11.12.09

If you are like me, you have lots of recipes just stuck in a folder or in a drawer. Well, why not get them organized into something cute?

This is a recipe box project that I designed for Right at Home Scrapbooking in Massachusetts. It features the precious vintage-style Early Bird line from Cosmo Cricket plus all of the chipboard embellishments. This recipe box is huge, too - 8.5" x 5.5" x 6" and includes lots of chipboard divider cards. Right at Home is shipping the kits right to you. What a cute holiday gift this would be, especially for family members. Tuck your family recipes inside! You'll also receive a bunch of my own recipes, too. :)

Here is the kit description and a link to purchase. I believe the number available is limited since they featured this class at a weekend retreat in October.

What's Cookin' Vintage Recipe Box Kit
Want a fun way to save your family's cherished recipes? Have your favorite recipes scattered around your kitchen? This vintage-style recipe box is the perfect home for them! Using the fun new Early Bird line from Cosmo Cricket, you'll love creating this large, bright and cheery box that will look so cute in your kitchen. Includes 6 divider tabs and lots of recipe cards. Call Mom, Grandma and Aunt Martha and get those family recipes written down and into this special box. Makes a great gift, too, especially for the upcoming holiday season!

This project was designed for us by Jennifer Stewart and will include some of Jennifer's very own recipes!

$38.00
We will ship this kit out to you as well, with a full set of instructions and photos. Shipping charges apply. * Link to Purchase a Kit *

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On a personal note, I had a hysteroscopy this morning and had 4 cysts removed from my uterus. It was outpatient surgery so it only took a few hours, but I'm pretty sore and resting at home. I barely remember going under....that "mask" they give you is some powerful stuff. Very thankful for my husband being there with me and taking good care of me. Also thankful for a brilliant doctor and good pain medication! This should clear the road for us for another child very soon. We are excited about that. :)

Have a wonderful night!

The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them. ~Ecclesiasticus 38:4

11.5.09

Good morning!

Since I won't be able to attend *Spark - The Event* this coming weekend, (boohoo) I thought I'd share the project that I made for their auction. This is a two-sided Christmas decor piece, one side with traditional red, green, and cream and the other with sparkly silver, pink, and aqua. I had so much fun working on this and hope that someone loves it enough to bid on it. :) Lots of my own little vintage treasures were used, too - an estate sale rhinestone button cover on one of the snowflakes, old red tinsel, velvet leaves, old buttons, and some vintage trims.

If you click on the photo, you can see a much larger view.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

11.6.09

Good morning. :) I am making gift lists and thinking about putting up the Christmas decor, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite small gift ideas from the past few years as well as some favorite new finds. These are all perfect for teachers, neighbors, or anyone who receives something small and meaningful from your family during the holidays.

1. Movie Night - I gave Noah's 1st grade teachers a Christmas tin with a new movie, a fleece blanket, two boxes of movie candy, and a bag of popcorn. I got everything at Walmart and Target, total less than $20. If you watch the sales, especially around Thanksgiving, you can get movies for $5. The blankets always go on sale, too.

2. Christmas CD - One year I gathered some of our favorite Christmas songs from Itunes and burned them onto CDs. I created the CD label using a program that came with the blank labels. Everyone loved them! Note: This is perfectly legal to do if you do it from Itunes. You have a set number of "burns" you can do of each song, so just don't go over your limit. I think each CD cost around $2.00 total. Noah drew the Christmas tree and I scanned it and added it to the CD label artwork with the label program. Also, I had him record, "Merry Christmas from the Stewart family!" via the microphone on my computer and I saved that as a sound file and put it as the first track on each CD. So sweet to hear his little voice on there now. :) I still get comments from friends and teachers that they still listen to the CD each year.

3. Coffee Cuffs - My friend Jaime has a sweet little Etsy shop and she sells these really cute coffee cuffs. I have ordered some from her to give to Noah's teachers this year. How cute and original are these?? You can customize the colors of the cuff, monster, and hearts. She also sells them with flowers and other designs on them. I am on a mission to give lots of handmade gifts this year, whether they be from my hands or someone else's. :)


4. Starbucks - Who doesn't love a Starbucks gift card? However....make it interesting. Instead of putting the card in an envelope or gift card holder, ask for an empty red cup! Put the card inside and tie a pretty, wide (wired) ribbon around the cup. (wired ribbon will keep its shape better) If you want to add some extras inside, how about a little shaker of red sugar, cocoa, or cinnamon?

What are your favorite ideas for teacher/neighbor/little gifts? Would love to hear them. :) I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

10.30.09

Happy Friday, everyone!

Just spent a good part of today uploading soldered pendants to my Etsy shop. These will be the last ones I'm making for a while as the holidays approach and things get busier. I love every one of them. If you're wanting to buy handmade for the holidays, head over to Etsy and support independent crafters and artists! :) My Etsy Shop link is over there ~~>

Ugh...what kind of Halloween candy did you buy? I bought a big bag of Mounds because I hate coconut, ha. I thought it might help keep me out of the candy bowl. Can't wait until Halloween! Love seeing all of the kids running up and down the sidewalk in their costumes.

Have a lovely weekend. BOO!

10.24.09

Thank you all SO much for your kind words and prayers.  I appreciate them so much.   It's hard to share something so personal.   I'll probably be having some minor outpatient surgery done in a few weeks to remove the fibroids, so that's a good thing.   

I have the house all to myself today, so I'm spending it in my pajama pants, creating the day away.   It's been really nice, although I miss my guys. :)   (scout outing)   I'm working on a giveaway project for Margie's SPARK event.  Sure would love to be there!

Here are a few peeks at the project I'm making.   Traditional Christmas on one side.  Pink, aqua, and silver sparkly on the other.  Fun!   (Shh...I even had Christmas music playing earlier.   It inspired me.)

Tomorrow for lunch I'm making Ina's Real Spaghetti and Meatballs.   Sure makes the house smell good and I think my outdoorsmen will appreciate it.  :)

Have a good weekend.  Hook 'em Horns!

"If you woke up breathing, congratulations!  You have another chance."  ~Andrea Boydston

10.23.09

This spooky little house is something I made last year and sold as a kit in my Etsy shop.   You can get the houses at Hobby Lobby.   Paper is Making Memories, roof is fabric, pumpkins and fencing are doll house accessories, and roof edges and chimney are covered in black glitter.  It's on my mantle right now with a tealight inside.  

Here are some other bloggers/sites that have inspired me lately:

Nora Griffin's holiday planner - you are wonderful for sharing this, Nora!

Janna Wilson's gorgeous necklaces - she knows I'm just waiting for her to start selling them.  Hurry UP, woman.

Linda Albrecht's Christmas projects - holy guacamole.  Everything she creates is amazing.

All of the beautiful, vintage Bethany Lowe Christmas collection at Bayberry Cove.  *sigh*  I can't wait to see my Christmas ornaments again.

Gorgeous Posh Squash on the Olive Juice Co. website.  Just so scrunchy and velvety!    

Family Fun's Spooky Halloween snacks - I especially love the swamp juice!

Christmas cards and projects with Cosmo Cricket's Jolly By Golly line - WOW!   I have all of this line and plan to make something out of it for my Etsy shop.  It is beautiful!

That's all for now.   

Oh, want a recipe?   

Here's a soup I want to try as soon as it gets cold again - Guy Fieri's Quick Roasted Tomato Soup.   Noah loves grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in tomato soup.   We all do!

Have a wonderful weekend :)

"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween."  ~Author Unknown

10.20.09

Good morning :)

I've been baking more recently.  It's so nice in the fall to have fresh quick breads for breakfast or homemade cookies in the oven after school.    (Note: in any quick bread recipe, you can replace the oil or butter with applesauce.  Really lowers the fat and still tastes great)    I pulled out the cake pedestal/cover that we got as a wedding gift 13 years ago and have been using it to hold our baked goods.   Looks so much prettier and makes whatever it holds seem special.  It's no more trouble than a plate or cookie jar, but makes the display a little more fun.   (chocolate chip cookie bars are pictured)

Here is one of our favorite recent recipes:

Pumpkin Gingerbread

(I used the applesauce substitution)

I put some in the oven the other night after everyone was in bed, so they woke up to the smell of pumpkin and a nice breakfast treat.   Try it!   And bonus...you don't have to make a big breakfast the next day. :)

10.19.09

You know when you feel like you have so much to say and nothing to say at the same time?  I guess that's how I've been feeling lately with blogging.   Lots going on in my life that is important to me, but just not sure how interesting it is in a blog post.  I'm sure all bloggers have felt that way at one point.  

 I am making intentional choices for myself to simplify.   I am not good at balance.  I admit it.  I throw myself completely into one thing and then other things in my life pay the price.  I often look at others and think, "HOW can she be doing all of these things at the same time and doing them well?"   As women we put so much pressure on ourselves to be multi-faceted, many times just to earn the approval of others.   But the times when I am happiest and feel most at peace are when I'm doing a good job at "tending to my blessings."  That's just the best way for me to word it.   My Lord, my family and myself, our home, and then my talents.  And yes, I believe that God wants us to tend to our talents.  That means using them for good...and when they don't take time away from those we love.  

I've been saying "no" a lot lately...and it feels good.   I have a good balance in my life right now and even have a little wiggle room to allow for unexpected events.  If you are SO busy that you can't imagine how you'd fit anything else into your life, then you are too busy.    

I'm still scrapbooking, making pendants and kits, being creative...but it doesn't consume me.  Maybe in a different phase of life it can take up more of my time, but for now it feels good the way it is.   I was thrilled to get an email inviting me to be the Melissa Frances guest designer for January.  Melissa Frances.....seriously?   I couldn't be more excited.  And I have TIME to devote to that this holiday season.   It doesn't feel like a big weight of "ugh, I have to make time to get that done."   I have joy in creating.  And if that ever went away, I would be sad.  I know so many people who are so busy with design teams and assignment work that they don't even enjoy creating anymore.  Time to pull back, girls.  I've been there!

Another more personal reason for my infrequent blogging is just not feeling well.  I have had issues with uterine fibroids before and had to have surgery to have them removed 10 years ago.  Well, they are back and are making having another child difficult.   So we are pursuing treatment...possibly another surgery this fall....and still praying for another child.  I can't afford the stress of putting too much on my wagon right now, so this is another reason for me finding a good balance in my life.   It's actually weird for me to share that, but I hope that maybe it will lead some of you to pray for me.  I'm in a little pain a lot of the time and not knowing what the future holds in this area of our lives is difficult.  So again....having more "wiggle" room in my life is a good thing.

Thanks for reading.  Sorry this turned into a longer post than I intended!   

So............what are your kids going to be for Halloween?   Noah will be Link from The Legend of Zelda.  I bought him some girls' brown tights to wear.  I am actually REALLY looking forward to seeing that, ha.  

God bless you this week.   Here's tonight's dinner!

Emeril's Chicken Pot Pie recipe

I lowered the fat by changing a few ingredients.   You can use any vegetables...even a bag of frozen mixed veggies thrown in!   Made a homemade pie crust, too, and only put the crust on top...not on the bottom.  

10.6.09

Hi, friends :) I thought I'd just quickly post some photos of some pendants I made for the retreat this weekend. (can't believe it's finally here...yahoo, girl time!) Anything that doesn't sell, I will put in my Etsy shop. (pendant photos are below)

I sure wish I was going to have time to scrapbook, but I just haven't been able to get anything together. I'm feeling the need to purge a LOT of stuff. I feel more creative when my supplies are limited. So glad I did that last spring with my patterned papers. I only have a couple of paper holders full and it's just fine with me.

Since I'm going away this weekend, I'm planning to make some food for the freezer for the boys and for me to take with me. My hotel room has a microwave and refrigerator and I'd really rather not eat fast food all weekend...just not a fan. (except for Chick-Fil-A) Here are some of the recipes I'm planning on making:

Pumpkin Muffins
King Ranch Chicken
Chili (I just use the 2-alarm chili spices mix and add red kidney beans)
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breasts (for sandwiches or salads)

Have you started on Halloween costume gathering yet? Noah wants to be Link from The Legend of Zelda and my sister is going to sew the green tunic for him. The rest of the costume we can get from Goodwill and Dad's closet. :)

9.19.09

Happy Saturday, everyone :)

Busy creating a few projects and layouts to showcase some of the products for my retreat vendor store. At least it's getting me to create and scrapbook!

I hope you're having a good weekend. Since I don't have a whole lot to blog about at the moment, I thought I'd share a recipe. A couple of weeks ago I made homemade waffles and wow, these were the best ever. Really light and fluffy and crisp. They take a little longer to make but are SO WORTH IT. Make a double or triple batch and freeze the leftovers. They heat up beautifully in the toaster!

Best Waffles Ever
from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 lg. egg yolks
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled (I used Smart Balance 50/50 blend)
2 lg. egg whites

Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk (this will "sift" it). Make a well in the center.
2. In another bowl beat egg yolks slightly. Stir in milk and butter.
3. Add egg yolk mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just ’til moistened (should be slightly lumpy).
4. In a small bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up).
5. Gently fold egg whites into flour and egg yolk mixture, leaving a few fluffs of egg white, Do not overmix.
6. Spoon waffle batter into your waffle iron, making sure not to overfill it.
7. Serve with real maple syrup and unsalted butter.

9.13.09

This ultrafine glitter looks so much prettier in old salt shakers, don't you think?  Love these so much and have to decide if I actually want to sell them now.  :)

Note on the bottles:  The glitter needs to be ultrafine or you're not shaking it thru these small holes.  Do you see how some of the holes on these are actually tiny stars?  So very fun.

I hope you're having a beautiful Sunday.  

8.24.09

Good morning!

I love Mondays - fresh start to the week. Today I've been doing more store preparation. I piled a bunch of it into this basket so I could take a photo. There definitely won't be anything in the store that I don't love! :) And anything I have left will go into my Etsy shop.

(bundled old ledger paper and sheet music, Distress Stickles, tons of seam binding colors, Distress Inks, sparkly silver glitter in old salt shakers, monochromatic bundles of ribbon with glitter berry stems, Jenni Bowlin items...)

If you'd like to attend the retreat in October, there is still room left. But seats are going fast, so hurry! Here is the link for more information.

We took Noah to see Shorts on Saturday evening at Alamo Drafthouse. (our favorite movie place) The movie was cute...not one of my favorites. Noah liked it, but I think he liked the Spy Kids movies much better. (same director) My favorite thing about it was the food we ordered...ha. At Alamo they have a full menu and you eat while you watch the movie. The food is FABULOUS. Have you seen any good movies lately?

Sorry kind of a boring blog entry. I've been focusing more on the importance of taking care of our home and family and not trying to fill my time with other things. I've said "no" to several opportunities lately and it feels really good. It's the season in my life to appreciate and care for the gifts the good Lord has given me and keep other things to a minimum and not a distraction. :)

Dinner tonight - Bowtie pasta with carmelized onions, lemon pepper chicken (shredded from a rotisserie chicken I bought yesterday), red peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, pine nuts, and grated parmesan. Love one bowl dinners like this!

Sharing a quick video that Noell from Paperclipping posted during her trip to CHA. Jenni Bowlin's new products. Sigh...my favorite. I'm going to have several of these things in my shop!



"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week." ~Spanish Proverb

8.22.09

I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to add just a touch of fall to the mantle. It's just a few flowers. :)

I got this etched vase recently while junking and the vintage glass glitter "3" is from Bayberry Cove (Wendy Addison). I think I'll add some shimmery copper/orange ribbon to the holes on top and hang it from the frame once September hits. Just tiiiiiiiired of the 100+ temps. We've had 61 days this summer over 100. I'm so ready for fall, football, pumpkin lattes, Black Friday, Halloween, sweaters, falling leaves...sigh. Summer is just such a long season here in Texas.
(although I love living here most of the time)

Want to try this recipe soon - Buffalo Chicken Salad. Yum!

We are off to the movies. Have a wonderful weekend!

"Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while." ~Kin Hubbard

8.16.09

Hey, everyone :)
Warning: Photo-heavy post!

On Saturday we went over to the 1898 store in Buda and to Citywide Garage Sale. I picked up a few goodies and thought I'd post 'em here. There isn't much better than junking! You can click on any photo for a closer look...



This is a lot of what I bought this weekend. Also got the shelf...original wood/paint and it was only $12! It's really heavy, probably 18" tall. I love that it's freestanding AND hangs on the wall. I'll use it in my shop to display.



An old ledger book from a grocery store in the 1905 and a tattered piano sheet music book.



A close up of the grocery ledger. Love how they kept these records so detailed. :) I'll be bundling these papers and sheet music with pretty ribbon to sell in my Etsy shop and in my store at the retreat in October.



An old shaving mirror! The shaving cream went in the metal base. The mirror swivels to the side as well as forward and back. The mirror is broken and she had this sweet old photo tucked inside. (she let me have it) I'll have something in the cup for sale in my store...not sure what yet.



The ledger and song books, an embroidered table runner, and some candy striped vintage Christmas balls.



Old, heavy salt shakers that will be filled with glitter for my store. Love these!



More of the salt shakers.



A condiment server set that I will have glass glitter in for scooping in my shop. Also a set of lace cuffs on the right that will probably go around a jar or two.



The condiment set, salt shakers, and a china bowl I loved. You don't see the orange flowers too often.



Another close up of the bowl.



One page of the piano song book "Songs For Girls." :)



One page of the sheet music book
and the bottom of the shaving mirror.

Don't forget that registration for Inspired 2010 starts soon.
I won't be teaching this time, but Donna has lined up some really fabulous teachers for 2010.
:) Don't miss it!

When does school start for you? Noah goes back on Wednesday.
Bittersweet, but I know he's ready (me, too) for some routine and to see his friends.
School supplies, uniforms, new backpack and lunch box...ready to go!

And because I miss it so much....here's some of The Office for you.
(this is two years old, but still hilarious)



Have a beautiful week!

8.6.09

Hey there!

I have nothing specific to blog about today, so it'll be pretty random...

I am having the BEST time preparing things to be in my little shop in October at the retreat. I'm already planning the displays, the vintage items I'll take to hold things, and deciding on products. To the left is just a sample of some of the things I'll have in the store. I plan to have layouts and projects displayed that use lots of these products, too. Lots of brand new CHA-goodies from October Afternoon, Jenni Bowlin, Cosmo Cricket, Bazzill, just to name a few...can't wait. (If you click on the photo you can see a larger view.) I've also been winding seam binding in about 15 colors to sell in 2-yard bundles. Still planning a trip to a few antique malls to gather some tiny salt shakers to hold glitter. Fun!

From the blogs I read often, here are some things that inspired me this week:

1. Amy's gorgeous ribbon on spools in her craft room. Her stuff just makes me smile.

2. Andrea's muffin tin meals photo. Noah wasn't feeling well the other night, asked for a snack, and I brought him one of these (6-cup) with fruit, cheese, crackers and he just thought it was so neat. And he's 9. :)

3. Pam's gorgeous camping tablecloth. What a great use for old/vintage sheets! Pam is teaching at Inspired 2010. Lucky students!

4. These precious cards made by Candice. She found the scalloped card bases in the $1 spot at Target. Gotta love that!

5. I love Nora's gift wrap station in her house. How fun to look up and see all of that beautiful ribbon.

6. Teresa's lovely Farmer's Market photos. So pretty!

7. Tim Holtz showing the new Distress Stickles colors (love these) and the Rock Candy crackle paint. Oh, mama!

8. Linda's latest projects. Hello? This girl is AMAZING.

9. Theresa's photos of Uncommon Objects, my favorite store in Austin. I could spend hours there, I tell ya. Well, I have.

10. Yay, Melissa! Was so glad she won the Next Food Network Star. She has never been to cooking school, just a stay-at-home mom with fabulous ideas. I made this the other night and it was wonderful. Here is her 4-step chicken recipe. Yum!

Have a blessed day!

7.30.09

Hi, friends. :) Wow, I'm so sorry it's been so long since I blogged. The summer, especially July, has just gotten away from us and I've really been trying to slow down and enjoy each day. That has included not doing much blogging, crafting, or any heavy-duty projects. I do love summer for the lazy days and light schedule. (Sigh. not going to complain about the non-stop 100+ degree days...comes with the territory)

I'll make this a long blog post to catch up! Would love if you'd leave me a comment, too. I love to hear from my readers and to see if anyone is really out there. I'm just as guilty as the next person for not commenting and for using Google Reader (or other programs) to read blogs quickly. But it sure is nice to hear from all of you once in a while. :)

1. Noah. What a GREAT summer he has had! He took four weeks of swim lessons from our brand new YMCA. He went from being an ok swimmer with trouble treading water to diving, doing all of the strokes beautifully, and being very confident in any depth of water. I am so proud of him! He also went to a cub scout camp with his dad (was a father/son thing). They were gone for 3 nights/4 days and boy did I miss them. With him being my only one, sometimes it's hard to let him grow up. I can't even tell you how proud I was of him when David sent me this photo (above) from camp. He said, "I handed them the tent, told them to have fun, and walked off." David came back in a little while and Noah and his friends had assembled the tent all by themselves. :) He had so many new adventures during those four days. And even though it's hard to let him go, I'm also SO proud that he's learning independence and is growing into a strong, young man, just as God has planned.

2. Fall Retreat. For about 8 years I've been a member of the Heart of TX Scrapbook Club, a wonderful group of ladies who meet twice a year to scrapbook for an entire weekend. It's always so much fun! Our next retreat is coming up in October in Temple, TX. If you'd like more information on attending or would like to join our free group, please visit our website!

There are always several vendors with mini-stores set up around the hotel ballroom so we are all able to shop during the weekend while we scrapbook. This time, I decided to go as a vendor. So excited! I will have a small shop, Saturday Morning Vintage, set up at the retreat all weekend. I'll try hard to make it beautiful and will stock it with fun items - papers and embellishments from October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin, Melissa Frances, Tim Holtz....tiny vintage shakers of glitter, yards of gorgeous colors of seam binding, Thickers, Distress Stickles, inkpads, and of course, several of my ready-to-go project kits from my Etsy store. I absolutely can't wait!

3. Fall Project. Since I've already started gathering and ordering items for my little mini-store in October, I decided I'm going to work on a few projects and layouts to have up at the store. I always love when I'm shopping being able to see how to use some of the products. This Give Thanks wall hanging uses lots of things I will have in the store. You know, sometimes if you use the BACK of a double-sided paper, you get a completely different look. Ok duh, yes....but some of these papers are very girly and not at ALL Fall-ish on the other side. It's fun to see what you can do with them! Here are a couple of other photos of the project: Photo 1 and 2.

(Speaking of fall...I added a few of my vintage Halloween hanger kits to my Etsy shop. Link is on the right sidebar)

4. Cooking and Crafting. I love to cook and try new food combos. I love to craft and use new products! So, coming soon.....a project that combines both loves. Here's a tiny peek:
Sorry, wish I could show more, but it's a kit for a store. More soon, I promise!







5. Simplifying. I am working hard on clearing my calendar for the fall/spring and not filling up our time. I have promised myself that I will put ME first more often. I need to do that for myself and for my family. I need to take care of myself, and always scheduling something else to do is something I do way too often. I have said no to some project and teaching opportunities and am being very selective about what I work on, just feeding my need to create but not filling every free moment. Two of my sisters have become runners and I WANT TO DO IT. I bought some great, breathable workout clothes and am going to get the shoes this week. I will do this!

How is your summer? What are you doing to enjoy it?

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again."
~Erma Bombeck