Baking with Grandma Day 4

Today my mom and son decided to bake cookies "The size of your head"!

This is what they came up with.  Not quite the size of a head, but almost!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Baking with Grandma Day 3

Today my mom and son made Cinnamon Buns!!

The house smelled fantastic when I got home after work, and they were delicious.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Baking with Grandma Day 2

Today was day number two of my mom and son baking.

They made a favorite of both of theirs: Ginger Cookies!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Baking with Grandma

Today my mom and my son made chocolate chip cookies.

These are the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, and of course that bag of Hershey's Kisses was a nice addition to the top! 

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Oh S"crap"! It's Monday....

Oh bother, it's Monday!

What's for dinner?

Well, after searching the kitchen in vain (well not for too long), I decided tonight was time for Cottage Cheese Casserole.  A classic fill in for dinner around  our house.  Today I doubled the recipe however, because the Costco size cottage cheese in my refrigerator was going to reach its best before date tomorrow.  The other 2 containers are now in the freezer as they will be thawed at a later date for use in this recipe.

The recipe is below:

Cottage Cheese Casserole (for 1 casserole)

1/2 cup non hydrogenated margarine

1 small onion chopped

- saute together til onion is translucent

250 ml cottage creamy cottage cheese

5 eggs

1 pkg of chicken seasoning

- mix together and add the onion mixture

- then add in:

4 cups Special K cereal

3 heaping tablespoons flax seed

Bake at 350 degrees F covered for 1 hour.  Take off cover and bake another 10 minutes til golden brown.

Serve with salad, and enjoy!!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Pajama Day

Today is pajama day!  Every so often I let my son celebrate this family holiday.  On pajama day one gets to stay in their pajamas all day and only do fun things around the house one of which is bake cookies.

Of course, Chocolate Chip cookies are a favorite!

Here is the recipe for these yummy favorites:

Chocolate Chip and Friends Cookies:

1 cup non hydrogenated margarine 

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Mix wet ingredients together then add dry ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Pillow For Grandma

So of course when Stampin Up came out with their Fall Mini catalogue, there was new a new fabric line introduced called Orchard Harvest.  Now, since I love fabric, I had to get it of course.

This is probably one of their better fabrics as the thread count is better on it than previous fabric lines they have introduced, however, upon opening the package I realized that once again it is either designed by or for people  who remember the 1920's vividly!!!!  Well, another project to be sent to Grandma : )

I found the pattern for this pillow case in the Fall 2012 issue of Quilting Celebrations.  Their pattern has a template for an acorn in the center, so I changed it for this one to a pear (I drew it on Wonder Under - it was not hard and appliqued in place).  

The entire pillow case is quilted, and I love the idea that if Grandma uses it or the cat sits on it, she can simply take the cover off, wash and stuff the pillow back in!  The pattern called for a 14 x 14 pillow, and since I did not have one of these just lying about (but did have a 16 x 16), I used a 16 x 16 size pillow and stuffed it tightly into place.  Seems to work.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Cupcake Plate

I LOVE cupcakes is probably an understatement!

This is my cupcake plate that I made along with my friends at my recent Birthday party at Crock a Doodle In Spruce Grove.

I will introduce you to the other cupcake plates once I figure out who made each one.....

Hope this inspires your own creativity....

Kathy

Zoochini Muffins

Today my son and I are off to the Calgary Zoo to see the penguins one last time before school starts.  

Of course for the three hour drive we need healthy snacks and since I still had zucchini left over from our trip to the St. Albert Farmer's Market I decided to make zucchini muffins.  Now, since we are going to the zoo I decided to use some of the zoo themed muffin cups in my cupboard and hence we have Zoochini Muffins.

Here is the recipe:

Zoocchini Muffins

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 tbsps ground flax seed

1/4 cocoa (I use Bernard Callebaut- if you use cheapy brand you will notice a difference in texture and taste)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients first, then add wet ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips last.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 minutes.

Enjoy!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Candy Card

It's still summer vacation for my son and myself so today we decided to make more candy cards!

This is the one I made, just noticed that the butterflies are upside down (oooppps).

These card/treat holders are from Close to My Heart, and are quite fun once you figure out how to put them together. 

Now off to the park with water guns and a bag of candy!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Socks, Socks Wonderful Socks,

I finished my socks last evening.  The whole plan was to knit the second sock on our road trip from Edmonton to Great Falls and back.

I almost did it except that by Leduc it was getting too dark to see well the small stitches that required SSK (knitting term for my non knitter friends) format.

Hmmmmm, not going to get it done...

Except, thump, thump, thump, just south of Refnery Row on Anthony Henday Drive we have a flat on one of the trailer axles!!!  So while my husband changed the tire I finished my sock by the light of the refineries.  Seems like a fighting tribute for Alberta socks!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

 

Kathy

Oh S"crap"! It's Monday...

Alright, I know the point of Oh S"crap"! It's Monday was to use up my paper scraps, but I have really been working hard over the past week or so also using up some of my fabric stash (and eating my cookie stash).

I got this pattern a while back, and decided to use up these strips from a jelly roll that I had left over.

Not normally colors that I would choose, (I actually wanted the fuchsia color way), but this also worked.  

I did not quilt this table runner, but did line it with some fabric stabilizer that I also found in my craft room.

TAH DAH!!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Knitting in the F-350

On Friday we headed out to Great Falls Montana for some back to school shopping.  What to do on the almost 8 hour drive?  Knit!

I cast on and did the first two rows at home just to make sure everything was straight, and the remainder was knit from Edmonton to Fort Macleod (got dark), and then Saturday from Lethbridge to Great Falls.  Plan is to finish this sock by the time I get home Monday!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Cupcake Take Home Boxes

I decided that everyone at the Cupcake Party needed to take home cupcakes (otherwise I would eat them).  So I made these boxes for everyone to take home their cupcakes in.

I was going to use my Cricut to make the boxes, however, was running short on time, so went to Creative Packaging here in Edmonton, and picked up the gable boxes, and cupcake inserts.  While there I found the green and fuchsia raffia and loved it.  I thought the green was close to Gumball Green one of Stampin' Up's new colors, but none of their other colors matched the fuchsia, however I will call it a Guest Color was perfect (shhhh - it's Ranger's summer series distress ink called Picked Raspberry).

I used my Create a Cupcake stamp set for the banner, and backed it with Gumball Green card stock of which I used the scallop trim border to make it pretty.

Lots of raffia on top makes everything look pretty!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

 

Kathy

Banana Cupcakes with Rolled Carmel Frosting

I LOVE banana cupcakes.  Not sure why exactly, but they are always moist and tasty, so of course I made some for the cupcake party on Wednesday.  Yummy as usual.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Last evening I gathered 6 of my dear friends together to celebrate my birthday and honor their impact on my life. 

I hosted a cupcake party at Crock a Doodle in Spruce Grove where we painted cupcake plates (they will be ready next week), and ate cupcakes of which my son helped me decorate.

These are the chocolate cupcakes that we "dined" on:

 Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Now of course everyone when they find out the date of my birthday says "that's the day that _________ died" and of course I respond with "yes it is the day that John George Diefenbaker died", (a very important fact if your from Saskatchewan).  I know that's not what people are meaning (but it throws them off their agenda for a while), and yes I know who else died today, and since it has been this way almost all of my life I have included a link to the one song of his that I do have on my iPod, and on my phone:
Promised Land.

Kathy

More From the Farmer's Market

Last night I used the beets, peas, beans, carrots, and dill that my son and I had gotten on the weekend at the St. Albert Farmer's Market to make borscht.

Thanks to my 27 qt. Stock Pot (also referred to by my Nova Scotian husband as the Lobster pot) from Paderno

 (oh, maybe it is a lobster pot...) this was no big deal.

I also managed to find at the Paderno store in south Edmonton today a canning rack for the inside of this pot!!! So, after taking the jars straight out of the hot dishwasher and filling with borscht, the Stock Pot became my canner.  Worked AWESOME!!!!

In the end I made 10 quart jars of borscht, one of which will have to be given to my colleague Tiera who thinks that borscht comes in a plastic tub from the deli section at Costco  : (  !

Here are the first few quarts out of the canner!

 A tablespoon of whipping cream and a Green Onion Cake (also from the farmer's market), and dinner is served!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Candy Surprise

Yesterday was my son's and my first day at home of my second half of summer vacation.

So, what could be more fun, than getting up at 1000 and getting to make your own candy treat card with gummy butterflies even before breakfast?

I got these card kits from Close to My Heart a while back, and they have been sitting on my craft room desk, so yesterday was time to start using them. I had picked up the mini butterflies on Saturday at Bulk Barn, and thought these would be perfect for the card.  After he assembled this and was eating breakfast, he asked a very important question "How am I supposed to get out the candy without wreaking the card"?

A good question.  So far neither of us has got that far, so the candy sits.  Waiting......

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Sky Pie....Yummmmm

Last night after pickling, I decided I needed some quilt therapy.

This paper pieced pot holder was sitting on my sewing table waiting for it's binding.  What a quick project, and the reward of completing something.

Now I think I should go make pie.....

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

A bit of pickle...

I think I have gotten myself into a wee bit of a pickle today.

My son and I went to the St. Albert Farmer's Market yesterday and came home with beets (for borscht and pickling), carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, dill, and of course 40 lbs of pickling cucumbers!!

Here is what 10 lbs will get you.....

So, as long as I keep up the pace I should have 24 quart jars done by bedtime tonight, or later (red eye crafting). I LOVE pickles!!!

Now of course before I give these out to friends I will put something crafty on them, but this is hot off the canner (literally)

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Cupcake Happy Birthday

Decided to play with my Create a Cupcake stamp set and punch today, and this is what I came up with.

I especially love the sentiment to this one, as it really is about what you have done with your time here.....(deep thought of the day).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Shiny Merry Christmas

I went to play in my craft room today, and this is what I came up with.  I love how it shines with the camera flash!

I used Old Olive card stock, and a piece of left over Christmas 2011 Designer Series Paper along with another piece of Whisper White card stock.

I used a piece of double sided adhesive sheet along with the Perfect Pennants die through the Cuttlebug to create the tree base.

I carefully peeled off the top layer and then after cutting it in the shapes I wanted replaced it over the original shape.  

I took off the pieces I wanted green and used my superfine glitter (I don't think Stampin Up sells it any more), and brushed it on.  Then peeled off the other layers and repeated with the red glitter.

Peeled off the entire back and adhered it to the Whisper White.  

I used buttons for decorations and the star on the tree.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Cupcake Happy Birthday

I LOVE cupcakes they are so much fun and tasty.

I made this card using my Pool Party card stock, my Sweet Shop Cupcake Designer Series Paper, Whisper White and Early Espresso cardstock.

The stamped image is from the Create a Cupcake stamp set.

I think it turned out pretty neat.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Watermelon Looking Cupcakes

I decided to make Watermelon looking cupcakes to work today for Brandy's early birthday celebration.

The watermelon of course being a Saskatchewan (kind of inside joke) thing.

The cake was made and then part of a bottle of food color gel to get the batter to look red/pink like a watermelon, a handful of mini chocolate chips in the batter to resemble seeds.

All was good until 0130 this morning when I discovered that I somehow had not replenished the Buttercream icing in the fridge downstairs!!!  Okay, no panic make more, only I seem to only have about 2 lbs of icing sugar in the cupboard (off to bulk barn after work tomorrow).  Hmmmmm, so I made the best simple green icing that I could, and we'll hope for the best.

Happy Birthday Brandy.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

p.s. this was also an excuse to use my new cupcake platter (hehehehehehe).

Happy Early Birthday Brandy

I love the month of August!  First it is my birthday month, and I plan to celebrate from now until the end of the month!

It is also the middle of summer, so extra warm, but also time for the crops to start turning golden and I love that.  On our road trip to Saskatchewan a couple of weeks ago, we saw some of the wheat and barley starting to turn colors and that made me happy, because I knew August was on its way.

August is also the birthday of my dear friend Brandy.

To start the celebrations for her birthday I got out this card that I made a while ago at The Urban Scrapbook.  If you live in the Edmonton area check the place out, the staff is not overly friendly to you, however, they do have beautiful stuff as you can see by this card.

I thought that this card would be perfect for Brandy as we both grew up in Saskatchewan knowing these phones and party lines (I know there is a segment of the population that does not understand this, my husband who although 2 years older grew up in the city...), and we routinely send text messages with important things like mocking retro decor of dumpy places......

Happy Birthday Brandy!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Knitting in the F-350 Return Trip

This is what I managed to accomplish on the drive home today from Jasper.  It's not like I'm a super speed knitter, it is almost 4 hours, so I finished the sock and finished closing the toe about 2 blocks from home.  Made good timing.  Now to finish the other.  Will try for that in two weeks when we leave for Montana kayaking!!!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Kayaking Cookies

My son and I made M & M Cookies for our kayak trip today.  Although my son is very good about eating peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and nuts, even the best of children will likely get tired after kayaking Maligne Lake which is what we did today.

I have attached a few pictures of this magnificent lake for your enjoyment.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Knitting in the F-350 (again)...

Yesterday immediately after work we loaded up the truck and trailer and headed out to Jasper National Park.

This of course is an almost four hour drive, so I amuse myself by knitting!

Last night I knit the entire heel, and started on the gusset.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Coffee Talk Swaps

These were my swaps for Coffee Talk at Karina's last night.

The card base is Whisper White run through the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder.  The leaves are cut out of another piece of Whisper White using the Little Leaves Sizzlits die.  A piece of random green Designer Series paper is placed on the backside .

The greeting is from the You are Loved Stamp set.  I stamped the image in Lucky Limeaid and then used clear embossing powder and heat set it to raise the text.

The flowers are made from the 13/4 scallop circle.  I will try to post instructions on this one of these days, as usually I would use my Cricut, but of course that would not be Stampin Up approved ; ).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Watermelon Bowl

This is the watermelon snack bowl that my son made last week at Crock a Doodle.

The picture does not do this bowl justice as the opening is off set, so the bowl really does look like a rounded watermelon shape.  

He thinks it's pretty cool and so do I!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Stamp of the Month Club

Hello August!

These are the cards that Karina made for the August Stamp of the Month Club.  The stamp set this month is called Nature's Pace.

The thistle card on the far left is really cool, as it has a pop up butterfly on the inside.  Unfortunately phone camera does not do this stamp set justice (thanks stupid thief at Calaway Park for taking my camera).

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy