Monday, October 31, 2011

One Hour Bread

**This is my second post, so be sure to scroll down to see my candy corn pocket pouch.

I haven't shared a recipe with you all in awhile, so thought it was about time. I read on a blog about One Hour Bread. That is the TOTAL time it takes to make from start to finish.

Well, I was wrong on both accounts. It really truly does only take ONE hour start to finish, makes TWO loaves of bread and DOES taste good! It also makes VERY good sandwich bread. My other bread recipe is yummy, but falls apart unless you slice the bread very thick. This is a denser bread.
Here is the blog whose recipe I followed. The first time I made it, I formed it on a cookie sheet like she did, but also did an egg wash on top and added sesame seeds. This time I just did the egg wash and left off the seeds. MMMMM can't you just smell it? Ü
Now that I can make bread in an hour, I will probably never buy any again. It is so quick and easy, tastes much yummier than boughten AND costs much less as well.

Bizarre weather: Today we are to have 70* weather, Tues nite and Wed 70% chance of snow!!!!

Candy Corn Pocket Pouch

Here is the 3rd paper sack pocket pouch I created using Fancy Pants Oct 31 line. I think this one if my favorite. I love candy corn and love to decorate with it as well.
As you can see peeking out, the front pocket has a Reese's and the back pocket has this mini notepad.


I am linking this up to Top Tip Tuesday's challenge.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Bad to the Bone

Regina challenged the Cutting Cafe DT this week to use any of her Huge Circle files. You can find most of them here.

I chose to use the Bad to the Bone image from her Halloween All Around Printable Stamp Set.
I applied Tombow's Mono Adhesive Clear to the skull after coloring it with their Dual Brush Pens and then rubbed in clear glitter. I cut it out and mounted it onto the cross bones, then cut them out and adhered them to the patterned paper circle with Foam Tabs.

I cut the circle images with my Nestibilities dies.

Don't forget to stop by the Cutting Cafe on Wed as Regina will have a master post with all the DT's lovely creations.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Pumpkin Girl

**This is my 3rd post today, be sure to scroll down to see the others.
Today's challenge on Designed2Delight is pumpkins! I love fall, love to decorate with pumpkins and to eat pumpkin pie, bread, etc. Ü
I used another of my crochetd flowers and the orange button is tied with some yummy brown and white twinery my friend Pam sent me this week! You will be seeing it used a lot on my fall projects! Ü Thanks again Pam! (if you would like some, just let her know. She has lots for sale. Ü)

I hope you can come along and play with us this week.

BFB the Christmas Singing

The Christmas Singing: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country

 
One of my favorite type of books to read are about the Amish. I have had a fascination of them ever since I was blessed one Thanksgiving to eat at an Amish family's table in IN. I have read MANY books about them since.

The Christmas Singing is written by Cindy Woodsmall, one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint in this book either.

Gideon and Mattie have been childhood friends and fallen in love. After she finds him hugging an Englischer, Mattie moves from Penn. to Ohio to open a business called Mattie Cakes.
Three years later Mattie is forced to return to Penn. because of an unfortunate event. While in Penn she learns the truth of Gideon's rejection, but she is involved in another relationship.
This story is wonderfully written and I give it a "10".

**I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Friday, October 28, 2011

OCL 89 Going Pink

For my Think Pink project, I decided to make a mini notepad. This could be for any kind of notes, or for a breast cancer survivor to write down her thoughts from her experience.

I used Our Craft Lounge's You Make Me Happy stamp set. "Memories" is from their Pins & Needles stamp set. Paper is by My Mind's Eye.

We would love to have you come and play along with us in this challenge. You can go here for the details.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Halloween Paper Bag Pouch #2

This is my second post today, so be sure to scroll down for the first one.
Here is another pocket pouch I made. Black paper sack from Wal-mart in card section. I folded the bottom up and stitched around the edges then filled with goodies. Papers and embellisments from Fancy Pants again.
 I made a belly band for 2 pkts of fruit pdr drink and used rub-ons.

In the back pocket is a mini notepad
I am linking this up with Top Tip Tuesday.

Ribbon Bear

This darling digital image is from Bugaboo. I have not only had this image since they put it out, but have had it colored (1-2 years!!). I am just now getting it onto a card. Good grief!! I need to get more stuff done instead of letting it sit around.

I just love their images and have several in my files that need to get printed and colored. I colored the image pink in honor of this month being Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Papers are by My Mind's Eye, doily I rec'd from my friend Pam and ribbon is vintage rayon seam binding.

FSS Catch Up

I was thinking I had posted more FSS cards than I had this month. So now I am playing catch up.
Okay, I lied....I have another hydrangea card to share with you. I was working on Halloween projects and this lonely hydrangea image was mixed in right on top of this purple paper and I just HAD to create another hydrangea card! (I PROMISE the next projects are not with the hydrangeas. Sentiment is SU!

My next two cards use paper bags. The tutorial was on Whimsie Doodles awhile back. I loved the idea. You insert a gift card inside. I know I'm going to give one to dad because he likes to go to a coffee shop in town. I used precolored truck images from Fred She Said's Old Truck Digi and Colored Set.
I made mine different in that I decorated the inside top. I will stamp a sentiment there. I also did not score at the 6.5" mark. My paper bag must be a different size than hers. I scored at 1/2" and at 2.5" and then just folded in half from there.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Inky Autumn Critters Blog Hop

Welcome to Inky’s Autumn Critters Blog Hop! You’ve come from Bev's blog (if not be sure to go back to her blog as she is the beginning of the hop). Don't you just love her Scarecrow card? I used the same stamp set (11065SC Scarecrow & Friends Clear Set) to create this gift bag.


I just cut down a paper lunch sack and created a front and back for it and decorated the front. Then I adhered them to the sack and punched a handle with the Jumbo Oval Punch that you can find in the accessories section on Inky's website.
The blog hop starts today and ends on Sunday, October 30th at midnight Central time. Please visit each DT members’ blog to view their projects and leave a comment for each designer. The more you comment, the better your chances are to win. (Limit one comment per blog, please). One person’s name will be drawn at random to receive both of the clear sets used in this hop. The winner’s name will be announced on the Inky Antics blog next Monday, so remember to stop back and see if you’ve won. Here is a link to all the sets that we are using on the hop.

Your next stop will be Crystal’s blog.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Halloween Paper Bag Pouch

I have been admiring the pouches I've seen on blogs, esp Michelle Wooderson's. When I saw these black paper sacks in the Walmart card section, I decided to get a few and try my hand at making them.

This week Tombow is teaming up with Fancy Pants, so with all the goodies they sent us (THANK YOU Fancy Pants!), I had just the supplies I needed to create one with a Halloween theme.

I folded the bottom up and sewed around the edges to creat a pocket. (You actually get two pockets: the one created by folding up the bottom and one from the top opening.)

Using goodies that Fancy Pants sent us, I decorated the front of the first pocket, with their patterned papers, diecuts, rub ons and chipboard accents. I adhered the pieces with Tombow's Mono Adhesive Power Bond. The ribbon is not from FP, but rayon seam binding.

In the back pocket, I created a mini notepad made from the pieces I had cut for the pocket front.
Here is a look at the candy bag that I tucked in the front pocket:

Be sure to stop by the Fancy Pants blog to see what their DT created as well.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Thinking of You

Today our Designers are having a blog hop and we will be giving away some great OCL products as blog candy ~ how about a Granny's Support Team stamp set and 2 jars of Sparkly Fluff ~ in shades of PINK!!!! So leave comments along the way today and we will pick a winner tomorrow morning.
 For my card I used Dandy Days for the front and Nature's Note for the inside.

There will be blog candy on the OCL Blog for a stamp set and 2 jars of Sparkly Fluff. All comments left on the OCL blog and hop blog posts on Monday, Oct 24th will be included. Drawing will be held on Tuesday morning and announced on the OCL Blog.

Here is the list of players:

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Hope

This week I am going to dedicate all my cards to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I will be posting lots of PINK cards for this week. There will be some double posts as I finish up my Halloween cards and goodies as well.

Regina challenged the DT to create a card for cancer and mine is in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. This cancer has hit our family thru my g'ma, DH's aunt and friends. I used sentiments from Cutting Cafe's You Gotta Have Hope Printable Stamp Set.

Here is a peek at the inside:
Be sure to stop by the Cutting Cafe blog Wed to see the rest of the DT's projects.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Dancing Mouse

Cute Critters is the theme this week for Designed2Delight's Saturday Challenge. This cute image is one from D2D's Dancing Mice set. I colored it with markers and then cut with a Nestibilities Die. My friend Gail gave me a new SU! catalog and I got the idea for the sketch from the catalog.
I used My Mind's Eye designer papers, a crocheted flower by me and added the Basic Grey button with Tombow's Power Tabs (love how strong they are!) and then some vintage rayon seam binding for ribbon.

We would love to have you come over and play in the challenge.

Friday, October 21, 2011

OCL 88 Color Challenge


Our Craft Lounge's challenge for you this week is to use black, orange, purple and green. I had some of this paper left over from a couple of years ago and it was perfect.  I knew I wanted to use it, but wasn't sure of what image to use. Then I was inspired by the froggie cupcake and decided to see if I could copy it some way using a cupcake from OCL's Summer Sweets stamp set.
I added googlie eyes and hand drew the face to match the one in the designer paper. I think it turned out pretty cute. The "happy day" is a rub on sentiment.

Since I had some scraps left over, I made a notepad as well.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Purrrfect

This is an older image from Stampin' Up. I've been playing around with my Tombow Dual Brush Pens. I wish I could color like Karen!! Click on her name to go to her blog to see what I mean. Ü
I used paper from 3 different companies: SU!, Basic Grey and I'm not sure who the dots are by. I stamped and embossed on watercolor paper, then colored and blended with Tombow's markers and blender pen.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Thought of the Day


There are so many quotes out there that I love that I had a hard time choosing one to create with. Since this month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to choose one of my favorites that I could make a card around honoring this month. My g'ma, 2 friends, DH's aunt, as well as others we have known, have courageously battled this cancer.

I can only imagine the amount of faith it takes to deal with cancer and each on the ones we know had to take that first step, even when they couldn't see the whole picture.
The card I chose to create uses a new image from Designed2Delight to honor Nat'l Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is called Hope 2011 Cancer Awareness Set. The nice thing about this set is that you can color the ribbon to match the cancer. Here is a link that tells you which cancer each color represents.

I used My Mind's Eye papers, Tombow's Glue Pen to add Cotton Candy Sparkly Fluff(from Our Craft Lounge) to the image ribbon and dots, Foam Tabs to raise up the butterfly image, and  Dual Brush Pens (761 & 800) for coloring and Mono Adhesive permanent.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Frankie Candy Box

I'm not big on Halloween, but for some weird reason, I really like Frankies. This week Regina challenged the Cutting Cafe DT to use a box from her files. Right away I thought up this idea. I have not seen anything like this on line and think it turned out pretty cute. It took me awhile to go thru her files to find a box that would work. At first I was thinking of using this pattern without the cutout (and still may try to create one), but didn't want to wait to get the file and I already had the Divider Box with Handles file, so used it instead. (I just didn't use the handle)

It is hard to tell in the picture, but the hair is a deep purple. I used real bolts and nuts and love the whimsical look it gives this box.

I filled a cello bag with 2 taffy flavors of apple and chocolate brownie and then tied off with ribbon.
I hope you enjoyed this box as much as I did creating it. Be sure to stop by the Cutting Cafe blog on Wed to see all the wonderful box creations the DT came up with.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Yellow Hydrangeas

Okay, I really need to use a different image and will, but here is one last hydrangea card from FredSheSaid.
I used up more scraps and punched a white scallop border as well as cut a scrolly Nestibilities die of white to go behind the image.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Scarecrow Notepad

I have another fun notepad to share with you today. Again, using scraps from fall projects I've been working one. Most of these papers came from this project.
A great way to get even more out of your stamps is just to use a part of the image. This gives a fresh new look to any image. Here I stamped the scarecrow from OurCraftLounge's Fall Scarecrow, colored with Tombow's Irojiten pencils and Gamsol and then punched with my circle punch.. I layered it onto a punched scallop circle and adhered to the front of the notepad.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Felt Flower Notepad

As I work on my projects, any little pieces I have left over that are at least 2.5" wide, I adhere them to white strips of 2.5" 8" pieces of cardstock for fronts to these notepad covers that I make.
The papers are a mix of SEI, My Mind's Eye and I'm not sure about the top piece. I came across these SU! felt flowers in my stash that I've had for at least a couple of years and probably longer. The colors are perfect for the colors in the floral paper.
I also had some SU! rub ons that I hadn't even taken out of the pkg and decided to dress it up a bit using them. I really like how it turned out.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Falling Leaves

**LAST DAY TO SIGN ENTER: Go here for a chance to win the files to make my fun acorn box

Falling Leaves is the challenge on Designed2Delight this week. We would love to have you come and play along. To play, just create a projects that has leaves in it.
I created this card using an older D2D image called Oak Wreath. The sentiment is from OurCraftLounge's Fall Sunflower.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

BFB The Crossing by Serita Ann Jakes

**Go here for a chance to win the files to make my fun acorn box

The Crossing
Oh my goodness! This is an awesome book! I love how it was written and it kept my attention, so that I didn't even want to turn it down.

On the back it says:
On the way home from a football game, a decade earlier, a masked gunman opened fire on a Texas school bus. Cheerleading coach B.J. Remington was killed, but her murderer was never found. Claudia, who had a close friendship with the young, spirited teacher, constantly relives the anguish of that day, caught in one moment in time. When her husband, the assistant district attorney, becomes determined to uncover the mystery of that tragedy, the secrets buried over the years threaten to tear their family apart.
Officer Casio Hightower will never forget the day his dreams were destroyed. A star quarterback with a promising future, Casio was on top of the world—until one bullet changed everything. He is eager to help Victor Campbell find B.J.’s killer, the man who shot him. Maybe solving the case will help silence the demons driving Casio to hurt the woman he loves.
Each chapter opens in italics with BJ's thoughts as she is dying and then the story continues. I never would have thought that I would so enjoy a book written in this format, but I loved it. Until the very end, you don't find out who the killer is. It keeps you guessing all the way and I like that about a story as well.

It is also a story of love and forgiveness and there is something everyone can take away from it.

The only downer is all the misspelled words. There were enough of them, that it started to bug me, but I still loved the story. Ü I received a copy that is not yet for sale and hope there is going to be another spell check before it is published for the public. So if misspelling doesn't bother you, you will love this.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Black Bird Party

**Go here for a chance to win the files to make my fun acorn box
This week on Tombow the design team is creating items for the challenge them "It's My Party". When I think of Halloween, I think of it as a time for small children to dress up and go out and trick or treat. But I thought it might be fun to design something for your girlfriends. Maybe a night out with fun, food, and laughter.

I wanted to create something a little more "mature" and came up with this "Happy FALLoween" card (could be an invite or maybe even a "thank you" to send out after the gathering to thank those who attended) and a treat holder. It is so much fun to create a little thank you for the guests to take home with them as a reminder of the fun times had that evening.

For my card, I used a SU! punch to punch the bird and branch in black. I punched 3 of the wings and adhered them together with Mono Adhesive Dots.  A little tip for using adhesive on small pieces is to lay the piece that you want to add adhesive to on a scrap piece of paper. Add the dot adhesive all over the piece and then lift up. When you apply it to where you want it, just rub away any extra "dots" that may be on the edges. I have been doing this a long time and I love how I can get adhesive all over little pieces to get them to adhere.

I also used the dot adhesive for adhering the page from a book. It adheres well to old book pages, where the stronger adhesives can sometimes separate the paper.
I printed the Happy FALLoween from Designed2Delight onto designer paper and then cut with a Nestibilities die from Fancy Tags 1.



To create my treat holder, I cut designer paper to fit a toilet paper tube. Then along the outside ends, I applied a thin spiral of Mono Multi Liquid Glue along the edge. After it dried clear, I scrunched and gathered crepe paper along the edge to create a ruffle. After the glue dried I zig zag stitched and then decorated. The 3 panels behind the bird are cut with my Cricut using the shape from Accent Essentials cartridge. The panels are adhered to the tube with Power Tabs, so that they stay on since the tube is rounded.
I cut the end off of a gusset cello bag and tied off with rick rack. Then I inserted it into the tube, added corn candy flavored taffy and tied off the other end.

I love to decorate and have a theme when I have friends over. I found this blog with a fun party themes and thought this and/or this link would also be so much fun to decorate for a "FALLoween" theme.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Acorn Treat Box and a prize


I have a treat for you!! I love the cutting files that Regina designs at Cutting Cafe. My Cricut is getting used soooo much more. Ü If you know me, you know my brain is always whirling with ideas and when I saw THESE and remembered that Regina had an Acorn Shaped Card pattern, I just had to create a box.
I used the medium box from her Nesting Box template. There are 3 sizes and they also have lids (I didn't use the lid option for my acorn box though.

I changed the shape of the acorn a bit with my Make the Cut file to fit the front of the box. Before putting the box together, I stamped it with cocoa ink and Canvas SU! stamp. then I put the acorn together, inking all the edges first and then adhered to the box panel before adhering the box sides together. It was much easier than trying to adhere the acorn after the box had been created. I used Tombow's Mono Adhesive Power Bond for the whole assembly of the box and their Power Tabs for the buttons.

I created a tag "Treats for You" from the Halloween Mini Words digi set.
Here is a peek at the donuts that I filled in a cello bag. I bought some donut holes from the bakery, dipped 1/2 in almond bark and sprinkled with the brown sprinkles. I plan to make more of these and think I will make homeade donuts. I think they will last longer...that or buy cake donut holes.

Now here is even a sweeter treat...go HERE to comment on my box and Regina will enter you in for a chance to win the box and acorn sets I used to create my box! Hurry, you only have til Wed to enter.