Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Monday's Class!

This was the party treat!
We had alot of fun but it was too much too fast!  I designed a lot maybe, yeah definitely too many artsy cards,  And  I might have overwhelmed my ladies a tad!!  So here are some fun pictures.  Congrats to the newbies who stuck it out and persevered!! I will say that I blame this entirely on Stampin Up!  If they didn't create so much stinkin cute stuff I wouldn't have had to make so many awesome cards!!  What can I say I'm sold on there stuff!! 


On a non- stamping front:
I had requests for my cookie and quiche recipes:

 Snickerdoodle recipe
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cream of tartar
4 3/4 cups flour
Glaze:
1/4 stick butter melted
1/2 cup powder sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
add milk to desired thickness
a pinch of salt and a touch of vanilla

How to:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream together the butter, applesauce and both sugars. Beat in the eggs one at a time and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. scoop the dough into 1 inch balls and toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet and flatten with bottom of glass.  Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes.
take out while still puffy and light colored.
drizzle with glaze. Store in an air tight container.

Crustless Mushroom, Spinach, & Onion, Quiche:

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cups fresh chopped spinach
  • 7 mushrooms sliced
  • 6 slices cooked turkey bacon crumbled
  • 5 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 fat free half and half
  • 1/2 cup each shredded Swiss and Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
  1. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, spinach, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and excess water has evaporated . In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream, bacon, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend.Pour into prepared pie pan. 
  2. Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

I love what the pioneer woman does after she cooks a meal, she shows the messy kitchen the says:
"Just keeping it real". Here's my version!
I pray everyone loved their cards and had a great time!
Love, Julie

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Best 40th Birthday Ever!!

I thought I would make myself a birthday card!  
Ralph is always joking about  it, so I did it and I will say:
It was awesome!!!  So Make a card for only you and see how you like it!

I hope you have a cup of something to drink because I need to tell you all about what happened on Saturday and you might get thirsty while reading!  Heck maybe a snack too!
So Here goes:  Saturday I was lazing around the house in a Jammies after a shower and a morning at the gym, when my husband finds me doing laundry and says: I got us a night at a wonderful hotel for your birthday!  Pack a bag I'll be back after my massage!  In 1 HOUR and don't worry about the kids they are taking care of!  Well okay then. So he leaves and I pack in like 10 min then race all over the house cleaning it because well...It's what I do! And  I don't know who he has watching the kids and they maybe staying the night!  I immediately text my friend Julie (who lives in Washington State and tell her that I'm freaking out!)
1 HOUR and 10 min later he's back and saying lets go!  I'm ready but... under my clothes is a really sweaty house keeper!  I think he notices cuz he says we can get ready for our night out there!  Let's go!!! We get to the Xona resorts and have like an apartment it's amazing, but it's huge, just not the sort of thing you imagine for one night with your husband!  Any way he says " There are more surprises for you, and 4 doors so pick a door.  I'm thinking what did he get me for my 40th Birthday?  So I pick door three, and out pops Trudy VanLeuven AKA Julie, the one I was just texting!!
That was the end for me I bawled like a baby, crying like I was dying!  Then doors 1, 2, and 4!  Here comes my friends Tamara, Wendy, Renee, Shannon and Nicole!  It was like Christmas only way better!!!!!
I have never had them all in one place at a time, it was like friend happy overload!  Although they did not know each other you would have thought they were sisters!!  

My husband who will now be referred to as "Prince Charming" arranged for us to have dinner at the White Chocolate Grill.  He also was the "BABY SITTER" so yes in perfect "Julie" fashion I cleaned the house for him!  Prince Charming also never did get a massage he was at Trader Joe's buying all my favorites.  He stocked the kitchen like we were staying for a few days instead of one night!
My world was shaken and I stood there blessed, not knowing how to recover from the gift I was given and just cried some more!

This state of tears and Joy continued as I was life hijacked, (I would have company till Wednesday.)
Then Sunday came and 3 left, (boo hoo) then Monday 2 more left,(boo hoo) then yesterday my last friend left (more boo hooing).  I was sad to have it end!!!

Today as the dust settles, I am now very reflective and walking in a state of love and glee!



So I have great pictures of our time, and will be posting pictures
of all the beautiful cards others have sent me.

The whole gang! Look at my puffy cry baby face!
 

 


Us all dressed up at the White Chocolate Grill!



Monday my actual Birthday fun in Mesa!



Well there's a book in here somewhere!  God is good and I'm a blessed woman.
 Happy stampin share some love! 
love, Julie

Friday, September 17, 2010

Better Late Then Never!


Here's a card I made for my June class! My muses for this card were Hillary and Grant twins!  So the card needed to be either for a boy or girl!  I knew I could modify it for each of them after my class!

Well I was getting ready to mail them to the twins when,  I heard about the graduation party and the gifts rolling in and all the fan fair!  So I decided to wait and let my cards and gifts have their own special moment!  (yes selfish of me, I know!)  Then... I forgot all about it!  There's a lesson in there somewhere! 

Back to the Blog...

To make it special  for Hillary, I added  her favorite colors: Tempting Turquoise and Certainly Celery! 
I put a ton of flowers all over the card. How much is too much?  Well who cares she will love it!
I am mailing it out tomorrow!  To her College address, you snooze they move out! 
Maybe that's the lesson!

Enjoy your day,
and find some time to smell the Stampin Mist!! hehe
Love, Julie

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Beautiful Birthday Card!


My Husband opened this card from his sister last night for his birthday!
His sister/ my sister in law, Gloria was my demonstrator years ago!

He loves to mess with me and say "do you want to see it"? 
 ...OF COURSE I WANT TO SEE IT!  It's so pretty!!!!

I love the use of black, lots of black!!!  I am a black girl and when I say that I mean I LOVE black!! I always wear it &  I love all things black.  I have even tried to make black frosting!  The only thing better then black is shiny black!!

Thank you Gloria Hall for your design, your inspiration, and asking me to become a Stampin Up! demonstrator 10 years ago xoxoxo!


This is the Just believe stamp set.  This set is sooo versatile! Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Basic Black card stock!
If you have any questions just ask me!

Happy Stamping and Crafting!
Love, Julie

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The Man Card & Cookies!!


Yesterday was my husband's birthday!
So I made him lots of cookies and this AWESOME card!   I'm only so Boastful because I got my inspiration from a fabulous stamper from down under!
This is her:  http://clairedaly.typepad.com/sisterhood_of_the_travell/page/2/

I have found a lot of inspiration from great Stampers.  It's always a good idea to fill your head with great images then see what happens in your creative time. 

I am a very visual person!  If I need motivation to clean my house, I sit down with a Better Homes and Garden magazine, 1/2 way through it and I'm ready for that sparkly clean photographic look!  

The Bad side of this is, that it's also true  for cupcake shows and cooking shows they will trump house cleaning every time.  Then poof there is flour everywhere and pretty little cupcakes!  It's a vicious cycle !  What should have been my cardio house cleaning has turned into cardio cupcake eating!!

P.S. If you are a visual person you may not want to see these they may cause a serious side track!

Have a wonderful Day!!
Love Julie

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Catalog Inspiration!

I have been looking at this set for a year now and then Stampin Up!  made this card!!
I fell in love with the card and then had to buy the set!!

I altered the word stamp a little to fit me better, by chopping off "many things" 
I think The way to know life it to just love!  
That's the beauty of putting your own stamps together!

I love the way this turned out!  I altered the size and made it two ways!
This was the first one

Then I really wanted to try it closer to the image in the catalog!  I loved the way this turned out too!
The colors I used are: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Not Quite Navy, and Very Vanilla!







this was the second one!

Do you like my very vintage sheet! I refuse to iron!

Well Ladies happy stampin !!
I hope you see how fun it is to stamp right out of the catalog!
love, Julie

Monday, September 13, 2010

I Love Smootch spritz!!!



Can I just say, that after this weekend it feels so good to get into my peaceful office space!  To stamp whilst my music plays, and to find inspiration in the quiet of the day!

Hallelujah I'm Stampin!!

I made this card today and WOW!  It's so shimmery! 
The Color Coach inspired me to use River Rock, Baroque Burgundy, and Baja Blue together.  I love this combo!!  The new Just Believe set is very versatile and looks great stamped in any color!
I hope you find some stampin inspiration!
P.S.
At Church yesterday we were reminded:  Don't forget to hope for a miracle!  They still happen!
Love, Julie

Thursday, September 9, 2010

I love birds!



Not all birds!!! 
I love stamps of birds, They are quiet, they don't poop in your pool, and they leave your lemons alone!
This is a new design from me inspired by the sample in the catalog!  What a pretty book it is!
 The Color Coach is where I got the idea for this amazing color combo!!
Quick recipe: I am using the Aviary, and Tiny Tags stamp sets.
  I'm loving these clear mount sets they stamp right where I want them! Yahoo!
I'm also using the new Pear Pizzazz, and  Blushing Bride in colors, along with the new Early Espresso color! 
 I'm loving buttons right know.  I even look at my clothes differently! This one from the bold brights set, it's Old Olive but blends nicely with the Pear Pizzazz!
I'm having fun stamping hope you find time to stamp too!
Love, Julie

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Happy Birthday Card!!


I found out my cousin Patty's Birthday was on the 5th. (Darn, two days ago)  So I whipped out a card and sent it in the mail!!  I love making cards for people I know well!  It makes it so much easier because you know their tastes and colors!
For this card I used Kraft, Pacific Point, Bashful Blue, and Marina Mist!  It symbolized the day we spent walking on the beach! Oh what a great day!
I also used the Birthday, Bees & Blossoms, and Posy Party Builder wheels. Also the  Punched Posey set from the previous mini!!  You snooze you loose!!  How sad I never used it when it was current!

OK, here's today's challenge: what new color combos can you come up with?

Happy Stamping!!
Love, Julie

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Three day weekend and an Always Elegant Card!

Labor Day,  I love you!!  How nice to do nothing!  It was such a fabulous weekend... pizza, nachos, and ice cream no real cooking for me!
Then Tuesday morning came out of nowhere... and  the questions came "Mom where are the cookies you always bake for our lunches"?  "Mom There are no groceries!  What do we take for our lunches!" Oh how soon they forgot the joy of  Yahtzee games and read me a story! How do they think I can play and bake at the same time!! I love my kids they are so funny!!
On to more serious items!!
STAMPIN!!  HEHEHE
Today's card is another one of the cards from our Artsy Card Class!
This was so much fun!! Stampin up! is so aware of our needs before we even had them!  I like having many parts that equal a whole! I used Stampin Up's Always Elegant Stamp set, and the matching embossing folder! (Elegant lines). They even have the matching paper too!  So go take your favorites and make something fun!
Happy Stamping, Love Julie

Friday, September 3, 2010

Thank you!


Here's a card I gave a sweet friend from my Zumba class.  (She was very nice and made me some Zumba music.)
This card is from a class I taught forever ago.   Even though it's an older design, it's timeless, and a good reminder that there are many ways to use your VersaMark stamp pad!
Happy stamping, and sending love!
Julie

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Eating an elephant... one bite at a time!

Well I sat down to doawnload a little something and it turned into alot of reasearch! I love the idea of blogging, but there is just so much to learn, What is a custom domain any way????

That's why I love stamping its so easy and straight forward no technical junk to filter through!!


So here goes! This is a little something I put together based on a swap from convention that my sister in law sent me. (disclaimer I have no clue who put the bones of this card together) but here's what I did with it!


This one of the 6 Artsy cards we will be making at my upcoming class!
Enjoy your day! And remember: A Happy person is one who gets a homemade card!!
Love, Julie

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Where did the summer go?


This summer has gone by so fast. I was loading



pictures and I saw the last picture I took on my camera. My kid, getting ready to head off to college we had bought matching shirts to wear to Zumba. Then we decided to wear them together before she left. I wonder what people thought of us as we were walking around the airport! AWWW Who cares I was crying to hard to see them anyway!
This is so different from when she was in the 8th grade, she was so mad at me for buying us matching pajamas. Is there really something wrong with a mother and daughter dynamic duo?


I find it hard to believe School stared over three weeks ago, the tempurature is still hot, and I have not given up on the idea of sleeping in!


I wanted to share with you the card class I taught last week! Enjoy!!
Love Julie