Hollis on the prowl

Art Impressions had a contest for the month of December to make a new years card using their stamps. I pulled out an old sketch I did with this here gentleman, Hollis. This card may look familiar as it is almost identical to one I have made before. I moved some elements around and didn't stamp with any other company's stamps. Unfortunately, I can't get this one to load to their website. I did however, get the one below to upload. I modified that one slightly to accommodate the challenge.

Thanks for looking!

MMSC #34

Doesn't she just crack you up? Whenever I get out my Eunice stamps I just chuckle. The sketch from Midnight Madness this week had a poofy element to the left of the main image. I thought about asking Zena, our cockatiel for a few feathers. My husband thought she might object to me taking a few feathers. Well, since I can't pluck a few and she isn't molting right now I had to find another embellishment to use. I knew I wanted to use Eunice and the color pink. I came across this scrap of ribbon. I looked at it and thought, "why not?" I folded it and it looked like it would come out just right and it did! The tricky part was gluing it down.

Stamps: Ballerina Eunice by Art Impressions

paper: pretty in pink, dp of some sort

ink: copics (RV13, 14 and ?)

embellishments: ribbon, pearls, cuttlebug folders

MMSC #33

This is my submission for this weeks Midnight Madness Challenge. The sketch was hard for me this week. This was my third attempt at making a card.

Well, I have a story. This image is a cute little image. My stampin' friend, BevStamps from SCS sent me a card a year or two ago with this image. I love that card and look at it frequently. I had mentioned to her recently how much I like the little pilgrim girl and what the name of the stamp/stamp set was and if she would stamp some images for me. About a week or so later I got a package from Bev so I assumed it was the stamped images. To my surprise she sent me the stamp set!!! She said she wasn't going to use it again and that this set is no longer available. Boy, this made my day! I told her I like to find ways to use seasonal stamps throughout the year. I have yet to find a way to make this into a birthday card, but I will.

Now for my second story. On the 23rd my parents and my family went on an overnight vacation to Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. A short hop, skip and a jump from where we live. Hubby and I took the kids there for the first time in October right before halloween. It is an indoor waterpark and the kids had a blast. Hubby mentioned after our stay that we should do this again for Christmas. I wanted my parents to come as I need the help watching the three boys (hubby doesn't like rides). I had asked my parents and they readily agreed. Now my boys didn't know of the vacation until my parents showed up at our house. They didn't even know grandma and papa were coming to the house. They screamed when they found out we were going to the waterpark. We had such a blast! It was low key, low stress and my parents just went with the flow. I was so grateful for their help, their eagerness and flexibility. I wanted to make this card to show my appreciation. Hubby said "I think we started a tradition!" I sure hope so!

stamps: Indian Summer by Rubber Stamp Tapestry, Thanksgiving stamp set by Storage Units, Ink & more

paper: white, garden green, more mustard, really rust

markers: real rust, more mustard, yellow, red, brown

Ink: Bamboo, green tea, split pea, evergreen, paprika, bark

accessories: brads, window, ribbon, cuttlebug folders

A few new cards

I needed some cards for January birthdays. The one above is a new one and I really like it. The one below is a smaller version of one I have made before for MMSCs. I had to buy different background paper as I didn't have enough of the original paper. I am also out of orange CS so I will have to wait before making more cards.

Flavored Pretzels

32 oz pretzels (from Menards)

2 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

2 T. Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 C. oil

2 T. accent

bake 200 for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes

Dad's Sweater

Remember my trials of getting through my Dad's sweater? Well, here it is right after he opened it. He is holding the shirt I bought to go with it.

Dad and Mom didn't realize I made it until I told them. Mom started crying. It fits him great! Especially since I didn't have him try it on as I made it.

MMSC #32

Woo hoo! I had a fun time with this card. This is one of those that put itself together. Aren't those wonderful? This is my submission for Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #32. There was an added element of a theme of baking. As much as I LOVE to eat, I really don't have any baking/cooking stamps. This stamp was a gift to me from my dear friend, Peggysue. She, the stamp, has come in handy so many times. I colored her last night, but didn't like any of the background papers I had. On my way to my annual physical (oh yay, oh fun) I stopped at the local scrapbooking store and bought all of this gorgeous paper. I brought in my Tilda to help match the paper. Unfortunately, she didn't have any christmas baking paper or embellishments. I saw the "tis the season" cut out, shimmery thingy and knew I could work that into the card some how. I had a little difficulty with the 3 elements on each of the triangles. I have so much going on with this card I didn't know how to work it in. When I remembered my silver pearls I knew I had it. The silver compliments my sentiment quite nicely. I hope the photo isn't too washed out. I am noticing I am having a harder time taking good pictures since it has been dark so early in the evenings. In the summertime my photos were turning out great. I am crediting that to the ambient light of the room, which I don't have now.

Now for my recipe. I have so many favorites. I have already shared my cheesecake recipe here (scroll way, way, way back to some of my earliest posts). Maybe this time I will share Caramel Pecan Pie.

Caramel Pecan Pie

Caramel sauce (see below)

chopped pecans (1 bag)

1 unbaked pie shell

2 (8oz) bars of cream cheese (this is not the time to try and save on calories. Eat the real stuff)

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place pecans in the bottom of unbaked pie crust. Top with all but 3/4 cup caramel mixture.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Pour over caramel pecan layer.

Bake at 350 degress for 35-40 minutes. Cool. Top with remaining caramel mixture and garnish with pecans.

Here is my homemade caramel sauce. It has been a fail proof recipe for me, but you have to stir CONSTANTLY.

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

Combine sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook (at med-low) and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, (turn down temp if needed, but maintain the boil) boil and stir for exactly 5 minutes. Poor into pie crust.

MMSC 31

Here is my submission for the Midnight Madness sketch challenge 31. The challenge this week was the layout seen here and to make it a winter wonderland scene. The two triangle panels were supposed to be circles. As I was working on this sketch I had difficultly with the circle panels. They were covering up my sparkly background paper and just didn't "fit" with the card. I kept trying with the circles to add a textured piece to it and I sat and I sat and I sat and stared at it. On a whim I changed the panels to triangles and viola! It came to me! The triangles gave me the feeling of a row of trees as one looks down a path. It took a bit of working it, but I finally got it right and loved it! I showed it to my hubby and he replies, "You've got the perspective wrong. The ends of the main image should line up with the triangle". So, I am not an architect! (Dan and Amber, over look this for me!)

As for the main image, I have been waiting to do something like this for awhile. I included the picture below to show that there are three layers to the main image. I stamped the snowman, then masked to stamp the row of houses. I stamped the snowmen again, colored them and used pop dots to lift them off the page. Then I stamped the fence and doubled the pop dots to make the fence pop out from the snowman.

I like how the triangle panels add more image space to the image and it completes my winter wonderland theme!
I was going to give this card to my BFF for her birthday, which was on Monday, but now I don't know! I like it too much (perspective off and all!!)

Thanks for looking and I hope you all are staying stress free and having a wonderful Holiday season.

Stamps: Snowman and houses by Great Impressions, Let it snow by SU!, fence by Clear Dollar Stamps

Paper: white, PP found at hobby lobby and Liquidator store

Markers: various colors in SU!

accessories: pop dots

MMSC 30

This is the second photo I uploaded. I think the picture quality is a bit better.

First, I apologize on the photo. The photo does not do the card justice. I took a bunch of pictures and didn't get a really good one. I don't know what I did wrong.

The Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge this week is to use the layout seen above and to have a theme of wings and things that fly. I really wanted to do something with a pig and say, "When pigs fly", but I didn't have the right sassy pig stamp for it. I then decided to use Tilda. I spent an evening coloring her. By the time I was done coloring I lost all of my mojo to do any stamping. I put her away for the evening and reached for her again this evening. I stopped at HL today and found all of this wonderful textured, glittery paper at half off! Woo hoo! I also bought the spellbinders blossoms dies because I thought it was fitting for this weeks sketch layout (look at the original sketch...see link above). I also found the flocked brads there (Did I spell flocked right?). I used a cotton ball behind the main image and pulled it apart to get the cloudy look. Not very original, but it sure did help make the image pop. I made the sentiment on my computer and then used my new blossom die to cut it out. I forgot to put stickles on her wings. Oh well!

I wish I had a story to go behind this one. I like it when I do, it makes it more fun and more personal. I guess the big decision is who to send it to!

Stamps: Dragonfly Tilda

paper: various glitter dp found at HL, white, green

ink: memento tuxedo black

Markers: copics

accessories: cuttlebug, blossoms die, cotton ball, flocked brads

(pssst, don't you dare leave with out leaving a comment!)

Mini Christmas Stockings

This is my pattern for mini christmas stockings. I am posting this more for my information because I know I will forget the pattern once I am done making these.
I will post pictures later.

Mini Christmas Stockings

Materials:
Size 3 dp needles
Worsted weight yarn
Sample project knitted with Dark Horse Yarns, Fantasy
Needle

Gauge:
not critical to this project
6 sts to 1 inch in st st

Directions:
CO 24 stitches. Divide stitches between 3 needles. Join in the round by switching first and last stitch (This closes the gap).
Cuff:
Knit for 3 rows or k2, p2 for 3 rows.
Leg:
Knit for 14 rows. Begin striping pattern if desired.

Heel flap:
(set up rows) Knit across 6 stitches. Turn and purl across.
Change color if desired.
St st for 8 rows.

Turning the heel:
Slip one, knit 6, k2tog, k1, turn
Slip one, purl 3, slip one, p1, pass slip stitch over, p1 turn
Knit to end of the row.

Gusset:
Change back to main color or continue in striping pattern if desired.
pick up 5 stitches. Knit across instep stitches, pick up 5 stitches knit 4.

Row 1: knit to last 3 stitches. SSK, k1, knit across instep stitches, k1, k2tog, knit 4
Row 2: knit
Continue last two rows until total stitch count is 24.

Foot:
knit for 10 rows

Toe shaping:
Change to contrasting color if desired.
Row 1 N1: Knit to last 3 stitches on needle, SSK, k1
N2: K1, k2tog, knit to last three stitches, SSK, k1
N3: K1, K2tog, knit to end of row
Row 2 Knit even on all needles
Continue rows 1 & 2 until 12 stitches remain.
Bind off with kitchener’s stitch. Weave in ends.

Thanksgiving and pictures of my hair

This is me and my Mom (and the turkey I made for Thanksgiving). Mom came up Wednesday and helped me with all of the food prep.

Despite being sick I went and got my hair cut. I had the beautician curl my hair like the curls I used to have naturally. The kids took the pictures so they aren't the best. I included a few more shots since none really look all that great.
What kind of look is that?

Scary, scary!!