2014 year in review

So as I was looking through my folders "trying" to pick a favorite layout for each month, I had a difficult time!  I ended up with 19.  2014 was a super creative year for me and I really had fun looking through what I created, remembering why I loved each creation (For American Crafts, Scrapbook Circle, and Jillibean Soup), so in no particular order:

thanks for the visit AND for hanging out with me in 2014!  Happy New year!

pinterest food find. corn chips.

a couple of weeks ago I was out of corn chips and REALLY didn't want to go to the store but wanted tortilla chips!  What to do?  I hit up Pinterest and found these beauties (hint you need corn tortillas!):

credit: Cindy Riddle

really just follow the pictures it's that EASY!  And these were a TOTAL hit--I had no left overs the two times I have made them since.  If you want them a little more crunchy just cook them a little longer!

specs.

today I wanted to share my last layout I made for my Jillibean Soup guest spot:

 closeup:

love how the title cut and the sewing on this one....
I have to tell you on this day this boy was SO excited about his glasses!  He was FINALLY getting some like EVERYONE else in the family--funny thing--he STILL loves them even when he has to get his head and glasses into a lacrosse helmet!

I LOVED that I could also incorporate the color orange as it is his FAVORITE color!  Thanks SO much for letting me share this page with you this morning!  Off to watch  tournament game for high school where our lady tigers play SOCCER!  Have a FANTASTIC day!!

pinterest food find. corn fritters.

last week I made black bean soup, I wanted to have something corn like to go with it.  I have tried to make corn bread but my family doesn't like it as much as I do so I wanted to try and make corn fritters--truth be told I have NEVER made them before.  So I plugged in corn fritters and came up with this recipe:

credit goes to: KitchMe

3 cup oil, for frying

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1⁄2 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1⁄2 cup milk

1 tbsp shortening, melted

1 can (12 ounce) whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat together egg, milk, and melted shortening; stir into flour mixture. Mix in corn kernels.
3. Drop fritter batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.

*I decided I want to have my fritters taste a little more corn like so I subbed in 1/4 cup of corn meal and lowered my cup of all purpose flour to 3/4 cup--it was yummy!  I might even make it half and half next time!*

this is us.

this layout makes my mouth water.  Makes me want to run to Dairy Queen and get a candy cane crush blizzard, like RIGHT now!  They only have them in December time and they are DELICIOUS!  On this layout I wanted to share the wonderful papers in the We Are Made of Stories kit by Scrapbook Circle.  I decided to cut them in strips and matte and just have fun with them!  I also did something different with the journaling, I used my sewing machine to make lines as guides--SERIOUSLY so fun and easy!
Hey thanks for the visit today--I'm off playing with the kids as they are on holiday break!

holiday 2011.

well...did you survive?  Was everyone pretty much happy?  The BIGGEST excitement I get is giving...I seriously get so nervous/excited about how people are going to react to the gift given.  I just LOVE it!

Today I wanted to share a layout that I made with the We are Made of Memories kit by Scrapbook Circle.  I REALLY like the non traditional fun colors of this kit--makes it just pop and it's FUN!  Because I only had one picture of this building of the house I wanted it to really shine and not be overwhelmed with the size of the page--I cut it down to 8 1/2 x 11.
Thanks for taking the time for the visit today!

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

To see more of this beautiful artwork please go HERE to the free online exhibit.

Glad Tidings of Great Joy: the Birth of Jesus Christ

I wanted to share with you something very special that I shared with my Sunday School class this past Sunday:

Merry Christmas to you.

holly jolly christmas.

t-minus 2 days!

wanted to share this fun little card I made for my guest spot over at Jillibean Soup.  I just love this card-there I said it out loud! ;)
This is more like a drive by post as holiday activities are in full swing--THANKS for the visit!!

captured moments.

yesterday I featured this layout on the Scrapbook Circle blog:

if you have been following my blog at all you would notice that the people in this picture are a "few" years older! ;)

When looking through my holiday pictures I was trying to find something..and these gems just popped into my hands.  Sometimes I am thinking to hard about whether or not a picture REALLY matches the paper or my "idea".  I just need to get over myself and CAPTURE the MEMORY fresh straight out of my mind!  If an idea doesn't popped right into your mind HOW to scrap them at least write down the memory (that's really half the battle right there!)

I'm off to spend some time with the family--I appreciate your visit and hope you are having a fantastic day!

pinterest food find. black bean soup.

looking for something FAST, EASY, and DELICIOUS?  We love black beans at my house so I thought I would try a black bean soup--I was a little afraid never having made it before--I have NO idea why I was afraid...this was SERIOUSLY delicious and EASY!  There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe!

credit goes to: gimme some oven

5-INGREDIENT BLACK BEAN SOUP

This 5-Ingredient Black Bean Soup is full of great flavor, and ready to go in just 20 minutes!

PREP: 2 MINS COOK: 18 MINS TOTAL: 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 (15 oz) cans black beans, with liquid
• 1 lb. (about 2.5 cups) good-quality salsa, homemade or store-bought (I love the brand Herdez)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed (plus extra for garnish)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Stir all ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve soup warm topped with additional fresh cilantro as garnish.

I wanted my soup to be a little thicker and the tomatoes to be LESS noticeable so I ran it through my Blender.  

Thanks for the visit today--make your day a GREAT one!

cheer peace merry bright & joy.

Wishing you a happy day!  This is a fun little creation I made for my guest design spot for Jillibean Soup:

I just love how this little beauty turned out--simple fast and fun thanks to my silhouette!  I don't have to much time today as it's my Anniversary--18 years today!  Can't believe how fast time has flown--thanks for the visit today!!

school day.

So in honor of the last day of School for this semester I wanted to share a layout I made for the guest spot for Jillibean Soup:

closeups:

I sure had a lot of fun working with this GORGEOUS product--LOVE how the paper spoke to me and I could let the quilty side of me just come out!
Thanks for the quick visit today!!

rock on.

I wanted to quickly share a card I made for the Jillibean Soup guest spot:

LOVE how this came together--fun mix of papers and designs and directions.  Have you been running like crazy like I have?

The other day I was counting things up and making sure everyone was "even" when I realized I "needed" one more item.  For several years now I have followed some advise that my friend gave me:
NEED
WANT
WEAR
READ
we do add something from Santa.  This little guideline helps me to keep things simple, focused and ON BUDGET!
I sure hope that you are truly enjoying this season of giving--Christmas time is my favorite!  We are running wild this week with finals, soccer games, and parties but I can truly say I am GRATEFUL to be able to do it!
Thanks for the visit!

Jillibean Soup Guest designer!

This month is my month to be the Guest designer over at Jillibean Soup!  Wanted to share a couple of the fun creations I made using their AWESOME product:

Thanks for the visit--I'm off and running!

#sharethegift

Wanted to share this sweet message to start off your December!

Pinterest food finds, southwest pasta salad.

(credit goes to Harris Sisters GirlTalk)

Southwest Pasta Salad

16 oz. rotini pasta

2/3 cups Ranch dressing

2 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin

1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
2. Place in a large mixing bowl. Mix with Ranch dressing, beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, and spices.
3. Chill salad in refrigerator until ready to serve.

I tweeted it a bit to our taste...

day one x 2.

I had the challenge from Scrapbook Circle this month to be inspired by a page I previously made!  This is the page that I chose to work with:

I LOVED this layout--it literally came together in 15 minutes--the 15 minutes RIGHT before dinner.... my photos were already matted on the white paper (I usually do this with my pictures when they come in, so when I go to scrap them they are READY to go!)  If you notice there was NO sewing on this page-I REALLY wanted to but had no time...

okay now my second take on this page:  Yep, the same kid first day of school pictures one serious one silly.... this time I had time to do the sewing and even add a bit of drops of mist.  This layout took about double the time but I LOVE each layout for what they turned out to be.

(for my second layout I used the Little Moments kit)

Thanks SO MUCH for your visit--I REALLY appreciate it!

pinterest food find. mexican rice

So my daughter LOVES spanish/mexican rice.  Basically the stuff they serve with your latin style food.  I went on Pinterest and found this beauty--to say it's a HIT is an understatement:

(credits go to Angie's Simple cooking)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro
• about 2 1/4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth

Directions

Add the olive oil to a medium sauce pan and heat. When the oil is hot, add the rice and cook stirring constantly until rice starts to brown. Add the salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder and mix well. Add the rotel tomatoes with enough water or broth (about 2 1/4 cups) to make 3 cups of liquid. Add the liquid and stir. Cover and let it come to a boil. Turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

sixteen.

I wanted to share with you my take on this FANTASTIC sketch by the talented Diana Fisher for Scrapbook Circle:

here is my take:

Fun little tip.  I used the digi cuts included in the Little Moments kit, and repeated them just using the outline, cut them with my silhouette, and matted them on the colorful sheets of paper included in the kit. *LOVED how it all came together--especially the GOLD!

Thanks SO much for the visit go check out the BLOG to see all the details and for a chance to win a prize!

good times.

Today I wanted to talk about the wonderful Amy Tan chipboard pieces included in the Little Moments kit by Scrapbook Circle:

This is just one of them but they are SO cute!  I thought it went perfect with this picture of my brothers and I on our road trip to California earlier this year:

 These are my two older brothers, I also have a younger brother who had to stay home...

closeup of the title:

LOVED using a bunch of mist to recreate the GORGEOUS sunset behind us--it was SERIOUSLY amazing!

What was funny is we were trying to take a great picture, this girl walks up and says would you like me to take it for you.  NORMALLY people don't know how to use a DSLR camera.  I handed it to her she looks at it and says, "OH, I just upgraded from this camera!" and she proceeds to get all the settings just right and snaps this picture!  Seriously--LOVED that moment and sweet little blessing of the day!

I'm off and running--thanks SO much for the visit today!

pinterest food find, green chili chicken.

OH my DELICIOUS!  My kids told me this smelled SO good as it cooked and gave me the WAY thumbs up for this recipe:

(credit goes to Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 2 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce (more To Taste)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 6 whole Hatch, Anaheim, Or Poblano Chiles
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack Cheese, Cut Into Slices Or Grated

Preparation Instructions

First, make the marinade for the chicken: Combine olive oil, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender and mix until it's totally pureed. Pour into a large ziploc bag with the chicken breasts. Seal the bag, smush it around to coat the chicken, and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours (overnight if possible.) ***Note: You can use any marinade, homemade or storebought, you'd like! Anything works. 

After the chicken has marinated, roast the chiles by using metal tongs to hold the peppers one by one over the flame of your stovetop until the skin is totally charred. (If you don't have a gas stove, you can use an outdoor grill OR place them on a baking sheet directly under your oven's broilers.) When the skin is totally blackened, place the chiles in a large ziploc and seal the bag to allow the chiles to sweat for a good 20 minutes. Remove them from the bag and use a knife to scrape off most of the blackened skin. Slice the chiles in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Lay out the roasted, seeded chile halves so they'll be ready.

Grill the chicken (or saute it in a skillet) over medium-high heat for 4 minutes on the first side. Turn the chicken over, and on the cooked side lay on 2 chile halves and a nice slice of cheese. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the chicken to finish cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, until it's totally done in the center. The cheese should melt on its own; if it needs a little help, invert an iron skillet over it (or put the lid on the skillet, if using).

Remove the chicken from the skillet and serve it with rice and beans on the side. Top the chicken with a spoonful of pico de gallo or salsa.

We just ate these as they were with rice and salad, but there she had you eating it in a Taco--DEFINITELY something we will be doing AGAIN!

ball.

oh how this silly dog loves to play ball.  We actually have to hide them from her because she will bug you if you don't play with her.  It is getting a little difficult to throw it to far--she can't really see or hear but she STILL loves to play ball:

little close up of the title sticker area:

what I liked about this layout:

*I was able to use 7 different stickers on this layout (from the Little Moments kit by Scrapbook Circle)

*I used these pictures.  I actually had printed these out for Christmas Grandma brag books but didn't ever use them.  I looked through my stash of pictures and decided to cut them down from 3 x 4 to 2 1/2" square to work.

*I was INSPIRED by the talented Sasha Farina--she seriously IS amazing!  And yes--I get STUCK just starring at my supplies and pictures wondering what in the world I am  going to do with them!

*I like that this layout feels "clean" but it still includes layering and sewing.

Thanks SO much for the visit today!

50 years.

This photo was taken 3 years ago--CRAZY how time has flown and how this picture could include a FEW more people (other than the ones that couldn't be there that day!)

closeup of the title work, a mix of stickers and cuts from my Silhouette machine:

what I love about this layout:
* the layering.

* the fact that I was able to use a mix of the FANTASTIC papers included in the On this Day kit.

*the journaling title combo--love how that came together.

*the fact I used a piece of card stock in a color I normally wouldn't use for a background...(thanks Silhouette!)