Guest Designer Call at Note~able!

Here's the information from the message board...I hope you all check it out and apply!!

Note~able is looking for a guest designer to work with products from our December kit! We are looking for a fun easy going person who loves journaling and title products. If this is you then you must apply!

To enter please send a link to your gallery and 3 of your favorite projects featuring journaling products to noteablekit@yahoo.com. Please keep your pic sizes under 600 pixels. Please send your emails by 11:59 p.m. on October 31.

Designer will be chosen and notified soon after. You will receive products in our December kit to create with and you will be featured on the blog for December. You will also receive other supplemental products to create with as well since we are not a traditional kit. You must create 2 or more projects with atleast one being a layout. Further instructions will be given on a time frame but you will have atleast 2 weeks to complete your work. Due to timeframe of shipping we are accepting on U.S. residents at this time.

Good luck!

What am I working on??

Any guesses as to what I am working on?

Here's a hint...it's something fun that's coming up soon!!!

Anyone? (Bueller???)

Ok, ok, I'll tell you.








Are you sure you want to know???









Sketchapalooza layouts!! The designers have created some fabulous sketches and I have been itching to dive back into scrapping (I've done a little bit, but not much in the last two months!). The picture shows what I pulled out to work on my first page for the class. (I also added paint and glitter after I took the picture.) I finished the layout last night and can't wait to share it during Sketchapalooza!!

Read about the class and sign up here- http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes

It starts October 26th so start organizing your photos and prepare for a month of scrapping!!!

Good days

I am so thankful to have three fun and amazing little ones to watch learn and grow every day. Yes, they make a mess. No, I don't always have time to clean it up. Yes, they sometimes fight and cry. Yes, we have to utilize the "naughty corner" at least once most days(and when we don't Joshua always announces it as a triumph at the end of the day LOL). No, the laundry still isn't finished (although I did start it!). And while it is definitely not gourmet, yes, dinner is cooking in the crock pot. Sadly, I rarely get to scrapbook these days. Nothing ever stays where I put it and nothing stays organized.

Despite all of this, overall, our days are good and we are always making little memories that will be the big things some day. Here are some highlights from today-

~Smiles from Ellie~ Ever find yourself making really goofy faces or doing silly things just to get a glimpse of a baby smile?? They are addicting I tell you!!


Time outside riding bikes, walking and running around-(Abby doesn't really use the pedals on her trike yet...still working on that. She rides it Fred Flinstone style.)


Homemade cookies (Pumpkin Butterscotch)-Isn't every day better with baked goodies? Joshua is quite the helper when I am baking. (Except for the egg squirting all over his face last time-his first attempt at cracking an egg by himself.)


I hope you take time to enjoy the little things each day. Now I need to go help build a giant train track that will probably take over the entire front room.

Menu Plan Monday

While I forgot to post last week, we still ended up having mostly crock pot/easy meals...just like we will this week! It really helps me to have a plan (whether I stick to it or not). Here's the plan for the week-

Monday- Crock Pot Taco Style Lentils and Rice (Easy and yummy. We use it as a filling for burritos and add cheese, sour cream, etc.)

Tuesday- Crock Pot Downhome Chicken and Noodles (new recipe...I will share later in the week if we like it.), Garlic Peas

Wednesday- Lasagna Soup (I plan on making just half a recipe...we had it a few weeks ago and it was yummy!), Easy Cheesy Rolls

Thursday- Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken (This is a yummy freezer meal you bake in the oven...but I am going to see how it turns out in the crock pot.), broccoli, rice

Friday- Crock Pot Carribean Black Bean Soup (new recipe) homemade French Bread (takes a little time but soooo good!! I made two loaves over the weekend so I have some in the freezer.)

Saturday- Crock Pot Magnificent Meatballs (first time trying this), rice, green beans

Sunday- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili, rice, maybe some cornbread

Visit http://www.orgjunkie.com/ for lots of menu ideas!

**Scrapbookers, don't forget about my sketch challenge on http://www.noteablekit.com/forums/index.php See an earlier post for the sketch!

Cranberry Chicken-Freezer Meal

This is really tasty and sooo easy!

Cranberry Chicken –FREEZER MEAL

1- 8 oz. Fat Free French Dressing
1- 8 Oz. can cranberry sauce
1 package – Dried Onion Soup Mix
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

To freeze: Dump all ingredients into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer.
To cook: Defrost in fridge overnight. Mix all ingredients in a 13 x 9 glass pan. Cover with tin foil. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir and serve over rice or noodles.

Note-I tried cooking this in the crockpot and it still turned out yummy!

French Bread

I love to bake bread and I have several yummy recipes. This is one I made for the first time over the weekend and will definitely make over and over. It takes a little more time and effort to make than most of my recipes but it was worth it. Plus, it makes two huge loaves of bread so I have some in the freezer for more meals (I cut the loaves in half and put them into freezer ziplock bags.) This tastes about the same as those loves of French Bread you pick up fresh at the grocery store. I got the recipe from Real Mom Kitchen-thanks!!!

French Bread

2 ¼ cup warm water

2 Tbsp sugar

2 pkg. active dry yeast (I buy the jar kind so it was 4 1/2 tsp yeast)

1 Tbsp salt

2 Tbsp soft shortening or vegetable oil (I used canola)

6 cups flour

Directions:

In large mixer (I just do it in my kitchen aid with the dough hook), combine water and sugar then sprinkle with yeast. Allow to soften.

Add salt, oil, and half flour; mix well. Add remaining flour and mix. Leave mixer in dough.

Allow to rest 10 min. Stir dough down and allow to rest 10 min. Repeat until dough has been stirred dough 5 times. Turn dough on floured surface. Knead 2 or 3 times. Divide dough in 2.

Roll each dough into 9x13 inch rectangle. Roll from long side and pinch edges. Place on baking sheet with pam or cornmeal. Cover and allow to rise 30 min. With sharp knives cut 3 gashes at angle on top of dough. Bake 400 degrees for 30 min, check at 20 minutes (It took 25 minutes in my oven).

Layout and sketch class (Win it today!!)

Here's a layout I created for a blog post on Feeling Scrappy about using a crimper. (Nope, I haven't had much time to scrap...this was made before Ellie was born! LOL)

And while we are just finishing up Simplify the Season on Feeling Scrappy, I already have Sketchapalooza on my mind. If you haven't taken one of our sketch classes before, you should consider it! You get 20 brand new sketches with samples from the design team and more variations from all of the people in the class. It's a great way to catch up and get a lot of pages completed. It starts Oct. 26th and you can read about it and register here- http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes

Edited to add that you still have a couple of hours to leave a comment on Ella to win a spot for FREE in the class!!! Go now!!
http://www.ellapublishing.com/blog/ella/were-feeling-scrappy

Have a great Friday!!

Sketch challenge

Need some sketchy inspiration? Here's a new one I drew up for Note~able. If you use it, be sure to share! You can post your layout on the Note~able message board under challenges. (Or at least link it up in the comments here so I can see your take on it!) I hope to get to this sketch very soon but I haven't had a chance to scrap for a while. (edited to add layout)

Happy Thursday!

New pictures

Ellie is starting to smile a little...and it just melts my heart! I tried and tried to get a good photo of a smile but this was the best I could get. Use your imagination and you can see a hint of a smile here. LOL :) She just didn't want to smile when I put the camera in front of her.


All three munchkins...

We had a great visit with my parents this weekend. Lots of laughs and good times. Ever have those moments when you just can't stop laughing? When you are laughing so hard that you cry? Well we had a few of those...nothing anyone else would find interesting (you definitely had to be there!) Mom, when you read this, I need to let you know that the kids are still making me take off my glasses to wink. ;)

Shannon awarded me the Over the Top Blog award...thanks! :) Now it's my turn to play along...


This award comes with some rules and a survey I have to fill out.
Rules
1. You Can Only Use One Word!
2. Pass this along to 6 of your favorite bloggers!
3. Alert them that you have given them this award!
4. Have Fun!

The Fun Part
1. Where is your cell phone? kitchen
2. Your hair? ponytail
3. Your mother? home
4. Your father? working
5. Your favorite food? Mexican
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? happiness
9. What room are you in? den
10. Your hobby? Scrapbooking
11. Your fear? accidents
12. Favorite place to eat? Depends
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something that you aren’t? Athletic
15. Muffins? pumpkin
16. Wish list item? Clothes
17. Where did you grow up? California
18. Last thing you did? breakfast
19. What are you wearing? Pajamas
20. Your TV? Off
21. Your pets? dog
22. Friends? wonderful
23. Your life? full
24. Your mood? tired
25. Missing someone? Jeremy (out of town for work...I know, I broke the one word rule)
26. Vehicle? Yukon
27. Something you’re not wearing? jewelry
28. Your favorite store? Target
29. Your favorite color? depends
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? recently
32. Your best friend? Missed
33. One place that I go to over and over? Walmart
34. One person who emails me regularly? Mom

Recipients-Don't be mad...it just means I love you! :)
1. Emily
2. Adonica
3. Christine
4. Jayne
5. Becky
6. Stacy