Few new things

So this first thing is something I did for my sister-in-law's birthday. It was pretty easy to do once If figured out what I was going to do to it. The hardest part was finding the pictures to go in it, hope she liked it! (it says FRIEND if you can't see it)


Next is a card I made for some friends of mine I did three of the same style only in different paper, they turned out pretty cute, one of my favorites.



This is this months RS birthday card, I was into summery things so this just sounded like a good idea, not really birthdayish but oh well.


And finally this was going to be my card I was going to enter for our stamp'n up contest this month but found out I'd jumped the gun and didn't know we can only use stamp'n up products, oh well, I'll try again. oh and on the front it says "these shoes are killing me, they must look fabulous!"

Too Cute!

ok so i visited one of my favorite places, Hostess with the Mostess, and saw these way cute cheesecake pops. I really need to do a party to try these babies out. Thought I'd share if anyone else is having a fabulous get together.
Cheesecake Pops
Makes 30 – 40 Pops



Cheesecake Pops
Makes 30 – 40 Pops

5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)

Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional

Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set at low speed, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at lwo speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.

Lightly grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan). Pour the cheesecake batter into the cake pan and place in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly goldenon top, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchemtn paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.

When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.

Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.

Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.
Introduction from Deborah & Elle

Chaos and Order

Ok let me explain, my craft room is apperantly the cold storage room, so in the winter it gets NOOOOO heat. So it's been really hard to get things done in there because it's been so cold, hence it's become the room that everything gets thrown into because no one goes in there. And when I did do my projects (cards) I'd take everything out of the room with me to do it and then just set it all back in there when I was done. Hence the build up of stuff as well.
Well, I had finaly had enough and the weather has warmed up so i thought it was high time to clean it out. It felt soooo good. Now ii just have to get Todd to lay the carpet thats in waiting in there (and carpet pad) and that will clean it up even more. One step at a time I guess. Since having cleaned it I've completed three projects, two of which I can't post yet. One of those is my sister-in-law B-day present that I still need to get in the mail, the other is a card I made for my Stamp'n up group that is in a contest that's suppose to be anonymous so i don't want anyone to see it yet, the third, well I just haven't snapped a picture of it yet so you'll just have to wait.

May B-day card

I found this idea at Doodlebug.ws and just adapted it for a birthday, they turned out pretty cute I think. The message on the front says:
1 Extraordinary person
1 Bunch of friends
5 balloons
1 large cake
Lots of laughter

Mix and enjoy!

Cake

Something I found on a friends blog, thanks Amy.

You Are Strawberry Cake
Fresh, sassy, and romantic.
You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat.
Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofcakeareyouquiz/

I don't know how they came up with this from the questions you answered but, whatever.

Stamp'n Up card

Well, I think there is something missing on this card but I don't know what. I need something coming out of the flower I think but can't put my finger on it. Any suggestions?

More cupcakes

I was able to help a friend do cupcakes for the RS birthday party/dinner and she had the colors all picked out and I had a little fun adding a little something. The flowers were really easy to do. I went to Michaels and got the color candy melts in the baking isle and some small sqeeze bottles, also in that isle, and doodles the flowers, let them set and then stuck them on. They turned out pretty cute. You could do this with almost any theme, they have all colors of candy melts, and you could trace something that was already drawn to make it really easy.

April card

I thought this was a springy kind of card. I saw a lunch sack someone had done kinda like this and adapted it to a card. I don't know that I love it but it turned out pretty cute. Inside it says "Hoppy Birthday" (of course).

baby gifts

I haven't been to a baby shower for quite a while. Well now I have two this month, eveyone is due soon or is just delivering around here. There are a bunch of pregnant women here, and mostly in my neighborhood. Anyway I have had these paint cans in my craft room forever and thought it was time to use them. I love to do them to put baby gifts in and had fun doing these up.







Notice also the cute outfits that went in them and especially the cute hair bands (made by Alea at Sugar and Spice, see below on my fav's) I loved them and will be getting some for Ellie soon, I love the cupcake clip, of course. Thanks again Alea for coming through on such short notice.

Great finds

I found these great dishes at a site from Hostess w/ the mostess, the link is below if you'd like to check out thier other fun dishes. Prices arn't too terrible either. Notice the cute boxes they come in too.

WOW!!!

this ones my favorite!

I was perusing some of my favorite places and I don't know about all of you but I am absolutly amazed at the talent of others. And when it comes to food and especially cakes (of all kinds) I am truely appreciative of the gift that some poses. So brides.com is haveing an amzing cake contest and these are some of my favorites. Hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do.

My Favorite things

So here's my confession of a few of my favorite things, I hope you appreciate this Brittney! Actually it was fun to do. I think this tells me what a "hostess" freak I am. What can I say I love to throw a party! Please keep the giggles down to a minimum. : ) I'd also love to see my sister/sisters-in-law and friends do this. Thanks for the challenge Britt.

First, I think everyone can tell, that I LOVE cupcakes and everything to do with cupcakes. The paper cups, the frosting, different flavors, different things you put on top, ways to display them, EVERYTHING!

#2 Pollka Dots

\I think this actually tops cupcakes, I have a huge obsession with polka dots. I love them on paper, on dishes (as you'll see), on my daughters cloths, on my cloths, on bags, on bedding, almost anything. I think they remind me of sprinkles on a cupcake.

#3 Dishes

I also love dishes, plates, bowls, silverware, glasses, serving pieces, and out of all these I love cakestands the most! One day I would love to have a wall cupboard full of different place settings and serving pieces. A different one for every occasion. Along with of course table cloths, napkins, napkin rings, etc. I love to set a fun table.

#4 Scrapbooking stuff

Ok I also love scrapbook stuff, now notice I didn't say scrapbooking, just the stuff. I love ribbon especially, I can never have enough. One of my favorite brands is Doodlebug. I go to their site just to look at their adds. They also have cute polka dot stuff like ribbon, buttons, flowers, paper, and on and on.

#5 Cookbooks & Recipes

Ok last one. I love cookbooks and finding new recipes. I love to go to Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart for recipe ideas. I have a bunch of recipe books and will only buy ones with great pictures in them. I have to have the visual to sell me. I have some great ones from Gooseberry patch, they have ideas (usually party ideas) to go along with their recipes which I love.

TIme Out For Women weekend

I thought since this post is all about me I'd do it here instead of on our family blog. I was able to attend Time Out For Women and had the best experiance! It was a two day, well ok, Friday night and Saturday event and I was able to go with two friends of mine Mackenzie and Dacia, which made it even better being with them.
We heard from Sheri Dew & Wendy Watson Nelson on Friday night and the music was by Jenni Oaks Baker, an amazing violinist and Mercy River a group of three women, all about my age I'd guess, and they were fabulous! I got their CD and would highly remommend it to all.
Saturday Dacia and I went and we had great seats I might add and paid the price to get them too. We heard from Emily Watts, S. Michael Wilcox, Chris Stewart, Jason Wright, Sharon Larson, and the music of Kenneth Cope. They were each such good presenters. I think I came away with a new determination to be more commited, to realize I DON"T have control over everything and to stop feeling guilty about that, that I have great power for good in being a women and especially a mother, and a greater assurance that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who really knows who I am and wants me to be happy. I am so greatful for this experiance and would encourage all who have the opportunity to go to do so.
The pictures are Dacia and I with Mercy River and us with our Fabulous books! : )