June 20th challenge from 2sketches4you

Here is my card for2sketches4you (for the week of June 20)

Don't you just love the good old red, white, and blue?


I used SU papers, ribbon from Target, one stamp from Flower Factory (SU) and some die cuts on my little Sidekick Sizzex. The greeting was generated from my computer. The little stamped "swizzles" are embossed with silver, but it doesn't seem to show up on my photo.

a sketch challenge for stamp challenges

Here's this week's Sketch Challenge. I wish the colors showed up brighter. They are quite "alive" looking in real life. The flower was kinda "blah" so I tipped it with a dab of sparkly goo,
which doesn't sparkle in the picture.

Everything is Stampin' Up except for pearls and diamond in center.

Colors are old olive--not quite navy--so saffron-- lavender lace
Ink is lavender lace
Stamp set is Fabulous Flowers

Can hardly wait to see everyone else's cards.

2sketches4you challenge

Here is this weeks challenge from 2sketches4you.

I found it hard as I am so literal I thought it should be just like the sketch. Even at that, I couldn't pull off the ribbon as I had raised the top card and my writing got in the way. Anyway it was fun and I haven't done so much coloring in a long time! Felt like I was back in third grade where I spent thirty years!!

Its all Stampin' Up materials
Stamps were
Doodle This
Doodle That
I like your style

Real Red is paper color and I used Stampin' Up pens for flowers, etc.

Thanks for stopping by.

two birds with one stone!

This is my monochromatic card for Stamp Challenges.
It is also another guy birthday card for caardvarks micro challenge.
(My first guy card is below this post.)
Stamp is SU Set Sail--Sincere Salutations
Paper and ink is SU not quite navy
I lightly sponged the background with a lighter blue.

Birthday Card for a Male

I saw this challenge on caardvarks this morning. They are asking for a card for a male and it needs to entered by tomorrow night (6-17). I thought I would enter this one. It was scanned and the colors aren't as bright as they are in real life. The red is a bright red.

Its done with Stampin' Up stamps.
Classic Pickups
Itty Bitty Backgrounds
The corner punch is from SU

The greeting is just off the shelf in a craft store, as well as the black brads

Ink and Paper are "real red", and , of course, black

SU ribbon for the bow

Thanks for stopping by.

Sketch Challenge from California Stampin'

This is my sketch from California Stampin'.

My grandson is graduating from eighth grade and so I used the sketch for the card.

inside

I made it from my scrap box papers, bought the stamps at Craft Warehouse, raised the three dots with foam, and found the tiny plastic stars in my sticker drawer!

(It does look rather like a St. Patrick's day card.)

The yellow is not as bright as it appears in the picture--it isn't a true yellow,

but rather a yellow green.

I have another idea for this layout, which I may exchange with this one if I get it done.

Thanks for stopping by.

Kazan Sketch 2 challenge

This is my challenge from 2 sketches 4 you for this week. I really enjoyed making this card! I don't have any tool yet to make bigger scallops, so had to make do with the tiny little ones.




I used SU papers, Berry Bliss, for this card, along with Purely Pomegranate and Close to Cocoa.
Ink was from Close to Cocoa.
Stamp Set is 'True Friend'.
Flower is from a SU punch.

Because I always use my cards for gifts or personal use, I like to use 4.25 x 5.5 size, so I plan to make three more of this card adapted for the above mentioned size.

Thanks for stopping by.

In the Wild Somethings

Here is this week's card from the post sponsored by Stamp Challenges. I couldn't think of any stamps that would do, then I remembered the bugs....so here is my quite "unwild" wild card!



Supplies: (all from Stampin' Up)
Card stock--black, bravo burgundy, old olive, more mustard and yo yo yellow for large bug
Ink-- black versamark, old olive
ribbon-- bravo burgundy
Stamp sets-- dragon fly and friends, home decor garden (both from Close to My Heart)

I used the SU color wheel for my choice of combination colors. Probably wouldn't be my first pick of colors, but decided it looked sort of "earthy" when it is combined.

One Sheet Wonder

As many of you will know, the one sheet wonder is a great way to get a number of cards done fairly quickly. In my case, I stamped an 8.5 x 11 sheet of plain white card stock all over with Petal Prints SU, All Natural SU stamp sets, a small "thank you stamp" and one small stamp for accent in black. Once I was making the cards, I used a variety of "Thanks You" stamps for the cards.

After I had stamped the whole page in random pattern, I cut the sheet into pieces which became the basis for the cards I made.

I used the following template for cutting the sheet up and then made the following cards. I scanned them in which does not show the colors quite as true as the camera.

Sketch Something Challenge

This is my Challenge from Stamp Challenges.

Cardstock:  vanilla, river rock, real red and almost navy  
Markers:     coordinating felt tips from SU.
Greeting:   from the computer
Stamp set:  an old SU set--Ncie and Easy Notes
My two major circles should have been bigger. To me its a little heavy on the left with color and eye appeal.

Another idea for gifts

I get these white boxes at the dollar store at four for a dollar. They take a little time to stamp and fix up, but the price is right!

.....and this is what is inside of the packages--three of each, for six adorable babies who will be soon turning one year old. (I plan to post about them soon!)

How I Say Thank You

This week stamp challenges asked us to show a way we express a thank you. Here's mine.


I have been doing these little bags for a while. I ran across some bins of Mary Englebret things at Michaels, so I loaded up a drawer with a lot of little goodies. In each bag I put a small notebook, a box of Hershey kisses. a plastic box with five of my cards in it, and a tube of Mary Kay hand lotion!


I use this bag of goodies to give as a thank you, a birthday, or a "just because".

This is a BIG close up of the attached card--(its 3 x 3)


Stamp Sets for the whole project

SU Petal Prints
SU Fine Lace
SU Think Happy Thoughts

ink and paper colors

SU pixie pink
SU old olive
The "thank you" on the sack is computer generated.

20 Minute Chicken Creole

This quick Southern dish contains no added fat and
very little added salt in its spicy tomato sauce.

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray as needed

4 medium chicken breast halves, skinned, boned, and cut into 1" strips*
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, cut up**
1 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1-1/2 cups green peppers, chopped (1 large)
1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.Spray a deep skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat.

2.Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce heat.

3.Add tomatoes and their juice, low-sodium chili sauce, green pepper, celery, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

4.Serve over hot cooked rice or whole wheat pasta.

* You can substitute 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips.
That is what I did.

Yield: 4 servings--Serving Size: 1-1/2 cup.

I had this for lunch today. I especially liked the consistancy of the veggies as they were still a bit crunchy, being only cooked for 10 minutes! It was very filling without rice or pasta.

It was spicy, which I love--in fact I doubled the pepper flakes in the recipe!

Enjoy!!

My entry...

I came upon Stamp something challenge blog, and decided to enter their challenge for the fun of it. So this is my "first"

First time ever entering anything with my cards...
First time using my scanner (for the music) to copy something to use on a card...
First time using SU designer paper to enhance a card.





Papers

Stamping up---green galore and gable green
black and white paper
versa fine onyx black ink
decorative set from Stampin Up (out of print)

The "just a note" is on Stampin' Dimensionals so it gives the 3-D look that I love and use a lot.

Stamp set--Jazzed Up from Stampin' Up

Mom's Bran Muffins

These muffins are wonderful. The dough keeps for up to six weeks in the refrigerator. My mother used to bake some up, put them on a decorative paper plate, wrap in saran wrap and take them around to her neighbors. When she made them, she always had a plateful for any family that dropped by also.

Bran Muffins
1 15 oz. bran flakes with raisins
2 cups sugar
5 cups flour
5 teas. soda
scant tea salt

I pour all of the dry ingredients in the largest bowl that I have. I stir through the dry ingredients to blend them.

Now add 4 eggs beaten
1 cup of cooking oil
1 quart buttermilk

Add 1 cup of raisins and mix in well

After I have it thoroughly mixed in the large bowl I transfer it to a tupperware bowl with a lid for storing in the refrigerator.


The dough was in the refrigerator for four days. Grandson, Elliot, was here for the week-end, so we baked up a dozen.

I baked another dozen tonight and I filled the cups fuller for a larger muffins.

Bake between 350 to 375
15-20 minutes

makes 7-8 dozen


Here they are, right out of the oven!

A friend dropped by tonight just as they were coming out of the oven. We had two each with a cup of tea while we played a couple of games. They were just yummy!
(the cupcakes, not the games...)

A Change of Subject

If you notice at the top, my blog says it is about cards, cooking, sometimes, and making books.
Since I am in the middle of a huge card project and am not doing anything new right now, I decided to share a book.....or two.....three.

I have always done books with my kids about our adventures, etc. When they were preschool, I printed out what they told me to write and they illustrated the story. After they could write, they did their own with pictures, and I just bound them with construction paper. (This began in the mid sixties)

Fortunately, by the time grandchildren arrived, I was retired and truly enjoyed putting books together for them to read aloud... or read to them. The following book is one that I did when they were very tiny. When I look at the grainy pictures, I see how far we have evolved with our digital cameras.

So enjoy with a 'grain of salt'--remembering this is back from the days when I did not know much about computers and all of the things that go into a "good" job! Its been a well-loved book, on the nightstand in their bedroom at my house.






In a few days I will share a few other types of books we've made about our "marvelous" adventures!

(Where did the years go? They are now 14 and 15!?)