Lovely Embossed Trees and Another Blogging Break!

Good Morning!

First of all, let me start this post by saying that no, I do not own Stampin' Up's "Lovely as a Tree" set. I know to any demos out there that this may, in fact, be quite shocking. I don't know why I don't have it. I just never quite get around to ordering it. I always swear that the minute it shows up on a retired list that I will (really will) purchase it.
So, how did this card come about? Simple, I borrowed the set. I embossed the image on Very Vanilla card stock with Classy Copper powder. Then I sponged Saffron, Bordering Blue and Old Olive all around the image. I mounted the image onto a piece of Chocolate Chip and then attached to a Bordering Blue base. I added a piece of 5/8 wide grosgrain Old Olive ribbon. I stamped the image from the "Serene Spring" set on a piece of Saffron and then put it on top of the ribbon. Quick and easy; not nearly as complicated as it appears.
I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I will be out of town until Jan 3 and then I'm sure I will need a few days to unpack and sort things out and take down the Christmas decorations. I'm also going to be concentrating on catching up on my scrapbooks and therefore have actually cleared my stamp table and put things away (gasp! I know!)
I will still be blogging, don't worry. I'll be sharing layouts for while instead, that's all!!
All of that was the long version of saying I will not be posting again until the week of Jan 12

Garden Whimsy Butterfly

Hi Everyone!

Well, I am actually pre-posting this because I am currently out of town; but I wanted to make sure and have a few things for you instead of being out of blogger world for the whole 2 weeks I'm gone. Obviously I will not be able to participate in the usually weekly challenges; but I hope you enjoy the few things I do have to share with you. I will be pre-posting things today and tomorrow and then will be off the system until Jan 4 or 5th.
Today's card uses Blue Bayou as a base. I stamped a piece of Old Olive with the flower stamp from Basic Backgrounds. The Groovy Guava piece at the bottom of the card is wheeled with the butterfly wheel in Guava ink. I inked the Butterfly from "Garden Whimsy" at the bottom of the card in Buckaroo Blue and then cut it out. The flower image is also from the "Garden Whimsy" set and I used Groovy Guava and Old Olive for my colors. I stamped it on Very Vanilla and then backed it with Guava ink and then again onto So Saffron. The "for you" sentiment is from "Fresh Cuts". I added the alternating brads and the card was complete.
Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by.

GH Chatter Friday

Hi Everyone!

Well, it's time for another edition of the weekly GH chatter. It's been a good week in Port Charles, so let's get started with my humble opinions for the week.

IMHO:

--Interesting conversation between Claudia and Sonny about when Carly and Sonny first met. Since the conversation was between Sarah Brown and Maurice Benard.
--Glad to see that Luke and Lucky have had the obligatory father/son conversation.
--Wonder if the FBI deal for Jason is truly a done deal. Will they find the leverage they need to entice him into turning on Sonny
--Loved the Luke and Sonny scene on Tuesday. AG and MB are so good together, I wish they had more time together.
--What exactly was the point of Jason going to see Sonny after the FBI came to see him? The fact that Jason didn't tell Sonny indicates to me that he's gonna keep that tucked in his back pocket for the time being.
--Love Patrick and Robin with Emma and the "She's too Quiet" (Be careful what you wish for right?)
--Luke's hospital shenanigan made for a good laugh especially between him and Epiphany.
--Good scene with Alexis and Sonny. I really wish they were friends again. I miss their humor together.
--Love, love, love that Carly let Sonny see Morgan!!

Ok, so now on to the Newsflash for this week:

--Natalia Livingston (ex Emily) is indeed returning to GH. Who she's playing and what she's doing has yet to be revealed.
--Jax will visit Lady Jane for Christmas (Ingo's on vacation)
--Schedule notes:
Dec 24:Encore of Luke's Dream Eppy
Dec 25: Preempted
--Liason has officially come to an end. The producers have split them up, much to the surprise of Steve Burton and Rebecca Herbst and disappointment of many fans. (myself included)

So, that's all for this week. I'm sure there's ton more news and gossip out there; but I've had a busy day packing. I will be out of town for the Christmas holidays so no GH chatter for a couple of weeks. Be sure to check out the other blogs and sites to find out more scoop on our favorite soap. This week's picture comes again courtesy of the GH Offical Fan Site.

Friend to Friend Friday and Blog Candy for a Cause

Good Morning Everyone!

**Note: please read to the end of the post to find out about the Blog Candy for a Cause.**


TGIF to all of you. I had a hard time deciding whether or not I wanted to post this card. It's ok, I suppose; but hardly one of my personal bests or favorites for that matter. It just didn't turn out quite the way I had envisioned. Then again if you ask me how I had envisioned it, I'm not sure I would be able to tell you!
Anyhow, I started out with a Cranberry Crisp base and added two panels of Apricot Appeal, one solid and the other from the Designer Series Prints Pack. Then I stamped the images from "Pocket Silhouettes" in Baroque Burgundy on the bottom left side. The Butterfly image on the right is from "Oodles of Doodles" by Paper Salon. (I seem to be reaching for that little tin a lot lately!) I stamped it in Cool Caribbean ink and mounted on CC paper as well. The sentiment is from "Pocket Silhouettes and I added the gold brads just for a little bling factor. Next, I added the ribbon down the middle. I struggled with this part as I really wanted to put ribbon there; but had a very hard time matching a color. This ribbon is actually a bit "coppery" but it was the best that I had. Then I added the heart and swirl also from the "Oodles of Doodles" on Cool Caribbean paper and put at the top left and bottom right and then finished it with the satiny off-white ribbon.
Before I go, I'd like to draw your attention to a very worthy cause and a chance to get some blog candy. Although, once you read this story about Baby Francesca you won't really care about the candy. I found out about this through Cambria's blog and was deeply saddened by the story. I will be putting my card in the mail today and I hope that you find the time to send one as well. Ok, so that's all for right now. Have a great day and don't forget to come back later this afternoon for the new "Friday GH Chatter" post.

A Super Bright Sketch Challenge.

Good Morning Everyone!

No, you do not need to adjust your monitor. Today's card is a super bright card. I remember when I first started stamping, someone made a card that used Pink Passion and Only Orange; and I loved it. I loved how the colors just popped out. You can't help but smile when you see these colors together. Anyhow, I decided to use these colors for my card for yesterday's SCS sketch Challenge. The strips of pattern paper are from an old SU set and I decided to put a piece of Green Galore in there as well. I embossed the image from "Upsy Daisy" in versamark and clear powder on glossy white paper and then brayered Only Orange ink across it. Then I wiped off the excess ink. I outlined the embossed flowers with a Pink Passion marker. I stamped the Green Galore piece with the "Stitched" Background Stamp and then added the eylets before adhering it to the Pink Passion base. Finally, I added the sentiment at the top and the card was complete.
Have a great day everyone! Don't forget to scroll down for this week's "Recipe Thursday"

Recipe Thursday: Chicken Breasts with Creamy Vegetable Topping.

Hi Everyone!

This week's recipe comes from a "Food and Wine" Magazine that I photocopied long ago. I found this one last night and it sounded scrumptious and simple, so I thought I'd share. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped.
2 scallions including green tops, chopped.
1 carrot grated
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
salt/pepper.
4 bone in chicken breasts, skin removed.

Directions:
Heat the oven to 425. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over moderate heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the scallions and carrot and cook for another 2 minutes.
Mix the vegetable with the cream cheese and some S&P.
Season the Chicken breasts and put them in a roasting pan and then spread them with the Vegetable Cream Cheese.
Bake until done, 25 minutes.

Color Inspiration #35

Hi Again Everyone!
Just wanted to post my card for this week's Color Inspiration. This week's colors are Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, So Saffron, Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla. These were so much better than last week's. (I really struggled with that one :)!) I started with a Chocolate Chip base and then added a layer of Vanilla which I had stamped with the "Print Pattern" background stamp in So Saffron ink. Then I layered So Saffron and Baja Breeze on the left side of the card. I cut petals from the "Pick a Petal" after stamping them in Baja Breeze and So Saffron and glued them to the Baja Breeze piece. The swirly stamp at the top and the bottom of the flower are from "Oodles of Doodles" by Paper Salon. The "Think of You" sentiment came from "Sincere Salutations". The cocoa flowers are also from Pick a Petal. I cut those out as well and added the blue and yellow brads before adhering them with dimensionals.
That's it for me again! Have a great afternoon

A Heartfelt Hello

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday's SCS color challenge colors were Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Basic Grey and and optional Not Quite Navy. I don't have any grey, so I decided to use the NQ Navy. Of course, when I saw this combo, I immediately thought of my Green Tea DSP. I started with a Kiwi Kiss base and added a piece of Not Quite Navy. This card was super easy to put together simply because the DSP eliminates the need for a lot of stamps. To that end, I kept it simple and chose to only use the flower stamp from "Heartfelt Thanks",which I colored with my NQ Navy and Old Olive markers and matted onto a piece of Baja Breeze paper. I put a piece of Baja Breeze double stripe ribbon across the center of the card and then attached the flower image.
I realized after I put it all together that I had forgotten to add a sentiment, so I just put a simple "hello" from the hostess set "Itty Bitty Basics."
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Look Mom...No stamps!

Good Morning Everyone!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to post my Mojo Monday yesterday. It was a very busy day and I didn't get a chance to work on it until late in the afternoon. This card was easy peasy because I didn't use any stamps, whatsoever. I used Groovy Guava as my base and then added a piece of Chocolate Chip. The Wasabi print pattern paper is from last year's hostess print pack. The image on the Saffron piece is a rubon from Stampin Up's "Love and Happiness" package. I put the Saffron piece on another piece of Chocolate Chip and then added the ribbon at the top and then attached it to the Wasabi layer. I added a strip of the reverse side of the Wasabi paper at the bottom and then attached the brads. That was it...finished! Another busy day for me, so I may or may not be able to do more stamping. If not, I'll be back tomorrow!
Have a great day!

A Fresh Cuts Monday

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was filled with lots of Christmas family activities and everyone had a great time. I wanted to get something posted this morning for you in case the day gets away from me and I can't get back again. Although I am going to try to do Mojo Monday this afternoon. This is a really simple card for you today. I decided it had been a very long time since I've used my "Fresh Cuts" set and the matching note cards. I started with a Not Quite Navy Base and then I stamped the edges of a piece of Gable Green and then added that. I removed the petals from the note card before I stamped the background image from the set in Tempting Turquoise on to the notecard. I pressed each of the petals into my Apricot Appeal pad (I don't have the marker!) Then attached those followed by the center flower. Finally added the sentiments in Not Quite Navy and finished the card.
Have a great morning and hopefully I'll be back a bit later!

Friday GH Chatter

Hi Everyone!

I decided in efforts to keep my promise to include more GH news in my posting that I will post GH news each week on Fridays. I'm always surprised by the number of people who watch GH; but for some reason, don't tell anyone! It's ok...really! I will be structuring the post in two sections: IMHO, and Newsflashes. The first part IMHO, will simply be my humble opinion about things that have happened during that week. You are more than welcome to comment to agree or disagree. In fact, you are encouraged. I would love to hear what you all think. The second section will be where I will fill you in on any juicy gossip or news/spoilers that I've heard during that week. So, for all my GH friends, make sure and stop by each Friday. You never know what you might find out.
So, here goes:

IMHO: Week of Dec 9-Dec 12.

1. That kiss Sonny gave Claudia after their wedding....WOWZER!! Wonder if SB was surprised by that or if they rehearsed it that way.
2. Wonder if Sam saving Jake is going to open a door for Jason and Sam to get back together? This is not necessarily a good thing for those of us who are die-hard Liason fans.
3. I got all choked up when Sam gave Jake to Jason after she rescued him. I swear, SB is the best male crier on daytime TV.
4. Nikolas and Nadine are great together and I hope that the writers continue to do things with them. It is great to see a lighter side to Nikolas and see him as part of a "real world" like Nadine's farm.
5. Glad to see Maxie and Lulu as roommates. I think it will put a bit of spark back into their friendship. I don't necessarily like it when they're enemies; but I also don't like the "goody goody" friendship either.
6. Does anyone know if something happened to John Ingle's (Edward) head? He always seems to have a hat on. Mmm, will have to do some checking about this.
7. Glad to see Mac getting a bit of screen time. I wish the writers would give him an actual storyline. I think John J. York is very underrated and underused on the show.
8. It's a wonder that Luke's liver is still functioning! Can you say "alcoholic"?
9. I miss Max and Diane and the guaranteed laugh their scenes always brought.
10. If Jason and Sam get back together does that mean that Lucky and Elizabeth will as well?
11. Ric and Claudia or Sonny and Claudia? So confusing...

Newsflash

1. Jason will be offered an interesting proposition.
2. Claudia isn't quite ready to jump into Sonny's bed again
3. Nikolas continues to support Nadine through her family tragedy.
4. Tristan Rogers will reprise is role as Robert Scorpio to walk Robin down the aisle at the "Scrubs" second wedding.
5. Jerry Jacks...(yes!)
6.Liason out, JaSam in...rumor has it.
7. Kate on her way out of PC? Could be...
8. Fans love Olivia.
9. The casting of Dante continues with David Lago (ex-Raul Y&R) thought to be the front runner
10. It appears as though Vanessa Marcil will most definitely not be returning as Brenda anytime in the near future.

Happy watching everyone! Also, want to let everyone know that the pictures for today's post come from the GH Official Fan Site blog

Simple Birthday

Good Morning Everyone.

TGIF! I've got a busy afternoon today, so I wanted to post this early this morning. This card is just a simple birthday card. I decided when I made it that I was not going to search for a sketch to follow; but simply see what I can come up with on my own. Whenever I make a card, I always have the other half of the base when I cut the original paper. Then it goes in a little bag labeled "pre cut card size" with the intention that I'm going to go back and use those, so that I'm not constantly cutting up new paper each time I make a new card. That's a good theory except that I forget about that little bag. Sooo, I've decided to use those pieces and the first one I pulled out was a piece of Ruby Red. I also chose Mellow Moss, Pink Pirouette, and Close to Cocoa. I stamped the flower images and heart images from "Simply Said" on Pink Pirouette, then added the silver eyelets in the flowers. I decided it was a bit plain, so I decided to paper pierce and then faux stitch around it. I used the Daisy wheel on the Mellow Moss paper and added the three strips of ribbon at the bottom before adding it to the Ruby Red Base. Then I added the sentiment from "Sincere Salutations" and finished the card.
So, that's all for my creative energies for today. For all my fellow GH fans, be sure to check back this afternoon for the new "weekly GH Chatter" post. Everyone else, thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend.

SCS Challenges

Good Morning Everyone!

Yesterday I had the chance to do not one; but two SCS challenges. Always love it when I can combine challenges. This one is for Tuesday's color challenge of Taken with Teal, Riding Hood Red and Baja Breeze. It's also for yesterday's sketch challenge. This sketch was super easy and one that I will definitely keep in mind for future use. I started with a Teal base and stamped "Itty Bitty Backgrounds" in versamark over the entire front. Then I added a strip of Riding Hood Red and used some gold ribbon as a border on each side. Next came the Baja Breeze piece. I cut three scallop circles, one in white and two in red. (Note, I punched the circles out first and then the scallop punch around that.) For the center image I used the heart stamp from the retire set "All Through The Year." Then I went over it with a versamarker and added heat and stick powder and then gold glitter to make it shine a bit. The top and bottom images are from "Polka Dots and Petals" and I stamped them on white paper, punched them out and then placed them underneath the Riding Hood Red scallop circles.
Yes, I'm still on a birthday card mission, so the sentiment is from "Simple Sayings II", which I stamped in Ruby Red ink. It was simple and easy; but I think it turned out rather well. I would love to hear what you all think!
Have a great day and be sure to scroll down for this week's recipe: Gumbo!!

Recipe Thursday: Gumbo

Hi Everyone!

This week's recipe is another warm and cozy comfort meal. This is Paula Deen's Gumbo recipe. I saw her make it on tv and have made it myself a few times. It is one big pot of yummy, that's for sure. One tip, though: you really have to stir the roux constantly for the 10-15 minutes to get the dip rich brown color on it.

Ingredients:
3 Large Chicken Breasts cut into pieces
Salt/Pepper
1/4 cup Veg oil
1lb smoked sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup flour
5 tbsp butter
1 onion chopped
8 cloves garlic minced
1 Green Bell pepper chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley
4 cups beef stock (warmed)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen green beans (the original recipe calls for okra; but I don't like okra)
1/2lb small cooked shrimp (completely optional)

Directions:
Season chicken with S and P. Heat oil over med-high heat. Brown the chicken and remove. You don't need to cook all the way through because you will add it back to the pot later and it will finish cooking then.
Add the sausage and brown and remove that as well.
Sprinkle flour over the oil and add 2 tbsps of butter
Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until deep brown. Let the roux cool.
Return the roux to low heat and melt 3 tbsps butter.
add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.
Add beef broth, stirring constantly.
Return chicken and sausage to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
Add tomatoes and green beans and simmer for another 45m-1 hour
Add shrimp (if using) and Parsley just before serving.

Serve with rice and hot rolls!
Add

Color Inspiration #34

Good Morning Everyone!

It's time once again for another Color Inspiration from Kristina. I have to say that this has been my least favorite color set since I've been participating in these. The colors this week were Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Sage Shadow, Bordering Blue and Certainly Celery. I had a really hard time with the Certainly Celery part of the group and I think that may be because of the Sage Shadow. Those are just two way too different greens to try to put together. I think it would have been best if the greens had been optional, as in choose one or the other. Having said all that, I kept the Celery very minimal on my card, limiting it to the ribbon behind the cake and the circle sentiment "Enjoy your Day", which is from an old set "Riveting". I knew I needed a birthday card and so I used "Birthday Whimsy" for my cake image. Once again, card is very simple, so no need to really go into a lot of details. This was the only thing I had a chance to do yesterday. I hope to do some more stamping today and be back to share some more things. Until then, have a good morning.
Also, one note. The Stampin' Up retired list for fall/winter 08 is now available. I have posted it on the right side for you to see. Special offer of 10% off these stamps now until Dec 23. In addition, SU is offering free shipping on orders over $70. Log onto my website and place your order today!

A new sketch challenge

Good Morning Everyone!

Yesterday when I was looking at the Poetic Artistry blog to get the Mojo Monday sketch, I noticided that Julee had posted a card for a challenge from Our Creative Corner. So, I clicked on teh link and lo and behold found another sketch challenge. (I know, just what I need!)I liked the look of the sketch and decided to play along. I really wanted to use my "Serene Spring" set. I thought it would be nice to insert a bit of spring into these winter months. The image was a bit larger than I had remembered, so some of it was a tight squeeze; but I think it turned out ok. I used Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Mostly Mustard and Garden Green as my colors. I colored the bunny image with markers and aqua painters. His one eye smudged a bit, so it looks like he has a black eye; but by the time I got it done, it was too late and I really didn't feel like doing the whole thing over again. So, that's all for me today. I realized yesterday that I have a lot of birthday cards that I need to make this week before I leave on vacation next week. I should have good things to share with you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Mojo Monday #64

Hello Again!

Well, I'm back! I just wanted to post my card for Mojo Monday before I leave to pick up Reagan from school. This was an easy sketch to work with and the card came together rather quickly. I chose Bravo Burgundy, Mellow Moss and Apricot as my colors. The card was as easy to make as it looks, so I don't think there's really a need to go into a lot of details.
So, that's it for me today, have a great day and I'll be back tomorrow!

First Monday Post

Good Monday Morning Everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Mine was productive, both on the home front (cleaning for the house for four hours on Saturday) and on a stamping front. I actually finished two projects for SCS challenges. The first one I did was for Friday's LSC challenge. For this challenge the card had to monochromatic, the only images you could use were snowflakes and you had to had some bling or sparkle to your card. I uploaded my card to my SCS gallery. It came together easily and I was quite happy with how it turned out.
The second card I did was for Saturday's Inspiration Challenge. This was the first time that I had a chance to participate in this one; and it was a lot of fun. The challenge was to pick one of these pendants and make a card using it as inspiration. I chose this necklace and this is the card that I came up with. I also searched the SCS sketch archives and thought this sketch would work well for the colors and stamps I wanted to use. I chose Pumpkin Pie for my base and then put black on top of that. Then I took a piece of Pacific Point and cut it corner to corner, then I took a piece of Cool Caribbean and cut it the opposite way corner to corner. I stamped the Cool Caribbean piece with an image from Fresh Cuts. On the top piece of the Pacific Point I stamped the flower image, also from "Fresh Cuts". The sentiment at the bottom is from "Best Yet." Next, I assembled them on the black layer. The butterfly image I chose was from "Measure of Life", an old hostess set. I colored it with markers before stamping it on to a piece of Very Vanilla and mounting that on to a piece of Pumpkin Pie. Finally alternating black and turquoise eyelets finished the card.
I have two sketches/challenges that I plan to do today, including this week's Mojo Monday. Hopefully I will be able to get them uploaded today, so be sure to come back a little later. Until then, have a good morning!

Paper Pretty Autumn Card

Good Morning Everyone!

With the onslaught of Christmas crafting and card making all over the blogs and in my own house the past few weeks, I decided to take a step back and remember that technically it's still Autumn. I was surfing around the net the other night and found this "Sheetload of Cards" and I really liked this card layout and the unique way it opens. Check out the link if you get a chance. You can create a lot of cards with the instructions or just one, like I did. I also thought that using one of my Paper Pretties stamp would be appropriate as well. This is actually only the second time I've used this one. The hardest part really was finding three patterned papers that worked well together. Actually, I only used two because the one behind the little girl and the one with the ribbon are the same because it is DSP. I thought the other paper just added to the fall theme of the card. I didn't put a sentiment on the outside, because I will put that on the inside. I've not yet decided what I want to do on the inside, however, so I can't show you that part! The card is pretty straightforward, so I don't think there's a lot of explaining necessary.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday!

GH Chatter

So, it occurs to me, once again that we've not chatted about GH in a while. I figured since I'm sitting here watching it right now and I've already posted my card today that now would be a good time to perhaps do that.
I have to tell you that I am really enjoying the scenes with Luke and Tracy. At first, I never thought that I would like anyone with Luke as much as Laura; but Tracy as definitely grown on me. I really hope that they find a way to work that out. Of course, I am sure that a lot of that depends upon what sorts of deals are worked out between GH and Genie Francis. I appreciated the fact that when she left this time, she did leave with a clear opportunity to return. Having seen Luke and Tracy together, I'm not sure that if she did return that I would want her and Luke back together.
I think that the Robin, Patrick and new baby Emma scenes have been great too. I love the fact that they are treating it real and honest and I'm glad to see that they are giving Robin a bit of the "baby blues". Those of us with children know we've all been there and those first few months are a big ball of joy wrapped up in a whole lot of pain and frustration! I'm glad that they are not making it all about the HIV issue, and of course that the baby is healthy.
I think the cat fights that are going to ensue between Carly and Kate/Connie will be thrilling at first; but I also think that they will lose their steam quickly. Not really thrilled with the Sonny/Claudia union. I think that that is just a quick fire way to throw Sarah Brown (who resigned her contract..YAY!!) and Maurice Benard together again. I'm not a big fan of trying to recreate something with two actors when one is playing a different character. It'll be interesting to see what happens once the whole Russian Mob thing plays out.
Speaking of Russians, all I can say is I'm sure I'm not the only one who wasn't surprised when they grabbed Jake. I am curious to find out what will happen once he gets rescued. (and you know he will because Daytime TV does not kill children in violent ways!)I'm really ready for Jason and Sonny to work together again. I never thought I would say that; but I think they are so much better as friends then enemies.
Anyhow, so that's all for PC chattering. Be sure to check out "The WUBS" link on the right for more GH info. I will definitely try a bit harder to be more regular in my GH posts. After all, there's no sense in being "StampinGHmom if there's no GH in the blog!

Stained Glass Color Inspiration.

For this week's Color Inspiration I decided to try the Stain Glass technique again. I really like this technique and think it suited the design of my card well. This is also my card for yesterday's SCS sketch challenge. I really thought the best way to do the three panels was to do one stamp and divide into three separate pieces rather than trying to find three individual images that would work well together. I chose Chocolate Chip as my base and then put a strip of Pumpkin Pie, then Certainly Celery and finally the Taken with Teal at the bottom. I embossed the "Stitched" background onto a piece of vellum with versamark and copper powder and then colored the reverse side in with various markers. I cut it into three equal pieces and then attached each to a piece of Whisper White paper and then to it's respective color piece. I decided that the image of the background stamp was enough that I really didn't need to do another image for the remaining square of the sketch, so I decided to just make that the sentiment. Finally, I added the ribbon and then Prima flowers on the side with the antique copper brads and finished the card.
This is the first card that I've made for this month's new SCS Cards for a Cause. Follow the link to find out more information about this month's cause and how you participate.
Thanks so much for visiting with me. Be sure to scroll down for this week's Recipe Thursday. Have a great day!

Recipe Thursday: Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, I decided that this time I would try a recipe before I posted it. I still want to try last week's Buffalo Chili Chicken Mac; but haven't had a chance yet. I made this week's recipe last night and it was quite good and super simple. I had it again today for lunch and this time put some balsamic mayonnaise with it and that was great. Today's recipe is again, from my new "Big Orange Rachael Ray" Book.

Ingredients:

4Tbsps EVOOO
1lb ground sirloin
1/2-1 onion chopped
salt/pepper
1/4 cup steak sauce such as A1
3/4-1 cup beef stock
2Tbsps butter
1 cup milk
2Tbsps flour
1 cup shredded provolone cheese (I used the Italian blend)

Directions:

Brown the meat and then add the chopped onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are tender.
Add the beef broth and the steak sauce and bring the mixture up to a boil and then lower and simmer until ready to assemble "the joes"
While the meat mixture is simmering, melt the butter in small skillet or pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, making sure to whisk it so that the flour dissolves smoothly.
Add the milk slowly and then bring up to a bubble, (keep a close eye on it and stir) lower the heat, then add the cheese stirring in a figure eight motion.
Assemble the sandwiches by slathering the buns with balsamic mayo and piling some meat mixture on and then spoon the cheese sauce on top.

Balsamic Mayo
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
3Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar
Black pepper,

Whisk the mayo and vinegar together and then add the black pepper. Cover and keep in refrigerator.
Enjoy!

Faux Leather Color Challenge

Good Morning Everyone!

In continuing with my quest to experiment with new techniques, (at least new to me) I decided to try the Faux Leather technique. This was actually quite easy and one that I shall experiment with again. It's one of those techniques that actually looks better IRL because once you emboss the masking tape it really does feel "leathery." One note though, it does take a good few minutes for teh heat gun to melt the powder on the tape, so be patient with that if you decide to try this one. I also used this card for yesterday's SCS color challenge of Sahara Sand, Black and Vanilla. I really need to get some Sahara Sand, it seems to be being used quite a bit in various challenges. The card is as straightforward as it looks. I added the blue eyelets just for a bit of color that I thought would look nice with the rest of the neutral colors. I have to insert a funny note here about the eyelets. When I was putting them in, I kept thinking "gosh that paper's thick, I can barely get the eyelet through there." Then I realized that I forgot to open the card before inserting the eyelets so now the card is "eyeleted" shut!! Guess I'll have to fix that before I send it to someone!
I also tried the "Stain Glass" technique the other day for my entry for Mojo Monday. You can see that card in my SCS gallery.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a great day!

Trying New Techniques

Good Morning Everyone!

Do you ever hit a slump and look at your cards and think you're just creating the same thing over and over again? Well, I certainly seem to have. I decided therefore, to experiment with some new techniques this week. I hope to do a different one each day this week and share with you. This first one for today is called a Criss Cross Card. The card was easy to make except for the diagonal patterned paper pieces. In the tutorial, a piece of DSP is used; but I didn't use DSP, which meant that I had to cut two pieces of the paper and cut them at opposite angles in order for them to fit properly on the triangle pieces in the front of the card. Obviously this card is for welcoming a new baby girl, thus the pink theme. I used, SU Pattern Paper, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa and Regal Rose. I used a lot of different stamps for this card. The swirl at the top of the insert is from "Priceless",which I stamped off in Regal Rose ink. The "Welcome Little One" image is from the retired hostess set "Riveting." I punched out two circles of Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose and then put them behind the sentiment.
For the band I used white paper and the ribbon is Pink Pirouette. The scallop circle sentiment is from last year's Sale- A Bration set "Many Scallops", which I stamped with Regal Rose ink on Pretty in Pink paper. and then attached with 3D foam squares. I punched out two more scallop circles in Close to Cocoa and put behind the pink one. The card is a bit fuzzy in the picture, because I scanned it and the ribbon and the raised scalloped image meant that I couldn't lay it flat on the scanner.
So there you have it, something a little different. I hope you like it and I hope you have great day. Thanks so much for visiting with me!

Priceless Anniversary wishes

Good Monday Morning Everyone.

I'm posting this before Julee posts Mojo Monday sketch for this week; but I shall be back again later hopefully with my sample for that a little later. Today is my sister's anniversary, so I decided to make a card for her. This layout was CASE'd from the SU gallery on Splitcoast. I used Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, and Mellow Moss for my main colors and I also used a neutral piece from my scrap stash. I stamped the Mellow Moss piece with the "Floral" background stamp and then attached the blue bayou piece at the bottom. I took the neutral piece and stamped it with the "Fine Lace" background stamp in Pomegranate ink. I stamped the swirl image from the "Priceless"set in Blue Buckaroo ink (the closest thing to Blue Bayou, since I don't have that one) and then added the two Prima flowers secured with silver flower brads. The double stitched Pomegranate ribbon and the green ribbon at the bottom completed the card.
So, just a simple card to start the day. I shall be back a bit later with my Mojo Card. See you soon!

Color Inspiration #32

Hi Everyone!

It's time for another Color Inspiration from Kristina Werner. When I first saw the colors for this week, I almost opted out of doing it this week mainly because I knew that the best thing to do would be a holiday card of some kind. However, I'm on a complete Christmas card overload since I'm trying to get my own finished to mail out. But what can I say? If stamping is an addiction, then Kristina's Color Inspiration must surely be an enabler!! So, this is what I came up with.
I started with a Riding Hood Red base and then added a neutral piece which I stamped with "Fine Lace" background stamp in Creamy Caramel. The original color palette calls for Sahara Sand; but I didn't have any of that. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had any of it! I embossed the angel image with gold embossing powder and then watercolored with Ruby Red and Caramel inks. I wheeled the "Soft Holly" image across a piece of Very Vanilla Card stock and then used poppin' pastels technique to color the entire piece in Old Olive chalk. I went over the image with Old Olive marker to add some definition and used my Ruby Red marker for the holly berries.
Ok, so that's all for this post. I posted my piece for Beate's Inspiration Challenge also today, so be sure to scroll down and take a look!

Being Inspired to revitalize the Mojo

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I apologize for the late post. I actually had this card done yesterday; but didn't have a chance to post it and this morning has been busy also. I decided to take another stab at the Mojo Monday sketch, this time using Beate's Inspiration piece to spur along the creativity a bit. I really liked the outdoor tuscanny look of this piece. I also really like the fact that it's all outside and therefore nature dictates the color palette. Colors in nature don't always go together; but the fact that nature doesn't care about that makes it all the more beautiful. To that end, I chose colors that I wouldn't have normally put together; but looked surprisingly good together. I started with a Handsome Hunter piece as my base and then added the Kiwi Kiss piece,which I stamped with the "Fine Lace" background (my go to background stamp!) in Old Olive ink. Then I added the two scalloped Tangerine Tango pieces at the top and the bottom. The sentiment at the bottom is from "Serene Spring" as well as the main image, which I colored using inks, watercolor pencils and aqua painters. The bird has a bit too much green in him; but by that point it was too late to start again! I attached the image to another piece of Handsome Hunter and then to a piece of Summer Sun. Finally I finished the card with the prima flowers on the side.
I really think that I like this one better....what do you think?
Ok, so that's all for me. I will be taking the rest of the week off and will be back on Monday. I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for visiting with me!

Mojo Monday...Mojo Tuesday, it's all good!

Good Morning Everyone!

Well apparently, Julee did post a Mojo sketch yesterday. I didn't see it until later in the afternoon, so I decided to wait until this morning to work on it. I've been stamping for my blog in the morning and then getting out the Christmas stuff in the afternoon and working on my Christmas cards. Anyhow, I've not really decided if I like this or not. It didn't really turn out the way that I had envisioned. I don't think the grape stamp from "Fruit Stand" really matches with the pattern paper that I chose. I kept thinking that I would like it once it all came together; but I just don't feel like it really did. Oh, well, too late to turn back now, as they say. I'd be interested in seeing what you all think, so feel free to comment...good or bad!
Lots to do today, so I'm going to let you all decipher the particulars of the card. It's pretty straightforward anyhow. Have a good day and be sure to check back later for Beate's Inspiration piece.

Recycling the Mojo

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Sorry the post is a bit late, I was waiting this morning to see if Julee would post a Mojo Monday sketch; but she doesn't seem to have. Perhaps she is on vacation. Anyhow I decided to look through some of her past sketches and see if there was one that I had not done that I could use. I found this one and I thought it would work well for the stamp set that I wanted to use which is "Puns from the Past." This is a relatively new set and I really like it. The only problem with it is that the images are small and skinny, so sometimes it's hard to design a whole card around them. I also wanted to try a different color combination, which I think came together quite well also. I started with a Chocolate Chip base and added a layer of Groovy Guava, which I stamped with "Print Pattern" Background stamp. Then I put the Certainly Celery piece on top of that. That piece was stamped with the swirls from the retired set "Basic Backgrounds." Next came the Saffron piece and the two pieces of ribbon. I layered the image piece on another piece of Celery and then Chocolate and then finally Groovy Guava, which I paper pierced at the top and bottom. As I said, before, the images are small in that set, so I think that they need a lot of layering behind them. I made some photo corners from Saffron Paper (note to self: get photo corner punch!) and attached them with two antique copper brads in each one. Finally, I added the "Thinking of You" Sentiment and completed the card.
Thanks so much for stopping by everyone. Have a great day!

Beate's Weekend Sketch #67

Good Saturday Morning Everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous Friday. Mine was spectacular! My oh so sweet husband surprised me with a trip to Savannah and lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant "The Lady and Sons." It was so yummy! We both just had the buffet; but it was good ol' Southern cookin'. We also went shopping for a new diamond anniversary ring for me! I picked out the most gorgeous diamond wrap for my solitaire. We still have to get it sized, so I don't have it just yet. I will have to take a picture of it and show you.
We came home and then my mom offered to buy us dinner for our anniversary, so we all went to Applebee's. So I got out of cooking twice in one day!
I didn't have a chance to do any stamping yesterday, obviously! But I did get a chance to do Beate's weekend sketch this morning. I used Really Rust as my base. Then I took a piece of watercolored paper and used my stipple brush to stipple Sage Shadow, Really Rust, and Navy ink and then I took my aqua painters and dragged them across the paper, blending the colors. Then I took a stamp from "Itty Bitty Backgrounds" and stamped it in Sage Shadow ink across the watercolored background. I used that same background stamp on a piece of Sage Shadow card stock. The NQ Navy pattern paper is from the Hostess Packet of Print Patterns Paper. I used the Tulip stamp from the "Flower for All Seasons" set which I colored with watercolor pencils, inks and aqua painters. I punched out two scalloped circles and used them as backing for that image. I put a brad in each of the buttons and then added those to complete the card.
That's all for me for this weekend. I hope you enjoy the rest of yours and I will be back on Monday!

Combining Challenges Once Again,

Good Morning Everyone!

Yes, once again I have combined challenges. It's so much easier than trying to do a separate card for everything. Today's card is a combination of the SCS sketch challenge and this week's Color Inspiration from Kristina Werner. I usually try to do both of these on Wednesday; but I didn't get to it until this morning. I am giving this card to my husband tomorrow for our 10th wedding anniversary. I really liked these colors that Kristina chose this week because I thought they were easy to use to create a masculine card but I also felt like I was still able to add a bit of a feminine touch to it as well. I started with a Pumpkin Pie base and added a piece of Close to Cocoa, then I cut a piece of Saffron 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 and added two purple strips to each side. I didn't actually have Elegant Eggplant, so I substituted the closest thing that I have. I cut (4) 1" squares in the same purple and added the prima flowers with the gold eyelets attaching it all to the Saffron piece. I used the flower stamp from the "Fresh Cuts" Set around three of the sides in Saffron ink and then stamped the Sentiment at the bottom in Pumpkin Pie. I stamped the center image, which is from an old Sale-a-bration set in Lavender Lace on glossy white and attached it to a small square of Close to Cocoa. I attached to entire Saffron piece with pop up squares the card base.
So, that's all for me today. I think my husband has surprise anniversary activities planned for me tomorrow. I've no idea what or where they may lead me, but I'm super excited to find out. Chances are, therefore, that I won't be able to post tomorrow; but I'll post on Saturday if I'm able. Have a great day and thanks for visiting with me. Be sure to scroll down for Recipe Thursday: Buffalo Chili Chicken.

Recipe Thursday: Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac

Good Morning All!

For my birthday on Tuesday I got Rachael Ray's new "Big Orange Cookbook" I've not had a chance to cook anything from it yet; but I found this recipe and I've seen her make it on TV as well and it looked scrumptious!! It is most likely going to be what I cook in the next day or so. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

EVOO
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into small bits.
1 large carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 onion chopped
3 Celery stalks, finely chopped
5 large garlic cloves garlic chopped or grated
1 Tbsp paprika
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock
1/4-1/2 hot sauce
15oz crushed tomatoes
1lb elbow macaroni
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese.
2 scallions, end trimmed, thinly sliced.

Directions:

Preheat broiler and bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat
Put another large pot over medium high heat and heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO.
Add the chicken and brown for about 6 minutes.
Add all the vegetables, including the garlic and the bay leaf along with the paprika and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the veggies, stirring often for about 4 minutes until tender.
Add the chicken stock and scrap up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce and then the crushed tomatoes.
Bring the chili up to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the chili is simmering, cook the macaroni pasta until al dente.
Drain the pasta and then toss it into the chili and mix. (Discard the Bay leaf)
Transfer the chili mixture to a 13x9 casserole dish.
Sprinkle both kinds of cheeses evenly over the top and then place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts
Sprinkle the sliced scallions on top for garnish.

Trying Something New

Good Afternoon!

I hope you are all having a fabulous day! My birthday was quite wonderful, except for the fact that I pulled a muscle in my neck and could barely move! Still, my mom made my favorite dinner for me, Shepherd's Pie and I had a nice cake and then I got a new cookbook and an Ipod Shuffle., which I've already downloaded songs to!
This morning I decided to make a card for my sister, whose dog passed away suddenly from a heart attack yesterday morning. For those of you who have animals, and have lost them you know how hard that can be. I thought it would be nice to try a Zindorff braying technique tutorial. this was the first time I'd had the courage to try it. It was actually pretty simple because the directions were so detailed and step by step. I think for my first time, it didn't turn out too badly. I adjusted a few things about the picture, but for the most part followed it step by step. Hey, why re-invent the wheel right? If you've not tried one of her tutorials, I encourage you to give it a try. They're not nearly as intimidating as they first appear.
Ok, so having company for dinner tonight, so lots to do. I will be back again tomorrow. Until then,have a great day and thanks for visiting with me!.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Hi Everyone!

I actually don't have a card of my own to post today because today is my birthday and I thought I would share with you some of the cards I have received from the SCS BRAK group. They're all a bit askew here in the post. Sorry about that! I am also linking their galleries, so that you can take a look at some of their other work. I was so happy to receive all these wonderful wishes, it really has made my day!
As for me, I'm taking a stamping break to just enjoy the day with my children. I'll be back tomorrow, though! Thanks so much for visiting with me and have a great day.
Here are the gallery links: Cupcake card, Fabulous Birthday,Moose Girl Flower Card,Pick a Petal Card,Purple Cupcake card