SOCIAL MEDIA

Happy Day!

6.02.2009
Thursday Morning Waffles

First off, I wanted to share this layout that I finished up the other night...when I started it I wasn't liking where it was going but when I got up and looked at it again the next morning I really found that I liked it, so either some little elves came along in the middle of the night and made some little changes here and there or I was just plain old tired that night and at the point where nothing I was doing at the time looked good to me (I'm thinking the latter was the case!). Anyways, it's a super easy one...I've been on a butterfly kick again you can see (used the Cuttlebug butterfly die). The text that you see alongside my stitched border is the Hero Arts phrase stamp set (2009 release) which I stamped using Versamark ink. I love using that ink for a subtle touch of "something else" on a scrapbook layout.

Thursday Morning Waffles

Supplies: Stampin' Up, kraft cardstock + scalloped border punch; KI Memories, blue stripe pp; Bazzill, cardstock (blue); Sassafrass Lass, brad; American Crafts, alpha stickers; Doodlebug Designs, alpha stickers (white); Heidi Grace Designs, cardstock stickers; Heidi Swapp, ghost shapes (hearts); Creative Imaginations, white Creative Cafe buttons; Hero Arts, stamps; Versamark ink, EK Success, corner punch; other: embroidery floss, sewing machine stitching

On to some other "happy" news...I got a box of goodies for creating some upcoming blog projects for the Creative Imaginations blog! I'll be working with some of Christine Adolph's newest papers from her South Seas Collection, which are beyond gorgeous! I also get to create with some of Helen Dardik's Patriotic papers as well as some of her papers from the Smarty Collection. I'll also be creating a layout using with Dance Collection from Art Warehouse. I think I'm so excited this year because I know exactly what photos I'll be using for each! I can't wait!

Our assignments are starting to come in too from Creative Imaginations for the summer CHA Trade Show which is coming up and which is always an exciting time for scrapbookers, papercrafters and craft hobbyist's everywhere!

Also, I'm thinking that I may open an Etsy shop in the near future...it may possibly be a collective between myself, a friend and perhaps even my mom. I'm excited at the idea and actually have been thinking about it for at least a year now (I have to think something through backward and forward and then backward again before carrying anything out!). So if you have any suggestions about opening an Etsy shop, working with Etsy, or selling goods with a group or on your own, please feel free to share!

And then finally I wanted to share a couple of fun "kid" recipes that we've been trying out around here lately. The first one is for Hide and Seek Muffins and I've created this one several times now and it's a favorite of Zoey's (and mine) and also is a favorite "baking" activity for when friends come over to do together. I know that they don't exactly look gorgeous or anything, but they are really tasty and not that high in sugar content (which I'm a big fan of).

Hide and Seek Muffins

'Strawberry

Adult(s) create the muffin mix first:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

Other needed ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons melted butter (adult(s) do this)
12 medium sized strawberries (rinsed and tops cut off)
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar for the strawberries

1. Adult assembles muffin mix and melts butter.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Put muffin papers in baking pan.
3. Let child break eggs in bowl.
4. Have them add the milk, vanilla, melted butter (you may have to help with butter), and whisk about 20 times (have them count).
5. Have child pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Mix with a spoon "until the flour is all gone."
6. Have child fill the muffin papers halfway.
7. Roll each strawberry in a little sugar, and put one in the center of each muffin, pushing it down with their finger (the kids love this part!).
8. Have adult put the muffins in the over for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.

Yield: 1 dozen fun muffins!

We actually had a playdate yesterday (I watched a friend's kiddo's while she was at an eye appointment) and we made these and yumm-o! They hit the spot. Also, for watching her kids she gave me some homemade flour tortillas (her husband is an incredible chef!). That definitely added to my "happy" today! =)

Another recipe that we just tried out last week and that got the thumbs up approval rating from Zoey was Porcupine MeatBalls...get over the name and just try it out, it really made for a tasty (quick and easy!) lunch!

Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs (Kid Food)

1 lb. ground beef
1 1/4 cup white rice
1 tsp. dried onion
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 10.5 can veggie broth

Mix with hands in large bowl the beef, dried onion, Italian seasonings, seasoned salt and 1/2 cup of the rice. Separately in a baking dish, mix together the remainder of the rice, tomatoes with juice, and the veggie broth. Form meatballs (slightly larger than golf balls), and place them in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Note: you can spice up the dish by adding other seasonings, such as hot sauce, herbs and garlic, to the meat mixture or the rice broth.

If you try either of these out, let me know how you like them!
Claude said...

That is one great layout! It's so bright and happy! TFS!

rev said...

stunning layout! and go for the etsy (am thinking of it myself too, ha). and mmmm now i'm getting hungry!

Melissa said...

Thanks for sharing your layout and recipes! Super-great job on both!

Patty Albertson said...

Love your layout Jen! I've made porcupine meatballs a ton of times and have loved them everytime! I've poked around Etsy a bit and several people keep telling me I should try it, just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Pamela said...

Wow...I SO love that LO! And all of your CI goodies sound fun!!!

Nathalie Kalbach said...

such an amazing layout and oh you make me hungry with the recipes!

Anonymous said...

Love the layout, so cheerful and bright. The recipes look very yummy too!

Renee' Morris-Dezember said...

OOOHHHH I LOVE LOVE the LO :) tfs

Jingle said...

Gorgeous layout! I love it! You should do the Etsy thing! I'm sure it would do well!

Anonymous said...

love the layout and the idea for using versamark/stamps. great stuff!!

Anne Thompson said...

Cuuute! And the food looks delish!

Renee Lamb said...

I love your layout and thanks for the yummy recipe share! i love the muffin one! sounds fun and yummy to make with the kiddos! :D

Lisa said...

Cute layout! It has "pub" written all over it. :)

Unknown said...

OMgosh... Porcupine meatballs!!! I thought my mom just made those up! LOL! I love, love your layout. It's so bright and cheerful. It makes me smile. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey girl, love the layout! The recipies look really good, and I can see whay the meatballs would make a chick giggle. I think I'll try that recipie. :)

Good luck with the planning of your etsy!

The M.W. layout! Very touching Jen.
Love the photo's and the way you did the butterfly with the text upside down on it.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Anonymous said...

reading over the recipie..... is the rice cooked before you put them in the meatballs?

Linda Beeson said...

Wow! I just love the white and orange letters against that blue! Great layout, adorable photos.