My Very Own Domestic Goddess...

Happy Friday, everyone!  Hope you're at the beginning of a wonderfully fun weekend!  We're on our way out to a party with our girls, so we're off to a great start!

Just a few things to share tonight...been having SO much fun with Graphic 45 papers, as you can tell if you've been to visit me lately!  They are just gorgeous, and fit in so well with the kind of projects I enjoy doing.  Guess I'm wishing I was a domestic goddess, as I keep playing with that theme...here's my first card today...

Both the main image and the designer paper (and flowers) are from Graphic 45's "Domestic Goddess" collection--how can you not love paper like this?! 

Even though I love my modern conveniences, there's just something so beautiful about laundry on the line...I realize I could still do it--but my dogs would probably just eat it!  Look at those beautiful embroidered kitchen towels!

Decided to make a few punched flowers with the paper--love this look!  Some of my favorite silver shavings glitter, lace, ribbon, buttons...nothing much else!

"...service with a smile..."  isn't that how we all run our households?  (***wink!***) 

Here's my second card.  For this one, I used a mixture of Graphic 45's "Domestic Goddess", "Fashionista" and "Times Nouveau" collections...love them all!

Did a bit of fussy cutting on the flowers from one of the gorgeous sheets--gosh, it's hard to make that first cut!  After that, just keep those scissors snipping!

Look at the gorgeous detail of the flowers...had to throw in a couple of crystal rhinestones to surround the Domestic Goddess--nothing but the best for her!


I love her face...

...as I cut out this beautiful image, I couldn't help but think of my grandmother, Velda...

...can you see why?  She was a domestic goddess in every way...She raised beautiful, talented children, kept an immaculate home, was a wonderful cook, did beautiful handwork...sewing, crocheting, embroidery, and knew how to throw a good party!

She taught me so much, and I'll be forever greatful for her influence in my life...she still is a great influence in my life.  (Though I have to add that MY house is NOT immaculate, and I have oh, so much to learn!)

 Everytime I hand wash & dry special dishes, I remember doing it with her at her kitchen sink--how she taught me to do it so lovingly and carefully.  Every time I make her fabulous cheesecake...never tasted another as good as hers (maybe I'll share that with you soon!)  Every time I wipe down the bathroom counters, I hear her voice saying, "Always leave the bathroom so that it looks like you were never there..."  to be nice & clean for the next person.  Every time I pick up needle and thread, knitting needles or a crochet hook, she's sitting patiently beside me...

She taught me to be more caring and thoughtful than I might have otherwise been...I love and miss her greatly.  Thank-you to my very own Domestic Goddess...

Enjoy a beautiful weekend with your family & friends...I'll see you very soon!

The Play Date Cafe' Challenge #11--Vintage Picture Day

Good evening, everyone!  Two posts in one day--makes me feel pretty productive!  Can't believe we're up to week #11 with The Play Date Cafe' Challenges--more creative people have played this week than ever before...so exciting! 

Sandi is our host this week, and the colors she came up with are so lovely and refined...black, white, gold and silver...

Here's my take on the challenge:

Sweet little photographer ready to take some vintage photos...got this adorable image from Crafty Secrets' "Girlfriends" Images & Journal Notes booklet. 

So glad I still had some of this wonderful textured gold and silver metallic paper left--can't get it any more!  Had to add lots of lovely silver shavings glitter, black & white gingham ribbon, some great gold metallic ribbon, and these fabulous white vintage buttons from my husband's grandmother's  button stash...(thank-you, Fern!)

...I really love these buttons--they really shimmer--hard to see in the photo, though...

That's it for tonight!  Hope you all can play along with us this week--any style is welcome! 

Sweet dreams!

A Sugary Card and Some Very Sugary Cookies!

Good afternoon, friends!  Hope your day is going well! 

Just a couple of things for you today, then off to spend more  time with my girls.  We're still on vacation from school--a long one!  There are still games to be played and fun to be had!

This week marks the 101st Crafty Secrets challenge over at Splitcoast--WOW!  The lovely Lori is our hostess this week, and couldn't stop thinking of "101 Dalmations" due to our number of challenges, so this week, we were to "show our spots" in our cards--cute idea!  Here's what I came up with:

This adorable image is from Crafty Secrets' "Homemade" Images & Journal Notes booklet--one of my favorites!  Love this spotty Martha Stewart punch--can't remember what it's called, but I LOVE it!

Mother/Daughter baking times are so wonderful, aren't they?  Love the soft pastel colors in the image--so delightfully vintage!  Had to add a healthy dose of real silver shavings glitter to this one!  The lacy doily seemed a good addition, as well!

Sweet little alphabet stickers from Crafty Secrets' "Baby Girl" sticker set, lots of silver Stickles for my spots, another vintage abalone button and some soft, lovely ribbon, and that's about it!

Now, how about some SUPER sugar, crumbly, flaky and delicious (but not very good for you at all!) cookies?! 

These come to us courtesy of the fabulous Pioneer Woman!  Ree Drummond is her name (just in case you don't already know!), and I just adore her style, humor, photography and recipes!  If you haven't "met" her yet, you really need to rush right over and do so!

I haven't gotten permission to print her recipe from her new and wonderful cookbook yet, so I'll just show you the book...

...and let you know that Amazon. com is offering it to us at an amazingly good price!  I first saw it at a bookstore, and almost bought it for myself at $27, but it was the week before Christmas, and I just couldn't justify it...then, I looked it up on Amazon, and they had it for $11.50!!!  It was SO mine!  They are still offering it at that price--hurry!

Want a bite?!  SOOOO flaky, tender & sweet!  These are her "Angel Sugar Cookies"...yum!

That's it for now--make something delicious today!

Beautiful Big Sur...and the Queen of Aprons

Good afternoon, my friends!  Can't believe I haven't posted anything since New Year's Eve!  It's been a very busy time for all of us, though--hasn't it?!  Hope all of your holiday celebrations have been full of family, friends and fabulous times!

I wanted to share a little of a beautiful day we just had with you.  On Saturday, we all headed out to Big Sur, which is close to where we live.  Gorgeous!!!  Keep in mind, this is January!

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?  Love the gorgeous blues and greens in the water...ahhhh!

My girls looking out at the ocean...

WOW!

Sarah, Annie and Chelsea...

Wish I could have been closer to that beautiful lighthouse...almost sunset...

Not quite sure what Sarah was doing...but I like it!

My girls in front of Bixby Bridge in Big Sur...what a lovely day!

I actually got a couple of cards made this week, as well!  Not as much creating time as I usually have, but that's okay!  Here's the first:

I made this for a dear friend of mine who's birthday is coming up fairly soon...she IS the queen of aprons!  The images are from Crafty Secret's new & improved "Girlfriends" Images & Journal Notes booklet,  LOVE those aprons!  And the retro stars....my favorites! 

The background paper is from Graphic 45's "Domestic Goddess" collection--a great favorite of mine!  I tried to duplicate the look of apron sleeves at the sides of the card with the lace and the rick rack trim.  Just printed up my own "Queen of Aprons", added some Martha Stewart "White Gold" glitter, some buttons and that's about it!

Here's another quick one I made using Crafty Secret's "Kitchen Mail" Vintage Postcard kit...

These postcards are just so much fun to make--and speedy, too!  You can add as much or as little as you want...

The photo doesn't really pick up the diamond glitter on her wings, but it's there! 

Mrs. Wonderful...if only!  Love using crystal rhinestones on these--great sparkle!  I edged the postcard with my favorite real silver shavings glitter--nothing glitters  quite like it!

Well, that's about it for today!  I hope you're enjoying the New Year so far, and that 2010 will be a wonderful, creative year for all of us!