Summer Salads

Lisa Leonard Giveaway- JULY WINNER – posted on my TCB facebook.

 

For some of you it’s DOG HOT out there and the thought of firing up that oven is out of the question.  Summer is such a great time to experiment with salads and get creative in the kitchen.  Two Peas and Their Pod is a wonderful Foodie site. She and her husband have beautiful photos of amazing looking food.  They have had lots and lots of press and features……all well deserved…..I love that.  Did I mention that I met her at the GNO in Utah?  Yep, another one of those amazing creative women.  Watermelon salad?  Hmmm, I’ve never thought about adding those ingredients…..I’m usually just happy to have cubed watermelon.  This looks interesting.

Yum, and who doesn’t like tomatoes with basil and fresh mozzarella?  I think that’s what that is…….maybe they’ve created something different?After you have all that salad, you may as well eat some dessert!  And desserts are SO easy to find on her site.  She’s got a very extensive recipe index.  Very easy to navigate. I’ve had these before…….My son would LOVE these below. 

So yummy……..so many recipes to thumb through…..You’ll be in the kitchen for months…….but it’s a good thing.  Go surprise her about being featured on TCB!  I’ll let you tell her.

Don’t forget to enter the Lisa Leonard Necklace giveaway.  Every comment left in the month of August is entered.

Chalk Board Fabric

All five Craft Tote Winners will be announced on my Today’s Creative Blog Facebook page.  Head on over….maybe you’re a winner!!!

 

This girl gets it.  As do most women in the crafting world…..the more the merrier.  We crafty creative types love to share, love to help, love to inspire others to create…..we love to oogle over another one’s project seeing their own artistic expression.  I love the Creative World… We don’t have time for competition….…..I love women like Kathy!  

Merriment Design-“is all about everyday creativity. Get inspired by my step-by-step DIY craft instructions and templates — all for free.”

Kathy comes from a childhood of craftiness which prepared her for all her crafty attention as an adult. She started a handbag business with a friend, her wedding invites were featured in Knot Magazine and she had a segment with “Amazing Wedding Cakes”.  The girl is talented…….wickedly talented.  Below is the cake she helped inspire…Gorgeous isn’t it?

Not only did she use this fabric below for inspiration, she also used it for her wedding invites!   SHUT UP!!!    I guess that trumps the vellum I used. Before you think you have to use fabric to make cool invites or cards…….wait!  Look how simple and cool this Thank you card is.  This is one card you won’t have to nag your children to make. I’ve always LOVED these Dymo label makers.  Her tutorials are some of the best!  So easy to understand with step by step instructions.    Like this family coloring book.  What a great way to help your little ones recognize family members. Then when you draw a mustache on your Mother In Laws face….you can blame it on the kid.  :)  Great idea though…….and she’ll show you how to make it.My new friend and neighbor Lisa pointed these jam labels out to me…….that actually reminded me that I had this gem of a blog in my FFF just waiting to be featured. Thank you Lisa! Perfect time to use these. She spoils her husband with fun birthday cakes and fun candles.  I love these candles! Of course she made them…… And of course she’ll show you how. I was giddy when I saw that she recycled cling wrap rolls into something beautiful and so useful. Step by step instructions for making your own Napkin Rings. Aren’t her photos great?  She is pretty crafty with her printer and personal photos.  Making unique gifts whenever she can.  She used photos from around her town to make a memory game for children. This beats the barney one I bought my son.  Using her printer and photos, she has created many many other gifts as well…..a recipe book and many others you can see on her site.  These are such thoughtful gifts.  Way better than anything you can buy.  She’ll even show you how to do it.Because she had so much fun creating her own wedding initiation….she now offers this service.  This one below is one of the cutest, most original invites I have ever seen.I titled this post Chalk Board Fabric because she uses it a lot!  And we LOVE chalk board anything. 

Patio pillows……. A gift tag……And these!  This is genius. I am not trying to rush your summer…….I hate it when stores rush your summer…….like putting Back to School supplies on the shelves in July!  Before we know it, we’ll be seeing candy canes on those same shelves.

Kathy is also very crafty in the kitchen. 

Bacon bowls?  YES!  BACON BOWLS!  Holy Mother of all that’s good!  Oh my…….I love it!  I  mean who doesn’t like bacon?How in the heck do you make a bacon bowl?  Oh…….look…….a tutorial!And why I never thought of these before……except for the fact that I don’t like to mix syrup with my bacon…….but my son does…….He would LOVE this.           I had so much fun thumbing through her blog.  So many great ideas…….ideas that I’ve never seen. 

You guys were SO great in leaving Will comments for one of the totes.  I SO appreciate it.  You made me look good……Thank you!

I hope you’ll head over and leave Kathy a few comments too.

 

All comments left on my blog automatically enters you for my Lisa Leonard monthly drawing.  I’ll announce July’s winner tomorrow.

Sweet Life

I met  April while in Utah.  We were actually sitting next to each other for awhile.  I like her.  (yes, I liked them all……but that’s not always the case) 

Her blog Simply the Sweet Life is like flipping through a Martha Stewart or Real Simple magazine.  I just keep scrolling and scrolling looking at her gorgeous photos.  Maybe because she has a wonderful online mag called CraziBeautiful.  It’s full of some great stuff………you’ll enjoy it.  I promise……..pinky promise.

Lots and lots of recipes……….

Pico de gallo – Yum…….nothing like fresh pico on a warm summer evening.  My brother inlaw makes some pretty good pico.

On her CraziBeautiful site……you’ll find a ton of topics.  Including a cooking section.  She got a few contributors who help fill her site with TO DIY FOR treats and meals.  Like this Raspberry Pound Ice Cream cake……..Need a fancy cake, but you don’t have a lot of time?  This is your recipe.Since Raspberries are in season……..you may as well make some raspberry lemonade.    It always looks so nice.My sis makes this dessert!  I’m thinking this dessert is a signature dish like funeral potatoes for these Utah families.  They do love their jello.  Yum!  I love this.  The crust is crushed pretzels!  Also found on her CraziBeautiful Magazine…….RootBeer Float CupCakes!   (you know you can find cute cupcake liners at Skip To My Lou’s new bake shop – SWEET!)OK, so if you’re not eating carbs like me……you can still enjoy yourself by looking at all the other fun categories she has. 

This contributor below was a past feature!  Yes she was.And this clip board would be darling just hanging on the wall.  She’s got a full tutorial on her mag site.If you haven’t clicked over to find that clipboard and you’re still with me……..you may also enjoy April’s holiday garland she made for the Fourth….of course it can be adapted for other holidays.  We can always use a garland for something, right?What if you don’t how to make one?  No worries, she’s got a tutorial.

You guys have been so good at leaving comments for the featured bloggers!  Thank you!  I love how they are SO surprised to be the featured blogger! 

     Every comment is entered for my monthly Lisa Leonard drawing.  Click on “Creative People Say” and comment away.