Easter is Just around the Corner

 Hi there everyone, hope you are having a good month. Today was the first day of Spring and we will be getting a snowstorm starting Thursday night. Got my car parked in the garage, so no snow on the car and also my soft maple is dropping those little red thingy's on the ground. So just trying to protect the car from all "that stuff" defacing it.

Well Easter is just around the corner! Guess it is early this year although it just seems time is flying by so fast. Making cards for Hospice keeps me on my toes because I have to always plan for the next holiday a month early so the cards get to Hospice in time. Then we are on to the next holiday, oh well, makes life interesting. 

So, the card above is a die I used at the Thompson Center. A large donation of paper, dies and stamps came in and I used this die above from the donation, makes for a nice card.

The Birthday Blessings cards, the background came in as a donation to Thompson Center, that is one embossing folder I do not have, so when I saw these backgrounds, I found a way to use them. The roses are from a sticker set I bought at the Dollar store. Made for a nice, simple and easy card to put together.

Now this was a fun Easter card to make. One of the ladies at the Thompson Center led the class and gave us instructions on how to make this card. She had all the pieces cut out and we colored them in and placed them on the card, then the card is set up so that it sits up, hard to tell in this picture, but the Happy Spring is holding the card up.

I was at the Thompson Center today and finished off some cards I am making for Hospice for our next meeting. I will take a picture of them for the next blog. I found some more dies and did some cutting with them. Hopefully I can make a few more cards with those dies.

The Hockey season is almost over, my Chicago Blackhawks are in last place (there are 32 teams in the NHL). Hopefully in the next few years they can get in the playoffs, they are in a rebuild right now, so things are not looking good for them. But they are fun to watch. a young team with lots of guts and desire. One of the kids, is only 18 years old is going to get the "Rookie of the Year Award" he is almost as good as Patrick Kane and Patrick is the best!!!!!

Well time to close, the game is over, and the Hawks lost 6-2. Need to finish this blog and get ready for bed....getting late. You have a great rest of the month, keep looking up, better days are coming!!!

Cheers ~ Louise

Life in 2020 and Cream Puffs

Hi there everyone.....I know, I know, it's been a while, like 2 weeks since the last post?!?! I used to be so diligent writing my posts, 3,4,5 a month. Now it's just 1 or 2 posts. Guess not too much is happening in my life. I can post just so many cards, so many recipes, so many Hawk games, till people get tired of reading my posts, guess that is better then no posts at all.....right?!?!

Have not been doing any cards lately. But I need to make some for Valentine's Day. Hospice meeting is coming up on the 31st. and I have very few cards for that day. Maybe it's a good thing I have a Hospice meeting, cause it makes me make cards, even if I don't feel like it. Need some inspiration I guess.

The cookbook has taken up a lot of my time....we are nearing the end though. I have typed in 275 recipes (there are a few more coming....so maybe it will be about 280). We will be sending the book in with dividers, pictures and info to have Fundcraft put the book together. Maybe the end of this month or the beginning of February is our ending date.

Speaking of recipes (no, this one is not in the cookbook) I made these cream puffs the beginning of this year. Don't they look delicious?? Always wanted to make these, found a recipe that sounded pretty easy. So many times, these fancy recipes sound so complicated....thought I could handle this one. Following is the recipe.
Eclairs - Preheat oven 400 degrees.
1 c. water
1 stick butter
1 c. sifted flour
4 eggs
Heat water and butter to boiling point. Add flour, stir constantly till the mixture is smooth and forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in 4 eggs one at a time. Till all mixed together. Drop dough on greased cooking sheet (or use parchment paper to line the cooking sheet.) Bake 30 minutes until light brown. Set aside and cool. Prepare your filling. Cut puffs lengthwise, but not through. Pipe custard into center. Melt chocolate and frost puffs.

I tried making the filling, but it burned the pan. So I filled the puffs with sliced banana and spooned Cool Whip into the puffs. Covered the puffs with Chocolate syrup. 

I do have a package of vanilla instant pudding. I will try that next time I make these puffs. A fun dessert to have on hand. The ideas are endless. How does strawberries sound...oh yum!!!

 I believe in my Christmas post I mentioned I would post "My 3 Kings" I made these guys 52 years ago. Using paper Mache and material. They have their own container, an "All" soap detergent container that is probably 53+ years old.....everything is antique. It would not be Christmas without "My 3 Kings".

Isn't this a great picture of a Blackhawk, so powerful and strong. Speaking of the Chicago Blackhawks. Patrick Kane got his 1000 point last night. It was so cool to watch. All the guys came off the bench and surrounded him, congratulating him on his 1000 point. The announcer said he scored 500+ goals and 400+ assists (meeting somewhere in between.) I will find the exact stats and insert them in this post at a later date.

So I have been watching lots of Hockey....my entertainment. Would be wonderful to go to a game....but a little expensive and too far to travel. So it is cheaper to watch at home on TV.

Patrick is only 31 years old....so he has lots of years left to score more goals and assists. Patrick is the 4th Hawk in Franchise history to score over 1000 points. I heard also, he is the 90th player in the League to score 1000 points...so many mile stones he has reached and he is not done yet. His mother and father must be VERY proud of him. All his team mates love him and look up to him....he has become quite the icon for young kids that want to be just like him. Even some of his team mates are young enough to remember watching him and wanted to be like him. So awesome. I tear up thinking about this man!!!

So I guess I will close here for now. Who knows when I will come back. Maybe when something exciting happens, not sure when that will be. Just know I will be watching Hockey, making cards and cooking till the snow subsides and the days start getting longer. I am ready and it is just January.

Talk to you later, keep looking up better days are coming. 
Cheers ~ Louise