Easter Carrot Cake

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter!! We sure did -- any excuse to get together & eat!!  

As usual, I brought dessert. This time it was Carrot Cake. I'd never made a Carrot Cake before - but found a great recipe stuffed in my recipe box. Of course, I didn't know it was great until I made it & everyone ooh'd & aah'd - whew! Got lucky :)

I am not a fan of Carrot Cake AT ALL. No veggies in my dessert, thankyouverymuch! But - the other 8 people did love it, so I'm sharing with you. Because I appear to be in the minority - Carrot Cake is GOOD & I have no idea what I'm talking about. 

CARROT CAKE

3 cups shredded carrots

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, well-drained

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

FROSTING

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, beat the first 5 ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda & cinnamon; gradually beat into carrot mixture. Transfer mixture to a greased 9"x13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. 

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter & vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. Cover & refrigerate leftovers.

Super easy! I have no idea where I got this recipe from - I know it was pre-Pinterest so it wasn't there (where I get most of my recipes from these days). But I'm glad I did save it - this one's a keeper! 

I sure hope it's warm where you are -- here in SE Wisconsin, we are very patiently waiting for spring. It's coming .... soon ..... right around the corner .....

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Is it spring YET?

I know the calendar says it is -- but my yard full of snow says otherwise! 

So how are you, my friends? I know - I said I was still going to keep posting even though I'm not all crafty-like anymore. Time just whizzes by, though. It's Monday, then it's Friday. Then it's Monday again. Where are the days in between? Work .... 4H .... guitar lessons .... errands & cleaning & laundry .... track season just started .... then comes baseball .... I definitely can't complain about being bored! 

One big thing on my to-do list is to learn how to use the camera I bought last July. Luckily, it takes phenomenal shots in the Auto mode - but I want to learn more. I will never be a fancy schmancy photographer, because the camera I bought is a bridge camera -- not quite an SLR because I can't change the lens, but so much more than a point & shoot. All the manual settings of an SLR - now I just need to learn them all! There's just so much! So ... I printed off the entire manual & will concentrate on ONE thing at a time. I also joined a discussion forum for my particular camera - a great place to meet people, ask questions & ogle other people's pictures. 

Here are a few of my recent favorite photos - still just taken on Auto:

This is my mom's cat Petey. Isn't he gorgeous? He's sitting at the kitchen table, wondering why everyone has a plate of snacks but HIM. If you can't tell, he's a bit ... um ... WIDE. But he is the most LOVING cat. A total baby :)

This is Puddy, my mom's other cat (that's PUDDY, like in Seinfeld). Very lean & sleek - we think he's part Maine Coon - & also gorgeous, but not as cuddly as Petey. BUT he's way more active & therefore way more entertaining. Depends on what you're in the mood for. Laughter or snuggles. 

I don't know why but I love this picture - a dark & rainy day in Milwaukee. You can see the Calatrava Art Museum right in front of us. I love Milwaukee - we just don't take advantage of all the things it has to offer. On this day we were at Discovery World - if you're ever in the area it's a must see!

I like how this one turned out too, with the snow in the background. And it looks like he's trying to tell me something. Maybe he's saying "#*$(# WINTER! When is spring going to be here?". Don't worry, little birdie - we are ALL saying that. 

I've been spending most of my free time in the kitchen & have really made some yummy things lately. No pictures - but I do want to share some amazing recipes. All courtesy of Pinterest (which is what I do in the rest of my free time):

Paula Deen's Mountain Dew Cake

Strawberry Nutella Braid

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Tater Tot Bake (I'm sure this one is EXTRA healthy)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake


What can I say - I love to make (& eat) things that probably aren't the best for me LOL. 

**Oh - I wanted to ask you - I understand Google will not have Reader anymore. That makes me sad! I depend on that! I wonder why they made that decision? What do you use to keep track of blog updates? I have about 80 blogs that I follow!

I don't have a recent Easter card to share, but this is one I did for an Etsy customer a couple of years ago. Custom made - & she didn't like it :(  I ended up selling it to someone else. Sheesh, no wonder I don't make cards anymore LOL!

Thanks for hanging with me for a while. I hope you all have a fabulous Easter!!! 

A Wee Bit O' Candy

**this post will stay at the top until Sunday ~~~ scroll down for newer posts**

Hi everyone & happy Monday! Did you all have a good Easter? I am STUFFED like a turkey (even though we had ham lol). So. Much. Food. The Easter Bunny spoiled my boys as usual......

Michael found his basket in the very first place he looked. I think he spied on the Bunny! I told him not to go through his basket until Matthew found his....hmmmmm......hands OFF the Peeps, Michael!

While Michael went to help Matthew find his, Elwood checked to see if the Bunny might have left anything for him in Michael's basket.......

Nothing but chocolate & Peeps in here. Darn bunny!

(actually I caught him licking a Peep, lol .....shhhhhhh)

After about 20 minutes of searching Matthew muttered "Well this is embarrassing" lol. He finally found it a few minutes later. 

Two happy customers :)

And if you've gotten this far ~~ thank you! Thank you for supporting me, & continuing to read my blog even though I don't post very often anymore. I PROMISE when I win the lottery & can quit my job, I will post every day. Until then, I squeeze in what I can. And as a "thank you" I am offering a small piece of candy  --- about the size of a Tootsie Roll, lol . This FABULOUS Authentique Gathering pad --- I just bought it last weekend but then I felt guilty because I'm really trying to use what I have. So ---- leave a comment on this post & I'll pick a name Sunday night. You can tell me about what you did for Easter, what you're doing on Spring Break, or just how much you love me :) -- this is open to anyone, anywhere & there are no "rules". You can follow me if you want, but you don't have to. You can post it on your blog, but you don't have to. You can call your best friend & tell her, but you don't have to. I will pick a name using Random.org next week Sunday at exactly 8:34 PM CST.  

Thanks so much for visiting ~~ I will see you in a few days with my Sundays with Crissy card! 

Easter blasts from the past

Hello & happy weekend, my faithful readers!!

Thank you so much for sticking with me during this "down" time --- for sending me messages of encouragement --& for being there with a virtual shoulder for me to cry on. It has been a tough 2 weeks. I am finally to the point that I am not crying every minute --- -but I am still very sad & feel like I will never get over losing Jake. But hearing your stories of pet loss has helped me immensely. I know I said I would never get another, but it's kind of up to Elwood. He's eating ok, but he keeps sniffing the places Jake used to hang out -- then he kind of looks around. It breaks my heart. When he starts walking around crying, that might be the time to consider a friend for him. But who knows --at 15 he may just enjoy being an "only child" with all the hugs & kisses just for him.

Anyway, I have not been feeling very creative at all. It took me quite a while to even come down to my craft table, because right here is where Jake spent his final weeks, curled up in his bed. Now I am here, but my mind is blank. I'm trying to get some cards listed on Etsy --but it's a struggle to even finish the insides. Sure wish I would just do that when I do the card, lol....but usually by that time I'm sick of looking at the papers so I just move on to the next card.

Since I didn't want another card-less post, I thought I would share a couple of Easter cards I made last year. Doesn't look like I'll get any done for this year!

This first one was a custom order on Etsy. Generally I don't do custom orders. But she was a regular customer so I obliged. Well guess what --she didn't like it!! I changed it a couple of times, hoping to make it just how she wanted it, but after my last message to her with the 3rd change, I never heard from her again. THAT IS WHY I HATE CUSTOM ORDERS!!!!!



By the time she decided she didn't like it & ignored my messages attempting to fix it so she WOULD like it, it was too late. So it sat here on my table for a year & I just listed it again a few weeks ago. Well one of my lovely regulars bought it (thank you Shannon!!!) so now it has a new home, thank goodness!! I was a wee sick of looking at it, lol

I do, however, have another Easter card using the same image in my Etsy shop right now. Click HERE to get to the listing.




Can you tell this High Hopes bunny is one of my favorites? In fact, in trying to get back into the creative groove, I have been going through all my High Hopes rubber. I was on the dt for a couple of years, so I have just about every Crissy stamp made!! I know, I'm very lucky! I love the new High Hopes stamps, but I will always treasure these older ones. They always put a smile on my face. So probably the next card I make ....if I can get to that point..... will be a fun HH card!!

Now to get on with the weekend! Not sure what the plan is, I'm so behind on *everything*. Laundry & cleaning ---bleah ---- catching up on the farm (did you know there's an English farm now too??? 2 FARMS!! Yeesh!) --- & just hanging out with my kids. Hope you have a fabulous weekend, & thanks again for hanging around!

Baby's First Easter

Happy Tuesday all!!

Sorry I've been MIA for a few days....I had a *horrible* weekend! It was one of those spurts when everything went wrong. My cat was sick, my son was sick, & my garbage disposal was sick! Puke everywhere....water everwhere....ugh! Things are better now, but I am way behind on everything!

I think I told you once or twice (lol) that I needed to do a custom card for a customer. It's a Baby's First Easter card for her granddaughter. Here is what I came up with....



I absolutely adore Bunny with Bonnet from High Hopes! The image is colored with Copics & cut out...I added Liquid Applique to the tail, & Fun Flock to the ears & chest. The papers are all DCWV....the designer paper is Nana's Nursery Baby Girl. I used the Martha Stewart Icicle border punch...& made it grass. Added some ribbon & flowers.....& a heart charm...the Baby's First Easter is printed on the computer, then cut out with my smallest Labels 4 Nestie.





This card is still pending approval. I originally had LA on the chest but she didn't like it...she said it reminded her of a beard so I took that off & added the Fun Flock instead. This is why I generally don't do custom orders....the customer & I always have different ideas! Well if she ends up not liking it, I will try again & this one will go into my Etsy shop!! Good think I love making Easter cards!

Thanks so much for visiting...I hope you enjoy your week!! My kids have yet another early day on Thursday, which will be filled with a visit to the eye dr (I think my 11 yr old needs glasses!), the Scout shop (he crosses over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts in a few weeks...gotta get that shirt we were supposed to get a couple of years ago LOL) & a Scout meeting. They were supposed to have off Friday but they are thankfully making up a snow day :)

HH challenge #64....texture!

Happy Sunday everyone! I am just as surprised as you are that I got a card done for today's High Hopes challenge...I was pretty sure I wasn't going to have time & in retrospect I should have skipped it! Oh my gosh, this card gave me fits like you wouldn't believe!! But I won....I finished it...& in time, too!!!

Today's High Hopes challenge hostess is guest Diva Melanie, & she is asking us to add texture to our card or project.




I used another fabulous Crissy Armstrong bunny on my card, Posing Bunny. I tried watercoloring twice....& both attempts ended up in the garbage. No matter how much I practice or how hard I try, I will never be good at it. So....Prismas it was!! I did stamp the image on Cryogen white shimmery paper, so the whole thing is sparkly pretty. I wasn't planning on cutting the image out, but after making yet another error, I had to!! The 2 embossed layers are cut with my Nesties Labels 4 dies. The papers are SU's Basic Gray, Sage Shadow & Cosmo Cricket Everafter. The flower in the corner is made with the same organdy ribbon the heart charm is hanging from....I've seen this on many blogs...you just thread some ribbon, gather it in a circle & secure it. I don't know how secure mine is....I was in a bit of a rush....so if anyone breathes on this card it may just come undone!!






And the final bit of texture....the Liquid Applique on the tail.






Close up of the ribbon flower. I'm sure if you look closely enough you can even see the thread strands behind it, lol!!

Be sure to check out the High Hopes blog for all the other great creations! Thanks for visiting, & enjoy your Sunday!!

A look back...

TGIF!! I hope you had a great week! My kids had off today so we ran some errands.....& we have a busy weekend ahead of us!! Various parties & Cub Scout activities...which means no creative time for mom!! Since I haven't had time to make anything new, I thought I'd post some High Hopes cards from the archives that to me say "spring". Have I mentioned how anxious I am for spring? LOL!!

You can find all of these stamps at 7 Kids College Fund...just click the link below the picture!





Willard Weather Ant....





Bedelia.....





Bunny Blooms....





Burt's Bath.....




Lenny's Love Me Nots....





Little Missy.....


What a blast from the past!! I love looking at my old cards to see how my tastes & style have changed. One thing hasn't changed....I still loooooove my High Hopes stamps!!! Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me! I hope to have something new for you soon! Have a fantastic weekend!!

Oooooo....that's bright!

Hello & happy Wednesday!! I'm not even going to comment on the weather....because it's the same. Cold, white, & very unsunny. Have I mentioned I'm ready for spring?

Speaking of spring, it's about time I started working on Easter cards!! High Hopes has lots of fun Easter stamps, which are available at 7 Kids College Fund!



I used Bunny With Gift ....colored with Prismas & a bit of Twinkling H2O's. Had to make the egg sparkly :) I had picked out these fun papers from The Paper Studio, but I underestimated how bright they were!! Yikes!! Well they definitely scream spring!! The other papers are DCWV & SU's Razzleberry something (a color I hadn't used before). I cut the image using my Nesties Labels 9 & the matte with my Nesties Labels 3. The usual stitching & flower cluster....with some pearls added to the punched Razzleberry layer. Oh, & of course I added Liquid Applique to his tail....can't have a bunny without a fluffy tail!!




Such an adorable face on this bunny!!





Here's the inside, & the matching envelope....all ready to put into my Etsy shop!! I often make my envelopes using the Enveloper, but for this card, which isn't too bulky, I used just a store bought white envelope. I always line my envelopes with matching card stock or paper....just so everything matches & looks pretty :)

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week....my kids get out early tomorrow (11:30....what's the point of going??) & then they are off on Friday. I'm sure they will be at the height of bickering by Friday night. Thank goodness for Ipods!!

High Hopes challenge #20

Good Sunday morning to ya!! I hope you have a fun day planned. I am going with my boys to see a high school production of 'The Wizard of Oz'. I have to admit it's not one of my favorite movies......it's always kinda freaked me out....especially those flying monkeys....but it is supposed to be a GRAND production, & we are going with our Cub Scout den. All part of earning those badges....what's a mom to do, lol.

Today's challenge on the High Hopes blog is Getting That Fuzzy Feeling. You can use anything fuzzy on your card, & I sure hope QTip cotton qualifies as fuzzy, cuz that's what I used!!



For my card I used the recently released, way-too-adorable Bunny Blooms. I used my Prismas & gamsol to color....& attached the cotton onto his tail using Crystal Effects. I've had this piece of Cosmo Cricket paper FOREVER....but I never picked up any coordinating pieces...so I've held off using it until now. The bunny is a bit bigger, so I really only needed the one piece of dp. The sage-y green paper is the reverse side. I didn't add much to this card.....a few little lines of paper in the 2 corners, & a Prima & punched flowers, along with some branches in another corner. Voila ~~ a fun fuzzy card :)



Be sure to check out the High Hopes blog to see what the other Divas created! As always, if you play along be sure to link your card to the comments on THIS POST so you can be entered in the drawing to win some goodies!

My new blogging friend Paula passed on this adorable award to me the other day. I met her through our brand new Creatively Cute blogger group. Be sure to check out her blog HERE. Thanks so much, Paula, I so appreciate it!!!!



Also, I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up to this award from Tania this morning. Thank you so much, Tania...you really made my Sunday morning!!!



Well I hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend....& hey!! It's March 1st!! Goodbye February, hello spring!! Well ok, it's usually still pretty icky weather wise around here in March. But we are that much closer to nice weather, right??

Challenge 17 ~ a sketch!

It's another Sunday already ~~ wow, does the time go fast ~~ & that means it's time for another High Hopes challenge! This week, the fabulous Katharina has provided a sketch for us to follow. I *heart* Katharina's sketches!! She has a whole slew of them on her blog....& when I need a layout it's one of the first places I go!!


For my card I used Posing Bunny. I love this bunny, & only recently acquired her. I used Prismas & gamsol to color her, & added some Liquid Applique to her tail & her front. I actually flipped the sketch, but now looking at it, I'm not sure why I did that, lol! This image would have worked the way Katharina has it, but I guess I was in a flippy mood. The rose paper in the background is Bazzill Bling, & the patterned papers are Basic Grey Eva. Oddly enough, I don't have any Happy Easter sentiments from High Hopes, so I used one from Hero Arts. I added the half pearls after I had taken a picture of the card ~ those darn corners looked too nekkid. Since everything was already glued down, I decided pearls were the easiest to add.

Here is the sketch if you'd like to join us this week!!



And if you do join in, be sure to leave a link to your card in the comments of THIS POST. You will be entered to win some High Hopes goodness :)

Have a fabulous Sunday!!