Wednesday, July 30, 2008

July is nearly done?!

I should have written down the name of the stamp sets that I used so I could tell you the "recipes". This is a Stampin' Up! set - anyone know what it's called :) The last while I have been trying to use up my scraps. I have 5 mini rubbermaid clear bins. One for Soft Subtles, Rich Regals, Earth Elements, Bold Brights & Neutrals. It's amazing at how full they get. I just hate punching out a flower from a new sheet of cardstock! So the last few cards I did I was FORCING myself to dig into those boxes & use up pieces. I used the Basic Grey & Regal Rose (?) combo for this card. How do you store all your scraps?

I have so many people to send thank-you cards to. If I'm going to sit & make a stash of cards it's usually children's birthday & thank-you cards.
Enjoy your day,
.j.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Relaxation.

It feels good to relax. To be away from the chaos and just relax. :) Today my little guy is going golfing with Daddy (he *loves* playing on the "real, professional course!") and the girls are going to wander downtown. How lovely! As promised, here's a card to share with you. I've lugged all my stamping stuff here (ok, not *ALL* of it) but a couple boxes, so once hubby is off to work, my mom & I will play :) Until then, here's one I did a few weeks ago:

For these types of flowers, I love to use my markers & color directly on the stamp. I also don't recolor each time, but double stamp so I get a "lightened" version of the same image. I used my nestibilites, large scallop rectangle. I am enjoying these. I just ordered the large square so I hope to play with that while I'm here. The corner punches gave me a little color in each corner and I added a few rhinestone gems for some sparkle & shine :) I love ribbon, the SU taffeta ribbon is gorgeous! LOVE IT. I also save all my little bits of ribbon and these little pink pieces worked perfectly on each side of the stamped image. I just tied them directly on the taupe piece.
I hope you find some stamping time too... what are you working on?
.j.

Monday, July 28, 2008

We have arrived.... & a Carrot Salad?

Well, we arrived in Vernon late last night, or early this morning depending on how you look at it. The trip was fairly smooth, so that was good. We didn't QUITE get done before exhaustion set in so we will head back to the island mid August to finish up. Crazy I know, but the kids are excited to be able to go back for a quick visit with their friends again... then it'll be about a year before we're back - wow! Anyway, hope to share a card with you tomorrow, but while looking for recipes for dinner tonight I came across this:

Barefoot Carrot Salad 2007, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
Show: Barefoot Contessa
Episode: Ladies Who Lunch

1/3 cup golden raisins
1 pound carrots
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup diced fresh pineapple

Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then drain.

Fit a food processor with the grating blade. Cut the carrots in half and place in the feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches. Place the grated carrots in a medium bowl, add the lemon juice and toss.
For the dressing, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and salt. Pour the dressing over the carrots and add the pineapple and raisins. Toss together and serve.

Now I can't say I have EVER made carrot salad -- you? But I thought the sounds of this with the tangy dressing, raisins and pineapple sounded yummy. :) Thought I'd share with you :) We spent the afternoon at the beach and now it's time to set the outdoor table & fire up the grill for dinner. I love it here!
hope you're enjoying your day,
.j.

Friday, July 25, 2008

MOVING weekend has arrived.

Moving weekend has arrived. Well... phase one. Of course regular people pack, get a moving truck & head out WITH THEIR STUFF... and a place to move INTO is a bonus as well. We however, are not 'regular people' - LOL. We're {still} packing, putting stuff in the garage (and center of rooms) and then we'll leave and head to my mom's for a month. At the end of *next* month, DH's Dad will get some guys, load up the truck and drive it out to Ft. Mac for September 1st. And yes, I'm hoping we have found a place by then. Stress?! well.... maybe a wee bit! Need to pack what we need for a month, plus all the kids' school stuff in case we don't get into a place by then (which I do believe is the VERY NEXT DAY - Sept. 2nd).... & get it into the truck WITH MY STAMPING STUFF. Oh yeah... it's going to be a fun weekend. So I will be back hopefully on Monday... but for now -- it's a final run & then packing central! :) Enjoy your weekend. I even have a card to share with you:
.j.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

grunge card

When my friend was here she brought Elsie's recipe box with her. Have you seen this?

I do realize it's for scrapbooking and I really like Elsie. She's OUT OF MY BOX! LOL. I love her carefree style, homemade embellishments and the fun all her pages seem to carry. I decided to challenge myself with producing a card out of one of the layouts. I call it my *grunge* card. Looks that way to me. Thought it would work for a boy's birthday card! Now I don't have the recipe card to show you - but if you know Elsie, you know she paints! I didn't have any so I took my craft pads and SMOOSHED them across my cardstock (after I ran it through the cuttlebug). You'll see a few cards made with this star set (the name has left my mind!) but it's the new one from the last mini that I've had my eye on for some time. So here's my take on her GRUNGE LAYOUT :) Odd, isn't it!? LOL.

Enjoy your day.
.j.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Photo Shoot.


Such a fun day at long beach. I could show you countless photos! :) I'll show you a card tomorrow. Off to pack... the countdown is on!
.j.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

A new Day.

I do enjoy Sundays. Not only because it's a lazy morning and we all head to church as a family (although I do love that), but it's a new week. A fresh beginning. And somehow that brings a renewed sense of motivation & and reflection. I'm a list girl. Always have been. I plan our meals, my *chores*, my activities. So yes, change can be somewhat difficult for me - LOL. Living in this CHAOTIC state for the last few years has been challenging to say the least. But... as we enjoy our final week here on the island, I find myself excited for the adventures that lay ahead & blessed at all the joy we have had here the last 14 years. Wow. 14 years, how does that happen?! Today we are taking the kids to one of our favorite, but rarely visited, places. Long Beach. It's where their Daddy proposed to me :) It's simply beautiful. My MIL called me up and said she thought is was almost "wrong" for my island-born babes to move away without walking the beach in Tofino. So, after church we will load up Grandpa & Grandma's minivan and head off to enjoy a day together. We will leave the boxes for Monday, the packing paper & bubble wrap aside & play. I can hardly wait.
.j.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Final pages.

These are the final pages in the Father's day Album I did. I think I doubled up on showing you a couple... There was one more set, but it was just all journalling from the kids, no photos. We had a great farewell BBQ last night. Kids were playing in the ocean until after 9pm. What fun. I am going to miss the ocean. But warmer, unsalted lakes do sound nice! LOL. OK... warmer for a few weeks. It's that 8 months of winter that's going to kill me. No more tennis on Christmas Eve! LOL. Today is major packing day. My friend is taking all three kids for the day/evening -- HOW SWEET! So... let the day begin!
.j.


Friday, July 18, 2008

Irresistible Brownies

I know you all like a photo of the recipe, me too... however, I don't have one. :) You will know why as soon as you make these. As every good baker knows, you need to sample your baked goods soon after they are out of the oven (make sure they meet your standards, of course!) ... then again after they've cooled a bit to see if they're just as good warm as they are hot. Of course, after that occurs, you wonder... are they still just as amazing without the chocolate & peanut butter chips oozing & melting inside your mouth? And... after sampling again, you realize they are. :) Once everyone else in your clan checks that theory out, there are no more brownies in the pan to photograph :) Enjoy!

3/4 cup Cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted & divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1-3/4 cups EACH peanut butter chips and Milk Chocolate chips

*** Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in a large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup melted butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend thoroughly. Stir in chips. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack (WHATEVER!!!) Cut into squares.

REMEMBER the theory of the perfect brownie -- DO NOT OVERCOOK :) Ooey-Gooey is key! :) And do not make and consume on a beach day!!! ;-)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Thursday Already!?!

Determined that today *WILL BE* a packing day. Ran out of boxes. I'm thinking I need a box boy. :) Someone who will run & get me boxes as I run out. I get in the groove, then no boxes... seems to take a few days to not only find boxes, but get in the groove again :) What are you all doing? Haven't heard from many of you -- enjoy summer I do hope! Tell me so i can dream of that while I'm packing!! LOL. Thinking of palm trees, beaches, sandcastles.... ahhhhhh.....
nearly done showing you the book.... couple more of the final pages :) Think I'll share an amazing brownie recipe with you tomorrow :) YUM. stay tuned.
.j.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Father's Day Book ....

Got in from a good run. One of those things that there's really not time for, but really not time *not* to do. Need to clear my head in the morning before the chaos. We're off to the dentist (again) this afternoon. My little one has some cavities to fix (poor thing is so scared) and I have one that I'm *finally* going to get done. So both of us are feeling like once that is DONE this afternoon, life will be a bit better :) The house is buzzing with work being done & work to do.... but I still have a couple more pages of the Father's Day Album to show you :)


Beautiful day here again on the island...starting to have some sad moments at leaving, but still excited about the adventure that is awaiting us.
.j.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Daddy Day.

Today is Daddy day and we're all excited to get into the truck & make the trek to the airport :) Only 10 packing days left which is why I seem to be skipping days on my blog. It's a refreshing break strangely enough, so I do hope to post now & again. I got some stamping time in the last couple of nights as well so I'm trying to get some loaded on here so I can still share pics with you while I'm at my Mom's :)I thought I'd start with a couple pages from the Father's Day Chipboard book I made. I think i got the little book at my *local* Scrap store (she runs with scissors) for about $3.50. It was great to just pull out and get going. Most pages I lined with designers paper, the others I just painted. I had a "layout" for each child and gave them each a tag to write their own special note to daddy on.


I hope the sunshine is warming you like it is here, love the summertime.
.j.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Mango Smoothies


OK. Megan & I just made the most delish summer drink! I buy mangoes BY THE BOX, we love 'em! BUT... sometimes they ripen faster than we can even eat them (or I'm in the store thinking.... do we have mangoes? and purchase a box when a full box is in the pantry!).. kinda like milk with other families :) ANYWAY - if that happens, I just slice them up, stick 'em in a ziplock and put them in the freezer. NOW I KNOW WHY!!!
Grab your blender!
1 ripe mango (i like it frozen)
1 banana
1/2 cup yogurt (we used peach, what we had in the fridge)
1 cup orange juice
6 ice cubes
BLEND ON HIGH.... and enjoy! I bet this would make a delicious Popsicle mix too!!

Enjoy your Sunday.
.j.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I'm back. most of me anyway :)

I've had a full week. I *wish* I was writing about how the week was productive, packing was nearly completed & I lost 10 pounds, but no. I had company this week which did allow me stamping time, which means I had a happy week :)! My stamping buddy from up north was here with her little sweethearts and we managed to somehow get all the kids to bed and STAMP I think four of those nights?!, right Danita?! :))) So I will ACTUALLY have some cards to show you this week! I've realized too that I haven't shown you the rest of the pages in David's Father's day chipboard book that I made... stay tuned, lots to show you this week - between boxes!
Our friend had a baby BOY this week and my littlest one is *SO* excited to meet Jack! I made this little 3x3 baby card, not knowing gender, but realizing if it was a girl I'd have to make another one :) Whew. Did make an error... stamped the wrong green for the star, should have been Wasabi... babies don't see color right away, do they? LOL.

OK - off to clean & pack.
.j.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Hello Monday

The start of the new week. Hello Monday. The countdown is on -- 19 more packing days. Not sure if I'll get out for my run this morning or not. I have company here this week & she's taken my little one with her to Victoria for the day so I'm thinking I've got some GOOOOOD packing time (as long as I stay focused... hmmm, could be difficult!) I did sneak in some stamping time the other night and tomorrow is STAMP DAY!!! (that should help and getting work done today!). This is one of my newest bella stamps - shopabella :) Now I'm thinking this card is *missing* something. As I look at my cards, I realize I don't have a ton of sentiments. Maybe that's it!? I had fun creating just the same. :)

I thought it was perfect after our day at the mall.... enjoy your week.
.j.
total boxes packed - 7

Friday, July 04, 2008

A run + the mall with 3 children = late post.

It was a good day. Started it out on the trails with my good running buddy & we had a great 10K run, home to clean up and then rounded all the excited munchkinz up for a *day at the mall*. Seriously, I HATE going to the mall with the kids. All the begging, all the whining, all the impatience... yeah, no fun. But today was AMAZING! We went to this store & that, they happily tried on outfits and selected the ones they loved, I carried the bags that multiplied rapidly to prove we were having a SUCCESSFUL day. A couple stops at the food court to replenish, relax & refocus and we were good to go. We were gone for 6 HOURS! Everyone was happy. It was a good day. Home for a quick supper, a wee bit of TV, some stories & they're all nicely tucked into bed. I even have a movie for myself tonight and big 'ol bowl of popcorn with MY name on it! A good day. I love good days :) A real treat amid the stress & far too long to-do lists. They all even managed to get their chores done. :)
ANYWAY... I did get my card stamped out using the photo in yesterday's post as inspiration....

I used the cuttlebug on the background... kept it white like the photo and then added the soft green/blue hues to it. Simple, but pretty. I actually pulled out my Sterling Silver Embossing Powder... wow, haven't heat embossed in a LONG time! Isn't it funny how it goes in waves like that. When I first saw embossing my jaw dropped - LOVED it. Bought nearly ever color under the sun and even that which GLOWS IN THE DARK. I know - crazy! Then it's forever and a day since I use it. :) I've seen white on white that looks sooooo pretty. Should try that. Mmmmm.... I see a card formulating :) I hope your summer day was pure bliss! Enjoy your weekend. Happy Independence Day for those of you in the USA :)
.j.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Photo Inspiration

I've seen on a few blogs where a photo of some sort is posted & then that photo is used as inspiration to create a card/scrapbook page or some other type of element. I thought I'd give it a try now & then. My first photo I found off of Martha Stewart's website. I loved the *soft* feel to this photo. I'm working on a card with this photo as inspiration that I will post tomorrow for you. I'd love to see what you've created! Please send me a link!!

Kids awoke this morning to chore lists. Yup. We're startin'.... each morning they will have a few chores to do (water plants, wipe down light switches, tidy up shoes....) easy ones to get them helping out a bit. With Daddy gone now for a couple of weeks, it's time to pull together, work together & make it through together :) And.... a clean house just makes me smile. Determined to get some packing done this week. I'll have to keep tabs on here.
Number of boxes packed this week: 0 (that number *WILL* change!) LOL.
.j.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

12 year old Birthday Boy.

Greetings suntanned stampers! :) At least I hope the sun is shining and you're going a nice bronze color -- that means you're out and relaxing, which is what everyone needs over the summer. I hope to get that NEXT month when I stay with my mom with the kids for 3 WEEKS... now is SHE READY for that?! :) That's the thing with living too far apart, we savour those moments, and three weeks is going to be SUCH A TREAT. The house will be packed and we'll be on our way to Fort Mac and a new family adventure :) So she says... BRING YOUR STAMPING STUFF!! LOL, but of course! But *WHAT* to take will be the vital question. I like to have everything, because most certainly what I do not take will be what I wish I had (why does that always happen?!) So, as I pack up my stamp room I will have to decide Vernon OR moving truck....

I finally got around to making my nephew's belated birthday card (now I just have to pick up an itunes card!). he's turning 12 and yes, his Dad lets him drive their car around their property (and yes, he backed into their SUV!) CRAZY. And NO, my daughter will not be allowed to do the same thing. I can hear it now "But Caleb is allowed!" LOL. Still *practicing* with my Copic Markers. Kristie from She Runs With Scissors (link in the sidebar) sent me a DVD tutorial that I will HAVE to watch. maybe on the trip when hubby is driving I will sit back and watch it on the DVD players -- wonder how many "Aw MOM!"'s I'll get! LOL
Hope your day is wonderful,
.j.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

As promised.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!! I hope you all enjoyed a sleepy morning, a sunny day & some time to relax! As promised, here's the card I was determined to make yesterday (and did!) :) Time of late has been precious. With the completion of our home & getting it on the market,a move (officially next month now), packing/sorting, yard work and general CHAOS - time is very, very precious. So quick cards will be my theme these days I'm guessing.

Here I used whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up! and then used the stamp set Happy Harmony from Sale-a-bration. I used the Graceful Words set for 'blessings'. I colored the flowers in with markers (Old Olive, Ruby Red & touches of Close to Cocoa) and stamped my word with Basic Brown. I liked how it came out with the scalloped Nestibility. :) I'm hoping next time goes a bit smoother! LOL.
Enjoy your day off.
.j.