Yummy Bread & a Book Review: Lord John & the Private Matter

In my quest to know all things related to the Outlander Series, I have found a wonderful food blog. Outlander Kitchen:Historical Food inspired by the fictional world of Diana Gabaldon.
This recipe is Honey-Buttermilk Oatbread. The taste and texture of this bread is out of this world. Simple ingredients and quick prep work, favorites in my book.
The raspberry butter is from The Pioneer Woman

Lord John and the Private Matter-If you have read any of the Outlander Series, then you surely remember Lord John Grey, well his Lordship has his very own series now. Throughout the Outlander Series we get glimpse of Lord John, but I was always left wanting more. Lord John is very entertaining and leads a very eventful life.
In this book he is sent out to investigate a murder of a fellow soldier, who is tangle in a very strange web. While investigating he discovers the murder of what we would call a drag queen in today's world, and I will say that I laughed out loud when it is discovered the "she has whiskers"!! Lord John has such a dry scene of humor and quick wit that I just think he is grand.
Here is a link to find out all about the book.

I Live for these Momments Planner/Calendar Class

I Live for these Moments Monthly Planner

Date: February 11th, 2012
Time: 9:30 am
Place: My House in Lubbock
Please bring standard tool kit-paper trimmer, adhesive and scissors
RSVP and Pre Pay to hold you spot by Monday January 30th
Cost $16.50

Your kit includes:
1 Calendar/Planner
1 Stella Complements Canvas Shapes
1 Bohemian Button and Dollie assortment
2 sheets of pattern cardstock
Step by step instructions

Project Life: 2012/ Week 2 & 3

Week 2-I choose to use Design G for this week because I had 2 of each of the direction photos. Below you can see that it was cold here (I think it was across a lot of the country that week, because I see lots of iphone screen shots in the PL reviews). I used some chipboard letters from CTMH with glitter and Liquid glass over the top of them.
Here I used one of the smaller cards to note the week and I added a fortune from a fortune cookie at lunch that week (be sure to save all of those little things for your book) Then I just did some quick summaries of the week on the journaling card.
Here you can see that I used one of the clear date stickers from the kit (mon) and I typed "everything that glitters" over the photo before I printed it. Most photo software will let you do that.
Week 3-My week was very uneventful untill the weekend when my sister came to town. Friday was her birthday so we had a little celebration and then did some crafting.
Below I used some CTMH stamps to create the birthday journaling card along with some of the pattern paper to match the core kit. I also cut a butterfly using the CTMH cricut cartridge for the additional journaling card.
I used one of the big cards from the core kit to note the weeks date and what events happened.
I picked up some cupcake for my sisters birthday at a fancy cupcake shop here in town, and I saved the business card from the store to add to the book.
I think you should be able to click on the pictures to see larger.
Have a great weekend!

Book Review: The Distant Hours

Back in 2010 I read another book, The Forgotten Garden (you can read my review here) by this same author and just loved the book. I decided to download this one and give it a try. It took me a very loooong time to read this book. I just really couldn't get into, the story didn't get interesting until about 45-50%........
And after that I still had a hard time with it. At about 90% the story finally is happening.

This is the story of 3 sister who live in a castle. The story jumps around from present time to when the sisters were little and living in the castle with their father who is a writer of a very famous book. Through out the story it is discovered that he is mentally ill.
In present time a young woman, Edie is ask to write the forward for the 3 sisters famous fathers book. She discovers many secrets, murders and the true story behind the famous book.

You can read all about the story here.

Thrift Store Find cards

Last week I headed over to the goodwill looking for some old frames and anything that I might like to use in the Lucy trailer. I was out of luck this time around, but I did find these index card divider tabs for 10 cents!!! My first thought was to save them for my project life album, but when I folded one in half it it came to me to use them as cute cards. I added some ledger paper from Walmart and here we are!

"A" Size Stamp Club

Hosted by Aaron Brown
Close to My Heart Consultant
Kabrown63@hotmail.com


This club is a 6 month commitment (Feb 2012 to July 2012)
-Cost: $16.95 (+tax) per month ($18.35)
-I will host a club night once a month
Benefits of attending club night-prizes, use my ink/blocks and fellowship
-out of town customers please add $5.00 for shipping ($23.35)

What you get each month:
1 A size stamp set
4 projects pre-cut
Step by Step printed instructions
(we will also use A Bowwow, A Tree, Quick card butterfly, A journey and A Blossom)

Benefits:
· Receive the new Spring 2012 Idea Book And Catalog FREE!
· Receive 1 A size stamp each month (value $6.95)
· You will receive a 4 pre cut projects each month with directions. If you attend my club night, you will have the benefit of using my inks/block and winning a door prize.
· Receive a thank you gift from me at the end of the six months (July 2012).

Terms:
· Commit to the club for a period of 6 months, Feb-July2012.
· Commit to purchase a “kit” for $16.95 (before tax—non local members pay $5.00 shipping) each of the 6 months.
· Place orders on time (by the 5th of each month).

Other Details:
· If your order is not submitted on time, I will order the Standard order and charge you accordingly.
· You have the option to change the stamp every month, but you must notify me at the time of payment, otherwise the stamp intended for that month will be ordered. Projects and directions provide will feature the stamp featured that month, no additional material or directions will be provided for other stamps.

If you are interested in this club, please contact me by email (listed above)

Stella Workshop on the Go Class

Date: February 4, 2011
Time: 9:30 am
Place: My House
Please RSVP & Pre pay by Jan 23
*Please bring standard class tool kit – Paper Trimmer, Scissors, and Permanent Adhesive

Cost: $29.95
Stella Level 2 Paper Pack Stella stamp set
Bohemian Assortment
Heart Dimensional Elements
Workshop booklet & Card directions
($35.00 including tax and shipping)

Add On Suggestions:
Clear Sparkles (z1104)
Colonial White Die cut cards (z1738)
Fashionista Stamp Set(D1504)
Total 57.80(total including shipping and tax 67.55)

Purchase all of the above and earn the stamp of the Month for only $5.00 more.

Sending you Luck

Like I said, Elemental Paper Pack from CTMH is so versatile, here I used it for a great St. Pat's day treat and a couple of St Pat's day cards.
Here you can see I used on of the tag journaling spots for a treat holder!
Have a great weekend!
PS -I have my project life pages done, I just thought I would save up a few weeks and show you a few at a time, so look for those in a week or so.

Thanks Wreath

I never seem to have enough Thank you notes, I am always using them up! I use them quite a bit for my other job, and a customer that we mow their yard weekly and put up the Christmas lights gave us a couple of gift cards so that all the employees to go out to eat. These thank you cards were made for him so that we could all sign it and Thank him for the lunch!

A+ Fry Box

Here is a clever idea for a honor roll student! I cut the fry box from the CTMH Art Philosophy cricut cartridge using the Elemental paper! Elemental is so great for just about every holiday and theme you can think of. I stamped the cute little school house and add some pencils and crayons to the box!

Love Tree Card

I thought this card would be perfect for Valentine's Day...a tree with initials carved in the trunk! This card is created with the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I used the gypsy to flip, rotate and weld 2 trees together.

Pencil Jar

Last week I made this cute pencil Jar using a Mason Jar from my kitchen!! I just love how the Elemental paper from CTMH is so versatile. The patterns are simple and can be use for anything, this red pattern is great for Valentines day and Christmas!

Project Life: 2012/Week 1

Here is my week 1 layout for Project Life. A typical week for me doesn't involve a picture a day...my life is just not that eventful~so I most of the time use only one page. For week 1 you can see that I went with the orange them (I picked out the orange to highlight the orange in the sunrise photo) For those of you who have asked me about using CTMH with it, you can see how I added stamping, chipboard and glitter glue to this set.Here you get an idea that I used a combo of handwriting and type (I have a vintage typewriter). If you notice on the sunrise photo I did some stamping directly on the picture using a sentiment stamp (it reads "the absolute blessing of today")
I am also a fan of instagram on the iphone, I can print the square ones right at home using my Canon Selphy printer (I set the software to print with a boarder and they come out perfect)

Class tonight: Stamp of the Month

When Thursday, January 12
Stamp of the Month Class
at 6:30 pm
At my house on Upland Ave.
Please RSVP by the morning of so I can have can have your supplies ready

Come on over and get your Fingers Inky! Each month I will feature a card using the Stamp of the Month. All of the supplies you need to create the project will be included. At the end of the class we will have shopping time and each person in attendance will need to place a order of at least $9.95. This is a great way to build up your supplies and make a great project!

Celebrate:Hip Hip Hooray

This card was inspired by the this card-I loved the hanging tags and banners. I used some older ledger paper and added some pattern paper from the Elemental collection from CTMH.
I though using Blue and green made it a great card for a man, I tend to lean more to the girly colors and flowers-

Book Reviews: The Fiery Cross and One For the Money

I finished the 5th novel in the Outlander Series. There is not much to say about this serious, except that I love these books. The characters feel like old friends, and in all honesty I miss them when I am reading something else. I have made this rule for myself that I have to read at least 2 books before I can read the next one in the series. I love the Outlander series so much that I want it to last. This book finds Jamie and Claire in North Carolina, 1772ish. I will say this book was much less intense that the earlier books and I like that. It seems that when the books are intense I have a hard time putting them down. Jamie turned 50 in this book, and I find that I like the older Jamie very well. Brianna and Roger are also in this book (Brianna is Claire and Jamie's grown daughter) their story is starting to take shape in this book, and you start to see how things might come together in the next books.
I would highly recommend these books to everyone!
I like to read books that become movies (except pet books/movies with sad endings) so when I saw this book and movie preview I gave it a try. This is a really funny book, and an easy read. I read this book in 2 days (it took me almost 3 weeks to read the Fiery Cross, a book with over 1000 pages)From what I can tell there are several in the series of Stephine Plum, and I might give them a try later on. Stephine Plum has just lost her job and must resort to bounty hunting to make some money. She takes the case of and old grade school acquaintance who is accused of murder, but skipped bail to prove his inosense. In turn for her help proving he is not guilty, he will let her trun him in and collect the money.
Below is the movie preview-


As for the pet books/movies, I don't like sad endings where the pet or animal dies.....so those of you who are wondering I have not read War Horse or watch the movie---to worried the horse might die! Marley and Me almost did me in!!

Grandest year yet

I am still enjoying the rock the block special-this E size stamp set is such a steal for $15! For this card I combined the great flourishes and the stunning corner stamp with the Hooray bouquet stamp set. If you are interested in getting this stamp set and blocks for just $15 with a qualifying purchase then head over to my website.

A whale of a Valentine

I couldn't resit--I saw a card in Target that said this exact thing, and I had to come home and make my own version! To create the sentiment on the card I just ran cardstock through my printer. For the water I used a straight stamp and attached it wavy to the block (one of the many benefits of clear stamps). I think this whale card would be so cute on 3x3 cards for school kids to hand out.

Cricut Class Tonight

Free Cricut Class

Thursday January 5th at 6:30 pm
At my house on Upland Ave.
Please RSVP by noon today so I can have can have your supplies ready

Hello There

I have been in great need of baby cards lately-It seems that November and December were the month to be born!! This is a simple baby card that I created for a new addition to a friends family. Although it is hard to tell, I used some clear embossing powder for the random animals at the top of the card.

John 3:16

The wonderful stamp from CTMH John 3:16 was one of my must haves from the current catalog. The main image on the stamp set is such a great focal point itself, that I think Elemental is a wonderful paper pack to use with it. The simple designs of the paper go wonderful with the image.

Elemental Card box & 3x3 cards Class

Date: January 14th, 2012
Time: 9:30 am
Place: My House in Lubbock
Please bring standard tool kit-paper trimmer, adhesive and scissors
RSVP and Pre Pay to hold you spot by Monday January 2nd
Cost $25.00 per kit

Your kit includes:
1 My Creations Card Box
1 Package of 10 3x3 envelopes
1 Package of clear sparkles
1 Package of designer Sparkle brads
Pre-cut flower and shapes
7 sheets of cardstock and pattern paper

I have since added some great glass feet to this box that will be included in your kit as well.