OCC and a Recipe

I'm sneaking in a card that I quickly made for the challenge over on OCC this week...I really raced against time since I made myself hang the Christmas lights outside first (it was a warm day and I knew today would be overcast and wet - hence the bad photo below!), had to run out and get advent calendars for the kids, and I had a wonderful group of ladies over for a card making workshop.

The sketch had these two ornaments with snowflakes inside...I have both types of stamps so of course, I wanted to do something different - couldn't be easy! I love these retired angels from The Angel Company and had it in my mind that they would be floating in the sky...but they were a tad to big and so in the end, this worked best with the ornament idea. I also finally got to try colored pencils on Kraft paper and I like it!



Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company
Stamps: retired saying and angels
Accessories: Penelope Soar with It Collection and cardstock, Kraft, flower arranging ribbon from Michaels, colored pencils, nestabilities and my new Cuttlebug embossing plates! :)

Yesterday I served these delicious muffins to my stamping ladies...I first saw them featured on Melissa Phillips blog and she sprinkled them with sugar on top before baking. I did that too but I cut the sugar from the original 3 cups and so I'm providing you with that recipe below...they were plenty sweet and so yummy (and I am not a pumkin pie fan but they looked so wonderful that I had to try them!)



Pumpking Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice or water
1 cup sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries (dried were wonderful!!)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.BAKE for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Recipe makes two loaves.

I made two pans of muffins and they baked perfectly just at 30 min. This line is from the original recipe: Remember to follow baking instructions before consuming. I would advise you to limit yourself to 4 in one day...I speak from experience!! tee hee... Have a super week!

Game Day!!

Today is the day! The Championship playoffs for my son's team - they remain undefeated so today will be a true test. Can they do it one more time?!? My stomach is already in butterflies and I'm rushing around so this will be a quick post. Chocolate Chip muffins are in the oven - they are great (quick and delicious!) and if you check the sidebar for my recipes - you'll find them there. :)

This sketch is based on the design over at Our Creative Corner...I'm trying out for their design team since you can use any stamps and I love, love sketches!

Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company

Stamps: Ornamental Snowflakes

Accessories: Palette ink: haystack, ballet blue, starry night, CB plate, nestabilites, ribbon, silver doo dads from Michaels

I hope you have a terrific weekend and cross your fingers for our boys today! Go Hammerheads!

More Vintage Santa!

Gosh I love this set! And today I used the vintage script and snowflakes that are part of the set. I still have to use the words one of these days but they are so lovely, I know that will be an easy task!

This card is for the Card Patterns sketch that I am sponsoring this week. Be sure to check out my last post for details or find their link in my sidebar. You could win a great stamp set by just playing along!

As per usual, I went with a standard size card...although I love the look of square cards, they are out of my comfort zone. tee hee... The sunlight made it look extra "vintagy", I think!

Card Materials: all stamps and papers by The Angel Company

Stamps: Vintage Santa

Accessories: Amelia Soar with it Collection and cardstock, Amelia hardware, recycled ribbon, palette ink, sponge

I'm heading outside to clean out the chicken coop. We have had a beautiful batch of weather and I just finished shampooing out the inside of my SUV and now I have this other chore ahead of me... Not so much fun but at least I can enjoy the lovely day and after that, I may just reward myself with some stamping time! :) Hope you have a super week!

Card Patterns Sponsor!

I forgot that I was the sponsor this week over at Card Patterns! Eeck...so many sketches so little time! I'll be back later with my own take on it but I hope you join in on the fun and play along with this great sketch!



My TAC website (http://chris.ismyangel.net/products) seems to be down right now but don't forget if you find something you "need" this week (tee hee) just send me an email and mention Card Patterns for a tax free treat from me!

This is my second post for the day so be sure to scroll down - I love this card. I think it's elegant even though it's honestly quick and easy!!

World Card Making Day

The long awaited day for card makers all around the world is here!! Hooray - and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today!

My card today features the sketch from Card Patterns (http://cardpatterns.blogspot.com/) this week...be sure to go by and visit them for an extra chance to win a spec-TAC-ular prize from me!

And...don't miss out out on my personal specials for this World Card Making "weekend" extravaganza, as well as a chance to win some blog candy below.

Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company
Stamps: Give Thanks
Accessories: Penelope Soar with it Collection and cardstock, Kraft cardstock, In Bloom blossoms and buttons, book page, corner punch, ribbon, twine

CUSTOMER SPECIALS!! ** please email me your order and choice of specials **

With a $30 order: Pick either a Tombow White Gel Pen or your favorite color of Stickles for FREE!

With a $60 order: Pick either a package of Clear Acetate or a jar of Prisma Glitter for FREE!

With a $100 order: Pick either the most amazing stamp cleaner ever or a Noir Palette inkpad for FREE! That's in addition to:

• 2 FREE Level A hostess sets,
• 2 half priced items off anything in the catalog and...
• a Miss Moxie Soar with it Collection for FREE all courtesy of The Angel Company.

For a chance to win this blog candy, just leave a post telling me where you are from - I will draw the winner at midnight, 4 Oct.




Good luck and have a fabulous weekend!

Last day of September...

I probably should be making Halloween type or atleast fall cards but this new Vintage Santa kept calling my name! He's actually quite a large collage but I cropped him down to fit the CPS sketch for this week. That worked out nicely because my watercoloring wasn't that great. Have you ever taken a heat gun to sheer ribbon? I know I've read about it in the past and I was reminded again about how neat it is over on The Angel Company's blog. It made the perfect little "extra something" that I felt this card needed.



Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company
Stamps: Vintage Santa
Accessories: Penelope Soar with it Collection and cardstock, ribbon, heat gun

(psst! Did you notice all the layers I used here? tee hee... I counted them up - 7!!)

The Penelope collection is just perfect for fall and Christmas cards...I can't wait to cut some more! I think the next time I crop down this Santa so much, I will use the cracked glass technique...

Have you heard about World Cardmaking Day?! It's Oct 3 and I am participating in a blog hop...PLUS...I am offering blog candy and I will have some customer specials good just for that weekend. Be sure to hop back over on Saturday to see all the fun!!

and now I wanted to share a delicious recipe that I just tried out this weekend from Martha Stewart's magazine, Everyday Food. It was quick and easy and perfect for the fall days ahead!

Seafood Stew

1 tbl olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and sliced thinly (also called anise at the store!)
1 large tomato, cut into large dice
coarse salt and ground black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
12 oz skinless striped bass or red snapper fillets (I used Mahi Mahi since that's what my store had) cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb medium peeled shrimp or scallops or a combo of the two (that's what I recommend)
crusty bread for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, combine oil and garlic; cook over medium-high heat unti garlic is fragrant, 1 min. Add fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 min. Add tomato, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until tomato is breaking down, about 3 min.

2. Stir in broth, and bring stew to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer.

3. Gently fold in seafood. Return to bare simmer and cook until seafood is opaque throughout, about 3 min. Serve stew with bread alongside.

This serves 4, and goes so quickly that it's the kind of meal you can buy at the grocery store and come home and cook!

See you in October!

Winter Color Trends?

It's fun to see each year what the color trend will be for Christmas and holiday cards. I tend to be a traditional gal but I really like the soft colors I've seen popping up this year. I think it's terrific that Catalynne is the paper I normally grab for soft, flowery feminine or baby cards -- and it works equally well with a snowman!

Here is my card for the sketch this week over at Card Patterns and I used both papers and stamps from the prize package. For a chance to win, all you have to do is play along!



Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company
Accessories: rhinestone, Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Sizzlit flourish die, Tombow markers, Noir palette ink

I made this card 4.25 inches square so that I can mail it in a regular envelope. I love just gluing the flourish down in one spot so that it can curl up loosely to give the card extra dimension. This layout is perfect for using up those small scraps too! I do hope you'll have a chance to play along this week!

Phew...what a week!

Sigh...just arrived last night (after midnight, so technically it was this morning!) after a busy trip to California to visit my inlaws. It was a fun visit but I'm pooped already thinking about what all awaits me this week - probably worst of all is that the kids start school tomorrow!

My blog was sadly neglected but all the links are up and running now - and I should have my newsletter out this week to those of you who get it. I'm also hoping that the Card Patterns blog will have my links fixed...if you missed the last post, I'm the sponsor over there this week and you have a chance to win two great wintery stamp sets and the paper pack, Catelynne which is a whole lot of fun!!

If you haven't seen the Stamps of the Months, they really have a nice offering over at The Angel Company...and don't forget that you have until September 30th for the special Angel Sign up packet and Double the Fun hostess rewards!

www.theangelcompany.net

and,


www.theangelcompany.net

I hope to be back tomorrow with my own take on the sketch at Card Patterns...you know what awaits me today after returning from a week of vacation...yup, I'm ready for a vacation!

Card Patterns

If you have been following my blog for a bit now, you know that I am a BIG fan of card sketches...what a great tool to jump start your cardmaking. I love them too for forcing me to try something new. So this week I am thrilled to tell you that I am the sponsor over at the Card Patterns blog.

I hope you'll pay them a visit to see what the talented designers are up to! They are playing with one of my favorite retired snowmen sets and the Catalynne paper pack (and you have a chance to win it all!). Have you noticed the trend for softer colors this Christmas? I thought this paper would be perfect -- but really, it's super any time of the year!

So be sure to stop over at Card Patterns and see what other special surprises await you - and don't forget to play along! I will be posting my own takes on the sketch this week too!

By now Inspiration Avenue is live over at The Angel Company, but don't forget that you can still order from the spring supplement...Serendipty. If you don't have a hard copy to thumb through and enjoy, here's a sample of what you are missing!


42 new stamp sets!



Step by step project ideas!






and just plain inspiration!






If you'd like a copy, send me an email and remember, I ship anywhere in the world!

• Buy your copy for $3.50 - that's less than my actual cost and includes shipping! Shipping outside the US will be just a bit more.
• Have a FUNshop - and get it FREE! You can do a book party, or have a real party - it is up to you! Don't forget about DOUBLE (and extra free) hostess benefits through the end of September!!!
• Order your copy of the base catalog and Inspiration Avenue and save on shipping! One low cost of $10.50 gets you both of these plus a $4 off coupon! Overseas shipping is more but you still save!

Butterfly Sympathy

This morning I woke up and I really wanted to work with my True Beauty butterfly stamps. I had a whole different direction for my card in mind...but then I took a quick peek at the Wednesday sketch challenge over on SCS and I knew that would be perfect for this stamp set. This was such a quick card and having a paper pack from The Angel Company's Soar with it Collection and matching cardstock made it super easy to get started. When I saw the purple hues of Angelee I thought "butterflies!"... the image itself was simple because I just needed 4 different Tombow markers and an aquabrush.

Sadly this card is going to a friend of the family. I've known Bob and Betty since I was a kid and they even came to my wedding...Bob passed away last week at 82, without warning. It scares me since my parents are in their late 70's...but really, we have to make the most of each day, what ever our age!

Card Materials:

Stamps: True Beauty

Accessories: Fiskars punch, ribbon, Tombow markers, aquabrush, Angelee Soar with it Collection and cardstock

I might had a little stickles for sparkle to this butterfly yet...still trying to get a better photo. sigh.... Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Homemade Jam

I just got my Fruit Collage which was a special stamp set The Angel Company was offering during the month of June...my Mom picks wild raspberries and strawberries from a farm every summer and makes jars and jars of homemade jam. She is of that wonderful era that when she visits someone, she brings them a little something. And, if someone visits her house, they also leave with a little something. I can see making her some nice tags to decorate her jelly jars! But I couldn't wait to play with this set and I thought of this week's Friday Sketchers challenge right away. I spritzed the stamp and then colored directly to the rubber with watercolor crayons and then spritzed once more. I got two nice images from this technique without having to reink or respritz. The papers are an assortment of sale packages - the charcoal grey from Big Lots, the red from Costco My Minds Eye and the green from a Prisma cardstock package marked down at Michaels.

So...I got my catalogs today!! woot woot! I ended up having two cards published...that means I have a TON of rejects to show you in the following days but honestly, I think they are nice so be sure to stop back and see them (please!).

I have a card on page 71 and then this is the one I really liked that made it in!

The colors in the actual catalog look much better...between scanning, cropping and reposting, it's lost a bit of it's umpf! Perhaps if you click on it, it gets bigger. Thanks so much for visiting!!

Card Patterns sketch...

I found another sketch challenge site...so this weekend I played around a bit to distract myself while I was waiting for my catalogs to arrive (UPS tracking number says they'll get here tomorrow!). I made these little flowers from a cuttlebug die and Martha Stewart crepe paper...later I discovered they matched our Miss Moxie paper perfectly! I really felt I was forcing the sketch, but after a couple of different attempts (and some last minute paper swaps!) I finally ended up with this and I really like it. I think it's close enough to the original idea to count!




Card Materials:
Stamps: Little Stinkers
Accessories: Miss Moxie Soar with it Collection and cardstock, buttons, CB die, white gel pen, BIC markers, ribbon

Hope you had a great weekend!

Out with the Old, In with the New!

Just in case you were wondering where I've been, I was lost in Blog Land!! Last Friday I was the sponsor for Friday Sketchers (link down below in my sidebar) and I made it my goal to comment on every participent's entry. There were 200 blogs that I visited since Monday and boy did I have a treat looking at all of those wonderful creations...

Today I needed to rush and get a birthday card in the mail for my Brother In Law so I found the CPS sketch to be very inspiring. This was such a quick card to make...but I have a very funny confession to make. See that star? This set retires today and I never cut it out until TODAY because it just didn't really "grab" me. In the last month or so though I have seen some wonderful cards featuring star stamps and I found that this was perfect after all. So, today is the last day to grab this great set, Trendy Holiday Tags. In fact today at 5 pm is the last chance you have to buy any of the stamps featured right HERE!

I just want to highlight two things here. Transcendence powder allows you to emboss with Palette (ie. dye) inks and so the stars really shines. And, what I love about the Die Cuts With a View paper that The Angel Company carries is that is has a white core so when you lightly sand it - voila, it really pops!

Last sneak peak from me - I am crossing my fingers that I'll get my demo copy this weekend and I should have all my catalogs early next week so it's not too late to still pre order your copy!

Sneak Peak #6

PLEASE NOTE: The online catalog will be down starting tonight at 5 pm until Tuesday at 5 pm.

Happy Father's Day!

Hope you are having a great day celebrating with your husband, father or significant other! I got cards out in the mail late this year - for some strange reason I was thinking Father's Day was next weekend. So my cards were done, but just not mailed in time. argh...

I did whip out a quick Father's Day card for my husband...since his birthday was just Thursday, the celebrations are kind of close together and he gets short change. But I found a great photo cube at AC Moore and I filled it with pictures of the kids and some shots of our favorite vacations. I think he'll like it! To go along with that "happy scene" I was setting for him, I used a retired stamp set that I still love. The papers are normally featured with Christmas stamps but this Amelia paper pack is perfect for masculine and vintage cards. It's great!

Card Materials:

Stamps: Light the Path (retired), dad from current GWP

Accessories: Amelia Soar with it Collection and cardstock, eyelets from our hardware packets, twine, pop dots

I don't normally do square cards but this is quite large at 5 1/2 by 5 1/2. I played along with the sketch over on Friday's Sketchers - I'm the sponsor this week! You really need to see some of the cards over there - the design team is awesome! The sketch was posted on Friday and you can play along until next week.

Cherry Blossom Time!

ah...the sun came out after several days of rain. It's a perfect start to the Cherry Blossom Festival here in Washington DC. I made this card last week with the SCS Wednesday Card sketch in anticpation of the blossoms. It's a beautiful time here!!

I used watercolor paper and heat embossed the image. This branch is from Artsy Owls - and it's my favorite stampin the collection! I dressed things up a bit (trying to be artsy myself!!) with a stick pin, bead and some ribbons. I hope you like it!



Card Materials:
Stamp: Artsy Owls, saying retired hostess set
Paper: Lilly Anna Soar with it Collection and Lilly Anna Cardstock
Accesories: Martha Stewart punch, Tombow markers and aquabrush, stickpin/ribbon

CPS Sponsor - Part 3

I can hardly believe that I am half way through my week of sponsoring the card sketch over at the Card Positioning Systems (CPS) blog. I have really enjoyed going to see everyone’s take on the sketch and I can’t wait to find out who will be the lucky winner of the stamp set, Life is Short. It’s got some really neat sayings that are perfect for both scrapbookers and cardmakers. If you haven't heard about my offer yet, you may pick out a free jar of Stickles with just a $30 order (and The Angel Company throws in a free stamp!) but you must email me with your order...

My take on the sketch today is a bit more true to form. Sewing machine stitching is so popular right now, and the Running Stitches from The Angel Company makes it quick. I don’t have to worry about hauling out my Husqvarna sewing machine that is currently wedged between the organ and a wall, covered by countless Lego boxes! The card itself is really easy. I wanted the beautiful papers from the Soar with It Collection to take the main stage and so I just embossed my elephant to give it a little “umph”. Did you know that we carry TRANSCENDENCE POWDER which allows you to emboss with Palette inks?

Card Materials:
Stamps: Take Pride, Running Stitches
Papers: Hemingway Soar with it Collection and cardstock
Accessories: twine, embossing powder, Transcendence Powder

There is still time to upload a card for this week’s sketch! It’s really super easy.

1) Create your card using the sketch...
2) Upload your card to either your blog, SCS gallery or Flicker account.
3) Go to the CPS blog and under Sunday’s post, you’ll find MR LINKY where you type in your name and then paste in the URL of where your picture is!

Hope you’ll join us! And if you have a moment, please check out my last two posts as they contain more takes on this week's CPS sketch!

CPS Sponsor - Part 2

My last post featured All Things of Nature, one of my first stamp sets from The Angel Company. This stamp set is another old favorite of mine! I have had so much fun this week, not only as the sponsor of the Card Positioning System (CPS) blog sketch, but also playing along with my own creations!

For this card I brought out the “big” tools that I bought as half priced items when I was a “hostess” for a party sized order with The Angel Company (TAC). With TAC, not only do you earn a free stamp with every $30 you spend, but as the hostess for a $100 show...you earn a free stamp set, can get a hostess discount of 20% and earn one item (anything in the catalog!) for half priced. What a deal.

Card Materials:

Stamps: Flower Collage Trio
Paper: Catelynne, DCWV Green #1 and Pink #1
Accessories: Bind it All, Scor Pal, Tombow Markers, twine, buttons, Palette inks

Have you checked out the design team's creations over at the CPS blog? You can find out there how to WIN a free stamp set valued at $19.95 - just by playing along with this sketch. And don't forget to check out my last post...I'll keep adding my sketch cards this whole week! I am having so much fun - I hope you are too!

CPS Sponsor!!

I have some exciting news to share! This week I am the sponsor for the week over at the Card Positioning Systems (CPS) blog! The design team ladies will be featuring different stamps and papers from The Angel Company. You can also play along with the sketch and post your own creations using Mr Linky – the best part is that you have a chance to win a stamp set, Life is Short. And, if you place a $30 order with me this month, you also get a free Stickles, your choice of color, as my special thank you!

Tami Mayberry is regularly featured in the Cardmaker magazine, she is the creator of the CPS blog sketches and has published two books, Cardmaker Sketchbook 1 and 2. I was so excited about this week’s sketch and here is one of my cards!





Card Materials:
Stamps: All Things of Nature, Twists and Twirls
Paper: Genevieve, DCWV Robin #1
Accessories: Prismacolor pencils and gamsol, Noir Palette ink

I’ll be back again on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with some more of my sketch creations. Be sure to visit the CPS blog on those days too to see more great sketches from the CPS designers. The cards already posted are INCREDIBLE and I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Wow...100 posts!

Gosh, for being a reluctant blogger when I started up, 100 posts came quickly!!

For my hostess club get together this month I decided to do some stamping on fabric with my ladies. This technique was featured in The Angel Company’s supplement that recently came out, Serendipity; and when I saw the cards, I had to run out to Joann’s and buy some white and cream cotton muslin! It’s really not very expensive at all.

I used the sketch on the CPS blog for this week. I’ve never made a long card to fit into a regular sized envelope so this was a real “stretch” for me. (ha ha) I feel like something is missing but I hope you can see the embossed stars on the blue panel. I stamped with Noir palette ink (make sure your pad is juicy – I should have reinked mine in this case!) and then colored in the image with watercolor pencils. The secret trick to blending it all is to use a Dove blender pen. Did you know that The Angel Company carries the Dove liquid refill and tips as well as reinkers for all of the Palette inks?!?

you can't really see my poor cow in this card...it was tough to get a good picture!

Card Materials:
Stamps: An Udder Birthday, “oh baby” from My Journey, stars (retired)
Paper: Bazzill monochromatic packs Yellow and Blue
Accessories: Martha Stewart punch, ribbon, clear embossing powder, buttons, scrappers floss, Dove blender pen and refill/tips

Be sure to check out my button tree (following post) if you like buttons~~that is the sketch challenge over at The Pink Elephant this week!

One Tough Critic

My daughter is tough on me...so why do I keep taking my beloved creations to her for her seal of approval?! Lately it's been more in the vein of "gee Mom, did you really make that?" but yesterday it was back to "that is the ugliest card ever!

I'm going to risk showing it here to see what you think. I actually liked it and worked hard to match the bee's color to the rest of the papers. They are a bit brighter and bolder than I like to work with but I thought they suited the little guy well. This is from this week's card sketch on Splitcoaststampers (SCS) and I thought it would be a fun layout. I sparkled him up and layered the colors, and even learned from my friend Silke in Germany to add some white accents! The bee is just part of the vintage set that The Angel Company will be offer next month!

Card Materials:
Paper: Miss Moxie patterned and cardstock
Stamps: April’s Vintage Limited Edition, words from: My Journey
Martha Stewart punch, Circle Nestabilities, felt flower: Ava Collection, black and icicle stickles

Speaking of SCS, they are holding a "non-raffle" to raise money for the bushfire in Australia and all funds go to the Red Cross...what a great community. I donated a terrific stamp set (Forever Family) so I can only encourage you to play along! I do know someone who won last time they did this for the flood vicitims in the midwest...just click on the image and it'll take you right there!

And lastly, (I'm must be channeling a lot of SCS right now!) you must check out my friend Franca's gallery...she has done amazing things with the tree from TAC's Love and Laughter set! She has promised to tell me her secret for the mugs and her work is really beautiful.