Thursday, December 31, 2015

Brr Baby Winter Shower

This was my final shower for the year. What a crazy, but super fun year it has been. This was a winter shower and I will tell you now the pictures just don't do the real life justice. It was a cold day and the baby blue with white and silver accents made everything look so pretty, sparkly, and fun. I was sick this day, so I just went in and set up and then had to leave. I had forgotten my camera, so a sweet friend took these pictures for me with her phone. (thanks Stephanie!)

Here is the invitation that uses another sweet image from Dollar Graphics Depot. You can find this image in their Polar Bears Love Snow file. I embossed some baby blue cardstock with a snowflake embossing folder and then rubbed white ink over the raised design to make it "pop".  I layered the image onto silver cardstock and tied a silver thread for a little sparkle. 'brr baby' was typed and printed.


Since we were going with a winter theme, I wanted to have a hot chocolate bar and all white foods. It's hard to see but on the table is hot cocoa mix, white cups, and then fun containers with mini marshmallows in the silver pail, chopped andes mints, silver wrapped Hershey Kisses in the embossed white pail (the pails are some I found in the dollar section at Target) canned whipped topping, powdered sugar donuts, and white and baby blue almond bark covered pretzels. Also, not shown in the photo was a large bowl of white chocolate covered popcorn (recipe below).


As they guests came in to the room, this was the table that greeted them for them to sign in and then put their name and address on a label if they brought a gift. For this table and each of the eating tables, I made white yarn pom poms (thought they looked like snowballs) and adhered to chop sticks and then put them in a cold coffee drink jar with May Arts baby blue ribbon and a die cut snowflake from Cutting Cafe's Christmas Boxes with Cutouts file. I just used the cut out snowflake image.


The glass container with mini silver Christmas bulbs (bulbs from Dollar General after Christmas sale last year) is from my stash. The sign in sheet has a little snowbear on it as well from Dollar Graphics Depot.

The silver plates I picked up at Target. They are silver with a white band and were in their marked down end cap in the party section.

I have loved every single shower (all 18 of them) and had a blast with each one. Several people have mentioned I must be getting burnt out or tired of showers, but they obviously do not know me. I LOVE what I have been doing and I have so many ideas that there needs to be more weddings and babies, LOL! It has been such an honor and a blessing to be involved in a very small way to make each of these lovely ladies feel loved and special. I already know of about 5 showers so far for 2016 and I look forward to creating for each of them and hopefully even more.

recipes:

WHITE CHOCOLATE PUFF CORN

Makes about 8 cups
Ingredients:
  • 1 {3.5 oz.} bag Chester’s Butter Flavored Puff Corn {About 8 cups}
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 2 tsp. coconut oil {Or vegetable oil will work}
Directions:
  1. Place the puff corn in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the white chocolate chips and coconut oil and microwave on high in 30 second increments for 2-3 minutes, until chips are melted.
  3. Drizzle chocolate over the puff corn and fluff as you go, until puff corn is fully coated.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Little Pumpkin Baby Shower

This fun shower was held in the fall, my favorite time of year! We went with a "little pumpkin" theme. The invitation I created was quick and simple (well as quick and simple as making 50 invites can be LOL) using a fun precolored digital image from Dollar Graphics Depot's Cutie Bears file. You will definitely be seeing lots more projects next year from this wonderful site (and even for the next shower). "little pumpkin" was typed and printed on kraft cardstock



Sign in table as you come into the gym. I used a different bear graphic from the same Cutie Bear file for the sign in sheet. The framed picture, pumpkins, and vase with flowers was from my home. Just took them from my fall display. Ü


I don't remember where I found these plates, but I loved that they looked "pumpkin" shaped. I just free hand cut stems from brown cardstock scraps and glued them to the plates. The napkins were already in my stash from after halloween sale a few years back.


Pumpkins from a friend's sister's garden made the perfect free centerpiece as well.

Hard to see really well, but here is a view of the whole food table.

I had fun creating this fabric swag banner. It didn't stick to the tablecloth very well like I had imagined, but still added some texture that I loved.

Decorations for the back of the food table with more fall garden goodies and some silk leaves from my personal stash.

All the food was "pumpkin-ish" related, except for the apple cider and that was just fall related. It was freshly squeezed cider from our own apples. Bruce made it that morning and I thought it was very refreshing as did the ladies.

I love how these cute little clementine oranges turned out that a co-host made. This idea came from Pinterest.

 Another Pinterest idea and I don't recommend it. LOL I did not like these at all! But it was a fun idea. haha

A yummy cheeseball that a co-hostess created from a recipe I gave her that I found off of Pinterest. I will have the recipe below. 

Yummy hot cheese dip in a bread bowl.

For those that like hot drinks, a co-host made pumpkin spice latte. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I heard lots of rave reviews on it.

 Just one more shower for the 2015 year! Be sure to check back tomorrow to see that themed shower.

Perfect Fall Cheeseball
http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/09/the-perfect-fall-cheese-ball.html

The Perfect Fall Cheese Ball
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS
  • 16oz cream cheese, room temp
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese
  • 3 tbsp minced onion
  • 3 tbsp salsa
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 cups nacho cheese chips, crumbled
  • top of 1 bell pepper for stem garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. With a mixer, combine cream cheese, cheddar, onion, salsa and cumin. Mix until creamy.
  2. Scoop mixture onto plastic wrap and use wrap to form a ball and chill for at least 2 hours.
  3. When ready to serve, roll ball into the crushed nacho chips and place bell pepper stem on top. Serve with chips, vegetables or pretzels!


Saturday, December 19, 2015

PCS Monthly Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Pretty Cute Stamps is hosting an Anything Goes challenge this month. (Every month Pretty Cute Stamps has a card/project challenge where you can play along for a chance to win some prizes.)

I created this fun card with their Gingerbread House stamp set. 

Now we would love to have you play along! Check out the wonderful projects the rest of the Design Team created. You have until January 9th to enter your own project within the theme "gift giving" and using Pretty Cute Stamps image for the challenge for a chance to win.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Merry Christmoose

It's my turn  to share a project on Pretty Cute Stamps' blog. I have a quick and easy Christmas card you can recreate using Warm Winter Wishes

Christmas is just around the corner. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Christmas Stocking Laundry

I have a fun Christmas card to share with you using Cutting Cafe's Christmas Stocking Laundry printable image.

The theme this week is to use any Christmas image and I was needing a few more cards. I colored this image with colored pencils. some added glitter makes this really sparkle!


Be sure to visit the Cutting Cafe Blog on the 7th and 21st of every month to see the design team's projects in which you can leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win 3 FREE sets of your choice from the online store.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

BFB Amish Christmas at North Star: Four Stories of Love and Family

 


    Amish Christmas at North Star by Cindy Woodsmall, Mindy Starns Clark and Emily Clark, Amanda Flower, and Katie Ganshert was a fun book to read with 4 stories about 4 babies born on one night and their stories written by the different authors.


    While the stories are written separately, the lives of the 4 babies born on the same night under the care of the same midwife are interwoven. Cindy Woodsmall is one of my favorite authors and I enjoyed her story, but Katie Ganshert is becoming a favorite as well.

    I would recommend this book for a fun read around the holidays. Stories filled with faith, forgiveness, and love.

    I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.


    Tuesday, December 8, 2015

    Visions of Sugarplums Day 3

    Welcome to the final day of Visions of Sugarplums 2015 hop. Have you been inspired to create something new this year? I know I have a couple things on my list I want to try now and several for next year.

    Today I have 3 projects to share with you. First up is a project that I love to create when giving bread. I call food my "love language". I love giving food gifts, esp those that I have made myself. You can find the instructions on how to make this paper "basket" here.


    Here is a peek at the double sided paper

    and here is the yummy cranberry orange bread (recipe here)

     My next project is a fun and easy way to decorate a paper sack. This happens to be a mini paper sack that I purchased at my pharmacy in bulk years ago. I just cut two pieces of cardstock a little bit wider than my sack. The sack was cut down and then I decided how tall I wanted it and punched holes at the top. Then the fun part...decorating one of the panels, then gluing to the sack.


     My last project is a fun way to use up scraps and makes a wonderful decor and/or gift for someone.
    I cut strips of scraps of paper and adhered them to a piece of cardstock that fit into my frame. (the frame I picked up at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon)
    Then I just cut letters to spell "peace". I've also made these with "laugh" and "faith". I love the soft wintery colors that this created.

    Thank you so much Lori for letting me play along with you this year and thank you readers for all your kind words about my projects. I hope that I have inspired you to create something fun.


    Now for some fun details about this hop...

    Here is the list of sponsors and the giveaways :

    Lawn Fawn - $25.00 Gift Certificate
    The Funkie Junkie Boutique - $25.00 Gift Certificate
    The Cutting Cafe - 3 Sets of Choice to a Winner
    Moonlighting & Co. -  1 Set of Choice to Three Winners
    PPinky Dolls - 1 Digital Stamp Image of Choice
    Baers Design Studio - 1 Set of Choice to Three Winners
    CanvasPop -  one 16x20 canvas of your favorite photo
    ChouxChoux Paper Art -  Mega Giveaway of Christmas Crafting Goodies 

    Canvas Pop has another great giveaway going on right now - you could WIN YOUR CHRISTMAS!  Enter by December 11th. Enter the WIN YOUR CHRISTMAS giveaway HERE.

    Here is how you can winl...
    1. By commenting on ALL the blogs (I have those listed below)  Your name is entered for the prizes for every comment you leave.   The more comments you write, the more chances you have to win.

    2. Enter the challenge over on Lori's blog.
    The theme is Christmas/Winter.  It can be a card or any project that fits the theme.  The challenge will end December 20th.  The randomly selected winner will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to Lawn Fawn.

    All right, now if you have come to my blog first, be sure to head over to each of these blogs for some wonderful, inspiring ideas and don't forget to leave a comment. There is so much inspiration on the following blogs, so go grab a cup of your favorite drink, then come back here and start browsing. I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

    Maria Patrick    

    Monday, December 7, 2015

    Visions of Sugarplums Day 2

    Wasn't the inspiration from yesterday awesome?!! If you missed it, you can see my post here. I have so many new ideas I want to do now.

    I have a fun treat filled ornament to share with you today created with a file from Cutting Cafe's Christmas Treat Cup Cards. Talk about so many ideas! I want to make them all. Now just to find the time to do so.

    Wouldn't it be fun to have a whole tree filled with these? In fact I think it would be fun to make 25 of them and fill with goodies and treats each day as you count down to Christmas. Unfortunately I didn't have time to do that...maybe next year?

    PS: this is part of this week's Cutting Cafe design team challenge. Be sure to visit the Cutting Cafe Blog to see the design team's projects in which you can leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win 3 FREE sets of your choice from the online store.

    I have a second project to share with you using wood and cardstock. A friend's DH loves to cut wood, so we had him cut the pieces to make these and we painted them and put them together. (He even sanded them for us!!)
     If you didn't have paint, you could cover the boards with cardstock and it would be pretty cute too!


    We thought our snowmen needed a little something and we didn't have any wood items that worked, so we cut 6 snowflakes from kraft cardstock and glued them together to make it thick like chipboard or a thin wood. Then we painted them white and sprinkled glitter on them while the pain was still wet. Glued to the had brim and it was the perfect accent. Since this won't be outside, the cardstock accent works perfectly. 

    Now for some fun details about this hop...
    Here is the list of sponsors and the giveaways :

    Lawn Fawn - $25.00 Gift Certificate
    The Funkie Junkie Boutique - $25.00 Gift Certificate
    The Cutting Cafe - 3 Sets of Choice to a Winner
    Moonlighting & Co. -  1 Set of Choice to Three Winners
    PPinky Dolls - 1 Digital Stamp Image of Choice
    Baers Design Studio - 1 Set of Choice to Three Winners
    CanvasPop -  one 16x20 canvas of your favorite photo
    ChouxChoux Paper Art -  Mega Giveaway of Christmas Crafting Goodies 

    Canvas Pop has another great giveaway going on right now - you could WIN YOUR CHRISTMAS!  Enter by December 11th. Enter the WIN YOUR CHRISTMAS giveaway HERE.

    Here is how you can winl...
    1. By commenting on ALL the blogs (I have those listed below)  Your name is entered for the prizes for every comment you leave.   The more comments you write, the more chances you have to win.

    2. Enter the challenge over on Lori's blog.
    The theme is Christmas/Winter.  It can be a card or any project that fits the theme.  The challenge will end December 20th.  The randomly selected winner will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to Lawn Fawn.

    All right, now if you have come to my blog first, be sure to head over to each of these blogs for some wonderful, inspiring ideas and don't forget to leave a comment. There is so much inspiration on the following blogs, so go grab a cup of your favorite drink, then come back here and start browsing. I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

    Maria Patrick    

    Don't forget to stop back again tomorrow. I have several ideas to share with you.