The Before & After

of my son's poor mouth...  Gotta scrap the good and bad, right?

Click the title for full credits.

Big Day

Cowboy Coffee Cake

Got this recipe from my Basket Weaving Instructor- delicious!
Cowboy Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
2 c brown sugar, packed
2/3 c butter (softened or just melted, not boiling)
2 t baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c sour milk (I used sour cream, buttermilk would probably work also)
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Combine the first 4 ingredients.  Mix together and remove 1/2 cup of the mixture to save for topping.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix.  Add the wet ingredients.
Spray 2, 8x8 or 1, 9x13 pans with non stick spray. 
Dump mixture in to baking pans and top with crumb topping. 
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Better late than never- New Kit this week!

So, I posted my layout at 2Peas on time for my designer but neglected my blog- so sorry. :(  Here's the layout using the new kit by Jopke Designs called Forevermore.

This is one of my favorite "so glad my phone takes decent photos" moments of the summer.
Forever Love

Don't worry.  I also flaked on an assignment for Edeline Marta at TwoPeas so that will be coming soon...  as well as a lot of sewing projects so hope you like seeing those! ;)

Super cool to me that there are "Sew Alongs" and I just loved this one featured on Craft Gossip for a Christmas mantle bunting.  So check it out at SewHappyMe.  She's only leaving patterns up for 1 week, so don't miss downloading any!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

This is not my recipe.  It's a recipe from someone I no longer speak with so I can't ask her where she got it.  So, if you know the source, I'm happy to credit it.  Otherwise, make these and just thank me later ;)  They freeze well so don't be afraid to double the recipe.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Yields 24 muffins

ngredients
For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup and 1 tsp flour
4 tbsp butter, cubed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, about 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil,sugar, and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients into a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or with two forks until crumbly.  (I use a food processor on chop.)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freeze and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

You're Beautiful

You Are Beautiful

Using the new kit by Dianne Rigdon Designs- Just Be

This song from Mercy Me just spoke to me. I pray that my daughter will always know how beautiful, how loved and how she is meant for great things...

First Day of School, First Day of School!

Moms (and stay at home dads) love our kids.

But there is something to getting a small, little break.

After the LONG, hot summer...  driving the car somewhere, knowing your children are happy, learning and having ag reat time without you, is just priceless.

Add to that today, in our area, was the very description of fall- 70 degrees, slightly overcast, slightly windy, it was perfect. 

And Dianne Rigdon's new kits were perfect for scrapping the photos I snapped to commemorate today.  I used her release from last week "Old School" and her newest Fastenation (No 1 and No 3) series of kits as well as an August free template from ChrissyW to speed the process along...  Wait, you want it to be better?  It's 30% off this week! 

You're welcome.

Preschooler

Very nice Labor Day Sale- Karen Funk

I am super excited to announce that I was chosen to participate in Dianne Rigdon's CT!  I am extremely excited to be part of her team and looking forward to her next new releases coming Tues to 2Peas.  So, maybe it's that a positive outweighs a negative, lol, because....

I admit that being turned down for a designers Creative Team is a little bit heart breaking.  Howedver, I do love Karen Funk Designs so thought I'd check her sale out at DHD this morning.  I'd sort of ignored her new releases for a time, I confess.  Hey, I'm human, right!  And it's not like she's the first designer who I got a ding letter from...  ANYWAY....

She's got 2 great kits and has done what designers don't typically do- put both elements packs at $1 so you can buy a whole kit for $2 and even added a coordinating alpha for free.  A very nice deal indeed!  So, I'm downloading now. :) 

Genuinely You Elements- $1

Genuinely You Papers- $1

Blossom Papers- $1

Blossom Elements- $1

Enjoy & happy labor day!

Month in Review: August

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Started reading ADHD: The Family Solution.  The only magazine I finished was probably Parenting.  Looked at a lot of catalogs though!

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?
I've gotten sucks in to Criminal Minds again.  I have completely missed another season of Glee and House though...  Guess that's what I'll watch when  I'm up feeding the baby this winter in the dead of night.

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?
Let's see...  We had a really fun trip to the Zoo on the last day of the month with some friends.  We also went to Young's Dairy and had a fun play date at the splash park with our friend Owen.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
A month where I didn't give many gifts.  I got a wedding present sent off to my husband's nephew and his soon-to-be wife who will saying their vows on our 6 year anniversary.  And I also sent a baby gift to a friend and have a long list of those left to make/wrap/send!  I will be giving a couple gifts to a dear friend at her baby shower tomorrow.
 What special or unusual purchases did I make?
Bought an infant car seat for baby and also some fun things at the learning store for my kids.  I got my son's 5th year book ordered from Shutterfly (arrived today!!!) and had to put tires on the van (not so fun).


What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
Personally? None.  My son however is going to have oral surgery this month for dental work and probably to have a tooth pulled :(What were my accomplishments this month?
Finishing my son's quilt!!!  And his 5th year album.  HUGE!What were my disappointments this month?
I had hoped to have a better month in terms of organizing and decluttering- getting back on track with FLY Lady and just struggled at every turn this month to do it.  Ah well.Anything else noteworthy to include?
Ultrasound showed baby is doing great- though no word on pink or blue.  The family is starting to make preparations for my husband's homecoming which makes me incredibly happy.  And we had our amazing photo shoot with TL Brown Photography who participates in Operation Love Reunited.  And I am thrilled that she's going to allow me to purchase low res images so that I can scrap the photos.  We're also looking at where we want to go to take a tiny vacation when he returns...  All positive and happy things!

Always fun to be noticed

Who doesn't like to get a little "atta girl" every now and then?  That's the fun of the Praise Gallery at TwoPeas.  And this layout was perfect for a challenge issued by Sandy on her blog.  So, here's my chance to Link it Up!  Click the title link for credits, please.

This page was created as I frantically tried to finish my son's 5th year album before a code expired from Shutterfly.  I love doing his books from them- and usually cry when I sit down with the finished product for the 1st time. 

Jeepers Creepers



Sale at PxlPress

Check it out!  One of the awesome designers who helps me get my family's life SCRAPPED is having a 30% off sale!  Visit the website!