Happy New Year

2009 has been an up and down year for me. Depression was hidden in various closets and drawers of our home, and I never knew where I would find it next. One of the exercises I used to lift my spirits during 2009 was to focus on others. When I felt myself slipping into sadness I would make a card or a mini album to give to someone. I discovered that creating for others kept me from thinking about myself. I also tried to remember Psalm 30:5  "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

I made this card for a young couple in KY when they purchased their first home.

This sweet image can be found at Mo's Digital Pencil.

http://digitalpenciltoo.com/index.php/Stamp-Categories.html

Be safe and enjoy New Year's Eve. Linda

Blog Candy

Vivi, a member of the Magnolia Stamps Design Team, is offering blog candy...5 stamped images of the
20 Magnolia stamps pictured here....a total of 100 Magnolia images!! You can participate at Vivi's
blog http://handmadebyvivi.blogspot.com/

You can pre-order Magnolia stamps at http://stampingscrapping.com/

Paper Dolls

  As a child I loved to color and play with paper dolls. My first paper dolls were cut from the Sears & Roebuck catalog; many women my age can make the same statement. New catalogs were issued in the spring and fall, and with an old catalog, a little girl could have hundreds of dolls. I always was frustrated by the fact that the women in the catalogs were large (about 5 inches tall), while the men usually were small (about 3 inches). I suppose when they designed the catalogs the designers weren't concerned about little girls making paper dolls from the catalog pages.
  I still enjoy coloring, and my newest craft addiction is stamping and coloring images. I am fond of Magnolia stamps and Copic markers. Both can be found at http://stampingscrapping.com/

Merry Christmas

Dreamin' of a White Christmas

Many of you are snowed in tonight. Here in Tennessee it is windy and rain is on the way. We may see a few snow flurries tomorrow, and in my book, a few flurries count as a White Christmas.

The above images is from Whimsie Doodles.  http://www.whimsiedoodles.com/

Merry Christmas to my family and friends! Linda

Homemade Treats

   Today I am sharing a family favorite recipe that is served at every gathering. Polly, my half-sister, started making them when I was in high school. When our son, Griffin, was in high school I made them for the church youth group. He still says they didn't care if he went on the youth group trips or not just as long as I sent Scotcheroos. lol That's not true, but those kids did like to eat.
   I made a batch today to leave in the mailbox for our carrier. She provides great mail service. I also left a small container of candy for her little one. The tags on the containers were made using stamps from Purple Onion Designs.
     http://www.purpleoniondesigns.com/

Here is the Scotcheroo recipe:

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups Rice Krispies

Combine sugar and syrup in a 3 qt. saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut better. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies, stir until well blended. Press mixture into buttered 9x13 inch pan.

Icing:

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Melt chips together. I do this in the microwave. On the original recipe from the 1960's the double boiler method was recommended. lol  Stir until well blended. Spread evenly over Rice Krispies mixture. Cool until firm. Yields 48 2x1 inch rectangles.

I know all of you are busy with last minute preparations just like me. Hope you have a good day! Linda

Magnolia Stamps Design Team

Many of you know that I have been on the design team for Stamping Scrapping. Cindy Echtinaw, owner of Stamping Scrapping, has decided to carry the Magnolia stamps in her store. She knows that I love to color these cute images and asked me to be the leader for the Magnolia Stamps Design Team. Of course I said yes! Cindy has a well-stocked store with great prices and awesome customer service. I am excited to be working with the talented team and look forward to what the new year brings. http://stampingscrapping.com/

This card was created with Magnolia stamps and colored with Copic markers. 

Shortest Day of the Year

     Today is the shortest day of the year; good thing I got up early. I have shopping to do, cards to mail, and cookies to bake. Last night I made this ornament using a Magnolia stamp, Copic markers, and a $1 ornament I purchased at a craft store. Easy peasy!

Guest Designer Card for POD

These cute Arctic Wonderland images by Michelle Clement can be purchased at Purple Onion Designs.

http://www.purpleoniondesigns.com/

Purple Onion Designs Holiday Design Team

I was honored when Michele of Purple Onion Designs asked me to be on her Holiday Design Team. This drink envelope was created using one of Michelle Clement's fun Arctic Wonderland images.
http://www.purpleoniondesigns.com/   The tutorial for this project will be posted on the Purple Onion Designs blog site soon.               http://purpleoniondesigns.typepad.com/my_weblog/

A Touch of Homemade

Here is the Christmas tablecloth I finished this week. I bought it last year at the local thrift store for less than $5, and I considered it a bargain. I didn't realize at the time what a bargain it really was until I got home and saw that a great deal of the cross-stitch already had been completed. Do you like browsing at thrift and junk stores? You never know what you will find! One person's junk is another person's treasure. As I worked on this tablecloth I wondered about the person who started it, and why she didn't finish. She was so close.

Merry Christmas Family and Friends