Emma's Throwback Thursday Challenge

This is my entry for Emma's Throwback Thursday challenge.  The challenge was to make a Christmas-themed project of your choice.  At first, I wasn't going to enter because I had already scrapbooked my son's Christmas page last week, and Emma wants an original project created just for her challenge.  I am far from ready to start on my Christmas cards, and my house is tiny, so a lot of Christmas decor isn't gonna work for me.  So, when I went to church yesterday morning, I got an invitation to a Christmas ornament and decor exchange for the women in my church.  We are to bring a wrapped gift containing decor or an ornament to share.  YAY!!!!!  I got to enter the challenge!  I got busy, and this took forever, but I love how it turned out.  First, I cut 4 rounded squares out of chipboard (recycled cracker box) on my expression using the Accent Essentials Cartridge.  Then I cut plain white paper to cover two of the squares on each side, and I adhered it with my ATG.  I had some black and white toil paper in the "neutral scraps" drawer, and I adhered that to the other square.  On the first white square, I used red chalk to color it in.  Then I used an ornament stamp from Studio G to stamp ornaments all over the paper.  I colored them in with SU markers, then went over the details with a gold MS marker.  I chalked black around the edge of the square.  For the next square, I used more Studio G stamps colored with SU markers to stamp a tree and ornament all over the background.  I rubbed it with a little bit of green chalk, then edged it with a gold MS marker.  The third square was simple, since the paper was already patterned.  I just edged it with a little red chalk.  Then I used my Plantin Schoolbook cartridge to cut out the letters on Coredinations cardstock.  I ran these through the Cuttlebug and sanded them, then adhered them with Elmer's Dots (super strong adhesive).  I then coated each square with glossy ModPodge.  While that dried, I cut the holly, angel, and poinsettia from the Joys of the Season cartridge on some vellum and added some Stickles to each.  Once that dried, I adhered it with the Zig two-way glue pen because it dries clear on vellum.  I added some ornament stickers from Walmart.  I let it all dry and set overnight, then bound the letters together with the Bind-it-All and added some ribbon.  I love, love, love how it turned out.  I'm going to do a few more to add to the collection for my Decor gift.

Stuffed Turban Squash--A new fall fave!

So, I went grocery shopping the other day, and I saw these turban squash.  I didn't know what in the heck they were, or what they taste like, but I decided to buy one and give it a whirl.  I googled recipes and found one on food.com that I thought would work for "Stuffed Turban Squash."  Then, of course because I am incapable of following a recipe exactly, I tweaked it.  So, when you google the recipe, I have some recommendations.  1) use Bob Evans turkey sausage, about 3/4 of a pound.  Other turkey sausages are good, but Bob Evans is less fatty and more flavorful.  I like the zesty.  2)  Add some frozen, country style hash browns--the diced ones--to the stuffing.  This bulks it up and makes it a meal on its own.  I served with Italian bread.  My daughter loved this, though the zesty sausage was a bit spicy for her.  My son refused to eat it, not because he didn't like the squash, though--he isn't a fan of sausage.  My husband and I both loved it!!!

Halloween Card

I made this Halloween card for my SIL.  I used the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge for all of it.  The tree is covered with SU Crystal Effects, then drawn on with Sharpie marker.  The house has yellow Stickles in the windows.  I did some faux stitching around the castle with my pentel gel pens...LOVE those.  Got a set of 24 for 12.95 at Sam's--and they're archival safe.  My favorite part of this card is the little bat flying by the moon.

Turkey for the Table

This is a pinecone turkey that Phillip made for a table decoration in second grade art class.  Art class was the ONLY thing that Phillip liked about second grade!  Thank goodness for his teacher, Javier Gonzalez, who understood my sad little boy and helped him find a passion.  Phillip still loves art, but he likes school, in general, a little better now.  That is thanks to his third-grade teacher, Antonia Ortiz, who saved him from a lifetime of hating school.  And his fourth-grade teacher, Phyllis Vigil, who challenges and nurtures him.  I could go on for days about the people who work with my kids every day.  Let's just say, I am thankful for all them.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of Phillip with this turkey, but I wanted to include it in his album.  When the turkey itself is long gone, the picture of it will live on in this layout.  Again, thanks to Page Maps for the layout idea, and thanks to my cousin Beth over at Scrappy Java Girl for helping me find the Page Maps site.  Check out her daily posts, too.  She creates some super cool things.

My Sweet Boy!

Here is another layout I made today for my son Phillip's 2008 album.  I'm proud to say it is almost finished!  Nina's, not so much, but hey, I'm getting there.  Phillip is a big bundle of almost-10-year-old energy, and he is a great joy!  He is a bit old for Santa Claus, but he humors his mom!  Plus, we have already taught our children about Santa and his level of "realness."  Anyway, I found this layout idea on Page Maps.  That is the coolest site ever because she does my thinking for me.  Many, many layouts for scrapping and cardmaking in one place.  Love that!  

Can You Say--Yummy!

Our church has a private elementary school upstairs.  We currently have 11 students.  Every year, the school hosts a "Fall Festival" fundraiser.  It includes a taco dinner, booths, games...but the best part is the dessert auction.  Each year, church members vie for the title of "Dessert That Brought the Most Money."  It is a great time, and it raises a good amount of money for the school.  Every Sabbath afternoon, my kids and I like to bake.  We find a recipe on the Internet, tweak it for altitude and our tastes, and experiment.  Today, it was Cream-filled Nutmeg Spice Cookies.  I truly believe this is the best thing I have EVER made.  I'm sure it it totally bad for you, but so what, right?  Just don't over indulge.  I can say this, since I have lost 22 pounds in the past four months, and I have no intention of gaining it back.  Recipe is below (adjusted for high altitude):

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, melted

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large egg

1/4 cup Brer Rabbit molasses

Wilton Sugar Crystals Sanding Sugar

Mix all dry ingredients, EXCEPT sugar, in a bowl.  In a larger bowl, mix sugar, butter blend, and oil.  Whip till mixture thickens and is light and fluffy.  Add egg and molasses.  Whip again.  Add dry ingredients in three additions.  REFRIGERATE for one hour.  

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove dough from refrigerator.  Measure with teaspoon and roll into 1" diameter balls.  Roll each ball into sanding sugar, and place on parchment lined sheet pan.  DO NOT FLATTEN.  Bake 9-12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool about three minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, spread 1 tablespoon ANY flavor of buttercream icing on one cookie and top with another.  

Yield:  42 cookies, 21 sandwiches

The possibilities are endless with this.  I think next time we will try cinnamon and maple buttercream.  This is definitely one of the desserts I will take to the auction this year.  YUM!

Is this really happening?

Try not to fall over everyone.  I'm actually making a new post.  This is a cute thank you card I made for my daughter's birthday guests.  Love how it turned out.  Just a postcard style.

I downloaded some printable background paper from scrapbookscrapbook.com.  Mounted that on Cordinations cardstock.  Stapled on some ribbon (Hobby Lobby, I think) with yellow staples from CTMH.  Then added a stamp and some diecuts from Animal Kingdom...using the "head" feature, cut at 1 3/4".  Then I used chalks to color them and MS markers to color in the lines.  Voila!  What do ya think?