Monday, September 24, 2012

Santa cards using LaBlanche stamps

I took a class last week with Donna Sledzik in CT.  It's always loads of fun at any of her classes & I come away with new techniques.  After the class I came home & remembered that I had 2 stamps made by the same stamp company (LaBlanche from Germany).  I wanted to use what I had on hand.  I found that I had almost everything I needed (with some substitutions for Distress Inks, etc) to create a similar card.


The card on the left was made with Donna.  He's a jolly old elf. 
The card on the right was made with the stamp that I had on hand.  To watch the demonstration by the LaBlanche representative using UTEE and Distress Ink nibs go to this link.   http://simonsaysstampblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/lablanche-coloring-technique-video.html
I'm thinking about making several of these cards to send out to David's clients.  It's a very European image & has an Old World look that I love. The one detail I'll probably change is to take the Merry Christmas sentiment & cut it with a circle punch layered onto a slightly larger circle.  I'm hoping to use up papers that I have on hand for the background.
It's apple season here in New England and I made applesauce this morning & apple butter is simmering in the crockpot.  The weather here has been a perfect "10" (70s during the day & cooler at night).  I'm enjoying a day off & will be heading up to my scraproom to play with paper, but wanted to share these cards.
Have a wonderful week!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Fall Rhubarb & New Windows

Wow -- time is really flying by.  This morning I headed off to the Farmers Market with my dear friend DS.  We both love to see "what's new" & today's find was Autumn rhubarb & fresh ginger.  You know where I'm headed with this.  Rhubarb Ginger Jam.  It's on the schedule for tomorrow after an 8 am soccer game.

We've had contractors at our house all week installing new windows/doors. Here's the outside photo ~

We took double-hung windows (that looked like the ones on the far left [garage that we're only going to modify by removing the mullions]) & replaced the large windows on the first floor (see contractor installing in my husband's office) as well as the doors/windows over on the far right of the first floor (livingroom) & above (master bedroom).  The difference is amazing.  We took a somewhat dark interior & opened it up to the outside (view of the lake we live on).  Such fun, but now I have the challenge of finding window treatments (at least for the master bedroom). 

My brother-in-law came over today & I wanted to make something sweet for him.  I had been given a recipe from the woman at Cold Spring Orchard (UMass Orchard with wonderful fruits).  It's so simple, but really quite nice .  She called it:

Crazy Crust Cake
13 x 9 pan  (greased)
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. butter (melted)
2 eggs
spices according to fruit used
fresh fruit (peeled & sliced enough to cover 2/3 of greased pan)

Peel & slice fruit directly into 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle with spices if desired (I used nutmeg & cinnamon sugar on apples)
Mix flour, sugar, butter & eggs until smooth & pour over fruit.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake approximately 45 minutes until set.  Delicious & so easy.

I hope that everyone is enjoying one of the most beautiful times in the year.  Autumn in New England is characterized by cool nights and those warm days that make you think winter isn't actually around the corner.  The pace slows, the foods became a little more substantial & the kitchen smalls bring me right back to being a small girl in Grandma's kitchen.