April 30, 2013

 I just wanted to write a little post about digital scrapbooking.  I've been using the My Memories program for about 7 year now.  I love it.  I upgraded this year to their new 4.0 version.  I've enjoyed all of the new things that this version can do.  I also enjoy the "Cover-to-Cover" group on Facebook.  I don't share on facebook, but I enjoy seeing what others are doing and how they are solving their problems - scrapbook-wise.

There are quiet a lot digital scrapbook artist that I follow on facebook.  There is so much talent out there.  I love looking in their various galleries and all of the papers and elements that they are producing.  I do believe it is an addiction for me.  Controlled addiction.

I have been printing my photobooks through the print service at My Memories.  I printed two books and then they must have changed printers.  The books are great quality and beautiful.  Last year at Christmas time I had a coupon for a certain discount at My Publishers so I printed two identical photobooks as gifts.  I didn't keep a book, but they appeared to be high quality and long lasting in construction.  For my youngest child's birthday Grandma and Grandpa gave him some clothes from OshKosh and with the purchase came a gift card for 1 free 8X8 book from Shutterfly.  I had an account with them that I had never used, but I couldn't pass this up.  I prepared a photobook for the child that the OshKosh clothes were for.  I love that book, as well.  Very well constructed, pictures are clear and beautiful. So I guess since all three of those options are a great deal - the actual cost of printing an 80 page book is usually cheaper through My Memories, unless there is a 70% off coupon at My Publisher. 

Some of the digital artists that I follow and have purchased from are:  Just So Scrappy, Scraps by Missy, Bella Gypsy, Aprilisa Designs, Word Art World by Jennifer, Blue Flower Scraps, Amber Shaw, Boutique Cute Doll, Pixelily, Brown Eyed Susan, Designs by Connie Prince, Created by Jill, Jen C Desgins, Granny Enchanted, Norimeoreason, Cinnamon Scraps, Dandelion Dust, Stella Jane Designs.  I will put a complete list on here.  Like I said there are some fabulous artists out there and they all have amazing Creative Teams.

If you are looking to join the digital scrap world there are quite a few resources on line.  Hopefully, you may find as much fulfillment in scrapping your life as I have.

Spam Recipes

Growing up my family would eat "Pizza Burgers"  a mixture of Spam and pizza like toppings.  I really enjoyed it as a kid, but for some reason the "taste" for it has not been passed on to my children.  My husband grew up on a Spam recipe called "Spam Casserole"  which is just a scalloped potato recipe with thin slices of Spam.  I've only made Spam Casserole 2 times in 23 years, it really is quite yummy and fairly easy to make.  I will include both recipes on this blog.  By the way, the Spam Casserole isn't a hit with my children either.  I'm figuring it is them and not the recipes, because I find them both quite good and filling.

Pizza Burgers
Spam (grated using a cheese grater)
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Can Chopped Olives
4 Green Onions - chopped (or cut into small pieces with kitchen shears)
1 Can Condensed Tomato soup
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed anise seed (optional)
Package of Hamburger buns

Combine shredded Spam, Cheese, olives, chopped green onions, tomato soup and spices.  Mix well.  Place 2TBSP of mixture on top of each hamburger bun half (open face sandwich style).  Place on baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 - 15 minutes.

Serve with a vegetable of your choice and a fruit and you've got a well balance meal.

Spam Casserole

1 Container of Spam (slice into pieces)
6 potatoes (peeled and sliced into pieces)
2 Cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped onion - if desired, to your liking
White sauce:
1/2 Cube butter
1/4 Cup flour
     Melt butter add flour to make a paste
2 cups milk
    Add the milk to the flour paste a little at a time to make a sauce
Salt
Pepper
  Added to the white sauce to flavor
   Cook the sauce until think

In a 9 X 13 pan layer potatoes, Spam, cheese until pan is full.
Pour white sauce over potato, Spam layers.
Bake at 350F for 2 - 3 hours.

Just a few more recipes to add to the mix.  After all, it really doesn't hurt to try something new once in a while.

Autumn Time

I don't want to start this like all of the other bloggers I read, lamenting about the end of summer and the joy of the coming fall.  Autumn is my favorite time of year.  My husband, of  nearly 22 years, and I were wed in November.  So the colors of fall and the smell in the air remind me of the most exciting day of my life.

Needless to say, with the start of school I was looking forward to more free time.  Haha!  Instead of more free time, I spend more time getting ready for the next activity.  Wednesday, by far, is the busiest day of the week.  Everyone is in school that day, except the 2 year old.  I drive carpool pick-up in the afternoon.  When my 8 year old is home, every Wednesday is a soccer game at 5 or 6 PM, every other Wednesday at 4 PM she has Activity Days for primary.  My oldest has Young Men's at 6 PM and  my husband has bishopric at 7 PM.  

The projects that I want to work on are ballet slippers and of course, my digital scrapbooks.  I seem to be able to get the digital elements and papers everyday, but I'm not able to actually work on the albums that I need to get done.  I'm still working on 2008.  It is almost done, but not yet.  As soon as it is done I have 2010 and 2011 ready for embellishments then finally, finally I can start scrapbooking the current year.  I wonder how fun that will be.  Imagine, to actually scrapbook a year we are currently in.....a dream.

In July we adopted a little orange and white kitten and named him Cheddar.  This cat was the most sweet, fun, energetic, kitten around.  Then right before August 24th Cheddar disappeared.  We found a raccoon living in our back yard and no cat.  We caught the raccoon.  Our little kitty is gone and the entire family was so sad (and still are).  On Saturday, September 8th we adopted two little, furry, black cats.  They are named Ebony and Tucker.  They are not Cheddar.  We love them, but they aren't as fun or sweet as Cheddar.  We can't wait until the new cats learn to love us back.

Eight years old

Less the day go by.  Today Savanna is eight years old.  She is such a fun girl.  She has rages of anger.  She has calm moments of serenity.  She is very creative.  She is precocious.  She is outgoing.  She is curious.  She is not afraid (except of giving a talk in the sacrament meeting program).  She is strong.  She is energetic.  She is lovely.  I love her.  I am thankful to my Heavenly Father everyday that she is mine for all of eternity.

This is a very unique week.  School has not started yet.  Today Savanna turns eight.  Tomorrow morning we are going to the Brigham City Temple Open house.  On Saturday Savanna will be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In two weeks the Brigham City Temple will be dedicated and Savanna can go to the dedication with me.  A brand new member getting to go to the dedication of the Lord's house just days from baptism.  I wish that would have happened for me.  What a cool memory.

Cheddar, sweet Cheddar

Reeses Cheddar:  Yes, that is the kitty's name.  An adorable orange and white kitty with matching colored eyes.  So cute.

We got Cheddar on July 5, 2012 expecting years and years with this lovely little cat.  Cheddar would let Sadee and Brandon hold him and pull at him, as little kids do.  Every morning I would go out and feed him and he would follow me into the house.  I would pick him up and hold him under my chin and he would purr.  Such a good mannered little cat.  Yes all of the children got a scratch or two and Cheddar would have to spend some time outside; moments later I would hear the back door open and here would be a child carrying in the cat.

Then one night we saw a raccoon in the back yard.  I figured the cat would stay clear of the raccoon.  The next morning Cheddar came back into the house a usual.  Spent the day being loved and cared for.  That night we told Savanna to put the cat out, she did.  The next morning I put out food and there was no cat.  August 23, 2012 was the last day any of us saw our sweet cat.  

Oh the sweet pain of loving.  We all loved that cat, and still do.  We cried, all of us.  We prayed and prayed that we could have our little kitty back.

Two nights ago we trapped a raccoon. So glad that raccoon is gone.  Another trap will be put up so that we can trap anything else that may have taken our sweet little Cheddar.

T-shirts, Digital Scrapbooking and Princess dresses

I've made 3 of the converted man t-shirts.  I absolutely love them.  They fit well (even better than the model I was taking it from) and I love the fabric flowers I've put on one of them so far.  I am planning on doing 3 more.  I just can't work fast enough.  

I have been so excited about all of the scrapbook elements that I've gotten during the NSD blog train with My Memories and the other blog train that I have realized that my computer doesn't have enough memory to store all of the elements.  I'm kind of torn, I want a new computer, but I also want a cell phone.  Yes, I know, I'm practically the only adult in America that doesn't have a cell phone.  I've been fine.  I have free texting on my Kindle Fire, but when I'm away from home I don't get my messaging.

I still need to do two more princess dresses, but my time is super limited right now because I am doing volunteer work in two elementary classes.  I'll post how the dresses end up and also how these shirts finally end up.

How everything is fairing in craftland

I finished the fairy wings for my "Fairy princess".  They turned out really cute.  I followed the instructions that I found on Mommy Blessings blog.  The little princess wears them all of the time, except she's noticing that wings are not very practical in all situations.  

I'm not a very long torso-ed person, but I do like my t-shirts to hit just below the hip verses right around my "fat" portion at my lower abdomen.  I found a blog that has instructions for converting a man's t-shirt into a woman's t-shirt at Little Birdie Secrets blog.  Not only do they have instructions to make a "woman" type t-shirt they also have tutorials on how to fancy them up a bit.  Darling blog.

Still working on more princess dresses.  I will post results here, whey I get them.  I've finished the "Cinderella" one, but still need to do they Belle and Rapunzel dresses.

Memorial Day is fast approaching.  We won't be able to get to some of the distant cemeteries, but we will be able to make it to two.  I bought some silk flowers at the dollar store and some plaster of paris at the craft store.  I will make up 6 flower arrangements in plastic cups and decorate the grave of my grandparents, on both sides, and 1 set of great-grandparents.  I am hoping it will turn out like I want and not all corny.   

The next thing that I have to finish is to get the crafts, schedule and snacks for girl's camp.  That is, after I rewrite the letter to the girl's parents requesting a letter from them for each of their girls that are attending girl's camp.  Sometimes there is more to do than I have the brain capacity to do or think about.