A Halloween Treat

I made some cute treats for some friend s for Halloween. I found this cute idea for using the halloween colored mm's in the jar and just had to make them. I added a Happy Halloween and spide vinyl stickers to the jar to bring it all together. this was a fun sunday afternoon activity for my daughter and I . My mom wants to do a chistmas version so I am already thinking about how to make those even cuter.


Here is the recipe I used...

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans (Optional)
Stir all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.


(This is what you put on a tag for the people to add to their cookies)
Add
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated.

Then roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, place on a parchment covered baking sheet (I just used a greased baking sheet) and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. I got about 26-28 cookies out of these.

It's almost countdown time

For Card Swap this month we created altered items. I got this great idea from a friend and had tons of fun creating these countdown block sets. I made one reversible base and 2 sets of blocks for each person. One set is a Christmas countdown and the other is a Countdown to Card Swap. The Christmas set alone would make a great gift for friends, familly, teachers etc. for the holidays. I will be selling the kit on my website . The kit includes the blocks and the vinyl lettering and numbers. all you need is paper and modge podge. Check out all the fun designs I came up with....

Harvest Festival Week...So Sad

So last year we decided that due to the economy and our children we would not do the Big harvest Festival shows for my business this year. Now Sean was thrilled because he usually gets to stand in the booth and make signs for 3 days straight! ( and yes I do love him for doing that) I thought I would be so excited no big rush to gets so many signs done time to enjoy halloween and Christmas with the kids(don't get me wrong I do plan on doing those) but as Harvest Festival comes this weekend I find myself sad. Sad that I won't be setting up on Thursday sad I won't get meet all the great shoppers, sad I don't get to know the people at the booths around me who become like family for the weekend, sad I don't get to spend all that time with my husband because even though we are working very hard we are doing it together. I will miss picking up the kids from school on Thur and bringing them to the fair grounds to have dinner and finish setting up, I will really miss the big fluffy bed at the hotel we always stay at in Pamona!

Okay had to get that off my chest, thanks for listening.

P.S. We are still taking orders on the website and at open houses so don't fear we are still in business :)

Here is my favorite new design I think would have sold like crazy at Harvest Festival this year.

I am in Love...with Fabric

I am in Love with this fabric.....i need to get it !!! Hmmm what do do with it, maybe a fall apron :)
click here to see where you can get them.

August Birthdays

Sean Turns 40
Emily Turns 15
Love You Both!!!

It's Summer

Not much posting going on but I have quite the tan from being outside all summer. A quick update weight loss is still going great at around 13lbs GONE! Sarah left yesterday for a 3 week trip 2 week with her grandma in wisconsin and Tennessee then we will meet up with her in TN. Emily leave today for EFY so that leaves Adam an only child for a whole week. We are excited and have big plans for Legoland and Chuckie Cheese. I am collecting some great craft ideas for myself and church and will get back to creating once the kids are back in school.

Check this out!

Hey my card Swap friends and I want to invite you over to our new blog. These are some amazing creative women sure to inspire many of your projects So head on over to THE ROWDY ROOSTERS and be sure to become a follower you won't want to miss out on a single project.

Frugal Summer Fun

So I am trying to keep my kids busy this sumer without going broke so I thought I would share some fun ideas we are doing.

Monday was Mall day- I had some returns so we headed out we split a buy one get one free pretzel at Auntie Annes pretzels plus a drink and dip $6. I got this fabulous discount card from the High school with great discounts, these are great to look for at the beginning of the school year when the kids are fundraising. We did some window shopping and Adam played on the free playground, the girls tried on clothes for fun and we got see all the cute puppies at the pet store. We ate $1= $4 sundaes from Mcdonalds and ended the day with a cute train ride for Adam and Sarah for $6. All in all we spent $16 and had an afternoon of fun.

Tuesday Fair Day- Yesterday we headed to The San Diego County Fair
Parking- Horsepark free ( line was Looong but moved fast)
Tickets- $2 Free for kids on tuesday, and sean and I got $1 return tickets from when we went so Emiy and I used those.
Lunch- Packed at home and ate while we watched a dance group
Rides- $25 I let each kid have 4 rides and bought the discount sheet + a few extra
Games- $2 They each got to play the fish game and try to win a gold fish- No Luck
Treats-$12 It was taste of the Fair tuesday and that means lots of food vendors offer smaller portions for only $2...We ended up with funnel cakes and get this $1 Shaved ice It was the best!
Gifts- we found a fun place the kids could get 3 neclaces for $5, the girls each picked cute one and even Adam wanted one...of course the shark tooth one which he immediately poked his sister with and she started crying...Boys!
Total-$46 for Mom and 3 kids

Great fun memories at the fair!

Tueday Update -a lesson learned

So this week I was up for the first time..only .2 though. I was not motivated last week and kind of took a break from exercise. No step class or treadmill although I did get a new bike and went on a ride which I have not done in some 10+ years so it was NOT a far ride. Anyway I am hoping to get alot more exercise in this week and get re-motivated to take the next 10 off.

Lesson Learned- If I exercise more I don't have to be so perfect with my points and I can loose...I am definately back at the gym this week!

Tuesday Update

All I have to say is what? I really thought I did not do so hot ok I went to CPK and to a grad party and served a big yummy dinner on sunday..so my hopes were not very high for weigh in this week. But maybe with all the exercise my body is changing..hooray! 1.6 lb lost this week for a total of
10.2lbs gone...boy does that feel good!

A New Hair Color

So I debated never mind you it was 10 o'clock at Target last night what color to do my hair. Now I am a hair color in the box kind of girl ( although this might change that) mostly because I usually have good luck. I had decided to go back to a darker brown..my natural color to more closely match my roots. But that is not where the problem began so I digress. I am a hair color in the box kind of girl mostly because I am to cheap to pay for it at the salon. So as I pondered what color to purchase late last night a giant sign in the isle came to my attention. Purchase one of these and get a $5 target gift card ( and you could get up to 2 cards..with the purchase of 2-which I have to do with all my hair) so I mosied on over and checked it out..now it was good on that new clairol color that only takes 10 minutes so of course I decided to check it out, there were not as many color options but I thought what the heck this is the latest stuff so I grabbed two of the Dark Brown and made my way to the check out where I explained to the young-male cashier that I needed to pay for the color first so I could get my gift cards and use them on the other items in my cart..what a deal.

So now here I am with a REALLY dark brown hair color( okay almost black). I absolutely hated it at first but now an hour later it is growing on me..it is different and what the heck it is summer and will be in a pony tail most of the time anyway.

Color Explosion

When we bought our home almost 9 years ago this first thing I planted were Hydrangeas. I love them and could not wait to have a yard to put them in. Year after year they never fail me....the bloom and bloom and are absolutely beautiful! I love to come around the corner to my house and see those wonderful blooms.

THANKS MOTHER NATURE!

Tueday Update

Hard week but .6 lost! Plan to work had this week to hit the 10lb gone mark!

Tuesday Update

Okay I promise I have more "creative" things to post here soon! Just short on time lately.
I had a great week 1.6lbs lost for a running total of 8lbs and feeling good!

Here is to the start of another great week:)

P.S. that is right after my "free meal" this is my little cheat that keeps me happy. If I have lost weight when I weigh in I allow myself a "free" meal that I don''t have to count the points, usually something I have been craving. It is NOT WW protocol but it works for me and keeps me HAPPY!

Strawberries= it's almost summer!!!

Last week we headed out with my sister in laws and 8 kids in tow to pick strawberries.
Here are the highlights

You get to EAT ALL the strawberries you want while you are picking

You get to make yummy freezer jam that will last even when the strawberries are gone..okay not in my house but it might last that long in someones house.

We had tons of fun....Thanks cousins!

Tuesday Update..a little late

Not great....not bad. That pretty much sums it up I lost 0.4lbs this week. Wish it was more but considering I weighed in directly following a holiday weekend I will take it..it was after all a loss:)

3 Fav's from scapbook Expo

I have been meaning to post these for a while, here are the top the finds i got at the Scrapbook show in Del Mar.

1) I have been looking FOREVER for some good storage for ribbon...this is it! All these timy holes hold all your ribbon in place and visible. I think I need to get a few more of these to be able to wrangle in all my ribbons!

2) I decided I wanted to learn one new techniques at the show and I found these fabulous Glimmer Mist spray inks by Tattered Angels and I love them! I did there make and take demo and created the card you see in the picture. I can't wait to use these for card swap!

3) I got the cutest bag!!! I have since turned it into my "church" bag to tote all of those important things for YW as well as church mag , crayons, cars, paper etc for the kids...you might think at ages 7,10,14 you would not need to take things to church to keep them busy, appartently this is not true with my children. Good thing for me because now I have an excuse to use this really cute adorable bag once a week!! Here is where you can get it K&Company

Tuesday Update

Tuesday weigh in day hooray! 2.6 lbs lost. For a total of 6 lbs.
Thanks for listening/or reading it helps me stay on track:)

I thought I was clever

My mother-in-law being out of town on Mother's day gave me an additional week to come up with a gift..Now I do have a thing for coming up with creative original gifts- if I do say so myself. So I set out on this task last week and thought myself so clever! A basket filled with new summer kitchen towels, a pretty new table cloth and some fabulous cooking magazines. I decided to top it all off by making her a cute half apron.Perfect! I thought. I then arrived at the in-laws for a fabulous Mother's day dinner yesterday and to my surprise found my Mother in law in the middle of making an APRON for her mom for Mother's day...she then proceeded to tell me how she made a half apron for her friend last week....Great minds think alike!

BTW meet Melinda my daughter(Sarah's) new decorative dress form I found at Ross. She has affectionately named her Model Melinda and she hangs her outfit for the next day on her. Adorable!

Tuesday

Tuesday is my weigh in day. I was SOOO good this week on WW I can't believe it but it feels really good!! I am starting to feel in control again. The best part I lost 3.4lbs!

Favorite low point treat (for my WW friends) Skinny Cow Carmel ice cream cone 2pts..sooo good!

It was a good week all in all and it ended with a great Mother's Day. Thanks Kids and Hubby!

Quote of the week: Adam 7 yrs old
"Mom can you just put the healthy stuff in my lunch today"
I must be rubbing off on him :)

Check back soon I am going to post my favorite things I got at the scapbook show a couple of weekends ago.

A New Change

When I began this blog I thought it would be a way to show some creative projects I have been working on and little creative outlet for me. Soon I became a blog stalker of many crafty mom blogs who also threw in a little of their real life the one that goes on while we are thinking of new things to create. SO lately I have been thinking maybe I should throw in some real life and spice things up around here.

Life has been changing around here....I am on a mission to get in shape for summer. Originally I was going to sign up for the weight loss challenge over on A Feathered Nest but the deadline came and went and I just forgot ( forgot is code word for chickened out). Next I was going to join The Biggest Loser competition at my local YMCA but the mandatory meeting came and I had to be somewhere else at the time ( had-also code word for chickened out).

Finally Tuesday I got out of bed and dragged myself to my step class, I felt so good for making myself go I drove right over to a Weight Watchers meeting and signed up!! I have been doing great so far...so there you have it now you all know ( which is kinda embarassing) but noneless the more people who are watching me the more motivated I am. So I guess I am using you all for motivation..THANKS!!

Jar Re-filled

I ran out of tags for my celebrate jar so i thought i would share a few new ones with you. The one pictured by itself is my favorite alothough it is hard to see how great the green rub on design looks. I can't tell you how much I love having these on hand.

stay tuned i have some great ideas i will be working on this week.

Quick gift idea

I had to put together a quick gift for some card swap girls and so i picked up some cute great ribbon at costco ( they have those great big rolls), I cut some cute paper and modge podged it to the front tied a quick ribbon and attached a cute metal monograms to the front.
Happy Birthday Card swap fiends.