A Very Sugary Cupcake...and Sweet Mother's Day Memories...

Good morning, dear friends!

Seems like I haven't posted forever--just a few days, though!  It's been busy here, but today is nice and quiet...{sigh....!}

I have a couple of things to share with you today...first off...I've been needing some birthday cards to have on hand, so I finally got one done yesterday:

I LOVE these colors together--one of my favorite combinations--just makes me really happy!  I used three of my favorite Pink Persimmon stamp set for this:  "Vintage Cupcake", "Vintage Greetings", and "Sweet Greetings"...each one is just delightful!

Lots of silver Stickles, lace and the perfect shade of vintage pink rick-rack trim were used...and some oh, so fabulous German clear glass glitter for the frosting!

Also added some Diamond Stickles on some random pink polkadots on the background paper--I just can't seem to stop with the sparkles!

I've also been working on things for Mother's Day...My Mom asked me last week if I would make something with my Grandmother's picture on it for her Mother's Day display in her "shrine", as we call it...the place in her entry that she always decorates so beautifully for each and every holiday.  Here's what I came up with:

This is LaPriel when she was just 17 years old, in 1929...my Dad's mother.  I love her.  She passed away when I was just 3 1/2 years old,  but I do remember her.  What I remember the most is that she absolutely loved me.  That warm, sweet thought is stuck in my memory, and I know it will never go away...

 I used yellow and turquoise for the card because they were her favorites...As I worked on this, my thoughts kept revolving around her.  I have a copy of her journal--the only one I know she had, and in it is found this lovely Mother's Day memory from 1946...

"Mother's Day--I woke up early this morning and went in the front room and there were four lovely potted plants on the mantle with notes on them to me from my boys...I squealed out loud and out came my precious boys grinning from ear to ear.  They said that wasn't all.  They asked me to go outside, and out there they had planted flowers all out in the front...they had signs on them.  One said, 'Dear Mother, I hope these will bloom.  But they never can bloom as blooming sweet and lovely as you.  Grant.'  Another, 'Merry Mother's Day, Mother Mine.'  Then another sign said, "I hope these will grow, but they never will grow as beautiful as you, Mother Dear.  Clayn.'  (my Dad!)  I cried--couldn't help it!  I wonder so often how I happened to be so lucky to have such love as I have....A lovely Mother's Day..."

Sometimes when I'm too busy, I think of another time in her journal when her boys really wanted her to go to town and see a movie with them, and she did, writing that she hoped they always would want her to go with them like that...precious moments that fly away too soon!  I'm so grateful for that wise lesson from my Grandmother...

Her daughter, my Aunt Diana said that she always said, "Remember to smile before you answer the phone...a happy voice on the phone means you've reached a happy home." More good advice! 

She told me that once a man had called their home once mistakenly, and that my Grandmother sounded so cheerful, he called back later, "just to hear a pleasant voice on the phone"!

I need to remember that more often!

I asked my Mom what typified her the most--how could I characterize her--in the small space of a card--in the best way?  So many thoughts came to her mind, and my Dad's...in the end, I found inspiration in these words...and I just feel that it's something she would say to me right now if she could...

...so those are my words to you, today, as well...Believe in Yourself...

...and have a most wonderful day!

Some Stamping, Storybook Houses, and a Sweet Love Story...

Good evening, all! So much to do today, hope you stick with me till the end, because that's where the sweet, true-love story is....!

First of all--oh, my! I'm so thrilled to be asked to join Julie Murray and the Design Team--Alison, Sarah and Sandi--of The Play Date Cafe' Challenge! I'm just so excited to be part of this talented team--they are such warm and welcoming women, and just wait till you see the fun planned for the rest of the year--and beyond! This will be my first week to host, and I'm really looking forward to everyone's beautiful creations! There's still time to join in this week, and I hope you do, if you haven't already! Sandi's hosting this week, and her beautiful color selection can be seen in my post from yesterday...Thanks so much, ladies!

More thanks...today I received two very beautiful cards in the mail...one from my sweet friend, Darlene, and the other from another kind friend--also from Splitcoast, Melisa. Both were sending well-wishes for getting over my bug--I'm doing much better, ladies, and your thoughtfulness really made my day--thank-you both!

So many wonderful people in the blog world--if I'd only known...I'd have done this SO much sooner!

Okay, down to "business"! I've got three cards for you tonight--all from three of my favorite stamp companies! My first card tonight is for a sketch challenge at Pink Persimmon--


I love Scottie's --we have a Scotty...she was VERY expensive! Her pedigree says she's 100% Scottish Terrier, but I'm fairly certain that somewhere in her family tree, a TASMANIAN DEVIL played a part, because that's what she is! We love her, she's adorable, but she can't be in the house--she EATS my house! But this little Scotty image is peaceful and sweet, isn't it?!



Had fun with this one--thanks for the challenge, Pink Persimmon!


My next card uses an image from Crafty Secrets' "Christmas" Images & Journal Notes.


This is one of my favorite images in the booklet--mostly because I love pictures from this time periods, around the 1920's, and I love the style of these houses--very storybook or bungalow style--my favorite!

Those beautiful, steep, snow-covered roofs, the beautiful colors of the houses...aaahhh! Making this card made me pull out one of my favorite books on Storybook Houses. If I could live in one of these beauties, I would do it in a heartbeat!

Bear with me, here...I want to share some beautiful Storybook-style homes I found online...





Aren't these fabulous??? Okay, maybe not to everyone's taste--but they just make me happy!

These houses were very popular in southern California--especially in Hollywood--can you see why?

Last but certainly not least...while making this last card with a fabulous new set from Cornish Heritage Farms,



(***Just added the card I made to the post--for some reason it got deleted last night, so you were all probably wondering WHAT card I said I made with this set! Ah, technology!)

...I was reminded of my great-grandparents, Glenn and Estella Stapley. I have a picture of them that the couple in the stamp really remind me of...

...and the house he built for her in the 1920's...a large, beautiful home in the palm-lined lanes of old Phoenix, Arizona...


In this picture, you can see the large screened-in porch upstairs where the kids would sleep in the summer...


Glenn and Estella were, literally, childhood sweethearts. They always said they were born "a day apart and a mile apart", in Mesa, Arizona , on June 6th and 7th of 1895. No details tonight...you've read quite enough from me for now! Just a sweet love story to go to sleep on...sweet dreams!

(Scotty card: Pink Persimmon's "Ric Rac Circle" set, "Little Christmas Cottage" set, "Vintage Cupcake" set, "Scotty Dogs" set. )

A Sweet Christmas Caroler....and Nature Girl!

Hope your Sunday has been lovely! We've had a nice, quiet day...Church then home all day--hardly even a phone call--perfect!

I've got a couple of cards to share with you today, and then I thought I'd tell you a little about my "day job"...not a typical job, I might add! Hope you don't mind me getting personal once in a while--we're all friends here, right?!

First off, another wonderful image courtesy of Every Thing Creative:

The "Merry Christmas" sentiment is from Pink Persimmon's "Little Christmas Cottage" stamp set--one of my favorites!

I'm really having fun with these beautiful digital images! They have a lovely selection of them--not many, but they're all just lovely--great quality! So easy putting this together--perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon!

I don't think it picked up well in the photo, but I printed the image twice, then cut out the lantern and popped it up on the card--I love a little dimension! A little glitter in the lantern, and that's about it! Isn't she sweet?!

Next, a darling little vintage image from Crafty Secrets' "Christmas" Creative Scraps--another quick one tonight--

The buttons at the top are very old from my husband's grandmother's stash--I'm lucky to have it and sometimes find just exactly what I need in her carefully kept little button boxes. Thanks, Grandma Gorrell!

For this card I used Graphic 45's beautiful new paper collection "Christmas Past". Just gorgeous stuff! Included in the paper pack are the two pieces at the bottom of my card--the calendar date and Santa's face. Lots of German gold glass glitter, a little diamond glitter in the fireplace (doesn't really show up here...) and some fun trim and we're done!

So, in my other life...the life that doesn't involve paper, beautiful stamps and tons of glitter, I work in our county park as a naturalist...in the spring, I--along with 3 other women--teach local school children about our native plants and animals, and the Ohlone Indians that lived here until the Spanish came and changed their way of life...I promise I'm not going to start a lecture!

We take the kids on a 45-minute hike through the woods, teach them about the plants, look for animal tracks, etc., and then in our classroom, filled with freeze-dried animals, including a mountain lion, golden eagle, turkey vulture, owls, etc., we teach them various classes on birds of prey, the food chain, etc.

In the fall, however--now--we go TO the schools to teach...take our show on the road, so to speak! Here's me on Friday in a 3rd grade classroom teaching about birds...

Wow--doesn't that little boy just look SO excited about what I'm teaching???

Getting a close-up look at our owls...

How do you like my glamorous naturalist uniform??? I always feel SO pretty! Love when I have to run errands right afterwards...!

Hawks, quail and blue jays...just a few of the poor birds that have to stay in the back of our cars during the fall--my girls don't love it too much!

Well, that's just a bit of my "other life"! Thanks for letting me share! I'll be back tomorrow with something glittery, and something VERY tasty!

Sweet dreams!

Absolute Comfort Food & Sugary Sweet Cards

Good morning, all!

Hope your weekend was wonderful! Ours was great--too much going on for me to post yesterday, as I'd planned...oh, well! I was about to go out and pick strawberries at my friends' farm, but it just started to rain--we weren't expecting that! We'll see if it lets off in a bit.....I hope so, because I had some big strawberry plans, and they had strawberry shortcake for dessert written all over them!

Got lots to share with you again, today--first off--how about some sticky, chewy, messy, gooey breakfast??? That's part of the title of one of my new favorite cookbooks--and you know how I love cookbooks! I already had one by Jill O'Connor, which I'll share another day--this new one I just found in Target last week, and couldn't resist! I mean, just look at this cover--what's a girl to do?! From the delicious recipes & photos, to the cute vintage-style fonts and the scallop-edged pages, I was a gonner!

Not just for kids, the recipes in this book are to die for! Wait till I make her "Matterhorn Mountain Shortbread Cookies", or "Sticky Butterscotch French Toast"! Oh, my!!!

Saturday morning, I made the "Banana Split Pancakes" for my family. When a recipe contains bananas, Nutella, strawberries...how can you NOT make it?

(You really need to click on the pancakes & see this ooey, gooey pile close-up.....)

Yikes! How's that for a plate of flapjacks??? I might have spread the Nutella a little thick on this first plate, but my daughter Sarah didn't seem to mind!

Haven't gotten permission to give the recipe yet--but I'll try. Suffice it to say, the pancakes are loaded with smashed up ripe bananas, buttermilk, nutmeg, sugar, then just load on the toppings--YUM! Just do yourself a favor & get this cookbook!!!

I made up another soup recipe last year. This was another that I tasted at a restaurant & loved so much that I came home and tried to duplicate it--was pretty successful if I do say so myself! I've given this recipe out many times, and my daughter requested it for her birthday dinner, as did my Mother-in-law for her dinner this weekend. Here it is:

This is my Chicken Tortilla Soup. I love it! Definitely a family favorite--hope yours will like it, too! Unfortunately, when I make up my own recipes, I don't measure spices so much, but I'll try to give you a good feel for what to do. I'll have to get more specific next time!

JULIE'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Boil 5-6 chicken breast, then shred.

In large pot, add 2 large cans fat-free chicken broth
chili powder--I just take off the shaker top & dump in at least 1/4 of the bottle!
cumin--same thing as the chili powder
garlic powder--just a few shakes
dash of cloves
salt & pepper, to taste
2-4 bay leaves
2 squares of dark chocolate, at least 60-100% cacao--very important!
Green Tabasco sauce--just dump in a bunch--not very hot, just adds excellent flavor
1 large can chopped green chilis
2 cans white hominy
1 bag shredded carrots
This is the first time I added a bag of frozen roasted corn--yum! I'll do it again!

Just add the chicken when shredded and let it heat through and simmer on low heat to let all the flavors mingle fabulously.

Juice 3-4 limes and have the juice on the table to serve with the soup, also broken-up fresh cilantro. After soup is served in the bowls, add a dash of fresh lime juice and some cilantro. You can also have sour cream and shredded cheese to add, if you'd like.

When I have time, I like to fry up my own tortilla strips--the kids prefer this, of course! If I don't have time, just a bag of chips will do very nicely!

Don't be afraid of my vague measurements--it's really hard to mess this up. Just season it up & taste and go from there! I hope you like this as much as we do...

Now, for the cards--had fun with these this weekend, just did a little whenever I could! I'm sharing a few of my favorite stamp companies with you today. You already know that I LOVE Crafty Secrets! Pink Persimmon and Paper Relics are also wonderful, vintage stamp companies that just make me happy!

This first card is from Pink Persimmon. The stamp set is called "Merry Christmas Cottage", and I used Crafty Secrets' adorable "Snow Bunnies" stamp set for the tiny snowflakes in the background. The cardstock used here was Ruby Red, Handsome Hunter, PTI Vintage Cream, and a Brenda Walton Christmas dp collection from last year.

I used my favorite Snow-Tex again for the snow, and added Dazzling Diamonds, a little crocheted lace, and pompom trim, along with my silver glitter, buttons, and that's about it for this one. It's such a cute little stamp set!

I just love "Paper Relics"! Just discovered it a few weeks ago, and the very kind designer, Hope Wallace, went through a bit of trouble to get them to me--had to go & pick them up from somewhere, as they weren't readily available when I ordered them--very sweet! She's a real artist--you HAVE to go & check out her site here...PAPER RELICS.

When I saw this set, I just HAD to have it! I love wonderful vintage fonts, and as you see, this has a couple of beautiful ones! The images are fabulous, as well, and so much fun to play with--I'll be doing much more with these, for sure!

I used Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, & PTI Vintage Cream for this card. Dyed some white grosgrain with Cameo Coral ink to match--hadn't done that for a while! Fun, but messy!

And last but certainly not least, my favorite Crafty Secrets! They've got some new Creative Scraps, which are so marvellous! Here's 2 images from the new "Christmas" Creative Scraps:

I love this little girl--just adorable! I had a couple of these napkin rings from Michael's that I keep pulling little bits off of for this & that, but I just snipped it, straightened it out, and used it for my border--I like it! The plaid ribbon is also from Michael's I used Real Red, Glorious Green (first time I've used it--ordered the cs 2 years ago & had to slice open the package for this!), PTI White, and Crafty Secrets' Earthy dp pad.

One more thing to show you--found this in my Halloween storage boxes. My Mom just made this for fun--probably in about 10 minutes, a few years ago, and it always brings a smile to my face when I see it....

Just some glass beads, wire felt, needle & thread, a touch of markers for the sweet face, and you get a fabulous little pumpkin girl a' la Mom!

There you go--that's what I've been up to this weekend--what about you? What did you do?

Yummy Scones & Mother/Daugher Birthday Cards

Good afternoon! I have to do this quick & get ready to leave the house....did you notice I didn't start this post with "good MORNING"?! Yep--been making cards all day so far--now I have to be a real mom!

Let's start off the day with something yummy, shall we? I am in love with The Farm Chicks--they have a wonderful new cookbook you'll just have to check out! I made their Maple Oat Scones, which were delicious! Not sure if it's kosher to add their recipe here (I'll find out later!), but I wanted to just tease you with a glimpse of them....



Yes--that's maple glaze dripping down the sides of the warm, slightly cruncy scones...ahhhhh!

(***I just e-mailed Serena--THE Farm Chick--(her partner, Teri, recently left the business, but she carries on!), and asked permission to share the recipe, and she graciously gave it, so thank-you, Serena, and here you go!)

THE FARM CHICKS' MAPLE OAT SCONES

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
10 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (about 2 oz.)

MAPLE GLAZE

Combine 1 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. maply syrup, 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar--whisk together until smooth.

SOOOO delicious! I would just add a bit more maple syrup to both the scones and to the glaze next time--love my maple syrup!

You really need to check out the Farm Chicks' blog--so filled with inspiration (and delicious recipes, things to make for your home, etc...!) She's has a great love for all things vintage, as well, and has lots of wonderful stories to share--you'll love it!

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/

Thanks again, Serena!

My daughter's friend Hunter is having a birthday party tomorrow, and Annie wanted me to make her a card. The colors HAD to be chocolate brown, turquoise and bright, light green. Then she went off to school. I had my orders, and this is what I came up with:



Won't give too many details right now, but ask me if you'd like more...all the stamps I used on this card were Pink Persimmon: "Vintage Cupcake", "Vintage Greetings", and "Singing Birds". Adorable stamps!

It's her mother, Loretta's, birthday on Monday, and I'll be taking her out to lunch then, so I made her a card today, as well:



Again, short on the details...This image is from Crafty Secret's "Girlfriends" Images & Journal Notes--love it! On the inside is a sentiment stamped from CS's stamp set "Glamour Girls". I also used Crafty Secret's "Radiant" paper pad for the black & white polka dot print. The little gingham flowers on the corners were just little things I made about a month ago, and they seemed to fit nicely.


Well--off to pick up girls. Have a wonderful Friday with your families!

You Take the Cupcake!

My daughter Annie's birthday party (a bit belated!) was on Friday night. She really wanted to decorate cupcakes with her friends, which they did--and they had a ball! My Mom had given me the gift of the beautiful silver cupcake rack, which we displayed them on, and they looked so beautiful, I had to take a few pictures:

Since I stayed up late with the girls (out of their way, of course!) I felt inspired to "cook up" a different kind of cupcake! I love the yummy vintageness of these Pink Persimmon stamps--they recently released a few with a cupcake-y theme, and they're just wonderful! Here's what I came up with:



The stamp sets I used are (all Pink Persimmon): Vintage Cupcake, Vintage Greetings, and Sweet Greetings. I used my new favorite Papertrey cardstock--white, Aqua Mist and Sweet Blush. Also used a cute polkadot print from Me & My Big Ideas, the Baby Girl stack. Used Brilliance Graphite Black and Rangers' Vintage Photo for my inks, and just embellised with lots of ribbon, pompom trim & rickrack. I glittered up the frosting and the cherry with Inkssentials' Glossy Accents and Dazzling Diamonds. Glittered-up the sides with my favorite silver glitter and a glue pen. I have some adorable glass bead flowers & leaves, which I used for decorating the cupcake, with a little crystal rhinestone in the center of the flower. That's about it! Kept me happy while staying up all night with some crazy girls!

Now to change the subject completely....!

My oldest daughter, Chelsea, is away at college right now--I miss her terribly! But, I know she's in a great place and very happy with her friends and working hard--so I wouldn't want it any other way. She looked at my blog the other day and commented that she felt like the missing child! Well, I couldn't let that happen, so here's a picture I took of Chelsea the last time I saw her before I left for home. You can see how happy she is with these other beautiful girls--a wonderful group--we're just missing one here, who I met later, but this is almost the entire group. My daughter is on the far right.


The other day, we decided to bake her favorite cookies for her & sent them off Tuesday morning. They arrived on Friday, and she called me to say how excited she was, etc. I hadn't been very good about sending her care packages last year, so I'm vowing to be better this year!

These cookies are just about our favorites ever, so I thought I'd share the recipe with all of you. It's supposed to be a variation of a Mrs. Fields' recipe, but who knows! I've changed it up a bit from the original recipe I received over 20 years ago, and here's how we make it:

1 lb. butter--NO margarine! And yes, one pound!!!
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 cups flour
1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 pkg. butterscotch chips
1 pkg. white chocolate chips
A few handfuls of oatmeal--just shake a bunch in!

My family isn't big on nuts, but they'd be wonderful, too.

Cream the butter and sugar. Then, just add the rest, flour last. I usually end up having to mix it up with my hands because there's so much flour. Make good-sized balls--can put more than a dozen on a cookie sheet because these really don't spread--they end up nice, fat balls of goodness!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. I always go with 8 minutes, and they're absolutely perfect! They stay soft on the inside for as long as they last--which won't be long!

Here's a picture of them--we only had 4 left when I took this, but here they are:

I did a big variation once, and they were delicious! Had a bunch of bananas WAY past their prime, and was about to toss them, when this idea popped into my mind, so I gave it a go, and it was so worth it! Here's what I changed:

5 small very ripe bananas
only 1/2 lb. butter
lots of oatmeal
1 large pkg. vanilla pudding--I used the non-instant kind
I just added a big bag of chocolate chips to this one--

Enjoy!

Pink Persimmon Halloween

Good morning! A quick post to show you a little treat I just finished for Halloween. Love these Pink Persimmon stamps--just perfectly vintage and wonderful! Love this sweet set-"Little Red Wagon"--don't the kids just remind you of "Dick & Jane"?

Just quickly painted a little frame from Michaels & went from there. Love stamping clothing images on great patterned paper as I think it gives it such great depth & texture, and I don't have to color it myself! Of course, I had to use plenty of my favorite real silver glitter--can't do without it! If you want any more details, I'll include them later.

Off for a fun afternoon in Monterey with my Mom, who just arrived for a visit yesterday--on the lookout for more fabulous trim!

Have a wonderful day!