Monthly Archive for December, 2005

Stamper’s Rights

Published
by
Courtney
on December 29, 2005
in Scrapping and Stamping
. 0 Comments

Here’s a funny little thing I picked up somewhere along the way…I can’t remember exactly where…

Stamper’s and Scrapbooker’s Rights

A Scrapbooker is entrusted with documenting and safely preserving family
photos in an album to be treasured by future generations. A Stamper is entrusted with creating works of art to be shared and enjoyed. Creating a scrapbook or stamping a project is an honorable and important task. As a Scrapbooker and/or stamper, you are entitled (but not limited) to the following rights:

You have the right to take as long as you want to complete one album page or greeting card. Note: This may be five minutes or two weeks.

You have the right to purchase a certain scrapbook or stamping item for no other reason than because
a) you like it
b) you think it’s cute
c) you’ll never find it again
d) you know you’ll use it someday.

You have the right to a workspace of your own. This may be the basement, your college student’s old bedroom, or the kitchen table. It’s yours.

You have the right to scrapbook or stamp when inspiration strikes–whether the dishes are done or not.

You have the right to request peaceful, kid-free, stress-less scrap and/or stamp time–guilt-free.

You have the right to create scrapbook pages that reflect and celebrate the spirit of the one person who is usually NOT in the photograph: You.

You have the right to put whatever you want on your album page or card. This includes, but is not limited to: patterned papers, die-cuts, stickers, eyelets, brads, fiber, mesh, beads, stamped images, embossed images, and Punch-Outs.

You may place as many or as few photos per page as you deem appropriate.

You have the right to do nothing more than snack and socialize at a 6-hour cropping party or stamp get-together.

You have the right to value your personal stamping or scrapbooking style. You are creating treasures-and part of that treasure is you.

You have the right to create your own legacy, one page or card at a time.

Feel free to print a copy and keep it in or around your stamping or scrapping area so members of your family can quickly be directed to whichever “right” as a stamper and/or scrapper you’d like them to take note of. This works especially well for people who may think you’re taking too long on a card or layout…simply direct them to your right to take as long as you please…

DC Chicken

Published
by
Courtney
on December 28, 2005
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

dc chicken.jpg
Here’s an awesome and super easy main dish recipe. It’s for…you guessed it: Diet Coke Chicken. Now don’t pre-form an opinion and start thinking “Coke…on my chicken….? I’m not sure about that…” I’m telling you it’s very tasty! Just pretend you don’t even know that there’s Diet Coke on your chicken. Except of course you will know because you’ll be the one that put it there. Just revert back to your childhood for a little while and pretend you don’t know it’s in there. This one is totally worth trying and no one will even know you put your soda in the sauce!

Diet Coke Chicken

1 pkg. Skinless, Boneless, Chicken Breasts
1 c. ketchup
1 can Diet Coke

Preheat a skillet…pick a deep one with a lid…to medium/medium high…place Chicken Breasts in the skillet…pour ketchup over the chicken…pour the entire can of Diet Coke over the ketchup and chicken mixture. Stir the ketchup and soda to mix it a little. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes. Place lid on the skillet and lower temperature and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken sauce. The soda and ketchup make a BBQ tasting sauce. It’s absolutely dee-lish!

Weight Watchers Points: 4 per piece

3×3 Valentines

Published
by
Courtney
on December 27, 2005
in Stamping
. 0 Comments

In the Stampin’ Up! Winter Mini Catalog there are cute little 3×3 pre-cut and pre-scored cards for sale. They come 40 in a package and include the envelopes…so they’re not a bad deal at $9.95! The color choices are Real Red, Pretty in Pink, and Whisper White, and the envelopes are Whisper White. I encourage you all to check them out! This may be an especially good route for those of you with children in school. Having the cardstock pre-cut and folded takes out tons of prep time! Following are a few samples (with the recipes below) that I worked up yesterday. One whole day off makes for lots of stamping time!

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Artwork © 1990-2005 Stampin’ Up!

A: Olive You Stamp Set…Real Red, Pretty in Pink, & Whisper White Cardstock…Pretty in Pink Ink…Pink Gingham Ribbon…Small Corner Rounder

B: Smorgasborders Stamp Set…Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss, & Confetti White Cardstock…Pretty in Pink & Mellow Moss Ink…Moss Gingham Ribbon

C: Olive You Stamp Set…Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss, & Confetti Tan Cardstock…Pretty in Pink & Black Ink…Moss Gingham Ribbon & Real Red Button

D: Loads of Love Stamp Set…Real Red, Pretty in Pink, & Whisper White Cardstock…Black Ink…Stampin’ Write Markers

E: Tag Time Stamp Set…Real Red & Basic Black Cardstock…Gold Cord

F: Stipple Celebrations & Everyday Flexible Phrases Stamp Sets…Real Red & Pretty in Pink Ink…Silver Cord

How Corny Is This?

Published
by
Courtney
on December 26, 2005
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Here’s an easy and delicious corn recipe that has been passed on to me from my Grandma. I think she got it from my Great-Grandma Held. I know it’s an old recipe by the way it says to use one pint of corn. Who measures their corn in pints? Not me. Not the grocery store where I go to buy cans of corn. Of course I had to call my Grandma once and ask her this question: “How many cans of corn make a pint?” She told me that it’s written that way because back-in-the-day they canned corn (jarred it, whatever ya call it), and it was measured into pint jars. But anyways, I digress. All you need to know is that it’s easy to make and very yummy. FYI: One pint of corn is “about one can” according to Grandma.

Scalloped Corn

1 pint of corn
2 eggs
2 C. milk
8-10 soda (or Ritz) crackers, crumbled
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all together in casserole dish. I use an 8×8 or 2-quart…depending on which one is closer to the front of the cabinet. Dot the top with butter. Bake 45 minutes to one hour at 350. I find that it usually takes a full hour and the top of the casserole develops a nice brown color. You can also use corn off the cob…that’s how I made it for Christmas dinner…mostly because we blanched and “shaved” about 3 dozen ears of corn this past sweet corn season to store in the freezer for winter…gotta use that stuff up before it’s sweet corn season again! Anyhow, I think I used about a cup and a half of sweet corn kernels…well I guess it was more like a pint of corn kernels…you know, about the same amount that comes in a can…the cans that are measured in ounces…how’s a girl supposed to keep up with all these different measurements? Geez….

Slushie Yum-Yum

Published
by
Courtney
on December 25, 2005
in Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

I am sharing this recipe in honor of the quickly approaching New Year’s Eve. Larry and I are having a New Year’s Eve/Housewarming Party for our families and we will be serving these delicious slushies–to the adults! The best thing about this yummy beverage is that you can’t taste the alcohol. Now I know you’re thinking, “Courtney, that makes them even more dangerous to drink…” and to that I say, “Yes, yes it does….”

Hope you had a wonderful holiday and a joyous New Year’s Eve. Please remember to be safe…don’t drink and drive…or drive and drink…or any combination thereof.

Slushie Yum-Yum
3/4 C. Vodka
3/4 C. Sloe Gin
6 oz. Orange Juice Concentrate, thawed
12 oz. Lemonade Concentrate, thawed
2 (10 oz.) jars maraschino cherries, juice & all
32 oz. grapefruit flavored soda, such as Squirt
64 (or so) oz. lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite

Mix Vodka, Sloe Gin, Orange Juice, Lemonade, cherries, and grapefruit soda in a large container with a lid. I usually use my large Tupperware© Thatsa™ Bowl, however I have also used a 5 quart plastic ice cream container. Then freeze this mixture for at least 24 hours. To serve: scoop slushie mixture with an ice cream scoop and fill the glass the rest of the way with Sprite. I generally double the recipe if it’s for a large crowd, and I use one scoop of slush in the small, party-sized plastic cups.

These will also keep in your freezer for a long time! The alcohol keeps the mixture from freezing solid, so feel free to mix them up and only scoop out a little here-and-there!

Limited Edition

Published
by
Courtney
on December 22, 2005
in Scrapping and Stamping
. 0 Comments

Stampin’ Up! has told its demonstrators some fabulous news! And of course, I’m sharing it with you here. Originally Stampin’ Up! began offering hostess exclusive stamp sets. They were earned by hostesses for reaching different sales goals for their workshop. Those of you who have been a hostess before know all about the “hostess only sets” you earned for free, right? Well those of you who have been a hostess before also know that some of those “hostess only sets” ended up in the next year’s Idea Book & Catalog, right? Granted you had a year to earn them for free, but it kinda takes the point out of “limited edition” and “hostess only”, doesn’t it? That shall happen no more! Stampin’ Up! has announced that they are changing their policy on limited edition stamp sets! From now on hostess sets will not be carried over into the next catalog. Furthermore, very few mini catalog sets will be carried over into the next catalog. And, (I’m not done yet) this will include Sell-A-Brations sets. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. You’ll have the chance to earn hostess sets for free for one year, after that, you won’t see them again. Same goes for SAB sets…you’ll have the opportunity to earn them for free during the promotion period only.

I have to say that I think this is wonderfully fantastic! Not only does this make those free hostess sets more valuable to Stampin’ Up! hostesses, it also opens the door for lots of new and exciting stamp sets each catalog year! Less carryover means more new stuff! So if there are any hostess stamp sets that you’ve had your eye on, you have until June 30th to earn them! Also keep in mind that there will be very few, if any, mini catalog sets carried over to the new catalog….want that one perfect set but can’t bring yourself to get it, hoping you’ll get it in the new catalog, ain’t gonna happen anymore! You have to get it while you can!

Changes Galore…

Published
by
Courtney
on December 21, 2005
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

There are changes coming soon to this blog. They will be very obvious and very cool. It should be done tonight. Just wanted to let you know so that when you come back tomorrow (you will won’t you? please say you will…) you know you’re still in the right place. It’ll be the same content, but with a new and improved look!

UPDATE: The changes have been made. Purple and pink (not usually colors I like)…what do you think? You like it. I know you do. I tried to get as close to Elegant Eggplant & Rose Red. That’s my current (which changes all the time) favorite Stampin’ Up! color combo. Check back in a few days…my current favorite color combo will probably be different! Anyhow, hope you enjoy!