Fall Punch Class!
$8 for 3 cards, shown above, + envelopes!
RSVP byTuesday, 10/7
Also available as a"class to go":
$10 for 3 UNassembled cards + envelopes
Payment of cash or check must be received by 10/7.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
What's cookin'?- Beef stew
Autumn is here!
The mornings and nights are a little chillier nowadays. This gives me an excuse to switch my cooking to warmer, "stick to your belly" meals... A little comfort food doesn't hurt every now and again , does it?
I also have a son who spends a lot of time in a cold ice rink on many nights. For sure I have to prepare meals that will warm him when he comes home!
Last week this particular son requested that I make beef stew.
When I was in the hospital a couple of years ago, my mother came to stay for 2 months.
She was an awesome support system to everyone of us.
She kept my household running smoothly in my absence.
She cleaned.
She cooked.
She made beef stew.
Everyone fell in love with it.
Fast forward to the recent beef stew request... I have made it many times before, but all of a sudden, doubted my method - afraid that it would be too soupy instead of a thick base.
What do I do in a time of cooking distress?
What any girl would do of course... CALL MOM!
So, here I am on the phone calling my mother (AKA Paula's cooking hotline)...
Mom: "hello?"
Me: "mom. stew."
Mom: "what?"
Me: "stew!"
Mom: "oh, hi honey! Stew? Are you making it the way I always make it?"
Me: "yes, and I will be darned if I can find the recipe! I have a feeling I know how to make it, but I'm unsure and I don't want it to turn out wrong..."
(Turns out I was right all along, but I'm sure it gave her a thrill to help me out. Plus I'm so blessed to be able to still call my mother for recipes, so I do it as much as possible!)
** Aside**
Have any of you ever seen the movie Wedding Crashers? There is a scene where crazy Will Ferrell (Chaz), who still lives with his mother, asks for meatloaf... "Mah... The meatloaf!"
Cracks me up every time!
My conversation on the phone with her was a little like that, barking orders like "stew!" without even saying "hello" first!
I tried to find a video clip to post here to share, but couldn't find a single one without the "F" word in it. So, if you have never seen the movie and don't know what I'm talking about, just go on YouTube and search "Wedding Crashers meatloaf"...
Anyway...
If you've never made stew, here's how to make a great one!
•Dredge beef stew cubes in a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper.
• Roughly chop up one onion.
• Add beef and onion to a sauce pot with about 2 tablespoons oil. Cook until meat begins to brown and onions begin to soften.
• Add 1/4 cup red wine to deglaze pan, scraping off all brown bits. Cook until reduced by about half.
• Roughly chop up some celery and carrots, add to pot. (I used three of each.)
• Cook over medium heat for about one half hour, or until vegetables begin to soften.
• Broth should thicken due to the flour used on the beef. If it's too "brothy", you might want to add 2 teaspoons of Minute Tapioca:
• I also cook my pasta separately (we like bow ties). You can either put on another separate pot for that or just throw them in the boiling water from the potatoes once the potatoes are done. I cook the potatoes and pasta separately so my stew isn't really starchy.
• When they are done I throw the potatoes, the pasta and a drained can of peas into the stew.
• Cook for a few minutes longer just enough to warm the peas.
Mmmmm...
I can feel it stick to my ribs now... and I'm warm!
W CMD event: card #3
Here it is!
Come down this Saturday to my house anytime between 11 AM and 3 PM to make three free Christmas cards!
Special incentive for bringing a NEW, ADULT stamping friend!
There are the other two cards in case you missed them:
Sunday, September 28, 2014
FREE event on World Card-Making Day!
This coming Saturday, October 4 is world Card-Making Day!
It is a flip card featuring the new White Christmas stamp set and other goodies from the Holiday catalog!
I am hosting a FREE event at which those who attend can make three Christmas cards!
I have a special incentive for those of you who bring along a NEW adult stamping friend! I never have my annual "used stamp tag sale", so I have lots of retired sets to give away as rewards!
Hopefully I will see all the new friends at future classes!
I posted card #1 on Facebook, Pinterest, and in my recent customer email. I realized tonight that it was NOT on the blog, so here it is: 
We will use the new Wondrous Wreath stamp set and matching framelits!
Here is the second card that I have created for my guests to make:
I will post the third card in a day or two so that everyone can see.
Should be fun!
If you are local, plan to stop down any time between 11 AM and 3 PM!
Monday, September 22, 2014
September 2/5/15 cards
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Our first Christmas card of the season! (Next month's class will be all Christmas cards!)
Note: We inked up the whole tree in the Garden Green. Then, we removed the green ink from the tree trunk with a blender pen! Finally, we added a brown tree trunk with the Early Espresso marker.
Sold as a single wood stamp, Halloween Street, is a great purchase!
----
#1
Stamps: Festival of Trees BUNDLE (includes stamps and matching punch)
Found in Holiday catalog
Ink: Garden Green, Early Espresso, Real Red
Other: Gold Shimmer card stock, star from Itty Bitty Accents punch pack, Filigree Frame embossing folder.
( emboss folder in Holiday catalog)
This is sold as a clear photopolymer set. It will make lining up other set element,s like tree garland, really simple!
-------
#2
I can't believe that I've had this set sitting on my stamp room desk for over a month, and this is the first time I got to use it!
I love it! (And, so did everyone else!)
It was made with the Flower Patch set and matching framelit.
We only used one framelit for this card but there is actually a whole set that matches the stamps:
These two are available to purchase as a bundle so you don't have to buy one or the other. You won't want to do that, believe me!
Inks: Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, and Wild Wasabi.
Note: This is sold only as a photopolymer set, making placement super easy with the totally clear stamps! Lining up the green stem for a second stamp, in order to make the flower stem longer, was so easy!
Although you can't see it in this picture, the rhinestone was colored with a Calypso Coral Blendabilities alcohol marker before adding it to the center of the flower - perfect color coordination!
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#3
Card stock: Pacific Point, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango
Ink: Basic Black (dots were created with a number two pencil eraser!)
Other: Tangerine Tango two-tone trim, and Frosted Sequins (both in Holiday catalog)
#4
Stamp set: Dotty Angles
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#5
Other: Needlepoint emboss folder (from Clearance Rack), Lost Lagoon satin stitched ribbon, flower from the Itty Bitty Accents punch pack, pearls
(emboss folder still available on clearance rack)
This was a great mixture of cards. Keep watching this blog, your email, Pinterest and Facebook for the announcement of the October 2/5/15 Christmas card class and "cards to go"!
If you bought the "cards to go" for this class, they are already in the mail and you should have them by the end of this week!
It's always I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about Stamping Up and Stamping Up product!
Please visit my website and the online store if you're interested in purchasing product.
Be sure to check out the Stampin' Up! blog page too, for plenty of ideas, Weekly Deals (announced every Tuesday) and any new additions!
Friday, September 19, 2014
What's cookin' - Cream of zucchini soup
Not too many pictures for this post, but believe me this is a great recipe! Quick, easy and healthy too!
I this recipe on www.skinnytaste.com. They list calories and Weight Watcher points there if you are interested.
All you need for the soup is:
• 3 medium zucchini, skin on, cut in chunks
• 1/2 onion, quartered
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• 32 oz. chicken broth (1 box)
• 2T sour cream
-Add broth and vegetables to a sauce pot. Bring to a boil.
-Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until all veggies are soft.
-Purée with an immersion blender, or carefully pour and purée in a stand blender, until all ingredients are pulverized and combined.
- Add sour cream and stir.
- Season to taste.
** Before serving, I add grated Parmesan cheese to top and drizzled with olive oil.
** You can make this soup even healthier by using reduced-fat sour cream and/or reduced-sodium chicken broth!
**Make it vegan without the cheese and use vegetable broth instead!
** This soup lends itself easily to being changed up. You can top it with fresh herbs instead of the oil and cheese... If you need a heartier soup, try adding some chopped zucchini (or zucchini noodles!) or yellow squash... Serve it as a beginning to your meal or as a meal itself by serving it with some crusty bread.
Let your creativity shine!
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Update: zucchini noodles!
I recently told you about how I mixed pasta with zucchini "noodles" in order to cut down on carbs and use some of the zucchini from my garden.
BUT
THE VEGGETTI!
I used a regular old box grater to make the noodles:
I wanted to let you know that I finally got the kitchen gadget that will do it for you much more easily.
I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and asked for something that makes zucchini noodles... The young girl knew exactly what I wanted! She pointed me in the direction of this:
She didn't pronounce it like the G in the word "vegetable". She said it with a soft G as in "go".
I recommend you do the same...
One of my boys saw my new purchase and pronounced it like "vegetable"... I almost had to wash his mouth out with soap.
Hahaha
You're all saying it right now, aren't you?
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