Chili Corn and Lime Chicken Tacos Recipe

 Meals are such fun times at our house. We actually sit down together. There have been times, even now, that meals are in shifts due to individual schedules because of work or school and sometimes church league ball or special needs ball games. Regardless, there is one item out of seven that I own that works perfectly when I have to have one of the three main meals during the day ready...my CrockPot! Perfect for this meal...even according to the original recipe...

 There were three things that made this meal a hit in addition to the chicken...warm pure corn tortillas which I used an iron skillet sprayed with cooking spray, the wonderful macaroni salad (recipe posted yesterday) served warm and the slaw (recipe coming up)...perfect...

The original recipe was found in the TasteofHome's light slow-cooker Recipe Cards magazine.

Here is the ingredients and the instructions which seems really good...

but...I wanted a bit more...

Chili Corn and Lime Chicken Tacos Recipe

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 onion, chopped finely

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup white sweet corn, canned or thawed, drained

2 cups vegetarian salsa

6" corn tortillas, warmed

condiments desired to build tacos...

fat free shredded cheese, fat free sour cream, tomatoes,

sliced black olives, sliced, mushrooms, chopped fresh onions, 

shredded lettuce...

Place chicken in 6 quart CrockPot.

Mix next seven ingredients together in a bowl and pour over chicken.

Cook for 5-6 hours on low or until chicken is done.

Take chicken out, place on a cutting board...

Hold the chicken with a fork and pull it with another fork 

until all the chicken is done.

Return the chicken to the CrockPot.

Add the corn and salsa, stir all well.

Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or heated thoroughly.

Serve in warm tortillas with desired toppings.

Yummmmyyyyyy.....

Hugs, Rita

Gluten-free Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe...

 Our son, Garrett, loves macaroni salad. However, the pre-packed deli style macaroni salads all come with heavy dressings and who knows what is really in them. Then most recipes have mayo or fatty creams or, like this one, reduced-fat products and that just doesn't work for the healthy lifestyle we have chosen for our family.

 At Woman's Day, in the February 2013 issue, this Macaroni Salad is wonderfully filled with not only delicious ingredients, but it is beautiful! Eye candy! So, I had to twick it a bit and here is what I came up with...

 Gluten-free Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe

2 cups Gluten-Free Elbow Macaroni, 

prepared according to package directions, drained.

4 large eggs, boiled, peeled and diced

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1 tablespoon honey mustard

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 stalk celery, chopped finely

1 red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 green bell pepper, chopped finely

1 jarred pimientos, finely diced, drained

1 onion, finely chopped

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mustard,

lemon juice, salt, pepper.

Then add pasta and coat it well.

Fold in the eggs (you can omit the egg yolks if you wish), celery,

peppers, pimiento, and onions.

Serve cold....

Although, Garrett has been known to eat it warm...

Fantastic day for a picnic...mid winter...=)

Hugs, Rita

Rockin' Awesome Yummy Southern Black-eyed Pea Salad with Tomatoes and Peppers Recipe...

 You are tired of hearing me say it! I know it! I have fallen in love with cooking! I am a foodie! For real! It has happened. I won't know how to act when the real kitchen is built and I won't be using the toaster oven, the microwave and the two-eye burner anymore. =P I don't even have a dishwasher...just a utility room sink lol. BUT I am not whining...I am happy, cooking and smiling, looking for healthier ways to make the recipes I find which include the ingredients that my family love to eat...while pulling in some tid-bits of goodness that will benefit them.

 I found the original recipe in a Woman's Day magazine, the February 2013 issue, that my BFF Madison's mom, Dee, gave me. She pointed this recipe out to me and well, I had to give it a try. However, I had to alter it a bit. So, here is my version of the recipe...

Rockin' Awesome Yummy Southern 

Black-eyed Pea Salad

 with Tomatoes and Peppers Recipe

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Splenda brown sugar

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

2 15.5-ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed

2 15.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, chopped finely

1 gala apple, chopped finely

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped finely

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Spray iron skillet with cooking spray.

Place on medium heat.

When skillet is hot, add all dry ingredients except brown sugar,

until onions and garlic is lightly brown.

Add peas and cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, brown sugar and cook all the ingredients for 5 minutes.

Serve warm or cold, delicious...

and Gluten-Free...

Happy Healthy Cooking,

Hugs, Rita

Super Big Boy Meatballs with Pasta Recipe...Gluten Free too!

 Learning to cook gluten-free was frightening at first, but then it got easier and easier. Was it worth it? You bet, especially when our son, Ethan, was eating this very meal tonight and said, "Mom, I know it's more trouble to cook from fresh ingredients and gluten-free, but the food tastes so much better!" Wow...I have fallen in love with cooking for all the right reasons. These meatballs are really large and I had more than enough to pop into the freezer for future meals. So, consider doubling the recipe to create more than you need for future meals so that you don't serve something to your family that isn't good for you.

 I will give you the recipe for the meal in a moment, but I did prepare the meatballs, measured them out with an ice cream scoop, leveling them off and popping them into my hand and rounding them out. Then I put them in an iron skillet I sprayed with cooking spray and baked at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Perfect...

 Then I placed them in the sauce that was simmering on the stove and let them soak in some of the sauce while I finished up the pasta. It was totally an amazing meal. I didn't add bread, but a spinach salad would be a nice addition. Two meatballs would be more than enough per person. They are really huge...

Super Big Boy Meatballs with Pasta Recipe

and...gluten-free!!!

16 ounces gluten-free spaghetti

olive oil (to season the water to cook the pasta)

for the meatballs...

2 cups gluten-free bread crumbs

1 onion, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon chopped basil

1 tablespoon chopped Parsley

1 teaspoon chopped Cilantro

2 tablespoons worstershire sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

 1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground turkey

Tomato Sauce...

1 onion, chopped 

1 garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon Splenda brown sugar

2 tablespoons worstershire sauce

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro

2 15-ounce cans tomatoes, diced

Prepare pasta per package instructions.

I do use olive oil to keep my pasta from sticking and I don't salt my water.

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients except the meat, do that last. 

Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together for the meatballs.

The meat mixture should be dry, but a bit sticky.

Spray a baking pan with sides or iron skillet with cooking spray,

scoop the meat mixture with an ice cream scoop, form the meat into a large ball,

place the meatball on the pan, with a bit of space between each one.

Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are slightly brown.

Transfer the meatballs to a dish lined with paper towels to remove any access grease.

While the meatballs bake, prepare sauce...

Spray  a skillet with cooking spray and brown the garlic and onions.

Add the remaining ingredients when the onions are transparent.

Simmer for 15 minutes on medium heat and cover and turn to low.

When the meatballs are ready, add them to the sauce.

Return the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta and pour the mixture over the pasta.

Serve hot.

It is amazing...quick, easy and delicious.

Cooking gluten-free is light and fresh. The food isn't heavy either. We have talked about how regular pasta leaves us wanting a nap and not wanting to go for a run or to exercise, but we still have energy to do either after eating gluten-free pasta or even a gluten-free dessert. Pretty awesome...

Hugs, Rita

I Love Granola! Recipe =) that is GF and NF!!

 That's right! I made it! I created it! I can brag about it, because it is rockin' awesome delicious! Even our 18-year-old son, Ethan, was eating it! I am allergic to two main food items...gluten and nuts, so, guess what is in most granola products?! Nuts and, of course, gluten. So, I went through many recipes and then headed to my pantry to see what I had that I could through into the pan.

 Then after I baked and allowed the granola mixture to cool, I stored it in a air tight container. I have a feeling that it won't last very long...Better stock up on more of the ingredients lol...

Now for the recipe...

I Love Granola! Recipe

that is Gluten-free and Nut-free...

2 1/2 cups old fashion oats

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (cheaper in the produce section of the grocery)

1/2 cup whole flax seed (found in the produce section)

1 tablespoon Splenda brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon roasted quinoa

3/4 cup golden raisins (more if you want)

3/4 cup dark raisins (again, more if you want)

1 tablespoon milled flax seed

1/4 cup of real local honey

Mix all these together in a large mixing bowl, coating everything supper well.

For the really brave ones, put on some gloves, get your hands in the mixtures and 

massage the mixture until it is all well blended.

Spray an iron skillet or baking sheet with cooking spray.

Pour the mixture evenly into the skillet or baking pan.

Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

The mixture should be dry and crunchy, so time may vary. 

Remember, I used a toaster oven lol...I have a makeshift kitchen right now...=)

but it will grow up to be a real stove and oven one day...lol...

You can also add: 3/4 cup of dried cranberries for an amazing color at the mixing stage...

Happy baking...

Hugs, Rita

Cooking Spinach is a New Experience...

Cooking spinach was something I was totally afraid of until I began experimenting with this...other green vegetable. First, I tore it up in salads and that wasn't so bad. I was giving my family extra vitamins in a sneaky way. Then I sauteed some onions, mushrooms in a skillet and wondered about throwing in a chopped apple and some garlic. WOW! The flavor popped.

On top, I packed fresh spinach and in minutes it was this beautiful green lightly sauteed green mixture that was a such a sweet delight to my mouth when I tasted it. A party...a celebration! I was a happy healthy camper! Now, I don't think twice about sauteing some up in the microwave or on the stove for my favorite pasta dishes or my not so favorite other dishes to give them a boast as well as slip something in on my family that is not only healthy but filling them up more so than just starch. That sounded bad but hopefully you get what I am trying to say...let's try again...where I use to add two boxes of 16 oz of regular pasta, I now use one 8 or even 16 oz gluten free pasta (since I am allergic to the other) and load it up with vegetables like spinach, onion, garlic, apples, broccoli, cauliflower, and more sauteed, steamed, and roasted. Everyone that eats at our table is getting a balance of wonderful, delicious food. Now, here is how I do the spinach...

Simply spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat the skillet on medium heat until hot. Then add 1 large onion, peeled and diced. Add two gala apples, cored, peeled and diced. Add one clove of garlic, peeled and minced. Saute all of this until onions are browned slightly and tender. Add 1 teaspoon each of chopped parsley and cilantro. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt. Finally place fresh spinach on top of the mixture and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally  until the spinach is tender. Serve hot.

Any that is leftover can be used later to add to pasta or layered with spaghetti squash to make a lasagna. Regardless how you eat it, I promise that the apple gives it a wonderful new flavor. Try adding a bit of cinnamon for a popping new flavor!

Hugs, Rita

Crochet Granny Square Scarves...

I think of coffee when I see this fiber...

then it really don't take much for me to think of coffee lol.

This is a narrow version of the scarves I have been making...

I also whipped up a wider scarf for those colder days...

The stitch is a simple granny square stitch...

This cutie can be worn year round

as a necklace or embellishment...

I will write up the pattern soon for both of these

pretty scarves...promise...They are so easy to make

and you will want to make them over and over.

You can easily make both of these beauties from

two skeins of yarn too!!

Why do I suddenly want to dress in the 1930s or 1950s 

with the necklace scarf...hmmm.

Hugs, Rita

My Gluten Free Snicker-doodle Cookies Recipe

Being diagnosed with a gluten allergy, added to that a nut allergy, doesn't mean that you have to go with out delicious sweet treats, like this one! I had such fun making this recipe and it is a really large making of dough too...or at least I think it was. Everyone kept coming through getting spoonfuls for tasting! lol...yummy. Light and tasty, you won't eat just one, but get your fill because by morning, they will all be gone...

Gluten-Free Snicker-doodle Cookies Recipe

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup Splenda brown sugar (love this stuff)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup local honey

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 1/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups gluten-free white rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tarter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet 

or spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In a mixer, blend butter, sugars and honey together.

Wait about blending in egg until the mixture is well blended...

so the egg won't cook with the warm butter.

Add the beaten egg and mix well.

Then add flours slowly as the mixer continues to rotate on a very low speed.

Stop the mixer and add the remaining ingredients and continue mixing until all the ingredients is well blended. If the dough isn't sticky to the touch and able to form into a ball, add more of one of the flours until this consistency is reached. 

Form the cookie dough into small balls and lay on the cookie sheet.

Back for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes approx. 35 cookies...depending on how much dough is eaten...

so I really don't know how many cookies can be made from this recipe...

everyone keeps dipping into the DOUGH lol....

Hugs, Rita...

French Toast with Peaches...

 Friday night is just made for comfort food. At the end of a long week, it creates a sense of warmth, happiness and an ease into a great weekend. Topping such a delicious meal with a special fruit and warm syrup, then you have a sit down meal in a matter of minutes with few ingredients and little cleanup.

Egg covered, toasted golden brown...

large pieces of sourdough bread...

...with peaches, drained/rinsed and warm syrup to

top the French toast...

Delicious...

Friday Night's Comforting French Toast Recipe

12 large eggs, beaten well

1 teaspoon real vanilla

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 large loaf of bread

Mix all the ingredients well.

The mixture should be bright yellow, creamy consistency.

Slice the bread, if not already sliced, 1/2 inch thick.

Spray the skillet with cooking spray and warm on medium heat.

When skillet is hot, dip one slice of bread in egg mixture,

coating both sides generously and lay in skillet.

Leave on each side for 1 minute or until golden brown.

Repeat until all the egg mixture or bread is gone.

** If there is egg mixture left, you can scramble the remaining or freeze it. 

Delicious...Should I video making this? 

What do you think...in my makeshift kitchen...

in the craziness of my house lol...

Hugs, Rita

I love these moments...scrapbooking page layout

 My friends say that if anyone knows where all the Starbucks are in the state of Alabama and to Nashville, it's me! Too funny. However, it isn't just for enjoying a cup of coffee, a latte, a flavored frap, hot chocolate, tea, or a nice pastry...one can read, play games on their laptop, do school work or...scrapbook! I do... This is one of many pages I have created at one of my favorite Starbucks. "I love these memories..." not only at Starbucks, my point of a good cup of coffee but a point of respite for me during these days of my life, but also, I love my time with girlfriends, scrapbooking, crochet, talking, Bible study, or just being.

The kit I used was from Close to My Heart and I really liked the canvas embellishments that came with it. I ordered a second kit I liked it so much. The papers are a little weak but with the added cardstock from my stash, it worked great. I added tags with my favorite Stampin' Up punch as a the pull. I can journal more about the event and the photos using the tag. The event represented on this page was different years at Scrapping for a Cure to raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. I love Rachael McGuire and her family. They work very hard to waken the community and those around them to the creativity of scrapbooking as a respite and to CF. Love the whole process but not the disease. Check out their story...

Respite...creating and refreshing the mind...I highly recommend it for everyone...

Hugs, Rita

Stamp and Organizing Idea...

 To say I have a LOT of stamps, both wood mount and clear, is to say...a girl has a lot of makeup, jewelry and shoes. Well, I guess, I'm not one of those girls, but I do have a lot of stamps. I haven't dismounted my wood stamps because I got these really cool wood racks off ebay a million years ago and love love love them. Plus the stamps look absolutely beautiful on the wall. I just don't have the heart to separate any of the fabulous feeling I have looking at all of them. So, I can I be a good steward of using them...so glad you asked.

 I pulled some of my most used inks and started stamping the images on cardstock using my small trusty cutting board which I carry with me just in case the surface I am using isn't stable for stamping. Then I place the sheet of cardstock into the organizer for my stickers/paper/embellishments for that themed stamp. Thus, I use that stamp. I have several images stamped, ready to go or to share. If I need more or stamped in a different color ink, I am reminded that I have that image and can easily pull it. Perfect. Done. Better steward of what I have. Plan to do this with my diecutting images too.

What is your way of organizing stamps? I could use all the advice in 2013 in getting my studio and art supplies organized...

Hugs, Rita

Sunday Randomness...and my makeshift kitchen...

This is it. All I have to use to cook with. Why? I don't have a kitchen. In 2011, we were hit by storms and we were in the midst of adding on with plans to remodel the existing house. After our rush to move into the addition, a wild story, we bulldozed down the old portion of the house in 2012, another story I haven't been able to blog here or share the video yet.  So, I cook in this makeshift kitchen complete with a microwave, toaster oven and two-eye burner. It is really fabulous BUT I dream of getting a real kitchen...eventually. This is in the studio space we decided in the new addition that we are using for dining and living until that day...not sure when that will be...hopefully this year. Need to work toward saving money for the rebuild.

For now, I am cleaning out my studio stash and reorganizing. I began by going through my scrapbooking. A friend, Terri, which isn't online, sad to say, told me that she simply put kits together for her crops. I got to thinking about that and decided to take mine a step further, which I will totally share with you later. ((I forgot to bring my power strip with me for my blogging Sunday afternoon lol)) TOLD you...Sunday Randomness...

Then that thought led to another...I once went a few months without purchasing art supplies except for adhesive and my goal date was my birthday. Then I realized with my birthday coming up this Saturday, that maybe I could go a whole year without buying supplies... Thinking this might be a challenge worth considering. Then swap, barter, recycle or trade for things that I need... This is all areas of my art, not just paper, but beading, fiber, glass, fabric, wood... What do you think? Who is with me? Think I can do it...((Gulp)) What have I just typed...battery go dead now please...

Hugs, Rita

Madison's Birthday Bow

Madison's Birthday was January 22nd and she turned a beautiful 16 years-old! Purple is her favorite color but pink comes in a very close second. So, her mom brought me some sweet ribbons to make her a bow for her to wear a couple of times that week. I did and she was adorable. Pretty regardless of the bow. Madison's spirit is just uplifting and makes me even more happy than I already am...

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: Blinging it Up

 One thing I have never been afraid of or never second guessed, is using ribbons, embellishments or even bright pretty bling on my boys pages. I have three sons and I figure that if they want to recreate the pages, then, sweeties, feel free to scan them and go for it! I would love to see what you create. In today's technology, I think they would love digital scrapbooking, don't you?! Regardless, I love using bling. My eye glasses have it, my cups have it, my life is all about bling...so, why not my pages...

 I created a trail and then an imperfect flower, I just noticed lol. In addition to the bling, I added the tab punch behind the photos for simple journaling. In this Special Ministries Sunday School Class, we used Art Journaling to build our lesson and reinforce the encouragement we wanted those with us to carry with them all week.

On this page, I added some simple pearls to the page as I have done on some other pages along with tiny journaling spots and punched tags behind the photographs. Sweet expressions for sweet faces that brought us joy week after week and do now day after day. Loving it... Consider adding bling, metal, ribbons, or recycling something you find on your path of walking from place to place and bringing it to your page. I wonder what it might be?!!

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: multiple photographs on a page

 I will be the first to admit that I am still a baby scrapbooker. I can't wait to learn how to put 12, 16, 18 photographs on a page!!! Hear me breathing heavy?! LOL, I don't take that many photographs at an event (rolling my eyes, holding my fingers crossed behind my back, praying for repentance as God forgives me and just shakes his head lol)... However, I had eight photographs that were all large and were screaming "please don't cut me down to size" so I had to use them on a two page spread.

 I did it! I fanned them out simply and completely with a focal point at the bottom of the fan. I added a simple journaling spot to the corner. The paper spoke for itself and then I added scrap trim around the outside of the layout when I had my photographs down. I also added pearls to the page detailed elements for accent. Pretty.

Again, I fanned out the photographs, giving the page a focal point photograph and a simple journaling spot. I kept it simple and unique which was totally perfect and complete. Doing this, if it had been an attended event, I could have added the tickets, napkins, bulletin, etc behind the photographs...perfect for holding whatever life brings to the page. =)

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: double using tags

Finding creative ways to use tags is my nitch in creating scrapbook pages. If there is a way to use a tag, this gal will find it! =) I love love love to use tags. I take soda boxes, cardboard, poster board, cardstock, junk mail, magazine subscription tabs, whatever that has some texture to it and cut them out as tags. It is inexpensive and a great way to recycle. 

 Here I put a tag behind the photograph as an embellishment and even left a bit hanging out that could have some simple journaling on it if I wanted. I also used a tab punch pull but could have punched a whole and dangled some fibers and some beads with charms...many fun options are still available before I actually post this in a book.

Then I added a space behind the paper piece I added to the page to hold a tag for my actual journaling. Tags are a great way to add some punch to your pages and even hid that bit of journaling you might not want to take away from the photograph or the page as a whole. Give them a try...you will love the addition to your pages...

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: Givers from the Heart

 Special Ministries Sunday School Classes love to be givers and this class was no exception. We took the months of November and December of 2011 to make gifts for family members of their choice and then we gave to church members of their choice. They decoupaged plates, made glass block lights, handmade cards and candles. They had such fun doing this and had such a sweet spirit as well as a caring heart in giving.

I kept the scrapbooking simple with paper, ribbon which was used on one of the projects, and buttons. Then I added small journaling blocks to the side.

I want to remember these moments for a very long time. It was a time of joy for me and creating these pages was a time to the end of a healing for me. We enjoyed teaching this class and to spend everyday with Madison and Garrett is a gift we are thankful for continuously. They are truly givers from the heart in so many ways. Sometimes keeping scrapbook pages simple is all that you really need to express exactly what you want to say from the photographs.

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: Using paper scraps and pieces

 What do I do with all these scraps? For me that's easy. I have a 12x12 plastic box that is about 3" deep. It closes securely so that if I want to take it with me, I don't have to worry and I can take it with me. However, when I finish scrapbooking, especially at a weekend crop, I will allow about an hour to go through my scraps, trimming them down to usable pieces. That is where these pieces came from for this page. I cut the strips behind the photograph, adhered them to 4 ATG strips of tape adhesive on a piece of cardstock that was also in my scrap box, then placed it on my page. Also, I used a piece of scrap paper and cut it out the shape of a shipping tag and placed it to the side for an embellishment. Creative...

 Here is one of my favorite things to do and I have mentioned it in my blog as well as on my videos. Use your punches for embellishments!! They are perfect!! I love doing that and you can use them for simple journaling as well.

Just another quick glimpse at the paper pieces...

Think outside the box and you can not only find creative ways

to use your scraps, but save money too!

Hugs, Rita

Scrapbooking: Our Decorated Tea Cake Cookies

Leading the small Special Ministries Sunday School class, we made it creative! Wanting each person to learn the truths of the lessons of that day, as well as gain mobility, confidence, inspiration and so much more that each individual needed to make it day to day regardless of their present situation. We wanted to create fun and happiness. One of my favorite times was when we decorated tea cake cookies with icing and candy corn...

 As I scrapbooked these photographs, I brought in the colors related to fall without taking away from the brightness of the photographs. I love the smiles on Madison and Garrett. They are wonderful and I am so glad I get to share everyday with them...

 Then I realized at the crop I didn't have any flowers, so I made one using scraps of paper, the top to one of my containers and the lid to a tea pot. I wadded them up, sprayed them with glimmer mist, let them dry and who-la, flowers. Then I raised the key photograph with pop-dot adhesive.

 Using my favorite tab punch, I can attach it to photographs, either as a whole or by cutting it in half and savoring each piece, and adding the name and date of the one in the photograph or other simple journaling. I do like matting my photographs too, giving the page a sweet element.

Using another favorite punch I created my own personalized embellishment by adding ribbon and distressing the edges. Then on the opposite page I turned them at a different angle. I also use these for simple journaling on my pages. Both of these punches are excellent to use in art journaling or personal journaling to highlight dates, events or lists you want to specifically mark.

I had such fun scrapbooking this and other pages at a wonderful weekend away with some girls I have adopted as my sisters. They are all indeed sisters in real life and their mom joined us for the weekend as well. It was so much for to scrapbook, laugh and share something in common that we all have. I am still working on photographs from 2011,. but I am making progress lol...I just need to scrapbook more often...=) The recipe for these delicious cookies is posted...

Hugs, Rita