Retiring stamp sets

Just sharing a few cards I made in the past with a couple stamp sets that are retiring June 1.


Vintage Vogue - the larger flower was stamped and cut out of a scrap of paper. I curled the petals using my paper piercer.


Flower Fest - for this one I stamped the images randomly using Basic Gray. Then using a cotton ball and the chalk pastels I added color to match the images.


Flower Fest - this is much bolder. Stamped with Stazon Black and then used sponges and ink pads to 'burnish' color on the images.

I will hate to see both of these go but looking forward to seeing the new sets!

Reitring stamps - Greenhouse Garden

A large number of Stampin Up stamp sets will be retiring on June 1. Between now and then I will highlight a few of these sets on my blog. Don't miss out - if you like them, you need to order them soon.

The first one is Greenhouse Garden. This is a two-step stamp set. You stamp the background image and them stamp the detail over that. Some two step sets take a lot of patience and the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get them lined up but this set is very forgiving. I rarely worry about lining up the second image and it almost always comes out looking fine.


This card was from the Faux Silk technique class. I used Tangerine Tango for the background and Cajun Craze for the detail stamp.
The sentiment is from Thoughts and Prayers.


This was a fun card I made to use up some Blue Bayou ribbon that I had. The larger flowers are More Mustard overstamped with Cajun Craze. The smaller flowers are Blue Bayou overstamped with Not Quite Navy. The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake.


This was a fun card we did for one of our clubs. Inks used were Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, Cajun Crase, Tangerine Tango, Early espresso. I have a tutorial posted at Tri-Fold Card which shows this same card in pinks and blues.
The sentiment on this card is from Herb Expressions which is another retiring set. More of that on my next post maybe.

I will miss using this set for clubs and workshops as it is one of my favorites. Which of your favorites are on the retiring list? Retiring List at Stampin Up

Retiring List and some recipes

Check out the retiring list at Stampin Up - Retiring List

These items will only be available through May 2012 - so if there is something you are wanting, better order it soon.

I'll be featuring cards and other projects using some of these items over the next 6 weeks.

And I have posted a couple new recipes - Homemade Pasta Sauce which I made to use up some fresh tomatoes which we received in the last Co-Op produce basket. It was sure yummy!
While you are there check out the super easy Foccacia Bread - using crescent sheets - duh! So smart of them to make a full sheet of crescent dough so you don't have to seal the seams of the cut crescent rolls.

And to use up the last couple oranges, lemons and a lime - I made some Citrus-Ade :-)
1 cup of fresh citrus juice
1 cup sugar
Water to make total volume of 1 1/2 quart to 2 quarts depending on your taste.

Cooking without a recipe :-)

So tonight I cooked without recipes Of course the frozen stuffed chicken breast was a no brainer - you just put it in the oven and 30 minutes later it is done.

I needed to use up some of the produce from the Co-op before the next delivery on Tuesday. I had a head of cauliflower - we really like it roasted - and some red potatoes plus green pepper and red onion. I have often had fried potatoes at work with pepper and onion but had never made fried potatoes from fresh. I always use leftover boiled or baked potatoes and slice them to fry.

I cut up some onion (1/2 medium) and green pepper (1/2 of a huge pepper) in slices and then took the red potatoes - about 10 that were golf ball size - after washing them well I slice them between 1/8 and 1/4 inch rounds. Mixed that all together in a bowl and drizzled with some olive oil (a good healthy drizzle). I added some salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Threw that all in a large skillet and put over medium heat. Just let it cook and stirred it every so often - a few of the potatoes stuck a little so I had to scrap them off the pan when I stirred but that was fine. It probably cooked for about a half hour - and perfect!




I love cooking when I don't need a recipe :-)
Oh - and the roasted cauliflower. Cut up a head of cauliflower, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes - or until there is some browning on the edges. I sprinkle some parmesan cheese over it while it was still hot - yummy!

And this was my dessert -


Homemade honey wheat bread (made yesterday in the bread machine) with butter and homemade raspberry jelly ( a gift from DH's co-worker last summer).

Mango Salsa - love it!

The produce basket last week included mangos. I have never eaten fresh mangos - boy what I was missing! One was pretty soft when I got home that night so I cut it up - thanks to Misty and others who shared instructions on how to cut one. It was so delicious, sweet, smooth - loved it!
Since then I have been looking at mango recipes and mango salsa sounded interesting. There are so many mango salsa recipes online - I did not have any idea where to begin. Today I searched again and narrowed it down to the recipes that used only items I already had in the house as I did not feel like running to the grocery store. Most called for sweet red pepper which I did not have. I found one on Weight Watchers online that was just perfect what I had on hand - fresh cilantro, fresh jalapeno, red onion, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice and of course, mangos.



I made a huge salad using some of the other produce I had from the Co-op - avocado, grape tomatoes, green pepper, and romaine lettuce. Added some ham and cheese and a hard-boiled egg. The mango salsa and some tortilla chips on the side. The salsa was so good!!!! I even drank the juice left in the bottom of the bowl. Interesting orange juice with a little kick from the jalapeno.

Roasted Vegetables

One of the best things about the days I work from home is the 'lunch'. I get tired of the salads and leftovers I take for lunch when I go to the office - and look forward to doing something a little different at home.
Yesterday I tried some roasted vegetables to use up some of the produce I still have from the last delivery.



I took a Weight Watchers recipe and made some modifications to fit the quantity and type of veggies that I had on hand. I liked this recipe because you roast the potatoes first and they get nice and crispy.


Roasted Vegetables

1 1/2 lb small red potatoes (cut in 1/4 or 1/8 - bite size pieces)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 medium red onion
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 450.
Cut up the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Pour olive oil over and toss to coat. Spread on a baking sheet (I lined it with aluminum foil).



Place in oven and bake about 15 minutes.
Cut the remaining vegetables into bite size pieces. Place in large bowl and add the cooked potatoes. Mix together the seasonings and add to vegetables mixture, stirring to mix.



Spread on baking sheet and bake about 25 minutes longer.

Delicious!

Some Club Cards

I had two clubs meeting in March. These are some of the cards and the project we accomplished.


This is a Fancy Fold card. THe triangle of Daffodil Delight DSP is actually from the back of the card showing through the front because there are slits so you can overlap the back on the front. (I'll be posting a tutorial with instructions on that one).
Stamp Set - Flower Fest and Crazy for Cupcakes (sentiment)
Card Stock - Certainly Celery and Brights DSP
Punches - Fancy Flower and Butterfly
Ink - Stazon Black and Basic Black marker


I call this one Enchanted Birthday.
Card Stock - Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral and the Everyday Enchantment DSP
Stamp Set - On Your Birthday, Posy Punch
Punches - Fancy Flower, Scalloped Circle, 1 1/4 inch circle, 1 inch square
Embellishment - Everyday Enchantment Brad and Ribbon pack
(The Everyday Enchantment items are among the many you can get free during Sale-a-bration - but hurry it ends March 31)


I combined the Faux Tile and Rock & Roll techniques on this card. Very simple but looks so nice.
Card Stock - Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink - Pool Party and Island Indigo
Stamp Set - Fresh Vintage
Ribbon - Pool Party Seam Binding (love that stuff and so excited they are coming out with Daffodil Delight in the new catalog in June -- you can order it early during the month of April)


And our project - a 2-4-6-8 box. I will also be posting a tutorial for this.
Card stock - Lucky Limeade
Embellishments - Blossom Builder pack and Baja Breeze seam binding.

Almost time for the ladies to arrive - hope they enjoy these :-)