weekend stampin'

Ok...so here are a few super quick and easy cards I did tonight! I needed some thank yous so I decided to make them Halloween cards too, cuz they are just fun!! :) My friend Penny let me borrow her Papertrey Ink set...Spooky Sweets...thanks Penny! I love the spider...isn't he cool! I added glitter embossing powder and stickles to the spiders and the tip of the bat wings to make them a little more fun! Then I made a congrats on your new house card for my sister and her fiance! It's sorta similar to a few I have done in the past....but that's ok...still turned out cute, I think! Thanks for checkin' in!! :)

Blog Candy Winner

Ok...Hope everyone is having a great Friday and that your weekend will be relaxing and fun!! I hope mine will be relaxing!...and filled with a little stampin'!! :)
*The winner for the blog candy is...Melissa...here is her comment 'All right...everyone who has posted on here HAS to give up their recipes! I'd love to have some new pumpkin recipes. . .so give em up! :)That being said, I don't know that I have a favorite thing I bake in the fall. I love to bake anyways. . .so I guess it's more chocolate chip cookies for me. I do have my favorite candle to burn in the fall though. . .Mulled Cider from Gold Canyon Candles. Whenever I burn it, my boys tell me it smells like fall!Love the stuff on your blog!' Congrats Melissa...just contact me {fabfullmers@yahoo.com} with your snail mail and I will send your goodies out right away!! Thanks to all of you who submitted comments they were all great!!...and all the yummy fall treat ideas...I am making pumpkin bread this afternoon...I am sooo craving it now!! AND...I am with Melissa...share those recipes...if you want to, leave it in comment section of this post and I will get them all typed up to share with everyone!!
Also thanks to PattyJo for this yummy recipe that she shared....
Pumpkin Pie recipe:
combine: 1 1/2 c. cooked pumpkin
3/4 c. sugar
1/2tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 beaten eggs1 1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. evaporated milk
Put first 6 ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly, blend in eggs and milk.Put into a crust lined pie tin and bake 450 for 10 min. Then 325 for 45 min.This is the BEST pumpkin pie recipe and we grow our own pumpkins for this.
...and thanks to Rebecca who shared this one...
Nutty Apple Streusel Dessert
6 c. sliced, peeled tart apples
1 1/4 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 c. milk
2 Tbs butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. biscuit/baking mix
TOPPING:1 c. biscuit/baking mix1/3 c. packed brown sugar3 Tbs cold butter1/2 c. sliced almonds (I think I had walnuts, so used those)Ice cream or whipped cream, optional
HOW TO: In a large bowl, toss apples with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Place in a greased 3-qt slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and baking mix. Spoon over apples.
For topping, combine biscuit mix and brown sugar in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Add almonds; sprinkle over apples. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until the apples are tender. (I think mine was done in 3-4 hours, so it may depend on your slow cooker). Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.
I hope to do some stampin' tonight...{big Friday night since hubby is out of town!!} ;) So check back tomorrow for something new!!
...Tara

pms-a-bella

I love this girl....she is the PMSabella. My friend Penny let me borrow a few of her Bellas to make some cards...and I knew I had to use this one...cuz it's just a great friend card! I found the darling paper at Archivers yesterday and I love it! It is glittery & embossed & colorful all rolled into one...what's not to love? I decided to distress and add sparkle...cuz if that doesn't speak PMS language than what does?...a little frayed and worn around the edges but wanting to feel sparkly and girlie...all the while sippin' your diet coke & eatin' chocolate!! You know what I am talkin' about girls!! ;) Anyway...I colored in my image with my blender pens, and I added some crystal effects to a few things in the image. I put crystal stickles on the silver brads and added a cute black polka dot ribbon to finish it off. Oh, I also embossed the white textured cardstock with glittery embossing powder to make it sparkle...as if it wasn't already!!
Ok...check below for the PUMPKIN BREAD recipe I promised...I will be slipping a copy of that in with the blog candy too. Also don't forget to scroll down a little and enter your name for blog candy...you have until Friday at noon!!
what's in it?...
stamps...pmsabella
paper...white textured cardstock, certainly celery, blue bayou, Cloud 9 design "Sparkle Razzberry"
ink...black, certainly celery, rose red, barely banana, choco. chip, close to cocoa, blue bayou, pretty in pink
accessories...silver brads, black polka dot ribbon, crystal effects, crystal stickles, glittery ep
other...dimensionals, distresser, blender pens, heat tool
*********************************************-
Pumpkin Bread
1/3 c. shortening
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 c. pumpkin
1 ¾ c. flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/3 c. hot water
1/3 c. chopped dates
1/3 raisins & nuts (optional)
½-1 c. chocolate chips
In a small bowl, pour hot water over dates & raisins, set aside. Cream shortening & sugar together (I use my Kitchen Aid). Add beaten eggs & pumpkin, mix well. Sift together all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add sifted, dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in water & date/raisin mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips and mix well to combine everything. Pour into a greased and lightly floured loaf pan. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.
ENJOY!!!

another little birdie

Is this THE cutest little thing you have ever seen...I wasn't even going to buy stamps today but when I saw this I couldn't leave it in the store!! He just makes me happy!!! I used some basic grey paper...I love this paper...such great colors! It seemed to go well with the little chick! I colored him using my blender pens and ink pads. I inked the edges of the blue with bashful blue and I did a little paper piercing on the sides. There isn't to much goin' on in this card you can't see from the picture...it was easy and super quick! I stamped it while I was waiting for my daughter to finish her math homework!! :)
**I have had fun reading your comments for the blog candy....ya'll are makin' me hungry! I have now penciled in baking on my already 'way to long' list of things to do this week!! I haven't forgotten about posting my recipe...it's coming! You will be happy to know I made it to Archivers and I found a very cute something to add to the blog candy!! (make sure you scroll down and leave a comment for a chance to win!) I will share later...a little suspense is good...right?!! :) Have a great night!
{hugs} Tara
what's in it?...
stamps...Hello Chick by Stampendous
paper...bashful blue, chocolate chip, whisper white, Basic Grey Phoebe
ink...bashful blue, certainly celery, chocolate chip, pixie pink, so saffron
accessories...blue brads, crystal stickles, celery polka dot ribbon
other...3/4 in. circle punch, paper piercer, blender pens

a little birdie...

I wanted to post something besides the blog candy and I was able to take 20 whole minutes to be crafty today!!! WOW...who says I don't get some time to myself to do the things I enjoy!! {add sarcasm here} ;) I found the cute little birdie stamp while I was in Seattle...it came all by itself so I don't know who it's from cuz the packaging is long gone! Since I was crunched for time I used a color combo I have used before. I took the colors from this cute Cosmo Cricket patterned paper. I did the ribbon using a cute little trick I got from Laurie on her blog...check it out here. Well I gotta run my 25 minutes of free time is gone and it's back to the "running around like a chicken with my head cut off" thing. Thanks for stoppin' by...don't forget to enter below in the drawing for blog candy!
what in it?...
stamps...a little birdie
paper...real red, river rock, soft sky, cosmo cricket
ink...basic black, soft sky, real red, river rock
accessories...red brads, red ribbon, light blue stiched ribbon
other...distresser, blender pens, hole punch

***A few of you were asking me what the difference was between my 2 file folders I made...so here is the diff. The first one I made (see here) using Kristina's directions...see here. It is just using half of the file folder so it's a smaller version. The second one I made for the baby girl (see here) is the one that Taylor made and posted directions for...see here. (scroll down about halfway or so to find it!) She uses the whole folder...there isn't a huge difference..just in size. Both are so easy and so cute!! If you haven't tried one you should...they are fun!! :)

BLOG CANDY....finally!!

Ok...so I am a few days late...but what else is new?!! I can't even explain how busy it has been at my house!! I have been on the run non-stop since I got back in town and it's not quite letting up yet!! {note to self...don't leave town 2 weeks after school starts...too much going on!!} This is a random little pile of things for blog candy, but still counts as good candy I think!! I also wanted to hit Archivers before I posted this to add something or 2 somethings...but I haven't found the time to go yet but I should be able to make it there later this week...so whoever wins this candy will get a little extra surprise with their candy!! I have no idea what question to ask?....my mind is too full of 'stuff' to even think...hmm...give me just a minute!...Oh I know...how 'bout this...Do you have a favorite baked good you like in the fall? There is something about fall that makes me what to bake even more and one favorite I have that I save for this time of year is my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread! Oh, just typing about it makes me what some right now!! (...of course it could also be that "fall" smell on my hands, I just came from Bath & Body Works!) I will share my recipe for my, oh so good, (if I do say so myself) Pumpkin Bread later this week! *How to get this candy?...Leave a comment on this post (just one please) and you are entered to win! I will draw a name on Friday at noon, so you have until then!! Good Luck! Have a fabulous Monday!!!

***THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of you who visit my blog...you are absolutely wonderful!!!***

another file folder

Hi everyone! I made another file folder...this time I made one using Taylor's instructions (the other one I did I used Kristina's instructions) These could not be easier and they are so darling. I made this one for a good friend of mine...it's for her to use for her baby, Abigail Grace...I left it blank inside so that she can add pictures, write a note to Abigail, use it as a record of "firsts" or whatever, but then it can be a fun keepsake for Abigail to look back at when she is older!! :) I used Daisy D paper, isn't it cute...I love the old look it has to it! Well I am off, I have a million things to do today...still playing catch up from being gone! :)

Have a great Wednesday.... T

**I saw that I hit the 10,000 mark...wow that was quick! You guys are awesome...thanks for checkin' in over here it means alot to me!! :) It's been so fun to look at comments and having a whole new little group of friends who share in my passion for paper!! ;) I will have blog candy posted by Saturday for sure, and if I can get to it sooner I will!!!

I'm back!

I'm back!! I got back last Wednesday night...so I have been home for a few days but those first few days trying to get back into real life after vacation mode is tough!! :) I had such a great time...it was just total fun and relaxin' and hangin' out! I am glad to be home though...I missed my hubby and kiddos! I have been busy since I got back, yesterday was my 13 year wedding anniversary!! It's been a great 13 years..lots of up and a few downs but we have made it and I can't wait to celebrate many, many more! Today is Kailee's 12th birthday and then Friday is Ty's 7th birthday, so we have an eventful week!! I will be posting something fun soon! Glad to be back! Have a terrific Monday!
OH MY....I looked at my counter this morning too and I am almost at 10,000 hits!! WOW...I am stunned that so many of you stop by to check in over here in my little corner of the world! When the counter hits the 10,000 mark I will post some blog candy...I did find a few goodies in Seattle while I was there!
Tara

file folder

I have wanted to make one of these since I saw it on Taylor's blog...& then Kristina made one too and posted her directions...then I really, really wanted to do one! It was a much easier and quicker project than I anticipated! I was wondering what I was gonna do with this Creative License Simply Scrappin' Kit...when I sat down to make this though...it seemed like the perfect thing to use! I like to make something every once and awhile that doesn't require alot of stamping...so the kit was the way to go! I haven't decided what I am going to put on the tabs yet...I thought I would leave it until I get back from Seattle so I can just sit and admire it! :) {giggling} Do you ever just need to sit and admire what you did?...well today I feel like that! I thought while I was working on this though that it would be a fun little gift for the grandparents...since I have 4 kids, they could each take a tab and write a cute note to grammie

& papa and it would be a nice keepsake! Have a terrific week!!! I am going to be insanely busy tomorrow getting ready to leave...so this will be my last post till I get back on the 19th! When I get back though...I think it will be about time for some blog candy!! {yum!}
So until the 19th.... "I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again..." ;) Tara

shhh...don't tell

...don't tell Shawners that I stamped a card today! I only did one!! So it's all good, right!! :) He took all the kids fishing this morning and I said "I really should stay here and take advantage of a quiet morning to get some things crossed off my 'to-do' list...I only have a few days left till I go to Seattle, so it would be best if you go and I will stay here!!" Oops...did I not say that first I wanted to make a card for this weekend's sketch challenge :) What's a girl to do? I used my new sanded background stamp on all the choc. chip paper. I love the look of the sanded background. I took my colors from the apple cider paper...and I did a few layers on the stamped image to give it a more interesting look. A few brads, some ribbon and I was done...didn't take too long at all!...good thing! ;) Have a good weekend! ...T
what's in it?...
stamps...Sanded, True Friend, Warm Wishes
paper...chocolate chip, river rock, wild wasabi, very vanilla, Apple Cider DSP
ink...pumpkin pie, wild wasabi, chocolate chip
accessories...brads, 5/8 in. "fat" chocolate ribbon
other...circle cutter, scallop punch, distresser

criss cross...

That always makes me think back to school...criss cross applesauce...how you had to sit! :) Anyway...now it has a whole new meaning. These criss cross cards are adorable, so super easy and a fun way to mix up your cardmaking a bit! This was in this weeks copy of the Weekly Inkling from Splitcoast. Click here for a link to this fun tutorial from Beate! It could not have been easier...it took less than 20 mins I think for me to do...which is a fast card in my book! :) I used my Fall Flowers DSP. I used the True Friend stamp set which is in the new Stampin' Up! mini catalog out right now! I actually made this card 2 days ago and then it was sitting on my table waiting, a little impatiently I might add, for the UPS man to come yesterday to bring my order that had my scallop punch in it...cuz I knew I wanted that on the band around the card! And yep I was right...just what it needed! Have a great Friday...& weekend! :) ...yippee tomorrow means no 5:30 AM alarm clock!!!!!!!

*** I am not sure how much more I will be posting...depends on how much I get done to get the house in order and myself ready! I am heading out of town on Tuesday to go to Seattle (well Redmond area) to visit with friends and family!! ALL BY MYSELF!!!...for 8 days, just total play and relax time! I can hardly wait! So if I go MIA...that's why...I may have to do some blog candy shoppin' while I'm there too...seems like it's about time! :) {hugs}...Tara

what's in it?...

stamps...True Friend, Paper Tray

paper...really rust, old olive, soft sky, whisper white, textured white, Fall Flowers DSP

ink...old olive, soft sky

accessories...brads, rust ribbon

other...scallop & tab punch, circle cutter

flowery friend

Happy Wednesday morning...I can't believe the week is half over already...Labor Day has thrown me off! I took a few minutes last night while Shawn was tucking in kids to do this card. I got an idea while I was eating dinner and decided to see if I could make something of it. I think it turned out ok. This was the first time I have used my office paper since I bought it months and months ago! I love the flowers in the office set and wanted to do something with them in these colors. I love the blue, pink and green combo! I used a piece of white textured cardstock for my card base. {the card is 5 1/2 square} I layered my choc. chip paper with inked edges under my office DSP...then I added the ribbon and a photo corner. I used my Color Coach to choose some Dynamic Duo colors, so I could do a lighter colored flower and a darker center. I like the look of the 3 brads making the center of the flower..that was one reason I wanted to try this card out. I popped a couple of the flowers up on glue dots. I finished with the friend sentiment from Boatloads of Love {minus the 'ship'} and added some stickles to just the celery flower edge. Have a fabulous day!!...thanks for checkin' in! :)
what's in it?...
stamps...Office Accoutrement, Boatloads of Love (sentiment)
paper...whisper white, white textured, chocolate chip, Notations DSP, regal rose, old olive
ink...chocolate chip, soft sky, blue bayou, regal rose, rose red, certainly celery, old olive
accessories...brads, light blue, white & old rose ribbon (all from RABOM), crystal stickles
other...photo corner punch, glue dots

a teacher gift

This pic is a little treat I made for Tyson's first grade teacher...it's a 'thanks for making Ty's first week of school so great and hope you survive till Friday' kinda treat. It's a little band aid type container I found at Archivers. I filled it with nuggets all prettied up with labels. I made a quick little card to go with it. I am going today to go get some more of these band aid boxes...they are darling and they hold 12 nuggets perfectly...a great little gift...I have a few more teachers to go!
Have a good Thursday...we are off to go meet Kyler's preschool teacher today!! He starts school next week. :)...T
what's in it?...
stamps...Priceless
paper...bashful blue, certainly celery, regal rose, whisper white, confetti, just delightful scrap kit
ink...bashful blue, certainly celery, regal rose, versamark
accessories...square & round brads, apricot, rose, blue gingham, & celery polka dot ribbon, crystal stickles, clear embossing powder
other...dimensionals, heat tool

sketch challenge #17

So I did get to stamp for a minute or 2 this afternoon. I was able to play around and get a card done for Beate's weekend sketch challenge. I LOVE doing these. So a BIG THANKS to Beate for taking the time to post these on her blog...helps me do more with my card making! :) I wanted to use my Cutie Pie paper and so I started there, that chose my colors for me! I used my new Giga Scallop Punch (have I said how much I love this thing...it is the most fun!) I used the flower from the Priceless set and my sentiment if from the Paper Tray set. I stamped the flower on the white circle. I stamped another flower and cute out the middle part of it and stuck it on top of the other flower...just to give it a little dimension. I also did tiny little dots of stickles on the dots around the flower.

what's in it?...

stamps...Priceless, Paper Tray and Borders & Corners, circle (from Papertrey ink)

paper...bashful blue, rose red, certainly celery, Cutie Pie DSP, whisper white

ink...bashful blue, rose red, certainly celery

accessories...brads, celery ribbon, crystal stickles

other...giga scallop, 2 in. circle & photo corner punches, circle and oval cutter (CM), paper piercer, sponges

*********************************************
Here is a pic I took this afternoon. While I was stamping, within a matter of minutes the sky went black, the wind started blowin', thunder was boomin', and the rain came down! This was as far out as I could get without getting soaked...we had a small river running down the road in front of the house and a small lake sitting in the backyard. This was probably over about 15 minutes time...maybe less. Of course it's all gone now but you gotta love those Texas rainstorms!...they are my favorite!

happy grandparents day

So next week on Sunday is Grandparents Day! I didn't even know there was such a thing...did you? I wanted to get some cards made for all the grammies and papas in our lives. That means 9 cards!...aren't we so blessed to have 8 grammies & 4 papas to send cards to and a sweet couple who live by us that we have adopted to be a grammie & papa! :) I sat down last night to make a few cards and here is what I made...I decided to make 3 of these and then that was as far as I got. My dad called and we chatted for almost an hour (impressive since my dad isn't much for phone conversations...he likes the real life ones better!) After we hung up I felt like being lazy and not doing anything else...although it was 11:00pm...so I guess that's ok! Anyway...back to the card...I used the same card idea from a couple months ago, just changed it up a little bit to fit who it was going to! I thought it would be cute to use the "you float my boat" and cross out the 'my' and stick in 'our'. I used some stickles to make it glitter and on 2 of the others I just embossed the heart with clear embossing powder to make it shine.

**Have a relaxing Labor Day and enjoy the end of the long weekend! Thanks for stopping by...I am hoping to post something else tonight...if I can sweet talk my hubby into taking the kids swimming, then I can stamp for a little bit this afternoon!! :)

what' in it?...

stamps...Boatloads of Love

paper...river rock, blue bayou, ruby red, whisper white

ink...river rock, blue bayou, ruby red, going grey, buckeroo blue, stazon black

accessories...silver brads, Cuttlebug, crystal stickles

other...stamp-a-ma-jig, paper piercer & mat pack, distresser, blender pens