A life lived for art is never a life wasted

Hello all! Thank you for visiting my blog! We have lots of great projects for you to be inspired with so enjoy! You also could win a really cool Sunshine In My Soul prize pack! Just leave a comment on each blog and you are entered to win. Now on to the projects. I chose to make a tiny wreath out of die cut feathers.

Love this collection and this wreath is super easy. So easy in fact I made a video... Check it out!



(like this video? They are only gonna get better! Why not subscribe to my channel!)


Now for more chances to win go leave a comment on the other girls blogs too (dont forget to leave one here!)!

Jaime Warren – http://jaimewarren.typepad.com/
Karine Cazenave – http://karinecazenave.typepad.com/
Karola Witczak – http://www.karolakraftuje.blogspot.com/
Lea Lawson – http://leascupcakesandsunshine.blogspot.com/
Leica Forrest - http://www.10-4livingoutloud.typepad.com/
Lisa Andrews – http://lisaandrews.blogspot.com/
Magda Mizera – http://www.magdamizera.blogspot.com/
Marie Ramirez - http://www.absosweetmarie.blogspot.com/ <----you are here

Mou Saha – http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/
Noel Culbertson – http://paperpassionpixels.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Bryan – http://www.stephaniemakes.blogspot.com/
Glitz Design Blog – http://glitzitnow.com/blog



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Now let us drink the stars

Did you all have a wonderful Fathers day? We had a nice time. I made Fajitas for dinner and cupcakes for dessert. Turtle cupcakes....

Recipe for cupcakes.
BROWNIE BATTER
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.
CUPCAKES
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and line with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a very large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full. Remove brownie batter from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

I put caramel sauce on the top of the cupcakes after they cooled then frosted with the new coolwhip frosting. Topped with more caramel and pecans.

Homemade chicken fajitas. They turned out sooo yummy. I let them Marinate in fajita seasoning and lime juice over night. Good times.


Last a little bit of creativity to share... One just because. I used my scraps that are over a year old. Pretty proud of myself.

That's it for now. Come back tmw for the Glitz blog hope and your chance to win a prize!!

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Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore

Back again with a post from Scrap Jacked. The video you all have been waiting for (yeah right). It's not great, and far from perfect. A lot like me. Hehehe! It is something tho. I tried. I really like doing them. They prove to be a challenge. I really need a video camera. Anyway here ya go.




The finished page.


I really enjoyed making this background. If you would like the cut file I created here ya go...Cut File

I finished the cover to my Happy Little moments book. I really like how it turned out. I struggled with it for a day or so. I wasn't sure if I wanted to paint, cover it, or leave it tan. In the end you can see I painted it and added modeling paste with a triangle stencil. LOVE how that turned out. I love modeling paste. My fav thing. It's a little messy but super fun.

I received so many lovely comments and likes on my IG. Thank you!!

To start our summer off right we went to the fair. Sadly my kids have never been. Reason is I have 4. Fairs are not cheap. 25 dollars a kid to ride rides. Plus admission, plus parking, food, drinks, games... Yeah! It is very expensive. We made it happen tho. They quite enjoyed themselves.

One of my pictures was shared by my city (Stockton Ca) and received 620 likes! Really cool.

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Smiled with the risin' sun

Father's day is coming up. Do you have a few special dad's (or men) in your life? I do. My husband is the most special. I know you all know this. I have said it many times before. If you would like to skip over mushy then please do so now. (mushy stuff to begin)He has been there for me always. Good and bad. My best friend. My soulmate. My everything. We have learned to parent together... We aren't perfect and don't claim to be. He keeps me, me. We balance each other. We were meant to be. Over at Glitz we are celebrating that special MAN in our lives... This is my page dedicated to him...Us.

If you leave a comment on the Glitz blog you are entered to win a Glitzy prize! AWESOME!

I also have been doing a few videos. I am hoping to have one for the next Glitz layout. Please forgive them tho, I am using my iPhone and a board (yes you read that right, a board). You know I am on a tight budget (4 kids and all) soooo no extra money for video cameras or fancy tripods. It is what it is. Someday I will get something fancy. For now it works. I also have never really done this before so be kind. LOL! Anyway my first video to share will go up the 15th and it is for the new scrap jacked. I will show ya how I did the page I created for it. For now here is a peek.

I have been doing the Maggie H and Marcy P class over at Studio Calico... Here is a small page I did in my book. Really love this class. Lots of inspiration.

And in none scrappy related news...
I have been struggling with a few things at work. Well one thing, I cant stand that someone is saying things behind my back. Things that aren't true. It is only one person. I try very hard to be a good person, to be fair and let things go... But this person seriously wont quit. I am trying to let it go. I am trying to not let it hurt my heart. The stress it causes makes my chest hurt. I dont know why. Put it in a bubble and let it go.... Or so I tell myself. That is where my fav quote comes in. "I give myself very good advice, but I rarely seldom follow it." Let it go, you cant please everyone. *sigh* Why should it matter what this person thinks? It doesn't, so why does it bug me so much? Anyway...Putting it in the bubble...Now let it go, darn it! Haha!

Thanks for listening to my rant. Sometimes just saying it (or typing it) can be a little therapeutic.
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On a Perfect Summer Day

My first blog post is up for the Glitz Design Blog. I always enjoy creating with Glitz products. Love Uncharted. I really cant get enough of this line. Our theme was to play with the peek a boos.


The peekaboos are so versatile. I used my ampersands for part of my title and the frame as the focus of my layout. I also wanted to draw attention to my picture of the cupcakes so I used a little throw away frame that came with the film strip. I loved it and thought it made my photo pop. So don't throw those bits away they work great to draw attention to a photo or be made into a little embellishment.





I love creating for this company...I think I have said that a lot but I can't help it, it's true!

As a little added bonus here is the recipe for the cherry cupcakes I made in the pic above. I added peanuts and chopped cherries to the filling. I was going for a "big Cherry" candy cupcake.

BIG CHERRY CUPCAKES ( A compilation of a few different recipes.)

Cupcakes
1½ cup flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
8 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup Coca-Cola
¼ tsp maraschino cherry juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
Maraschino cherries, stemless

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the sugar and butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until incorporated.
4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, Coke, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture on low speed, alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.
6. Insert 1 maraschino cherry in the middle of each cupcake and cover with batter.
7. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Frosting: (if piling this on real high like mine, you will probably want to double)
2 sticks salted butter, softened
10 oz jar maraschino cherries
4 cups powdered sugar


In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and four tablespoons of maraschino cherry juice from the jar until smooth. Slowly add four cups of powdered sugar and beat on low until barely mixed.


Gradually increase mixer speed and beat on medium high about a minute. Add some coarsely chopped cherries (I used half the jar–you could use more or less to suit your taste). Beat on medium high for another minute or so until frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add more cherry juice and beat just a bit longer.


Generously frost your cupcakes and place in the refrigerator until well chilled (about an hour)

I added a chocolate ganache as a filling...

Ingredients
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Directions
Cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

I leave out the coffee because I hate coffee lol!


Just a little instagram share with ya.

Cheeries from the flea market... Only 1.50 a lb! Sooo delish too.

Took the kids to the school carnival and snapped this pic of the clown. I thought she looked really neat and I love how this pic came out. I couldn't even see my phone when I took it because it was so sunny out.

My super silly son. We were at the dollar tree. He makes me giggle.

Scrap space bits.

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for leaving me love on the Glitz blog and here! I appreciate it sooo much!


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Waiting for the surprise

I finally got the video tour up and posted! I edited it on my phone. It is a little long. I showed inside here and there. I hope you enjoy it.



I plan on doing more videos. Scrapbooking ones and what not. I hate my voice soooo hopefully I can figure something else out. LOL! Subscribe to my channel if you want to see what I do.

Also I have a few Whisker Graphics DT layouts to share.

We have a challenge going on right now. Use their tags. I stamped on mine and hand stitched a arrow. Love those tags and I really like this page.



Another page just because. I used bitty bags and tags.

Go play, you could win a cool prize!

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