Monday, August 28, 2017

Quilted Heart


Quilted Heart

4.5 x 5.5"

$2.50


May not be exactly as shown.  Each piecing is individually handmade.

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #5

I just dumped my tool tote.

New smaller totes . . . one for markers and the other for my basic tools.

Extra tools are in the two green totes.  My stamps are in the wicker basket.

One bin is for foam stamps and the other contains punches.

How did you make out on Challenge #4.  I actually downsized my tool tote quite a bit.  I guess I just stuff everything in there even if I just use it once a year.  In fact, that is the secret to downsizing my readily-available-on-my-desk tote . . . everything that is only used once in a blue moon has been containerized.  While it is all still available, it is out of the way until I need it . . . which will be when there is another blue moon.  I was actually surprised at how few markers I threw out.  

I'm ready for Challenge #5:

Image result for stickers, die cuts and rub ons storage

Stickers, diecuts, and rub-ons are some of the hardest things to organize because the different sizes and shapes pose many challenges. Rub-ons present their own challenges because if they aren't stored properly, they stick to each other, damaging precious supplies.

SORT: time to be ruthless. Consider if you are really going to use these items. If you bought a whole sheet of die cut just to use one or two tags, why are you hanging on to the whole sheet? Those stickers you bought in 1999 were adorable then, but definitely not your style now, are they? So, sort into piles: TRASH, SELL, DONATE, TO KEEP

PURGE: Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up, and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile and put them directly into the garage sale box. Make immediate arrangements to rid yourself of the DONATE items. 

ASSIGN: The KEEP items need to be divided into categories that make sense to you: by colour, by manufacturer, theme, size, or type.

CONTAINERIZE: Here is an article about storing stickers, diecuts and rub-ons: http://www.simplyorganized.me/2011/12/scrapbook-organization-stickers.html

EQUALIZE: take a few minutes at the end of each scrap session, and whenever you return from a crop or a shopping trip to put your stickers, rub-ons and diecuts where they belong.

Sketch #17 ~ 9 photos 2 pages


Friday, August 25, 2017

Potatoes and Ham Scallop

Image result for Potatoes and Ham Scallop

2-1/2 cups thinly sliced raw potatoes
1 cup cooked ham, cut into strips
1/4 cup sliced onion
1-1/2 cups seasoned thin white sauce

Put alternate layers of potatoes, ham, and onion in a 1-quart casserole.  Pour sauce over.

Cover and bake in moderate oven (350 F) until potatoes are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.

Uncover for the last 15 minutes to brown the top.

Serves 2.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Rooster


Rooster

4.5 x 5.5"

$3.00


May not be exactly as shown.  Each piecing is individually handmade.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Top Movies of All Time according to IMDB ~ #11 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)


I probably would not have watched this movie and the sequels if not for this top movie list.  Otherworldly fantasies with scary stuff and violence and not generally my cup of tea.  And it would have been my loss.  The story is wonderful and vivid and exciting . . . 

Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and many more, this is the story of a very dangerous ring found by a Hobbit named Frodo and the epic journey to destroy the ring and save Middle Earth.  He is aided by a powerful wizard, his best friends, and joined by others on his journey.

This movie is filmed in New Zealand and is worth watching just for all the lush exotic scenery.

Excellent edge of your seat entertainment.  Just be careful.  If you watch one you will want to watch all the others in the series . . . and you might even want to read the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.  They are on my reading list.



Academy Awards, USA 2002

Won
Oscar
Best Cinematography
Andrew Lesnie 
Best Makeup
Peter Owen
Richard Taylor 
Best Music, Original Score
Howard Shore 
Best Effects, Visual Effects
Jim Rygiel
Randall William Cook
Richard Taylor
Mark Stetson 
Nominated
Oscar
Best Picture
Peter Jackson
Barrie M. Osborne
Fran Walsh 
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Ian McKellen 
Best Director
Peter Jackson 
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Peter Jackson 
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
Grant Major (art director)
Dan Hennah (set decorator) 
Best Costume Design
Ngila Dickson
Richard Taylor 
Best Film Editing
John Gilbert 
Best Music, Original Song
Enya
Nicky Ryan
Roma Ryan
For the song "May It Be".
Best Sound
Christopher Boyes
Michael Semanick
Gethin Creagh
Hammond Peek 

Monday, August 21, 2017

Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Corn Chowder

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder Recipe-6


A Lightened Up Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Corn Chowder with crispy bacon pieces and mozzarella cheese! As simple as throwing ingredients into a slow cooker!

Servings 8
Ingredients

500 g | 1 pound chicken thighs , diced into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion , diced
2 carrots , peeled, and diced
1 red pepper (capsicum), deseeded and diced
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (OR 2 X 420g | 15-ounce cans sweet corn kernels , washed and strained
1 x 420g | 15oz can creamed corn
24 ounces | 800g red potatoes (or 3-4 potatoes), peeled and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/3 cup light / reduced fat cream (substitute with milk to cut calories. Substitute with almond milk for dairy free options)
2 cups milk mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch (skim, 2% or full fat. Substitute with almond milk for dairy free options)
Salt to season (I use about 3-4 teaspoons -- adjust to your tastes)
1/2 cup mozzarella (or cheddar) cheese
1/2 cup diced bacon , trimmed of fat

Instructions

Sear chicken in a skillet or pan over medium heat to brown all over (or in your 6-quart instant pot on 'sear/sauté' setting. Transfer chicken to your slow cooker or instant pot bowl. Add the diced onion, carrots, red peppers (capsicum), corn, creamed corn, potatoes, chicken broth and garlic powder. Stir and cover with lid; cook on slow cooker high setting for 3-4 hours or low setting 6-8 hours. For Instant Pot, set to Pressure Cook on Soup setting for 30 minutes.
When potatoes are fork tender and chicken is falling apart (45 minutes before the end of cooking time), stir the cream (or milk) and cornstarch mixture through the chowder. Mix well; cover and allow to thicken on high heat setting.
Using a stick blender, blend the bottom of the chowder only for a couple of seconds to puree some of the potatoes to make the chowder thicker. Alternatively, use a potato masher.
Stir in salt and pepper to taste; add in the cheese; top with the bacon; garnish with fresh chives and serve.

Recipe Notes:  If using fresh corn, you will need 4 ears of fresh corn for 3 cups.

From cafedelites.com

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #4

I've finished Challenge #3. How about you?
I'm very lucky because I've done the photo challenge so many times over the years. I always upload my photos to my favourite photo processing site as I go along but I wait for a sale and then order them to be printed. As soon as I pick them up from the store I pop them right into page kits. All done.

How did you decide to sort and store your photos?

If you are ready, here is Challenge #4 . . .

Tools & Adhesives



Gather together all of your tools and adhesives into a box and let's start S.P.A.C.E.ing them!

Sort: one by one, put each item into piles: FAVOURITES, TRASH, TO SELL, STORE, DONATE.

Purge: For the SELL pile: bag up and assign a price and your initials to tools/adhesives that you don't love/use anymore and put them in your garage sale box. Throw out the TRASH pile. Arrange pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile.

Assign: Store your most used items in a basket or box or other system right on your desk, within easy reach. Divide the STORE items into categories that make sense to you: cutting tools, pens, punches, templates, etc.

Containerize: This is the time to tidy up your tools. Tools need regular maintenance to keep them efficiently working. As you put your tools away in whatever container (drawers, shelves, boxes, baskets - always ensuring the container is clearly labelled) give them a little maintenance.

scissors - sharpen your scissors using a small scissor sharpener, or have them professionally done. Carefully clean the blades (I like alcohol swabs to remove sticky adhesive)

pens - test pens and throw out the ones that are dry or don't work well.

craft knives - change the blades

trimmers - clean the deck of your trimmers with a damp cloth, and a little cleanser if necessary. Replace dull blades, or cut through fine sandpaper or aluminium foil.

work surface - clean ink, adhesive and paint from the mat.

punches - to prevent punches from sticking, punch through wax paper. Problem punches may need a little lubricating oil such as sewing machine oil, then punch through scrap paper several times to remove oily residue. Dull punches can be sharpened by punching through aluminium foil or fine grade sandpaper (both right side up and upside down)

rubber stamps - stamps should be cleaned after each use, but if there is a build up of ink on your stamps, you should clean them with an alcohol free baby wipe, or paper towels moistened with a mild cleanser (ammonia free/bleach free) Use a soft toothbrush to remove ink stuck in the crevices of a design. Store stamps flat, rubber side down.

Equalize: Once you have a system in place for you tools, putting them back in the same place every time will become a reflex, and you will never have to hunt for you scissors again! Take a couple of minutes at the end of each scrap session to put your tools away.

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #4

I've finished Challenge #3. How about you?
I'm very lucky because I've done the photo challenge so many times over the years. I always upload my photos to my favourite photo processing site as I go along but I wait for a sale and then order them to be printed. As soon as I pick them up from the store I pop them right into page kits. All done.

How did you decide to sort and store your photos?

If you are ready, here is Challenge #4 . . .

Tools & Adhesives



Gather together all of your tools and adhesives into a box and let's start S.P.A.C.E.ing them!

Sort: one by one, put each item into piles: FAVOURITES, TRASH, TO SELL, STORE, DONATE.

Purge: For the SELL pile: bag up and assign a price and your initials to tools/adhesives that you don't love/use anymore and put them in your garage sale box. Throw out the TRASH pile. Arrange pick-up or drop-off of the DONATE pile.

Assign: Store your most used items in a basket or box or other system right on your desk, within easy reach. Divide the STORE items into categories that make sense to you: cutting tools, pens, punches, templates, etc.

Containerize: This is the time to tidy up your tools. Tools need regular maintenance to keep them efficiently working. As you put your tools away in whatever container (drawers, shelves, boxes, baskets - always ensuring the container is clearly labelled) give them a little maintenance.

scissors - sharpen your scissors using a small scissor sharpener, or have them professionally done. Carefully clean the blades (I like alcohol swabs to remove sticky adhesive)

pens - test pens and throw out the ones that are dry or don't work well.

craft knives - change the blades

trimmers - clean the deck of your trimmers with a damp cloth, and a little cleanser if necessary. Replace dull blades, or cut through fine sandpaper or aluminium foil.

work surface - clean ink, adhesive and paint from the mat.

punches - to prevent punches from sticking, punch through wax paper. Problem punches may need a little lubricating oil such as sewing machine oil, then punch through scrap paper several times to remove oily residue. Dull punches can be sharpened by punching through aluminium foil or fine grade sandpaper (both right side up and upside down)

rubber stamps - stamps should be cleaned after each use, but if there is a build up of ink on your stamps, you should clean them with an alcohol free baby wipe, or paper towels moistened with a mild cleanser (ammonia free/bleach free) Use a soft toothbrush to remove ink stuck in the crevices of a design. Store stamps flat, rubber side down.

Equalize: Once you have a system in place for you tools, putting them back in the same place every time will become a reflex, and you will never have to hunt for you scissors again! Take a couple of minutes at the end of each scrap session to put your tools away.

Soccer Ball


Soccer Ball

4.75 x 4.75"

$3.00


May not be exactly as shown.  Each piecing is individually handmade.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Baked Teriyaki Chicken


Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 skinless chicken thighs

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  3. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Broccoli Pie

Sorry, I don't have a photo.  This recipe is from my daughter-in-law's mother and it is delicious.

1 medium onion
2 eggs
1 4 oz stick of butter
1 small head of broccoli
1 250 ml cream cheese or cottage cheese
1 8 oz Jiffy corn muffin mix

Chop broccoli into small pieces and microwave for 2 minutes.  Chop onions into small cubes.  Melt butter.

Combine onions with melted butter, eggs, and microwaved broccoli.  Mix together with cream cheese.  Fold in Jiffy mix.

Place in an 8" Pyrex dish.  Bake for 45 minutes at 325 F.

Truck #1


Truck #1

3.5 x 5.5"

$2.50


May not be exactly as shown.  Each piecing is individually handmade.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Eggs

https://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/mixed-vegetable-salad-eggs
Mixed Vegetable Salad with Eggs
Quantity : 2 servings
Preparation : 10 min Cooking : 20 min
300 calories/serving

Ingredients

1potatoes200 g
2/3 cupgreen/snap beans70 g
1tomatoes, sliced120 g
1/4curly leaf lettuce90 g
1eggs size large
6black olives2 1/2 tbsp
45 mLClassic Vinaigrette 
(https://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/classic-vinaigrette?gpr=707)
3 tbsp
1 pinchsalt [optional]0.1 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]

Method

  1. Prepare the vegetables: wash the potatoes then let them whole, unpeeled; trim the ends of the green beans. Place the vegetables in a steamer basket or in a pot of salted water to either boil or steam until al dente, about 20 min. Let them cool down 10 min or longer, so they won't be so hot to handle. Cut the potatoes into slices, cut the beans into pieces.
  2. Boil the egg(s), cool them down immediately in cold water, then cut into quarters.
  3. Put all the vegetables in a salad bowl or serving plate. Add the tomatoes. Pour on the classic vinaigrette, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
  4. Arrange the olives, salad leaves, and quartered egg(s) on top of the salad, then serve.

Saturday, August 12, 2017

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #3

Challenge #3



So, your paper is beautifully organized, your scraps carefully stashed or purged, and your desk is gleaming! I've posted photos in our Facebook group but you are also welcome to post links to your challenge photos as a comment here.

Scrap paper and extra cardstock
I don't save any scraps smaller than 4 x 6"

My patterned papers and cardstocks are the basis for my page kits.  Photos, ephemera, embellishments, sketch ideas are added to the page kits so when I get a chance to scrapbook I am ready to go.

More page kits

Even the photos are in the kits, ready to scrap.

More page kits.  I haven't had a lot of time to scrapbook yet this summer.

This is actually just one page kit.  We took a lovely tour up to Manitoulin Island in June and made many many many stops along the way and took a ridiculous number of photos.  It is a really beautiful part of the world.
I need lots of Christmas and sports supplies because I take a lot of those type of photos.  There are very few single sheets in that box but I want to be able to find them if I am working on cards or paper piecings or a very simple layout.  The family box is also a page kit for my family tree album.
 You are starting to be organized.  Doesn't it make you feel creative? Don't you want to get cropping? Well, you CAN'T scrapbook without PHOTOS!

Our third challenge is to organize our photos. Here is an excellent article to get you thinking about how to organize those precious photos before we S.P.A.C.E. them:

https://www.scrapbook.com/articles/organizing-and-storing-your-photos-and-negatives

SORT: Gather together all of your photos, and sort them into categories that make sense: TRASH (it's okay to throw out photos with bad colour, expression, composition. Why keep them? You're not going to scrapbook them) TO SCRAPBOOK (the shots you know you are going to use) TO STORE (photos that need to be kept, but aren't necessarily going to be going into your scrapbooks) TO GIVE AWAY (doubles that you want to send to friends and family)

PURGE: Throw out the TRASH pile. Put the TO GIVE AWAY photos in envelopes and mail them to friends/family, or put them in your car so you can drop them off the next time you visit. Do not leave them in your studio, or they will creep back into your organized space.

ASSIGN: Sort the final two groups of photos into a system that makes sense to you:

Chronologically
Holiday/Event/Vacation
Person

CONTAINERIZE: Now it's time to decide how you want to store your photos. Perhaps you want to put your TO STORE photos in acid free envelopes or albums. Perhaps you want to put your TO SCRAPBOOK photos into photo storage boxes, or accordion folders.

EQUALIZE: Next time you get new photos from the photo processor, spend a couple of minutes and put the photos where they belong: throw out the bad shots, give away the extras, put the keepers away in their album, and sort your photos for scrapbooking into their container.

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #3

Challenge #3



So, your paper is beautifully organized, your scraps carefully stashed or purged, and your desk is gleaming! I've posted photos in our Facebook group but you are also welcome to post links to your challenge photos as a comment here.

Scrap paper and extra cardstock
I don't save any scraps smaller than 4 x 6"

My patterned papers and cardstocks are the basis for my page kits.  Photos, ephemera, embellishments, sketch ideas are added to the page kits so when I get a chance to scrapbook I am ready to go.

More page kits

Even the photos are in the kits, ready to scrap.

More page kits.  I haven't had a lot of time to scrapbook yet this summer.

This is actually just one page kit.  We took a lovely tour up to Manitoulin Island in June and made many many many stops along the way and took a ridiculous number of photos.  It is a really beautiful part of the world.
I need lots of Christmas and sports supplies because I take a lot of those type of photos.  There are very few single sheets in that box but I want to be able to find them if I am working on cards or paper piecings or a very simple layout.  The family box is also a page kit for my family tree album.
 You are starting to be organized.  Doesn't it make you feel creative? Don't you want to get cropping? Well, you CAN'T scrapbook without PHOTOS!

Our third challenge is to organize our photos. Here is an excellent article to get you thinking about how to organize those precious photos before we S.P.A.C.E. them:

https://www.scrapbook.com/articles/organizing-and-storing-your-photos-and-negatives

SORT: Gather together all of your photos, and sort them into categories that make sense: TRASH (it's okay to throw out photos with bad colour, expression, composition. Why keep them? You're not going to scrapbook them) TO SCRAPBOOK (the shots you know you are going to use) TO STORE (photos that need to be kept, but aren't necessarily going to be going into your scrapbooks) TO GIVE AWAY (doubles that you want to send to friends and family)

PURGE: Throw out the TRASH pile. Put the TO GIVE AWAY photos in envelopes and mail them to friends/family, or put them in your car so you can drop them off the next time you visit. Do not leave them in your studio, or they will creep back into your organized space.

ASSIGN: Sort the final two groups of photos into a system that makes sense to you:

Chronologically
Holiday/Event/Vacation
Person

CONTAINERIZE: Now it's time to decide how you want to store your photos. Perhaps you want to put your TO STORE photos in acid free envelopes or albums. Perhaps you want to put your TO SCRAPBOOK photos into photo storage boxes, or accordion folders.

EQUALIZE: Next time you get new photos from the photo processor, spend a couple of minutes and put the photos where they belong: throw out the bad shots, give away the extras, put the keepers away in their album, and sort your photos for scrapbooking into their container.

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #2

Challenge #2

Image result for piles of scrapbooking paper

How did you make out with last week's challenge? Did you find your work table?

I managed to get all of my tables cleared and scrubbed. I've posted photos in our Facebook group but you are also welcome to post links to your challenge photos as a comment here.






We have started a Facebook group as a place for us to share photos, accomplishments, encouragement, tips and tricks as we work through the 2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge.

Here is this week's challenge:

Your challenge this week is to S.P.A.C.E. your paper - - and I mean ALL of your paper: cardstock, patterned paper, specialty papers, and all those SCRAPS!

SORT: Bring all of your paper to one area. Sort it all into piles: KEEP, SELL, DONATE, TRASH

PURGE: bag up, and assign a price to paper bundles that you want to SELL at a garage sale or online, and put the bags in the garage sale box. Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up the DONATE pile and immediately make arrangements for drop-off/pick-up or put in your vehicle.

ASSIGN: separate your paper into categories that make sense to you. For example, you may want to divide it simply into cardstock and patterned paper. If you have a huge stash of paper, you may want to divide it by colour, theme, or manufacturer.

Another way to sort your paper is in page kits. Package matching patterned papers in a zip lock or similar bag, add matching cardstocks and embellishments to create kits.

CONTAINERIZE: store you paper in a way that makes sense to you:

- vertical paper holders
- hanging vertical file folders
- wire cubes
- paper trays
- paper organizers
- bookcases with adjustable shelves

Click here to see lots of different storage ideas.

EQUALIZE: each time you finish a scrap session, return from a crop, or bring home new papers, spend a few minutes putting your paper away where it belongs.

2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge Take 2 ~ Challenge #2

Challenge #2

Image result for piles of scrapbooking paper

How did you make out with last week's challenge? Did you find your work table?

I managed to get all of my tables cleared and scrubbed. I've posted photos in our Facebook group but you are also welcome to post links to your challenge photos as a comment here.






We have started a Facebook group as a place for us to share photos, accomplishments, encouragement, tips and tricks as we work through the 2017 Craft Space Organization Challenge.

Here is this week's challenge:

Your challenge this week is to S.P.A.C.E. your paper - - and I mean ALL of your paper: cardstock, patterned paper, specialty papers, and all those SCRAPS!

SORT: Bring all of your paper to one area. Sort it all into piles: KEEP, SELL, DONATE, TRASH

PURGE: bag up, and assign a price to paper bundles that you want to SELL at a garage sale or online, and put the bags in the garage sale box. Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up the DONATE pile and immediately make arrangements for drop-off/pick-up or put in your vehicle.

ASSIGN: separate your paper into categories that make sense to you. For example, you may want to divide it simply into cardstock and patterned paper. If you have a huge stash of paper, you may want to divide it by colour, theme, or manufacturer.

Another way to sort your paper is in page kits. Package matching patterned papers in a zip lock or similar bag, add matching cardstocks and embellishments to create kits.

CONTAINERIZE: store you paper in a way that makes sense to you:

- vertical paper holders
- hanging vertical file folders
- wire cubes
- paper trays
- paper organizers
- bookcases with adjustable shelves

Click here to see lots of different storage ideas.

EQUALIZE: each time you finish a scrap session, return from a crop, or bring home new papers, spend a few minutes putting your paper away where it belongs.

Thursday, August 10, 2017