Fun with My Niece!

Last year I helped my niece (5 at the time) make Valentine Cards for her Dad, Mom, Cousins and Parrain (Pa –rain) (Godfather- which is my husband). This year she asked to make them again, so Aunt Dawn got everything together and this is the result of our cards this year. Now I did give her a little help with gluing, making a few flowers and a little design suggestions, for the most part it is all Elizabeth. We had a lot of fun getting messy and glued up. She loves to play with the stamps where she stamped “Happy Valentine’s Day!” on the inside of each of the cards.



On the Card below we cut out parts of paper heart doily's and she used markers to color them in. She did really well!


Found some of the items we used at Target in the dollar bin...like the card below.



Love Birds by Fancy Pants is one of the pieces of scrapbook paper that we used on these. We just cut out the little squares and used them on the different cards. I'm looking forward to making cards with Elizabeth again soon.

Cold Icy Day

Guess God didn't want us here in SW Louisiana to feel left out so he gave us a good ice storm Thursday night and Friday morning. Did not get as bad as it was suppose to Thankfully. I took a day of vacation since son was suppose to go to a "Dead of Winter Poetry" retreat. It is a weekend of intense poetry writing, in the end they should have a least one poem that can be published. You have to submit poems and they are reviewed by teachers and then they choose who to invite to attend. Guess son is getting head start on song writing skills LOL! Since this got cancelled due to our ice storm, I decided to still take my vacation day. Got up and was in a cooking mood so made Mexican Cornbread, Gumbo (chicken & chicken sausage) and Bread Machine King Cake. Using the stove also helped warm the house. Here is my Bread Maching King Cake Recipe...not even sure where it came from to start with or would give credit to them.


Bread Machine King Cake
3 oz Water
3 oz Milk
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4 TBLSP butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

Filling
¼ cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar mixed (white and brown)
¾ cup ground cinnamon

Combine first eight ingredients into the bread pan of the bread machine. Select the dough setting then, press start.
When dough is ready roll on to lightly floured surface, into 28 inch by 10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.
Roll jelly roll fashion, beginning with long side. Place on greased baking sheet and form a ring by placing the ends together. Cover with kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise for 30 min or until it doubles in size. Once it rises bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

What I Have Been Reading

First off just have to say I am LOVING my NOOK! Was not sure when got it if I would like it, but OMG! how did I live without it before.

Yippee! Finished the latest book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter Series "No Mercy". Took me almost a year to read all of them think there is like 25 + of them. They were very interesting books especially if you like Mythology. Sherrilyn's characters are very interesting and likeable. Most of the books take place in New Orleans which is great for me since the areas they are talking about are familiar to me and I can just picture the scenes so clearly. They do get a little racy at times, but if you can get past that the story and plot is really good.

Last month completed the Georgina Kincad Series by Richelle Mead, they were a very good read also. Richelle Mead also wrote the Vampire Academy books. Molly Harper is another author that has a great series of books in the Nice Girls Don't series. These are light and a fun read. My friend Dixie suggested the Molly Harper books to me since they were set in the south.

Just downloaded the 4th book in the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove Series. I have really been enjoying these books, they are a good break from paranormal books.

If you really like paranormal a great author to read is Patrica Brigg's Mercy series. These books are AWESOME!!! Rachel Vincent also has a really good shifter series, that is about were-cats. Then there is Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Series that is really good too.

Jude Devereaux has a new book out to that is next on my list to get. It is a tie between her and Rexanne Becnel as my favorite all time authors.

I'm always looking for new authors and genres to read so feel free to suggest good reads.

Welcome 2011

Welcome 2011! The start of a new year! Seems like 2010 just flew by and I sure did not get much crafting done in 2010. For Christmas I received a Gypsy so looking forward to using it and getting some crafting done. Have a lot of ideas rumbling around in my head for craft projects. Hopefully will get them started and post them on here.

New Years day for us started with lots of fun. We went over to my dear hubbies brother's house and had brunch with him, his wife and children. Then after brunch we had a nerf gun fight. That was lots of fun!

New Member of the Family

Yesterday we added to our family. My daughter Myra bought a hedgehog. He really is a cute little critter. She has been researching them, since she decided she wanted one as a pet and learned they have their own personalities. Yesterday my husband and I picked it up for her from the pet store and it was not a happy camper on the drive home, however this morning when my daughter took it out to play with it, he was very active and wanted to roam all over the living room.

On the way back home we ran across this little patch of sunflowers growing in the corner of on of the middle schools in our area. They are so pretty, I just had to stop and take pictures of them.

Disorganized

Ever have those days, weeks, months when you just feel so disorganized. That has been me. Guess has been to much running around. Have been in the mood to do some scrapbooking and other crafts, but have to hunt for everything I need to complete my project.

Yesterday I started organizing everything and putting in little plastic containers so that I can find what I need when I need it. Had it all organized several months ago but guess working on projects and hurrying and putting things up they got all disorganized. So my goal this week is to get everything in its place and then start working on some projects that I can't get out of my mind.

I know you don't want to hear it but....the holidays are just around the corner and I want to get a head start on those as well as making reserved table signs for a charity event for Susan G Komen of Acadiana that we will be doing at work in October. Want to use my cricut breast cancer cartridge to make the reserved table signs, thought it would add a nice touch to the signs.

Birthday Cards

When it comes time for birthday's for the niece's and nephew's, I try to make them a card of something they are interested in. Since our niece, Elizabeth, is so into Superhero's I decided to make her a Batman card from the Cricut Batman Cartridge I bought a while back. Forgot to take picture of the inside, but used yellow cardstock and had cut out Happy Birthday in blue and glued onto the inside.

For Bailey's I was unsure of what to make for her but was running out of time. Remembered a cute kit I had from Lorie Davidson at Sudio Girl called "Buzi Bugs Birthday" that would be cute for a 2 year old.

http://http//shop.scrapbookgraphics.com/The-Buzibugs-Happy-Birthday-Kit-With-everything-included..html