Show and Tell Friday

This week I thought I'd show a handpainted plate that my sister gave me for Christmas in 2001.



It was painted especially for me by Doris M. Kirac and has a permanent spot in our kitchen!

More In A Pinch Cards

Finally! We got our computer back in working order. Despite having virus protection,it got a virus anyway and as a result the computer would not boot up. We now have a different virus protection in the hope that this won't happen again. And I bought a large external memory drive to back up our files and photos to, will do that later tonight!

Anyway thought I'd show the cards I made from In A Pinch Designs that feature Bo Bunny products.



Aren't they nice?



And as usual they feature some nice finishing touches with ribbon and twine!



Its a nice break to make something where you don't have to think but simply put it together!

Bloom Where You Are Planted

I'm still creating cards using up my existing supplies.



This card, based on CPS Sketch 125 uses scraps of cardstock, three different embossing folders, leftover Basic Grey chipboard and a large flower folded in thirds.

I also used my sewing machine to create a bit of interest and sanded the base coredinations cardstock after embossing. I added a bit of ink to the cardstock edges too.

House Mouse Christmas Cards

I've started delving more into the world of stamping and yesterday completed a class at one of our LSS. It was to create 6 cards using House Mouse stamps. I've completed four and love them.



The mice are coloured in using Copic markers in E00,E02,E33 and YR00. Then you can colour the rest of the stamp in any colour you wish.



The red and green we used were R29 and YG03.



Aren't they cute?!



And look at this wreath. It was created using the Martha branch punch and layering 24 branches in two colours on a 1/4 inch circle. Here's a closer look at it.



I'll share my final two cards as soon as they are done!I think I'm addicted! But there are worse things to be addicted to right?

Just A Note - Use It Challenge 19

I'm back on another coolish day with another altered notebook.




I followed Use it Challenge 19 to create this one:

1/ Use old monochromatic papers - I couldn't find monochromatic papers but did find this old Close To My Heart Paper.
2/ Add a TAG or a LABEL to your card - I created my own tag from coordinating cardstock that I then embellished with stamps, ribbon and my new markers. I'm loving the markers for their shading capabilities.
3/Use at least one of your favorite STAMPS. - I love my 'birdies' stamps!
4 Add a LAYERED FLOWER - I used a few of my older Prima flowers embellished with bling!


And this book passed the 'Brianne' test since she wants it!

A First Magnolia Card

Good morning everyone! Its cool out there this morning, not like July at all! So before I get to housework thought I'd share my latest card.


I created it based on CBC Be Inspired 40 that features one of my first attempts at colouring a Magnolia stamp.



Be Inspired this week was to create a card based on their sketch with the bonus item , the textile folder.I don't have that folder but used the paisley folder instead along with some Basic Grey scraps to create a base for my stamped image.

I think this image is meant to be cut out and perched on a swing or ribbon but I kept it more simple this time. Overall I'm pretty happy with it, need more practice to improve the shading.

Have a great day!

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Squares

Kathryn gave me this recipe she found in Chatelaine Magazine a week before our family reunion. She had recently made it and people loved it. When I read it I thought it would be a great compliment to the desserts other people were bringing so I whipped it up. And when I say whip, I mean it! Kathryn suggested combining the ice cream and the lemonade in the kitchen aid and it worked beautifully.

This serves a fairly large crowd and is light and refreshing. Everyone who had it at the reunion loved it!

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Squares

355-mL can frozen pink-lemonade concentrate
2-L container vanilla ice cream, preferably natural
11/2 cups (375 mL) graham-cracker crumbs or vanilla- or chocolate-wafer crumbs
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar (optional)
2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 lemon (optional)
6-oz (170-g) container fresh raspberries, about 11/3 cups (325 mL) (optional)

1.Thaw lemonade. Line a 9 x 13 in. (2-L) rectangular baking dish with parchment or waxed paper, letting the edges hang over the sides of the dish. Scoop ice cream into a large bowl. Let stand until softened slightly, 10 to 20 min. Meanwhile, stir crumbs with sugar in a medium bowl. Using a fork, stir in butter until evenly mixed. Turn into prepared baking dish and pat evenly over the bottom. Place in freezer while preparing the filling.
2.When ice cream is soft enough, add lemonade concentrate. Using a wooden spoon, mash and stir just until blended. If you want it tangier, taste and stir in 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice from lemon. Remove base from freezer and spoon ice-cream mixture overtop. Smooth as best you can. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least overnight. If leaving longer, overwrap with foil. Will keep well in freezer for at least 2 weeks. When ready to serve, remove from freezer. Let stand for 10 min. Then grab the sides of the paper and lift the dessert to a cutting board. Slice into squares. Top with berries.

Enjoy!

Family Reunion

Well I would have had this post up sooner but for some reason I can only load one photo at a time?

This past Saturday we hosted a family reunion at our house. It almost had to be inside as morning thunderstorms rolled through but luckily, the rain and clouds cleared up and we spent a great afternoon/evening outside in the sunshine.

The kids decided to play a bit of football in the green space behind our house.

But first you have to plan the strategy!

Then execute that strategy!

While they were doing that, some of us lounged on the patio. Here's Amanda, Carolyn, my Mom and Brittany.



Then my Grandma, Chris, Steve and Brianne.

Its me with Blake and Russell in the background.



And what would a reunion be without awesome food!

Look at all the yumminess

We had some great desserts too but I didn't get pics of them. I will share a dessert I made in a later post though.

Thanks to everyone who came, it was a fun afternoon and so wonderful to see you all!

Paper Bliss Blog Candy

I don't often do this but Michelle at Paper Bliss is offering such an awesome Cuttlebug Blog Candy you just have to check it out! Click here to check it out.

Chatterbox Cards

I decided to continue on my roll of using up my Chatterbox paper and created two cards based on the sketches at Card Patterns.

This first one is based on Kris Swain's bonus sketch. The inside says 'miss you'.



The second is based on Eva Dobila's sketch.



Loved both of these sketches, great sketches to create from!

Be Inspired #39

The challenge this week at CBC is to create something with a 'woodsy' theme.

I wasn't too sure what I'd create until I remembered that I had this chipboard tree by Riff Raff Designs.



I layered it on white and coordinating brown cardstock. The last layer of white I embossed and chalked to appear grass-like. I then cut out and popped some mushrooms from some Sassafras paper for a little bit more colour.

A closer view.



I'm not sure what sentiment to use and would appreciate your suggestions!



PS: Oops, I just noticed that I missed the suggested colour theme, sorry about that!

Another Altered Composition Book

In my quest to use up my supplies, I adapted this week's Use It challenge and CPS Sketch 124 to covering a composition book.




For the Use It challenge:
1/my favourite paper is by Chatterbox, their Happy line along with a bit of yellow Doodlebug paper;
2/I've added texture with the ric rac;
3/for the 2 punches I used a fiskars punch border punch and a Martha butterfly punch;
4/Finally I added small pearls to the butterflies.

The detail is more easily seen if you click on the photo to enlarge it.

A Couple of Sneak Peaks

Heather gave me some of Making Memories I Do line of papers to create with this month.



I have to say I love this paper!



And since I was recently at a wedding I was able to use some current pictures!

Show and Tell Fridays

This week I thought I'd share our front garden beside our driveway. I didn't take a before picture but the lilac/lavender garden I originally envisioned some years ago had gotten out of control and weedy. Plus a small lilac tree we had planted had died, so it was time for an overall.



So we dug up( well mostly Steve) all the existing lavender, and moved some to other garden areas. We planted a new weeping cherry tree that Steve picked out then replanted just a few lavender plants.



We left the grasses and sedum where they were. Finally we added some mulch. It looks much neater now!

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter

Yes, its another recipe! Apparently when I have a few day off I like to cook!

Anyway I read about these pancakes on Bakerella who got it from Martha Stewart. They sounded so yummy I just had to make them. And they are as good as they look(check Bakerella's photos), our whole family loved them! I will be making them again!

Orange Maple Butter
1 stick softened butter
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
I also added some orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a rubber spatula.
Spoon the mixture on a piece of wax paper.
Roll and re-shape back into a stick of butter.
Twist the ends to secure the wax paper and refrigerate.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar, plus two tsp for blueberries
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 egg lightly beaten
2 cups blueberries
Extra butter for coating griddle
Maple Syrup
(Makes about 16)

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter and egg in medium bowl.
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined.
Toss blueberries in a small bowl with 2 tsp sugar.
Heat a griddle over medium heat. Take extra butter and run over surface of griddle. Repeat as necessary throughout process.
Pour batter on griddle 1/4 cup at a time.
Add some of the sugared blueberries to each pancake.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Flip and cook the other side for about 2 minutes

Martha also offers a good tip. As you are making the pancakes. Keep the finished ones on a cookie sheet in the oven at 200 degrees F to keep them warm.

Serve with Orange Maple Butter and Maple Syrup, so yummy!

A Couple of Quick Recipes

I tried a couple of quick recipes recently that I wanted to share.


The first is for Blueberry-Banana Bread from Betty Crocker. Brittany helped me make this one and it works up super fast partly because it uses Bisquick! I'm not overly fond of banana bread but the blueberries offset the banana flavour quite nicely.

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (2 medium)
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom of loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
Stir Bisquick, oats, sugar, bananas, milk and eggs in large bowl until moistened. Beat vigorously 30 seconds. Gently stir in blueberries. Pour into pan.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen loaf from sides of pan; remove from pan and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

The second is for Skillet Goulash, a tasty one pan dinner that is perfect for busy weeknights. I found this recipe on Divine Domesticity and made it even faster by cooking the pasta in the same pan. I also added a dash of Worcestershire Sauce.

Here's my adapted recipe:

Makes 6 Servings (1 1/2 cups each)

8 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped medium onion
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, cook ground beef, celery and onions over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

Stir in uncooked pasta, and all remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer covered until pasta is cooked, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid if you notice pasta is just about cooked but goulash still needs to thicken a bit.