Sharing some Crafty...

I posted on Facebook that I had finally finished my 2004 scrapbook and Jan asked if I was going to post some of the pictures here, since her kids have to "viacariously live through their cousins' scrapbooks". LOL! I guess we're even then, her kids look at our scrapbooks while my kids read Jan's blogs and wish they could travel the world like the Ingersoll boys...too funny! ;)

Anyway, I've yet to take pictures of most of the stuff, but here are a few recent things (glad to have that "scrappin' mojo" back!) that just so happen to be my favorites. Okay, so none of it goes in said 2004 scrapbook, but this just further proves why I'm so "behind" on scrapping...I usually just grab a picture that gives me some sort of creative jumping-off point and go from there. Therefore, this is all from 2008-2009!!! Enjoy!

A mini-book for Sarah and Steven (it holds wallet sized photos) made using some left-over wrapping paper from one of her bridal showers:











These pictures are from Caleb's last flag football game last Fall. When it was time for the team captains to go out to meet the other team's captains, Coach Brad had them all line up and walk out together, arm-in-arm. It was tooo cute!



And these last two are from JUNE 2009! I loved the pictures I took of the boys picking berries at the Jett's farm and of the berry tartlets I made from our bounty...they were just BEGGING to be scrapped! They are my absolute favorites right now! (Probably helps that I could play up the colors and add some more feminine touches to these pages...LOL) I put a lot of detail into these pages, so I'm also including some close-ups with descriptions for my scrappy friends to see...





Okay, here are the details...be warned, I'm attempting to go "Scrapbook Geek" on you and throw out some techniques and product names...

On "Together", I used Bohemia blank chipboard numbers that I inked up with brown, copper and white to make it look like old leather and then added a little sparkle with Stickles. I also included a quote written on kraft paper, but I'm a little disappointed that it didn't turn out like I had hoped. I stamped it first using the "Champ" stamp from Stampin' Up!'s "Sporting" set using VersaMark ink and then crumpled it before writing the quote on it. If I squint my eyes and tilt my head, I can see the work I put into that tiny piece of paper...(sigh).



On "The Taste of Summer", I used lots of Glossy Accents, Stickles and sewing notions again. Some of my favorite details include the stick pin in the middle of the large flower that has the date on a tiny little tag and the faux blackberries I stamped that are the background for "of" in the title. The stamps are actually supposed to be hydrangeas, but I triple-stamped them with purple, pink and white craft inks to blur the finer details of the stamp and then added Glossy Accents and/or Stickles. Pretty pleased with how that turned out.





On "So Berry Sweet", I did a lot of distressing, used Glossy Accents on the letters and brads, and even dusted off the sewing machine. Oh, and the bird is a QuicKutz die that I cut from kraft paper and then used aqua and white acrylic paint applied with a crumpled plastic bag. And I know the hummingbird has nothing to do with berries or cooking, but I love it because hummingbirds always remind me of my Grandma so I stuck it on there to make me over-the-top happy! So what if it took me half the day...it makes me smile every time I look at it.

Ahhhh...that was nice!

Chris and I really haven't travelled much as a couple. Heck, we didn't even go on a honeymoon (we had to find a place to LIVE!). This summer, I was DETERMINED to take short trip somewhere. I didn't care where or when...just needed to go. Unfortunately, things at Chris' store have been topsy-turvy all summer and he hasn't been able to take a real vacation, but he did manage to switch a few days out with another manager in order to get away this past weekend. So maybe we spent more than I'm usually comfortable with, but we have managed to pay down a lot of debt lately and I considered this a reward, late Father's Day and late Anniversary all rolled into one. We left Friday morning and checked into the Gaylord Texan Resort and Spa. It quickly became evident that we don't do this often enough as I tried to reign in the excitement when we walked in - Cole started jumping around and screaming out everything we encountered - "Mirror!", "Chair!", "TV!". Poor deprived children...we don't have that stuff back at the homestead, I guess. After settling in our room (and by settling I mean pushing every button, opening and closing every door and flushing the toilet repeatedly), we took the boys around to look at everything...the landscaping, the train exhibit, the artists, etc.










We changed out of our "driving clothes", had our family picture taken and had dinner at Texan Station (one of the restaurants inside the resort). During dinner, Caleb asked why we didn't have the food delivered to our room...afterall, that's what "fancy" people do. We had a good giggle at that! Afterwards, we enjoyed more strolling artists and then went outside to watch the fireworks show over Lake Grapevine. The Gaylord shuffles all the viewers to the top deck of the parking garage and had a DJ there playing music that was synchronized with the show. Pretty nifty.













We then went back to the room and acted like "fancy" people...yep, we ordered room service. It was the best six-dollar-a-slice cake I've ever had. We waited up and made sure that our friends Stefan and Nancy made it there and then tried to smother the excitement enough to sleep.




Saturday morning brought more adventure...Chris and Stefan took off golfing at the Dallas Cowboys Golf Club, and I drove a few minutes down the road to meet Sarah and Steven so they could have a day of fun with the boys. Once back, Nancy and I went shopping at Grapevine Mills and then to Relaché Spa at the resort. Niiiiice. The report is that the smaller Gann's enjoyed putt-putt golf, go-cart racing, games, Pei Wei, and some time at the lake with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Steven. No pics of that yet, but I'm sure there will be some interesting ones later!



That evening, we went "grown-up-fancy" and enjoyed dinner at Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord.











Afterwards, we got comfy (read: t-shirt for the pregnant mommy and flip-flops for me!) and strolled around the rest of the resort. Had to squeeze in a little exercise after over-indulging! ;)





But, all good things must come to an end...we checked out Sunday morning and met Sarah and Steven at Olive Garden for lunch and kid exchange. Enjoy the pictures by Cole...






PS - I have a lot more pictures...if you want to see more and you're on Facebook, check them out. Will upload there next.

Recent Cards

I'm slowly easing myself back into doing some crafty stuff. Since I came back from the retreat in California, I honestly haven't had the desire to do much. Sure, I did a ton of invitations for other people, but my own scrapping has been minimal. Sad. I really need to do more, because the boys have really started to show an interest in pulling the scrapbooks down and look at all of the pages in them...

Here are a few cards (front and inside; matching envelope) I've made recently that I really, really like...

A birthday card for Nancy:




A new baby card for Beverly:

Date Night with 2 Hot Boys!

Okay, so it's not what you're thinking...but that's about as exciting as my life gets these days, so let me live it up a little! ;) The two boys were my kids, it was pretty dang HOT outside, and we called it a "date" since their daddy was stuck at work (again). Anyway, Heather is a friend of mine from high school. She is married to Josh, who happens to be a Texas singer/songwriter. Imagine my surprise when I got the Friendswood newsletter back in May and saw JOSH WARD listed as part of the Summer Concert in the Park lineup! I've wanted to see his band perform for a while now, but never had a chance to catch one of his concerts. This was perfect for several reasons...

(1) it was right down the road,
(2) it was free,
(3) I could take my kids & not look like an unfit momma (since it wasn't in a bar),
(4) we could take our own food/drinks, and
(5) did I mention it was FREE?

So, we loaded up our sunglasses, snacks, bug spray and water/juice and jumped in the truck. (Caleb was decked out in the most fashionable concert-watching attire...camo shorts, cowboy boots and my crumpled "cowboy" hat that I wear to the lake/river...unfortunately, I don't think I got a picture of that get-up.) Even though the band was stuck singing for the first half of the show with the hot Texas sun blaring in their face, they put on one heck of a show! I'm definitely a fan! Caleb took over the photography duties and actually did a pretty good job! Afterwards, we stayed and chatted for a few minutes with Heather and Josh and he gave each of the boys their own official JOSH WARD BAND t-shirts. Caleb talked for days about how excited he was that "a real cowboy singer gave him a shirt!"

Those boys make a pretty good date.

Enjoy Caleb's pictures and scroll down below for a couple of link's to JOSH WARD BAND. If you like country or Texas music, you won't be sorry!







Links to Josh Ward Band...
http://www.reverbnation.com/joshwardband
http://www.lonestarmusic.com/artists.asp?id=1359
http://lttnews.blogspot.com/
or be his "fan" on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Josh-Ward-Band/44845622900

Cole's 3rd Birthday

...with my belated posting...

Chris has had some drama going on at work lately and working some major overtime (I guess as a favor, because he's not getting paid anything extra for it), so we didn't have any time to schedule a big ta-doo for Cole's birthday. Instead, we had a low-key Mickey Mouse celebration at Nana & Pop's house with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Steven added to the mix. Turns out cupcakes, Mickey Mouse ears, some "hot diggity dogs" and a splash in the kiddie pool with your favorite relatives is all a three year old really needs. Still can't believe my little character is three already...

So Berry Sweet!

Sorry for the gag-inducing, cheesy title. Anyway. I'm not a "food blogger" or a "recipe guru", nor do I pretend to be. But, every once in a while, I get inspired to try something new in the kitchen and it turns out so yummy that I feel the need to share it with all (three) of you.



Last weekend, we took a field trip over to The Jett's Berry Farm (I don't think they have an official name for it, but they do have berries...and it's farm-like...and, according to Cole, they raise "Patty's" - that would be basset hounds). Cole picked seven berries, Caleb managed to pick a whole basket, and Pop stepped up to be Tour Guide for the boys while Mom and I finished picking the rest of our over-25-pound prize. It was so easy to pick them, I don't know if I will ever pick blackberries anywhere else. Y'all, I ended up taking home two huge freezer bags full of blackberry delicious-ness and still have many, MANY more left. The Rains' (that would be Sarah and Steven, but I love saying their new collective name now) also took home two bags worth and we left three bags at home for Mom and Ben. Can I just say - I. LOVE. BLACKBERRIES. Now, everyone knows that besides eating them fresh with a touch of sugar or cream (which I've had a few times this week), the best way to eat them is in a cobbler. Any other time, that's what I would have made (usually because the picking yielded so few berries that I wouldn't want to waste them - just in case a different recipe might be disastrous). But, since our crop came from Blackberry Utopia, I have soooo many berries! I decided to search for a few new recipes to experiment with. Okay, I know....I know. Shut up already and give us the friggin' recipe, Kristi. I should mention this came from the Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes cookbook (thanks, Mom) and that I'm a sucker for tiny, cute, individualized treats. And one more word. YUM. Okay, okay...the recipe...


BLACKBERRY SUPREMES

1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pint fresh blackberries
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Powdered sugar (optional)

*Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface. Cut piecrusts with a 2 1/2 inch star-shaped cutter, and fit into lightly greased miniature muffin pan.

*Bake at 350-degrees for 7 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.



*Bring 1/3 cup water and next 4 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute; remove from heat.



*Stir together cream cheese and next 3 ingredients.

*Spoon blackberry mixture into tart shells; pipe or dollop with cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired. YIELD: 20 tartlets.





Okay, so a few notes about this recipe:

- I used butter.
- For testing purposes (I've always wanted to say that), I used Pillsbury refrigerated piecrusts. You could easily make your own (cheaper, too), but this was quicker and my loving husband was nice enough to pick it up for me on his way out the door at work. ;)
- I doubled this recipe since I took it to a BBQ.
- Don't forget to prick the bottom of the pie crusts before baking. If you look closely at my picture, I forgot to do this. Not a terrible mistake, but the centers did bubble up a little.
- I might use more berries with the same amount of water/sugar/cornstarch...just because I like the berries more than the syrupy stuff and it kinda got messy.
- I had leftover cream cheese mixture and some of the syrup from the cooked berry mixture. I also have one more piecrust, so I fully intend on adding more berries to the leftover syrup and making a few more....after I swim several hundred laps or run a few miles in the Texas heat. Or not.
- I recommend using a mixer (I used my stand mixer with the whisk attachment) for the cream cheese mixture - it makes a more consistent texture and easier to use for piping.
- Yeah, for piping, I used my Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator tool (again, thanks Mom)
- I think these look pretty without the cream cheese mixture, too, but who wants to skip the cream cheese?
- Skipped adding the extra powdered sugar on top and just used whole blackberries to garnish the platter. Mint leaves or some other green garnish would be nice, too, if you're entertaining.
- I used frozen whole berries per Mrs. Jett's freezing method (wash, pat dry, freeze in single layer on baking sheet and then transfer to freezer bags).
- Considering making a slightly larger tartlet in standard size muffin pan, too, but that would require utensils to eat...but still super cute.
- I'm not telling how many of these I ate, but I will tell you that I am convincing myself that the fiber and super antioxidant power of the blackberries far outweighs the fat content of the piecrusts and cream cheese topper. Not to mention the sugar.

Goodbye, my friend...

"Cassie"
Gann's Casandra Lee
AKA Cass, Cassarole, Big Girl, Mama, Mamacita
8/16/01 - 6/11/09
Thank you for being our friend, Big Girl. We miss you.