Happy Easter 2013

For Easter 2013 ~ my Walmart special "Hibiscus Plant" for $1.50 (three years ago), decided to make some beautiful blooms!! Isn't this just so lovely and this is on a cloudy day. Imagine it's beauty on a sunny day!! Need to get some job picks and fertilize. I water this plant 2 times a week, usually Wednesday's and Saturdays, watering till the water comes out the bottom of the holes of the planter. The leaves turn yellow a couple times of year. But new ones appear. So she just keeps blooming and blooming......best investment I have ever made for $1.50!!

So Wednesday I went to my friends house to color her hair and see some of things she is making on her cameo. She will be selling some of her creations as soon as she gets her inventory built up. She gave me lots of ideas too.......if I can figure out how to get it on my blog, I will show you what I made last night on my Cricut. MUSTASHES!!!!!
The above picture is the scene out her frontroom window.....beautiful....like a mini-vacation and home all wrapped up into a bundle!!!! I shall take a picture when the snow melts and the grass turns green....it will be very inviting then.
Her husband is having a heart operation this next week....pray for her and her husband Dougie.

Well, time to close here and get some things done around the house, oh and make some mustashes on my Cricut. Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Zzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!

Have a good day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh....Cheers ~ Louise

"Oh Spring.....Where Art Thou? ~ Boating and Baking!!"

Where ARRRRRE YOUUUUUUUU Spring??? Everyone is looking for you, why are you hiding???
The above picture was taken in January, and this is what we expect for January. BUT it is March 23rd and is supposed to be SPRING!!!  My back yard is still full of snow!!! This time last year we were in the 80's! We went from winter to summer in the twinkling of an eye!!
Hopefully we will taste a bit of spring this year, I for one am ready!!!

READY for boat rides and mini vacations!! Yes I am looking forward to this ride.....winter vanishes away.....not to be seen again, for at least 6 months or more!!!! I will enjoy my summer this year and look forward to every day!!!

So I was on Facebook today...my usual place to go after checking emails and such. Found this recipe that I just needed to share today.....have not tried it yet, but will today for sure!!! I will give you the ingredients here, so if you are so inclined, you can try it also and let me know how it worked out for you.
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This is Red Lobster's Cheese Biscuit recipe done in a loaf pan.


3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
... 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup sour cream
3 Tablespoons of butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan with oil. In a bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Carefully stir in cheese cubes until covered in flour mixture, this will help prevent your cheese sinking to the bottom of your loaf of bread.

In a different bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Fold the wet mixture into the flour and cheese mixture, stir until just combined, do not over stir. Spread the mixture into the loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan. Allow to cool for one hour before slicing and serving.
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Sounds good, doesn't it, this could be a keeper for sure!!!
Well, time to close this blog for today, need to get some things done. Saturday, wonder what I can get into??? Well, for one, make the above bread!! 
Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh!
Cheers ~ Louise 

Wordless Wednesday

Okay.......it's time to get the lawn mowers and lawn chairs out!!!! Today is Spring!!!
Have a great day despite all this snow!!
Cheers ~ Louise

New Products to Play With and New Cards

So today the mail man delivered these little treasures to my house. Exciting!!! 3 different purple patterned washi tapes, maybe just in time for Easter. AND....ta da ta!!!! Finally my Martha Stewert balloon punch. Been looking for this punch for a couple of weeks now. Archivers, Hobby Lobby, Micheals did not carry it. Didn't check JoAnns though. But now I have my punch and can make the colored balloons I desire and maybe even sell a packet of balloons in my Etsy store. just as I bought a packet of balloons from another etsy seller. Hopefully what goes around, comes around and someone will buy from me.....If I make the sale look interesting.

This is a sample of a card made with washi tape and some of the colors I have. This was a very fun card to make and has much potential to be most any card you desire it to be. I cut each end for the tapes to look like banners. I will be putting this card in my Etsy store sometime next week. It will be priced for $3.00 + postage, making it $5.00. still cheaper then a store bought card and it is homemade!!!

Here is one of my "anchor cards" this can be for a the sailor in your life, the retired sailor, the boat man, pontoon man, anyone having to do with water and boats!!!
I have a cricut machine (thanks to Sandi, who gave me one). Finally figuring out how to use it, took me long enough!!! Anyways I was looking for an anchor, looked all over the internet and also on SVG.cuts.com  No, no anchors. Finally found a site where they sold svg die cuts for $4 and can be downloaded to your computer......I found this anchor and it was FREE....my kind of shopping. Sooooo, I had it downloaded, now the project was to find it and transfer it to my Sure Cuts A Lot 2 program. Well, I managed to do it and here is the result of my efforts. Not a bad looking card, even if I have to say so myself.....LOL!!!

The above card, and this one are cut from the same card stock. I used the anchor in the above card and the cut-out anchor in this card.  Same anchors, two different looks.

I have decided to use a new background for my cards.....finally took down my little Christmas tree, but kept a string of lights....(I enjoy looking at the lights), can you see the little bunny peeking around the card??? Sort of a Christmas/Easter effect, but it makes for a nice place to take pictures of my cards.

Well time to close for today.........have some things to get done. Work is never done, there is always something to do. You all have a great weekend and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Ode to my Little Coffee Maker - Part 2

So here is a little snap-shot of my Melitta Coffee maker. I bought it back in 1972 or so. Used it for quite awhile, then put it away, often thinking I should sell it in one of my garage sales. It actually did make it in a sale but there were no takers...(thank goodness for that...huh??)
So one day I brought it up from the basement and started using it after my regular coffee maker died and have used it ever since. That has been a couple of years now....maybe longer. I have found that I am better off with 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day, rather then a whole pot.

Years ago I over-dosed on too much coffee, aspirin and diet pills, a bleeding ulcer developed and I was rushed to the hospital, bleeding from both ends in 1981. Actually, I did not learn my lesson the first time and again drank too much coffee and aspirin minus the diet pills. This episode was in 1986 and resulted with an operation and cutting the nerves in my stomach and my spleen taken out. Guess I almost died from that one but did recover. To this day, I do watch the caffeine intake. For many years I did not touch coffee and drank only tea. I started drinking coffee again about 2001 when I started working for someone who loved coffee. One of my many jobs was to make coffee and every morning would give him a cup. I had to learn how to make that PERFECT cup of coffee. Well, that boss left and I inherited a "new boss" who was also a coffee drinker, so by then I was close to being a "professional coffee maker." Also, another one of the bosses in the office liked his coffee too....but much stronger. I was making his coffee also!! So you see, I was making LOTS of coffee and I think that is where my down-fall came, cause that coffee would smell so good, I started drinking it again.

So here I sit.....my little coffee maker has bit the dust so to speak. I don't want to go with a 10 or 12 cup coffee maker because the temptation would be there to drink it allllllllllllllll and that would be dangerous for this girl. So, I shall continue my quest to look for a new one-cup coffee maker. Until then, I shall use T-filter sacs and dunk them in hot water.....makes for a good cup and I can keep it down to 2 cups a day. Oh, I still drink tea, lots of water and at the moment coconut milk and vegie and fruit smoothies. Not a soda drinker, too much sugar in that substance. 

The above picture is one of JP's meals that I make him for his late night dinner. Stuffed pork chops and roasted vegies. Cabbage, red potatoes, onions and kale. There's a dab of butter on top with some Mediterranean seasoning. Parsley embellishes the dish. He also likes his fruit with a dollop of yogurt on top. I think he had soup with this lovely meal also.

Tonight's menu is fish, broccoli and potatoes, fruit with yogurt and toast. He eats pretty good, but we do have to watch that his "gout" does not flare up and erupt cause that can last 4-6 weeks at a time. So we keep things simple with chicken, fish, chicken and fish and pork, chicken and fish, chicken and fish, beef and back to chicken and fish. With LOTS of vegies and fruit. Oh and he likes a fruit smoothie every day for lunch along with his big lunches.

Smoothie of the day:
1 apple
2-3 florets of broccoli
1/2 banana
1/2 cup coconut milk
Mix together and enjoy!!!

You all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh!! Cheers ~ Louise

What........No Coffee????

AND.........my little personal one cup coffee maker BROKE!!!!!!
AND..........there are NO words to express how I feel!!!
My days just have not been good since you died!!
OH my little coffee maker I will miss you!!!
Millita Personal One-cup Coffee Maker, is there no way I can revive you???? Your year of make was in the 1970's, what must I do to find another just like you?????
I am sooooooo sad..........(sigh)
What will I do, do, do!!!
What will I replace you with????
How will I find that perfect little cup of coffee every morning???
OH....please do not leave me.....(sigh)

Sorry......no cheers here ~ Louise

More Birthday Cards

Hi everyone!!! How's your day going? It is a beautiful, bright, sunny and a springy looking day here in Wisconsin today. I need to take a walk around the block and get some fresh air, sometime today. 

Adding some more cards to my Etsy store in the next week or so. Here are a few more. #8. As you can see, it's a little girl with her balloons. I really need to get a little boy also....one of these days. Most likely it will be a "Magnolia" boy stamp, just have to find him.

Here you have the Number 10 card. Number 9 is in a previous blog down a ways a bit. You can read about it there. For now, I just have these two cards posted for now. I did have another card up but realized that too was in a previous blog. So I deleted them and inadvertently deleted my "furnace story" and Mug Cake Recipe.

Bummers! For some reason this computer is acting up too, so honestly, I am thinking of closing this blog for now. These things take much to long time to write and then when I lose half of what I wrote, makes for a discouraging day. So, I think I will just title this blog.........."More Birthday Cards" The mug cake and furnace story will come at a later date.........that's good though, you and I have something to look forward to and when my mind is mush and I don't know what to write....I will actually have two things on the back burner ready to write about.

So listen, you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
 (so actually I have 3 things to write about, if memory serves me correctly, I was going to write what the previous scripture meant....keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Birthday Cards and a Smoothie

I was asked to make a card for a man in Hilbert who turned 105 years old this week. Put the card on Facebook and thought I should add it here too. So what do you think??? Been having lots of fun making these cards, cause no two have been alike. I just picked up the "model T Ford" stamp at Hobby Lobby. So when I was asked to make the card, just so happened, I had the stamp.....good timing!

This is the inside of the "105 year old" card.

Here is a look at another one of my "Children's Cards" for a 9 year old. (that's a long way from being 105!!!). I can make this for a little girl also.....the ideas are endless, as long as there is a stamp, there is an idea!!! I will be putting this card up in my Etsy store in about a week or so. I think today I am putting #7 in my Etsy store today. The card will be for $3 + postage ($5 total). I should be charging much more for these cards as I put a lot of time into them. But I figure postage will cover that. I guess this is just a labor of love on my part and hopefully lot's of people will enjoy my cards and I will see a few more orders for them.

Had a smoothie this morning..........didn't exactly have THIS ONE. The above picture is one from a few weeks ago. BUT it looks pretty much the same........GREEN!!!!
Today's smoothie:
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 T Chobani yogurt (chocolate or any flavor you desire)
3-4 strawberries
handful of kale (what fits in the cup)
a few leaves of mint
a few sprigs of parsley
Mix altogether and enjoy!!

I bought a smoothie recipe book at Sam's club and found a few smoothies I want to try. There are so many recipes out there....guess it is just your preference as to what you want to drink.....they all look great. For me it is what I have in the house at the the time. Guess I will always have strawberries, blueberries, bananas, spinach and kale.....so that will be my "go to" every day.

Well, today will be a quiet day....guess I have to take my Christmas tree down.....it has Valentines on it right now.........thought about a St. Patrick's tree. Saw some Easter lights at Shopko yesterday and thought well, why not an Easter tree!?!? Don't think the husband would go for that though.

Took the taxes in yesterday.......now the wait to see if we get a refund.....hoping, hoping....please be kind Obama!!! Have to work on bills and balancing the check book today....another chore that takes awhile. There's never quite enough money to cover the bills....but it always seems to work out at the end of the month for some reason. Miracles upon miracles!!

Well, time to close here for today. Time to go make JP's lunch and get him ready to go off to work. You all have a great day and enjoy the weather that comes upon you. We are starting to get some of that snow that is hitting the midwest and 10 inches for Chicago. Guess we are getting snow-showers, better then rain-showers, ceiling doesn't leak with snow-showers.
Keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh!!
Cheers ~ Louise



More Cards Made and in the Making......

Well, here are some more cards for you to take a peek at. The above #4 card is one I sent to the great nephew (or is it grand nephew) for his 4th birthday. Making this card is what got me started into making these # cards for children. You can seen how my cards have "evolved" from this one with more balloons. Which the above card could have used more of. 

Good news.....I just got an order last night for a card........the person having a birthday is going to be 105 years old!!! So guess what....I am making a card with "105" and a "model T Ford" with lots of balloons to fill the card up!! The inside will say "God loves you".

I have also made a card for someone in "blog-land" that I am a regular visitor to who is having her 45th birthday this month. So, guess what again....I made a "#45" birthday card! Been having fun with these cards, hope I don't get tired of doing them, but then again, I doubt it, 'cause every card is different, so how can I get bored with that????

When making cards, I usually make 10-12 cards the same then switch to something different....boredom sets in and I need a change. So making the "# cards" has been fun because no two are alike. That's good for me, keeps me interested.



Here is #7 with my little girl. I need to find a little boy also....these "magnolia" stamps are a little expensive with shipping and handling, costing close to $17.....so it may be awhile before I get my hands on that stamp.

The above Birthday card is for both man and woman adult cards. I used that new "washi tape" which is fun to use and can have many creative ideas. With this card I taped and cut the bottoms to look like banners and stamped the Happy Birthday. Then ran the card through my cuttlebug the placed "candy circles" on the card. Fun, fun, fun.

Went to the Hospice group yesterday and had a little fun. Donated 52 various cards, Birthday, Easter, Thinking of You and Mother's day cards. We made 100 Mother's Day gifts...Hersey candy wrapped in cardstock and a ribbon...they were real cute and simple.

After the Hospice meeting, visited Archievers and Hobby Lobby and found some more washi tape at "buy 2 and get 3rd tape free" so I bought 4 tapes and got 2 free!!! So now I have enough tape to last awhile and to make many lovely cards for Hospice. Found a "model T Ford" stamp that will look cute on the "105" card also.

Time to close this blog, as I can spend tooooo much time on this and not get much done around the house. Still have to finish my taxes and get them ready for the due date on Monday the 4th. 
Dinner is already made, so all I have to do is heat that up...."crock pot" pork and sourkraut and roasted vegies. AND make the "105" number and Birthday Card for the party tomorrow. Not sure we are going as yet....if there is food, oh yesssss, by all means!!!!

You have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise 



Needed........a funny picture!!

Really!!! Just needed a funny picture today, I might have used this pug once before but he seemed so apropos for today. This is the last day of February and March is about to start! Finished organizing my taxes and they are ready to be taken to the accountant on Monday.......sure do hope we see a refund this year. It would be nice....we need to buy a "new" car. When I say new, I mean a "used" car, but it will be new to us. We will run this car as long as we can, who knows maybe it will hold out for another 6 months, that would be long enough to save up some money. We'll see.

Well, it is getting late and time to go to bed. I drank my honey and cinnamon tea......so very good. I found quite a bit on the internet about the benefits of honey and cinnamon. Good for losing weight, clearing up yeast infections in the body, lowering blood sugars and blood pressure and lots of other uses. So we shall keep using it till we see results. I have already felt the results of clearing the yeast infections, relief, I say, a pleasant relief!

Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

Does This Not Look Delicious???

I know, I know.........this was dinner a few weeks ago, (just now putting it on my blog).....mmmmm it sure was delicious. Burgundy beef fried in olive oil with mushrooms and spinach. I think that was a healthy meal. But now I have found out that mushrooms are a fungi, no calories involved but, not good to eat if a person deals with Candida and I think that might be a problem for me. Always something, I tell you. There are quite a few other things that I have to watch out about........but mushrooms (sigh) I shall miss. I guess a few are not bad, but I like 4 or 5 at a time.

Have been doing honey and cinnamon on rye toast or English muffins, or in warm water in the morning or evening. The honey acts as an antibody and cleans up the body along with the cinnamon, not exactly sure what they all do, but Jesus ate honey and butter. If He ate it, must have been healthy to do so, so I shall do it also. I shall have to look up honey and cinnamon and come back with a full report at a later date, or maybe tomorrow.

Well, think this blog shall be short. Need to work on income tax yet, only half way through and it is due at the accountant's office next Monday. My Valentine's tree is still up, guess it has to come down this week sometime. Been working on a bunch of cards to take to the Hospice group on Friday. Cleaned out my Etsy store of old cards that I will not be relisting on Etsy. So, most likely will add them to the cards I am taking to Hospice Care Group. (or whatever their name is). I have about 40 cards ready to go, good start. Also, a good way to unload some cards just sitting around.

You all take care and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh......Cheers~Louise

Can You Believe It?

I still have my Christmas tree up???  Yeppers........I like the lights and just did not want to take down my tree so I turned it into a Valentine's Day tree. I think now, I am ready to take it down any day now.....it's time I guess. I took everthing that was Christmas off the tree and made punched-out hearts with Valentine hearts at the base.....everything red. I have enjoyed my Valentine's Day tree and even thought to turn it into a St. Patrick's Day Tree...........guess that would be stretching it though.....the husband is getting tired of it though. So I may take it down on the 25th....that week maybe..............maybe..........maybe.......  :)

Here is a close up of the tree. Red bows, ornaments, garland and hearts. Sweet huh?  I wish my camera could have taken a picture showing the lights, but couldn't do that.........probably doing something wrong. 

Thought I would add a picture of the roses that JP gave me for Valentine's Day.....3 lovely roses. One already died (which is drying in the kitchen), but the other two are still doing great, even as of today they look really great.

Not much going on....it snowed last night (4-7in. in some areas). The snow mountain in our backyard is getting BIGGER and HIGHER. There is another storm coming on Monday and Tuesday.........well, maybe another month of this and then the rains will come and we will have to deal with a leaking roof....uge!!!
 So, I guess for now it's okay to deal with snow.

My next blog (or two) I will put up a few more "number cards" for children. Plus one Easter and a couple of birthday cards. I will be joining a card group that meets once a month and makes cards for Hospice patients. I have an over abundance of cards sitting in containers needing a home. A friend mentioned this group to me and asked if I would be interested in being a part of it.....I thought, yeah, why not. That would be a way of weeding through a lot of cards and donate them to people needing a bit of cheer, and maybe letting them know "God Loves You" with a stamp at the bottom of the card. The first meeting is March 1st....at 9 a.m. at Atlanta Bread Co. That is pretty early for me as I usually go to bed about 2:30 a.m. because JP gets home from work at 1 a.m. I'm usually cooking something for him to eat at 1.00. NOTE: even if I went to bed early, probably would be lying in bed....wide awake!

Well, time to close here, it's almost ready to get JP ready for work and make his lunch. He needs to leave for work at 4:00 pm and shovel the dumpsters at the buildings he works at. So you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Some day I will write a blog explaining that previous sentence and why I use it. Have a great day today and everyday, despite the chaos in this world.
Cheers ~ Louise

Adding Cards Daily to Etsy

At least I am trying to do that. The above card "number 5" could be a boy's card or girl's card. Been having lots of fun making these cards...can let my creative juices "take off into my child side" back to the days when I was a little girl coloring in my color books. On the back burner are "numbers 7,8,9 and 10" all done and just have to take pictures of them and download them into my computer. It all takes time to get this done, but, it will get done, eventually.

"Number 6" is in little girl type colors, and most likely I will have a "number 6" in boy's colors also.
 I love that little lion, coloring him in has been lots of fun. All my "number" cards are in my Etsy store selling for $3.00 + shipping. You can buy my cards direct from me if you live in the Appleton area....that would save on shipping costs. Although I spend alot of time on each card and should be selling them for $5 a piece, I have decided not to. No two cards will be alike, the only consistency will be the Numbers and balloons with a string hanging down.
Note: the balloon punch is from a Martha Stewart, one of these days I will buy that punch when I find one. In the mean time I will buy them from the Etsy seller.

Here you see my St. Patrick's Day card. The little boy is a copy of a postcard I bought from an Antique store and ran him off on my printer. The shamrocks are from an Etsy seller, she made up a bunch of them with her Martha Stewart punch. Selling them in her Etsy shop, 100 for $1.40. No doubt, one of these days, I shall have to do that also.

This is my Easter card. Must put this in my Etsy store pretty soon, cause Easter is March 31st........gosh these seasons are coming on fast. Before you know it, Christmas will be here again!!!!

Well, the above Easter card was made with an embossing folder with the names of Jesus, using a "hope" die cut right in the middle, with 4 gems embellishing the card at the 4 corners. Very simple and to the point.

Time to close this blog, have to go get JP's lunch and sandwiches made for work tonight. I need to work on my income tax stuff and get it all organized for the tax guy to do. No, I don't do it myself.....too complicated for me.

Take care and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

What In The World?????

A Meteorite just passed by Russia today and that was just the baby one (about the size of a bus). The newscaster said the parent is coming and it is much bigger.........wow!!! Over 500 people were hurt from broken glass from windows and one lady had a heart attack........so sad. God is talking.......are we listening??????

Well, the above picture are the cards I made at Betty's house this past Tuesday. Cute aren't they. I thought the frog was really cute. The owl was made with die-cuts and the inside has a post-it pad.  The three bird houses were colored in with copic markers and heart and button punches added. The black card was really very simple with leaves and flowers and gems and "you're the best" embossed. It is always fun to go to Betty's to learn new techniques.

Still working on my "Number cards" for children. Last night I finished 7 and 8. Tonight I'll be working on 9 and 10. Will be listing number 4 in my Etsy store for $3 + shipping and 5 and 6 over the week-end. When finished, I will have all 10 on Etsy........hopefully they will catch the eye of someone looking for a number card for a child.

Time to close this blog for today, have a few things to get done, as I have been sitting at this computer for a few hours and as I look around, I see a front room and dinning room that needs some TLC. I still have my Christmas tree up, but it has Valentine Hearts on it. Guess now that Valentine's is over, time to take it down??? Not unless I keep it up a few more weeks and stick shamrocks on it for St. Patrick's Day....lol!!!

So you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh!
Cheers ~ Louise

Happy Valentine's Day Pizza

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Here is my special Valentine present to JP at 1:00am this morning when he got home from work.
 Made the crust from a package mix, shaped the dough into a heart then baked for 6 minutes at 450 degrees.

After cooling down a bit, (time was 12:30am...much too early to finish decorating and bake.)
Something different I used, instead of tomato sauce or pizza sauce,  I used Mild Enchilada Sauce.  Sliced mini-peppers, pepperoni, Italian turkey sausage, (geez, what was I thinking, forgot the mushrooms and onions.)

In this picture the pizza is all decorated and sprinkled with Mozzarella cheese and ready to bake.
Baked at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Well, as you can see, the pizza is cut and robbed of some yummy pieces. So now I am wondering, can a shamrock pizza be made......hummmmmmm????

 Have you noticed my pizza pan, not the most beautiful of pizza pans, but.....it has seen lots of pizzas in it's day and probably many, many more to come. I think this pan is over 40 years old.....guess some people would throw this baby out....but hey, it still works, it's a little warped, but I like it. I have a newer pan in the cabinet, but I hardly use it....I always grab for this one for cookies, roasting vegies and baked chops and chicken AND of course PIZZA!!!

Well, I took some pictures of the cards I made at Betty's house on Tuesday....they turned out really cute, that will be in my next blog along with my Children's cards 5 & 6. 
So you all have a great Valentine's Day and enjoy and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

Some New Children's Cards 4U

Presenting...♫ ta da dat ta daaa ♪ my "new children's cards" that I have added to my Etsy store for $3.00 + shipping. Here you see number 1 with a little turtle which I drew "free hand" colored and cut out. Each card will be "one of a kind" and probably the only consistency in them will be the numbers and the balloons. I bought the balloons from a fellow artist on Etsy and will use them till gone. In the mean time, I will be looking for that balloon punch at the stores.

Card number 2 with little fishes.

Card number 3 with a lion.

Card number 4 with another turtle, no, this one was not drawn "free hand". I have just finished 5 & 6 last night. I make the numbers with my Cricut machine, so numbers 7, 8, 9, and 0 need to be made.

My inspiration for these cards came a couple of years ago and I am just now doing something with that inspiration. I have 2 grand-nephews and 1 grand-niece who will be turning 4 and 1,  so this will be their cards for the next couple of years and for whoever else comes up needing a card. Fun and easy to do. I now will be on the look-out for kid type stamps that can be used with my numbers. I may just use these cards for adults if I know their age...hahahaha....I can go all the way up to 100 and past that if I like, that would be fun. Do you know anyone that is going on 100....I don't.

Well, I guess this next week I will be working on my income tax.......sure do hope we get something back, could really use a refund for all we pay in!!! I don't know if it is my imagination, but food sure is getting expensive, almost feels like I am spending 50% more, like everything has doubled in price. Gas is going up too.......just don't know where it all will end.

I do have one fun thing I am doing this week, tomorrow is my "card making" day at Betty's. My morning out with the girls. Maybe I should take a picture of the cards this time around and post them on my blog, guess I have never done that as yet. I will see how they turn out. Not promising anything, cause I just may forget by tomorrow....hahaha!!!

Well, I guess it is time to close, cause I am just rambling, which doesn't make for "very interesting reading" so you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws near!!!
Cheers ~ Louise

Mexican Lasagna and Pizza Bread



So today we took Kylie to the groomer. From there we went to Festival Foods for a few things, like dog food, flour and grapes. Usually on Tuesday and Thursday's Festival puts out "dented and scratched" food in a box for $10. If I get there at the right time, sometimes there is a box or two left. Today, I got a box of canned goods, noodles, soups, seasonings, cookies, juice, puddings, pickles. There was some lasagna noodles, diced tomatoes and refried beans. I thought, hummmm, wonder if I could make a "Mexican Lasagna". So I looked up on the internet www.cooks.com and found a recipe. Although I did not have all the ingredients, this is what I came up with, using what I had in "the box".
Lasagna noodles
Can of refried beans
Can of diced tomatoes
1/2 pound hamburger
1/2 chopped onion
1 bag of shredded cheese (mozzarella, Cheddar, or mexican)

Brown hamburger with onion (drain if you need to) add can of tomatoes and refried beans. Layer in a small lasagna pan, 1st layer is mixture, then cooked noodles, mixture, cheese, noodles, mixture, cheese, noodles, mixture, cheese, noodles, mixture, cheese (I think that is four layers), depending how tall your pan is, layer accordingly. I baked this at 350 for about 30-45 minutes.
It was not very spicy so if you would like to add hot sauce to a layer or two, that would be good.



Pizza Bread
Now this was really good!! Found the recipe from a book I got from the library. Called "Everything Flax" More than 100 easy ways to work flax into  your everyday diet.

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 cups skim milk (or 1%)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 egg
1 small tomato, sliced
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cover the sundried tomatoes with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes, drain and dice.
Preheat the oven at 350, spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, flour, Parmesan cheese, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil and egg and pour the liquid ingred. into the dry ingred. Stir just until the dry ingred. are moistened.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle the fresh tomato, bell pepper and mozzarella cheese over the batter.
Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until the wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, and transfer the bread to a rack to cool.
This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

MMMM Good!!!!!!!

I know the pictures aren't that great, but it all did sure taste good. Well, you have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

February~~What's on Your Calendar??

Does You Sink Anybodis Can Sees Meeee?

So I am sitting here, watching the Baltimore Ravens and San Fransisco 49er's. I really didn't care who win's.......but now I seem to be rooting for the Ravens.....mostly because the 49er's beat the Packers!! BUT, the lights went out and now the 49er's got 2 touch downs within minutes........Boooooooo!!! Gosh those 49'ers are so cocky!!! Well, I am still hoping for the Ravens. I will let you know who wins at the end of this blog. It just may take that long for me to finish. One thing is for sure, I am sure loving these commercials.....just saw the one for RAM....Paul Harvey speaking about "God Made a Farmer" that was a good one!!!! Go Ravens!!!!!!!

So, what's on your calendar this month??? My calendar is pretty much blank at this point, but for sure I have to get my taxes done this month. Gosh I hate that job of getting everything together to itemize. Once I get going and get organized I will be okay....it's just getting started that is the hardest.

Kylie has an appointment to get her "shower and shave" on the 7th, hope it is a nice day and no snow. I think we have had enough for a while, would be fine with me if it all melted. Well, it will be 2 months since we had Hyko put to sleep, I still have not gotten over it, and Kylie still looks for her friend. She does not like to be alone. I bought Kylie a little white doggie for Christmas and she really likes it. I think she needs a white doggie for downstairs to keep her company when we are gone. Maybe I will make a trip to Thrift store this week to find her a stuffed friend to keep her company. (oh oh 49ers just scored again!).

The second Tuesday of each month I usually go to Betty's for card making, $14 to make 4 cards. 9am is pretty early for me, especially when I go to bed at 2:30am in the mornings. Once I get rolling I am fine. I like going there, cause I get lots of good ideas and the fellowship is good too. I have some cards that I am working on....birthday cards for little kids. Once I get some done and under my belt, I shall post them here and in my Etsy store. I bought some punched out balloons in multi-colors to add to my "Kid Birthday Cards", looking forward to receiving them soon. Will be sending out my Valentine cards in a few days, certainly have alot made and some new ones in my Etsy store: www.cards4ubylouise.etsy.com

I guess one of the things that needs to be taken care of this month, is a Dr. appointment for me. Had my blood done on the 14th of Jan and tests came back that my blood was elevated. Dr. wanted me to come in to see him.....have not made an appointment as yet, why is that always hard to do. Not too anxious to see him, my blood pressure always goes up when I have to see him. We joke that it's the "white coat syndrome" but he usually does not wear a white coat. I think just the thought of seeing him, my body stresses!!! Hey did you know that "stressed" spelt  backwards is "desserts" maybe that is what I need to eat before I go into the Dr's office...a delicious dessert!!! Maybe not, my blood sugars would probably skyrocket!!!!

The score: Bal 34 ~ SF 31 in the 4th with 1.42 seconds to go....................Go Ravens!!!!! What an intense game....11 seconds to go....now 4sec. Looks like SF is praying really, really hard, such intense looks on the faces of the players........who's going to win?????? RAVENS WIN!!!!!!!!! NEXT YEAR'S WINNER'S IT'S THE GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!!!!! GO PACK!!!!

Time to close this blog for tonight and get it up for tomorrow. You all have a great week and a great month, hope it is not too stressed.....if so, have lots of DESSERTS to counter act the stress! So keep looking up for  your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise

A Silent Saturday.........

Quack............Quack!!