snow days and cards

I have to admit. I LOVE snow days! We had one yesterday and are 2 hours late today. It is wonderful! I may not think that in June when we are making them up but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel that is pretty close then.

I have been busy, busy, busy organizing my craft supplies. I have come to the conclusion that I am a hoarder. I keep everything, get more, and save more. Often times, waiting for the perfect craft to use that supply on. What is the perfect craft? Is there one? My heart is in each piece so I am not sure what it is I am waiting for. Plus, I seem to, ahem, forget that I have such supplies just waiting for the perfect craft to go on.

Anyway, here are a couple of cards I have been working on.

(this one is a lift from one I saw in Card Creations vol. 2)

this one will be going to my special niece. It is folded over on the bottom in the inside to hold a gift card. Works great with 12x12 paper because you have that extra inch to do it with.

Well, have a great day! Many blessings! -K

here I am...

been busy with some big shows like Clara City and Cantebury. Only a few left...

A day off. I love them! Hardly get done what I think in my head I should but still, they are wonderful! I just have to show you what is my latest "thing."

It is called zentangles. I think it is a fancy term for fancy doodling. I am enjoying it though. Off to make some cards! maybe some jewelry, maybe even squeeze some scrapping in!

until the next time - blessings! -K

sabbatical

I will be back.

Just taking a little break here to

catch up on things there...

and there...

and there

Blessings! -K

little boys

my 2 boys

4 other little boys

dirt

nerf guns

treasure hunts

football and baseball cards

more dirt

noise

tumbling

dirt

dirt and

dirt

I will post again if I survive the night...

Blessings - K :)

age and beauty

We celebrated birthdays this weekend. My son's, my mother's and my Grandmother's (on my dad's side). One is 7, one is 62, and one is 88. I am not sure why age gets everyone in such a tizzy because from what I see of it, a person only gets more beautiful with age, inside and outside. With the beauty on the outside there is so much beauty on the inside, along with so much wisdom and a plethora of life stories. We just need to take the time to listen...

I made my Grandma cards for her birthday... she appreciates those things. The first card I made using a stampin up stamp and I got the idea from my stampin Up! demonstrator: Paula Geier

She hosts a stampin group and makes beautiful cards for us to make and take home.

The second card uses a stampin up! embossing folder and the 3rd card is used with stampin up and daily bread stamps.

Have a blessed week! -K

Monday... here we go

Perfect Pot Roast

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 (3 lb) beef chuck roast

1 large onion, diced

1 (1 oz) pkg dry italian salad dressing mix

1 (1 oz) pkg dry ranch dressing mix

1 (1.2 oz) pkg dry brown gravy mix

1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth

Heat roast in skillet with oil, browning roast on all sides. Place in slow cooker. In bowl, combine Italian mix, ranch mix, and gravy mix. Sprinkle over rast. Pour in beef both and add onion. Cook overnight 8 - 12 hours.

MIA

not really, more like, MEA! 2 days off from school but super busy ones. I had my nieces over last night. They worked. They played. They worked some more. They played some more. We all crashed. Today we are going to the mall to sell all of their "works." It is " enterprising kids" day at the mall. They are excited. I am somewhat excited. I hope it goes well. I hope they are not disappointed. I hope they remember all the fun they had getting ready for it.
Blessings -K

enabler

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend... I just wanted to share a few sites that have some super-fabulous deals going on daily. Each day on some, a different deal is offered. On some sites you can shop from past deals and on others you can only buy what is available for that day. If you are watching your budget, or lacking in will-power you may want to skip this post. This is not for the faint-hearted.
For those who have a money tree in the back yard, shop away! :)

www.craftysteals.com
www.cropchocolate.com
www.frugalities.com
http://store.scenicroutepaper.com
www.peachycheap.com

Blessings - K

breakfast...it's whats for dinner

Breakfast...mmmm. my favorite meal. anytime. any day.

Hash Brown Egg Bake

1 package (32 oz.) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed (can use shredded)
1 pound sliced bacon ( I use sausage, your choice)
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (I use lawry's)
8 eggs
2 cups milk
dash paprika

In a large bowl, combine hash browns, bacon (sausage), 1/2 cup cheese and salt. Spoon into a greased 12 x 9 in. baking dish. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk until smooth; pour over hash brown mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Top with remaining cheese.

This can be prepared the night before and refrigerated. Just take out 30 minutes prior to cooking.

enjoy!
blessings - K

This is the day...

this is the day that the Lord hath made,
that the Lord hath made.
We will rejoice,
we will rejoice and be glad in it,
and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord hath made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day,
this is the day that ...
the...
Lord...
hath...
made.

blessings -K

plans for scrapping...

Here is what I am currently working on...

viking training camp scrapbook of the boys and Nick this summer

and also what I hope to be working on this weekend. You never know though, what the weekend has in store :) hopefully, some scrapping time. I have been meaning to do this album for the boys before school started, I don't know about you, but since school started I haven't gotten a darn thing done! This weekend promises to be slow, non-active, peaceful and perfect for some creative time. Life always seems to throw in a few spontaneous moments that were not in my plan. What to do? God gave me a husband that is kind of like that so I have, over the years learned to "roll with it" more often than not... it takes a while, and some days are definelty easier than others but you can either smile or frown, laugh or cry, roll with it or have a breakdown. Rolling is more fun.

Have a blessed weekend! - K

more pics

I didn't just paint I "jeweled" too...

hoping to scrap this weekend...

hoping. -K

Weekend pictures

What I thought would be a nice weekend scrapbooking and living at a "slower" pace resulted in working and not as slow a pace as one would have liked. However, it was relaxing, rewarding and totally worth it. I spent Saturday "working" - I use that term loosely as painting on canvases to sell isn't really work to me. Although sometimes it can get to feel like I have to do it rather than just enjoy it, you know, it's all about the numbers... but it really isn't. Painting, like scrapping, stamping, crafting is such a joy to me. A gift, I believe. Sometimes, I even really like the results but most often it is the process I truly enjoy.

Any good ideas for scripture/quotes/sayings for signs for me? I am always looking for new ones!

Blessings-K

go Vikes!!!

Monday night football with the Vikings and Moss ! Here is a great recipe for something quick, easy and game-worthy.

Oven Ham Sammies

16 oz. thin sliced ham
12 slices of swiss cheese
12 small dinner rolls, (Hawaiin rolls are good, my kids don't like them though)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsps ground mustard

put ham and cheese in between sliced rolls. Mix all other ingredients and spoon over sandwiches. Let set overnight or several hours. Bake at 350' for 15 min. Then serve.

Also a great option for book club or other home parties.

Blessings! - K

all creatures great and small...

I know God is the creator of all things great and small but right now I am struggling with His small creation(s). I opened my glove box and saw a little nest. Eek, a mouse nest! We had one in there 2 years ago but haven't since so periodically I will open the glove box and let out a sigh of relief, this time though there was no sigh only a silent aHHHH!!! and then the feeling of mice crawling all over. I do have to say I have never actually seen one in the car - alive ;) but once you know they are there you imagine them crawling up your pant's legs, peeping out of the vents, running across your toes in your sandals etc. I should never peek in the glove box while driving because then you have that feeling the whole way home and boy, can that feel like forever! I did have some traps in the trunk with the wheel and found a dead one there so I am hoping that is all... it only happens when I park the car by the woods. Even if only for 1 day. I have that car booby trapped now though. If one gets in, I will get it.

God, I thank you for all your creativity but I may be talking to you about this one when I see you face to face...

blessings - K
ps better the car than the house!

never give up

You think by that title I was going to have a really deep post... well, that is for our MN Twins. They can come back, they can get 3 wins, they CAN do this!

GO Twins!!!

Blessings -K

Monday meal ideas turns to Tasteful Tuesday

Had to show you the card from the weekend before I could share my culinary skills :) Back to normal scheduling ...

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Bars

2 packages crescent (cresent?) rolls
2 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
1 cup sugar
cinnamon and sugar mixture

Lay down one package of cresent rolls in a 9x13 pan

Mix sugar, cream cheese, and egg yolk. Spread over cresent rolls

Lay other pkg of crescent rolls over the mixture

Spread egg white and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.

Yummmmm... who doesn't love cream cheese! "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!" Psalm 34:8

Blessings - K

marrying your best friend... all over again

we went to a wedding this weekend, the church was beautiful, the bride exquisite, the ceremony lovely, but nothing beats renewing your vows with your best friend. We hadn't been to a wedding together in quite some time so I truely enjoyed being able to 1, be out with my husband and 2, renewing our vows (to ourselves of course) as the couple themselves were saying theirs for the first time. I love that my husband is my best friend.

Here is a card I made for the newlyweds...

Have a blessed week! - K

beading beauties

I taught a beaded watch class last night to a bunch of wonderful ladies. I enjoyed it more than I thought... meaning I didn't get so nervous and stutter and mess up as much as I thought I would. It was fun.

The ladies picked out a watch face... and made two bracelets to attach to it. They can be worn seperate or together. I have been making these a long time but never thought about teaching it. Then again, there are alot of things I never thought about doing but you never know...

have a blessed day! -K

who am I?

Just a quick quote from a favorite of mine...

"You are not defined by anything that happened to you or anything you've done. You are defined by who you are in Christ."



need that reminder sometimes when my calendar is full of "to do's" and life gets so busy...
blessings -K

Thick and Chewy

You know those cookies I posted a pic of last week? Well, here is the recipe... go, make, enjoy!

Thick and Chewy Cookies

1 cup butter
4 cups peanut butter (16 tbsp = 1 cup)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
8 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips (and/or M&M's)
optional: 1/2 cup nuts

Cream butter, peanut butter, vanilla and sugars. Add eggs. Stir in oatmeal, soda, flour, chips/m&Ms and nuts. Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350' for 10-12 minutes. I let sit about 10 minutes on pan and then place onto counter and let cool before putting away. This helps them to "stay" together more after baking.

This recipe makes a TON of cookies. You are more than welcome to half it but they freeze well too and taste great out of the freezer also!

Enjoy and have a blessed week! -K

rings and cookies

they go hand in hand... because, well, cookies go with everything! I had a little time last night to get some rings done for our upcoming show in Fort Ranson. Not as much as I would have liked but prioritites, it is all about the priorities. I had to make cookies first :) We are having Youth Group over to our house tonight and you need some sweets after a meal of course! Anyway, off to wake my kiddos so they can get ready for school.

Have a wonderfully, awesome, blessed day! -K

I have class...

beading class that is. I get to teach some sweet girls some beading today. We are making 3 simple bracelets since the age range is somewhat wide. Not quite sure on how I will do it yet but I have 8 hours to figure it out :) Do I design all 3 bracelets and make them copy them? Do I design one to get them going and let them design the rest? If so, then how do I distribute the beads etc. I am leaning on the last one but trying to figure out if I should have the beads all handed out beforehand or let them come and pick them out... such major dilemmas! Like I said though, it should be fun.

Also, I am in the process of being persuaded to teach a scarf class. I have been making these scarves for a few years but recently I guess they are the craze, I am just so ahead of the times, ha ha ha. Anyway, we will see... like I mentioned yesterday, life is already busy. I need to learn to say no sometimes.

blessings! - K

Monday Madness

Each week seems to add something more to my to-do list. I should be thankful to have "things" to do... you know what they say about idle hands. :)

Here is a recipe for you to try this week:

Special Delivery Chicken
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 3/4 cups butter flavored (like keebler crackers) cracker crumbs (about 36 crackers)
1/2 cup melted butter

In a bowl, combine the sour crea, soup and poppy seeds. Stir in chicken. Pour into greased 11x7x2 baking dish. Combine crackers and butter and sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350' for 25-30 minutes until heated through.

have a blessed week! - K

paint, piano and party

not neccessarily in that order... but I have been painting. I have an order to fulfill plus some big shows (craft) coming up. My son starts piano today and we are planning a party for my dh who will be turning the big 40! I am trying to take each day and enjoy the moments, not just catch my breath in between. More importantly, I need to remember who is in control.

Blessings - K

Saw this on a post from a family member... absolutely love it, no idea who said it but I pray it for our daughter.
"A womans heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her."

blessings - K

great meal ideas at your fingertips

I love the internet! There is so much out there to learn, discover etc. Although I have learned to give myself only a certain amount of time or my whole day is lost on the internet. For meal ideas the resources are endless. Here are several of my favorite meal idea sites:

www.allrecipes.com
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/
http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/
http://www.bakerella.com/


these are just a few... but my favorites.
Hope you had a great weekend and may you have a blessed week!- K

Faith

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."
Isaiah 7:9b

enough said,
have a blessed weekend-K

fashion, boys and no idea

I have 2 boys. 2. One is 10 and one is 6. The 10 year old can pick up clothes off the floor that he has been wearing for the last decade and put them on without a thought about it. I pull out the 10 year old's drawers to clean and discard too small shirts and find the top totally messy but underneath the mess of the top 2-3 shirts are the same, neat pile of folded shirts that I put there the last time I went through his drawers. The 10 year old prefers dirty, ripped jeans and dirty white t-shirts... only because he doesn't care if they are clean or not. Actually, I don't think that he doesn't care he just doesn't think about it. This same 10 year, last year at winter, told me he needed new boots, exciting his mom, whom he has never told he needed anything new before, of the clothes nature anyway. His mom, (me), not wanting to show too much excitement for fear of scaring him, says to show her the boots to see if indeed, he really needed a new pair. He proceeds to show his mother a pair of boots with holes in the back, sides and fronts by the toes, not to mention ripped all over. (she had been getting angry with him about dirty socks before this point). Said mom was mortified as she works at the school were he goes and wondered, (worried) what the teachers and paras thought about her mothering skills. She went right out and bought the 10 year old boy new boots. Albeit, on sale of course :)
What about the 6 year old you ask? The six year is a picky, stubborn, knows what he wants to wear boy. I would call him a fashion conscience boy but he has yet to learn that just because it has a white stripe on it that it doesn't go with something that has a white dot on it. We fight, I mean, debate almost daily about what he is going to wear. It isn't that he has to have name brand clothes, or look like the kids in magazines as he mostly likes to wear warm up pants and athletic shirts it is just that he is so the opposite of my other boy who gladly let me pick out clothes for him until I made him start doing it. I got tired of having to pick out clothes every morning for my 10 year old and decided he was old enough to do it... I wished he would care about what he was wearing.

Motto: be careful what you wish for

Blessings! -K

hump day

It is Wednesday, the middle of the week, half way done or half way to go, depending on how you look at it. It was nice to be back in school and seeing the kids, the teachers, paras, etc. I wasn't ready but I enjoyed it. Life kind of works that way, depending on how your outlook is ... is the glass half full or half empty? I am a half full girl myself, at least most times, those times I am not I wonder why and usually give myself a stern talking to and my glass becomes half full once again.

We had a wonderful time Monday celebrating birthdays, enjoying our last day of "freedom" before school started. I even fell into the trend of cupcake toppers... I seen them all over the internet and when I see something all over I am apt to turn away from it as, let's face it, I am not a trend follower. But, these were really cute and the kids got a kick out of them. We took family pictures and this was one of our "out takes" (I think that is what it is called!)

The birthday peeps!

My trendy cupcakes... All of the grandkids... I wish I wouldn't have gotten their faces so light... so much to learn!

Hope you all had a fun and laborless day!

Blessings - K

School Organizer

I know I have shown this before here but thought it warranted another visit as school is starting and the papers will be downpouring once again like the rain we have had this summer! This has really worked for me and I love being able to look in the kids backpacks, sift through the papers I need to look at and then, well, make 2 piles. To keep and to discard and let's face it the discard pile is quite a big larger but the keep pile can be put away right away, no lost papers, or roughed up papers, they can be filed away asap. All you need is an accordion file folder and some time. If not time then just the file folder for now. I have only my youngests completely done, my oldest half-way done and my middle child's, my poor middle child's, not done at all. But it is on my "to-do" list!

back front

middle child's oldest child's

supplies: accordion file folder with 12 tabs for each grade level (k-12); I used red tape for adhereing paper; unity stamps used on my youngest child's completed folder; basic grey paper used on my oldest child's half completed folder; your choice of scrap book paper! I used a school kit from Autumn Leaves I believe for my youngest and it came with tags, ribbon etc. this works well so you have everything to embellish with and it all matches!

Have a great school year! Blessings -K

Meals on Monday

today's meal idea comes from my awesome sister-in-law... she is such a wonderful woman, full of love and kindness, such a strong Christian, I have learned so much from her over the years, not because she speaks non stop but because of how she lives and her actions.

rambling, I know... but she really is neat!

Easy Chicken in a Crockpot

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
onion powder
rice or egg noodles prepared as directed on package

Wash and rinse chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, etc... (in other words, whatever floats your boat). Dump everything into crockpot and mix well. Cook 6-8 hours on low or 5 hours on high. Serve chicken and sauce over rice or egg noodles.

this is a great one for when one is at work, school etc all day and wants to come home to a meal ready to go!
Enjoy the last day of summer and blessings to you as the school year begins again!
-K

Faith Friday

I don't know if you have ever heard of Louie Giglio but I came upon him maybe a year or two ago and he just blows me away... if you have never seen this awesome video I encourage you to do so... also, check out his other videos too, he is very blessed in speaking God's truth... here is the link: Louie Giglio

Know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made... (Psalm 139:14)
Have a blessed weekend with family and friends -K

Thrifty Thursday

I do alot of shopping online, I think it started with having 3 kids that go everywhere with me and the convenience of not going anywhere but to the computer. I find lots of deals and good bargains and make sure to get free shipping. However, there are a few times where what I ordered didn't quite pan out the way I hoped. You know when you look at something and think how good it looks on the model and think I could look that good but forget your measurements are quite different than the 16 year old model? I ordered a white dress that was darling but not roomy enough in the chest area... I had an gray t-shirt that hadn't really stood the test of time and I put them together... it is still hanging in my work area though since I need something else... I am thinking something around the waist... it will come to me or the dress will become a skirt or something. That leads me to look around the rest of my work area and see other "unfinished" items... often times I work on things and it isn't going so smoothly or I am interrupted and lose the flow I might have had before so the item(s) sit until I look at them and creativity hits (or I hope it does!)

Not sure I want to add anything to this...maybe a quote or bible verse

another painted piece, I love the colors some beads waiting to be made into jewelry...

Have a blessed day! - K

wonderful wednesday

Why the need to post a title with the same letter as the day? I don't know, maybe I am brushing up on my english skills and practicing alliterations for the upcoming school year. There are alot of things that I do that don't make sense... ask my husband :). Sometimes posting becomes rambling as you just think and type where when you talk it is usually filtered... anyway, I am digressing... I just have a quick post today ... first, a view of our front yard, it was ethereal this morning... beautiful, still, quiet, cool, perfect time for my morning bible reading.

Second, a card I made for our Church stamping group... I had to come up with something for teen birthdays... I always go back to stars. Stars and fish... my favorites, but not starfish. I think I should have titled today's post, "wacky wednesday"

Blessings K