Want to take a peek?

Our Year of Cheer card class is starting in a couple of days (Feb.2-11) and it's not too late to sign up! I have created six brand new card sketches along with samples by the design team. We also have card storage ideas and samples, tips, and more! It's a 10-day class and I have lots planned for you to get your cards for the year finished and ready to send. Here's a small peek at one of my cards!

Click on the "Buy Now" button on the right to sign up for the class! See you there!

Challenge Winner!

We enjoyed seeing your takes on the "Ice" challenge!

By a random drawing, the winner of our challenge is Sheri!! You can see her layout here: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/hodinkos/IMG_64152.jpg

Thanks to everyone who participated! Sheri, please email us at feelingscrappy@yahoo.com so we can get you signed up for your free Year of Cheer class!! It starts on Monday and I look forward to seeing you there!

A Valentine's Card

Thinking about starting some Valentine's cards? Here's one idea for you that I created. I used my new label maker to make the sentiment. One of our Guest Designers, Becky, gave us this fabulous tip back in November- Embossed Labels.



Look for more cards and ideas in our upcoming Year of Cheer class!

Artichoke dips

With Super Bowl coming up, you might be thinking about some new appetizers to try. Here are two hot artichoke dips we enjoy.

Kim’s Artichoke Dip
I got this from a good friend of the family. Everyone always loves it. I hope you like it as much as we do.

2 cans/jars artichoke hearts well drained and finely chopped
2 cups good shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp red pepper sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all ingredients well and bake in an uncovered casserole dish for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve with bread or tortilla chips.

Artichoke and roasted red pepper dip
Found this on the internet a couple of years ago and it is really yummy.

2 TBSP butter
4 green onions chopped
2 cans/jars artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 jar (7 oz) roasted red peppers drained and chopped
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 TBSP mayo

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt butter in a skillet and sauté onions until tender. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and bake in a casserole dish for 30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

A Year of Cheer!

Do you run around at the last minute to make a birthday card or worse yet run out and buy one every time you need one? Well, no more! Feeling Scrappy's next class "A Year of Cheer" is the one for you!

During this 10 day class (from February 2 through the 11th) Feeling Scrappy will help you get organized and create cards for all your birthdays (and a few other special days) for the whole year! You will get sketches, ideas and learn new techniques to give your cards a personal touch that Hallmark could never compete with!

If you would like to join us just use the payment button in the right hand column or click the "classes" tab at the top of the page. OR for a chance at a free class give our challenge a try!Looking forward to seeing you in the class forum!

Superbowl Party How To

Superbowl is just around the corner - February 1st. So I thought I would share a few sites with you that have step by step guides for throwing a great Superbowl Party :) FUN!

eHow

Mahalo

Callenge #6 - Ice/Winter

It's finally time for another challenge and we have an awesome prize for you this week!

The challenge:

Your challenge this week is to create a *new* layout that has something to do with Ice or Winter. Fell free to get creative with this - think Ice cream, Ice cubes, Ice cold, winter blues, winter wear etc...

Amy's sample:

Jayne's sample:

Stacey's sample:
The prize:

One person will receive the "Year of Cheer" card class for free! (If you are already signed up for this class then you will get a $10.00 credit toward your next Feeling Scrappy Class!) We will randomly draw a winner from all of the entries so everyone has an equal chance to win.

The fine print:

All submissions are due by next Wednesday, January 28th. All layouts should be new and created specifically for this challenge. Since the prize doesn't need to be mailed, everyone is welcome to play along this week. Share your submission by posting a link to your layout in the comment section. (See the sidebar for specific details about this.)

I can't wait to see your work!

Scrunch it up!

Here's an easy way to dress up a piece of ribbon on your next card or layout. This doesn't work with every kind of ribbon so you might have to experiment to find one that will cooperate with this technique.

1. Trim one end of your ribbon so it come to a point in the center.

2. Grab a thread from the center of the point. You can use tweezers to help if you need to.

3. Holding the opposite end of the ribbon tightly, pull the thread and scrunch up your ribbon. Be careful not to completely pull out the little thread or all your work will be lost. (Yes, I've done it! LOL)

4. Adhere with glue dots or photo tape to your project. (See top of post for mine.)

Chicken Scampi

Today I am sharing a yummy and quick recipe that my family loves. It comes together in a snap and is very flavorful - pretty healthy too!

Chicken Scampi

Chopped Garlic to taste (3 cloves or more)
1 cup chopped green onions (I use more)
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 pkg. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into pieces
Salt/Pepper to taste
Basil/Marjoram to taste (light)
1 pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup of lemon juice (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon of sugar (or to taste)

Saute garlic and onion in butter and oil until tender. Add chicken, salt, pepper and seasonings. Cook until chicken is done. Add everything else and simmer to mix flavors. Serve over rice. Enjoy!
Here is a layout about the recipe I made for my Kitchen Keepsakes album last year:

100 more ways to beat the winter doldrums

Yesterday I shared with you some lists of good books to read this winter, and today I decided that I'd go with a different entertainment route: movies. In our family, we really enjoy both family movie night and movie "date" nights with just my hubby and me when the days are short and the weather is chilly. This list of the top 100 movies as chosen by the American Film Institute is a great one, and with online movie rental setups like Netflix, making your way through all of them could be as easy as the click of a mouse!

http://www.filmmakerstore.com/afi100.htm

Enjoy!

Sit down to a great read!

During the cold days of winter, it can often be hard to think of ways to break up the monotony. Why not use this often dreary time to read an acclaimed book? Below you'll find links to lists compiled of the best books ever written, for both adults and children. Looking through the children's list brought such a smile to my face, since so many of those books are associated with childhood memories. What a neat thing to pass on to my own children, the gift of reading them these books and helping them create memories of their own. Of the books listed in the top contemporary novels, some are very ambitious reads, but think of the sense of accomplishment you'll have when you turn the final page. You can do it!


Novels


http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html


http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html



Books for children

http://www.teachersfirst.com/100books.cfm

A scrapper you should know!

Rachel Ricks

Rachel is definitely a scrapper you should know - she is kind, dependable and fun plus her work is amazing! You can see her two favorite layouts below but be sure to check out her blog to see more of her beautiful work! Read on to learn a little more about Rachel...

What is the most important aspect of scrapbooking to you?

Journaling. I haven't always felt this way, but a scrappin' buddy of mine is wonderful with her journaling and has helped me realize just how precious the aspect of journaling really is. (Thanks, Trudy!)

What are your favorite pages to work on?

The everyday moments that will mean so much when you look back. Like the saying goes, "Enjoy the little things in life...for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things." I hope to record the little things.

What, if anything, do you find hard to scrap?

I could probably scrap just about anything, lol. Picking just the right papers is my scrapbooking nemesis. I'm so picky and indecisive. It really creates a love/hate thing with paper for me.

What kind of camera do you use? Do you love it or hate it?

My awesome husband just recently bought me my very first DSLR! I am now the proud owner of a Sony Alpha 350. I've only had it a little over a week but I'm head over heals!

What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking?

I love the creativity of it all. I've always been an artsy person so scrapbooking allows me to express my artistic abilities in a way that is meaningful to not only myself, but to my family.

Tell us a little about your family.

I'm wife to a wonderful man,John. He is my best friend and soul mate! We always have fun together. He is very patient with me and supports me in all I do. Even if it is spending too much time and money scrapbooking or any other hobby I'm pursuing at the moment. I'm the mother of four children and step mom to one pretty cool teenager. My life gets busy but, honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Tell us about the things outside of scrapbooking that you enjoy.

My addiction to scrapbooking lead to my new found hobby of photography. I've always enjoyed taking pictures but over the last 6 months or so I've really started learning the in's and out's of it all and I'm loving every minute of it. I've even started a photography blog at Pics by Ricks to practice and share what I learn. I also enjoy pretty much any artsy-crafty thing you can think of.

Tell us something about yourself that your Feeling Scrappy friends do not know.

I'm a gamer girl. I enjoy online role playing games like World of Warcraft and I also play the roll-the-dice role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. More times than not I play some sort of magic casting elf. It's actually really fun. My husband had no idea the monster he would create when he showed me Dark Ages of Camelot for the first time. I was hooked instantly.

Rachel's two favorite layouts:

Chalupa Bowls

I don't use my Crock Pot as often as I should (I love the feeling of knowing that dinner will be ready to go with such minimal effort!), but I do have a couple of go-to recipes for days when I want to dust it off and put it to use. This is one of those. I serve this mixture in taco bowls with lettuce, tomato, salsa, guacamole and cheese, and the next day I use the leftovers to make quesadillas or soft tacos. Yum!

Chalupa Bowls
1 lb. dried pinto beans
3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast
2 cans chopped green chiles
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 (32-oz.) container chicken broth
1 can Rotel

Rinse and sort beans. Place beans in crock pot; add roast and next 6 ingredients. Pour chicken broth over roast. Cover and cook on high 1 hour; reduce heat to low, and cook 9 hours. Or, cover and cook on high 6 hours. Pull roast into large pieces with two forks. Stir in Rotel. Cook roast, uncovered, on high 1 more hour or until liquid is slightly thickened.

Snow balls!

Need a bit of fun? Try your hand at throwing snowballs at your opponents in this fun little game. http://www.iconnicholson.com/holiday/snowcraft.htm I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!!

Fill in your calendars with unique holidays!

If you're like me, you have a brand new calendar for the year just begging to be filled in with appointments and special days. Here's a link to a site where you can learn about unique holidays to throw into the mix. Why not start a few new traditions by celebrating fun holidays such as National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19). Check them out by clicking on each month at this website- http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm

Enjoy!!

Wooden Block Project

After you've taken down all of your Christmas decorations, It can be a bummer to see your home decor look so plain. Why not throw together this little wooden block project to add some new color to the mix? This is a super simple project that can easily be put together in 2 hours or so.

Supplies
2-inch plain wooden blocks (you'll determine the number you need based on the message[s] you choose for your blocks)
Acrylic paint
Assorted patterned paper
Assorted embellishments (rub-ons, flowers, ribbon, alpha stickers or chipboard, buttons, metal pieces, etc.)
Mod Podge
Foam brushes
Other: adhesives*, paper trimmer
*For this project, a very tacky adhesive, such a glue dots, is preferable.

Instructions
1. Paint your blocks in your desired color(s) and allow to dry completely.

2. Trim your patterned paper into squares of various sizes (all must be 2" or smaller). Adhere to your blocks using Mod Podge. (I use a foam brush to paint the glue on the back of each paper piece. For this project, I didn't Mod Podge over the paper at all to save drying time, although you could certainly do so if that were your preference.)

3. Adhere chipboard or sticker letters to your blocks for each sentiment you wish them to convey. I decorated 2 sides of my block set, with one side saying. "Welcome," and the reverse saying, "The Bells."

4. Embellish your blocks as you desire. For the metal pieces I used below, I drilled very small holes and attached the tag holders and clips with small brads.

Easy breakfast pockets

Here's an easy recipe that my kids really love (well, we all love them!). These are little dough pockets that we usually fill with breakfast goodies but they can easily be adapted for lunch or a snack. I think this recipe was from Kraft Foods but I added the egg to it.

Breakfast Pockets

Ingredients:

2 oz. cream cheese-softened

1 TBSP mayo (we use reduced fat for this and the cream cheese)
1 tsp grey poupon (not required but it adds a nice zing)
2-4 slices ham-finely chopped (depends on how thick the slices are and how much you want in there)

2 eggs-scrambled

1/4 cup shredded cheese-your choice. We usually use cheddar.

1 can refrigerated biscuits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix cream cheese, mayo, and mustard in a bowl until well blended.

3. Add ham, cooked eggs, and cheese. Mix well.

4. Roll out biscuits to about a 3-4 inch circle. (Don't worry too much about it. Mine never turn out very round...epecially when my three-year-old is rolling them out. LOL)

5. Place about a TBS or so of the mixture onto each circle.

6. Fold dough over and pinch to seal the edges. I sort of stretch the dough a bit to make it all fit.

7. Place pockets on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

**You could use pizza fillings, lunch meat and cheese or anything else you can think of in place of the filling ingrdients I have listed.

I hope you like this recipe as much as we do!