Birthday Card for Co-worker

Today is my friend and co-worker Charis's birthday.  Happy Birthday Charis.  She usually takes vacation during her birthday week but this year she is here to celebrate it with us.

Here is her card...

Happy Birthday Charis!

Birthday Card for Sue

Here is the birthday card I made for my stampin sister, Sue Kment.  She is my inspiration when it comes to stamping - she does a beautiful job with her crafts as you can see here on her blog...

December Stamping Club Projects

This month at our Stamp N Share Club we made 4 projects, had a cookie exchange and a card swap - lots of fun.  Katie was out hostess and brought these 2 projects...

Here are the other two projects I brought...

Merry Christmas

I think I feel like making some Valentine cards and boxes for the meeting in January - what do you think?  It is just around the corner!

Christmas 2009

Today we had a great day spending it with family.  We enjoyed each others company, had lots of great food that Papa prepared for all of us.  His Prime Rib was great as usual.  The granddaughters had a great time opening their presents and playing together.  They both got lots of Barbie's and Barbie stuff (a jeep for Maddie and a purple car for Abby plus lots of Barbie furniture and a house!)  Boy I would have been in Barbie heaven if I would have gotten this stuff when I was a kid!

One of the most special things I received was this hand made card from Rick.  He told me he was going to stamp me a card and asked for some paper and asked where the tool was that crinkled the paper (the cuttle bug embossing folders) I handed him some paper and the Cuttlebug Folder and left my craft room.  This morning I opened his beautiful card.  Here it is..the photo doesn't it do it justice.  On the bottom picture he wrote all the families names...he really put some thought into it.

Week-end projects

This week-end I got to do just some fun stamping for special people.  I made a baby card for a first time grandma of a baby girl, a Sympathy or Thinking of you card for a special friend who's father past away, and a Punquin Punched Christmas Card...

Baby Card -

Christmas Penguin Punch Card -

Sympathy or Thinking of You Card - (if I must say so myself - it is really beautful in real life!) Made with Baja Breeze Designer Paper, Ink, SU Organza 5/8" ribbon (nice!), Gelly Roll Glitter Pen, and Nesties to cut the shape.

November Stamp N Share Projects

These are the three projects we did at our Stamp N Share Club for November.  Joyce was out hostess - thanks Joyce for the delightful goodies!

Stamp Set:  Serene Snowflakes, Paper:  Ballet Blue, Whisper White, Stamp Pads: Versa Mark, Going Grey, and Ballet Blue. Punch:  Horizontal Slot, Silver Elastic Cord, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder

Christmas Tags:  Stamp Set:  Christmas Punch, varies stamp pads and clear embossing powder, SU Punches

Big Shot Movers and Shapers Die, SU Holiday Windows Movers & Shapers, Delightful Decorations Stamp Set, Real Red Stamp Pad, Polka A Dot SU Ribbon,  Ornament Punch, Circle Punch

October Stamp N Share Projects

Here are the three (3) October Stamp N Share Club Projects.  Our hostess was Barb - she brought the cute Christmas Gift Card Holder that can hang on the tree!  What a neat idea.  Thanks Barb!

Here are the other two projects.  The first card with the Ornaments are made with the new Punch from Stampin' Up! (love their punches!) and the second card with the Snowmen are from the Holiday Lineup SU Set and the frosted window is punched with the 1 3/4 inch circle punch 3 times and then I used strapping tape and Dazzlying Diamond Glitter to frost the window (sticky side up toward the face of the card).  The border on the Snowman Card is made from the SU Specialty Designer Series Paper called Chrismas Cocoa Specialty, it is flocked and oh so fun!  Card stock is Real Red SU and Walmart White.  I used SU Markers to color the Snowmen.  Fun and messy card to make, my granddaughter Maddie made one (age 6) and was so proud of herself when she was finished - did  great job too!

September Stamp N Share Club Projects

Tonight was our Stamp N Share Club - we had 17 stampers and one little helper - my granddaughter Maddie.  She loves to stamp and couldn't wait to come to Stamping with the girls tonight!  She even passed up going to Racquetball with Papa to come stamping.  Papa said she is turning into a Girly Girl!

Kitty was our hostess tonight and she brought this wonderful Christmas card as one of our projects.  She also brought a box full of beautiful cards for us to view!  Thank you Kitty for the project and goodies!

Here are the other two projects from tonight:, both from sets from the Stampin Up Holiday Mini catalog:

Here is one I did with a fancy fold, it wasn't a club project though-

inside of card

August Stamp N Share Club Projects

Well I am slow at posting the August Club Projects - our hostesses Virginia and Nancy brought all three projects.  Cute cards!  Here they are:

Get Well Card

Here is a Get Well Card I made for a friend's husband.  It is with one of my favorite retired Stampin' Up! sets called Happy Healing.  I used Designer Paper from Stampin Up as well and cut out the image and words with Nesties.

Now I am off to finish the California Gold Rush Ghirardelli Chocolate Bundt Card I made for a family birthday - has Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Carmel Squares and Toased Pecns hidden in the middle!  Can't wait to taste it.  I will let you know how it turns out.  I am also baking a Cheesy Chicken Casserole for dinner too!  OMG! I feel like Julie in the movie Julie & Julia writing this in my blog!  I had a flash back to my youth when I was mixing the cake and then baking the chicken ahead of time for the casserole for dinner tonight, it was about when my sister Karen and I were little girls visitng my Grandma and Great-Grandma in Monroe, Washington.  Right after breakfast they would start preparing items for dinner and we would laugh about us just getting done with breakfast.  Does this mean I am turning into my Grandma and Great-Grandma or just thinking ahead?

Well I just TRIED getting the bundt cake out of the pan and it didn't come out in one piece...got it reshaped (not as pretty though) on the plate.  The part that stuck to the pan is oh so tasty though - yes I had to sample it and so did Rick.  You know the saying "Never trust a cook who doesn't eat their own cooking so I HAD to taste it - I sprinkled it with powdered sugar and it looks presentable for family, especially my family - They will eat most anything!.  Need to grease the pan better next time.  Here is the recipe if you want to try it:

Ghirardelli California Gold Rush Cake

 

Michele Covarrubias of Lodi won first place with this recipe in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship at the California State Fair.

·        8 ounces (two 4-ounce bars) Ghirardelli 100 percent Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped (I used 60% - found at Fred Myers, couldn't find 100%)

·        1 cup unsalted butter

·        3 cups granulated sugar

·        5 eggs

·        1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

·        1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

·        1 teaspoon salt

·        1 bag (5.3 ounces) Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares, Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filling, unwrapped

·        1/2 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

·        1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray fluted two-quart bundt pan with baking style cooking spray. In a one-quart saucepan over low heat, melt butter and both baking bars. Remove from heat when chocolate is almost entirely melted. Continue stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer on low speed, mix sugar, eggs and vanilla. When these are incorporated, gradually increase speed to medium-high. Beat on medium-high for approximately 10 minutes. (got to love that Kitchen Aid Mixer I bought for myself last Christmas!)  Batter will be pale yellow and fluffy. Alternately add chocolate mixture and flour mixture to egg batter, beginning and ending with the chocolate. Mix until just incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Place unwrapped Milk Chocolate Squares side by side around the center of the pan on top of the batter.

Sprinkle toasted pecans over the chocolate squares. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan, spreading it evenly over the candy and nuts. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate and cool completely.

Before serving, dust cake with powdered sugar.

Family Photos this week-end

Maddie playing while Papa works on the new tile table top for the deck - she always likes to be close to Papa no matter what he is working on.

Maddie helping me make the Dipped Gingersnap Cookies

GRADUATION FOR MAX

Last night was son Max's graduation from Hood River Valley High School. Congratulations Max! Rick and I took the two granddaughters and daughter Carrie to the graduations. It was a nice evening.

Rick and sons Max and Oscar

Rick and Max

Dipped Gingersnaps - Family favorite

Dipped Gingersnaps (recipe is from my dear friend Sue Kment - her blog is http://suesstampingstuff.blogspot.com/ and she has a lot of wonderful recipes and papercrafts on there - go and enjoy!

2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Additional sugar for rolling the cookies in before baking

Frosting
I prefer to use 6 cubes of almond bark instead of the bags of chips and shortening-much faster!

or

Frosting from scratch:
2 packages (12 ounces each)vanilla baking chips

1/4 cup shortening

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 3/4-in. balls and roll in sugar. (I use my #60 scoop on these) place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 deg. for 10-12 minutes( I bake for 9 minutes makes the cookies softer) or until cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to wire racks to cool. Melt chips with shortening in a small saucepan over low heat (Again, I melt almond bark in my microwave for dipping for 1 minute then stir and the another 15 seconds seems to work best). Dip the cookies halfway; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets to harden. Yield: about 4 1/2 dozen

Mothers Day Card Flower Pot Card

I made this card for Rick's Mom - need to get it in the mail from Oregon to California....hey - this is early for me!

Stamp Set: Curvey Verses, Oval All

Accessories: Build a Flower SU Sizzix Big Shots Die Cut, 5 Petal flower punch for leafs, 3/4 circle punch for flower centers, Scallop Oval Punch, Medium Oval Punch, Very Vanilla 3/8" Taffeta SU Ribbon, Twine. Clear Round Button, Snail adhesive

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Raspberry Tart Desinger Card Stock, Pink Pirouette Designer Paper, Very Vanilla CS, Rose Red CS, Pink Pirouette CS.

My inspiration came from this blog: http://sluman.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2009/01/25/flower-pot-pocket-card/

Thank you Card

Card from So Saffron card stock, DS from Sell A Bration, Ribbon from Sell A Bration, corner rounder, Polka A Dot Punch Set from Sell A Bration, and Say It With Scallops Set.

Cupcake Birthday Card

Caitlyn

This is a card that I made sweet little Caitlyn for her 4th birthday - tomorrow is her party, I can't make it to the party but Papa is going and will deliver the gifts and the card. Happy Birthday Caitlyn!

Mini Candy Bar Holder - 2nd Version

Here is another of the Mini Candy Bar Holders I made from Dawn's wonderful instructions. Just a simple version of the box we made a class tonight. I put Crystal Effects on the heart after I colored it with water color pencils. I used the big scallop out of the Baskets and Blossoms Big Shot Die Cuts, the scallop punch, and the 1 inche circle punch.

Stamp Club Project - January Project #3

We made this cute Mini Candy Bar Holder in class tonight, it was a lot of fun. I found this on Dawn's Blog - she is a super start on her projects. I used the liquid glue and chunky glitter for the heart.

Stamp Club - January Project #2

This is the Desk Calendar that I found on this blog: Paper Smiles by Nancy Morgan. Thank you Nancy for the great instructions on your blog for all of us to follow.

Stamp Club - January Project #1

Tonight at our monthly Stamp Club we made the three projects: This one was brought for us to make from our two hostesses Cheri & Katie. It is made with the Live Like You Mean It Hostess set.

T

Thank You Card

Here is the Thank You Card I made my stamping sister Sue for Christmas - it is with the Holiday Lineup and the Small Script SU Stamp Sets, Scorepal the background in diamond pattern, scallop edge punch on SU Designer Paper, window word punch, Robin Hood Red and Whisper White card stock, water color pencils, and aqua brush.

Ghiradelli Chocolate Box

Here is a box I put together based on this link: http://stamphappy-tammy.typepad.com/my_weblog/

(Thanks for the inspiration and idea)