Where DID September and October go???

Ok. so I admit it - I thought no one was reading my blog, so I got lazy and stopped because I felt like I was talking to myself. Then in the space of one week, three people told me they read my blog and were waiting for an update. Ooops! Sorry, invisible readers! I will try to be more attentive! Post a comment once in a while so I know you're there, please?

September and October were busy times here. Family birthdays, including mine - I turned (insert unspecified number) years old; we took a vacation to Florida, and most exciting, welcomed a new family member! Here I am, meeting little Dylan:

He looks less than impressed, I admit - but everything is new and a little scary when you're 2 months old! Dylan's daddy is the grandson of my sister, which makes this little guy my great-great-nephew. We were thrilled to meet him at last!

October was also fabulous because of the annual Buggies and Buds Shop Hop! If you've never experienced this event, treat yourself and make a hotel reservation in the Lancaster PA area for a couple of days during the first two weeks of October. 

At a time when many local scrapbook and stamping stores are closing, Central Pennsylvania still boasts many mom-and-pop papercrafting shops. During October some of them band together and sponsor the Shop Hop. Here is how it works: The shop owners print passports which participants buy for $15. During the Shop Hop, your passport entitles you to a nice discount, usually 20% off, plus a free gift and a make-and-take from every shop you visit. As you check out at each store your passport is stamped, and when you are finished visiting the stores, you turn in your passport at your final stop. You are then entered to win fabulous gift baskets and gift certificates. 

The stores run the gamut from artsy to folksy and everything in between. Many are owned by Amish or Mennonite families who run their businesses from their basement and the drive from store to store will take you through some of the prettiest farmland you will ever see.

16 stores are participating in the Buggies and Buds Shop Hop in October 2015. Find out more at Buggies and Buds

Holiday Cards, August Edition!

So, I had this bright idea that it would be great to do 4 Christmas Card workshops, one each month starting in the summer so that we could avoid the November scramble: "Oh, Geez Louise, HOW MANY DAYS until Christmas??? I need to start my cards!!"

The August workshop is this Friday, August 22, open house style from 11:00 a.m. to 12 midnight (come as your schedule permits). Here are this month's designs:

Wanna join the frosty fun? Contact me for a kit! 12 cards, 4 each of three designs, plus envelopes, $22. 

Hope to see you Friday! 

Cards For A Year, August Edition Sneak Peek!!

Every month I host two ongoing workshops here in Peeptopia. We stamp and cut and emboss and glue our way to Paper Nirvana! Usually the designs are a secret but hey, how about a sneak peek?

This month's Cards For A Year workshop features a NEW stamp set designed for Close To My Heart's Australia and New Zealand customers. It's called "Cute Koalas" and luckily for us, we can get it here in the U.S. It can be ordered by contacting me or ordering online here: Cute Koalas 

I also used the "Balloons" single stamp and some other CTMH sentiments to create these adorable cards. These koalas are just so so so so cute!! I love them!

If you are already a Cards For A Year Workshop member, the ready-to-stamp kit for these cards will be waiting for you on Sunday August 24! 

If you're not a C4AY member, contact me to get your pre-stamped kit. $11 gets you everything you need to create these 4 cards, plus envelopes and complete instructions! 

Happy Scrappin'!

Pizza Box Happiness!!!

Yesterday I got my monthly shipment of paper happiness from Club Scrap, the very first company to offer a monthly delivery of scrapbooking supplies 15 years ago. Their papers are top quality and their designs are exclusive. You won't find this in your craft store! I've been a satisfied member for 7 years. That's a lotta paper!!

This month's kit theme was Cinema. Here's a shot of the Pizza Box love: papers, ribbons, stamps, washi tape... wahoo! Kit colors were grey, black, white and this gorgeous plummy raspberry purple.

Of course, that wasn't all that was in the box. There were sales. Ummmm....half-price sales. 

"Big Deal" Club Stamp and Lite kits were half price. Half! Papers, embellishments, tags, brads, ribbon, and a full sheet of very cool stamps. Did I mention they were half price??

"Graffiti" Lite was half-price too. A white souffle pen, ribbon, stickers, papers, cutaparts, and those mattes!! It's hard to see, but the finish on that paper is metallic, smooth and matte finished like brushed aluminum. May be the most incredible paper I have ever seen, 100% hoard-worthy. Half price!

"Hydrangea" Club Stamp was 50% off, too. Those stamps are so beautiful, I can't wait to color them!

But that's not all! Later in the month they had kit papers at 70% off, making them 33 cents a sheet for 12x12". Club Scrap papers are extra heavy, color saturated and have lovely textures and finishes. So... I bought my favorite colors!

The red in the center was more of that brushed aluminum finish. The original price on it was a whopping $2.50 a sheet, so I coveted but didn't buy more than the two sheets that originally came with my "Tribal" kit...until now. 89 cents was much more to my liking! The rest of the sheets were 33 cents, even that pretty copper metallic. 

If you're looking for some bargains, head on over to Club Scrap and click on "Shop" then "Outlet". Lots of great things at great prices and you don't have to be a member to shop (but members get an additional 10% off)!

The Best of the 20th Century...

I love Turner Classic Movies, so much so that I switched cable providers to get it. It's the only channel I watch about 90% of the time. This is why.

Today was Judy Garland, all day long, on TCM. Summer Stock, Meet Me In St. Louis, Easter Parade, The Clock, In the Good Old Summertime, and this masterpiece, A Star Is Born. This clip is proof  positive that there has never been, nor will there ever be, a singer as good as Judy.

Anyone can carry a tune. Judy knew how to convey a lyric with such emotion and masterful timing that the song was transformed into drama. She held the complete attention of her audience for those few minutes, taking them with her into the heart and soul of the story she was telling.

This song, even more than all the other wonderful songs in her repertoire, is the one that GETS me. Every. Single. Time. It was shot in one continuous take, and Judy, in true star fashion, nailed it the first time. Watch her after the vocal for that cute little wink as the band finishes. She knew she had it.

"The Man That Got Away" is a roller coaster ride with steep drops, sudden twists and hairpin turns as only Judy can deliver. She sings, I am transfixed. I find myself holding my breath as she delivers one powerful note after another. The poignant pauses, the soulful phrasing... they just rip my heart out. This song, like no other, showcases the vocal control and the heartbreaking vulnerability that made her a legend.

So, my friends, here you are: Judy Garland, the best singer of the 20th century. She was a little tiny woman with an enormous talent that will never be equaled. Listen, enjoy... and don't forget to breathe.

Box Cards and a Recipe!

Today I hosted a Box Cards Class taught by our friend Phyllis!

The peeps made these 4 adorable pop-up box cards. Aren't they cute? Phyllis added her own special touches to the cards, which were cut from files purchased at SVG Cuts. I especially liked the labels on the tiny wine bottles, which were made from scraps of text gleaned from an old medical dictionary. We had lots of fun comparing the words on the labels. It turns out wine cures everything from depression to insomnia, LOL!

It was a little odd for me to be the helper, but I managed! I handled the paper embossing duties while Phyllis and Marsha did the Peep wrangling. I also provided the coveted Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sandwiches that we enjoyed at The Scrap Pad, and a quick dessert that showcased the fresh peaches I'd gotten from Schlagel farms. Here's the recipe for the dessert, my own invention:

Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart

2 tubes Pillsbury Sugar Cookie dough

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 c. brown sugar

Fresh Fruit as desired (I used fresh peaches)

1 cup jelly or preserves (I used homemade peach jam)

Coarse white crystal sugar (optional)

Press cookie dough into an ungreased jelly roll pan. I use big half-sheet restaurant pans from Sam's Club; if your pan is a little smaller, just pat the dough into the pan to form a crust layer about 1/4" thick and save the rest of the dough for baking cookies! This also looks very pretty made in a round tart pan (halve the recipe for a standard round tart pan). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the dough is baked in the center. Cool.

Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. It will take a few minutes for the sugar to dissolve so do this while the crust is baking and let it stand. You may want to add a little more sugar if your fruit is too tart. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the cooled crust. 

Peel and thinly slice the fruit and arrange on top of the cream cheese mixture. Place the jam or jelly in a heatproof dish and microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds until warm and syrupy. Brush jam onto the fruit to glaze the tart. Sprinkle with crystal sugar if desired; cover and chill until serving time.

Some fruits to use: Peaches, nectarines, plums, kiwi, all kinds of berries, bananas, pears.

Pardon me...there are leftovers in the fridge. getting some now...

There's NOTHING Like a Good Haul!!

Ahhhh...CLEARANCE!!!

Was any word ever sweeter??

So, I went to JoAnn's today for this:

                                        
                                                 And I came home with this:

But could you blame me????? Look!!!

There was clearance washi for 97 cents!!! I do NOT have enough washi. 

Ever. 

And glitter tape!!!

And BE STILL MY HEART, Tim Holtz for less than half price????

I needed those things, whatever they are. 

Really. 

I DID!!!

And I had to have some goodies to add to upcoming workshop kits!

 The best bargain of the day was this lovely MS Border Punch for $5.97. 

Did I mention I had a coupon for an extra 20% off my entire purchase? YEAH!!! So it actually cost me $4.77!

As I was going to the checkout, the allure of the paper aisle called... and I resisted! 

I DID NOT BUY PAPER!!!!!

(I bought cork.)

It was 50% off less 20% so it cost $8.00. 

I had to have it!!!!!!!

So, in the end, my $2.99 paper mache "S" cost me $51.

It ain't easy bein' crafty...

Photos From PHOTO SCRAPS!!

Yesterday Marvelous Marvic and I took a road trip to PHOTO SCRAPS in Sykesville, MD. Rumor had  it that they had nice little store with quality products and some great bargains!

Rumor was right! The store isn't huge but the inventory is super high quality and the staff is friendly and very accommodating. They recently relocated to their present location so there was a big selection of merchandise marked down by 75%!

A sign displayed inside Photo Scraps encourages you to take photos of the many beautiful samples of cards, pages and class projects displayed around the store... so I did!

 As always with local scrapbook stores, we found items that were new to us. I had heard of but had never seen PEERLESS WATERCOLORS, an artist's watercolor line first developed in 1885. Originally intended for tinting of photos and engravings, the pigments are conveniently packaged as ultra concentrated dry colors deposited on the pages of a small booklet. To use the colors you simply touch your damp brush to the pigment in the booklet and rehydrate the color. This gorgeous "Happy For You" card was made using these beautifully intense colors. Peerless Watercolors are a new item in the latest AMuse Studio catalog, so I'll be ordering them from my AMuse consultant, Tyuana Bailey. Gotta spread the happy around!


There were so many lovely samples and many of our favorite companies were represented. Prima, Graphic 45, Inky Antics, Tim Holtz, Spellbinders, Dreamweavers, Petaloo, Riley & Company and many many more!

There is a spacious area at the rear of the store where they offer a variety of page and card make and takes for a small fee. I made this adorable flip-flop card! Isn't it cute? Shopping was the reason for the visit, and that was fab too! We bought a wide variety of papers and embellishments for pennies on the dollar!

 

And... some regular priced items that were irresistible!

So, if you get the chance, head on over to Photo Scraps, 1213 Liberty Road, Eldersburg MD 21784.

(Take note - the store technically is in Sykesville, but the address is Eldersburg. If your GPS doesn't recognize one town, try the other one! :)

Good Afternoon!

It's a beautiful day! Yesterday's Christmas Card open house was lots of fun. Cards were made, food was eaten, a good time was had by all (I think!). We eat, we craft, we craft, we eat. I served some mixed melon from my favorite local farm (more on that later) and baked cookies. Several of the Peeps asked for the recipe for my favorite Chocolate Snickerdoodles, so here it is:

                                             Chocolate Snickerdoodles

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. margarine or butter flavor Crisco

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 c. cocoa powder

2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 c. sugar (I use a mixture of granulated and crystal sugars)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cream the softened butter and margarine. Add the 2c. sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking soda and cream of tartar. Chill at least 1 hour. Combine the 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon in a small dish. Roll dough into small balls, roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes until edges of the cookies are set. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Post Number ONE!

Welcome to my blog! It is still a work in progress but I'm gonna give my best shot at putting a little bit of "me" on the page! You might see things I'm working on, things I'm interested in, and of course, things that happen here in Peeptopia! 

So, the latest thing that's happening is Christmas in July! It's the first of four Christmas Card Workshops that I'm hosting. The goal is to TRY to get our Christmas cards finished before December 1st. Time will tell if we succeed! Every year I say, "I'll have those cards addressed and stamped by Thanksgiving!!" and ummm...no. I usually choose a design that's amazingly artistic, carefully handcrafted... and I run out of time because the creation of the cards takes way too long. This year will be different!!!! (I hope!)

 Tomorrow, The PP's (Participating Peeps) will make 12 cards, four each of these three designs:

I left the designs fairly simple so that each Peep could elect to either complete the cards and send them as they are, or add additional embellishments to express their own tastes. I hope they like them!

To reinforce the Christmas theme, I spent some time this week getting holiday treats and surprises ready.  I have a very special giveaway prepared and we'll have cookies of course. Since temperatures are supposed to reach 90 degrees, we may have to skip the hot chocolate!

 Now to dig out those "Hollyday Hits" CDs...

 Tomorrow is also the first chance the Peeps will have to get their hands on the new Close To My Heart Annual Inspirations Idea Book so there will be coupons and plenty of brand-new papers, stamps and goodies to look though. That's always fun!

To get YOUR look at the new products, check back here after August 1 when the online catalog goes live! I'll post a link!

Until next time...