New Year Goals

Boy - it has been quite a while!  One of my goals for 2018 is to use the stash of Stampin Up tools and supplies that I have sitting aside - things I have ordered but never used yet. So hopefully I will have some techniques and ideas to share here. Over the past week I have concentrated on using up some of the Designer Series Paper (DSP) that I have accumulated.   I chose several layouts from Pinterest and one evening while we were watching a movie I sat and cut up about 8 sheets of DSP into the shapes needed to complete the cards.  Then over New Year's weekend I put the cards together - making a few changes of course :-)   Today I grabbed a few more sheets of DSP and cut each sheet up to make 3 envelope liners (6 x 6 squares) and then with the last section I cut into shapes to use on the front of cards.  I cut a 2 inch strip from one side and then cut the remaining 4 x 6 into 2 equal rectangles of 4 x 3.

And I got 3 unique cards with coordinating envelopes.  So quick and simple.

And from some of the scraps I had in the package of DSP I made these cards.  I had a bunch of arrow die cuts from the colors in the designs stuck in the package from a previous project.

I also purchased a Rival CrockPot Express multi-cooker before Christmas.

I had 2 crockpots and did not like the smaller one as it did not have a Warm function.  The handle cracked and fell off in pieces in November and I found this model on sale at Amazon.com - so I am now venturing into Instant Pot cooking.   Last night I made Spaghetti with meat sauce and it was a big hit!  Tom especially liked that there was only one pot to clean up afterwards - and it cleans very easily!  I included the brand names in the recipe because several in a Facebook group I follow said they made it but there's was watery.  Mine was not - so may be the brands that make the difference.  I also hope to be adding to my recipes blog as I find 'keepers' for the instant pot.   My recipes blog is my online cookbook :-)

Other news - we hosted my family Christmas on December 30.  It was a good time with about 40 people ranging in age from 2 to 77.  Lots of good food and fun. And of course, our traditional ornaments. I'll be posting about that tradition and some other Christmas ideas.  Here is a picture of the siblings - one less this year :-(

So hope all you who are following will enjoy my posts.  Feel free to share them with friends or pin on Pinterest.  And if you use any of the ideas/designs - please leave me a comment or photo of yours.