October Swap Cards

 So I think Keri made her card for the You Pick challenge but as previously stated, I can't find anything or remember where her "real" swap cards is, so I'm going with this. Again, it's a stamp and die set from My Favourite Things and I believe the Celebrate is from Stampin Up.

How cute is that?

I did another Fall card using the Lawn Fawn set....

I love making Fall cards, the colours are always so rich and so nice to work with. Now lets hope my reno is done soon so I can get back to making some cards.

Sept Swap Cards

 It's been a hot minute since I've been one here and sadly our Swap streak may be broken. I was away in Sept for 10 glorious days with my NBF's. So much fun and laughter and crafting and some much needed mental wellness from the stress of the pandemic and the fears of a long winter ahead. Just as I arrived back, I launched into a massive reno of the house and now I'm entering Week 7 of chaos and let's just say I can't find anything, I can't remember anything and I certainly haven't had the time or the space for crafting.

At least, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now so I'm going to make a feeble effort to catch up.

So I know I made this cute card and exchanged it with Keri. You cant see the clouds in the background but they are there. This card has a lot of different elements including my favourite paper piecing. I just love the MFT girls to fit the various themes.

Sadly, I can't find or remember which card Keri made. If I find it I'll be sure to come back and edit.

August Swap Cards

 Wow, it's been a hot minute since I've been on the Blog and the entire program has changed up. I guess I'll be learning another new system. Here it goes....

I've had these cards for awhile and never got around to posting. It's been super busy getting ready for my reno and living life. Haven't touched a craft since I did this card. Hopefully a little more time in the craft room once the summer activities are wrapped up.

I decided to get a start on my theme cards for the Fundraiser (which sadly is postponed until next Fall) I used the Lawn Fawn set. Can you guess the theme?

Nicole also used Lawn Fawn. She's our interactive girl, she likes the challenge this type of card presents. It's really cute..

You press down the tab and PRESTO..

Keri used a Stampin Up die set. Isn't it clever to do the sunflower in white?

There you have it. I'm so behind on the challenges but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet.

July You Pick Challenge

I'm starting August off right with a Blog Post, a card and a new book.

When I'm in a reading slump, I like to go back to Dystopian Young Adult to get going again. This trilogy got a lot of good reviews so I picked it up. Yes, I actually went inside the doors of my library and did a collect from the Entrance. Couldn't go inside but its at least open now.

Keri and I are continuing the You Pick challenge. For her I picked Sunny Studio Sweet Shoppe from my collection and here's what she made....

I just love the glaze on the donut and I never make Shaker cards so this is a real treat!

Keri picked MFT Birthday Chicks for me to use and I made this card..

I even put a little guy inside...

This is the stamp set that I used...

I'd say August is off to a good start!

Zucchini Pie

As most of you know, I have a small plot up at my local community garden. It isn't always that productive except for growing a big patch of weeds but it does seem to support my love for zucchini.
I'm at 37 and counting. So while I give a lot away, I wanted to try a few new ways of using it up.

Along came a recipe for this DELICIOUS zucchini pie. I made homemade Bisquick(remember all those Bisquick recipes we used to make?) Fun Fact: General Mills introduced Bisquick in 1931. Can you believe it's been around that long?

Try this recipe, you'll thank me. I can vouch for the fact that its just as good reheated for breakfast.

Zucchini Pie

3 cups zucchini (grated and water squeezed out) I used almost all of that bad boy pictured above

1 small chopped onion or bunch of green onions chopped ( I grated mine)

1 cup Bisquick (I used homemade, recipe to follow)

5 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large pie plate.

Dump all ingredients into a big bowl and mix.

Bake for 50 min.

Homemade Bisquick

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

You can use a food processor to pulse this until mixture resembles cornmeal or I just used a pastry blender.

Store the remainder in the fridge for up to 3 months. Can be used for lots of other recipes.

July Swap Cards

Well it's been a hot minute since I last posted and its been crazy hot this summer. Not terribly conducive to sitting still (at least for me). Pathetically our guest participant had her card done and exchanged 26 days prior to mine. Whoops!

Anyway, it's always such a fun surprise to see what we are getting each month. I chose a Penny Black stamp that I was going to put in a garage sale because I had never used it. I only worked on it here and there a few minutes a day and it came together not too badly. I never do CAS cards so this was a good change of pace...

Keri used a new set from Stampin Up. Who doesn't love goats?

Nice to have a card that's a little more masculine. Isn't' it clever how she knotted the twine instead of tying a bow?

Nicole used a set from Simon Says Card kits from way back when. I think I gave away this bikini die and stamp set and know I'm regretting it..

I've got a few more blog posts ideas so maybe I'll step up my game. Stay tuned.

Pandemic by the numbers

Wow! I've been MIA for awhile now. Life seems to have amped up again. Not going into stores very much, still only getting groceries once a week and planning for the shortest possible outings if I need to pick anything up. Meeting up with family and friends in the out of doors as much as possible.

At the beginning of the lockdown, I panicked that there might be a shortage of tape runner for my card and Planner making. So I did a curbside pick-up at my LSS of 5 packages of 3 refill tapes. If you're not familiar with tape runners, that's a lot of tape.

So I kept track of how many I used and from mid-March until mid-June, I used 9 refills after using up the 2 partials that I had started. That's a LOT of Tape Runner.

 From mid-March up until the end of May, I made 174 cards and during that time I sent 11. Sadly my production has slowed to a trickle, in fact, I don't have the July Swap card ready and it's practically half way through the month! Oh well, need to enjoy this weather when we have it even if there aren't many places to go.

Next up The 2020 Zucchini stats... the season has just begun!

Peanut Brittle Cookies

I've been avoiding the blog so I don't have to update my May goals and really I have no goals for June. How bad is that? Seem to be busy with all the yard work, trimming, putting in the garden, aftermath of big tree removal (mulch spreading etc). But not too busy to make these cookies. I've made them before but never posted the recipe. I made a few changes also so I wanted to try it one more time. And AM I glad I did. Such a delicious combination.

 

Peanut Brittle Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda and salt
1/2 cup Skor bits
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup peanuts ( I used salted and left them whole but you could roughly chop)

Mix first 4 ingredients. Add dry ingredients and then mix in add ins.
Back at 350F for 10 min. You could melt and drizzle peanut butter chips over the baked cookies for extra decadence.

May Card Swap

It's been a hot minute since I posted. Lots of yardwork happening over here.
I added a card to my Covid Collection using this Lawn Fawn Set...

I loved the sentiment for this season of chaos and uncertainty...

Keri used a Stampin Up set and alcohol markers to create this stunning sunflower card...

And she always adds an extra touch to the inside..

Nicole used a Jennifer McGuire technique to create this beauty. Love the gold embossing...

The little dots in the background is just Copic marker. It matches so perfectly.
And there you have it. Another month in the books.

My Garden Favourites

I realized while I was re-reading my Garden Pet Peeves that I only had 4 not 5 so Keri reminded me of another...

5. Leaving the hanger on an urn arrangement.

Now on to the positives ( and there are so many )

1.  Walking in the spring and smelling all the delightful shrubs especially the lilacs...

2. Neatly edged sidewalks ( I need this tool )

3.  Seeds sprouting up, I put a few things in the only sunny corner of my yard: radish, spinach and lettuce...

4. Crimson King Maples, the photo doesn't do them justice...

5. Colourful flowers of any kind...

6. Boulevard trees - the existing trees were removed due to Ash Borer THREE years ago. Many calls to the City later, they have finally been replaced with a variety of new trees. I was out of the Country when they went in so I never saw them with leaves. It's been exiting watching the very slow unfurling of leaves this Spring...

7. And my personal Favourite - A Snowball bush, every house should have at least one. Unfortunately Maya likes to dig and then lay down in the corner where mine is located so once I get my maple cut down and the backyard opened up to more SUN, I will plant one (or more)....

I really appreciate the signs of Spring now more then ever on my many very slow strolls around the neighbourhood with Maya.

MFT Sketch Challenge: I'm Itching to see you!

I really liked the Sketch this week on the MFT blog so I sat down this morning to come up with a new Pet Sympathy card.
This is the sketch...

Well I made my card and went to enter it and the linkup is closed! What, it's only Tuesday, I think? and the challenge comes out on Wednesdays. Note to self: Apparently, it closes early. So I decided to change the sentiment to create something for my "Covid Collection" and I pulled out the heat embosser and that's what I came up with. Better luck next time.

Gardening Pet Peeves

You know you're reaching low for Blog content when this is your title...

1. Old shrubs, they have a lifespan people!

Fun fact: I put two of these at the curb and someone actually TOOK them.

2. Watering directions and other plant info on tag left on the plant or basket...

The information is there to guide you to MAKE the purchase!

3.  Stumps!

Especially when people try to beautify them...

Finish the job!

5. And lastly, the little product code sticker left on hanging baskets...

There you have it. My top 5!

We're all ABuzz!

I haven't done a Blog Challenge in so long, it was fun to get creative especially since the theme was ABuzz. Believe it or not, I'm not bee themed out so here is the card that I produced...

I love, love, love the Kraft paper with bees. I had a teeny tiny Bee die set that I bought originally to create with for Loonies for Lindor but it was so painstaking, I never used it. But I didn't have any premade bees to fit the paper so it worked out perfectly for this. Linking up with Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

Maya turns 13!!!

My sweet girl turned 13 today! A year and a half ago I didn't think she would make it another month. Her knee is very arthritic due to ACL repair surgery several years ago and she was having trouble getting up. Well modern medicine has come a long way... She is doing really well, very slow walking but still enjoys getting out and I hold my breath every time she has a sudden burst of energy to chase a squirrel.

She was even able to tolerate a grooming appointment now that she is relatively pain free (just before the Pandemic hit)

I moved a dog bed into every room so she always has a cosy place to rest her old bones.

She follows me around way more then she used to in the past years.

I'm really glad I got this extra time with her and I hope she keeps doing strong for a few more years.
Happy Birthday, Maya!

You Pick Challenge #2

We really enjoyed picking something from our stash and making the other person create 2 cards with it so we are continuing this challenge...
Keri picked this die set for me from Cottage Cutz...

And here are the two cards I created (using Keri's favourite product line, Doodlebug, of course...

I've already popped the get well soon in the mail.

For Keri, I chose the MFT set Magical Dragons (she actually wanted to use it) and she made not one but TWO cards...

I just love the colour combo and the sponged clouds.

Another super cute variation. SO glad we have this hobby to occupy our time during this crazy pandemic. Stay tuned for next time. We have already swapped our selections (from a distance of course)