I can’t tell you how thankful I am that the weekend is almost here! I have so many new scrappy supplies to play with and two new Cricut Cartridges. Well I‘ve had the cartridges for a few weeks but I have not had time to get them out of the boxes. Plus my birthday present (a new sewing machine) is still sitting here waiting to be used. So many fun things to play with and so little time.


If you’re looking for some inspiration head on over to the Nikki Sivils blog and ck out the awesome projects. I might add that I was totally excited to see the CP Design Teams work featured on her blog. Woo Hoo!

You might also want to check out the Croppin Paradise blog for the Bo Bunny reveals - totally fun supplies to create with!

I'm always looking for a great scrappy deal and I found another deal a day site that you might want to check out: Crafty Steals.

Recent Projects:







Taco Soup

1 pound of ground turkey or lean ground beef
1 large onion - chopped
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (small)
1 package Taco Seasoning mix
1 can white kidney beans (16 oz.)
1 can pinto beans (16 oz.)
1 can corn (16 oz.)
1 can stewed tomatoes (mexican style) (16 oz.)
1 can stewed tomatoes (16 oz.)
Brown meat with onion, drain excess fat
Place meat and onion along with all other ingredients in a crockpot for 6 hours
(If you want it a little more soupy add a little water.) 



Randy's Take:

The texture was wonderful -

The flavor was fantastic -

The eating experience was delightful -

In other words I can make it again lol!

I'm sure this will become one of our favorite meals.

40th Class Reunion

I attended my 40th class reunion last night; Shelby Senior High class of 1970. There was something momentous about this occasion. There were a few surprises . . . folks that were rail thin in high school had plumped up considerably. Others who were chunky had illogically thinned down. There was grey hair (mine included), and bald heads, and yes . . . wrinkles. But it was more than a gathering to compare weight gain and weight loss and hair colors and hairlines.


Our class was defined by; hippies, the drug culture, long hair, short dresses, denim, rock and roll and disobedience. It was a time that made us think, express and create in ways that still influence us today.

Way back in 1975 at the first class reunion you could spoof yourself into believing that you were immortal and that you would enjoy an endless succession of get-togethers. But after hitting 58, you cross the threshold of denial . . . it was reflected on the faces around me. Yes, we are aging . . . some more gracefully than others I might add. There were the usual assortment of mid-life health problems. Many were troubled with bad backs, hips and knees. I consider myself very fortunate and blessed indeed to not have any health problems.

Through all the passion and loathing, births and deaths, achievements and failures, the sorrows and the joys of living for 50 plus years . . . these are the people I knew way back when. The nerds, the partiers, the jocks, the clowns, and the dreamers and schemers. There is just something nostalgic about seeing old friends. Why is it that the stories never grow old . . . only the people who are telling them.

Judy, Cheryl, Me, Pam, Becky

Class of 1970

Wanted to share two layouts I did for the Nikki Sivils reveal at CroppinParadise this month.  The Happy Holly-Days Collection was just perfect for these Christmas pages.

Hamburger Soup

Healthy eating is not about sticking to strict nutrition philosophies, or staying away from foods you like. Its about eating smart. It’s about what and how you eat. Watch for lower fat and higher fiber content. Portion control is important! Remember there is a lag time (about 20 minutes) between your stomach being full and your brain knowing it.


This is a healthy, hearty soup that is sure to please your taste buds and fill you up.

Hamburger Soup
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with chilies
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup corn
4 cups of beef broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
½ cup ketchup
1 cup whole wheat pasta

In a skillet cook the ground beef and drain.
Place the ground beef, onion, red pepper, celery, canned diced tomatoes, carrots, corn, beef broth, salt, pepper, and the ketchup and 1 cup of dried whole wheat pasta in a crock-pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Serve and savor!

Makes 12 cups
Per Serving:
105 calories, 1g fat, 3g fiber

school, scrapping and a new recipe

The school year for the agency I work for started last Tuesday, September 7th. If you want to talk about a long and hectic week!


But it got me to thinking and reflecting on my early school experiences. Growing up as a Catholic in the 1950’s, I began every single school day with mass. The mass itself was mostly incomprehensible - what little kid knew Latin!? There was this forty five minute daily challenge of what to do while God was at work up there at the alter, in a foreign language.
The nuns kept a tight lid on fidgeting and/or talking to your peers. I can honestly say that the way the nuns dressed perplexed me. They were all uniformly dressed in distinct clothing called habits, a long robe like dress, starched coifs, veils and a looped rosary.
The only nuns I encountered, close up and personal, were harsh, and not very child friendly. In fact, I was educated by nuns who were cruel and most certainly not loving in any way. I have no idea if the church officially sanctioned slapping children or not, but I was on the receiving end of those holy rights and lefts on more than one occasion and often experienced verbal abuse. My Catholic school experiences made me tougher, wiser and less trusting of people in power than I might otherwise have become . . . maybe that’s a good thing. I do know it shaped my image of the nature of teaching.



In the last month I have acquired a ton of scrappy supplies, some for DT projects and some . . . well just because I thought I had to have them.
So many projects to do, so many cool supplies to play with, and so little time.
Here’s a few sneak peeks using the Happy Holly Days Collection by Nikki Sivis and the Block Party Collection by BoBunny. These will be revealed at Croppin Paradise later this month.

I’m always looking for easy recipes to try and this one is easy as well as delicious! I would have never thought of using Cottage Cheese like this!

Sunrise Pizza
2 frozen whole wheat or multi grain waffles
1/3 cup Cottage Cheese
1 cup strawberries
1 Tbsp. honey
4 dashes ground cinnamon

(I added 2 Tbsp. whipped topping.)

Prepare the waffles accdording to package directions. 
Spread each waffle with a portion of the cottage cheese,
and 1/2 cup of the strawberries. 
Drizzle each waffle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Enjoy!