Thanksgiving Yummies!

Before!

Thanksgiving came and went last week. One of my favorite parts about the holiday is bringing yummy desserts for my Ohio family to enjoy. This year I made an apple pie. I tried something new with some added "bling" to the crust. I have to admit it was tasty! 

After!

Handcrafting in the Kitchen!

My aunt would sing a little song to me when I was young. It went something like this... "I love you... a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!"

I do not know how much a bushel is, but I do know a little about a peck. I peeled, cored, and chopped up a peck of apples this evening and made homemade applesauce. So from what I gather from the song... she loves me A LOT!!!!

After peeling, coring, and chopping apples, I added a little bit of water to the pot and cooked the apples. I used my potato masher to get rid of the lumps and then I pour the sauce into canning jars.

Next year I will learn how to actually can, so I can have a "winter supply". Until then I will be eating lots of applesauce.

Here is my bounty!

(Thanks to Mom and Dad for  the apples!)

Happy 40th Andy!

Andy turns 40 tomorrow! 

Here is the card I made to celebrate. I got this great new stamp. I love it because I can color in the letters with my choice of colors depending on the theme of the birthday card. I used Watercolor Pencils to create the light blue wash. 

Welcome Noah!

Noah Pierce was born on September 3rd early in the morning. He weighed a very healthy 9lbs.,1oz... He is the little brother of three big sisters. Here is the card I made to welcome the little guy to the family.

 I have this paper that has lots of saying about babies. 

Wedding Cards!

I was sitting in the teacher's lounge eating lunch the other day when a fellow teacher asked me if I had ever made cards to sell. I don't usually sell the cards I make, but since it was only one card I decided to give it a try. I made two cards so she will have a choice. The wedding cake card is a version I have made before, but I added a few extra frills. The Mr. & Mrs. card I have also made, this time I used a word processing program to write the words on the front. 

August Card Making!!!

I have been on a card making hiatus for a few months! Here are a few cards I made and sent last weekend. It was a little like therapy sitting and enjoying something I love to do!

Letting Jenny know I'm thinking of her!

Thank You... Auntie Barbara made me an awesome sampler!

Good Luck Rebecca... You're a Junior!

This counts as handcrafted!!!

Homemade Blueberry Pie! 

I am trying to become more accomplished in my pie making skills. Here is one of the four blueberry pies I have made this summer! I tasted as good as it looks (in my opinion!).

Hello

I needed to send a letter recently and I wanted more than just a plain piece of paper. So this is what I came up with. Two pieces of paper and a ribbon. I think it may have taken 5 minutes to create. This is a card that would make me smile if I received it in my mailbox. I hope the receiver like it as much as a the sender.

Congratulations Brad & Andrea!

I had the pleasure of attending Brad & Andrea's wedding a couple of weeks ago. 

This is the card I made to celebrate their day! 

Congrats! I wish you both all the joy of a life spent together. 

Happy Birthday Ruthie! 

Happy Birthday Tom-Tom!!!

Thomas... 

or Tom-Tom as his Auntie likes to call him.... 

turns 1 (in 10 days)

I spent my Spring Break visiting my family back in Massachusetts... 

I spent lots of time cuddling with this cutie-pie! How did I get to be so lucky? I got his birthday card and present ready early so I could give it to him in person. I am looking forward to the summer when I can spend more time lovin' on this kid! He is so easy to love! Happy Birthday Tom-Tom! Auntie loves you very much! 

Happy Birthday and and (very early) Father's Day!

Take me out to the ball game...

Take me out to the crowd...

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks

I don't care if I ever come back

For it's root-root-root for the RED SOX!

If they don't win it's a shame 

For it's 1--- 2---- 3---- strikes you're OUT 

At the old ball game!! 

Happy Birthday Dad! 

I can't wait for the game in July!

A "Berry" Big Thank You!

and by berry I mean BLUEBERRIES!!!! 

After a very long day of teaching and a class down at OSU I made my way home to find a large box on my front door. I wasn't expecting any packages... my birthday had come and gone and Christmas had already happened. I saw the L.L. Bean label on the side of the box and began to panic. Had I accidentally bought something when I was looking around on the website? I pushed the box inside my apartment, grabbed a knife to open the box. Inside I found a set of dishes... MY DISHES... the ones I have been wanting for a very long time but couldn't bring myself to buy them for myself.

L.L. Bean Blueberry Dinnerware Set

I also discovered where these beautiful dishes came from.  My dear, sweet Aunt Nancy. She decided that she just wanted to get them for me... and that is exactly what she did. It brought tears to my eyes. She is the most thoughtful of aunts. She embodies the name I have given her (since she is now a great aunt)... she is now known as "THE GREATEST" and she is. Here is the card I made and sent this week. 

I had hard time finding a blueberry stamp. I ended up having to improvise and make my own. I used a sponge blotter I had with blue ink and then added the star-like ends with a marker. I liked how it turned out. If anyone knows where to find stamps with blueberries I love to know. 

Thank you to "THE GREATEST" I love you! 

XOXO

Happy Be-VERY-Lated Birthday

I love making cards for my "people" and Tammy one of my most special "people". I love that she is an encourager, gentle-spirited, kind, and generous. She is a great wife, mom and friend. I am so glad that I live close and we get to share in one another's life. Happy Birthday Tammy.  

Happy 7th Birthday Ellie!!!

Eliana is 7!!! Eliana is 7!!! Eliana is 7! 

If I keep repeating that phrase it will help me remember that she is indeed seven years old. I can hardly believe it. The part that is hard to believe is that I moved to Ohio a few months before Ellie was born, so that means I have been living in Ohio close to 8 years. Where does the time go? 

Ellie, age 7

It's been a long while!!!

     This is a thank you card I made using bits-and-pieces of some Christmas presents I received. Don't you just love the cute little owl? I used these gold gemstones for the eyes. I was in Archiver's (my favorite scrap-booking... card making... paper... store) a couple of weeks ago. I am amazed at the number of things have owls on them. When I was looking last year I couldn't find anything. I had to search online. Now it's all the rage! Maybe I started it... you never know!

I don't remember the occasion!!!

Oh well... I made this for some one special... with a purpose... 

I just wish I could remember. 

I love the squirrel!

It reminds me of walking around the Messiah College campus, especially in the autumn. There was this house on campus with six or seven trees in the front yard. When I would walk pass I would be amazed at the amount of squirrel activity. I would count the number of squirrels... I think I counted 7... I think that's a lot for one yard.