Perfectly Charming

The hubs and I enjoyed a wonderful break from the kids this weekend. We headed to Medina and hit a bunch of shops. It was actually his suggestion (I almost fainted)...

I've had my eye on this chair for months. And he knows it. I need two for my morning room. They will be mine someday. :)

So many of the stores were over-the-top with inspiration. White trees were everywhere! I loved Fleurs...
This one store really stuck me. A mom/daughter team own Perfectly Charming--and it is just that. Everything was white and green. The whole place just glowed...

And as we walked through the store, I kept discovering more and more and more. It was an out of body experience. Ever have one of those while shopping? I can go for years looking, and not really find something I have to have regarding Christmas. I have a ton of stuff, so adding to the heap doesn't really make sense.
But it was one of those times where you knew if you walked away, it wouldn't be there when you returned. It was a great shopping day for sure...

So what did I score? A pair of great old ice skates, lots of antique ornaments, a huge cake stand and a beautiful scarf. Oh, and a Remington noiseless typewriter that I LOVE...
...a cool silver sign and a great sparkling tree (from the Dollar Store no less--thanks, Jen!)
These will adorn my daughter's tree this year...
This chenille blanket is heavenly. And the three hand mirrors will be Christmas gifts for my nieces. I'm on the hunt for four more...
I couldn't pass up those deals!! If you're local, be sure to check out all the shops on the square the weekend of November 21-23 for their annual Candlelight Walk too...

And speaking of charming, here is a sneak of the Christmas kit...
Thanks for indulging me today! Have a great one...

have ya started......

your christmas cards yet? i know i know its barely november
---but the holidays will sneak up on you before you know it!
i tend to make a bunch a different ones to hand out vs all of
the same. what about you? dig into those scraps and get to
creating! keep an eye out as there will be some sketches
coming from trish real soon! heheh ;)
here is my first card of the season!

Something new to share

Hey everyone, it's Amy!!! I wanted to share this mini I made using the Nov kit. If you haven't already, just get over there and pick one up! It is such an awesome kit!!







Thanks for looking, and I hope you're having a great weekend!

a new site.

hi all! emily here. have you heard of this crafty site?

a blogging friend of mine recently sent me there, and i fell in love with it immediately!

if you love all things crafty, as well as tutorials to make all those crafty things, then you'll LOVE that site!

a few of my recent fave tutorials have been:

baby wear from old t-shirts

hooded bath towels for kids

make your own baby legs (arm and leg warmers)

fabric cup cozy

the site is filled with sooooo many tutorials, it was hard to choose just a few!

have fun checking out the site!

Let Your Scraps Speak to You

Jana here! One of the fun parts of working with a kit is to challenge yourself to use every last little piece of it that you can. You can make cards, tags, or use punches to make layered handmade embellishments. I decided to make another layout with the few scraps I had left from my November kit; a long strip of the Basic Grey Granola Natural paper and 2 smaller pieces of the Sunflower and Crunchy papers. I LOVE the *wild* feel to these papers and decided to look for pictures that would go along with that theme. When I came across these pictures of my kids playing in the fall leaves, the title jumped into my mind and my page was born. :D

I stacked the photos on top of each other anchored on the wide strip of the Natural paper. Next I handcut the designs from the Sunflower and Crunchy to use as accents peeking out from behind the photo strip. From there the page just came together. It didn't take me very long, because I decided to go with the flow. A quick title is easy when you leave chipboard in it's natural, bare state. A few more touches and a quick journal block and you are finished.




Wah-lah! :D
Have a great week!
Jana

It's not too late.

Here in northeast Ohio, the past few days have been unseasonably warm. I jumped on my last opportunity to plant tulip bulbs, and hope you are inspired to do the same wherever you are...

First, find a spot where you can dig a big hole, at least 6" deep. (No, I didn't use the snow shovels--those belonged to my boys who like to dig with anything.)My holes were about 20" round. Once the holes were dug in specific locations in the yard, I went through and coated the inside of the holes with bone meal.
Then I simply dumped (yes, dumped) a bunch of tulip bulbs into the hole. I then went back and made sure the pointed ends were up, and I gently filled the holes with dirt.
No, I don't dig individual holes. I go for mass plantings and put them fairly close together (yes, I know it doesn't say that on the package--but I know what I'm doing--I promise.) As far as color and bulb selection, I go for mid to late spring varieties that speak to me. This year, I planted varieties of pink and orange to make me smile. Last year, I did all white with pink tips. Whatever you decide, go for mass quantities to make a statement--not various colors. I also like to plant tulips in the back yard so I have a variety in which to pick from for indoor arrangements.

Go ahead--as long as the ground isn't frozen, you still have time too!! In a few months, you'll be glad you did...

Enjoy this beautiful day!!

Bookworm

When I'm not scrappin, my nose is usually stuck in a book.

I'm a history professor in my other life, and books are my true passion (outside of paper and glue that is...) I love to escape into stories, and sometimes I escape so much that I don't even hear people talking to me when I'm reading. When I travel, I usually have a few books with me, and then I find myself stopping in an old used bookstore looking for something fun to take home with me. And don't even get me started on Paperback Book Swap!

I have really ecclectic tastes too...I pretty much read everything. One of my favorite books ever is Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits. Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveller's Wife is another fave, and I can't wait for the movie. I love Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, and The Namesake by Jhumpha Lahiri is a new favorite. It really is an amazing book if you haven't read it. I was completely sucked in by the Twilight Series (even though I HATED Breaking Dawn), and right now I'm immersing myself in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris. I'm really sad that I'm on the last one, and I hope she writes more! In between Sookie's happenings, I'm fitting in a chapter or two of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Yeah, Betty Friedan is a little heavy, and I read her in really small doses...but I still make time for silly fluff like the occasional Jude Devereaux.

What are you reading these days and what is your favorite book?

Why don't you celebrate that book and make a page about it!

The Polling Place Photo Project

VOTE. Today. Now. Just be sure you do.

I plan on taking my camera with me tomorrow, because regardless of who wins, history will be made. Be sure to take your camera, and post the results here. Kind of a really cool concept!! You can also check out other countries and how they vote here.

Now, while you're waiting for the results, why not try these?



Here is Colleen's recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes...

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

From the Cake Mix Doctor: Cupcakes by Anne Byrn

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 -inch size)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream (see "the Cupcake Doctor says")
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
3 large eggs

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Mix cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl for 2 min Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 3 cups, enough to frost 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inch size) generously
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. Beat cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl for 30 seconds, and add melted chocolate. Blend another 30 seconds. Add the peppermint extract and 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar and blend on low until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.
Go on now--get out the vote!!

30 Minutes

I was having one of those days when I was unfocused and unmotivated. I just couldn't seem to decide on doing anything. Finally I had enough and decided to see if I could scrap a page in 30 minutes or less. In order to acheive this I had to be strict with myself.

1. I pulled out the September kit and decided to use only its contents
2. I looked through my already printed photos and chose the first one that coordinated with the papers in the kit
3. I promised myself no second guessing! I would just go with my instincts and get the page done

26 minutes later I completed this page

It tells the story of the new love I discovered for these flowers last Spring. And this is why I love scrapbooking kits (especially the great ones Trish puts together!). It really simplified the process and kept me focused. I did cheat a bit and used two rhinestones that weren't part of the kit. But in my defense they were already out on my table in front of me, I didn't have to go searching for them!

Think you can meet this challenge? Share your pages in the comments or the flickr group

Time for Thanksgiving fun...

I'm one of those gals who starts taking down Halloween decorations right after the beggers leave. I can't stand it being up after it is over--I know--neurotic, eh? The good thing is that I have to put my Thanksgiving stuff up now, and I'll be sharing in the next few days...

In the meantime, here are some etsy finds I'm coveting...

This is too cute, and my niece will love this too...

These will be mine soon...

These are over the top, and so are these, but they made me giggle...

This is totally inspiring...

These are SO stinkin' cute...

These smell heavenly...

And I have to have these for sure...

Be sure to sign up for the Martha Thanksgiving Workshop to receive daily emails and tips too!! Love the projects she had for Halloween--and the emails are very reliable...

Okay, I'm off to finish up the newsletter. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!!