Simplify.

Please excuse the construction going on here. I'm have been in need of a little simplification, and it is showing itself in all aspects of me...including this blog. I'm finding that the more designing I do, the more I'm drawn to simple and clean designs. I need white space. I'm taking off the background, the dots, the columns, and the other do-dads. I actually liked the way it was before, but this feels much more clean and crisp. It might take a couple days before everything is working perfectly and loaded, so thanks in advance for your patience.

One thing that has been added to the header is my mantra in life. "Celebrating Everyday." This was passed to me by my mother who taught me to stop rushing life and to enjoy where I am right now. To find joy in the journey and not the destination. I'm happy to have that reminder on my header, where I'll be sure to see it everyday.

Also, I'm thinking of switching to my custom domain in the next week or two. I've owned if for four years, but I've been too nervous about losing you. I'm hoping everything will move over flawlessly, but if you aren't getting updates in a couple weeks, please head to http://www.sherbetblossom.com and resubscribe.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend! I'm off to World Market to pick up some curtains!

Hello Weekend.

Am wrapping up the week with a few random thoughts.

01. It rained this week. I love Utah rainstorms; the smell is intoxicating. We always end up outside on the porch and the kids eventually make their way to the puddles. E likes to dance with umbrellas. (What little girl doesn't?) Because I work at home, getting out, even on the porch, lets me get away from it all. I wouldn't mind more days like that.

02. This weekend will be much more lazy than the last. My only plans are to help my sister clean her apartment and a shopping trip to World Market. And maybe a Sunday drive. And a late night walk. And a movie night with the hubs. And hamburgers on the grill. Lazy things. I love those kinds of weekends.

03. Our grass is officially a forest. Between work and school, the hubs and I haven't had time to do yard work. (My poor neglected garden looks a little haggard as well.) Maybe mowing the lawn should be added to my weekend to-do list. And may I mention that I LOVE mowing the lawn? I really do. Finding the time to mow, however, is not-so-fun.

04. Speaking of yard work...we are having a bit of an earwig problem in our garden. Anyone know of a remedy? I really can't think of a grosser bug than an earwig. Oh...maybe spiders. Yes, spiders win.

05. Am a major Harry Potter fan. When J and I were engaged, we read the HP books aloud to each other. As the subsequent books were released, we kept up the tradition. I am currently re-reading and re-watching all 7 books & 6 movies to get ready for November. (Am currently on book 3.) I already have a babysitter lined up. We are going to our first midnight/opening day IMAX showing. I am so excited! I feel a tad nerdy admitting that.

07. Am craving some road-tripage with my fam. The hubs is this close to being done with the semester. We can't wait to have him all to ourselves. We have a couple short-but-sweet trips planned and will be off as soon as he turns in his final.

06. Northridge Publishing (the company I design for) just combined their three crafting blogs into one crafting mecca called "Create:". I will still be blogging over there. I have some fun post ideas and can't wait to get my craft on.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'd love to know what you have on the docket. Am hoping to add to my growing array of freckles by spending some time in the sun. I'll be back next week with some fun posts and photos.

Curtain Success.

I have confidence in my crafting taste and I never have problems picking out jewelry or a purse, but when it comes to home decor...I feel a bit lost. I think my problem is that I always have a detailed picture of what I want in my head. I can NEVER find it. Ever. Not even close.

I've been on the hunt for curtains. My walls and couches are tan, so I wanted the curtains to bring in some bright colors. I have one red wall in the room, so they had to match that too. (Decorating tip: Paint your wall AFTER you have the curtains. It is much easier to match paint to curtains than curtains to paint.)

After two years of searching...I found them! They are so perfect. I can't wait to hang them. I'm thinking about making couch pillows in yellow, lime green, pink and red. Bright and happy. Oh, I'm so excited.

Can't wait to hang them!

Favorite Craft Supplies :: Paper Craft Edition

I did a post on my favorite craft supplies last October, but if you know me...you know my mind changes all the time. I am a fickle crafter. I get really excited about certain supplies...and certain crafts...and then I hop to the next. I'm always in create mode, and I'm always looking for something new to learn and make.

I'm gung-ho for paper crafting and these are my current loves:

01. Border Punches. Have you ever played with these babies? They are so fun. They add a perfect finishing touch to a card or the top of a gift bag or tag. I really love this one by Fiskars, but my favorite brand is EK Success/Stampin' Up. Martha Stewart also makes some darling ones. They are a little pricey, so sign up for Michael's newsletter and get 40% off!

02. Copic Markers. Whenever my kids ask me to play, I tell them "Let's color! Go get your crayons." We spend hours upon hours coloring with crayons in coloring books. I love it! I can't think of anything more relaxing. When I am alone, however, I like to pull out the big-kid markers. Copics are amazing! They blend perfectly and the brush tip is precise. There really isn't a better marker. I use the Ciaos because they are cheaper, so I can afford more colors. These are refillable and the tips are replaceable. They'll last forever! I currently have sets A and B. I'd love to get the other two sets someday.

03. Mini Decks. I love these small paper packs by companies like Cosmo Cricket and Basic Gray. Since I like making cards, but don't really scrapbook, I like the scaled down pattern. They are affordable and so cute.

04. Scorpal. I've mentioned this on here before, but I am a bit of a perfectionist. I like things straight and perfectly spaced. This Scorpal is a life saver for me. It scores paper at the perfect measurements. I mainly use it to score cards, but I also frequently make gift boxes and embossed patterns with it.

The blue mat is called the Scormat. It fits into the scorpal to make a perfect little workspace when you aren't scoring. One side is a self-healing cutting mat and the other is shiny work surface. Adhesives can
easily be removed and ink can just wipe away.

05. Scotch ATG. This monster holds some amazing adhesive. It is actually for framers, I believe, but it works great for the average paper crafter. I think I've actually saved money using this big thing! The adhesive is super-duper strong and is archival safe. It is a little cumbersome and takes some getting used to, but I really have grown fond of it!

06. Copic Atyou Spica Glitter Pens. These are, hands down, the best glitter pens available. THE BEST. They come in beautiful colors and are get for adding a little glitz to your projects. They don't clog or jump like most glitter pens do. A must for you pen addicts.

07. Tim Holtz Non-stick Micro Serrated Scissors. This is my only item replacing a favorite from the last list. The main reason I love these is that I could get rid of all other scissors. These do it all! These never go dull! I can use the same scissors on my ribbon and fabric as I do on my paper and wire! They feel great in the hand and are so precise. And they are nonstick! These are going to be hard to beat.

That's all for now! Coming Soon: Favorite Needle Work & Sewing Supplies.

Loss.

I'm thinking about this little sweetie today. I don't know her or her parents, but their story has touched me so. I'm heart broken for them and have been teary since I heard the news of the horrible accident and the loss of that beautiful girl. It's stories like these that make me take a step back and be a little better. To enjoy motherhood a little more. To appreciate all the little moments. Life is so short. Every second is a blessing. I'm taking the day off to spend time with my kids and to hug them a little tighter.

I've donated a bit to this sweet family. If you'd like to help, you can go here.

Rubios.

Last Friday, Rubios invited me, my sister, and a few other bloggers to sample their delicious food and meet Ralph Rubio himself. I'd never been there before, so I was excited to see what all the buzz I'd been hearing was about. The food is deserving of its praise. It has risen to the top of my favorite Mexican Grills. The food is fantastic, the ingredients are fresh and the taste is superb.

My favorite item was the Balsamic & Veggie Salad with chicken. Holy moly. It was yum. For the amount of taste, you'd never know how low calorie it is. I also loved the Carnitas Rajas Burritos. Mmm. We tasted so many things that I brought two boxes of food home to my husband. His favorite was the Chile-Lime Salmon Burrito, which had a fresher, lighter taste. Everything we ate was fantastic. I've already been back once since this event, and I'm sure we'll be headed there again soon.

My little sis is doing a Rubios giveaway over on her blog. Head on over for a chance to win a free dinner!

1•2•3 :: Friends & Food.

01. Girls Nights. I enjoyed my Meg's famous Thai Chicken Pizza with my neighborhood buddies last night. I walked in to the party an hour late to find the girls hovering around the yummy food table. I joined right in, contributing hummus...a favorite snack of mine. We talked about everything from A to Z. It was a nice hiatus from my work. My go-to bestie & sister, Sarah, is moving far away. Hanging with friends until 2:30am last night confirmed to me that I'll be okay.

02. Tylenol. Super late nights followed by a super early mornings are always accompanied by a migraine. The girls night was worth the headache.

03. Weekends. Holiday weekends, to be exact. I'm going to be celebrating our state's heritage tomorrow with the fam. My last hurrah with my sister. Yay for the holiday, boo for law school that takes sisters away. I love summer holidays and the food that accompanies them. Fresh corn and watermelon and grilled burgers. A perfect meal in my book.

And a few extra things I adore.
04. This free font.
05. This post on knitting.
06. These bowls in my fav color.
07. This table.

Have a wonderful weekend. I'm going to break out my neglected stamps and fabric and yarn. A weekend of crafting sounds just about perfect.

6 months.

The woes of being a third child! The little guy turned 6-months a week ago today and I didn't even acknowledge it. I was aware of the milestone, mind you, but compared the half-year-birthday party we threw for my oldest, it was hardly recognized.

I laid down next to my little guy this morning and squeezed his ticklish thighs. He squealed and laughed in delight. He rolled over, his nose touching my nose. We stared at each other smiling for a moment until he grabbed my hair and pulled me in for a big, open mouthed, slobbery kiss on the nose. He belly laughed over that one. Oh, that kid is a charmer. He has his mommy wrapped around his pudgy little fingers and his curly toes. His sparkley, wide eyes draw me right in. He is one that can demand my complete attention...and get it. I'm there for this little sweetie. When he wants me, he gets me. And I'm happy about it. I wish I could freeze him at 6-months. 

Six years ago, I had no idea what a change and new dynamic these little personalities would bring to our family. Clueless that my heart could love three this much. I am completely enamored with my children. Each one came from heaven with their own silly/sweet/independent personalities. Each one made our home feel more complete and whole.

Yesterday, as I squeezed my baby's chub, I said, "You are so cute..." My 5-year-old finished my sentance, "...that you can barely stand it?" I must say that a lot. But it is true! Sometimes I feel like I can barely stand it. My heart is so full. I love my children so much it almost hurts.

Being a mom...it is the best. Really, truly.

Bag Search.

Remember when I was on the hunt for a summer purse? I decided on the one from Target a couple weeks later...only to find it was sold out. Le sigh. After much searching, I finally settled on one and I love it! It is cute and feminine and casual. I love the big bow. And for $19.99?? You can't beat that.

Oh, purses are fun, aren't they? Even when nothing in your closet fits right because you still need to loose that baby weight...your purse will always look good on you.

Sister-of-the-Groom.

My mom told me that the rule of being a good mother-of-the-groom is, "Show up, shut up and wear beige." My mom is awesome. It made me laugh, but it also got me thinking about the rules of a good sister-of-the groom.

Yesterday, my future sister-in-law was in town. Sarah and I met her to taste-test the food that will be served at the wedding brunch. (Yum.) While we were there, Sarah asked Laura what she'd like us to wear and if anything was "off-limits" for the sisters-of-the-groom. Laura, being the non-bossy-bride type told us that we could wear whatever we feel best in. So now I'm stressing. What do sisters-of-the-groom wear to a wedding? Should we avoid the wedding colors when we aren't in the wedding party? Or should we try to match? Or does the beige rule apply to us?

I've been shopping today. I'm thinking of doing something like this:

Cardigan (Purple is a wedding color.)
Blouse
Skirt
Belt
Shoes

What do you think? Too sterile?

Weekend Review.

The weekend turned out to be wonderful. The parties and dinners I hosted/organized went smoothly, and all three were really fun. I had a few girlfriends over for lunch on Saturday and my sister made the amazing sandwiches pictured above. Seriously incredible. (She is going to post the recipe tonight or tomorrow. You really need to check it out!) The neighborhood BBQ my friends and I organized was a great success. Lots of hot dogs and music and dancing. Other than the two times this weekend that I burst in to tears unexpectedly, it was marvelous.

Oh, the tears. I'm not sure what is with me lately. I'm really not much of a crier, but I've been a basket case. My poor husband and neighbor, Megan, who had to witness it. (And I'm not a pretty crier.) A combination of a few things, including my sister (best friend) moving to Nebraska in two weeks. The tears all started with that blasted camera incident. Hoping for a less weepy week.

Changing the subject to a happier note...I made a dessert this weekend. It is easy peasy and thrills even the pickiest of eaters. Great for a pot luck. It made a triple appearance this weekend: at the bbq, cooking club and a dinner party. I made three 9x13 cake pans of these babies and have no leftovers. I'm happy to say they were a hit.

PASSION BARS
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter to form a crumbly mixture. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumbs, and pat the rest evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Spread evenly over the oatmeal layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the peanut butter layer, then crumble the reserved crust over the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe and image courtesy of allrecipes.

July (+August) Goal Calendar.

Wow, July. You are really making a mess of me.

When this month is over, I will not be sad. It hasn't been bad, it just has been busy. And I am tired.

Thank you to the few anonymous and not-so anonymous commenters & emailers who reminded me about the calendar. Apologies for getting it up when the month is halfway over. To make it up...I am also attaching August's calender so you can get started early setting goals.

Have a super weekend. Mine is packed with a church bbq, cooking club, a dinner party, a craft night, and potty training. Dreaming of lazy summer weekends. My goal is to get a lazy weekend in before the end of the summer. One complete with a morning of reading, an afternoon nap, and no diapers on the middle child. Wish me luck.

To use: click, save and print.

July Color Cue.

For those of you who aren't paper-crafting blog followers, you may not know about challenges. Let me explain. Several stamping/scrapbooking/paper crafting blogs host challenges weekly or monthly. They pick a set of colors, themes, sketches or object to inspire your next crafting design. (Some even offer prizes to the winner(s) of the challenge!) I have been following a few challenge blogs for years, but am a newbie to participating.  These challenges truly stretch me...and I've realized how fun that is! I've made cards that I would never have made otherwise.

As a member of the Wplus9's design team, I am asked to participate in one in particular: the Color Cue challenge hosted by Wplus9's owner, Dawn. The Color Cue gives your four colors every month to create with. Dawn gives no limits to what you can make, so it really could be anything. (Most people make cards, but don't let that limit you!) Look at the beautiful colors chosen this month:



This is my take on the colors for the month:

How to: Create a card base from kraft cardstock. Cut a kraft cardstock block slightly smaller than card base and stamp heart pattern with creamy brown ink. Tie brown ribbon around paper block. Die cut a frame in white. Ink edges. Stamp coral waves and a brown sentiment on top. Adhere to cardstock block. Cut flowers in several sizes. Wrinkle and layer. Adhere buttons with twine to center and looped ribbons for leaves. Adhere flowers to cardstock block. Attach cardstock block to card base using dimensional foam adhesive.

Stamps: Hooked on You, Background Builders: Hearts (WPlus9), Sentiment (Hampton Arts)
Paper: Kraft (Stampin' Up!), White (Neenah),  Melon Berry (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Creamy Brown, Dark Chocolate, Rose Coral (Colorbox)
Ribbon (Offray), Dark Chocolate Button, Rustic Cream Button Twine (Papertrey Ink)

I hope to see some of you participating this month!

12 on the 12th.

I played along again. I love when I do. Even though our days are less then exciting, I'm sure I'll love looking at them and remembering what an average day in 2010 was like.

01. Baby is 6 months old. Boy has time flown with that sweet bambino. Weighing in at 17.15 lbs. That puts him smack-dab in the 50th percentile.
02. E at swimming lessons. This girl is a fish.
03. C at swimming lessons. Running away from them, actually. This boy is naughty.
04. My lilies are in bloom! Sunshine yellow. My favorite color. They make me smile everytime I walk out the door.
05. Potty training. Not fun. Not fun at all.
06. Snacking on raspberries from our very own bush. YUM.
07. Tomatoes are blooming even though I planted way too late. So. Excited!
08. My new favorite toy. (Spica Glitter Pens)
09. Designing wedding announcements for my brother and his beautiful fiancée.
10. My favorite time of the day! Hubs is home from work and comes in to chat.
11. Why, yes. I AM sewing something out of IKEA dish towels. They are cheap and cute!
12. Dinner.

Peanut Butter + Chocolate.

I'm not usually a peanut butter and chocolate fan. I'm not sure why. I love both, but the combo bores me. A food cliché? I realize I'm in the minority here.

The husband, however, adores PB+C. Occasionally, when I am feeling especially nice, I'll make J a special PB+C treat. I recently found a recipe that I like almost as much as the hub! You PB+C fans will be in heaven. It is a must-make.

Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER SURPRISE COOKIES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter

To make outer cookie: Mix together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Beat sugar, butter or margarine and 1/4 cup peanut butter, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, beat. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Set aside.

To make filling: Combine confectioner's sugar and 1 cup peanut butter. Blend well. Roll filling into 30 - 1 inch balls. Freeze for an hour or two.

For each cookie:

Flatten out two dough rolls, place peanut butter filling on one and place the other on top.

Seal and cut away excess dough.

Pick it up and form a circle.  Place on cookie sheet and flatten with glass dipped in sugar.

TIP: Keep the filling in the freezer, pulling out a few at a time. The filling becomes soft quickly.

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. When cookies are done, they should be set and slightly cracked.

Your opinion, please.

I make cards. I love making cards! I design a magazine all about cards.

I also blog. I didn't want this blog to turn into a card-making blog. This is a blog about me, and card-making is just one part of me.

I started to have requests to see my cards, so I made a card blog. Now that I have two blogs, however, I am finding keeping up with more than one to be very tedious.

So, my question for you is this: Do you want to see more cards on here? Or should I keep that part of my life on a separate blog? Would you want to see my card creations 1-3x's a week? (This would not be in place of my regular posts...it would be in addition to them. )

Funny that I'm having such a hard time deciding this on my own.

I need your input.

***UPDATE: Thank you for your input. I am taking your advise and combining the two.

1•2•3 :: A Week Away.

We all have those weeks that seem to have 4x's the amount of to-dos and events than any other during the year. Mine was last week. Some items are still carrying over into this week, but for the most part, I'm feeling much better about life. After a week of craziness like that, I can't help but think about things that I completely adore.

01. Husbands. I've missed my kids terribly as I worked away. As one who is prone to feeling guilty, I am grateful for my husband who took off work a few days over the past two weeks so I could play catch up without feeling neglectful. J is such a loving support. He is my right-hand, my shoulder, my everything. When I am sad, he is sad. When I am happy, he is happy. We live for each other. It is the best thing in the world to have a love like that. I am so glad to have him, now and always.

Waiting for the 4th of July parade ||  Husband covering baby's ears when sirens passed.

02. Holidays. I took the 4th off. Almost completely unplugged and it was wonderful. I love that holidays give you a guilt-free break from work. (It is true. I feel guilt way too often.) I even turned my phone sound off. I needed to be away. It was a lovely, relaxing holiday. Front row parade seats, saved by a friend who camped out over night. Monstrous and delicious everything-burgers prepared by this lovely lady. Popsicles and Boston cream pie. (Yep...BOTH.) Sprinklers and swimsuits. Movies and fireworks. Just what the doctor ordered.

Carnivores, eat your heart out. 

03. My Camera. I'm not a pro, but I adore photography. I lug my Rebel around with me where ever I go. I get teased about shooting pictures of everything. It may not be fancy, but it has treated me well and has preserved my memories. On Saturday, we went to Toy Story 3. (Darling, by the way.) As we were packing up once the movie ended,  J threw my son's sippy cup into my purse. He didn't know that my camera was in there. Water spilled everywhere. I found my camera the next morning, wet with an error flashing. It turned off after a few seconds and then wouldn't turn back on.  I cried. Full on sobbing. I know, it is just a thing. A possession. But, it is a possession that we can't replace right now. (Sadly, husband's tuition ranks higher on the budget than my camera.) I, who have never missed church for anything other than vacation or sickness, stayed home because I couldn't stop crying over my camera. I KNOW. Pathetic. I adore that little gadget. I can't live without a camera; it and I are attached at the hip.
I am proud to report, however, that the Rebel has been resurrected. It works! I dried it off as much as I could. Took out the battery and memory card. Took off the lens and left all the doors and latches open. I placed it in sealed bag of rice, which absorbs moisture. After 48 hours, I put everything back together, took a deep breath and switched it to "on." IT WORKED. Phew.

Now I just have to deal with the guilt of skipping church over a camera.

A True Friend is You Friend

I made this card for the CARDS blog. Head over there for a tutorial on how to make these cute flowers.

Card is 5 ½ x 4 ¼”
Cardstock (Ocean Tides, Stampers Select White), ink (Ocean Tides, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz), twine: Papertrey Ink; Stamps (Vintage Labels), punch: Stampin’ Up!; Brads: Making Memories; Paper piercers: Making Memories and Scor-Pal (Scor-Bug); Distress ink (Antique Linen): Ranger

Create a card base from blue cardstock. Cut a 5 ½ x 2” block of white cardstock. Pierce a border on top and bottom of white block. Stamp sentiment on right side and antique with distress ink. Adhere to card base. Glue twine to card base to make stems. Tie bows around the twine for leaves and adhere Easy Paper Flowers to the top of stems.

Unplugged.

There is something refreshing about being unplugged. It is good for the soul. But...I'm back and ready with some fun posts. Tomorrow.

Today, you can find me posting over at 30days. I'm talking all about how I entertain my kids during the summer months. Thank you, Mique, for asking me to participate!

More Fun with Mehndi Medallions

Oh, my goodness. I am having so much fun with this pretty little set. Doesn't it make such a beautiful background? And, I really love the sentiments in this set. They are the perfect kind of pretty.

Supplies: Stamps: Wplus9 (Mehndi Medallions); Cardstock: Neenah, Papertrey (Enchanted Evening and Hawaiian Shores); Ink: Papertrey Ink (Enchanted Evening & White); Rhinestones: Basic Grey; Ribbon: Stampin' Up!; Embossing machine: Big Shot by Sizzix; Die: Spellbinders

How to: Create a card base from aqua cardstock. Cut a white cardstock block slightly smaller. Stamp medallions, creating a pattern in blue. Tie a ribbon and adhere block to card base. Cut a blue and aqua die frame. Stamp with sentiment and adhere to card with dimensional foam adhesive. Decorate card with rhinestones on frame and in medallions' center.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Foil

I'm back with more Mehndi Medalions, this time to play along with EBTKS's foil challange. Ooh, boy. This WAS a challenge for me. At first, I thought I'd make some cute flowers out of foil baking cups...but after making 3 different ones and having them either be way to big for a card or way too crumpled, I decided to move on to embossing. The problem there? I only have the really thin foil...so it was hard to emboss and cut without tearing. I ALMOST took a trip to Costco just for this challenge to get their super-thick and ultra-deluxe tin foil. But, in the end, I got the thin foil to do my bidding and was able to come up with a pretty cute embossed foil block. This was fun, but I'll probably not be working with foil again. ha!

Supplies: Stamps: Wplus9; Cardstock: Neenah, Papertrey; Ink: Memento; Markers: Copic; Rhinestones, Patterned paper: Basic Grey; Border punch: Fiskars; Embossing machine & folder: Big Shot by Sizzix; Ribbon: Offray

How to: Create a card from a white card base. Cut A strip of damask cardstock and adhere to right of card. Cut a foil blog and emboss. Adhere and stitch around the edges. Tie a ribbon onto the front. Cut a blue cardstock block, punch a border along the bottom and round the top corners. Stamp "Celebrate" across the bottom and decorate with rhinestones. Stamp medallion on white cardstock. Color with copic markers and cut out. Attach a rhinestone to the center. Adhere to card.

Fresh Peach Pie.

I'm back for one more quick post today. I made this pie last week for a friend. She requested the recipe, so I thought that while I was typing up the recipe, I should  share it with you. You are sure to love it!

We picked up a huge box of peaches from our produce co-op last weekend, so you can bet your bottom dollar that this pie is on our 4th of July menu. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday weekend. We have parades, fireworks and LOTS of good food on our agenda.

FRESH PEACH PIE
1 baked 9 inch pie crust
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 pkg. Peach flavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
4 cups sliced peaches

In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Mix cornstarch and gelatin together; gradually add to the boiling mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is clear and thickened slightly remove from heat. Let stand at room temperature until cool and thickened like a heavy syrup. (Or refrigerate stirring often so it doesn't set up too much) Pour over fresh peaches and fold together gently. Mound mixture in baked pie shell. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with a dollop whipped cream if desired.
(via The Lion House)

July 2010 Release :: Mehndi Medallions

I'm popping in from my blogging break to help introduce Wplus9's newest stamp set, Mehndi Medallions. This set it gorgeous! I have made so many cards since receiving it. I've not been able to put it down. It is so versatile! And these stamps! They are so high quality. This is a must have! The sentiments are a great size and a beautiful font!

To see more of this beautiful set, check out what the rest of the design team has created:

• Elise
• Kerrianne
• Maile
• Heather
• Dawn (owner)

Supplies: Stamps: Wplus9; Cardstock: Neenah, American Crafts; Ink: Memento; Markers: Copic; Buttons, Patterned paper, Twine: Papertrey Ink; Border punch: Stampin' Up!; Die: Spellbinders

How to: Create a card from a white card base. Cut a kraft cardstock block and punch scalloped border on left and right of block. Cut a pink patterned paper slightly smaller and sew onto card base. Cut a blossom using Spellbinders Nestabilities. Cut three leaves, freehand. Ink and distress edges. Stamp medallions, color and cut out. Adhere blossom, leaves and medallions to card base. Tie twine through buttons and adhere.

Thanks for indulging me in my break! I'll be back soon to show you more.