Sweet card

I made this cute card the other day for my card challenge blog, Black tie Fridays. Our challenge was black and yellow.

I just love my new stamp set and papers.

Makes one happy crafting momma.

{get your runway on}

Ok, for my last challenge this week I've played in Runway Inspiration.

Maybe it will inspire me to become skinny.

Maybe it will inspire me to wear a weird outfit.

Maybe it will inspire me to live in another country.

You know the kind that produce models for the runway?

Maybe it will inspire to make a fantastic card!

I think I need a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's!!

Here is the picture of the Model showdown this week.....

Maybe I'm inspired to go stand in a corner of a room by a heater.

Hmm, I'm might save that one for another day.

I love this challenge blog.  You get a picture for each challenge of "runway inspiration" and take what you get from it and create something.  I love that it's soooo open ended and the possibilities are just incredible.   If you've never played there you should!  Go.  Be INSPIRED!

Well, here's my card for the challenge.  I think it's one of my favorites!

I think I was inspired!

I think I need my M&M's now.

Then maybe the elliptical machine after that.

{She's Smart}

Yet another card finished for challenges this week!  I have one more to complete, but I still have another week to do it!  Whew, I have a HUGE mess to clean up, and it has to happen fast because we have boy scouts at our house this weekend!!  (I don't think they want to scrapbook or make cards)  Can't wait to do Girl Scouts!!

OH, yes, I had made a card!

So far, this is one of my favorites!!  I did this one for the Mojo Monday Challenge.  It's a sketch, and I really, really like it!!

I used my favorite (most favorite) paper pack from CTMH, but just got a new stamp set from a SU friend, so I had to use it.  My Sis-in Law is getting ready to graduate hair school and I thought this would be a good one to send to her!

Add caption

So fun!

Ok, that's it for a few days.  I guess I'll put the paper, stamps, embossing folder, cricut machine, inks, markers, punches and everything else away!  :(

{sweet baby buttons}

Last night I had scrap night.

While I have fun chatting, chatting, chatting.

Did I mention I like chatting?

It calls for not getting a lot done!

But hey, I get to chat with the gals right?

I did however complete this card for the challenge blog Paper Players.

I told you I've been wanting to do more challenges!

So, in the one challenge, there was basically four.

1.)Buttons
2.) Bows
3.) Baby theme
4.) Clean and Simple

Whew, this is a lot when you're trying to chat it up with the gals who came to scrapbook!

Anywho, here's what I came up with...

Buttons....check

Bows....check

Baby....check

CAS...Check (I think)

Well, it's done anyway, and it's headed off to a friend who just had a baby girl, and of course her and I are a little obsessed with owls, so it's just a little perfect for her!  

{Whaley}

This week I've been battling the dirty house....

This week I've been attending to 3, yes 3, sick kids (all with something different)....
.....2 ear infections, 2 pink eyes, high fever, cough, congestion, runny nose,  everything but the pukes (thank God).

This week I've been getting ready for my scrapbook group....

This week the kids are off from school, we had big plans....

This week, this week, this week.....

....There are fun challenges going on everywhere and I'm wanting to play in all of them!!
I'm going to try my best.

I made this card for the Dynamic Duos challenge this week, which I love this color combination.

I just love this stamp set from CTMH, so cute!!

This is also a sneak peak at Black Tie Fridays challenge coming out tomorrow.  Hmmm I wonder what it will be????

{Beach Time}

I so rarely blog about our adventures!  It's so much easier to snap that picture and put it onto Facebook, but the beach is so fun, and it always allows me to take such pretty pictures!  We took our last beach adventure with our wonderful new friends Jen and her son Jett (he's so cute!)

I've also been messing with storyboards for my blog, which my new way is way easier than my old way!!  I had fun putting our pictures of our outing into these fun story boards.  Hope you enjoy them too.


Jen introduced me to a new beach called Capitola Beach.  I really, Really, REALLY, liked it!  She knows me so well!!  It is a fun, little more up scale, beach town.

Jett is a little more adventurous than April.  He will run straight for the water with NO hesitation.  He sure keeps Jen on her toes.  April's pretty content to sit and dig in one spot!  She hates the water!  So funny the difference in age.

I also couldn't resist taking a picture of my pretty, new, thirty-one, beach bag (for my other friend Jen back in Ks.)  So pretty huh?

It's supposed to be nice and warm again this week, I might just hit the beach!!

{Happy Birthday}

Happy Happy Birthday to this gal!

I can't believe my little Shannon is turning ummm 16!

She's fun, funky, spontaneous, sweet, and many other things!

Watch out everyone; she's hitting the road, and I can't believe she's old enough to do so.  She's not much younger than I was when she was born, and that scares me.  It might mean I'm getting old or something.  It's been fun watching her grow up and become such a young lady!  I've had a blast with her as her aunt!  So happy birthday, may it be fun!!


We get to have some fun ourselves.....

Tomorrow it's gong to be warm.

Really warm.

Go do something fun warm.

So we're going to go do this.....

Yay, I've been wanting to go for a couple of months!!

We're going to go with these fun people....

These are some new found, wonderful friends, that we hang out with.  Well, we hang out with them a lot!  This is Jen (big surprise) and Jett.  Lucas, her hubby, isn't pictured, but they are soooo much fun to be around.  I texted her this afternoon to see what they were up to tomorrow and if they wanted a play date.  She responded with, "we're going to santa cruz"

Um, then after sometime kindly asked if we wanted to go!  Um, yes please!!  I might have to give her some nice little thing since she's driving. (My van needs new rear tires and I'm not about to drive it on the windy Hwy 17, through the mountains over to Santa Cruz!)

I told her I would bring the camera (of course) and snap some cuties of the kids playing in the sand!  So, I guess....more to come!

Well, now it's off to clean the kitchen since I've been doing everything I can to avoid it the last couple of days.  Humph!  Anyone want to come be my live in kitchen cleaner?

{chair}isn

Yep, two blogs in one day!

I know it's hard to keep up with me.... :)

Yesterday I had planned to spend hours of uninterrupted time in the "room" crafting away!!  (In my dreams)

1.) I did craft, with a 3 year old, and oh how it was more 3 year old time than "me time"
2.) I was super grouchy because of it
3.) I had failed...at making the card that was in my head!

So.....
I got up this morning and what did I do after my coffee?

Yup, took the 2nd cup of coffee to the craft room and started in on my challenges.
1.) for my own challenge blog (which I can't reveal until Friday)
        bummer, I know.

Make sure you check out our challenge blog here.

2.) worked on a card for the Dynamic Duo's challenge this week, which is....

I opted to not participate in the Dessert option of Valentine.  I had intended to, and even pulled out all of my valentine stamps, paper, etc. but it just wasn't flowing.  So, I started to look at my other stamp sets to see what I had.  This is one I had purchased a long time ago and LOVE, but hadn't yet used.  Waiting for just the right thing!

I sooooo love the way my card turned out! (grin from ear to ear)

I know exactly who this card is going to, but it's one of those so pretty ones you don't want to let go of just quite yet!

{She's a Queen!}

Traveling home for the holidays meant spending some time behind the lens!!  OH, it felt soooo good! :)  One of the shoots I did was 2 in 1.  I took some maternity pictures of a friend (to come) and during that shoot I also did my best friends daughter, Madison.

In early December she held HER installation to become Honored Queen of Bethel #36 in Lenexa, Ks.  As a past Jobie, I know that she will always remember this event, and the next 6 months, as one of the best times in her youth!  It really is an honor!  What a wonderful organization.  What a blast her term will be!

Since I couldn't be there....

so sad :(

I did what I could, designed her programs, hand made thank you cards, crocheted her little "paisley" peacock, and my favorite....

take her Honored Queen pictures!  (Teeheehee)

Here are some that captures, the pretty, hilarious, Madison!!

I love this picture of madison! She's so goofy :)

{It's Butter}

Well folks, I told you this was one of my goals this year, and I'm going to keep it!!

Today I'm going to tell you how to make the most wonderful thing on Earth!  Butter....yep a good yummy spreadable butter (best on some home made bread).  Maybe that post will be for a later day.

Last night Ethan was wanting his favorite soup, tomato basil, yum delisous!!  Anywho, after I make it I generally have left over cream.  What better to do with the left overs than  make butter?

It's the simplest thing really, you're going to wonder why you've never done this before.  I love making this.

Eating it is yummy too.  Warm soft bread, straight from the oven. With just the right amount of crust that crisps and crumbs all over the place.  Is it lunch time yet?

Back to the butter...

What you'll need.....

Bowl

Hand Mixer (you'll really want to use a hand mixed and not bowl kind)

Salt

Heavy whipping cream

Pour your cream into the bowl and add a couple shakes of the salt.  Start mixing the cream with the hand mixer.  I do a medium speed.  Stand. Hold mixer, stand, hold mixer, move mixer around bowl.  Continue this process for about 15-20 min.  

Your cream will go through phases, here's what you'll see....

liquid (for a long time)

milk shake consistency (after about 7 min)

sour cream consistency (after another 2 min)

it will stay like this for awhile....

cool whip consistency (you could probably make your own whipped topping with adding sugar instead of salt and stopping at this point.  I've never tried, maybe another day)

this cool whip consistency will continue to get thicker almost like working with softened cream cheese.

Then, ALL OF A SUDDEN.....whipped butter, and when I say ALL OF A SUDDEN,  I mean ALL OF A SUDDEN!!!  When it starts to turn into the whipped butter it will turn really fast.

At this point I whip for about another 20 sec to make sure it all looks the same consistency of whipped butter.  Stop and taste.  I just poke my CLEAN finger in and taste.  It might need just a little more salt.  Especially if you're making a large amount.  (Add salt if need.) Whip for about another 10 sec.



Butter can be over whipped and it can happen quickly.  If you think you're over whipping, it will become watery....STOP!!!  It won't harden in the fridge!  If you've over whipped, you might as well toss it out and try again!

Also, a little goes a LONG way.  Making butter is fun, but share with your neighbors and friends if you make a lot.  You're not going to be able to finish it all before it stinks, molds, or other gross things in your fridge.  Do not leave sitting out on your counter. Your butter will be good for about 5 days, if left in the fridge.  Yes, there is no preservatives so it is going to go bad quickly!

Giving butter to a friend can be fun!  Just take a look at my dressed up jars to give to my buds....

These jars are 1/2 pints jars and the perfect size for butter.  Add a tag and it's so cute!

Add a cute crocheted dishcloth, and you've got a cute small thank you gift.  I can't wait to give mine out! (or eat my yummy butter on my bread tonight with dinner). 

After filling four jars for friends I filled two more for myself.  It goes a long long way!!

(quart sized container used minus one cup used for soup)

If you make other things with heavy cream, let me know.  I'd love to try them!