a First Communion, National Scrapbook Day, and spirelli

Spring means celebrations. It is Luke's First Communion this weekend and he is so excited. Here he is holding the rosary that I made for him.

Saturday is National Scrapbook Day (of course, I will be busy with the First Communion and will have limited scrapping and blog-hopping time that day). Make sure you check out the fun times at Fiskateers and Scrapbook Challenges that start on Friday and extend through the weekend.

Spirelli is Dutch string art. I was watching a PBS episode of Scrapbook Memories and saw a demonstration. So, I thought I would try it for my Scrapbook Challenges flower swap. These are coming to you Larissa!

1)Punch out a scalloped shape from cardstock.

2) Tape one end of some embroidery floss (or metallic thread would be fun too) to the back of the shape.

3) Pull the thread taut and around to the front of the shape, placing it in a "valley" on one side of the shape and then into another "valley" a few down from the last placement. You can place it directly across from the first valley or just skip a few.

4) Keep moving and wrapping in the same direction (I did counter-clockwise...probably a "lefty" thing), always wrapping the one next to the last one you placed. It goes very quickly, so don't feel bad if you get confused the first couple times and need to start over.
5) It can get a little tricky, because each valley is going to get thread placed in it twice.

6)When you are done, tape the embroidery floss on the back and trim off the excess.

These were just my first attempts. I can't wait to make some more and start using them on my layouts and cards.

Now, it's your turn. Try it and let me see your creativity flow! I'll post them here if you send them to me. E-mail it to me at purplekellystar@aol.com

Sorry I missed the Monday recipe post (Jennifer). I'll have 2 on next Monday!

Birthdays, Fiskateers, and fun

It's Kelly Jo's birthday month (she's a lead Fiskateer) and it is time to celebrate with an online crop. Get your tushy over to www.fiskateers.com and join the fun!

orthodontia, toast, and thankfulness (and a P.S.)

We have entered the world of orthodontia, as Luke now has an "appliance". I am taking bets as to how long it will be before I will be digging through garbage to find the "tossed" retainer.

I had a wonderful night away with friends on Friday. We giggled and got our fill of movies (Shakespeare in Love-one of my all time favorites, the Hangover-very funny, and the Proposal-cute chick flick). For breakfast I made a fabulous recipe from my friend Patti. It is so yummy, that it is the Monday recipe.

Schauer's Overnight French Toast

½ C. butter
1 C. brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 slices of bread
5 eggs, well beaten
1 ½ C. milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until blended. Spread evenly on bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Place bread slices in a double layer on sugar mixture. Combine beaten eggs and milk and pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Sketch 194 over at Scrapbook Challenges has me working on Thanksgiving.

Especially fun is this cute paper-pieced turkey. I used a Fiskars Daisy punch for the feathers and a small "splash" punch for his feet and head feathers.

P.S. Forgot to announce the winner of my scrappy survey RAK. It is Scrappy-rat Fiskateer Veronica. Congratulations! Send me an e-mail (purplekellystar@aol.com)

a survey, an ATC, and pillow fights

Over at fellow Fiskateer Judy's blog http://www.piecesofmepapercrafts.blogspot.com/ she had a "Scrappy Get to Know You Survey". Copy, paste, fill it out, and send me a link to view your answers. You never know...a little RAK might fall into your mailbox.

Here's 25 scrapbook-related get to know you questions. Copy & paste the questions to your blog and change the answers to your own! Have fun!
1. Scrapper/cardmaker/both? both
2. How long have you been scrapping/cardmaking ? How did you get into it? I had gone to a party for one of those stamping companies (I don't even remember which one) before I had kids and really didn't feel compelled to start scrapping. When I had my first child, I got the itch...the last 3 years it has just kind of snowballed, actually AVALANCHED, from there.
3. Do you prefer to work alone, or get together with friends/go to crops/classes etc.? I mostly work alone, but do go to crops a few times a year and am part of a scrap club that meets one night every other month (Hi Gina)
4. Favorite embellishments? stickers, I like to pop them up, ink them, doodle on them, use them as a border, or as a frame, or, or, or...
5. Favorite paper brands? Basic Grey, Bella Blvd, Reminisce, Bo Bunny, not picky--I like them all
6. Favorite tool? my special Fiskateer Fiskars scissors (#6446)
7. Favorite kind of ink? Versamark and plain old black
8. Whose your scrap idol? I love the scrappers of Scrapbook Challenges and If Its Groovy , there are some very talented scrap artists that hang around there
9. Something you bought that you wish you hadn't or have never used? I rarely use my Xyron machine
10. Do you have your own scraproom or do you work in a shared area? I am a basement scrap-rat
11. Are you a chronological, reverse chronological, or random scrapper? obsessive, crazed, chronological scrapper, but I'm trying to break free and random scrap or make mini-books once in a while
12. What is your scrapping style if you have one? focus on the photos
13. Whats on your work area right now? a mess
14. Favorite adhesive? I do like an adhesive runner, but I still use a glue stick for lots of things.
15. Technique you have never tried that you would like to? I've been meaning to "mask", but haven't done it yet.
16. Are you on or have you ever been on a design team or been a guest designer? I'm on the www.ifitsgroovy.ning.com card design team. (Hi Groovy Deb).
17. Have you ever had your work published? Not yet, I have submitted a few times.
18. Are you a consultant for a company such as Close to my heart, stampin up, creative memories, etc? no
19. Do you subscribe to any kit clubs, if so which ones? no
20. Do you have a minimal stash of supplies or are you a shopper/collecter? I'm a shopper
21. Are you a sketch user, scraplifter, or do you come up with it all on your own? a little bit of everything
22. Do you participate in any online challenges, if so which ones? Fiskateers (Lift a Fiskateer) and Scrapbook Challenges. I've just found scrapping the music and inspired blueprints and would like to try those.
23. Do you own any diecutting machines (manual or electric) and if so which ones? I have a Sizzix Big Shot (non-electric).
24. If you have a manual diecutting machine what kind of dies do you use? I use Sizzix, Spellbinders, Cuttlebug. I have found many cheap, on-line (e-bay) from scrappers who are switching to something different.
25. Are you a Stickleser (is that even a word?Do you use Stickles?) once in a while, I only have 2 (I don't have the patience for letting them dry).

I'm starting to work on my Fiskateer ATC butterfly swap, so I've inlcuded a photo of my very first ATC (it was a Fiskateer heart-themed swap). I was not familiar with ATC (artist trading cards) until I was a introduced in Fiskateer-land. It pushes your creativity to compose something on a such a little space. And when swapping--it is amazing to see what comes back to you. I encourage you to try it.

I glued pink, light pink, and red tissue onto white cardstock and let it dry. I cut those into rectangles slightly smaller than my 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch black cardstock base. I rounded the corners and then stamped and embossed with purple powder the heart tree, a squiggle heart, and a checkerboard. I added a dimensional heart sticker (small square), puffy painted a few hearts on the tree in silver glitter, and then glued it onto slightly larger purple mulberry paper. Then glued that all onto my black base.

I'm going away Friday night with "girlfriends". Here's to daquiri slushes, chick flicks, and... pillow fights (?).

aaaahs, 2008, and salad

Ahhh...the kids are back at school. Ahhh..the baby shower is over. Ahhh...I get to crawl into my scrap basement again. I am on a mission to finish 2008. You see, I am one of those obsessed, crazy chronological scrappers. I hope to be on 2009 before school is out.

It's Monday...recipe time. We had a fabulous lunch of salads at the baby shower yesterday. Here is a requested one (from our Church cookbook):

Winter Fruit Salad
Salad:
1 large head of Romaine lettuce, cut/torn into bite-size pieces
1 apple (with skin), cubed
1 pear (with skin), cubed
1 C cashews, diced
4 oz. Swiss cheese, diced
1 C Craisins (dried cranberries)

Dressing:
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C lemon juice
2 tsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
2/3 C canola oil


Prepare salad ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss.
In a blender, mix first 5 ingredients for dressing. Slowly add the oil and poppy seeds while blending.

Toss salad with dressing just before serving. Serves 12-15.
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One more thing...head over to... http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/ for a chance to win a spring cleaning prize. You can also drool over the pictures of her scrap space...aahhh

fonts, diaper cakes, and thank yous

I'm going absolutely font crazy! I was referred to this font-a-licious site http://kevinandamanda.com/ Fabulous, FREE (did I mention FREE) fonts to download. I can't wait to scrap, so I can use all of these new ones.

Here is a picture of the diaper cake. Let me just say, this isn't too bad for my first attempt. I was cruising around the www and found some AMAZING cakes (I won't show you those).


My daughter is not falling far out of my scrapbooking tree. She has made these adorable "thank yous" as a shower present. I am proud of my young Jedi.

Butterflies, babies, and Daughtry

Still working on getting ready for the baby shower...countdown 3 days now. I finished and hung the banner yesterday. The other side is still blank so I can add baby girl's name after she is born and they can hang it in her room. Going to get the diaper cake done today.

Last night, my birthday present from my hubby was to see DAUGHTRY in concert. It was fabulous. Great opening act by Lifehouse too. I think my hearing is finally starting to come back now. Thanks hubby, I had a fabulous time (like he would ever come and read my crafty blog). Found this great photo on the web...

an aunt, sketches, and results

I'm giving my sil a scrapbook for her baby shower this weekend. It's ready for her to just plop pictures down on each page. Here are a few. I used a lot of sketch designs from Scrapbook Challenges . I thought it would be easy to do all of these pages without photos, but it's hard not knowing what the color scheme from each photo will be.

baby shower, 5 days, and eek!

I'm going to be an aunt to a sweet little girl that will be born in May. On Sunday, we are having a baby shower at my house for my sister in-law. These are favors I've made. Still working on a scrapbook gift, a diaper cake, and a banner. Those pics will be up later this week.

Wayne's Drive In, a recipe, and chocolate

We are actually going out for dinner...Customer Appreciation Day (50% off) at Wayne's Hamburger Stand. But, of course, I have a recipe. This is a family classic. It isn't a party, if someone doesn't bring the...

Chocolate Revel Bars

1C, plus 2 Tbsp butter
2C brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt, twice
3 C Quick-oats oatmeal
12 oz. (semi-sweet or dark chocolate) chocolate chips
15 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bottom/crust:
Cream 1 C butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 tsp vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, and a dash of salt. Stir in oatmeal.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture.

Now spread 3/4 of this mixture into a greased jelly roll pan (15 1/2"x10 1/2"x1"). Set aside.

Chocolate filling:
Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, 2 Tbsp butter, dash of salt, nuts, and 2 tsp vanilla ina microwave-safe bowl and gently melt together 30 seconds at a time. Mix well. Pour the chocolate filling over the bottom, spreading almost to the edges.

Use remaining oatmeal crust mixture to "dot" over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

If It's Groovy, bunnies, and moster mashes

I've been busy getting ready for my sister in-law's baby shower and doing some Design Team work for If It's Groovy. Check out the 2 sites for some fun and creative ideas! http://www.ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com/ and http://www.ifitsgroovy.ning.com/ . Here is my first card as part of the DT.


Also, trying to keep up with the sketch challenges on Scrapbook Challenges. Yes, I'm still working on Halloween 2008.