The stranger it is, the better I like it!

Ok, so this is one of those random posts... You know, the ones that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic that you started this whole blog about? Anyway, here's a strangely delicious recipe that I just couldn't resist sharing. I think it came from my friend Lynn's recipe file & Lord only knows where she got it. Try it....you'll like it!

DINNER PANCAKES
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. pancake mix
4 strips bacon, fried crisp & crumbled
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 T. grated or finely minced onion

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Spoon mixture onto a hot griddle & cook as you would normal pancakes.

Garnish with sour cream & fresh chives. (You could also use dried chives, just mix them into the sour cream & let sit in the fridge overnight).

Serves 4.

De-lish, I promise!

Great Deals on Stampin' Up!

Hello! I apologize for the long delay since my last post! Between the kids going back to school & the construction of our new house, the blog-o sort of fell to the back burner. I have LOTS of new projects to post, so look for that in the next couple of days. But today I want to let you know about a couple of super deals going on at Stampin' Up!

First up - the new CLEARANCE RACK:

This fantastic selection of surplus merchandise is being offered at up to 80% OFF REGULAR PRICES!

All items are retired or discontinued - no current catalog merchandise. Available while supplies last. All sales final. No returns or exchanges, except where defective.

Just click on the following link to see a complete list of available merchandise & drop me an email if you want to place an order!

STAMPIN' UP! CLEARANCE RACK

Next - the "DEAL OF THE WEEK" promotion:

During the month of October, Stampin' Up! is offering a "Deal of the Week". No limits & no minimum purchase necessary. THIS DEAL ENDS 10/12/09 AT 9:50am MT. Just drop me an email if you want to place an order!








#109183 Trio Flower Punch Reg. 15.95 Sale 10.99









#109041 5-Petal Flower Punch Reg. 15.95 Sale 10.99












#110709 My Way Punch Reg. 15.95 Sale 11.99

FOR SALE

FOR SALE -

Paper storage cube from Hobby Lobby. Measures 43"x14"x14". Includes: 23 acid-free dividers, multiple connectors to customize to your needs, casters & black cloth dust cover. Unit is fully adjustable to accomodate paper, albums, etc. Can also be connected to additional units to expand storage capability. Retails for $49.99.

I'm selling this unit for $25.00 plus shipping (if you're outside my area). If you're interested, please email me! Thanks!

**EDITED TO ADD: ITEM IS SOLD. THANKS, KAREN!**

SU! Deal of the Week

Want to pick up a super cute punch on the cheap??? Then grab the Heart to Heart punch (item #113694) from Stampin' Up! It's the Deal of the Week & at only $10.99 it's more than 30% off the regular price of $15.95!

Order it today! Offer valid through July 31, 2009.

Don't forget - there's one more week left for the Idea Book & Catalog FREE with on-line purchase. Just click on the link in the sidebar to place your order. Don't miss out! Offer valid through July 31, 2009.

SU Deal of the Week - 7/13 thru 7/19

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited about this week's Stampin' Up! Deal of the Week! Brads are a fun addition to any project, and these rhinestone brads add extra fun & sparkle. And, they coordinate with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors, so there's no need to guess about what colors to use your brads with.

Square Fire Rhinestone Brads (item #109112) contain approximately 80 brads per package - 4 colors in 2 sizes. Colors are Pink, Red, Pumpkin & Yellow.

These brads normally retail for $10.95, but now through July 19, they're just $6.99 - over 30% off the regular price!

It's easy to order. Just click on the catalog link in the sidebar, place your on-line order & receive a FREE catalog during the month of July!

It's time for another Deal of the Week from Stampin' Up! Every week during the month of July, Stampin' Up! is offering a different item at a SIGNIFICANT discount.

This week's deal is the Sizzix Big Shot Doctor's Bag (item #113474). You'll feel like a big shot carrying around the Big Shot Doctor's Bag! July 6-12, get the Big Shot Doctor's Bag for $49.99. That's nearly 30% OFF the regular price of $69.95! This bag features Stampin' Up!'s logo and is sized to hold the Big Shot die-cut machine, cutting pad, and dies for convenient storage and transport.

Pricing is only for a limited time, so place your order today! No minimum order, no limit! Place your order on line & receive a 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog (a $9.95 value) ABSOLUTELY FREE! Just click on the link in the side bar.

New Stampin' Up! Catalog

The new Stampin' Up! 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog is here! You cannot believe all the fantastic goodies in there! As an added bonus, every week in the month of July, Stampin' Up! will be offering one (1) discounted product as the "Deal of the Week". This week's deal is the Scallop Edge punch for $10.99 - UNBELIEVABLE! I happen to own this punch & I can tell you that I use it all the time! You'll love it, too. Just click on the catalog in the sidebar & order one today!

Happy Shopping!

Because Nice Matters

Hi all! My little guys & I spent the day at a local water park. We had a ton of fun, but I'm pooped tonight! Even so, I couldn't resist having a go at Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. You can check it out here. When I saw the sketch, I immediately envisioned a patchwork/quilted kinda thing. More importantly, I thought I could use up some scraps - something I'm obsessed with these days. It's such a happy little card! I couldn't decided if it needed a little something more or not. Maybe some ink around the edges? I'm not sure. I'm relatively happy with it, so I'm not going to let it bug me.


Thanks for taking a look this evening. Have a happy Monday!

Combo Challenge, again!

Hi all! Today I'll be combining a couple of challenges - Dawn's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge & Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. What I loved about this card is that I got a chance to pull out my old fav Wild Wasabi. Love, love, love that color! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your Monday, and the card!

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #21

Hey everyone! First, I have to apologize for the terrible photo quality in this post. This is possibly the worst picture I've ever taken. Seriously. No natural light.

Just to clarify, this card was made using Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip & So Saffron from SU. Strange combo, right? But I think it works! I made this card for Karen Giron's sketch challenge this week. I loved the symetry of the sketch but I felt like everyone's card would probably turn out basically the same. So, I decided to go with a little different interpretation of the squares by using ribbon as a divider instead of just punching squares & leaving a space between each one. I used my Martha Stewart butterfly punch again...mostly because it was already out on my desk, but also because I love it & I think it's perfect for a Spring card.

I hope you like the card. If you do, please leave me a comment & tell me - I love the feedback!

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #8

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic Thursday! Today was my son's last day of kindergarten. I can't believe I have a 1st grader on my hands now. I get a little emotional thinking about it. Apparently, I'm the only one who's getting emotional about it. This was never more obvious than this morning as I was practically chasing him down the sidewalk for a hug before school. Yes, I've become THAT mom. So very unfortunate for everyone involved...

Anyhoo...I wanted to share the card I'm submitting for the Raspberry Suite Color Inspiration Challenge this week over at Dawn McVey's blog. I'll come back & brag a little about the recipient of this card once I'm sure she's received it in the mail. I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Enjoy!

**EDITED TO ADD: Now that I'm sure she's received it, I can tell you that this card was for my fantastic SU up-line, Shari. She has been such an inspiration to me, so it is my pleasure to be able to brag on her a little bit! Her work is beautiful - full of details without being "fussy". What a gift she has!

Shari, thank you for helping & encouraging me along the way & for introducing me to this wonderful hobby I've grown to love!

Love Story meets Viva la Vida

Have you seen this video on YouTube? Incredible! What an amazing arrangement!!! Definately worth the 8 minutes to check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3d6SFcDys

Enjoy!

Kristina's Color Inspiration Challenge #52

Hi everyone! No chit-chat this evening. I'm just barely going to squeak this one in on time for Kristina's challenge. Enjoy!

Mojo Monday Week 87

Hi everyone! Happy Monday to you!

I recently discovered the Mojo Monday Sketch Blog. They have some terrific sketches, so I decided to play along this week. I had planned on following the sketch exactly; however, once I started making my card, I kind of headed off in a little different direction. Oh well! Sketches are supposed to be a spring board, right? As a bonus, I had been holding on to this paper from American Crafts (Girlfriend collection) for a while & I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to break it out. It pairs really well with Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss ink which is one of my favs! Enjoy!

The Adventures of Stickerman

My two boys couldn't possibly be more different if they'd been born into two different families, yet they are equally wonderful in their own unique ways.

My oldest, Justin, is fiercely independent, strong-willed & a little guarded with his feelings. He's handsome, he loves sports & he's way too cool for his own good. He made me a mother & the love I feel for him is indescribable.

But, Stickerman here...this is my Lucas. My baby. He is the lover of the two. He's sweet & sensitive. He's friendly, outgoing & precocious. And he's always up for a snuggle or a big fat kiss. He'll do anything for a laugh, hence the stickers on the face.

Together, these two boys fill every inch of my heart with joy. I love you Cool Dude. I love you, too, Stickerman.

Welcome, baby!

My husband's niece had a baby girl on Monday. The first great-grandchild in the family! Here's the card I'm sending her. You can find the tutorial by Lauren Meader here.

I hope you all have a terrific Wednesday!

Ashley

Birthday Balloons for a Boy

Wow...3 posts in one day! I'm on a roll!

Here's a fun card I made for my best friend's son. Can you tell I love this stamp set? Anyway, I totally cased this card. You can check it out here. I just loved how the designs on the outside & inside worked together to make a complete picture. I was also in the mood to do a little paper piecing & this fit the bill. I hope you like it!

Ashley

Pink-a-licious Birthday!

Hey everyone! Here's a pink-a-licious birthday card I made for a certain sweet little girly girl I know who's birthday is this month, and who happens to love all things PINK!!! I hope she likes it!

Ashley

Happy Anniversary, Sam & Karri!

My brother & his wife are celebrating their 4th wedding anniversary this week. Sam is more than just my brother - he's also my friend. We've shared fantastic, fun times together over the years & I just love him to pieces! Karri has added so many wonderful things to his life & I'm so happy that they found each other. I whipped up this card for them - so quick & easy, but really pretty nonetheless!

Enjoy!

Mother's Day Thoughts

My friend Angela writes on her blog, "I'm trying to do it all, enjoy it all, & remember it all." What a powerful & accurate statement for moms everywhere!

Right now, I'm stuck at trying to do it all. As a stay-at-home mom, I find myself struggling sometimes under the weight of my daily responsibilities. I devote so much of my time & energy to the children in my life that there's not a lot left over for the laundry, the housework, the grocery shopping, or ME! That being said, I'm still so wonderfully blessed - far more than I deserve to be. I have a husband who works incredibly hard, I have children who are healthy, I have parents who love & support me unconditionally & I have friends that I cherish.

So, my wish for you this Mother's Day is that you not worry so much about trying to do it all, but that you focus more on enjoying & remembering it all! It's the time you spend with your family that's important!

Happy Mother's Day!


Ashley

Color Inspiration #50

Hi everyone! Sorry to leave you hangin' for so long! Whew...it's crazy around here! So, without further delay, here's a super cute card I put together for Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #50. It took me a little while to get going on this one (so many colors!), but once I got rolling, it all came together pretty quickly. Hope you like it!

When you snooze, you lose.

Have you ever put something off, even though you really wanted to do it, only to realize when you're ready to do it that it's too late? Don't you just hate that? Well, that's exactly what I did this week. I really wanted to participate in the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge over at Karen Giron's blog, except I realized that today at 2pm was the deadline. Bummer! I put off making something so that I could wait on my order from Stampin' Up! to arrive on Wednesday (sooo many fun things to play with) & the rest is history. Anyhow, here's a list of just a few of the goodies that came in my order. You'll be seeing a lot of this stuff in my upcoming posts!

Sizzix Textured Impressions Manhattan Flower - so beautiful!
Sizzix Bigz - Top Note, Scallop Circles, Scallop Circles #2
Sizzix Originals - Ovals
Sizzix Sizzlits - Button #5, Little Leaves, 4 pk. Lots of Tags

Be sure to check back to see what I create!

Fancy Flops

Hi everybody! I have a friend who's getting married on the beach pretty soon. It was also her birthday last week. So, I made this pair of wedding flip flops for her & I think they turned out soooo cute! It was a project that was definately out of my comfort zone, but I figured my glue gun & I could do just about anything together! Thought you might enjoy taking a peek. Have a great Monday!

A Year in Cards - April

Happy Thursday, everyone! This morning, I want to share a trio of cards I made for Kristina Werner's class over at Two Peas in a Bucket called "A Year in Cards". Each month, Kristina gives a video tutorial along with detailed instructions, templates, etc., for the featured project. This month I used the Delicate Dots DSP from Stampin' Up!'s Sale-a-Bration promotion. It's one of my current favorites & I think it's perfect for Spring! Enjoy!

Easter Bunny Funny

I think I've discovered where the Easter Bunny lives these days. Check out Lucas' smile...do you see those 2 little teeth in front? I'm telling ya, that Easter Bunny sure is a cutie!

Subscribe, please!

I hope that you've enjoyed my posts so far & I hope that you'll continue coming back often! Simply click on the "Follow" button in the left sidebar to subscribe to this blog & receive automatic notifications of new posts. Also, please feel free to comment on any post. I wecome your feedback! Thanks!

So Glad We're Friends

Hey everybody! I'm having a terrific afternoon! It's absolutely pouring outside, so I'm staying dry inside & playing with paper & stamps. What could be better than that? Anyhoo...here's a card I submitted for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge at Karen Giron's blog, The Sweetest Thing. I just love her clean, unfussy style! Take a minute to check out her designs...they are terrific! In the meantime, enjoy the card! Please excuse the poor photo quality. No natural light = not so great pictures. Sorry!

Raspberry Tart for Easter

Hi everyone! Just a quick post tonight - a card I made for the Card Positioning Systems weekly sketch challenge. I simply changed the page orientation to suit my card. This is a GREAT layout for using up scraps. I happen to be on a mission to use up the mountains of scraps I have! I just can't stand the thought of wasting even one speck of all that yummy patterned paper. Love, love, love this Raspberry Tart DSP by Stampin' Up! Enjoy!

Supply List:

Raspberry Tart DSP

Pink Pirouette & Whisper White cardstock

Sweet Stems stamp set

Rose Red grosgrain ribbon

*All supplies from Stampin' Up!

Happy Easter!

We're off to church this morning. The Easter bunny will be hard at work while we're there because we're hunting eggs when we get home! I hope you all have a blessed day & that you take a moment to remember what today is really all about. Happy Easter, everyone! Jesus is alive!

Kristina's Color Inspiration Challenge #49

Hi everyone! Just a quick post this morning. This is the card I submitted for Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #49. If you've never played along with her challenge, you should definately give it a try! It will get your creative juices flowing! Enjoy!

Hello? Is anyone out there?

Hi everyone! It's me, Ashley. I hope you'll join me on my journey as I dive into the world of blogging. I'll be blogging about all the joy & craziness of life with kids, pets & a serious crafting addiction! Come on....it'll be fun!