From the Heart Stamps Freebie

The Monthly Challenge over at From the Heart Stamps was this cute little kitty with a heart and best of all, it was free! Every month if you play along, you get the next month's image for free. Believe it or not, I finished the challenge a few days early and here is my card....

Just realized I intended to glam up the heart a bit. Oh well!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

A friend of mine at work really likes peanut brittle. I gave her some last year for Christmas and this year I didn't get around to it so I decided to whip up a batch for her last week. It turned out perfectly as it always does despite the fact that I got a new microwave and its much hotter then my old one. Didn't seem to matter. I must confess that I bought a glass measuring cup (large) just for peanut brittle. I guess I figure I'll be making it a time or two from now on.
Give it a try, just make sure you are wearing oven mitts. Not kidding!

Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup salted peanuts
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

Butter a cookie sheet. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Stir in peanuts and microwave 3 1/2 minutes more.
Stir in butter and vanilla and microwave 1 1/2 minutes more.
Stir in baking soda and quickly pour onto cookie sheet.
Let harden and break into pieces.
So GOOD!

It Runs in the Family

Here's Lindor's beautiful sister Lady who has been matched with 2 Canadian Veterans for the last few years.

And her gorgeous son, Elvis who is also matched with a Canadian soldier....

Dogs can do amazing things for their human counterparts!

Triple Threat Peanut Butter Cookies

I have an insane amount of baking supplies. Although I baked a ton over the Christmas season, I still have so much on hand. These cookies made a small dent in my stockpile, Mini peanut butter cups, Reese's pieces and peanut butter, the triple threat of cookies. So yummy!

Triple Threat Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp corn starch
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Reese's pieces
1 1/4 cup chopped Reese's peanut butter cups (or minis)

Beat the butters and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Drop by Tablespoon onto baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 10 min.

More Card Swap

These are the last of the Card Swap cards. What a diverse and interesting set of cards. It was a lot of fun to see what people came up with and I have a few more samples to go by.

and the back.....

And that's it. Hope you enjoyed the various cards, I know I did!

Card Swap Continued

Another few cards from the Swap. Everyone had something different to offer.....

And the inside....

A little tea-bag holder....

 and sympathy, unfortunately needed too often...

Card Swap

I participated in a Card Swap before the holidays and in return for making 12 of this card....

I

I got 11 assorted cards in return. I will post a few today and a few more in subsequent posts.
In no particular order....

 

I am linking up to Sassy Cheryl's Show Me Thursday Blog.

13 in 13 Wrap Up

Ya, I know, I missed the November re-cap. The lead-up to the holidays was a blur as I'm sure it was for many people so my goals fell a bit short. And now that I'm ready to start posting and crafting again, I'm having trouble with my computer. Can't post any photos. So here's a quick re-cap of my 13 in 13.




I was well on my way to meeting my reading goal and then I never picked up a book once September hit.
I did very well in the live performances exceeding this goal by attending several including the Grand Ole Opry and a visit to Graceland although I don't think you can call that a "live" performance.
I completed 3, yes 3 afghans and am working on a 4th. I enjoy the relaxing time with a coffee and a couple rows of crochet.

I fell off with the monthly Cricut useage, but I think I sent a few more cards. Already this year, I have given away 4. I never donated blood, got as far as the appointment but didn't qualify at that moment so I'll have to try again. Got my IPAD from redeeming points and have learned a bit about how to use it but mostly play games and surf  Pinterest whilst laying on the couch.

Will continue to work on obedience with the dogs, that will be an on-going goal.
I made a lot of recipes but not so many from my paper cookbooks. Maybe it's time for them to go?
So that's it. Will re-visit some goals for my 14 in 14, and come up with some new ones once I get the technical difficulties sorted out.

Little Skater Girl

I had some time to organize my (incompete) cards today so I was able to finish up this really sweet figure skater from My Favourite Things. At least, I think that's what this line of stamps is called. I find they lend themselves really well to paper piecing and I love how you can then coordinate their outfits to the paper line. There were a number of sentiments to choose from and as this is one area in card-making where I fall short, I actually chose one and even better, I stamped it!!!
Here she is.....

So just to prove that I haven't spend the last week only eating up the leftover Christmas sweets, I am linking up to Sassy Cheryl's Show Me Thursday. You can link up anything that you've been working on. Even sweets! LOL.

Tie Dye Cake

Happy New Year! I'm not organized enough to highlight the past year yet or go over my 13 in 13 (missed November, too) or come up with some new 14 in 14 goals, but I DID get a chance to make this cool cake for my nephew's birthday which happens to fall on a holiday! Our New Year's Baby is now officially in the double digits.
I thought I would fool him into thinking this was a rainbow cake when actually it came out tie-dyed.
I liked it because it only used a single white cake mix so there wasn't a lot of cake leftover. Well, nothing that I couldn't handle.
I looked up the how to on the Internet but I think you pretty much can't go wrong anyway you try it. I used gel food colouring for very vibrant colours.
Give it a shot for your next celebration.

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