HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Good Evening All!

Since I'll be gone most of the weekend ...

Daughters house for Thanksgiving tomorrow

Hubby's family in Pittsburgh on Friday

Craft Show to do on Saturday

I thought I'd pop in this evening and wish all my friends a wonderful Thanksgiving and share a few photos of what we've been up to today!

Hubby is not the only one who knows the way around a kitchen!  LOL!

Back in March of this year I shared with you the story behind Uncle Hen's (Clyde) Biscuits and since they are a favorite of my family, we whipped up a batch today and thought of Uncle Hen while doing so.  Sadly, we lost him last December.  

He is terribly missed and I'm so glad he shared this recipe with my daughter & I!!

Yes ... they are baked in washed out tuna fish cans.  And it works quite well actually!

The rolls/biscuits are more of a 'sweet biscuit' and the dough is a very sticky dough but they taste SO GOOD!  I especially like them cut in half, toasted with homemade strawberry freezer jam!

Yes ... hubby was 'maning' my smart phone to take photos today ... you would not believe how MANY pics were taken during today's events! LOL!  I could truly post a step-by-step!  LOL  But bless his heart he was trying to do as I ask when I said, "can you get a picture of ME in the kitchen today so people know you're not the only one who knows how to cook!"

 We were also in charge of the pies for tomorrow's dessert.

 Oh yea ... Hubby was helpful on this task also (as you can tell, lol)

Seriously ... he mixed up the pumpkin filling for me 

and filled the cherry pies while I finished rolling the crusts.

 

He always says the best part of helping in the kitchen is licking the spoon (or spatula in this case!)

I must say though ... I would STILL be in the kitchen vs talking to you all if I didn't have his helping hands!

 

If asked what I'm most thankful for, it would have to be this dear man and my family.

I'm truly blessed to be able to share ALL aspects of the holiday season with such love!

And I'm thankful for the friendship of all of you!

Though we may never meet in person ... your comments here on my blog and in emails give me a sense of friendship and love and for that I thank you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

God Bless You!

Did someone say SNOW??

Hello again ...

Sorry for the 2nd posting but I just had to share

my 'snow' photos with you!

What a BEAUTIFUL snowfall this was!

And, even though I didn't use my 'good' camera ... just used my phone,

I love a new fallen snow ...

 I grabbed these two photos last evening when I went out to get the mail.  It was snowing so hard!  See those streaks ... and that large white streak on the image to your right ... that was the snow 'falling' in front of my phone camera.  It was SO PRETTY!!

Here's a few photos I grabbed this morning before going out to breakfast.  The first three are out the back sliding glass door and the last two are out the front door.  We probably only got 3 or 4" ... not bad for what they were predicting!

We were lucky ... this was a photo my daughter took yesterday AFTERNOON and they got a lot more during the evening and over night.  I'll have to check and see just how many inches they ended up with.  She lives an hours drive further EAST (Columbiana Co.) ... right in the heart of it all.

Well, I'd better get in the kitchen! 

I know ... I keep saying that and then I keep crafting/blogging ... YIKES!

I'm going to be in soooooooo much trouble if I don't get those pies made!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

GOD BLESS YOU!

Be Safe!

New Challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters . . .

ALMOST THANKSGIVING!

But before all the baking/cooking begins, I'd like to share with you the card I made for the new challenge over at The Sisterhood of Crafters.

Our challenge this time around is to make/use something

HANDMADE

on your card/project.

I've been trying to find time to create some handmade flowers with my Heartfelt Creations Christmas Poinsettia PreCut Set and coordinating SunKissed Fleur Die and so today's the day.  What do you think?

My flower is really RED even though it looks kind of orange in the photo.

I really need to take a few hours and make more of these flowers ... it's really the only embellishment my card needs I think.

I've got to make this a quick post but I'm really glad you stopped by today and I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun.  I can't wait to be inspired by your 'handmade' ideas.  Right now I can use all the inspiration I can find ...

A few additional challenges:
Craft-room Challenge - Vintage Christmas
Sweet Stamps #145 - The Holidays
Songbird Challenge - Die Another Day 

Remember, you have until Dec. 8th to play our challenge.

Hope to see you there!

As always ...

Christmas Card Making Extravaganza . . .

Morning All!

LOL ... you like my title?  

That's how I feel after the past couple of days but it's been fun too!

I need SO MANY Christmas cards and there were so many adorable images over on Pinterest, I did something I don't often do ... I was MASS PRODUCING!

Want to see?

For this set, I matted in black and added a thin strip of red satin ribbon.

Inside I've stamped the snowflake from the SU 'Winter Post' set using Delicata Golden Glitz ink.  The sentiment is from another SU set called 'Home for Christmas'

 

On this set, I used my Quickie Glue Pen and Art Deco Glamour Dust to add a touch of sparkle to each of the upper snowflakes on the image.

I made a set using this adorable 'old time' Christmas graphic ...

and yet another set using this beautiful cardinal graphic . . .

Again I've added sparkle to the main image 'snow flakes' as well as the snow on the roof of the mailbox with quickie glue and glamour dust.

The inside cardinal image is from a SU set called 'A Cardinal Christmas'.  

My sentiment is by Great Impressions.

I had a 'card cutting mishap' but was able to salvage the graphic and made this gate fold card.  I've used Martha Stewart 'Country Cottage' holiday designer paper for my panels and the sentiment is from an old Hero Arts stamp set.  (no sparkle added to this one).

I loved how the inside sentiment coordinated on the set above so I used the same idea on this card.  Such a simple way to add a little 'extra' to your inside sentiment.

Shew!  Well, I think I'm closer to having enough cards to send to friends and family this year!  At least it's a start!!

A few Christmas Challenges:

Crafty Creations Challenge

Paper Shelter #138 

Stampavie and More #199 

Little Clair's Designs #39

Thanks so much for stopping by today ... 

Now I really must GET BUSY IN THE KITCHEN!

We are having Thanksgiving at our daughters house but we are in charge of the rolls (going to make my Uncle Hen's famous Granny Biscuits), Mark is in charge of the stuffing and I'm in charge of the cranberry relish and the pies!  Like I said ... I'd better get busy!

As always . . .

Creating with Angels . . .

Angel images by Crafty Secrets that is!

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope you had a good weekend.  

It's been unusually cold here in NE Ohio 

but I guess it's to be expected a month away from Christmas!

Today I'd like to share a couple holiday creations that are Non-Traditional in color.  When I think of PINK or BLUE ... I think BABY ... but today it's Christmas cards using Angel Images from the Crafty Secrets Vintage Christmas CD #6.  There are SO MANY amazing images, papers, sentiments available on this CD, it's an AMAZING collection for the price!!

 I printed out both images the same size, but for my first card I decided to do some 'fussy' cutting around the image then layer it on the solid background.  It seemed TOO pink for me so I did some 'doodling' around the edge with a white gelly roll pen to help soften it.

Recipe for this card is:
Papers:  White cs, Pink cs, K&Co. 'Secret Santa' designer paper
Accessories:  Cheery Lynn Designs 'B117S' Fanciful Flourish die, Cheery Lynn Designs 'B186' Merry Christmas die, Kaiser Pink Pearls, White Gelly Roll pen, xPress It Foam Mounting Tape

I have popped up the flourishes with a small piece of mounting tape which I then hid with the pearls.  I like the added dimension and whimsy it gave my card.

 For my second card I decided to add a LOT of sparkle to not only the image but the beautiful Cheery Lynn Designs die cuts I have used to create this little 'spiritual' scene.
 

 I wish I could get my photo to show the beauty of this creation.

The Crafty Secrets angel image is beautiful on it's own ... but the touch of Glamour Dust really adds a beautiful sparkle that all angels have!  (I'm assuming that fact of course!) LOL

Here's a close up ...

The recipe for this card is:

Papers:  Medium Blue cs, White cs, My Minds Eye Lost & Found 3 'Oliver' designer paper

Accessories:  Cheery Lynn Designs 'B184' Holly Corner, Spellbinder Lacy Squares, Quickie Glue Pen, Art Deco Glamour Dust, Waterfall Stickles

I will have to get back to you on the mfg of the scenery die ... for the life of me I can't locate it at the moment.   This beautiful scenery die is from Cottage Cutz 'Winterland Village' CCE-054.

I've also added glamour dust on the roof tops and along the snowy mounds on the scene die.  Looks SO PRETTY!

A few challenges:

Cheery Lynn Designs - Non Traditional Christmas Colors

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes

Christmas Card Challenges - Faith (Blue Angel Card)

Glitter n Sparkle - Show Us Some Snow (Blue Angel Card)

Pile It On - Non-Traditional Christmas

Stamping Sensations November Challenge - Christmas

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  

I appreciate you taking the time because I know what a busy week this is

for everyone ... especially those of us that have cooking/baking to do!

Happy Crafting ... and cooking ... and baking ...

As always ...

Down to the wire . . .

OMG this is going to have to be quick!

I've been so busy this week that I totally forgot about the new challenge over at PaperCrafter's Corner and it ends at midnight TONIGHT!!!  The challenge is for their Papercrafting Inspiration Magazine Monday Challenge and here's the magazine cover inspiration we had to work with this week ...

Week Thirty’s Papercrafting Inspiration:

Papercrafting Inspiration: Magazine Mondays – Week Thirty-Inspiration Piece

- See more at: http://papercrafterscorner.com/blog/papercrafting-inspiration-magazine-mondays-week-thirty/#foobox-0/0/MM-Week-Thirty-Inspiration-Piece.jpg

Papercrafting Inspiration: Magazine Mondays – Week Thirty-Inspiration Piece - See more at: http://papercrafterscorner.com/blog/papercrafting-inspiration-magazine-mondays-week-thirty/#/

Papercrafting Inspiration: Magazine Mondays -
Week Thirty Inspiration Piece - See more at: http://papercrafterscorner.com/blog/papercrafting-inspiration-magazine-mondays-week-thirty/#/

Papercrafting Inspiration: Magazine Mondays -
Week Thirty Inspiration Piece - See more at: http://papercrafterscorner.com/blog/papercrafting-inspiration-magazine-mondays-week-thirty/#/

With not much time left to really be 'creative' and still get entered before the deadline ... 

here's what I came up with ...

The first thing I saw in the magazine inspiration piece was all the WORDS and so that was my starting point.  Next were the images on the right side that looked like ships at sea (probably battleships) so that was my next point of reference.  And lastly, if you have a loved one at battle, you are going to be writing him/her love letters to let them know you are thinking of them ... hence to post card reference.

Well that's about it for tonight.

I've been working on craft show items all day and I'm ready to call it a night!

Hope you've had a productive and fun day!

Snowing a bit around Ohio today ... once to be an inch or so ... but it SURE IS COLD!  

Smart phone says Actual Temp: 22 degrees ... Feels Like 8 degrees!

Brrrrr!

Thanks for stopping by and as always ...

Papers:  Ivory cs, OLD DCWV design paper

Stamp: SU The Open Sea

Ink:  Versafine Sepia

Accessories:  EKSuccess Tag Punch, Spellbinder Classic Oval dies, TH black distress marker, Rafia

Technique:  Distressing, Faux stitching

Touched by Inspiration . . .

Happy Weekend my friends!

WOW can you believe it's the last weekend before Thanksgiving?

Where is the time going?

Well ... I know where my time is going ... working on more goodies for my final

craft show for 2013.  I'm THRILLED to be 'sold out' of so much stuff

but also worried that I won't get enough completed for next weekends show!  

I know ... it will all come together ... it always does!

Today I want to share with you what I was working on last evening while taking a break from the Hershey nugget boxes, Hershey bar pouches and gift card holders.  I decided to sit down and do some much needed commenting for The Sisterhood of Crafter's 'embossing' challenge and came upon THIS beautiful card by Benzi Stamps.  I have admired her work for many years over on SCS and just had to ask if she minded if I cased this card since I was in dire need of sympathy cards for an order as well as for the upcoming show.

I actually made six cards using Benzi's inspiration ...

Three use the Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder and three use the Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder.  All were created using an older Stampin' Up set called 'Thoughts & Prayers'.

The inside sentiment is the same on all the cards.

The three crosses is a DR Designs stamp (one of my favorite) and the sentiment is by My Sentiments Exactly (H166).  The crosses were stamped using Stampin' Up River Rock ink.

 

I can't thank Benzi enough for her inspiration.  

These came together SO quickly and the design is exactly what I was looking for.

Here are a few other challenges to share in:

Little Miss Muffet Challenge - White in the Night

Try It On Tuesday - White on White

Sister Act Challenge #34 - Anything Goes

Okay ... back to work!

But before I go ... here's a peek at what's been keeping me so busy ...

It's going to be a small (50 vendors) show so hopefully this will be enough along with my cards, tissue box covers, travel tissue boxes, gift cards and whatever else I can come up with between now and next Saturday!  LOL!  (I do have more boxes & pouches cut & ready to fill ... if time permits.)

Have a great day/weekend and THANKS SO MUCH for stopping by!

As always . . .

 

Joan's Gardens Challenge

Hello my friends!

WOW!  I feel like that guy in the Frosty the Snowman holiday special 

that claims 'Busy! Busy! Busy!'

With one last craft show for the year

 at the end of this month,

I've been busy, busy making more goodies to sell.

More about that later but for now I'd like to share the creation I made for the final challenge at Joan's Gardens with Joan at the helm!  That's right ... Joan is retiring the end of the year and her friend/employee Terri has bought Joan's Gardens.  

Be sure to pop over to Joan's Gardens for all the details.

This week's challenge requirements are:

Use Any Colors

Window

Trees

You must use a product sold at Joan's Gardens.  Also, mention that you are doing the card/project for Joan's Gardens Challenge. It would be nice if you would add this link to your post: www.atjoansgardens.com

I just LOVE how this card came together and I can honestly say I don't think I would have made a card like this without the help of these guidelines ...

Not that I can't mind you ... I just would not have thought to do so!

Here are a few additional challenges I'd like to enter:

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Challenge #6 - Anything Goes

CCEE Stampers - Embossing and Glitter

Creative Knockouts - Snowflakes 

ABC Christmas Challenge - W for Winter Wishes

The Paper Shelter - Christmas

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday - Winter Scene

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  

I hope you'll come join in on the fun challenge at Joan's Gardens!

NOW ... I'd better get back to work creating!

Still have wine bottle tags, Hershey bar pouches and envelope gift card holders to make!

As always ...

Recipe:
Papers - White cs, Garden green cs
Image - Marianne Designs Vintage Christmas Image Sheet VK-9531
Accessories:  Spellbinder Nesting Trees die, Poppy Stamps #815 Grand Madison Window die, Memory Box #98238 Snowflake Corner die,  Flower Factory gold holiday ribbon, Stickles, X-press It Foam Mounting Tape, Gold Pilot marker, Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

Items in RED where purchased through Joan's Gardens.