CHA Relay Day 3

I'm a bit earlier posting this today..it's because I actually checked my post to make sure it was up there, so the Day 3 digi was in my inbox when I woke up this morning...

Toby Cub is today's digi, he was designed by Marina Neira, who designs a series for TGF. I've never used any of her stamps..but this one is pretty cute.

So here' s what I made.

I don't think you should make a baby card without a specific baby in mind..so I've never made a baby card. I tried to keep this neutral..this could be a birthday card or something..and when I find the right time to give this card I'll put the proper sentiment on it...but at any rate..I think it turned out pretty cute.

Close up of my Cuttlebug in action. This dot folder is probably my favorite embossing folder that I have.

Here's the inside..blank..so I can fill it in later. I really loved this patterned paper, so I wanted to use it again on the inside.

I have a while to wait before we get to see the next digi..and before I can post my Toby card in the comments at TGF..hopefully I won't forget. I'm sure I won't. :-)

Jessica

CHA Relay Day 2

The CHA Relay at The Greeting Farm is well under way. This is Day 2 of the challenge. You had to complete the Day 1 challenge by 6pm tonight to get this next digi. Charlotte is from the Wild Sprouts series..which I love..I think it's my favorite.

There was such a response to this challenge that we crashed the TGF server this afternoon..you can't get between stampers and free stamps!

So here's what I made.

I wish the picture didn't look so yellow..even though I used yellow cardstock. I used my Cuttlebug to make the paisley design on the circle. I cut the circle and the scalloped circle with my Cricut. All the paper is Hobby Lobby special.. and the sentiment is from TGF..but I'm not sure which set.

I really wish the colors came out better..her pants are blue..not grey.. her belt has some stickles on it too.
This is the inside. The solid paper is blue..but it looks green because everything is yellow..damn you desk lamp.

Anyway, that's all for now. I've got to start brainstorming for the next digi...it's going to be more challenging for me.

Jessica

CHA Relay Day 1

It has begun!

I've been so excited this week ever since it was announced last week over at The Greeting Farm. The CHA Relay challenge. It's an all week challenge with the opportunity to win 5 free digis from TGF! So, I'm going to be trying my hardest to complete all 5 days.

So this is Day 1 and the digi is Mer Ian. He's so cute, and goes with Mermaid Anya.

So this is what I made.


It's pretty simple, but it will be good for a boy card. The other stamps besides Ian are from the Underwater Sugarplums set at All That Scraps..they came in very handy.

I put a few stickles on his fins..because even though he's a boy, mer-people are sparkly!

This is the inside, it's also pretty simple..but it's a boy card.

Well that's all I have for now. Day 1 was such a blast I can't wait to see what's in store for us the next 4 days!

Jessica

Two Sauce Lasagna Bowls

I hardly ever make Rachael Ray's food, but I did this weekend...and it was really good.
The reason I never make her food is because there are no pictures. So unless I see it on her show I'm not doing it. So I took a picture of what I made, because I recommend you make this..tasty.

Here's the recipe from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound Campanelle pasta (I used rotini pasta)
  
• Salt
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped
• 3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef (I used all ground beef..a whole pound)
  
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped
• 1 small to medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches (I don't have this, so I made it up..garlic salt, dry basil and oregano.)
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf (didn't use this)
  
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (there seems to be a theme...I used more beef stock instead of wine..I don't like wine)
  
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
  
• Nutmeg, to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table (I'm pretty sure I used way more that 1/2 cup..oh man it was good.)
  
• A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes. (I let mine cook too long..and I would have liked it better if it cooked less time...the meat sauce takes a long time to reduce, so definitely wait until it's been simmering a few before starting the white sauce...since I'm not like Rachael Ray and don't have a team to wash my dishes I used the pot I cooked the pasta in to make the white sauce. And this way I can dump the pasta back into the sauce)

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley. (I used cheese instead of parsley..I think cheese is better ;-) )

Anyway, we didn't really do much this weekend since Jonathan has been sick...just cooking.

I'll have some more cards sometime this week. And next week I'm going to try to participate in the TGF CHA Relay..oh yes. I'm excited about it.

Jessica

Valentines Day Shaker Card for FFF

I entered the Farm Fresh Friday contest over at The Greeting Farm this week. The contest is Glitter this week, so I made a glitter shaker card. Perfect I know :-)

The stamp I used is from the Wild Sprout series they have, they are all so cute, but I chose to use Stella.

I cut the circles with my Cricut, I even cut the clear window with the Cricut..it worked like a charm.

This glitter is by Martha Stewart..Martha knows how things should be. I mixed 2 kinds, regular glitter and tinsel glitter..you can't really tell, but it looks awesome.

The letter and the Love are done with Stickles...more glitter.

You can't really tell, but I used a glaze pen on all the little dots on the heart paper...it really gives it a little extra.

This was a really fun card to make, it's my 2nd shaker card, and they just keep getting easier..I hardly made any mess with all the glitter. :-)

Jessica

My First Time Skiing..and I liked it.

Yeah, today Jonathan and I went to Snow Creek to do a little skiing. He used to live 10 minutes from it so he would go there all the time, and used to be pretty good from what I can gather.

The boots were uncomfortable as all get out and my legs are still on fire, but it was fun.

AND I only fell once..but I wasn't moving at the time...yeah I was just standing there and BOOM! Down I went.
I didn't do anything but the little 'practice' hill. It's where they teach the lessons and stuff so everyone was slow moving..which was nice.
YAY I'm doing it!
We had to take a few breaks because my legs hurt so bad.

Jonathan did the regular run a few times..I felt bad that he had such a handicap all day (yeah that would be me)
He picked it up like a champ..you might never know he hasn't skied in years.

I had to wear a pair of his gloves because I don't have any waterproof ones. They look like gorilla hands..my finger is about 2 inches from the tips of the gloves.

We stopped by his parents to get his old ski equipment so it won't be as expensive next time we go..I can see this is something he's going to want to do all the time..so it's good that I like it.

So I'm wicked tired, so we're going to bed, and I'm sure we'll both sleep like the dead.

Jessica

The Greeting Farm Sketch 11

Today I have lots of pictures, of the same thing, but whatever.

My little sisters birthday was January 2nd and this is the birthday card/box I made. I used a sketch from The Greeting Farm 12 Days of Challenges.

I used the new Miss Anya Love stamp. I colored her with copic markers of course.

I wish my camera did it justice.. I was pretty happy with this.

This is the inside, I wrote something clever and witty inside..ha.

I made a little bag that I filled with candy. Her nickname is Kage at school..and it fit better than Katie anyway. I used Stickles on the green letters. It looks pretty good in person. The flowers are Primas and I used little silver brads in the center.

I wrapped the handles in orange ribbon.

Here's the whole package. It was pretty fun to make.

Well, I'm not sure what I'll be posting in the near future because I've got a vacation scrapbook to make, I started today and there are going to be many more pages than I originally thought...it's going to take some time.

Anyway have a good one.

Jessica