New Winner of $20.00 gift certificate to Magnolia-licious!!

Hi friends!! The first winner didn't claim the prize before 9pm tonight, so that means I pull a new winner! Here we go... The new winner of the $20.00 GC to Magnolia-licious is...........................

and #45 is.....

Congrats Shirley!! Please contact me before 9pm Pacific Sunday April 3rd to claim your GC.  If I don't hear from you by then, I will pull another winner. Thanks again to everyone that joined us in our blog hop! Hugs!

April Fool's Day FOOD

For some reason, we never really celebrated April Fool's Day until a few years ago.  Now we're having the best time with our "funny food."

This year, I'm serving "sundaes" for dinner....

Kiddo is going to be so disappointed when he realizes we are not having ice cream for dinner, but that it is, in fact, mashed potatoes and gravy. 

{To make things super easy, we're using instant mashed potatoes and jarred gravy.  I know, I know...not the healthiest, but I won't tell if you won't.}

And how cute is that "cherry?"  I was SO excited to find that jar of Peppadew peppers at the grocery store! I might have squealed.

Here are a few blasts from April Fool's past:

Mashed Potato Cupcakes...

{I think these are my favorite.}

Meatloaf Cupcakes (yes, those are meat cakes, my friends)...



Spaghetti & Meatball Cupcakes...


 I also love these ideas and am filing them away for next year:

Macaron "sliders" from One Vanilla Bean
"Grilled Cheese" from Family Fun (will be in kiddo's lunchbox tomorrow)
Candy-filled Fruit Cup from Come Together Kids
"Lasagna" from Food Network
Candy Sushi from La Casserole Carree (in French, oo-la-la)
Ducky Punch (not an April Fool's post, but I still think it would be great) from TidyMom
"Fakin' and Eggs" from Making Memories (sold by the name alone!)

Do you have any April Fool's FOOD ideas?  I wanna hear 'em.

Simple Pages in a Flash for a Multi Scrap Page Event

Today I want to share the idea of using simple layouts to help you deal with a multi-page scrapping event.  As part of my 50th birthday celebration last year we went to the Aiken Spring Steeplechase on my actual birthday.  After the Steeplechase we had friends over for a party picnic/party with games.  It was a wonderful birthday!  But scrapping the day took many pages.  I had the elements of the Steeplechase as well as outdoor and inside photos from the evening.   I had previously scrapped four pages of of the evening party, but I had not yet attempted to scrap the Steeplechase.

I began by dividing the photos and memorabilia into categories:  Intro, family and friends, carriage parade, and Steeplechasing.  I combined the memorabilia with two photobooth looking photo strips and a photo of a single horse and rider.  I used two coordinating pieces of black and white print cardstock, white cardstock matting, and a white pen for doodling and created the first two pages. 

Above, I had saved an extra copy of the invitations we sent to family and friends to join us at the Steeplechase, matted it on white cardstock, and combined with the photo strips to create an intro page.

Page two includes my admission badge from the event, the actual event program, a single rider photo, and bit of ribbon and a cardstock sticker.  Easy peasy yet nice looking.  The print cardstock was a great touch.

Pages three and four contain five of my favorite photos from the many taken during the carriage parade.  HINT:  Do not feel like you MUST use every photo.  You can select photos to represent the event/location (I chose my favorite of the Grand Canyon too, and did not scrap all 70+ photos).  The largest of the photos is a 5x7, three are 4x6's, and the smaller photo is 2.5x6 inches.

I chose a simple black cardstock background and cut a single sheet of traditional equestrian looking plaid paper in half to decorate the page.  I chose a pale yellow color from the plaid and matted the five photos on yellow.  I added chipboard brackets and a chipboard sticker, along with layered flowers.  Again, simple and easy - let the focus be on the photos.

Pages five and six were the easiest.  I had enlarges some of my photos to show details of the event.  I had four photos - an 8x10, a 5x7, a 10x4, and a 4x6.    I matted the photos on white and light blue cardstock.  The 8x10 and a title fill the first page - with a "take the jump" sticker. 

Page six is a bit crowded, but I did not want to spread the "Chasing" photos over another two pages... So I squeezed it all in.  I have very few embellishments, again, because the photos are the focal point.  I felt that too many embellies distracted from the photos.

Pages seven and eight are the final two Steeplechase pages - family and friends.  And while I added a little detail to these pages, again they were quite simple.  The pages were created with a speckled navy blue cardstock base, a sheet of blue and green print cut in half, and a blue and white print.  I picked up on the green in the print to use as base matting. 

The letters were cut from the M.S. Seasonal Art cartridge.  And the final embellishments were the layered flowers, in blues and whites. 

And that is how you make eight quick pages of the same event using a limited number of photos to represent the overall event.  I broke the event down into phases - and scrapped two simple pages for each of the four phases. 

Tomorrow I will be announcing the winner of the Custom Crops gift voucher - Not an April fool's joke!!!

Layouts, Layouts, Layouts... And I am still behind.

I love the saying, "God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind that I will never die." (Bill Watterson)  That saying applies to me and my actual scrapbooking - in other words - LAYOUTS.  I have quite a number of photos that I have never gotten around to scrapping. 

This last weekend I had the pleasure of spending three days scrapping at Lake Murray - thank you Beth and Sally.  I managed to complete 21 12x12 layouts (one of which was Buzz Lightyear).  To give you an idea of how far behind I am, I found photos from Christmas 2009 and photos from my birthday last year.  I had scrapped part of the photos, but not all.

In honor of my 50th birthday last year, my girlfriends had a birthday crop for me.  It was so fun - good friends, good food, doing what we like to do!    I had scrapped some of the birthday photos, but not all.  This is a scraptique kit modified (or as I say, "Susanized") to fit the photos. 

The two page layout utilizes Teresa Collins papers - lots of pink, white and black.  And of course lots of textile textures. 

I love the elements on the right page, the three file folders.  Each of the three folders opens to reveal hidden information.  The smaller two folder contain the journaling.  The larger folder contains the photo below.   

If you have not already  done so be sure to leave a comment under the previous post to be elegible for the Custom Crops gift voucher blog candy.  The winner will be posted on Friday.

 

Tomorrow I will share how simple layouts can help you deal with multi page scrap events, while still looking nice.  

Asparagus with Maple Tahini Dressing

Vegan maple-tahini dressing adorns the Queen of Spring: Asparagus.

Spring here in BoHo infused West Hollywood means trading in your Uggs for flip-flops. And hurtling downhill on your skateboard past midnight, apparently.  For four nights in a row now I've been startled awake by the rolling wheels of wild ones zooming past our bedroom window in the wee small hours of the morning. I suspect they are taggers, or teenage paparazzi on the hunt for misbehaving Melrose prey (there have been more helicopters lately). Sleep has been edgy and restless. The season of change is afoot. Or rather on a roll.

Which in an odd and sleep-deprived way, brings me to asparagus.

It's a welcome signal of warmer days (and nights!) when those bundles of slender green stalks are back, standing tall in elegant rows at the local market. Erect, perky little beauties.

My deep and abiding craving for asparagus is surprising for someone who never tendered a single bite of fresh asparagus until my third decade here on planet Earth. Yes, you read that right. Three decades. I admit it.

I was anti-asparagus.

Continue reading

Bread : it's what's for dinner . . . Works for Me Wednesday

It occurs to me that I should be a marathon runner, not because I love to exercise, but because I am in a constant state of carbo-loading.

You guys....I LOVE bread.

Exhibit A: my "usual" at Panera.
 

French Onion Soup in a bread bowl with a side of baguette

Or as Mr. E called it this afternoon....

"Bread with a side of soup."

I admit it, I am smitten with bread...and Panera. And I LOVE than they give you the bread that was scooped out for the soup.  That chunk of bread is like a little piece of heaven. (Please tell me there is bread in heaven.)


Speaking of bread (and I can't believe I've never shared this recipe before)...this is the ULTIMATE white bread for sandwiches, toast, snacking (?). :) If you love bread like I do, I BEG you to make it.

{My pictures aren't great, but the bread....oh, it's incredible!  It's carbo-load time!}

White Bread 101 
{barely modified from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion }

3 c. all-purpose flour (you can subs. WHITE whole wheat flour here)
2 tsp instant yeast
1 & 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP softened butter
1/4 c. dry milk
1/3 c. potato flakes
1 & 1/8 c. lukewarm water

Combine all ingredients together.  Dump onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a smooth dough...about 10 minutes.  Add more flour as needed, but add sparingly as more flour equals a heavier, drier loaf.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.

Transfer to a lightly greased work surface and shape into an 8" log.  Place in a lightly greased 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan.  Cover loosely with the oiled plastic wrap and let rise about 1 hour....or until the dough has risen 1 inch over the rim.

Preheat oven to 350.  Uncover and bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, or until an instant thermometer reads 190 degrees. (Tent with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking if it is browning too quickly.)

Remove bread from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack.  After 15 minutes, brush with butter.  Cool completely before slicing.

Makes a mean grilled cheese or PB & J sandwich! 

{This post about my love for "bread with a side of soup" is sponsored by Panera. My obsession with carbs, my love of French Onion soup and my extra 15 pounds are mine and mine alone.}

Papertake Weekly - Sketch Week

Hi everyone! I'm soooo excited cause we're actually getting some spring weather instead of blizzards! LOL! It was sunny all day yesterday and in the 50's, and then we're supposed to be in the high 70's by Friday! It might rain next weekend, but I don't care! It's still not going to be yucky snow! LOL! Moving on from the weathr report, it's time for a new challenge from Papertake Weekly!! We get to play with one of Dawny's fabulous sketches, and we are sponsored this week by the wonderful Simon Says Stamp!

 For my card,  I used one of Peggy's cute Easter Cutouts from Peggy Loves Vintage. It's so very easy to make cards using her images! You just print one out, mat it, and attach it to your card! I think I've said it before, about the only way it's going to get any easier is to walk into a store and buy a card! Be sure and visit Peggy's blog and become a follower! She loves to give away free images!!

Cardstock is Bazzill, DP is from Nitwit Collections, flowers are Prima and Wild Orchid Crafts and the ribbon is May Arts 100% silk from Stamp and Create. I added machine stitching and popped up each individual panel. Sorry I didn't get a pic of the dimension this time.  Please be sure and visit Papertake Weekly to see the rest of my talented teamies creations. Then we'd love it if you'd grab your paper and glue and play along! Thanks for stopping by to see me today and hope to see you back again soon!
hugs!

Kareena Kapoor At Stardust Awards 2011 Launch Party Photo gallery (red hot)

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Mallika Sherawat @ 2011 Oscars Academy Awards On Red Carpet (white dress)

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