where you can put together your own Lego kit to purchase. Just fill up one of 2 different-sized cups with WHATEVER your heart desires... for one flat price. Then, you can go check out the AMAZING Lego statues outside...

Seriously, that whole sea serpent... made of LEGOS! Pretty amazing, huh?

Then, it was time to head back to Mimi's and Grandpa's for a couple of days before taking the kids back for some fun! The first stop we made on the way back was to SeaWorld. We met Shamu...

Fed and pet on some dolphins. (Hazel says the feel "soft, yet rubbery.")

And, got our faces painted...

Then, it was time to rest-up for our fun-filled day at Disney! Luka eagerly waited while the mayor of Disney S.L.O.W.L.Y. (well, slow to a 2-year old) opened the park...

We met princesses...

visited Minnie's house...

ate suckers bigger than our heads...

and tried to help Daddy extract the sword from the stone...

And my daughter, my darling daughter... she makes friends wherever she goes. This child has never met a stranger (which probably isn't a good thing, as I am constantly reminding her). While we were waiting for the 4th of July fireworks in front of the castle (a 2 HOUR wait!), she was busy making friends with this church group of 13-15 year old girls from Brazil. They barely spoke English, and the only Spanish Hazel knows she learned from Dora. But, they kept each other entertained for that whole 2 hours. The girls thought Hazel was so cute... they all took turns posing for pictures with her. Then, Hazel wanted her picture taken with all of them. Too cute!

It was a fabulous trip filled with memories that I will treasure for a lifetime! Not to mention that I have over 300 of those images recorded on camera to sort through and scrap soon. ;0) So, please bear with me while we get settled back into non-vacation life... it's tough!

**I know that many of you are heading to Orlando for CHA later this month, and might be contemplating a trip to Disney. If you have any questions for me, I would be happy to answer them. If you've never been to Disney before, or if you haven't been in years like me (believe me, A LOT has changed), I have lots of tips... places to eat (or NOT to eat), ways to beat the heat, shops not to miss, the best rides, etc. Just post your questions in the comments section, and I will answer them there!**

Happy birthday to you!

2009-07-02T04:25:00.006-04:00

Label Tulip is turning 2! Wow... that rhymed rather unintentionally. Nevertheless, we want you to help us celebrate!

And, we're kicking it all off with a stamp sale!

Get your fix for all those LT exclusive stamps right here! And, stay tuned to the blog and the forum for more exciting activities and your chance to win some fabulous prizes!

checking in...

2009-06-29T09:45:00.004-04:00

Well, we are thoroughly enjoying our vacation in Florida. Oh, did I forget to mention that I would be abandoning this blog for a couple of weeks while we are gone? Sorry about that. I must admit, it has been nice to step away from the virtual world for just a bit. But, I don't want to leave you totally uninspired while I'm away. So, I have something crafty and exciting to share in the meantime!

I am so honored to have been asked by Fiskars to design a project for their "Summer School" program. From May 21st through September 1st, every Tuesday and Thursday, a fun paper-crafting tutorial will be featured as part of the "Summer School" crafting curriculum! My project? The "Little Black Dress..."

That little beauty was made entirely out of Chatterbox papers and Fiskars punches (with a few pretty Chatterbox embellishements to boot). For full project instuctions, please visit the Fiskars wesbite via this link.

I'll be back over the next few days with lots of fun pictures from our visit to my dad's house... and the Disney theme parks! Until then...

can it. (Part 2)

2009-06-19T11:01:00.006-04:00

So, when I bought my cucumber seeds this year, they didn't have pickling cucumbers. I ended up having to buy some garden variety cucumbers instead. But, I remembered going to a friend's grandmother's house when I was younger and having pickled cucumbers. VERY different from pickles... they were very light, crisp, refreshing. They didn't have a heavily pickled taste or color about them. Try as I might to find a similar recipe, I couldn't. Instead, I decided to slice my regular cucumbers up and try a traditional pickle recipe from the book I mentioned in the previous post. The results were delicious tasting, but lacked crispness. When you add them to a burger or a sandwich, the sogginess goes virtually undetected. However, they aren't that great straight from the jar. They're pretty to look at, though...

I've heard about an additive called "Pickle Crisp" that can be thrown into the recipe to help retain the crispness. However, I can't find it in any of the stores around here. I'm planning on ordering some off the internet, and trying the recipe again. But, like I said... the pickles TASTE delicious! So, I'll share my spin on the recipe.

In the book, the recipe calls for quite a large quantity of cucumbers. My recession garden is small, folks. The cucumber plants are prolific, but not THAT prolific. I had 5 large cucumbers to work with, so here's how I broke the ingredient quantities down (approximately half the original recipe).

1 1/2 Tbs pickling spice (available at most grocery stores in the spice aisle)
2 C cider vinegar
2 C water
1/2 C, plus 2 Tbs granulated sugar
1/4 C pickling salt (available at WalMart with the canning supplies)
3 bay leaves
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 1/2 tsp dill seeds (available in grocery stores with WELL-STOCKED spice aisles)
5 lg cucumbers
3 pint-sized canning jars (wide-mouthed version if possible)

I thought it would make life a whole lot simpler if I bought a mandolin to slice the cukes quickly. You know that saying, "You get what you pay for?" Well, that holds totally true in the world of mandolins. I bought an Oneida one for $39.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond. Oneida is a fairly reliable brand. I didn't think I needed to invest in one of the spendier $89.99+ versions from Kitchen Aide. Wrong. DO NOT buy the Oneida version. Not unless vegetable mash is your desired result...

That thing was a total piece of junk. I ended up slicing my cucumbers by hand. So, away we go with the recipe...

Prepare jars and lids according to these instructions. You don't need to go so far as the sterilization part, though. Since these pickles will process longer than 10 minutes, it isn't necessary.

Cut the cucumbers into 1/4"-thick slices.

Tie pickling spice into a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.

In a large saucepan (preferable stainless steel), combine vinegar, next 3 ingredients and the spice bag. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Reduce heat, and boil gently for 15 minutes.

Now, it's time to can. Place 1 bay leaf, 1 minced clove of garlic, and 1 1/2 tsp dill seeds into each jar. Pack cucumbers (and the DO mean PACK them in there... as many as you can cram... stuff them down the sides of the jar too) within 1/2" from the top of the jar. They mean from the very top edge of the jar... not just where the mouth starts to bottleneck. Place that funnel from the canning utensil kit in the previous post on top of each jar before ladling the hot pickling liquid in. Cover the cucumbers, but still leave that 1/2" space from the top of the jar. Remove the air bubbles (there's a tool for that in the canning kit too), and adjust headspace by adding more liquid if necessary. Wipe the rim of the jar. Center lid on the jar; screw band down until finger-tight.

Place jars in canner/pressure cooker (or large soup pot), ensuring they are completely covered by water over an inch from the tops of the jars. Put a lid on your pot. This is where a pressure cooker comes in really handy. I'm told it isn't good to keep removing the lid to check if the water is boiling. But, pressure cookers have devices that allow you to know exactly when boiling point has been reached. Anyhow, bring the water to a boil, and process for 15 minutes in the boiling water. Remove the pot from heat, remove the pot lid, and wait for the cans to cool for 5 minutes. Then, use those tongs (trust me, you'll want them) to remove the cans from the pot. Set them on a flat surface in your kitchen away from direct sunlight.

Here's something that was left out of the recipe, but that I later learned. It's best for the canned pickles to sit in one place for 24 hours. This allows the jars to seal properly. So, don't pick them up, shake them around, poke on the tops of the jars. Just don't. You could ruin all your work if those jars don't seal properly for safe food storage. After 24 hours, test the top of the jar. It should be slightly concave, and won't pop in when you apply pressure. If they aren't sealed properly (mine were all perfectly fine), you can reprocess them in the heat bath for 15 minutes. However, be aware that it WILL affect the quality.

Otherwise, pop the top and enjoy some delicious pickles! Be sure to refrigerate after opening, and store any jars you'll be saving for later in a cool, dark place.

can it. (Part 1)

2009-06-18T11:03:00.008-04:00

Ever since my blog was featured in Artful Blogging, I have received several e-mails asking me why I haven't had an food-related posts lately. You see, for some reason, the photos that were chosen for the article were almost all foods that I had concocted in my kitchen. In fact, not a single craft project was featured. Odd. Especially considering I supplied the editors with 20+ images that were almost ALL craft projects. I have no control over the images that were chosen, and am sorry for anyone that came here expecting to find a food blog.

That being said, I LOVE to cook... almost as much as I love to craft. And, thanks to many lessons from my dad (who is an insanely good cook) and a few well-loved recipes that have been handed down through my family over the years, I'm actually a pretty good cook. We quite frequently have dinner parties for our friends, and have hosted many a Thanksgiving dinner for my husband's single soldiers. I've even been told from time to time by our "diners" that I should open my own restaurant. Ahhh, yes... if only I could win the lottery.

Instead, I thought I would offer up a few more foodie posts to this blog. Sounds like a fairly good compromise to me... and will hopefully leave a few of you wandering over from Artful Blogging a little more satisfied.

We'll kick it off today with my first experiment in canning. Like many of you, we have planted our "recession garden" here at the Hanks household. There's nothing better than fresh fruits and vegetables from your own garden! So far, we've had the most success with our romaine lettuce, tomatoes and CUCUMBERS. Tons of cucumbers! I couldn't possibly consume all of these cucumbers before they went bad. So what better to do with them than MAKE PICKLES?!?

First thing's first. Pick up this book:

Seriously. It's invaluable. Especially if you know nothing about canning (which I didn't). Second, you need one of these:

Okay. You don't *NEED* one of these. You can achieve the same thing with a large soup pot. But, there are some canning recipes that do require a pressure cooker. So, it can come in handy if you want to get really into this whole process. I got mine at WalMart for about $65, and it works great.

Don't fool yourself into thinking you don't need a set of canning utensils:

I got this exact set at WalMart for under $7. It comes with a magnetic lid lifter, canning tongs (invaluable), bubble remover, and wide-mouthed canning funnel. These all came in really handy, and well-worth the price.

Of course, you'll need canning jars... also available at WalMart or some grocery stores. For these pickles, I used pint-sized jars:

Check back tomorrow for the trials and tribulations on my actual pickle-making process!

full-on

2009-06-16T11:09:00.011-04:00

**Edited to include you chance to win a Label Tulip kit (see bottom of post for details)**

Finally! I've been dying to share my June Label Tulip creations with you all. This was one of my favorite kits of all-time! I loved the colors, the embellishments... EVERYTHING. And, I'm sure you will too! So, here they are...

That up there ^^^^^ has got to be my favorite new layout! Those Prima glittered star picks... BRILLIANT! I've been begging Cathy to put those in a kit for the longest time... thanks, Cathy! :0)

A page about 2 of the most fabulous ladies I've met in the entire 3+ years that we've been at Fort Bragg.

I snapped that picture last fall of a bluebird perched atop one of the birdhouses that I adorned. I've been waiting for the perfect products to scrap it with, and this kit was IT! That Cosmo Cricket chipboard birdie... too perfect!

Loved hand-cutting that CC paper into my own little "garden" on top of the page!

Since this kit's colors were so rainbow candy-liscious, I gave all of the kits sugary sweet names: Sugar Shoppe, Rock Candy and Saltwater Taffy. And, in honor of their confectionary goodness, our challenge this month was to create a project or page centered around something sweet and yummy. My project was this mini-recipe book. I made it to put away for Hazel when she is older. It is filled with 5 favorite family recipes, and if you want to view the mini-book in its entirety, check out the Label Tulip gallery here. Please note that the recipes themselves were removed from the book for photographing purposes. But, not to worry, I'll be sharing them here over the next couple of days. ;0) Until then...

P.S. Want to win one of this month's Label Tulip kits? Check out what our fabulous designers did with all of the GORGEOUS Cosmo Cricket goodies in this month's kit at the Cosmo Cricket blog. Leave a comment there to be entered for a chance to win one of this month's Label Tulip kits!

productivity

2009-06-14T17:21:00.007-04:00

For once, I'm ahead of the game. Maybe I should pretend that every month, on the 20th, I am going to leave for an out of town trip for 2 weeks. Then, I might not find myself procrastinating until the last minute. It feels really good to have almost everything deadline-related complete... only one more project to go. Then, I can concentrate on the last-minute details of a fabulous vacation. I have lots of things to share before I leave, so we'll try to space them out over a couple of days.

Today, the last 3 of my Label Tulip sneaks...

Trust me, June's kits are AMAZING! You'll want to snag all 3 of them! And, tomorrow night at 6pm PST, you'll get your chance! In the meantime, don't forget to upload your projects to the LT gallery for May's challenge: Scrap something nobody knows about you. You have until the 18th, and then I'll select the winner for this month's RAK.

Not only the challenge projects, but anything you upload to the Label Tulip gallery will have the opportunity to be selected for our monthly member lift challenge. Each month, one of our Tulip Girls selects an outstanding layout from our member gallery for each of our designers to "lift." You'll have your name, photo and project featured in the monthly Label Tulip newsletter and the monthly gallery. In addition to seeing all of the fun interpretations of your layout from our Tulip Girls, you will also receive a $10 gift certificate for a future Label Tulip purchase. So, get those pages uploaded! You might just see your creation front and center next month!

I'll be back tomorrow with more eye candy! But, if you need something else to tide you over, today was my turn on the Pink Paislee blog. I did a fun little shrink plastic tutorial, which you can read here. And, once you've mastered your shrinking skills, you can put it to use by creating this altered frame project:

You can download a PDF project tutorial here. Enjoy!

Dear Santa,

2009-06-11T11:57:00.005-04:00

I know it's about 6 months too early, but I would be ever-so grateful if you slipped one of these into my stocking this year:

After watching Yes Man last night, I decided this was a must-have camera (it's what Zooey Deschanel shoots with throughout the movie... in case anyone saw it, and was wondering what camera it was). And, you can purchase it here.

I've always loved Polaroid. But, now that it is somewhat defunct, the Fuji Instax is about as good as it gets... for now. I say Polaroid is only somewhat defunct because they actually seem to be reinventing themselves:

That's the Polaroid Two, and you can read more about it here. Sounds pretty interesting, but isn't available in the US right now. Bummer. Well, I'm off to create some more LT pages... hope to have some to share tomorrow or Saturday!

The kiddos might think they're cute...

2009-06-08T14:21:00.005-04:00

But, these little guys are a pain in my butt!

I feel like Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh because, seriously, these guys touch NOTHING but my carrots. Every other morning, I spend about 20 minutes diligently picking tons of these fellas off the stalks of my carrots. Keeping in mind that this is a totally organic garden (not even a fertilizer other than composted soil has touched my precious veggies), any suggestions? I refuse to use any type of pesticide, and was hoping someone would have an organic solution. I haven't had time to do much online research right now, so any ideas would be helpful. My dad suggested trying some BT (bacillus thuringiensis... try saying that 5 times fast), but I can't find it ANYWHERE. We went to a ton of nurseries, Lowe's, and Home Depot yesterday. Nothing. And, since we're leaving for Disney World in a few days, I don't have time to order off the internet right now. So, the search for a solution continues...

My other veggies are doing splendidly! Tons of cucumbers...

A few green beans (not enough to do anything with yet), lots of little bell peppers starting, tons of tomatoes that are nearly ripe, banana and jalapeno pepper plants that are getting bigger everyday, green onions, and 3 measly pieces of okra that are plugging right along. I have to say, I am enjoying this vegetable gardening thing immensely! I've done flower gardening for years, but this is insanely more rewarding. I'm hoping to have Bryan build me a second raised bed before he deploys in a couple of months. I want more, more, more! And, I'm thinking of adding some fruit trees and blackberry bushes soon. YUM!

Well, I'm busy, busy, busy with creative deadlines over the next few days before we leave for Disney. So, I'll leave you with some Label Tulip sneaks for now. I'll be back to share more soon!

LT Lovin'

2009-06-05T07:12:00.006-04:00

Have you checked out all of the fun goings-on lately over at Label Tulip? We're giving away 2 fabulous prizes that you'll definitely want to get your hands on! Your first chance to win? Check out the LT blog for a simple little challenge that I posted today. And, when I say simple... I mean S.I.M.P.L.E. Just link me up in the LT blog comments section with the most fave of all pages that YOU have created lately. I want to see all of your pretty creations! You don't have to sub to LT kits... just be sure to get in on the action before 11:59 pm PST on Saturday to be entered into a random drawing for these goodies:

Your other opportunity to win? Check out the "Challenges" section of our forum for the "May Challenge" thread. Every month, I create a challenge for the Tulip Girls to participate in as part of their projects using the monthly kits. After we share our creations on gallery reveal night (the 15th of every month at 6pm PST), we pass the challenge on to you!

May's challenge? Scrap something that nobody knows about you. It doesn't have to be an earth-shattering secret... just something that not everyone might know. For instance, I'll bet a lot of you didn't know that I used to own and show hunter/jumpers for many years when I was younger...

You can check out the beans spilled by the other TG's here. Then, spill your own secret. Post it to the Member's Gallery, and then link it up here. You have until June 18th to participate in the May challenge, so get to creating so that you can be entered to win this nice little RAK:

And, as for me... I'll be busy cooking up lots of fun projects with LT's GORGEOUS June kit over the weekend. I'll be back soon with sneaks!

4 years later...

2009-06-02T15:22:00.003-04:00

So excited! Today is the release for DMB's first studio album in 4 years! Big Whiskey and The GrooGux King... a fabulous tribute to LeRoi Moore...

LOVE IT!

home grown

2009-05-27T12:37:00.004-04:00

Had I known the simple fact that we grew it ourselves, would inspire Hazel to eat a salad (and actually ask for another the next day)... I would have started growing my own vegetable garden years ago! The only unfortunate part is that it's a rather slow process growing all of those delicious veggies. So far, the only thing that has been ready to consume has been the romaine lettuce. But, let me tell you... those lettuce heads are HUGE! Enough to make grilled chicken Caesar salads for well over a week. Hopefully, it won't be long before we have some other veggies ripe for the pickin'! I even picked up a book on canning and preserving. Now all I have to do is purchase a canner, pick out some recipes, and wait... not. so. patiently.

Other happenings over our extended Memorial Day weekend...

* All-American white picket fence around the front yard: nearly finished.

* A fun little potluck birthday party at some new friends' house. For which, I fixed these. If you like spicy food, I really recommend you try this recipe. It is DELISH! And, it's a very flavorful kind of spicy... not just hot for the sake of being hot.

* A new truck! Our Jeep was getting on in years, and Bryan wanted me to have a more reliable vehicle to drive while he's deployed later this year. So, he bought me a fab new 2009 F-150! I never thought I'd own a truck and actually L.O.V.E. it!

* Getting settled back into the house after my 10 day trip to Alaska. Why does it always take so long to get unpacked and resettled? Probably because I'm chasing around 2 small children all the while.

That's about it, but it was certainly enough to keep us more than busy!

A delicious repost

2009-05-24T18:59:00.005-04:00

We're busy, busy, busy around here this weekend. I'll be back with tidbits from the past days on Tuesday. But, for now, I wanted to do a little repost. As some of you might know, my blog was featured in the summer edition of Artful Blogging.

Since then, I've been getting a lot of e-mails regarding this particular photo:

A lot of people remarked about how delicious my clam chowder looked in the photo, but were disappointed (after sifting through all my archives) to find the photo with no recipe. So, for everyone who asked for my secret clam chowder recipe. Here you go... (Fair warning: it is very time-consuming, but WELL worth it!)

The broth:

4 slices of bacon
Olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
16 littleneck clams, scrubbed
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 C. white wine
3 C. water

In a large pot, over med. heat, add bacon & saute until fat is rendered and bacon is browned (about 5 min). Remove the cooked bacon, and discard. Add 1-count of the olive oil to the pot along with the onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are translucent (3-5 min). Add clams, lemon juice, wine and water; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, simmer 10-15 min to open the clams. Remove the clams from the pot, discarding any that didn't open. Using a colander, strain broth into a bowl. Pull the clams from their shells, chop them; set aside. Clean out the soup pot before reusing it to make the soup base.

The soup base:

2 Tbs. butter
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
Leaves from 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 C. heavy whipping cream
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled & diced
Salt & pepper
16 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the butter and 1 Tbs, EVOO in soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon, onion, garlic and thyme to the pot. Cook until the bacon renders its fat and veggies are soft (8-10 min). Dust the veggies with flour; stir to coat. Pour in reserved clam broth; bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cream and potatoes. Again, bring to a boil. Boil hard for about 7 minutes, or until the potatoes start to break down. Add the previously chopped clams; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the uncooked clams that are still in their shells. Cover, and simmer to open the clams (about 10 minutes). Discard any unopened clams. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with thick slices of French bread. Enjoy!

That made me hungry just typing it! I might just have to make an emergency trip to the market for some clams...

Label Tulip Stuffs...

2009-05-16T15:01:00.011-04:00

Time to share my monthly projects with the BEAUTIFUL May kits from Label Tulip! I loved, loved, loved this month's kit! It was packed with bright, colorful papers and lots of unique embellishments. PLUS, our very own Alexis Hardy designed the most amazing mini-book kit! Here's what I did with it...

It made a great mini to scrap all of the photos from my cruise! I had tons of pictures that wouldn't have fit in most books. But, the little envelopes inside this mini were perfect for stashing all those extra photos!

This month's challenge was to create a page about something that most people don't know about you. Most people probably don't know that for years, when I was younger, I used to own and show horses!

A fun little page using pictures from this year's Easter egg dying party (gotta' love that LT exclusive paint splash stamp)!

And, finally, our member lift for this month. Tulip Girl, Christina Clouse, selected this layout from our member, Marianne Hope:

And, here's my spin on it...

Well, that's all she wrote for this month. I've had a wretched cold, and I've been traveling a lot. So, there wasn't a lot of creating time this month. :0( Better luck next time, right? Happy weekend!

Permanent Vacation

2009-05-03T15:25:00.013-04:00

I've had a little trouble easing back into the real world after such a fabulous vacation. Of course, I came home to a house where an unattended husband lived for a week... and all of the messes that go along with that. LOL! It took me all week to unpack, clean, and get back into the swing of things. But, I think I'm ready to be back. Well, at least until my next vacation! So, how about some photos from my little cruise get-away?

Our first stop was in Key West, where we visited "The Smallest Bar." Literally. It was a counter under an awning, carefully squeezed between two buildings. Kinda' like a guy with a cooler and a liquor license.

They made the most amazing concoction of I-don't-know-what. All I know was that it had a lot of rum, and I was feeling no pain. The Jamaican bartender was pretty nice...

You had your choice of a coconut or pineapple for a "glass." At $17, the pineapple wasn't a bargain... but that didn't stop us.

The Custom House Museum had some nifty sculptures surrounding the outside of the building...

The next day was an "at-sea" day. Loved it. Massage in the morning, drinks by the pool in the afternoon, good food at night... relaxing at it's best.

The 3rd day was the BEST by far. We were in Grand Cayman, and took a day-long excursion to Hell's post office, Tortuga Rum Cake factory (the chocolate rum cake was AMAZING... a couple made it home in my suitcase), the turtle farm, and to Sting Ray City to swim with the stingrays.

The turtles were just so adorable...

And, I was amazed that they actually let you catch one in the tank and even hold it for a couple of minutes!

Isn't he the cutest?!? Surprisingly, they weren't at all aggressive and seemed to enjoy being held. The stingrays, although loving to be played with as well, were a little more intimidating. It took me a couple of minutes to warm up to them. But, I eventually got used to it.

If you ever plan to swim with the rays, I highly recommend leaving any jewelry behind... especially rings... especially if you want to feed them. Those things have some insanely strong suction in their mouths. You might just pull you hand out to find some bling missing. I was glad I had enough foresight to leave my wedding ring in the safe on the ship.

All in all, it was a fabulous vacation. I can't wait to do another cruise... hopefully when Bryan comes back from his next deployment. In the meantime, I have a trip to Alaska next week, and a trip to Disney World in June to look forward to. Yup... this summer is shaping up to be filled with lots of photos to keep me busy scrapping through winter! I'll be back in the next couple of days with some Label Tulip sneaks for May! Until then...

Later gators!

2009-04-18T20:35:00.002-04:00

I will be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for a cruise to Grand Cayman. No internet. No e-mail. No phones. No kids. Time to disconnect for a week. But, I'll catch ya' on the flip side... with lots of pictures to share! Have a great week... I know I will!!!

xo,
Holly

This time around...

2009-04-16T10:29:00.011-04:00

I really surprised myself with this Label Tulip kit! It is chock full o' Pink Paislee, which made me worry a little that I wouldn't be able to come up with anything insanely cool or fresh. Obviously I love, love, love Pink Paislee... but, I DO work with it a lot. ;0) Usually, my LT kits are a chance for me to dip my hands into a pool of supplies that offer a break from what I'm usually working with. So, I made it my own personal challenge this month to take all those pretty Pink Paislee goodies, mix 'em up with the rest of the kit, and come up with some things that were really outside the box. And, I actually ended up with some pages that I adore!

This month, we are featuring a mini-book project kit designed by our reigning Tulip Girl technique queen, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. The products in this kit, Metropolis in Bloom, will blow your mind with the endless creative possibilities! Instead of a mini-book, I was inspired to use one of the chipboard buildings to create my own little city scene layout. I had the best time figuring out ways to turn the products into pieces of a picture... metal gears for flowers, the letterpress card for the sun, the fabric and trim for a dress, etc. See what other items you can spot from this month's kit that were turned into part of this city scene:

Our challenge for April was to come up with a layout, card, or project that was in a monochromatic color scheme. Here is my interpretation:

And, finally, our Member Gallery lift for this month was from the fabulous Anna Sigga! Here is her original page:

And, this is my spin on it:

This month's kit ended up being one of my favorites, and I hope you'll agree! Thanks for checking out my work this month, and don't forget to take a peek at the gallery that includes the debut work of our 4 new, insanely talented, Tulip Girls!

Finally... PEEKS!

2009-04-14T14:18:00.006-04:00

Well, Label Tulip really got put on the back-burner this month (more about that later). I had bits and pieces of my pages put together for a week or so, but didn't pull them all together until late last night! But, I'm super-lovin' what I came up with this month! I hope you enjoy it to. Be sure to check out the Label Tulip gallery tomorrow at 6pm PST for the full gallery reveal. In the meantime, here are some sneakies...

Now, for the reason I was running so behind this month... I was asked to be a guest designer for none other than Prima! You can check out my projects here! And, stay tuned in the next couple of months for another HUGE guest DT spot that I am super and duper excited for! ;0)

Hoppin' on to Monday

2009-04-13T14:42:00.009-04:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend! We certainly did! Our Friday started with egg dying and Jell-O jiggler egg-making...

On Saturday, we made lots of Easter-shaped sugar cookies with lots of frosting and sprinkles! (Sorry, no photos of that).

Then, Sunday rolled around and it was time for egg hunting!

It was a bit chilly out, so the kids grabbed those eggs as fast as they could! The kids spent the rest of the morning opening Easter baskets and playing with all the goodies while I cooked a big breakfast. We had piles of pancakes, bacon and my dad's specialty... scrambled eggs with potatoes! It was delicious! Even the kids, who hate eggs, gobbled them up. Their little tummies were so full, they had no problem going down for a long afternoon nap... to spite the insane sugar high from chowing down all that Easter candy.

After nap time, it had warmed up considerably. I had been saving a box of confetti eggs from last Easter (it was too nasty outside to use them). So, I pulled them out yesterday afternoon and let the kids go to town. Luka didn't enjoy getting hit...

But, he sure enjoyed breaking them over his sister's head!

Even Hazel enjoyed busting them over her own head! Silly girl!

Fortunately, nobody felt the need to smash any eggs over my head. Although, when the confetti eggs ran out, Hazel ran to grab the dyed eggs. She was all ready to smash those suckers all over Luka until I snatched them out of her hands... disaster averted. We spent the rest of the day winding down, working in the garden and observing this little visitor that spent the afternoon feasting on my Creeping Phlox that is in full bloom.

He didn't seem to mind anyone getting right up close to him... the kids spent nearly an hour watching him. Plus, he was HUGE! So, you could even see his little tongue dipping into the flowers for nectar. It was pretty fascinating.

It was a fabulous weekend, filled with lots of fun activities! The only thing that would have made it better would have been if someone was here to cook ME a nice Easter dinner. You know... ham and all the fixin's. There isn't much point to cooking a big meal like that when Bryan isn't home. You know, he hasn't been home for Easter since I've know him? Pretty disappointing... he won't be home next year either. *sigh*

Well, stay tuned tomorrow for Label Tulip sneaks. This month's kit got put on the back burner a little bit, but only because I have a very exciting guest DT spot that will be featured this week! But, more on that later...

Springing along...

2009-04-07T14:41:00.006-04:00

***EDITED TO INCLUDE THE PINK PAISLEE BLOG HOP WINNER**
First, I want to announce my winner from the Pink Paislee blog hop! By total random selection, my winner is Shaina Longstreet! Shaina, please e-mail me you mailing address at charmedgirlnc@gmail.com so that we can get your prize pack in the mail to you!

Now, I have another Pink Paislee project for spring to share with you!

I had been wanting a nice spring/Easter centerpiece for my dining room table, and the last project I shared wasn't quite big enough to fill the space. But, this little flower box does the job perfectly! The box itself is a wooden CD holder from Michael's. I painted it up with some antique white acrylic paint, and filled the inside with blocks of floral foam. Cover the floral foam with some Spanish moss, and then it's time to work on your flowers and the "bloom & grow" plaque. For the flowers...

I took several of the tulip chipboard shapes, and removed the top patterned layer. You'll want to paint the chipboard with some antique white to get the most color pop once you apply the glitters. After the paint has dried, apply a layer of Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents and sprinkle on a layer of glitter. I worked with Pink Paislee's Pixee Stix in Bubblegum, Berry Blue, and Lemonade. You'll want to apply at least 2 coats of glitter for the most color, so keep repeating with layers of Diamond Glaze and glitter until you're satisfied. While those tulips are drying, go ahead and paint a wooden dowel (available at Michael's or your local hardware store) a light green; set aside to dry. Next, you'll need to make your leaves. Take one of the long multi-leaf shapes from the chipboard sets; remove the top layer of patterned paper. Use the same glittering technique as the tulips, working with Green Apple colored glitter. Once everything has dried, assemble the flowers with a hot glue gun; poke them into the floral foam until you're happy with the arrangement. Now, for the plaque...

For this, I butted two of the scalloped chipboard pieces together from two of these sets, and covered them with the woodgrain patterned paper. I used a chipboard label topped with a sticker label for the middle of the plaque, and applied it with some Pop Dots. Spell out "bloom & grow" with some chipboard letters, add some glitter and jewels to the plaque and you're done! Enjoy your gorgeous tulips that will never wilt in a flower box that stays full year-round!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

2009-04-02T21:50:00.008-04:00

As part of the Pink Paislee design team, I am excited to bring you a nifty little Easter project as part of their rockin' blog hop this weekend!

I covered a little papier mache basket from Michael's with some of the new "Enchanted" papers. Then, I spruces it up with some handmade flowers and a little "Happy Easter" label. And, if you know anything about me and my craftin'... you know I love glitter. All glitter. Anything sparkly. So, I had a blast painting up these papier mache eggs and coating them with LOTS of Pixee Stix glitter in Coconut.

It makes for a nice little table top decoration for Easter... simple and adorable!

We also thought it would be fun for you to get to know the designers a little bit better...

1.) Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Texas, but finished up high school in Alaska. Do you still live there? Nope. Neither place. I live wherever the army sends the hubs... currently: North Carolina.
2.) What is a typical day like for you? Crazy! Just plain crazy. LOL! I'm a SAHM to a 2 and 5 year old with a husband that is RARELY home. You never know what to expect around here, but I try to keep the basic routine schedule the same (i.e. lunch time, bed time, etc.)
3.) What is your favorite fashion accessory? Well, before I cut my hair, it would have been my collection of head scarves and headbands. My hair's a little too short now to put it up, and I miss using them terribly. Must. grow. it. back. Why? I just love how much changing your hairstyle can change your whole look. I love to dry different things with my hair. I'm forever changing the color, the cut, the accessories...
4.) What is playing on your ipod right now? "If It Kills Me" by Jason Mraz... totally diggin' on that song lately.
5.) Name one television show that you MUST TIVO each week? Well, I still haven't come head-on into the 21st century... I don't have TIVO. But, if I did, I would have to say The Hills or The City. I can't ever stay up late enough to watch them, and I always miss the re-runs. So, inevitably, I end up watching them in poor quality on my computer later in the week.
6.) What is your favorite movie of all time? Across The Universe.
7.) What is your favorite Pink Paislee product? That's a tough one... I love 'em all! I guess it would have to come down to a toss-up between the Pixee Stix and their whole variety of alpha stickers.
8.) If you could only keep 1 scrapbooking tool what would it be? My 9" Xyron machine. I can't scrap without it, and I use it all the time for other crafting and DD's school/cheerleading projects. Totally worth every penny!
9.) If you didn't scrapbook what other activity would you spend time on? Gardening. I spend quite a bit of time doing it anyway. It relaxes me, and I love the whole idea of planting something from seed, and watching it grow. Nothing beats the smell of fresh earth and flowers in the spring time.
10.) What advice would you give to someone who wants to start scrapbooking? Don't go out in the beginning and just start buying everything you see. Start with a few basic supplies and tools. Figure out your style before you invest a lot of money in a ton of product. I have so much stuff from when I first started that I've never even used. I just bought, bought, bought. Now that I know how I like my pages to look and what I use most, I am able to make wiser decisions and limit my spending.
11.) What would you say your scrapbook style is today? I never know what to say to this question. You let me know if you figure it out. ;0)

Now that you've made it through a little me-me, and I've shown you a quick little Easter project, I have a surprise for you. As part of this weekend's blog hop, Pink Paislee has been generous enough to allow each of us designers to give away a little prize pack on our blog! Here's a snap of the goods:

All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog, and you have through the end of the day on Sunday. I'll be drawing a winner on Monday, so be sure to check back! Hoppy weekend!

sunday

2009-03-29T14:32:00.003-04:00

Profound. And, interesting.

It's been quiet lately. I've been taking some time to figure things out. Lots of changes. Lots of decisions to be made. It's funny how life throws things your way that you wouldn't have expected in a million years, and then you just have to deal. Even when dealing isn't really what you want to do.

I've taken a couple steps back from the internet lately. Somewhere along the way, I decided actually living in your own life, and rediscovering the simple things, is far more rewarding than gluing bits and pieces of memories to paper. Not to say that I'm going to stop recording my and my family's memories. Not at all. I just choose to be more present in, well, the PRESENT. I'm going to try to take this blog back to where it started from... more sharing. Sharing of everything. In the past few months, it has only been proof of deadlines completed. But, I want to get back to more sharing of everyday life. More pictures. More thoughts. More stories. More words. We'll see how that goes.

How about some slightly introspective Friday Fill-Ins a couple of days late?

1. "In a hole in the ground, there lived this funny little girl that I forgot. She got lost somewhere amongst the grown up world of responsibilities, decisions, stress. I miss that funny little girl. I'm trying to find her again."

2. "I'm not perfect, but that ain't no matter."

3. "After dark the rain began to fall again, I remembered that the storms always seem to roll in full-force when he's gone. Always."

4. "Why can't I discover vast treasures from the hold of the Spanish galleon? I'd be set for life."

5. "There was a hand in the darkness, and hopefully, a light at then end of the tunnel."

6. "Accidents ambush the unsuspecting... why do I always seem to be the unsuspecting?"

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to... well, it's over. But, I was looking forward to Hazel's first sleep-over (which was a raging success). Tomorrow my plans include tying up a bunch of pressing creative deadlines. Why am I such a procrastinator? And Tuesday, I want to finish cleaning my house before my aunt arrives for a visit.

Charmed Life

A little bit sweet... a little bit sinister...

Better late than never...

One for Mom, one for Dad, and one for everyone in between...

life is messy...

Welcome to my abode...

*sweet as candy*

Hello... is this thing on?

New Bleuprint!

2010...

*the wrap*

no Christmas for me...

a picture...

A Home for the Holidays

Deck the doors!

We've Got Spirit!!!

Happy Halloween!

Happy birthday in a jar!

Friday Fill-Ins

*re-cap*

I've been a very Bad Girl!

Gettin' spooky...

A Fond Farewell

Not too Shabby...

labor of love...

Here's to new beginnings!

Aaaaand, she's back!

* you are goodbye*

Hello, tulip.

Sneaky, sneaky...

Just a Quickie...

*spare change*

12 Months of Christmas Catch-Up (Part 2)

Trade ya'...

footprints...

independent

something simple

Go-To Recipe

adorn it

*C*E*L*E*B*R*A*T*E*

12 Months of Christmas Catch-Up

crazy...

*in a pickle*

Friday happiness

I ♥ Sushi!

***NEW Pink Paislee***

Friday Fill-Ins

*dream* team

Cherry Clafouti

Here we go...

*eye candy*

♪♪♪ It's a small world ♪♪♪

"Now, that's what I call magic!"

Happy birthday to you!

checking in...

can it. (Part 2)

can it. (Part 1)

full-on

*productivity*

Dear Santa,

The kiddos might think they're cute...

LT Lovin'

4 years later...

*home grown*

A delicious repost

Label Tulip Stuffs...

Permanent Vacation

Later gators!

This time around...

Finally... PEEKS!

Hoppin' on to Monday

Springing along...

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

*sunday*

sweet as candy

the wrap

re-cap

spare change

CELEBRATE

in a pickle

NEW Pink Paislee

dream team

eye candy

productivity

home grown

sunday