How do you photograph your layouts?

I have the hardest time photographing my layouts! Either I can't get the colors to look right, there's a glare, I can't get the angle right...OR little heads, feet and paws get in the way!

Does this happen to anyone else??? LOL

Anyhow, here's my layout for Paper Popsicles week one challenge for March. The theme for the month is "green" and we had to create a monochromatic green layout...all green and only green!

Menu Planning Monday

Ok, it's time for me to start menu planning again!! I haven't been very good at it for a couple of months but I am ready to plan, plan, plan!

Here's what we are having this week-
Monday-BBQ chicken, Ranchers Potatoes(recipe below!! Soooo yummy!) and garlic peas
Tuesday- Tacos, pinto beans
Wednesday-Crockpot pork chops with gravy (new recipe), baked potatoes, green beans
Thursday- Lentil Stew, Garlic Muffins (I leave out the onion) or cornbread muffins.
Friday-Meatballs & Pink Sauce (this was my favorite meal as a kid!!! See the recipe below.), rice and brocolli
Saturday- Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sunday- Crockpot beef roast, mashed potatoes, a veggie (not sure what yet)


Breakfast- cereal, oatmeal, waffles and homemade egg mcmuffins.
Lunch-PB&J sandwiches, quesadillas, grilled cheese, cheese and pimento sandwiches, tuna sandwiches
Snacks-Hummus and veggies, PB toast, cheese and crackers, tortilla roll ups, fruit

Meatballs and Pink Sauce
*This was my favorite meal growing up! I don’t really have exact measurements, I wing it as I go. But here’s a guideline.

Ground beef and meatball fixings (I use egg, milk, bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and any other seasonings that happen to sound good that day!)
1 cup (or more) beef broth
Flour/water paste (maybe a couple tsp of flour and water each)
Sliced mushrooms
Lemon Peel- a couple of good size strips
1 Bay leaf
½ cup or so sour cream
3 TBS or more ketchup
Cooked rice

Directions:
Make your meatballs as you normally would.
Brown meatballs in a skillet and drain the grease.
Remove meatballs to a plate.
Mix beef broth with the flour/water paste in the skillet. Whip it to remove any lumps. Bring to a boil. Add the meatballs back into the pan.
Add lemon peel, sliced mushrooms and a bay leaf.
Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add sour cream and ketchup to taste. Heat to hot (but not boiling).
Serve over white rice.


Rancher's Potatoes
by Dirt Road Scrapper in the ScrapShare cookbook
6 large potatoes, washed & cubed into chunks
1 can chopped green chilies
5 strips bacon, cooked & chopped
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. Ranch dressing
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
Place potatoes in a large casserole dish with a dash of water and microwave on high until almost tender. While they're cooking, combine all other ingredients and stir well. Stir into potatoes. Place dish in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

For more great menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com!!

Sneak Peek-Sketchapalooza starts soon!!!

Sketchapalooza starts in a few days!!! I am so excited!! Here's a sneak peek at one of my layouts. Shhhh...don't tell Jayne I am posting this! LOL It's not too late to sign up for the class!! Check out the details here- http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes

Layout contest

My local scrapbook store had a layout contest using the new MME Penny Lane line. I submitted my layout and they are up for voting on their blog: http://heartlandpaper.typepad.com/heartland_paper/2009/02/my-minds-eye-layout-contest.html

Mine is called Beach Time. Of course, vote for the one you think should win...but if happens to be mine, thank you, thank you!!!! :) (The email link to vote isn't working...but here it is- heartlandblog@gmail.com They reposted it in a later post.) It was a fun page to create!!! Here's my layout-

Readers

I really hope my kids continue to love reading as they grow older. Here they are just a few minutes ago. They love to look at books and to have me read to them. (No, they can't read on their own yet! LOL but Joshua has been learning quite a few "sight" words.) We have books everywhere! They end up in every room!

A new layout

I went to a crop last night and got a few pages finished. All but one are for the Sketchapalooza class starting in a couple of weeks!! (I can't share those until after the class is over.) Here's the info if you are interested in taking it. The sketch classes at Feeling Scrappy are always a lot of fun and I get a TON finished. http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes

Here's the one page I finished that wasn't for the class. I used one of Becky Fleck's sketches on Page Maps. Love her sketches!!! We were challenged to use this particular sketch on Scrap 4 Life.

I hope you are having a great weekend!!!

Year of Cheer

We recently finished up our Year of Cheer class on Feeling Scrappy. We had a blast hanging out and sharing our creations. Here are a few peeks at some of my cards and the box I made.

Free stamp!!

Anyone want a free stamp?? Go check out my friend Sheila's new blog to see how to get one! Everyone who visits can get one!!!! Woohooo! I have several of Sheila's stamps and they are great quality...you should check them out!
http://letsgetjazzy.blogspot.com/

Snow pictures

Here are a few pictures of the kids playing in the snow last week.

Blog award

Two of my good friends, Char and Jayne bestowed a friendship blog award upon me! You are so sweet! Thanks!

Here is the description of the award:
“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”
As for my eight friends, I will pass this on to:
1. Emily
2. Stacy
3. Michelle
4. Gwen
5. Jessica
6. Joanie
7. Ginger
8. Joanne