Crock pot - Sesame Pork Ribs

With a new baby at home, the crock pot is the only way I can manage dinner most days. Here's a tasty recipe for you to try when you are short on time and want to utilize your slow cooker.
Sesame Pork Ribs


1 medium onion, sliced (I chopped mine)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
2 TBS cider (or white) vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground ginger
¼-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I left this out)
Country style pork ribs
Sesame seeds
Chopped green onions

Directions: Combine everything except for the ribs, sesame seeds and green onions in the crock pot. Place the ribs in the crock pot and pour the sauce over them. Cover and cook all day on low. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions for garnish. Serve with rice and a veggie (I threw some baby carrots in to cook in the sauce.)
Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Carving

Time to carve up old jack! :) I personally love digging out all the guts with my kids and baking up some yummy pumpkin seeds afterwards - can't wait! Do you like your pumpkins cute and easy?

Or do you go for scary and more complicated carvings?

Either way, here are a few website full of ideas!

Pumpkin Carving 101

Extreme Pumpkins

The Pumpkin Wizard

Have fun!

Trick or Treat

With Halloween just around the corner I know we are all going to have some very fun photos of our little ones all dressed up! I can't wait! So here are a few pages to get you thinking about what you will do with your little ghouls and princesses once in print.

Stacey C's Layout:



Jayne's Layout:



Lee's layout:

An old tool-the crimper!

Do you have any old and unused tools sitting around your craft area? I know I have several that I never use. I bought this crimper a few years ago at the dollar store (I mean for a dollar, could I really pass it up??) and it has just been collecting dust. So, I decided it was time to pull it out and use it.


If you've never used one of these (or decide you want one), they do still sell them at the craft stores (but for much more than a dollar!!) They are simple to use...just run your paper through the two rollers by twisting the ends of the crimper. Your paper will have a lined dimensional effect afterwards.

Here's a new layout I created just to share with you:

Up close and personal:

I love that this adds the feel of dimension without adding bulk to a page. You could also try inking, chalking or sanding the raised lines to accentuate them even more.

So my challenge to you today is to pull out an old tool (any old tool!!) and put it to use! You might discover you love it enough to use it more often (or it might end up in the trash! LOL). Happy scrapping!!!

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

With the weather turning cooler, I thought it was time to pull out a yummy stick to your ribs type of dish. If you love stuffed cabbage but hate going through the trouble to make it then this casserole is for you! My family loves it (well except for my very picky boy who likes almost nothing!) Hope you enjoy it :)

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion (diced)
1 very small head of cabbage (chopped)
1 medium can of sauerkraut (rinsed)
1/2 cup rice (raw)
2 cans tomato soup
1 1/2 cans water
Seasoning to taste

Brown ground beef and onion together and season to taste. Layer cabbage, sauerkraut, beef and then rice into a 9 x 13 pan. Mix soup and water then pour over the top of your layered items. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until cabbage and rice are tender. Serve with warm crusty bread.

Here is a layout I made for my kitchen album:

Halloween is right around the corner.....

...and we love Halloween! We love decorating - the whole family enjoys throwing out ideas and seeing the house done up! We are thinking spooky!!! Dear hubby suggested a full sized Michael Myers propped behind our backyard gate - the street light shines right on the gate - it would be fun!!!

I have been searching for the best of ideas and have a nice file going - I thought I'd share some of my favorite sources with you.

Xander and I are loving the ideas for using gourds and pumpkins to set really fun fall scenes. Martha Stewart has some great ideas!!
Pumpkins
More Pumpkins
and Even More Pumpkins

How about a Skull Wreath for your door?

Or a wheel barrow full of bones - such a fun idea!!!

These Mummies are just too cool!!

And I would be forever grateful if my wonderful hubby would make me a couple of these spooky trees!!!

Really I could go on and on and on - the internet and the library are wonderful resources for ideas! If you have a great idea - please do share - I am sure everyone would love to hear!! If you have photos of your spooky displays post them on your blog and link to it here - it would be great fun to see!!!

Card sketch

Here's a new card sketch I created for you. Hope you can use it!! Please share your cards with us if you do.

Card by me: