You take the cake***

This is a card that I made for a friend's 50th birthday.

The sentiment and image are both from Impression Obsession just stamped and colored SOSOSOSOS quickly with Copics and a little Spica glitter pen.

The ribbon is PTI and so is the twine.

A little stitching around the card just for some texture and interest...

A guy card I think!!

Have a great day everyone and thanks for stopping by***

SSNOTIME124***HEARTS FOR YOU***

Hi everyone!! Time for Sharon's STAMP SIMPLY CHALLENGE and today is HEART DAY!!


Use a HEART and the color RED in your creation today!! Doesnt' necessarily mean a Valentine's heart... it could be a bleeding heart flower...or anything else you can come up with...Fire up that imagination and link your creation to Mr. Linky on Sharon's site***




I wanted to do something cute for my nieces for Valentine's day and while preusing all the wonderful blogs out there I saw this little heart pin but for the life of me I can't remember the blog. So I give credit to someone out there for this idea.



I just drew a heart shape on some freezer paper, cut out my felt and sewed the two pieces together and stuffed with a little fiberfill before completely finishing it. I sewed a little safety pin onto the back and then attached it to the card. My nieces will be able to wear them to school on Valentines' Day!!!

I also used the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder for the textured background and PTI's Trajan Alphabet for the letters.

Check out all the other HEART-Y creations from this wonderfully talented design team and have yourself and fabulous weekend.

Julie - http://www.outtoimpress.blogspot.com/

Tammy - http://www.stamphappy-tammy.blogspot.com/

AJ - http://www.thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/

Jennifer - http://www.thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com/ - taking this week off

Deb - http://www.deborahlynnesdreamincolor.blogspot.com/

Jenny - http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barspaperpursuits.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barbschram.blogspot.com/

New zippered pouch and felt wallet***

Just a quick post today.... Here is another little zippered pouch and a felt wallet that I completed the other day. The wallet has the same lining as the pouch...

These are so simple to make and quick to whip up for last minute gifts***

Enjoy***

FOOD***

I have been teaching myself to bake bread from scratch and I LOVE it***.



This is a recipe that I found in the February issue of Martha Stewart magazine.



It is a standard white bread recipe that you can use in many different ways just by varying the ingredients.



And if I do say so myself*** it tasted delicious***

Here are the loaves (the recipe gives you two) turned out of the pans.

The texture of the bread turned out great...

Check out the February issue of Martha Stewart magazine for the recipe or e-mail me and I can send it to you!!

Hearts in Felt***

I made these two little zippered pouch bags for my girlfriends that I am seeing this weekend.

Since I am just getting back into sewing I tried to find something simple. These little bags take 4 pieces of fabric, two for the outside and two for the lining and a 9" zipper.

I added the felt hearts on the outside before I sewed them up and added some vintage buttons for interest.







Here's a picture of the inside. They will be great to throw make up into or your cell phone or whatever else you want to keep in one place.


Enjoy everyone and have a fabulous day***

SSNOTIME123***VERY VINTAGE***

Hi everyone!! Time for Sharon's STAMP SIMPLY CHALLENGE. Today VINTAGE is in***.

If you look at the meaning of VINTAGE, it says "characterized by excellence, maturity and enduring appeal". It also says "old or outmoded" which I don't like so much.

My card uses Graphic 45 papers in a vintage style, roughed up around the edges. I also scrunched the ribbon up and frayed the ends. The blue of the paper also says VINTAGE to me. Reminds me of a vintage apron... or tablecloth...

The backside of this paper is covered with teapots, cutlery and strawberries so I just cut out one of the teapots popped it up on a circle of red cardstock and used some twine to attach the sentiment.

My take on VINTAGE..

Check out Sharon's site HERE for all the details and link your creation to MR. LINKY for all to see.

Also check out all the other VINTAGE creations from our design team***

Julie - http://www.outtoimpress.blogspot.com/

Tammy - http://www.stamphappy-tammy.blogspot.com/

AJ - http://www.thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/

Jennifer - http://www.thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com/

Deb - http://www.deborahlynnesdreamincolor.blogspot.com/

Jenny - http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barspaperpursuits.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barbschram.blogspot.com/

Butterfly Birthday***

A card made for my nephew's fiancee.. It is a stamp from Outlines Rubber Stamp Company, stamped in black memento ink and colored with Copics. A little glitter added as well.

I colored the frame twice and cut one out and popped it up with foam tape.

The ribbon is from Michael's and the paper is from ...

Enjoy everyone***

***FOOD***

Ok So I always have VERY ripe bananas on my counter.. and I am always on the lookout for a really good banana muffin, banana cake, banana bread, banana ANYTHING recipe.



So I was flipping around on all the places that I know and I found this recipe and it worked out beautifully.



A banana cake with cream cheese icing. I made it yesterday and its GONE***







You can get the recipe HERE so give it a try and let me know what you think and in the mean time check out

"Thibeault's Table".



What an amazing place for recipes and pictures.



You will love it***

New Home***

My brother and his wife and two girls have moved into their new home so I made this card to send.

I used a set from Papertrey Ink, stamped the house and tree in Memento Black ink and colored the images with Copic markers.

I cut them both out and popped up the house with dimensionals onto designer paper from K & Company. I slid the tree in behind the house and glued it down.

The sentiment is from the same PTI set with a vintage button added.

Enjoy everyone and thanks for stopping in***

SSNOTIME122***SPRING IS COMIN***

This week Sharon's challenge is to make a card or project that has some flowers and spring time colors incorporated into it. I know spring is still a long ways off but we can always dream***.

Check out Sharon's site HERE for all the details and link your creation up to Mr. Linky so we can all see what you have done.

I wanted to send my friends in Stratford a little something so I created this little tea bag holder. There are lots of them if you Google "tea bag holder" and lots of templates. I just measured the dimensions of my tea bag and went from there.

I used some pink paper I had in my bit bin and covered the outside of the holder. The prima flowers are ones that my sister (LOL)/friend Julie Koerber sent me last year. The ribbon is too.

I used a white brad for the center of the flower. The "Tea Time" sentiment if from PTI stamped onto a tag die cut from a CuttleBug die.. Both were stuck on with glue dot.

I thought they would make my friends think of spring while warming them with a cup of tea.

Enjoy and have a fabulous weekend***

Check out all the other flowery creations this week!!!

Julie - http://www.outtoimpress.blogspot.com/

Tammy - http://www.stamphappy-tammy.blogspot.com/

AJ - http://www.thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/

Jennifer - http://www.thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com/

Deb - http://www.deborahlynnesdreamincolor.blogspot.com/

Jenny - http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barspaperpursuits.blogspot.com/

Barb - http://www.barbschram.blogspot.com/

Michelle - http://www.stopandstamptheroses.blogspot.com/

Good morning everyone!! I found this cute stamp for $1.00 at Michael's. It's stamped in Memento black ink and colored with Copics. I used a square nestabilitie to cut it out and used it as a mask and used Fired Brick distress ink around the edges.
In one card I used PTI vintage buttons in Pure Poppy and the other I used some grosgrain ribbon from Michael's.

Enjoy and have a fabulous day!!!

FOOD***

I made these fabulous Greek meatballs the other night.

Check out the recipe HERE!!

Start out with chopped onion sauteed in olive oil and cooled.

I used ground pork and beef, some bread torn up fine, lemon zest, and lots of herbs. Fresh flat leaf parsley, oregano, mint, salt and pepper. One egg and some milk and mix well.

Form them into meatballs about the size of a golf ball.

Fry them in good olive oil unti brown on all sides and finish in the oven.

Serve them up with warmed pita bread and lots of condiments.

Cucumber, red peppers, lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, and really good Greek Feta cheese. I also made some Tzatiki.

If anyone wants the recipe let me know and I can send it to you***

And check out

One Perfect Bite HERE. What a wonderful foodie blog!!

Babies everywhere***

ETA:: You can't seem to print the tutorial on the Scor-Pal website so just Google "Sue Berker Baby Carriage" and it will come up***

Hi there!! Happy Sunday!! The sun is shining and it's a fabulous day... But COLD***

We have new babies arriving in our family in the next few months so I have been busy getting things made.

I put together this tag with the Crafty Secrets Baby Girl Post Card Kit. I am going to hang it on the gift bag and I also made this baby carriage that you can find on the Scor Pal site.

It was so much fun to make!!

Have a great day everyone and thanks so much for stopping by***

SSNOTIME121*** HEARTS FOR YOU***

This week's challenge is heart healthy!! Make a valentine's day card, use a heart punch, paint some hearts! Do whatever your HEART desires***

My card is true to the STAMP SIMPLY challenge for sure!! Pink for the card base, red layer, white layer, red strip and three hearts punched out of designer paper from my bit bin.

I added two strips of scor-tape and added glitter and the sentiment is PTI***

Not alot of stress on my heart to pump out this card***

Take a look at Sharon's site HERE for all the details and link up your creation to Mr. Linky...

and here are the links to all the designers with their heart-y creations!!

Julie - www.outtoimpress.blogspot.com

Tammy - www.stamphappy-tammy.blogspot.com

AJ - www.thewillowgarden.blogspot.com

Jennifer - www.thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com

Deb - www.deborahlynnesdreamincolor.blogspot.com

Jenny - www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com

Barb - www.barspaperpursuits.blogspot.com

Barb - www.barbschram.blogspot.com

Michelle - www.stopandstamptheroses.blogspot.com - Michelle is joining us for the month of January!!

Have a great weekend everyone...

Totally Frogalicious***

Hi there!! This is a card that is made with scraps from my bit bin - even the card base...

The frog and dragonflies are Penny Black stickers, the tag die is Cuttlebug, the sentiment PTI and the ribbon is Stampin' Up.

A card that comes together quickly!!

Enjoy and have a fabulous day! Thanks so much for stopping by***

***FOOD***

One of my resolutions for this year is to include more FOOD on my blog. I love to cook, collect cookbooks, try new recipes! There is a sea of fabulous foodie blogs out there and I have been scouring them, looking for stuff to cook. So once a week I will share my recipes, where I get them from, hook you up to some cool blogs and hopefully inspire you to get your pots out***

It is blessed cold here in London Ontario so I thought soup was a good thing.. And since the holidays are over and my fridge is still full I cleaned it out and made my version of Minestrone soup.

5-6 chicken breasts, skin and bones included -

cover them with water throwing in an onion, skin and all, a bunch of garlic cloves, skin and all,

carrots roughly chopped, celery leaves too... A bunch of peppercorns, a bay leaf or two. Bring it to a boil, reduce to simmer and let it go for a few hours or so.

Strain and if you want let it cool and remove the fat.

Add a zucchini chopped, carrots chopped, shallots or onions, chopped, tomatoes ( I used some grape tomatoes that I had on the counter, thrown in whole) the chicken from the stock cut up into bite sized pieces. Add whatever you want or have in your fridge. I also add a wedge of good parmesan cheese - just thrown in for flavor. Yank it out before serving.

Add a can or two of white or red kidney beans at the end of cooking to warm through.

I also add potatoes cut up small or a cup of small pasta close to the end of cooking.

Season liberally with salt and pepper...

I served this tonight with Country Biscuits. I got this recipe from Wives with Knives. Check out her blog HERE and look under the January 1, 2010 post for the recipe.

Delicious hot out of the oven with butter***

Enjoy everyone...

SHARING***

It's Sunday.. My younger son and his girlfriend just left to go back to school. My older son is in Buffalo at a football game and my husband is playing hockey. We got hit with about 10 inches of snow and it looks beautiful outside. I just have to share with you all the fabulous works of art that came my way this Christmas!!








This wreath card and calendar are from my most wonderful friend and sister in another life... Julie Koerber!! Check her out at Out To Impress***

Darlene from Dar's Crafty Creations was in fine vintage form here***

Amy, my bud in Washington, sent me this cute snowman. She is always creating something fabulous at

Tsuruta Designs...

LeAnne sent this Christmas word tree. Check out her awesome designs at Wee Inklings***

Wendy will make you laugh every chance she gets. Her blog at 2kids,2dogs is amazing to read.

My buddy Pat, The Rubber Maid sent me this cheery guy!!

Barb Schram creates fabulous cards and projects!! Check her out HERE***