Tasty Tuesday: Irish Lamb Stew

Okay....it is supposed to be Irish Lamb Stew.  But, I had venison in the freezer, so I used that.  But, let's just pretend you see lamb in that bowl for this Tasty Tuesday.  I found a variation of this recipe on allrecipes.com.  I really enjoy making it as a treat now and then.  It isn't for everyone.  But, you can adapt for your taste buds.

Traditional Irish Lamb Stew

Ingredients:

1 pound thickly sliced bacon, diced

3 or 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 large onions, cut into bite-size pieces

4 cups diced carrots

3 potatoes

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups of guinness beer (add more beer if needed as the mixture cooks)

4 cups beef stock

Directions:

Okay, leave it to the folks in my Irish blood line to add a pound of bacon to stew, along with wine and beer.  Sigh.  I have found that I didn't really need a whole pound of bacon.  So, if you are afraid your arteries might clog just by looking at this recipe...feel free to cut down on the bacon load.  Your first task is to put the bacon in a large, deep skillet.  Cook it up until it is nice and brown.  Drain it or your stew will be really greasy.  Crumble the bacon into little bits and set the plate aside while you get some other work done.

I also found that you don't really need all of the lamb that the recipe calls for.  You know how much meat you like in your stew.  Use your own judgment.  Put the lamb, potatoes, onions, and carrots in a large crockpot.  A small crock won't do.  The vegetables alone take up a lot of space and as it gets boiling, you don't want a mess.  

Throw your bacon on top of the meat and vegetables.  

Spices next.  Add salt, pepper, flour, garlic, sugar, thyme, and bay leaves.

End with the liquid.  No water here folks.  Oh no.  This is traditional Irish lamb stew.  Break out the wine and Guiness.  Pour 1/2 cup of white wine, 4 cups of beef stock and 2 cups of Guinness over the ingredients.  If you find that you need more broth, add a little more Guinness.

Cook on low heat in the crockpot for 8-10 hours.  I tried to test it out after about 6-7 hours on low...and it wasn't ready.  So, make sure you give it lots of time.

I'm sure I'll be eating this stew for days.  The good news is, it tastes even better after sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two.  Enjoy!!

Photo Contest Finalist!

So, I have to admit. I've been all wrapped up in Blythe Doll world and I'm so not in the mood to make a craft that is not related to her. I sewed an outfit for one of my dolls.  The simple 4-step pattern took me four hours! I need to learn how to sew. I'm customizing a doll from head to toe.  If the eyelashes don't kill me, waiting for her eye chips to arrive will take me down.

The one aspect I have seen success with, thank goodness, is my photography. I love taking pictures of my girl. If you haven't become a Flicker follower for Crafty Life and Style- please do. I'm finally giving it some love, mostly Blythe picture love lately. Yesterday, I joined a Blythe Photo Challenge group. It was the final day of this month's challenge.  At the last minute, I entered this picture in the contest.

The theme was Glamour. I thought this picture pretty much summed it up.  I was one of five finalists selected for a public vote!  Please click on over and vote. I would love your support and so would the other photographers!

Shutterbug Sunday: My Top 10

When I was getting started with photography, I took a basic studio class at the Community Darkrooms in Syracuse. The instructor of the course gave us a piece of advice that I will never forget, for multiple reasons. He told our class that the best thing we can do, is follow other photographers' work. At first, I was confused. The word copycat kept coming to mind, and that was the last thing I wanted for myself. In spite of thinking it was a weird idea, I started following other photographers' work.  Now, as I look back, that little tidbit of advice could quite possibly the best I have ever received!  Following the work of others has provided me with many learning opportunities, resources, and support throughout my journey.  Now, I want to share my 10 favorite photogs with you!

1. Barb Uil of Jinky Art: She is absolutely my favorite photographer ever! The creativity this woman possesses is mind blowing and her photographs constantly leave me speechless!
2. Kristen of K. Holly Photography: Her images are breathtaking, with a soft dream like quality that I love. She is sweet as can be and I would get married all over again, just so I could have her photograph my wedding. Ask her anything!
3. Jasmine Star: This lady is perhaps the best go-to photog and most famous of the bunch.  Want to know something? Ask her for advice, I dare you!
4.Kelsey Anderson: I love her unique style and use of natural light.  She is another great person to answer your questions.
5.Annie from Paint the Moon Photography: Color. Color. Color. Annie is not afraid to use it and is the creator of some of the best photoshop actions and textures I have found. She also has a great support system for those of us who aren't very photoshop savvy!
6. Jose Villa: Believe it or not, he still does the majority of his shooting with film. Yes film! His images are beyond gorgeous.
7. Baby as Art: Maybe a more suitable name for them would be "The baby photographer gurus". Check their work to see what I mean.
8. Keri Meyers: Another newborn photographer that is able to get those little babies into perfect positions.
9. Skye Hardwick of Work of Heart Photography: I love the expressiveness in her photos.
10. Lupen Grainne: She has some of the prettiest nature and landscape imagery ever!

I processed this pic with textures from paint the moon.

Enjoy your Sunday!

www.marynicholsphotography.com

Lessons Learned From Blythe

Last week, I told you about my new obsession with Blythe dolls. The main attraction of this doll for many grown women is the opportunity to customize them. They make their wardrobe, give them new hair, take them apart, and paint them.  Basically, it's called "sending them to the spa".  Priding myself as a "Crafty Girl", I was immediately attracted to the idea.  The price kept me from buying my first doll for almost a year.

Well, I gave in- and fell in deep. I have, let's just say, several of them. I researched and decided one of the girls just wasn't cute enough as is, and I "sent her to our home spa". I watched all of the videos and tutorials I could get my hands on.  Then, I grabbed my screw driver and tried to get her apart. Within half an hour, I had posted a plea for help on a Blythe chat site because I couldn't get her open!

After an hour- I scalped her, pulled her eyes out, and broke a sweat doing it! I had hoped to show you at least part of my first Blythe doll makeover by now- but she's really in no shape to be shown. What I am learning most about this experience can be put in a list.

WHAT I AM LEARNING FROM BLYTHE:
1-Tutorials don't tell you everything (especially the bad and ugly!)
2- I need to get a steadier hand for fine detail- like lips
3- Patience needs to be exercised
4- I need to offer better tutorials when I do them- because I keep asking questions to the computer screen when I come across a, not so good, tutorial
5- Customizing dolls is a developed skill- and the experts are experts for a reason

Aside from all of the teachable moments I am coming across, I am enjoying the process.  I will take you along for the ride.  Right now- all I can show you is the ugly- cuz- that's where I am in the process.

Tasty Tuesday: Natalie's Jerked Chicken Wings

Here is another recipe from my friend, Demi's wife, Natalie.

Fresh or Frozen Chicken Wings

2 Cups Oil

Jerk Seasoning (the best one is made by Walkerswood) (no measurement.  Use as needed, the more you use, the hotter the wings will taste).

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Place oil in a frying pan and heat it to 350 degrees.

Place wings in oil and cook, until they get a nice golden brown on the skin. (If frozen be very careful placing in oil, as the ice will "pop" the oil and cause burns).

After the wings have a nice color, remove from oil and pat dry with a paper towel. 

Place wings on a cooking sheet or in an oven safe dish and cook in preheated oven until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees.

While the chicken is still hot, place Jerk Seasoning in a bowl and add chicken wings.  Toss lightly, making sure all sides of the wings are coated.

Place on a platter and serve hot. You could also put out some ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing as a dipping sauce.   

Enjoy the wings.  Also, if you're having a party for the holiday weekend, make the Buffalo Chicken Dip I blogged about last week with these wings.  All of your friends will be talking about your food!!!!

Grad Series: Washer Necklace

Here is an ambitious graduation gift idea that could last a lifetime.  The designer stamped the name and graduation date into a washer.  Clever!!  I really would have loved this as a gift when I was a grad.  Yeah, yeah...who wears their expensive class ring beyond their senior year of high school?!?  I know.  But, those aren't handmade.   You can get a play by play class lesson for making this necklace via this link:

http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/2010/05/stamped-washer-necklaces.html

This grad series has been a lot of fun because it forced me to really search through some great craft blogs to find ideas that inspired me.  I'd been in a bit of a rut myself.  But, sifting through so many crafts made me want to schedule a session in the scrap shack with my friend, Crafty Girl.  It was just the thing I needed to snap out of the doldrums.  I also discovered that there are a lot of creative people in this world with nice blogs.  I'm happy to pass along their crafts and I'm looking forward to doing these series more often.  Class Dismissed.

Shutterbug Sunday: Grad Series

Oh, the wonders of Mod Podge.  Really, you can create any theme you want on top of anything that is wooden, metal, paper, etc.  I just love that stuff.  Since we are in the midst of graduation season, I'm using this Shutterbug Sunday to focus on a fun way to display your lovely pictures.

Here's what you need:

1-Inexpensive wooden frame.
2-Mod Podge
3-Adhesive
4-foam brush
5-Paper Trimmer
6-Embellishments (optional)

Pick a theme paper for your frame.  Right now you can find a large selection single sheets in the scrapbooking sections of craft stores.  You could also rip a page out of an old text book, with a lesson on the student's main subject of interest.  If you have a notebook full of scribbles and notes written by the actual student, rip out one of those sheets.  I opted to create my own page of notes on acid-free scrapbooking paper.  I placed my paper over the frame and used a knife to cut the hole out.  Leave a little paper to spare and tuck into the frame when you mod-podge.

Dip your foam brush in the Mod Podge and cover the surface of the frame with a layer.  Add your paper and smooth it out.  Next, I doodled all over the paper.  If you scribble your own notes, be sure to let the ink dry completely or it will run.  I used a black, acid-free, non-bleeding, fine-tipped marker from the craft store.  When your paper is dry, add another layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper...smoothing out bubbles.  Make sure there are no finger prints or odd clumps on the surface because the way you spread the MP will be evident as it dries.

Once the Mod Podge dries, you can add embellishments, if you want to.  Anything that makes you think of school work would apply.  If math is the grad's major...maybe a ruler would work.  A good ole' pencil fits any subject.  Adhere the embellishments.

This would be a great gift for the graduate in your life or you can give the frame to a deserving teacher.  There wouldn't be any graduates without them.  Come back tomorrow for a bonus grad series post.  Class over!  Enjoy your homework.

Grad Series: Card Box

One of the most popular gifts at a graduation party is a good old card with a little cash inside.  They are simple to give and great to open when you are getting ready to face college loans.  I think this nifty little card box is a cute way to collect the goods.  I'd throw a small photo on top of it, next to the slot.  You can find advice from the person who made this via this link:

http://decoratingforevents.com/handeemandee/graduation-party-ideas-crafts-for-graduation/

Personally, when I first saw this, I thought it looked like a cake plate.  You could probably adapt it.  It would be lovely to display a little cake on a homemade graduation cap.  It could really serve as a stand to display anything you want, a photo of the grad, a book of well-wishes, finger-foods.  Get creative.

Grad Series: $$$ Lei

Where was this idea when I picked up my diploma?  Nice.  I don't know this young man.  In fact, the person who took the picture doesn't know him either.  She just HAD to get a picture of that crafty lei around his neck.  I have to admit...I have walked up to many strangers myself, asking to take pictures of their fun creations.  Then, I'd pick at it, trying to figure out how it was made, asking a list of questions.  I bet most of you can identify with that curiosity.  I'm happy to report that the picture taker got all of the sweet details.  You can see what she found on her blog:  http://yourhomebasedparties.com/graduation-lei-669

The only drawback is that you have to provide all of the cash to make this.  But, wouldn't you have been so excited to get something like this on your big day?  I actually think it would be a great gift for a bachelorette party or a wedding dollar dance...a birthday party.  There is no reason it has to be limited to graduations.  GREAT idea!!  If you spot any fun ideas at your upcoming graduation parties, pass them along.  We'll be sharing fun ideas  to honor the student in your life, for the rest of this week.  If you happen to use this idea, we'd love to hear your story.  Come back and tell us about it.

Grad Series: Gift Box

Grads open many cards, but if you want to stand out and show extra love for the student in your life, here is a nifty idea to display your gift.  A small graduation cap opens to display cash, gift cards, or any small present.  The ring here is just a prop.  Many of you have probably created your own gift boxes in the past.  Even if you don't know what your gift will be, at least you'll have a fancy box ready to put it in.  I found this creation at this link:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=304409.msg3483878#msg3483878

We'll have another fun idea in our graduation series on Shutterbug Sunday....the school edition.  See you then.

Grad Series: Chocolate Caps

Get your notebook and a pencil.  We've got a lesson on creative party snacks coming your way.  Since young adults across the country are preparing to pick up their diplomas soon, my mind has been focused on arts and crafts that might fit the occasion.  I came across these delicious looking peanut butter cup & godiva graduation caps.  If you are throwing a party and want to make a special treat, here is one fun idea.  They would work well for any graduation...pre-school, elementary school, etc.  Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for this sweet idea.  But, you can find out who came up with the idea and how to make these chocolate cup caps via this link:  http://www.bakerella.com/candy-cup-caps/

Come back for more fun graduation finds for the rest of this week.  By all means, if you have a great idea that you'd like to share...let us know.  Have fun!

Blythe: A Work Of Art

Remember I told you I've fallen in love with Blythe dolls? Well, here's a perfect reason why!  This is Leila, a custom designed Blythe doll, by a wonderfully talented woman, who goes by the screen name Gbaby on the chat site called Blythe Kingdom. She was recently commissioned to make Leila and unfortunately, the owner has to sell her now.  Oh, if I had the money- she's a dream doll!

Originally, she was a "Sunshine Holiday Tan Blythe doll" (to the left), but was transformed into this!  She was given the theme - beach. She rerooted the dolls hair with mohair, dyed to a bleach blonde color, and styled straight. She changed the eyes - two pairs of hand painted chips by her, two pairs of Ana Karina chips. She also made the custom pulls (not seen) in the back of the doll that allow you to change the doll's eye colors.

As you can see, the eyelids are painted, the face looks like it is sun kissed with freckles. Really, it's perfect in my eyes. This is another form of art that I hope to learn sometime soon. Until then, I will just stare at Leila and dream.

Leila is for sale. The current bid on her is $800, as of Monday. Offers are being taken until Tuesday May 17th ~ 3pm California time. If you are interested please contact:  bebe.bentley@yahoo.com Please be sure to tell her I sent you and that I'm a big fan of hers!!

Tasty Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Dip

This is a great recipe to use for a get together with friends, a football game, or just a bunch of women in the Scrap Shack doing their thing!!! It would go nice with cold beer or a cool mixed drink.

2 lbs of Boiled Chicken Breast (no skin)
1 block of Cream Cheese
1 jar of Ann Marie's Blue Cheese Dressing (in the produce section of your market)
1/2 bottle of Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 lb Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Cream Cheese in a mixer and beat until smooth. Add chicken breast and mix until chicken is pulled and shredded. Add Blue Cheese Dressing and continue to mix. Add Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce to mixture and incorporate really well. Add half of the cheese to the mixture and place mixture in an oven safe container. Top with remaining cheese and place in oven until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve hot with crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy the game or the craft projects, whichever your delight might be :-)

Tribute Board

You've seen them at many memorials...tribute displays, full of photos, evoking fond memories of a loved one.  Often, these displays are simple backgrounds with pictures scattered across a board.  They are always heartfelt.  They are usually made with little notice.  But, they can be beautiful if you have a few basic ideas in mind.  First, incorporate the subject's favorite color.  In this case, I used lavender.

Here's my shopping list:

1-Foldout display

2-Lavender Tulle

3-Lavender card stock to frame photos

4-Black card stock to frame photos

5-Key rings

6-Clear gem embellishments

7-Black letters

8-Lavender or Purple wired wide ribbon

9-A flat floral grave cemetery spray

10-Decorative page borders-black

11-Decorative thin/medium ribbon

12-Red line tape & your favorite adhesive

The fold-out display here can generally be found in the art section of a store.  I bought mine in a big box store, along with the floral spray at the bottom of the display.  The flowers add a nice centerpiece to the board.  I just used one of the flat displays that are sold for graves and added a purple bow made from thick wired ribbon.

Try to print an 8X10 for the center.  I double-bordered that pictured with black and lavender card stock.  

Then, I used the letters to spell out the name of the person being remembered.  Most of these tribute boards don't have a name incorporated, but I thought it added a pretty accent.  I lined the middle section with childhood photos, framed with the black card stock.  I used the actual black and white photos, not reproductions.  The original photos added a sweet authenticity.  More recent photos were placed on the outer panels with the lavender card stock border.  The colors tied together.  I also put a ribbon across the center of the entire display.  That's the lacy ribbon you see below the 8x10.  This was the only embellishment that I couldn't hold in place with red line tape.  Good old glue was necessary.  

I used minimal embellishments, particularly on a sad occasion.  My choice was clear gems, placed between some photos and on the corners of the board.  Above and below the 8x10 photo, you'll also see black page border decorations.  You can find them in any craft store in the sticker section...along with the gem stickers.

Along the top of the fold-out display, I lined the edges with lavender tulle.  I used key rings to create loops that I could pass the tulle through, along the top of the display.  Just open the ring slightly and slide it onto the top edge of the cardboard.  Then, feed the tulle through each hole.  

I cut enough to allow the tulle to drape down each side of the display.  Then, I cut four or five small pieces, folded them in half together, and fed the folded end through the key ring hold to create a spray and cover the key ring.  Add some flowers to the corner sprays if you like.  The personal accents are what make these so special.  It is easier to throw a bunch of pictures on a piece of board.  But, putting your heart into a "creation" will offer a tender and special tribute.

Shutterbug Sunday: Bird Watching

We're excited to hear that our woodpecker is back for the summer! Honestly it's pretty cool. This bird is big! This is a Pileated Woodpecker, the largest woodpecker in America. They are between 16-19 inches long!  The red line from the beak to his neck indicates this is a male woodpecker.

When he's banging on a tree looking for carpenter ants, it sounds like the tree is getting hit with a hammer.  My son has also identified his call!  Now, he can tell me when he hears him. Obviously, when shooting photos of birds, you need to be stealthy and have your camera ready.  We've been lucky with Woody-- but I admit I'd love to get even closer!  I haven't been as lucky catching the pretty little humming bird who visits.

Woody was really distracted with chomping apart my tree stump, so we were able to capture quite a few snapshots of him.  We got varied results because my three kids were so excited just to see the bird.  The top photo came out the clearest. The bottom is a little less focused but we still love it. The rest were a bust.  It's very hard to get your subject in focus in a zoom lens when you are contending with something in the foreground- in this case- the grass.  Still, we got the shot we needed!  Persistence pays off when you're taking pictures of birds.

Baby Book Redefined

I was browsing my favorite websites and today's post from Two Crafting Sisters is so clever I wanted to have you check it out! Some lucky mommy-to-be is getting such a precious gift from Maura. It's a baby book! I LOVE how she made it in non-traditional baby colors for a timeless effect. Click on over to their blog and see more pictures. Don't forget to leave them a note- they're good people who are so talented and kind!

Blythe

Meet Blythe. Well, to be honest this is Blythe from the Little Pet Shop set. She's only 2 inches tall and yet I can see she is already taking up a big spot in my heart! I have been thinking about her since maybe last summer when I stumbled across a picture of a cute little girl holding one on a post from one of my favorite craft blogs and discovered that there was this whole world of people who collect her. Blythe Little Pet Shop dolls are brand new to Toys R Us and are very cheap- made for the masses and in an effort to satisfy my appetite for a REAL Blythe- I asked my hubby to get me and the girls each one so we could play together and I could get my camera out and photograph her like all the Blythe lovers do.

Yes, I asked him to buy me a toy so I could play with it... and I love her. He bought me the one in the snow gear but because it's warm and sunny outside she now sits at my desk at work. My daughters got  the one with the dark hair in the bathing suit and and the cute little blond one. Sunday we ran around the back yard and took pictures and I told the girls it's very important to care for her because if they are really good I would get them a real one. With in the hour- my little 3-year-old lost the stand for mine! GRRR

The real Blythe dolls are 12 inches tall, come in all different colors, hair colors, outfits and they have a pull string in the back that changes their eye color 4 times! Kenner brought them out in the 70s, but little girls thought they were spooky and they were taken off the shelves in a year. Funny note, the first time my baby girl saw one on the internet she said "I don't like it, it's scary!" Then a woman brought her back in the 90s in the form of a book called "This is Blythe" and she had taken all kinds of pictures of her all around the world and published that- the rest is history.

Now there's this cult of Blythe lovers-- including me. Grown women love her and I do too! She can mostly be found on EBay or in specialty toy stores that sell items from Japan and other parts of Asia. The real ones are pricey- starting at 60 plus shipping if you're lucky. Most are more than a hundred. Some are valued at several hundreds. There is no one price for them.

So, for Mother's Day morning I was very satisfied with my tiny little baby Blythe--- that was for the Morning! Several hours later I had purchased my first, uhh-- TWO dolls! I'm still waiting for them to come from Hong Kong and they can't get here fast enough.

Many women get their dolls and customize them. I will likely do some articles on their work in the future because it is a skill that is enviable! They give them freckles, change their skin tone, do artwork on them, change their hair and even make them clothing. It is amazing what they do with them.

Do you have a Blythe doll? If so, who do you have? Send me a picture. I'll be honest with you- I'm obsessing over this- and not crafting at all for the last few days because I just can't stop thinking of my new girls being in the mail! Come to think of it-- I just may go try and make them some outfits!!! That's crafting-- right??

Lakeside Artisans

For any readers in Upstate New York, we want to let you know about an exciting new venture in Oswego County.  The Lakeside Artisans Co-op, winner of Operation Oswego Countyʼs $25,000 prize for the “Next Great Idea” contest, will be holding a Grand Opening Celebration with a full schedule of activities on Saturday, May 14 from 12 noon - 5 PM.

Located in Canal Commons, 193 W. 1st St., Oswego, Lakeside Artisans is a gift shop and gallery featuring fine art and crafts by 16 area artisans. These unique, original works include paintings, prints, cards, jewelry, woodwork, pottery, ceramics, fabric art and more. 

The doors open at 10AM and festivities will start at noon with live demonstrations, refreshments, hourly door prizes, free gifts and a raffle for an original painting by Tim Ames, one of the founding members.

Ongoing demonstrations will include Water Color by Carol Burghart, Shaker Box making by master box maker, Steve Grasselli and professional Woodwork Finishing by Brian Leary of Lakeshore Hardwoods.

Enjoy the live music of talented Harpist, Marcella Slater, who is also a member of the co-op.

Meet Sandra Dowie, Lakeside Artisansʼ featured Artist of the Month, as well as many of the artist members of the co-op.

For a small community, this is an exciting new venture and a great chance to learn a few new skills with many other creative people.  This is also a venue for artists in that area to show and sell their work.  We know all of our readers would support that idea.  Check it out if you can.  Find out more at www.lakesideartisans.com.

Shutterbug Sunday: A Different View

Many times at events people focus on where the action is taking place. They point their lens at the action. If I were only looking at the action I might have missed taking this entertaining picture. 

The teenager on the mat performing the kick was... uh... very loud and animated in his vocal elements of the form he was demonstrating.  He attracted the attention of a large crowd of spectators. He was really good- but I was more entertained with the reactions in the crowd. Most people were watching for his forms-- but from a 3-year-old's perspective-- he was just LOUD!

It tickled me to no end when this beautiful little girl covered her ears, but still could not remove herself from the action!  I quickly got down on the ground where the kids were and snapped a couple pictures from behind. I thought it was so cute.

Some of the best photographers know this trick. It's not so much the fire you cover- it's the people witnessing the fire. It's not so much the subject walking in the door (say Santa or the Bunny Rabbit) it's the kid's reaction to the subject. Try to capture a different view the next time you snap a picture!

Chalkboard doily art.

Remember me?  It's Amy from Mod Podge Rocks, back with another project for your decoupage pleasure.  I've had a dollar store frame hanging around for quite awhile, and I decided it was time to put it to good use.  Given my recent obsession with spray paint, and the fact that I have a large fabric stash, I was inspired to make a sign.  I also love Chalkboard paint, so you can definitely say that I threw this all together.  Enjoy.

Such A Great Idea

Oh I wish I would have come up with this simple, yet cute idea!! Please head on over to the Freckled Nest to see how Leigh-Ann made this. I'm such a fan of hers! She's super creative and cute as can be!

Inspired Pom Pom Headband

I was inspired to create this little pom pom headband after visiting one of my favorite blogs.  This was my first attempt making pom poms and I was a little scared to cut them too small.  Now I feel a little more confident to give them a shorter hair cut the next time I try to make one! It turned out to be sooo easy.  I wondered what took me so long to try it! You may think of pom poms for winter hats but I love how they look on a cute headband too!

I learned how to make a pom pom through the You Tube instructional video below.  One note- I used my fingers instead of an envelope to wrap it. If you try this, I'd love to see a picture of your creation!

Tasty Tuesday: The Badger Poutine

OH MY GOSH!!! I'm not gonna lie-- THIS has my mouth watering and my backside telling me no! LOL- really! This is called The Badger Poutine. I had to look up what Poutine means: It's a dish containing french fries topped with fresh cheese curd and brown gravy or sauce. I don't think I've ever had cheese curd- but it sure looks yummy to me! This slice of heaven comes from one of Blogger's featured websites today. Head on over to The Grilled Cheese Social to see how MacKenzie Smith made it. Be sure to tell her we sent you over to share some love!

Spring Brownies

I am naturally attracted to brownies.  But, I was even more attracted to these cute treats.  Our friend over at the Apples and Rubies blog posted pictures of her baked goods, topped with adorable homemade marshmallow fondant flowers.  Can you imagine what a hit she was when she brought this to a recent family gathering?

Naturally, you may be wondering how to make your own marshmallow fondant now.  Since I am not the resident chef on Crafty Life and Style, I did a little research.  The allrecipes.com entry has generally good reviews.  Let us know if you have a recipe you like for decorating your sweets.