Scrappin' without Scraps

Choose Two

This one always make be smile....

Credits: Carrie Stephens papers; fonts are Decadence and Augie.

Crock Potting

I love the ease of crock pots - that fix it and forget mentality is prefect for me especially as I am dashing out the door in the morning. But what I don't like is that there is a sameness to the recipes -sometimes it feels like we're having stew every day. Know what I mean?  So I've been on the look out for some different crock pot recipes and here are some I'd like to share. 

The Italian Chicken got two thumbs up from my family which is amazing since it contains cabbage.  The sauce is nice and thick thanks to tapioca.  The Pot Roast makes a nice thick gravy and I've used it for years with good results every time.  And the Winter Veggie Soup really is a meal on it's own with a lovely hearty texture and taste that is great for cold and snowy weather.  So enjoy!

Italian Chicken

Credits:  Cinnamon Tea kit by Cori Gammon; font is Handage AOE

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Pot Roast

Credits: Awakening kit by Corina Nielsen;fonts are Perpetua and Off Shore Banking Business

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Winter Veggie Soup

Credits: Distressed Out kit by  Dana Zarling; fonts are Batik and Rachel Z; Anna Aspnes - Hipster Flourishes brushes; ribbon, pin and postcard heart by Gina Cabrera from January Notebook; ribbon flower by Christine Borgfeld

Starting Off February Vacation

Always good to start off vacation with a bang.  Certainly Friday started off that way with a bit more of the white stuff which made the day a challenge.  But we certainly made up for that....

On Saturday Teen went to the Boston Silent Dance Experiment which she said was awesome.  Never heard of a silent dance?  That's okay - I hadn't either!  So - you download a special track to your iPod and then everyone meets in a public place, in this case Fanueil Hall.  At the appointed time, everyone turns on their iPod and the dance begins. She said there were about 400 people there!  They did some activities and even danced in a conga line around the Quincy Market area which must have been quite a sight!

More of the Boston Silent Dance Experiment can be found on the Banditos Misteriosos website: www.misteriosos.org

Here are some of her pictures

In the meantime, Teen13 made a new friend

Happy February Vacation!!

Lunar Eclipse

There was a total lunar eclipse tonight and the clear skies here in NH made for perfect viewing.

Here is the start at 9 pm

And an hour later

Live, Laugh, Love

Credits: Beyond Wonderland font; everything by Kim Hill

Leaving a Trail

I like this quote so much I've used it twice - once for a post card and the other time for a CD calender page....

Credits: post card: papers and elements by Carrie Stephens; font is Augie.  Calender page: papers and elements by Carrie Stephens; stitched frame by Christine Nash; font is Big Ruckus.

Studio Friday - Highlights

Sad to say this is the last Studio Friday....  I didn't realise it but it has been going for threes years now which is a really amazing. I'll be sad - I've always enjoyed touring around the Studio Friday blogs. So thank you Tine for all the amazing Fridays and good luck to all the Studio Friday artists!

So fitting for the last one, this week the topic is Highlights

If you had to pick one highlight of your work what would it be? You might also think about the highlight of your day when you have time to be in your studio, your creative space...? Over the past years has there been a very specific highlight for you? Maybe there were several or still are. I am sure there are many more to come your way no matter what."

This  layout was published in Digital Scrapbooking Magazine last year which was a huge thrill for me.  I've had one other LO published but not in such a big and popular magazine.  And I really like the journaling which tells the story of our change jar.

The change jar in the kitchen has been with us forever but it wasn't until Teen1 was maybe three years old that it became a tradition. Who knows how and when it started but it did. The change gets collected and counted when the jar gets full and then the kids decide which charity gets the money. The rules are that it must be an official charity - like a real one, not some made up one. And none of us may benefit from that charity. So, for instance, if the band was trying to raise money for a trip, the money could be donated to them but only if none of our kids were in the band. It is always a group decision and everyone must agree which often means some negotiation. Over the years it has been fun to see what causes you choose to support. You've donated to the food bank, Toys for Tots and the Red Cross many times. And for seeing eye dog training, breast cancer quilt, trail building and books for the library. The money has gone to bring kids injured in war to the US for medical care, providing seeds in Africa and to the tsunami victims.

Our hope is that as you go out on your own that you will continue the tradition.

You can see the Highlights of Studio Friday here. 

Valentine's Day

Such a sweet day - who can resist celebrating Valentine's Day? 

Photojojo has a great fun idea for celebrating and with a little tiny bit of preparation this could be really fun.  It would work well for kids too - all ages seem to love hide and seek.  You could just print them out on card stock or even paper and hide them . 

Of course, this is a supremely chocolate holiday.  And in celebration I have a few recipes.  Let's start with dessert first!

Chocolate Coconut Bites

Credits: recipe from Epicurious; font is j.d.; Cinnamon Tea kit by Cori Gamon

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Chocolate Pretzels

Credits:  papers, clips, tags and stamp from Plain Brown Wrapper by Christine Smith; recipe cards from Artsmack Cards by Tracey Ann Digital Art; ribbons from Ribbons Galore by Kim Hill; alpha brush by Michelle Coleman; glitter brush and heart from Eccentricities by Joanne Brisebois; font is Augie.

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Sesame Asparagus

Credits - It's 5 O'Clock by Tamara Dantes; font is Augie; recipe card template by Corinna Nielsen

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Chicken Fried Rice

Credits:  How Love Feels by Christine Smith; font is j.d. and Big Ruckus

Enjoy!

Jambalaya and Beach Pops

This has been the snowiest winter in NH in a long time.  It just keeps coming and coming and as a skier I am thrilled.  As driver/shoveler I am somewhat less enamored of the the white stuff.  ;-P

In the midst of winter, these two decidely summery recipes seem really appealing.  The first is from Weight Watchers blog post last week.  And the Beach Pops are from a Martha Stewart recipe and they are oh-so-cute and yummy.  My teens adored them last summer.  So get out the red checked tablecloth, pop in some summer tunes and let's pretend that there isn't 4 feet of snow out there!!

Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya

Credits:  in my DST gallery

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Beach Pops

Credits: It's 5 O'Clock by Tamara Dantes; template by Corina Nielsen; magnetic tags by Kim Hill; font unknown

Studio Friday - Heart

Today's Studio Friday....

Where or what is the heart of your studio/creative space? Is it your desk or maybe a special piece of furniture, a window, a piece of art on the wall, your idea board, or one of your tools, a jar with ribbons on the shelf...? "

Since I am primarily digital, the heart of my studio isn't overly pretty but does have a mind of it's own. And, bless it's little binary heart, it definitely has personality.

The other central heart of my studio can be seen below and it provides inspiration as well as warmth and comfort! 

Happy Friday!  You can see the heart of other Studio Friday folks here.

Credits:  (top) Jennifer Tripetti's papers, font is Spicy Retro and Augie; (bottom) Carrie Stephen's papers and elements, font is Big Ruckus