Travel Games

Well summer is officially here for us! Yeah! Happy Summer!
For many, summer means lots of travel. How about a few sources for travel games? Fun stuff to keep your kids happily occupied while traveling.
Lots of great printables here - they will be a must have for our 12 hour trek across a few states.

http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html

http://familyfun.go.com/printables/games/specialfeature/car-games/

http://www.activitiesforkids.com/travel/travel_games.htm

Have a wonderful summer and if you are traveling please be safe!

A new card sketch

Here's a new card sketch and some inspiration for you! We'd love to see what you create using this sketch so please share in the comments. Have a wonderful Friday!!

Sketch by me:

My sample:

Make Your Own Buttons

Today, I am going to share a little technique that I use often when I don't have a button to match my project. It is a great way to coordinate things with your own pattern paper. Super easy!

1.) Gather your supplies: pattern paper, small circle punch, clear pebble type stickers, small hole punch and thread.
2.) Punch circles out of pattern paper of choice.

3.) Place sticker directly over your paper circle.

4.) Using a small hole punch, punch two holes in the center of your circles.

5.) Thread embroidery thread through the holes and tie off.

6.) Add to page wherever you would normally use a button.

My finished page:

Hope this is something you can use in your scrapbooks :)

Thai Pasta Salad

This is such a great recipe - good served warm or cold! And a huge hit at every barbecue/summer gathering we have ever served it at!



Ingredients:
6 oz. package any type of pasta
1/4 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 T. peanut butter
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 1/2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 sweet red pepper cut into thin strips
1 bunch green onions, cut into small pieces
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
2 T. finely copped peanuts



Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. In a large bowl combine pasta, chicken, cilantro, onion and peppers. Now pour sauce over and stir well. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!!

Notes:
Most of the time I use regular soy sauce and instead of chicken broth I use water - it helps cut back on the sodium.
When I am in a hurry I grab a rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store - it works great! Today I just cooked 3 chicken breasts on the stove top with a little chicken broth, then shredded.
I ALWAYS us the whole package of pasta - my favorites are fettuccine or rigatoni.
I ALWAYS double the sauce ingredients.

Memorial Day

Tomorrow is Memorial Day...such an important day of honor and remembrance. Thank you to all of the men and women who have served our country and have helped to keep us safe.

These sites have some Memorial Day ideas and activities for families and children.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/memorial-day/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/memorialday/

This site has links to various Memorial Day events located throughout the country.
http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/holidays/a/memorialday.htm

Whatever your plans, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and Memorial Day with your loved ones.

Summer fun activities

Is school almost out where you are? Or maybe you have little ones (children or grand children!) around during these warmer days? Whatever the case, here's a site with some fun and inexpensive ideas to do with them while they are home. Also, be sure to check out the other areas on the site-recipes, articles and other good stuff!

http://www.kinderinfo.com/summer-fun-ideas-for-kids/

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Birthday Pages

We have lots of birthday's coming up in my family over the next couple of months (plus is is Stacey C.'s birthday today! Hope it is a great one Stacey!) so I thought it would be a good time to share some birthday inspiration with you. Here are a few pages from the design team that will hopefully get the ideas rolling :)

My layout:

Stacey C's layout:

Stacey L's layout:

Have a great Friday and enjoy your holiday weekend! :)

Featured Scrapper

Today I'd like to take a moment to introduce Robin Gibson, there is so much about her that I didn't know - what an exciting life! :)



How and when did you first start scrapbooking?

There I was hiking on the AT (Appalachian Trail), in the summer of 2002. I was lucky enough to meet this handsome man named David, while he was out volunteering for trail work. Well, long story made short, we became a 'pair'. And while I've always been a 'crafty girl', I had never 'scrapped' as we know it, until about this time.. David, has a brother named Matt. Matt Gibson was, at this time, starting a company called Reminisce. And so began my addiction to paper and glue, and now all sorts of other wonderful scrappy items! {I am a spoiled girl, and I know it!}

What is the most important aspect to scrapbooking to you?

I would have to say that having the opportunity to be creative, and document special/every day moments of my family & loved ones. I love the whole tactile part of playing with paper and glue, and buttons and ribbon and stuff. And I find that all very therapeutic, and a great stress-reliever. But I do love making things that my family appreciates, and will for a long time to come. I love making them feel like the special people that they are, by giving them a handmade gift.

What are your favorite pages to work on?

I think my favorite pages to do, are of my husband and I, followed closely by my dogs. I don't have kids, so I rarely scrap children. I scrap other family events, photos, and stories. But my husband is my better half, and the puppies are our children, so they are the most fun for me to spend time on!

What if anything do you find hard to scrap?

I find it hard to scrap about me. I h-a-t-e- having my picture taken, lol. Odd thing I guess, for someone who carries her camera around with her EVERYWHERE! I don't like to have it turned on me! But I do, at times, and then my hardest thing is to make a page about it!

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

My camera is a new Sony Cybershot, that my hubs gave me for my birthday! I do love it. It has a capture/action setting, which I wish I could master a bit better. But it's easy to use, and a great size for having with me all the time, and I love it!

What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking?

I enjoy the tactile part of scrapping the most. I LOVE playing with the different textures and moving things here and there, before I actually adhere them for good. I enjoy color, but I think I still have a lot to learn where color and composition are concerned. I love too, that it's an ever evolving art! There is always a new technique to try, or new product to use, or creative way to use/reuse something that is a non-traditional scrapping item. I love that it challenges me to think creatively!

Tell us a little about your family.

My family is a small one. I'm married to David, who is currently in school for creative writing (and hopes to write an awesome novel some day). We have 3 dogs: Turbo, an 11 yr old Miniature Pinscher, Pandora, a 1 year old Terhuagle (David's term for the mix of Terrier/Chihuahua/Beagle, that she is), and Saffy, a 11 month old Great Dane (who is completely unaware of her size!) I have one sister, who sometimes scraps. My husband's family all live in Iowa, while we live in N.C.

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

There's not a lot outside of scrapbooking that I have time to do. I work a lot right now, while David is in school. I'm a nurse, and work on a high-risk pregnancy floor {where you go when you are trying to not have your baby too soon}. I do this on the weekends. Then during the week, a lot of days, I teach nursing assistant students. I enjoy both of those, but look forward to my husband writing a best-selling novel, :D.

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

The summer of 2002, I took a leave of absence from work, and hiked for about 3 months on the Appalachian Trail. I intended to do the whole trail {2200 miles, running up the East Coast, from Georgia to Maine, for those who don't know}. My good excuse for quitting 1/2 way through, was that I met the man that eventually agreed to marry me {just last year}. But the 'real' reason was, that after 3 months I was tired of hiking forward, and found I enjoyed working on the trail to maintain it for others. So I did trail work for 3 more months, before quitting my old job, and moving to Tennessee with David. Then, I got hooked on scrapping:)

I started a blog this year, and it mostly has my scrapbooking projects that I make posted on it. I recently was lucky enough, to have made the Purple Cows Design Team, and am SO STOKED about that, too! So there's lots of scrappy goodness to come, as I get started making projects with those trimmers! Please stop by and visit, and let me know you came by, I LOVE to come and visit my scrappy friends!!

THANKS SO MUCH for this opportunity! I'm still so excited, and humbled to be picked:) I LOVE all the inspiration and friendship I get the benefit of every day from my Feeling Scrappy Friends, and I feel very fortunate to know you ladies! I look forward to getting to know even more of you as we keep on learning and having fun here!

Here are a couple of her favorite layouts:





You can read more about Robin on her blog Oh Scrap!

It was very fun getting to know you better Robin!!!

Mexican Potato Casserole

This may not be the most visually appealing recipe ever, but boy is it tasty!!! I hope you'll give it a try. You could add more veggies or even add beans to this and it would be good!

Mexican Potato Casserole

4-6 medium potatoes, scrubbed with peel

4 Tablespoons butter

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups salsa (I used a little more)

1 cup chopped peppers (red, green or yellow)
1 cup corn (canned or frozen-defrosted)
1 cup grated cheese

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in 9x13 inch greased casserole dish.

2. Melt butter...stir in taco seasoning.
3. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well.
4. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking.

5. Brown and crumble beef then drain; add onion and peppers and cook until soft.
6. Stir in salsa and corn. i cover it and let it simmer until my potatoes are done.
7. Pour over potatoes.
8. Top with grated cheese.
9. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

I hope your family enjoys this!!

5 Photo Sketch

That's right! I said 5 photo sketch! :) With a sketch like this one you can really put a dent in those photos. And if you are like me and love to take a ton of photos of an event or day, etc....then you could really use this sketch. We'd love to see what you come up with, so please do share!


My layout (Stacey C)


Jayne's Layout:


Have fun!

Title Work

Our Guest Designer, Lindsey McFarland, has some great tips for mixing and matching letters on your pages.

By Lindsey-
When I first started scrapbooking I never put much effort or thought into the title of my page. As my scrapbooking has “evolved” so has my love of the title of my page. It’s no longer squeezed in last minute; I now think of it as a major component on the page and sometimes fit my pictures around the title. Whether it’s a clever play on words or simply one word that expresses the feeling, place or object of my layout it’s now a centerpiece on most of my pages. Lately I have loved mixing fonts and different mediums when putting my title together. The letters don’t have to be the same font, shape or color. It’s also a great way to use up those leftover chipboard or sticker letters. I also paint or ink some of my letters to match my layouts. Your letters don’t have to be actual chipboard, sticker or paper letters either. I have a huge tin of old buttons my Grandmother passed to me that I love to use on layouts and you can often find a button in place of an “o” on some of my pages.

Here are a few of my pages (new and old) that show mixing up your title work.

Writers block when it comes to thinking of a title? There are plenty of websites out there with clever phrases to help you come up with the perfect title.

Thanks for all the great tips and layout ideas, Lindsey!!

Buttermilk Pie

This pie is a family favorite and is often requested for birthdays instead of cake! Hope your family enjoys it too :)

Buttermilk Pie

1 - 8 inch unbaked pie shell
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 Tbs flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs vanilla

Melt butter then stir in sugar and flour. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add buttermilk and vanilla and blend well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until set and golden brown.

We like this pie served warm or cold. Enjoy!

Trash to Treaure project

A quick trip to our local Goodwill and this is what I discovered. Love the shape of the candlesticks, not crazy about the colors. I had been wanting a set for my mantle but was waiting for a bargain - they run anywhere from $15.00 to $30.00 a piece at home decor stores.
The vase has a great shape as well and I knew I could make it into something useful.
I spent under $15.00 for everything.


Then I bought a couple of containers of acrylic paint and a few foam paint brushes. I spent another $4.00.


Then I went to work painting. Three coats to each product and this is what I have.

A great new vase that I keep next to my bed.


And three beautiful sleek black candlesticks for my mantle.


So next time you see something that has a great shape but just isn't the right color - buy it along with some paint and make it EXACTLY what you want and for a fraction of the cost of buying it new. Have fun!

Do you trash to trasure?

Thanks to the world wide web and SOOOO many wonderful blogs, I have fallen in love with the idea of thrifting and re-purposing thrift store, rummage sale and vintage finds. It is a great way to decorate and for so much less, plus in the end it can be EXACTLY what you wanted because you are in charge of the final look.

Intrigued? Here are some of my favorite ideas as well as some links to a few favorite projects:

What about a great idea for an inspiration station?

Old crib springs (taken from http://stephaniehowell.typepad.com/my_weblog/ with permission):

I am in love with this idea - so cool!!

And to display your favorite layouts? How about a vintage dish rack? (taken from http://stephaniehowell.typepad.com/my_weblog/ with permission):

I love how Steph re-purposes things for her scraproom. She has some beautiful vintage pieces.

Below are a few more inspirational ideas for you to look through:

http://homesweethideaway.blogspot.com/2008/08/apple-delight-in-less-than-10-minutes.html

http://homesweethideaway.blogspot.com/2008/09/weekend-wall-art.html

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/04/goodwill-coffee-table.html

http://infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com/2008/06/spray-painted-furniture.html

http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/2009/01/zebra-bulletin-board.html

How perfect would the bulletin board in the above link be in a scrap space? And the possibilities are endless - with all the cool material and ribbon and frames available to us.

Hope you enjoyed!! Make sure you check back tomorrow for my own very small trash to treasure project! Who knows it might just inspire you!

Time for the outdoors!

With the weather finally warming up around here, I am looking forward to spending some time outside with the kids. Here are some pages by the design team about spending time outdoors. I hope you find some inspiration to scrap about your own adventures.

My layout:

Jayne's layout:

Stacey C.'s layout:

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Get Inked!

Our fingers are stained with ink and we couldn't be more thrilled! The design team has been hard at work creating a fun new class for you. Get Inked! starts next Monday - May 11th!

Take using ink beyond just writing words or running it around the edge of your paper. During this 10 day technique class, we will be tackling all sorts of techniques using various inks. Not much experience working with ink? No worries! We will guide you through some new techniques with step-by-step instructions to help you incorporate ink into your paper projects!