As I sit here writing this post, I am filled with gratitude to all of YOU, my amazing blog readers. Thank you for always leaving me the sweetest, most encouraging comments. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to send me emails with suggestions on different approaches I can take for my health. Thank you for your prayers, loving thoughts and your friendship. Thank you for coming along on my journey of life. I treasure you all so very much.
Today I have a card showcasing the set Bling by Mama Elephant. I pulled out one of the “buildings” and created a pattern with a variety of inks, then paired it up with a sentiment. Right now I am TOTALLY loving this sentiment- never stop believing- it’s so fitting in my life, along with those around me.
Confession: I wish I didn’t add the sequins to the card. I had laid a few down that had adhesive on them and when I went to pull them off, they stuck and couldn’t be taken off. In order to “fix” the card, I ended up having to add more. This is one of the very few cases where I actually wish I didn’t add sequins to a card. See, even I mess up on cards sometimes! *wink*
I hope you all have a fabulous Thursday. Thanks for spending some time with me today!
It’s EXTREMELY rare for me to participate in blog challenges these days. Between the whirlwind that is my life right now and keeping up with my own challenge, it seems like I’m never “on it” and can post something within a challenge deadline. Well, today is going to be an exception. I was having a bad health day and thanks to my iPhone, was able to peruse my usual blogs. I saw that Stephanie was hosting her first Clearly Besotted Challenge and I’m thrilled I was able to make something for it!
At the moment I only own one CB set/ die, Full Steam Ahead, so it wasn’t hard to come up with which stamps to use. The hard part? Trying to vary the card from the one I did in the past {seehere}. While it does have a similar feel, I changed it up as best as I could.
Confession: if I could, I would add chevron twill ribbon and sequins to every.single.thing I create. {For my regular readers, you all probably know this by now!}
While it’s rare for me to play in a challenge, it’s even rarer for me to participate in one that has a prize. Oh my, Stephanie has a GREAT one for this challenge- five sets of the winner’s choice. *jaw drop* I am utterly in love with her growing company and her most recent sets are absolutely beautiful.
That’s going to wrap up today’s post. In closing, I want to say thank you to those who has reached out to me in emails and on Twitter. The last week has been extremely difficult on me in different aspects and I’m grateful for the encouraging words and emails. Truly.
Summer is officially here! With the change in season, I’ve made a 360 change in life plans. It’s been a whirlwind throughout these past few weeks, but I am excited to announce that I am settled and LOVING life in New York City! There is just so much to do, every hour of the day, and it’s been really fun to create my own little space in such a HUGE city. I will be here for the next 10 weeks working for Martha Stewart Living! {My grad school program requires an internship… I reached for the stars, and well, here I am!}
Onto the sweets… Lemon Bars are some of my absolute favorite. But, they have to be served chilly to really taste the goodness. Check here for the best lemon bar recipe you will ever taste {I might be a little bias :) } So, why not take a lemon bar and turn it into a cookie for the hot summer months? I did just that, and it worked! Randomly last week, I had been reflecting on my absolute favorite Christmas cookie – chocolate crinkles – and thought that texture combined with a lemon flavor would be melt in your mouth amazing. It is!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Recipe Type: Dessert
Ingredients
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 egg
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. powdered sugar {for rolling}
Instructions
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy {4 minutes-ish}.
Mix in vanilla, zest, juice, and egg until well combined and consistent in texture.
Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
Stir in flour.
Cover dough and chill in fridge for 4 hours {or overnight}.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put 1 c. powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Form balls of dough in your hand {the dough will warm up from the heat of your hands} and completely coat in powdered sugar.
On parchment or silpat lined baking sheets, place cookies 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-11 minutes {depending on size of cookies} until bottoms are just slightly browned.
Cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
Enjoy!
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These are perfect for summertime picnics, play dates, camp care packages, hubby’s work lunches, even breakfast..! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
It’s that time again….time for the monthly DeNami Design blog hop! This month it’s all about patterned paper and I gave people the option on whether they wanted to use printed paper or create their own patterned paper. While I’m a HUGE fan of printed paper, I decided to go the route of creating my own today.
If you started the hop from the beginning, you should be arriving from Barb’s blog. If you get lost along the way, you can head on over to the DeNami blog for the complete listing of the designers participating.
I wanted to create a unique paper, so I pulled out tons of different stamps and went to town playing with my options. For some reason the crosshatch circle really stood out to me {pictured below}, so I used that as my starting point. I started adding stitched using a marker and shortly thereafter, came up with my paper.
Now let’s move onto my card. Thanks to my growing collection of colored ink pads, this card was a cinch to put together!
I couldn’t resist- I just had to add some yellow chevron twill ribbon to this card! It added a little extra pop of color and well, you all know I’m pretty much addicted to this stuff. In the picture below, you can get a closer peek at my handstamped paper. Don’t look too closely though, you’ll see some imperfections!
I know there are still quite a few stops left on the blog hop, so I’ll let you go. Your next stop is Stacy’s blog! Be sure to stop by all of the blogs and leave comments- we’re giving away gift certificates to three lucky people!
Thanks for stopping by, I hope I inspired you to create some of your own patterned paper. Warning: if you start creating some, it can be highly addictive! Now I’m finding myself looking at ALL of my stamps as possible targets to be used on some future paper. *wink*
Have any of you gone through a stage in your life when it feel likes you’re either drugged up or you’re in a dream? In either case, you aren’t in a complete state of consciousness- almost feeling like you’re in a daze. Welcome to the last 288 days of my life {story here, latest updatehere}.
I’ve posted updates here and there during this craziness that has been my life. Honestly, I feel like I’ve been on this giant roller-coaster that has had far too many dips and sharp turns in it. Goodness, I can’t handle them in real life and evidently, I don’t deal with them very well figuratively either. It feels like I’m in the seat and we’re slowing inching up towards the biggest curve and when I think the ride is almost done, something unexpected happens. Everyday I think I’ll wake up and this will all be a dream, but alas, I know this isn’t true.
Late last year, I did an interview with Jenny Simmons, a Christian artist {post here}. She released her debut solo album earlier this year and while I enjoy the whole cd, the song “What Faith’s About” has spoken to my heart ever since I heard it.
What if the days I’m walking into
Are the best of my whole life?
Cause who am I not to be, not to be
Everything that You have called me?
And who am I not to speak, not to speak
To every mountain that’s before me
— small snippets from the song What Faith’s About by Jenny Simmons
There have been so many times I have listened to this song and just burst into tears, tonight being one of them. In my heart of hearts I believe that God DOES have a plan and a purpose in all of this, I truly do. I’m hoping that someday, maybe in the near future, He’ll show it to me and my life can move on from this. My body is exhausted from the pain, the different ailments and then mysterious health issues that have arisen separate from the accident. Emotionally, most of the time I’m a wreck. My thought process, memory, cognitive behavior have all changed and the day-to-day things in life seem to get harder and harder. I’m at the age where I should be enjoying life to the fullest and yet here I am, feeling like I’m on the outside looking in on everyone else living life.
I miss being able to stand up for more than 5 minutes at a time. I miss the days when I felt relatively healthy for at least five days straight. I miss having good posture and not needing to hunch over to make the pain in my back and neck bearable. I miss what it was like to not have to take medications for migraines almost everyday. I miss the moments when I was able to drive wherever I wanted and not have ANY flashbacks and anxiety over driving. I miss having a passion and zest for life. Honestly, this list could go on and on…..
Sweet friends, this is me. Real. There have more breaks here on the blog because I’ve been dealing with the issues above, along with others. My blog is my baby and honestly, if I didn’t have it during all of this, I don’t know how I would have managed to get this far. Many of you have been with me since before the accident happened and I wanted to give you a raw, uncut look into life lately and why I’ve been slower about responding, less “on it” and not posting as often.
If any of you are facing difficult situations, I’m going to encourage you to listen to this song. Then, if you’d like, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email– know that you are not alone. For some reason I felt burdened to just be myself without editing too much and sugar coating things today.
With all of that being said, I AM still hopeful that the days I’m walking into are going to be the best days of my life. I don’t know what that will entail or mean exactly {I’m hoping it will still include me blogging!}, but I’m holding onto hope. I need to.
In closing, remember, you are greatly loved by God, and by me. ♥
Welcome to a new 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge! As I was going through the previous color palettes {available here}, I noticed it had been quite a while since I featured red, so I thought it was time to change that. Add in a little light yellow and light blue, and we have a fun and versatile color palette.
* If you aren’t able to stay within the 10 minutes, you can still link up your item! While it won’t quality for the winner spot, it still could qualify as a favorites pick!
Now onto the great prize! I’m so thrilled to announce that Timeless Twine will be sponsoring this challenge. They have a great assortment of twine colors and the quality is superb. My favorite part? Their colors are unique and different than others I have used or found in crafting and we all know that a rainbow of twines is a must-have.
Some of the Timeless Twine-istas were able to join along in the fun and bring you some inspiration. Be sure to visit the Timeless Twine blog, along with the designers blogs to check out all of the lovely inspiration!
The weekend has been packed with all sorts of things. One of the major things: narrowing down the entries for the DT call! Wow, I am blown away by the amount and quality of the applications from around the world. These next few days will be spent exploring the various blogs that submitted and starting to make contact with the designers. If you submitted, be sure to stay tuned to your email inbox.
Now onto the real reason you stopped by- it’s time to announce the highlights for the 10 Minute Craft Dash #18.
Congratulations to Leigh Penner!
Here are my favorites picks from this last challenge. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}
If you are interested in getting a head start on the next Craft Dash, I have the colors that will be featured on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge a day early!
We have a brand new sponsor for the challenge tomorrow, along with many special guests. I hope to see many of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page later. Thanks for stopping by!
For those new to my blog, on the first Monday of each month, I feature one blogger that I admire and follow. When I read blogs, I always enjoy getting to know the person BEHIND the blog. I’ve featured craft, baking, lifestyle bloggers in the past and it’s been neat to see many of you start to follow some of the blogs I love.
Tell us about your blog. When and why did you start it?
I’ve been blogging for 2 and a half years already! I initially wanted an online space where I could show off some of my handmade cards for a small handful of clients who ordered invites and cards from me….
How and when did you get introduced to stamping?
I introduced myself to stamping 10 year ago, when I designed a custom monogram stamp and stamped the front of 300 wedding programs. I didn’t know what I was doing! Then, a good 5 years later, when I found myself a stay-at-home mom with no desire to clean house during naptime, I clicked on a stampin’ up add I found on facebook and hooked up with a local demo. The story wrote itself from there… I became a demo (but the kind who didn’t like to push people to buy anything) and then discovered other stamp companies little by little.
When you started stamping, did you ever think you would be on design teams? What was your first reaction when you first got asked onto a team?
I didn’t know what a design team was when I first started, or how to be asked to join one – so no, I never thought I would be on a design team. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside when I was asked to join my first team, hee hee. It validated to me that my work was good!
You always create amazing, creative cards. How long does a typical card take to create?
Thanks, Paulina! I am a slow crafter. I don’t tend to work off of sketches, so whatever idea I had in my head usually morphs into something completely different by the end of a crafting session. It takes me anywhere from 1-4 hours to create a card. Not 4 hours in a row, mind you… (the cards that take me 4 hours in a row usually end up in the trash bin…)
The crafting/ blogging world constantly has new trends. What trends are you really into right now?
I am always so late to join the trends. By the time I decide I like a trend, it’s already half-way over, ha ha! I love sequins, and wood veneers, but I tend to not be led by trends. I will incorporate a touch of what’s trendy here and there, but I won’t put much thought into it.
Where do you get inspiration for your creations?
Pinterest is huge for me. I am obviously very inspired by fellow card-makers and scrappers, but even more so by home decor and prints. I think my favorite thing is seeing a print online and then setting out to recreate it with stamps and ink.
Okay, now onto some fun questions that are non-relevant to crafting…..
Besides crafting, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Arg. Someone introduced me to candy crush, so right now I’m enjoying that. It’s great for the family too when the kids see me playing they all crowd around and shout out suggestions. just kidding…
What is something about yourself that many people don’t know?
*sucks in* there are so. many. things. i am a huge klutz . i am pretty pale for a half-greek, halfegyptian. i’ve known my husband since kindergarten.
If we were to spend the day going and doing your favorite things, what would that entail?
A lot of food. and there would be talking, laughing, coffee-drinking, some strolling, and maybe even some crafting.
You have your choice to spend the day with any celebrity, who would you choose and why?
There is so much that Bobby Flay could teach me in a day. I can bake just fine, but the cooking is a little on the weak side… I think an intensive day with Bobby Flay would be awesome. If he’s not available, I’ll take Ann Burrell.
Name 5 things that you are most passionate about:
My God, my family, my marriage, being creative and preserving memories.
I know that many of my sweet readers have seen Elena’s beautiful work, however, I have a feeling that some of my readers haven’t been introduced to her work. Here are the places you can find her:
I hope that you enjoyed this feature and are just as inspired by this gal as I have been. Want to recommend a blogger, or yourself, for a future Featured Blogger post? Leave a comment with the blog link and you never know- you just might hear from me!
I’ll see you tomorrow for the 10 Minute Craft Dash Highlights and info on how you can get an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming challenge. Thanks for stopping by!
Graduation season is upon us and I’m running behind on getting cards made. This year I know so many graduates, it’s a little overwhelming. The key this year: quick and easy cards!
I have had the Mama Elephant set, Flashy Letters, for quite a while now and FINALLY made a card that was worthy of posting. I love how fun and happy these letters are- they scream happy times to me. When I was in need of a sentiment for this graduation card, I just knew these would be the perfect fit.
Before I purchase stamps, I’m constantly checking to see if I can make due with something I already own. If nothing falls into that category, the next question: will I be able to get a lot of different uses out of it. This set passed my test and I’m happy to own it. Also, I was pretty excited about getting my first Mama Elephant set, too!
I don’t know about you all, but I am thrilled it’s Friday. Even with a short work week, this week felt long and my body still thinks it needs a vacation. I’m telling ya, after the car accident and these health issues, I’m fairly certain my brain and body thinks I’m in my 60’s! Hopefully both of them will cooperate with me so I can get lots accomplished this weekend.
In closing, just a reminder that TOMORROW is the last day to submit your Craft Dash DT applications! I have received so many beautiful applications from around the world- I hope yours will be added to the mix!
I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen, but I was able to sneak in a Random Loves post this month! A week of no posts and vacation threw me off and I can’t believe we are just days away from June. Eeeek!
I’ll be honest, there are some months I struggle with what to share in this feature, but this month, I had no difficulties. I feel like I’m loving so many things- that’s a problem in itself! Don’t worry, all but one of the things I’m featuring today are inexpensive. It was hard to resist posting crafting loves this month. If y’all are interested in a post on items that have caught my eye, let me know and I may be able to work a post in. :)
I’ll be honest, I don’t own this cart…..yet. I’ve been eying this for months and months and hopefully down the road, I can add this beauty to my craft studio. Imagine all the pretty items you can fill it with and have right next to you while you craft! I’m thinking washi tape, twine and other assorted goodies would look perfect inside.
While I was in San Francisco, I went to the store, Brandy Melville, for the first time. I’ve heard a lot about this trendy store and was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive their accessories were! While I’m usually a silver girl, lately I’ve been really into all things gold. This bracelet is the perfect addition to my ever growing jewelry collection.
Some are blessed with lush and long eyelashes, but alas, I’m not one of them. Thanks to mascara I’m able to get fuller lashes with just a few easy strokes. I’ve tried dozens of mascaras over the years and this one is my favorite, thus far. I’m curious, which brand/ line is your favorite?
You’ve seen these straws in some of my projects in the past, but I haven’t given them their own spot on a Random Loves post yet. There is something about these bright and cheery straws that make me want to host a party! I’m currently in the process of creating something fun with my latest straw purchase- stay tuned for that!
It’s not a secret that I like coffee and chocolate. Recently I saw one bottle of this on clearance at the grocery store {since it was going to expire soon} and I bought it. OH MY WORD. This drink is so creamy, rich and delicious! The best part? It’s cheaper than coffee at Starbucks and it’s the perfect pick-me-up in the mornings. Also, my local grocery store is having them for BOGO this week. You can’t beat less than $2 a bottle!
What are a few of YOUR random loves at the moment? It can be drinks, shows, clothing, movies, etc…. whatever products you’re loving, or have on your wish list, I’d love to read about them!
