Wags N Whiskers challenge #5 distressing

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a fabulous week! I can't believe how quickly time is flying! Santa will be here before I know it, and I still have so much to do! How am I ever going to get it all done?! Oh dear! I'm sure there are many of you that are feeling the same way. I guess we'll make it through. We always do, right? It's time for a new challenge over at Wags N Whiskers Challenge Blog! The challenge this week was chosen by the talented Danielle, and it was to use distressing. Now I love to use ink for definition in my work, but I very rarely distress. So this was a good challenge for me. I used a lot more chalk ink than normal, and grabbed my scissors and really roughed up the edges of the DP. I used this adorable stamp called Ride 'em Ryan. He's available right now over at Wags N Whiskers. Isn't he the cutest??? This birthday card is for my little Grandson, JJ. I can't believe he's going to be six at the end of January!

I stamped the image in Memento ink onto Cryogenic white cardstock and colored it with my Copics. Sorry - no pic this time of the markers used. I did this card in segments and just had to put them away in between so I could color other images. The embellies were all cut with the Cricut Expression using my brand new Gypsy! Oh how I love my new Gypsy! The sherrif's badge was cut from A Child's Year, the circle from Plantin Schoolbook, and the stars are from George. And I didn't have to dig out a single cartridge. How cool is that??!!! That awesome cowboy boot charm is just perfect for this stamp, and I received it from Lacey at Stamp and Create! I love it! And it's double sided unlike a lot of charms. So no matter which way it hangs, it looks great! The DP is old, I got it almost two years ago over in Sacramento. It's by Fancy Pants. The twine I wrapped around the card is from PTI. Oh, and the Happy Birthday is computer generated. That's it for this card. Please head over to play with us at Wags N Whiskers challenge blog. If you use a Wags N Whiskers stamp and link your card to the challenge, you could win a free stamp!! If you don't have any WnW stamps yet, then do yourself a favor and head over HERE to get some. You're going to love them!

Thanks so much for stopping by to see me today, and sure hope to see you back again soon! HUGS!

Want to be a Hip Hostess? (an APRON giveaway)

{We have a winner! Congratulations, Sara!}
Get ready...this is the cutest giveaway EVER!

Let me introduce you to The Hip Hostess! If you cook, or know someone who does, you need to get to know these ladies!!!

Run by a mother & daughter team, The Hip Hostess makes the most stylish and adorable aprons!
I'm an apron girl; if I could wear one 24/7, I would. I have...hold on, let me count...fifteen aprons (and probably a few more in the laundry basket).

My newest addition: the demi style Black a la Mode. I wear it even when I'm not baking. :) And I feel oh, so hip!

So, guess what? The lovely ladies at The Hip Hostess are giving one lucky Bake at 350 reader the apron of their choice!
A winner will be randomly selected on Monday, December 7th at 8pm CST.

Here's how to enter:

• Pop on over to The Hip Hostess website and leave a comment with which is your favorite apron (I won't hold you to it),
• I'd also like to know (because I'm nosy)...how many aprons do you have?
• For an extra entry, tweet about the giveaway... "Adorable apron giveaway from @TheHipHostess at @bakeat350tweets ~ http://bit.ly/5zr5uK " Come back and leave a separate comment with your tweet link.
  

And just in time for Christmas shopping, The Hip Hostess is offering a 15% discount (!) to Bake at 350 readers through December 15th. Just enter the promo code BAKE (all caps). Happy (& hip) shopping!

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PS...I'm guest posting over at We Are THAT Family tomorrow right now(!)...come on over for a DIY cookie project!

PPS...If you are making cookies (or would like to) for our virtual Drop In & Decorate event, please email me (contact button up top) with pictures and details by December 10th. I'll post a round-up of cookie donations mid-month. I've already heard from several of you and YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

Camp Ohio

In the school district I attended from kindergarten through my senior year in high school, each fall, the six grade students were sent to a 4-H camp, Camp Ohio. Every school had their own three day period at the camp, and the students were accompanied by their teachers, as well as local high school students who acted as counselors.

Andrea Wyner Photography

Classes and schedules were dictated by each school; for mine that meant 6 periods to select from a combination of art, nature, and adventure classes, including the highly-coveted "High Ropes Course," "Photography," and "Buddy Burner Cooking," where you skipped lunch in the dining hall and cooked hot dogs and marshmallows. These and other popular classes were quick to fill up when we selected our schedules, leaving some students with less desirable choices like "The Big Hike," a double-period class spent hiking through the hills surrounding the camp.

Mikkel Vang

Of course, the boys' and girls' cabins were on opposite sides of camp, sides joined together by a bridge. Although rumors abound that the teachers stood guard at night at this spot where the two sides connected, inevitably, some couples snuck out after dark to meet at the bridge. Their departures were the cause of speculation and gossip as everyone wondered whether they would be caught and more importantly, if their meeting were successful, whether it would involve a kiss.

Peggy Sirota Photography

By that time of year, the leaves were striking shades of yellow, orange and red, and the weather was cold. In the morning, the frosty air stung my lungs, yet felt invigorating as I dashed from the cabin to the bathhouse, hurrying in my pajamas and winter coat from the comfort of one warm building to the next. An early snow fall graced our trip, and it was enchanting to see the hilly landscape covered in white.

Douglas Friedman

I fell in love with Camp Ohio as a 6th grader and vowed to return with my school as a high school counselor if I were selected. My sophomore year, I had my first opportunity to do just that.

Not much had changed in the years since I was a camper. The "High Ropes Course" was still a highly-coveted class, even for the counselors, while "The Big Hike" was not filled to maximum capacity. Boys and girls still made plans for clandestine meetings at the bridge after darkness fell. And the cold morning air, which I would curse for so many months in the winter, still provided an invigorating start to my days as I dashed from the cabin to the bathhouse.

Meyer Davis Studio via Desire to Inspire

I returned again as a counselor my junior and senior year in high school, and every fall since then, on the first frosty morning of the season, I find myself longing for a rustic getaway. A cabin. Fall leaves. And the company of friends.

Verity Welstead

Since our cold seasons are slower to arrive here in Texas, it has only been in the most recent weeks that I've found myself longing for such a retreat. Since none will be happening this autumn, I'm contenting myself with these photos, my memories, and remembering to appreciate how invigorating the cold morning air can be.

Three Clovers Designs - time for a gift!

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a lovely week! This is my Thursday for a new challenge over at Three Clover Designs. This week, Kerry is asking for a gift (non card) item. So I chose to make an ornament. I did one of my favorite techniques with my Cricut Expression, and that's to make my own faux chipboard. I just cut the snowflake out five times and glued them all together. LOVE it! Then I covered it all with a healthy dose of Stickles. I colored up one of my new stamps from the So Jolly So Snowy Mistletoe collection that I got from Magnolia-licious. This collection is the cutest one yet and Diana has some of them left in stock, so hurry and get yours before they're all gone!! I colored her with Copic markers and cut her out. Then I plopped her right in the middle of the snowflake. Whatcha think? Would this be ok for a little gift combined with something else? So please join us at Three Clover Designs and post your own version of a gift item. Thanks for stopping by to see me today, and hope to see you back again soon! hugs!

Sugar can make you pretty . . . Works For Me Wednesday

It will come as no surprise to you that I have a great love for C&H sugar and Domino sugar. What I didn't know about them, is that they have websites full of recipes and a special section on homemade gifts. (They even provide printable gift tags!)

Now, we all know that sugar can make you irresistible in the kitchen, but did you know it can make you pretty, too? Take a gander at this Brown Sugar and Spice Body Scrub!!!

I whipped this up today to give to my sister. (You may remember she just had a baby and I thought if she ever gets a chance to take a shower again, she better make it count!)

There happened to be just a little of the scrub that wouldn't quite fit into the jar, so I tried it on my hands and arms. OH MY! My skin is now so silky smooth and I smell like gingerbread! I have been caressing my own hands and arms all afternoon...it's a little scary.

Here's how to make it:
1 cup C&H/Domino Light Brown Sugar
1 cup C&H/Domino Pure Cane Sugar
¾ cup almond oil (I found mine in the "organic beauty" section)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 16 oz. glass container with lid


In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Be sure to break up any lumps from the brown sugar or from the spices.


Stir in the almond oil. Spoon into the glass container and secure with lid.


{I tied the jar with ribbon and added a spring of berries from our front yard....}

{...and, I'm including a little tag with the instructions...}

"Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten on your skin."

I am definitely making a few more jars for Christmas gifts and one for myself, of course!

♥Thank you C&H and Domino Sugar who sponsored this post with a $20 gift card towards expenses! You are so sweet, literally!♥

Please hop on over to We Are THAT Family; this week's WFMW theme is gifts!

Related posts:

• Brown Sugar & Spice Cut-out Cookies
• Little Pumpkin
  

Gluten-Free Chicken Soup for Body and Soul

A gluten-free chicken soup to cure all ills...

We've been living on soup since Sunday. No, not turkey leftovers soup. Jewish penicillin soup. You see, Steve- that ordinarily upbeat and tenacious husband of mine- has been feeling a tad under the weather these past few days. In truth, more than a tad. He's caught a nasty cold. The kind of cold where you ache all over and do nothing but lay in bed watching a marathon of Lost on your laptop because to even zombie-walk to the sofa loveseat too-small-to-lay-on requires functional navigation skills and balance beyond your sinus-throbbing capacity.

Poor guy.

Continue reading

Papertake Weekly and Kraftin Kimmie

We made it through Monday. YAY! LOL! Tuesday means it's time for a new Papertake Weekly challenge, and this week it's a sketch challenge by the sweet and talented Dawny. And guess what else...we're being sponsored by Kraftin Kimmie! I don't know if you've checked out these adorable stamps, but I love them!! I think my absolute favorite is Drucilla and I just HAVE to have some stamps of her. She's got that little crazed look in her eyes that I can totally relate too! Especially going through perimenopause! LMBO! Anyway, Now, not only is Kimmie sponsoring our challenge this week, she was also kind enough to give us PTW gals some stamps from her new release to play with! Isnt' that cool??!! I chose to use this adorable Gift Emmylou stamp. She's colored with Copic markers and placed on a frame which I cut out from Gypsy Wanderings with my Gypsy and Expression. (Gypsy and Expression available at Hallmark Scrapbook).

Paper is Basic Grey and cardstock is Bazzil. I added a border made with a Martha Stewart punch, a beautiful snowflake charm I got from Lacey at Stamp and Create , and the flowers were again cut with my Expression, but I'll be danged if I can remember which cartridge I used. Sorry!! The green sprigs are another Martha Stewart punch.

Please be sure to hop over to Papertake Weekly to check out all the other FABULOUS creations by the design team. Those girls are GOOD! And then grab your paper and glue and play along with us. You might get really lucky and win a prize from Kraftin Kimmie! hugs!