Top cards of 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!!!

Wow -- another year come & gone. When does time stop moving at a snail's pace, & start moving at the speed of light?? There is just never enough time to do everything that I need to -- or that I want to. I wasn't in my craft room NEARLY enough this year. That darn job really gets in the way :) Everyone in blogland is posting their top 11 or 12 cards of the year -- & I was pretty sure I hadn't even made 12 this whole year. But I went back through my SCS gallery & gosh, I *did* make more than 12! Even so, I kept my top cards to 8. Seemed like a fair ratio :)

So here are my top 8 cards of 2011 (click on the name of the card to go to the original post):

SENDING YOU A GREAT BIG HUG -- seemed like I waited a LONG time to get my hands on this cute Tilda -- they were always sold out.

JUST FOR YOU -- not my best coloring, but I like how the whole card came together -- & the papers are one of my favorite lines.

OLD BUZZARD -- everyone knows how much I *adore* Crissy Armstrong & her adorable images. This is one from her High Hopes collection & I use it a LOT -- perfect for all the birthday cards I have to make for "old" people (meaning over 30 LOL)

FLUFFLES & FRIENDS -- Fluffles was one of my first loves -- dug him out to make this springy card back in April.


BETTY BUG -- love the Itty Bitties from Pink Cat Studio! And this is another favorite line from Basic Grey -- so colorful & cheerful!

FISHING TILDA -- knew the minute I saw this Tilda I had to have her. Who doesn't love fishing on a lazy summer day?

BACK TO SCHOOL BART -- this one is special for 2 reasons -- it was my very first digi -- & it was published in the Whimsy Inspirations magazine -- I'm so proud :)




CHOPPERS CHILAXIN' -- another proud moment -- my first card as a dt member for Sundays with Crissy! I am thrilled that I get to work with Crissy again -- & all the ladies on the team are amazing. I don't really "do" clean & simple, which was my debut challenge -- but I do like how this turned out. Can't really mess up Choppers :)



LENNY -- as you have probably guessed, High Hopes stamps are VERY important to me!

AUTUMN TILDA -- fall is my favorite time of year -- & this is another Tilda that always seemed to be out of stock every time I wanted to order her.

So there you have it. I do hope I'm able to create more in the coming year. I've been working for a year & a half now, & I still can't get that perfect balance. And no, I'm not giving up sleep!

I hope you all have a safe & happy new year! My day consists of putting away all things Christmas -- playing with my bread machine -- & hanging with my kids. A perfect day to me :)

Love to you all, & happy 2012!!!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Happy after-Christmas to you! Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday! Ours was very low-key. Small family = no chaos. It went by too quickly, though -- I only had off yesterday & it was TOUGH getting up this morning while everyone else was snoozing away!

I just HAD to share another recipe with you -- I know, I know -- I'm spending WAY more time in the kitchen lately than in the craft room. I go in spurts. I really do love to bake -- much more than cook -- probably because I *choose* to bake, but I *have* to cook. And when I'm cooking dinner I'm usually really rushed & I hate that.

My wonderful mom had both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at her house, & all I had to bring was dessert. I made 2 pies, including my very first *real* (meaning not out of a can or box, actually cooked on the stove!) chocolate cream pie. It turned out AWESOME!

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

1- 2/3 cup water
4 TBSP cornstarch
6 TBSP baking cocoa
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of cinnamon
1 baked pie crust
Whipped cream

Mix water, cornstarch & baking cocoa until smooth. Stir in condensed milk & egg yolks. Cook until thick in saucepan. Stir in butter & vanilla. Cool slightly, whisking constantly. Pour into baked pie crust; chill. Add whipped cream.

SOOOO easy but a couple of notes. First -- make sure you are whisking the entire time the filling is cooking AND while it's cooling. Whisk whisk whisk. Do not stop whisking. It is key to keeping the filling smooth & unlumpy. Second -- when you put it in the fridge, put saran wrap tightly over the filling. Don't worry, it won't stick. This is a must or else it will get rubbery. Third -- what pie isn't better with a homemade pie crust? I use the Pillsbury refrigerated crusts - I haven't tried my own yet because I'm usually making the pie for others, & I would really hate for the pie crust to completely SUCK. So I really need to make a pie just for us & try to make my own.

I can't even tell you how good this is. And you know what else is good? BREAD!! Guess what I got from my mom for Christmas -- a bread machine!! I've wanted one for a while & just couldn't decide which one I wanted, so my mom decided for me! It's not top-of-the-line, but it's perfect for someone who has never ever used one. I made my first loaf yesterday -- just basic white bread -- & it turned out fantastic. I will be doing lots of 'sperimenting in the near future. If you have any good bread machine recipes, let me know!

You'll be happy to know that I haven't had time to go through all my Xmas photos, lol -- so no pics of cats or kids -- just food today :) I will be glad when the holidays are over & we can all get back into our routine. Kids in school, husband at work, & hopefully me in my craft room at some point!

Cap'n Crunch French Toast

Hello all, & Merry almost-Christmas!! I am DONE with everything & feeling quite proud. At the beginning of the week I hadn't finished shopping, I hadn't wrapped one present & had done no baking. Now I'm done shopping, everything is wrapped, baked a few cookies (alas, not as many as I wanted), made many batches of brownies for various potlucks, went out to dinner with some family that was in town, & tonight I had a power session in the kitchen. I made 2 pies, a pumpkin banana bread, a huge batch of Puppy Chow. All this between working, & I gotta tell ya I was NOT feeling 100% this week. Not down & out -- but not quite up to par. I only get one day off for Christmas - Monday. My husband has been off of work since the 15th. He is off for the rest of the year. In his time off so far, he changed our shower head & picked up his prescription. I'm ok with that. Not feeling at ALL like he could have helped out a bit with preparations......nope, not at all.


Anyway, in between baking tonight I made my kids a fun little dinner. I *love* the show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on Food Network. In one episode, Guy visited a little diner in Baltimore named Blue Moon Cafe. One of their creations is Cap'n Crunch French Toast. I knew I had to try it -- so I visited my friend Google & found a few variations of the recipe. I am sharing the one I tried -- it was definitely a hit! (I noticed after posting the picture that there is a container of sour cream that squeezed its way into the picture -- makes it look like I used it for this recipe but NO I did not LOL)

Cap'n Crunch French Toast - Blue Moon Cafe

3 eggs

2 1/2 T sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 t vanilla

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

Cap'n Crunch cereal, crushed

bread (I used Texas Toast)

Beat the eggs & sugar until smooth. Pour in the cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg; whisk until smooth. Pour the crushed cereal into a shallow dish. Dip the bread into the egg mixture, then press into the cereal until coated on both sides. Cook on a hot skillet.

I served butter & syrup, but whipped cream & berries would be soooo good -- that's how they served it on the show. Will have to try that next time -- syrup was quicker & I was in a hurry, lol.

We are spending both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at my mom's -- works for me since I only have to bring dessert! I am looking forward to relaxing & enjoying the holiday after all the hustly bustly trying to get ready for it. I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas & that you get lots of goodies from Santa. I'm getting a bread machine & I can NOT wait to use it!! I know what I'll be doing December 26th :)

HOW many more days???

Ok, before I start my holiday freak-out -- you MUST try this!!! It won't work with Internet Explorer -- but it works with Firefox & Chrome. So FUN --- go to Google -- & type in "let it snow". Go!! RIGHT NOW!!! You can finish reading my post when you're done.


IS THAT NOT THE COOLEST????? Did you write your name in the snow?? Don't pee in the snow! Just write your name with your mouse. Seriously WHO comes up with this stuff??


NOW to my holiday freak-out .........




WHO thought it would be a good idea to have Christmas on December 25th this year?? Who moved it up??


You'd think by now I would learn to start Christmas shopping a week earlier. Because I always need just one more week.


Since I'm behind on everything -- I thought I'd post another card from Christmas past.




(Yuck - the photo looks really dark to me. Maybe it's just all the red flowers. Sure wish I could say my photography has improved -- but the picture would probably look the same if I took it again today LOL)


Rather appropriate - as right now I feel like that cat hanging from a branch, lol! The original post is HERE. Wow, I thought it was from last year but it was from 2 years ago!! I love all the High Hopes images, but I think the Christmas & winter images are my favorites :)  I can't believe I've only been able to make one or two Christmas cards this year -- & NO projects :(  I'll have to be really original & give my kids teachers GIFT CARDS! In store bought envelopes!! *gasp*


We went to my husband's work holiday part last weekend & I really want to post a few of the pictures here. If you're my friend on Facebook, you can go to my album to see them all (you LUCKY ducks!!). Otherwise I will post them here in the next couple of days. Just a couple. Wouldn't want to bore you -- like the people who want you to see their vacation slides -- only 352 of them!


Here's a picture of my son helping me make some cookies yesterday.....

See??? I've done SOME holiday stuff!!! 

Sundays with Crissy challenge #24 - Anything Goes!

Yep, it's our favorite challenge this month at Sundays with Crissy -- there is no excuse not to join in -- it's Anything Goes!

So here is the card that took me a while to get done .....

I ADORE penguins & I especially ADORE Crissy penguins! I *squealed* when I saw this new Whimsy Stamps image (I did! Ask her! She heard me all the way from Canada!) Snowman & Penguins. I will eventually own ALL of her penguin images -- right now my printer is wonky & won't print just black & white. I think it's an all-in-one type cartridge -- but something must be out of alignment because it comes out with eensy weensy specks of color where there should be only black. I tried printing in greyscale & black & white, neither helped :( Maybe Santa will bring me a nice NEW printer for Xmas :)

Anyway, I colored the image with pencils -- then did something totally funky & stupid with the background. I hated how it looked & I *knew* I shouldn't have tried it. Don't you hate when that happens? It looks like an easy image to color but for some reason it took me a LONG time. So --instead of trying to print it again, & coloring it again, I did the dreaded cutting-the-image-out deal -- & sponged the background paper before popping it on there. The papers are Bazzill, & Basic Grey Jovial & Wassail. The sentiment is from one of those cute little clear stamp packs from Michael's. I used a Snow Writer pen to edge the main layer & can I just say I HATE that thing, lol. It kept clogging up & the only way to get it to work was to wash the cap in hot water -- I'd get maybe one side done & it would clog again. Sheesh no wonder it takes me so long to make a card!

I wish I'd gotten a close up of the snowball the penguin is holding -- it's all.....SNOWY -- but I was a bit rushed taking the photos -- I always think about stuff like that AFTER I put away the light box, camera, tripod, lights --

Be sure to check out the other artists over at Sundays with Crissy!

I really hope you all are further along with your holiday preps than I am. I have some presents bought, nothing wrapped. No cookies baked. But we have been doing some fun stuff. Aside from the Midnight Magic last weekend (pictures HERE) we went to Candy Cane Lane on Saturday night, which is a subdivision in which all the neighbors try to out-light & out-decorate the others. They've been doing this for as long as I can remember & the place is so popular now -- it's bumper to bumper every night, as we found out Saturday! We weren't really dressed for the weather but next year we will definitely bundle up, park the car & WALK it! We could have walked it 3 times in the time it took us to drive! I will have a few pics tomorrow.

And yesterday we went to my husband's work party. He's been there 18 years & we've never attended a Christmas party. But when I found out where it was this year I insisted we go. It was at Discovery World, which is a tech/science type totally hands on museum. SO much fun. I will also have pics of that as soon as I sort through all 82. Don't worry, I won't post all 82, lol

Thanks so much for visiting!!!

I finally finished a card!!!

Ahhhhhh but I can't show it to you. Sorry! It's my card for Sundays with Crissy & I can't post it till the 13th. I'm such a tease, I know :) Wish I could say I'd have another card done before the 13th but that would be a lie -- & Santa frowns on lying!

But I did want to share some pictures with you -- not the best -- my photography skills seem to get worse the more I work with my camera, lol.

Last weekend we went to an event in our small town called Midnight Magic. The whole town is "open" from 10 until midnight. All the stores have specials, the churches have music, tents are set up all over town with food, there are carriage rides in the park, a craft fair at the middle school, & my favorite - a parade! This was our first year participating -- not sure why we never did before because it was a BLAST!!! It was raining & we almost didn't go, but decided we'd go watch the parade from our car. It stopped raining just as we got there. So we enjoyed a DRY parade, then went to view our brand spankin' new library (I am a total library GEEK!!).

Here are my boys in front of the tree at the library. Everything smelled so NEW!

One of the churches had a live nativity scene, a kids party, & a petting zoo. A petting zoo?? In a church? Michael was all over that -

Those poor bunnies, lol. Michael was super gentle with all the animals, but some kids, not-so-much. I cringed every time I saw a bunny struggling to get away from someone -- it's a miracle none were dropped on its head!

We also went to the garden center, where they had gingerbread houses -- another church to see the middle & high school orchestras -- & oh yeah -- dinner at Culver's, lol. Never did get to the craft show -- will have to plan our day better next year!

A couple of pictures of our Christmas trees:

This is the one in our great room...




and this is the one in our playroom. I really wanted to get a shot with the lights on, but I really struggled with what setting to have it on. I tried shots on all settings, & this was about the best.

I really need to get a photo of our outside lights. My 13 year old BEGGED me to let him put up lights. My husband used to do it but gave up years ago -- he now refuses. He would always pop a circuit, a strand would be out AFTER he hung them, and/or snow would cover all the lights on the bushes. So he dug them out & let Matthew at them. Not only did he get them untangled & hung up, he got them wired together & did NOT pop any circuits. All by himself, with no guidance from us. That kid amazes me!! So -- I will have to try to get a good shot so I can brag a little more about my brilliant son :)

And last but not least......I gotta stick a kitty picture in here, lol. We actually hadn't put up our smaller tree in the past couple of years & Elwood really missed it. He's just not comfy under the other one. You should have seen his eyes light up when we started decorating this one...

Do you think he's trying to blend in???

I will see you back here on the 13th!! Hope your holiday preparations are moving along splendidly.....