Christmas paper fun

There is no end to what you could create with a little imagination, and some fun scrapbook papers. I'm loving working with my new Websters pages vintage scrap papers. I purchased the papers from Juliana over at Dolce Scrapbook. Once I added a few embellishments, it was finished. Juliana has been such an inspiration. I'm always excited to create with her. Stop by her blog, and take a look at all of her wonderful creations, while your there be sure to visit her eBay store. You'll find high quality scrap booking supplies that will get your creative juices flowing. 

I actually cut out the bird from the cover of the scrapbook paper tablet, then I used Martha Stewart iridescent  white glitter to add some bling to the bird. Think of it as a little Christmas sparkle. 

The inside of card is an entire page of Websters pages Christmas collection. The only thing that I did to this page is distress the edges using chalk inks, and add more of the glitter to the flower rings. You could add whatever text you want to the middle.

So go on and make something to give to those that you love! I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. I will not post again until after the New Year. Until next time......

Fine print... I'm not endorsed nor affiliated with eBay, Dolce Scrapbook, or Websters Pages. These are simply my opinions.

I'm linking to: Far above Rubies

Key-Lime Snowballs

I'm so excited to finally get in some holiday baking! I enjoy the tastes, smells, and lovely colors of holiday baking. I enjoy baking with my kids at this time of year. Our project for today was a first at my house but oh-so worth it. If you find Key-Lime pie delicious, then you'll love these easy to make truffles. 

What you'll need:

1 pkg. Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

juice from 2 large limes

8oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese

2 6oz. pkg. Bakers White Chocolate.

flaked coconut

Begin by opening the pkg. of cookie dough, place the dough into a large mixing bowl. Next, Squeeze the juice from both limes into the dough. Use a mixer on low speed to incorporate the juice into the dough. Your mixture should be the consistency of frosting. 

Using a spatula, spread the dough mixture onto a 9x9 cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min. or until edges are golden brown. 

it should look something like this. 

Once the cookie has cooled, use your hands to crumble it into a mixing bowl with the cream cheese. 

mix the lime cookie, and cream cheese together using your hands, finish mixing with a handheld mixer. You should now have a soft dough. that looks like this...

Now for the fun! 

*roll the dough into quarter sized balls

*using a toothpick, dip the ball into the melted white candy coating chocolate

*place chocolate covered ball onto wax paper

*sprinkle with flaked coconut while the chocolate is still soft.

*Chill for 1hr.

*Enjoy!

These truffles taste so yummy!  We were making them as gifts, but we'll see if there will be any left for giving.... 

Blessings,

Beautiful DIY Name Plaque

Today I want to share something with you that my good friend created. It's simply gorgeous, I'm going to copy it for my daughter's room. (using my daughter's name, of course.)

The first step is to select a plaque for the base of the wall hanging. My friend found this one at Hobby Lobby in the bare wood section, she then spray painted the entire plaque white.

She also found these cute, curly wooden letters at Hobby Lobby, then she spray painted them pink.

Once the spray paint had dried, she adhered coordinating patterns of scrapbook paper to the letters using Modge Podge. She just traced the shape of the letter onto the paper, then cut it out.

Once the Modge Podge is dry, then sand to smooth out the Modge Podge using a fine grit sand paper.

Next, she adhered the letters to the plaque using  hot glue. The flowers and leaves are just stickers, how easy it that! I can't wait to make one of my own. This name plaque is to be a Christmas gift for her new baby niece. It's a handmade gift that I'm sure she will cherish for years to come.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Blessings,



My Memories Christmas Album Pages

Have you heard?  MyMemories has now released version 3 of their popular digital scrapbooking software. I just have to say that I'm having a lot of fun with it! It's easier to use and has loads more features.

Here is my latest creation:

How cute would something like this be as a Christmas gift for grandparents? If you would like to purchase Version 3 of the MyMemories program, you could still get $10 off the purchase price using my affiliate promo code: STMMMS70145

This program would make a great Christmas gift for anyone on your list who enjoys scrapbooking.

remember to check back tomorrow for freebie Friday.

Blessings,

Scrap Photo Album Cover

I'm so excited, I have family coming for a visit this week all the way from El Salvador! I wanted to give them something to remember us by. They do not have any pictures of our family, so I decided to give them an album full of family pictures. I wanted to personalize the album, you know, make it a little more special. Here's what I did.

First, I began with a very plain, very cheap 4x6 photo album. You could probably pick something up like this at any dollar store.

Next, I covered the album with scrapbook paper, make sure to cover the album while it is closed to make sure that the paper will fit on the album. After gluing the paper to the cover, I distressed the edges using chalk inks. Then it was time to embellish.

I made the family banner flags by cutting out a 1" by 1 3/4" strip of paper, I folded it in half length-wise, then diagonally cut the end off from the open side.

unfold the strip of paper, and you have a banner. I then distressed the edges of each banner piece with chalk inks. I used chipboard stickers to spell "family" on the banner pieces.

I followed the same process to make the "photos" banner. Then, I folded the banner to make it look more 3 dimensional.

I used letters stamps for the word on the banner. Once again, I distressed the edges of the banner using chalk inks.  

The completed Album! The dragonfly and flower are rub-on transfers from My Minds Eye. I really want to make more of these albums, so much fun. I think that they would make great Christmas gifts for family. Sssh, don't tell.

Blessings,

Tuna Noodle Casserole

It has seemed to me that most people have a love/hate relationship with tuna casserole. Some people just love it, or they really dislike it. I would belong to the latter group. As a child, the thought of having tuna casserole would fill me with dread while my sister would be absolutely elated. As an adult, I came to realize how economical tuna casserole was. It was something that I began to make out of necessity, that same old recipe using the can of cream of mushroom soup. I could not take it any longer, there had to be something that tasted better! So I began toying around with different recipes, choosing what I liked from one, and discarding what I disliked from another. I'm sharing with you the final result, something that I've come to enjoy. I no longer dread tuna casserole. This is also my go-to dish when preparing something to give to a sick loved one. I take it to them in an aluminum pan that the person can just throw away when finished. Yes, this is the perfect hospitality dish. I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I do, and make it for someone that you love.

What you will need:

3-4 cups uncooked country style noodles (pictured)

1 can Campbells cream of celery soup

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1-2 cans water packed tuna (depending on your taste)

3stalks finely diced celery

1/2 onion finely diced

1/2 red bell pepper finely diced

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Lawry's garlic salt

black pepper

Begin by boiling the noodles until almost cooked through, about 20min.

While noodles are cooking, heat about 2tbls. oil in a large skillet, add the diced vegetables along with the garlic salt. ( I don't measure the garlic salt, I just add what looks right.)

Saute the vegetables until the onions are opaque. Next, add the cream of celery soup, heavy whipping cream, and tuna to the vegetable mixture. heat through. Then season to taste with black pepper, and maybe more garlic salt. Then add this cream mixture to the cooked, and drained country noodles. Transfer the mixture to a 9x12 casserole dish, top with the grated cheese and Panko bread crumbs. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 25min. or until the center is bubbly, and cheese is melted.

MMMMMMMM. so yummy!

" Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

1 Peter 4:9

Carrot Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Frosting

Fall is definitely in the air, and it's certainly beginning to influence what I cook. Warm soups, and casseroles for dinner, and of course lots of pumpkin flavored desserts. If you're in the mood for something a little sweet, with classic fall flavors, then this dessert is for you.

What you will need

1 1/2 cups of flour

2/3 cup of sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup of oil

2 eggs

1 cup of grated carrots

1 tsp. of vanilla

1/2 cup of Pumpkin spice Jello pudding ( prepared according to pie filling directions)

note: This Jello is only available during the fall season. I purchase this Jello at Wal-Mart. I stock up when it's available.

 1st. Prepare the Jello according to pie directions on the box.

2nd. Mix all dry ingredients

3rd. Mix all wet ingredients except for the Jello Pudding

4th. combine the wet and dry ingredients.

5th. when ingredients are well blended together add the prepared pudding. Mix well

6th. place batter into paper-lined or greased muffin pans.

7th. bake at 350 degrees for about 25min.

MEANWHILE.............................................................................................

What you'll need for the frosting:

1. 8oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese

1/4 cup butter.

3cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1st. Mix cream cheese and butter with mixer until well blended

2nd. continue mixing with a mixer, add the cinnamon and vanilla

3rd. continue mixing with mixer.. add the powdered sugar a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Note: this frosting recipe makes more than enough to frost 36 full-size cupcakes. I usually double the recipe for cupcakes.

I hope that you give this recipe a try... and enjoy with family, and friends.

Eph. 5:20

" Giving thanks always for all things unto God"

Blessings,



pumpkin spice jello

My Memories Suite giveaway, and Thanksgiving Place Cards.



I would like to share a product with you, that I've recently enjoyed. It's called MyMemories suite, digital scrapbooking software. Below is an example of what you can do.

I'm not very experienced at digital scrapbooking, but this made scrapbooking much more convenient. I think this is an excellent way to give pictures to family, and friends. Also, scrapbooking is not the only way to make use of this program. You really can use it for so much more. It allows you to create slide shows accompanied by the music of your choice. You can share your pictures in multiple ways, through e-mail, or burn your albums to a dvd, or one of my personal favs. I can craft with it. Here is something that I created using the MyMemories suite.

Place cards for my Thanksgiving dinner! Here's what I did.

first I designed the place cards using the MMS software, just choose your papers, size them up, then add your embellishments.

next, I printed the images onto cardstock

then, cut out the image.

Next, I embellished using Martha Stewart glitters. I just love the extra bling it gives...

and, TA-DA! This was so easy to put together using the MMS program. I have a head full of ideas using this software... 

Give away has ended.

But the best part is that I get to give away the software to one lucky reader!

 Here is what you need to do to enter the give away.

1. Become a follower of my blog, or subscribe by e-mail.

2. go to http://www.mymemories.com/ and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then

3. come back to my blog, and leave a comment telling me what paper pack was your favorite.

The give away will end on Friday. October 14th. So be sure to enter before then. I will announce the winner on Monday, October 17th.

And, if you don't win, you could still buy the program.

My memories is offering my readers $10. off the price of purchase, just enter code STMMMS70145 at checkout. There is no expiration for this offer.

I hope that you enjoy this program as much as I have. Have fun scrappin :)

Blessings,