Tastefully Tuesday - Samba Sangria Slush Mix!

This week's featured item comes from the Spring-Summer line - Samba Sangria Slush Mix! (Item #296108).  I featured this item at my Open House last Friday night as an add-on to the regular Party Food Kit and Sample Selection and I'm glad I did!  It was a big hit, and a lot of order forms had it checked off before the night was over!  I used two bottles of Shiraz (my favorite red) - mixed it up and tossed it in the freezer.  Talk about easy!  And yummy!  Great companion to all the yummy samples we had too!  Can't wait to try it again on a hot summer night out on the screen porch listening to our favorite blues station!

Simply add your favorite red wine and water! Keep frozen in the handy bucket* for a warm weather treat anytime. For easy and elegant entertaining, serve with crackers, French bread, Brie cheese and grapes. Makes 9 drinks.

Ingredients Needed

• 2 (750ml) bottles red wine
• Warm water (about 1½ cups)

                                   12.5 oz. mix (354g)

This huge bucket costs $9.99, and I hope you consider trying it if you are a Sangria fan!  If so, click on the Tastefully Simple logo on the right to go to my website to place an online order or give me a call and I can order it for you!

Simply Adorned Charms!

Something new today from Stampin' Up! - Simply Adorned Charms!  They actually started off to feature them in the Holiday Mini Catalog, but due to quality issues the release of them was delayed.  So they are back in the Occasions Mini and I finally bought one!  This is definitely stamping in miniature!  I decided to use my favorite set from the Occasions Mini "Vintage Vogue" (117690 wood, 118598 clear) and its companion jumbo wheel "Very Vintage" (117693) which I've been featuring in more than one project lately!  

So I decided to start with the 1" x 1" Square Charm size (116797) and the 24" Chain (116800).  The beauty of these is that you have jewelry you can customize for any season, occasion, whim, WHATEVER!

 The front side is beveled, which gives a neat effect to what's been stamped, but the best part is that the backside is clear too, so you could do something completely different on the back if you wanted!  You can also use this to put in little photos of your sweetie, your kids, your dog, whatever!

The best part is, since you're working with such a small area (the biggest one is 1-1/2" x 2"), it doesn't take long to create something beautiful to put inside!  Let me know if you'd like to see mine in person (my photography leaves a lot to be desired) and try these for yourself!

Thanks for stopping by today,
Peg

Sunday Sketch Challenge - Week of March 28th

Hi everyone,
I apologize, but I've had a lot going on with Tastefully Simple this past week, but today I'm redeeming myself by getting back into the Workshop to make some cards.  I have a Very Good Reason too, as there is a NEW BABY! in the neighborhood!  New life, what a miracle!  This one is especially miraculous as the couple has been waiting to adopt for over a year.  And on March 8, their prayers were answered at last!  I won't post names to protect their privacy, but needless to say the neighborhood is Very Happy for them!  So I had buy gifts and make cards!

Where else to look for inspiration but Heather's Sunday Sketch Challenge? (which I totally missed last week - bummer!)  Here's the sketch:

And here are my two versions of the card.  I figured I will be ready for the next baby announcement that comes along, eh?  OK, some caveats - LOTS OF RETIRED STUFF GOING ON HERE - but in my defense, I alread own all of this stuff and I don't get to make baby cards very often, so I had to pull out what I had!

The Specialty Designer Series Paper is current - "Sending Love" (117153 - Occasions Mini), and the punches, and the rub-ons for the sentiment in the semi-circle.  Speaking of which, the circles were cut with the Circle Scissor Plus (112530) and Glass Mat (112531) which I honestly didn't think I'd ever use but I've pulled it several times now for occasions such as this!  The Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon is current too, and the colors are Pretty In Pink and Chocolate Chip to accomodate the color of the rub-ons.

And speaking of specials (we were, weren't we? LOL), you have THREE DAYS LEFT FOR SALE-A-BRATION!!!  Awesome sets still available for free with a $50 order!

One more thing, I have to thank EVERYONE for coming to my Tastefully Simple Open House last Friday night, and for having Catalog Parties for me in the month of March.  I have one more party left to close, and I will have made my first segment's incentives - woo hoo!  It means I will get some very much needed business supplies for free - a $66 value (per my calculations anyway!)  I'm telling you, between Stampin' Up! exercising my creative side, and Tastefully Simple introducing me to awesome food, and both companies being so supportive, I feel very blessed!  God has definitely been My Guide during these two ventures for sure.

So I hope to be back tomorrow with more Stampin' Projects, and Tastefully Tuesday is coming soon as well!  Remember to look on the sidebar to the right to go to either of my websites or browse the catalogs!

Have a great Palm Sunday everyone, and take care!
Peg

Tastefully Tuesday - Nana's Apple Cake!

Continuing on with my tradition of classic products that I always have in my pantry is Nana's Apple Cake (157108)!  The first time I made this, I was amazed because it takes 2 cups of chopped apples (any kind) and 2 eggs.  That's it.  No water, no oil!  It is great a coffee cake, or it can be made into muffins.  However, my favorite way to eat it is to pour Creamy Caramel Sauce (388108) on it too!  Here's what I do:
Bake the cake according to the package directions in a 9" greased cake pan.  After baking, take it out and remove from pan, inverting it onto a cake plate.  Microwave the Creamy Caramel sauce for 1 minute, then pour about 1/2 the jar all over the cake, and let cool.  As Rachael Ray would say - YUM-O!  Scoop some vanilla ice cream on the side, add some pecans or walnuts, sheer heaven!

Either way, simple or fancy, this stuff is great!  Do you need some in your pantry?  Drop me a line and I'll help you out!

Tastefully Tuesday - Bountiful Beer Bread!

Today I am featuring yet another staple in my pantry that I never want to run out of - Bountiful Beer Bread (155108) (or its equally yummy cousin Savory Wheat Beer Bread!)  

Our signature bread mix is so simple to make - no kneading, no rising time, nothing to add but beer or any carbonated beverage. In a matter of minutes, your house will be filled with the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked bread. The perfect companion to our dips and soups. Kosher. (0g trans fat per serving)

Value Pack Also Available - Buy our 3-pack and save!

Ingredients Needed:

• 12 oz. beverage (beer, soda or carbonated juice)
• 3 Tbsp. butter (optional)

  19 oz. box (1 lb. 3 oz.) 538g

This bread has so many uses beyond just making it for sandwiches or to go with soups and dips.  My favorite thing is to add some Garlic Garlic or Onion Onion right into the mix, or you can try this recipe that I found on our tastefullysimple.com website:


Appetizer Fit For A Guy
Submitted by Virginia Stiles (NY)
Ingredients
Bountiful Beer Bread Mix^®
12 oz. can beer
8 oz. softened cream cheese
3 tsp. Onion Onion™
2 tsp. Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
Thinly sliced roasted red pepper or jar of pimento

Directions
Prepare bread as directed on package with beer. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes; cool. Slice cooled bread into thin slices; set aside. Combine cream cheese, Onion Onion™ and Spinach & Herb Dip Mix; mix well. Spread on sliced bread; cut bread into small squares. Top canapes with thin slices of roasted red pepper, small chives or a thin slice of cucumber.

So if you'd like to make sure YOU have some of this on hand in your pantry, click on the Tastefully Simple logo to the right of this posting and place an order!

Happy eating!
Peg

Simply Sunday Sketch Challenge - Week of March 15

The Ides of March are upon us!  Fancy word for March 15th, and one month till Tax Day!  And I had to pay bills today.  And Daylight Savings Time is still making me really sleepy!  But, I perked up and got a Second Wind when I finally got around to this week's Simply Sunday Sketch Challenge with Heather!  Here's the sketch:

Pretty straightforward, eh?  So here's my contribution to the challenge:

I knew right away I had to play with a new stamp set that will be previewed in April (and available in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog) called Awash With Flowers!  And, with all those buttons on the sketch, I decided to let the embellishments determine my color choices.

I happen to have the Playground Designer Buttons (116313), and lots of them.  The colors are Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Real Red, and Old Olive.  Not a combination that comes naturally to me - so more the challenge!  I dug through and found that I had More Mustard in my Autumn Traditions DSP (115668), which just goes to show you that even though it is a Fall-Themed paper pack, you can use elements of it in other ways!  As for Tempting Turquoise, that DEFINITELY is a color I'm not used to grabbing.  In general I don't gravitate towards the Bold Brights too often!

As if there wasn't enough texture going on with the buttons, I gave the Tempting Turquoise piece some subtle texture with the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz plates (114512).  Unlike the embossing folders, the texture plates give just a hint of texture - which was just the right amount for this project.  Then to finish it up, I pulled out another lesser used friend - Chit Chat rub-ons (111804!).  This is why I showed you two pictures of this card.  I generally try to make more than one of any card, and with the Rub-Ons, there are no duplications on the messages.  I wanted you to see both!

I want to decorate the inside too, but I'm too tired and it's late - besides the band has gone home!  That will be a post for later in the week.  I hope you like this card, and I hope Heather does too!

Good night!
Peg

Simply Sunday Sketch Challenge

I'm a little late posting my contribution to this challenge this week - I've had a lot going on!  So here it is today.  This is the weekly challenge posted by Stamp With Heather.  Here is this week's sketch:

And here is my creation.

 The stamp sets are Wings Of Friendship (114308 - Hostess Level 2), Vintage Labels (118392 SAB), and Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370).  The patterned paper is Chocolate Designer Series Paper Patterns (112164), and Stitched Felt Flowers (117266). 

What do you think?  I think the Stitched Felt Flower looks a little weird. You may disagree.  Please post a comment and let me know if you think a different flower would've looked better, or a different embellishment altogether.  I love these flowers but have been flummoxed (there's a word for ya) about the best way to use them - even with inspiration abounding across the internet! I think part of what I don't like is that the Rose Red on the flower looks different than the Rose Red on the bird, which was colored with markers since I omitted some of the designs of the image.  Anyway, I like the card otherwise.

Have a great day - hump day, hooray!
Peg

Introducing Tastefully Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday!  My upline Kim had a feature last year that I loved called Tastefully Tuesday where she would highlight a different Tastefully Simple product each week and provide recipes.  I've decided to try to carry on that tradition this year - we'll see how it goes!

Today I'd like to start with my all-time #1 product, one that I try to never run out of: Garlic Garlic (163108, $8.99)!  I grab this wonderful jar to add flavor to all sorts of things - casseroles, sauces, sauteed veggies.  There's even a recipe right on the jar for a Garlic Dip.  But my favorite way to use it is to make Garlic Breadsticks!

Take one tube of Pillsbury Bread Sticks and lay them out on a non-stick cookie sheet.  Brush with olive oil (probably need about 1/4 to 1/3 cup).  Sprinkle with Garlic Garlic, and bake according to package directions, or even longer to make them crispy!  As Rachael Ray would say, Yum-O!  These breadsticks are excellent with Italian food and Caesar Salad.  And this idea works great on French Bread slices as well.  Very fast, very easy!

So we're keeping it simple today - if you want to check out more products like this visit my website (click on the Tastefully Simple logo on the right!)

Another Skinny Tin Gift Card Set

You may recall the January Stamp Club project we did with the Skinny Tins, Good Neighbors stamp set (118378 wood,119116 clear), and Welcome Neighbor Paper Pad (118401) to highlight the start of the Sale-A-Bration period.  It was one of my group's favorite projects - take the concept and run with it! (OK, some love it more than others!)  One club member couldn't make it that month so I decided to hang on to her supplies and make up another tin to have on hand as a gift.  So of course I didn't do anything with it until the occasion finally came up! LOL!

One of my friends had asked me to buy tickets to her son's Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast, and/or provide raffle items, and/or advertise on their placemats.  Voila!  (No, not My Chef Guy, the other voila!)  So I had my raffle item, and this weekend got down to work creating another set.  This time I decided to include 8 gift cards to make it more substantial (hint: 6 cards fits best if you're not using a belly-band!)  So here is the tin cover:

And here are the card sets:

Since our January Stamp Club, I've acquired a few new sets.  This elephant is from "Out of the Box" (115342 - Level 1 Hostess Set).  First I made the Crushed Curry/Bermuda Bay combo, and decided that would be the "boy" card.  So I used Melon Mambo and Pretty In Pink for the "girl" card.

These are the birthday cards.  The one on the left picks up the theme of the tin cover.  The cupcake on the right-hand card is also from "Out of the Box" and I used the masking technique to get the cupcakes grouped.  The Curly Label image is from the Sale-A-Bration set "Vintage Labels" (118392 wood, 119122 clear) which is one of the more popular SAB sets I've seen ordered.

These are the "friendship" cards.  I pulled out the "My Way" punch (110709) for the card on the right which is a punch I don't use enough.  I found these two hearts in the leftover scraps from the Stamp Club!  I just cut them out and incorporated them in the card!  Oh, the third heart on the envelope was in the scraps too!  Waste not want not!

These are the "thank you" cards.  This time the Designer Label image was used, also from "Vintage Labels", and the flower on the envelope is also from "Out of the Box" (hey, when things are handy, you use what you got!)  I do think the button is retired from last year because I think it is Kiwi Kiss.  But it goes very well with Old Olive.  The Old Olive twill 1/4" ribbon on the right-hand card is also retired, from SAB or a mini a year or two back.

And here is the item all packaged up and ready to go!  Too bad I can't go to the breakfast to see who wins it, but I hope it's a stamper!  But I will be at my Women's Retreat, seeing who wins my other door prizes!  It is so much fun to put these together!

Well, that's all for now,

Happy Monday!
Peg

Bon Appetit!

I'm so excited, I have TWO catalog parties, an Open House, and a Stamp Club Mystery Hostess party set up for this month with Tastefully Simple!  Which is cool, because for the first 100 days, they give you extra incentives if you book four parties and get a certain amount in sales in each of the three months that encompass those days.  I didn't think I'd be able to manage four parties since my Open House isn't until March 26th (and my first segment is up on April 5th), but then my friend Ginger at church said "I'll do a Catalog Party!"  My mom graciously agreed to be the 4th party, so I'm on my way!  I was so thankful for both Ginger and my mom that I decided to enclose a thank you card in their Hostess packets since I had to give them some info anyway.

I love My Chef Guy from the Voila stamp set (115102)!  I love stamping parts of him in patterned paper and piecing it together too!  And I finally used the accessory set Voila to Go (115104) with the turkey in his platter (and I didn't take a picture, but I stamped a slice of cherry pie on the inside too!)  His pants and the card background come from the Night & Day Speciality DSP that was in the 2009 Holiday Mini.  You may recall that I missed the boat on using this paper in a class and I'm just now finding uses for it.  I saw the houndstooth paper and decided that My Chef Guy had to have those for his pants someday!  I used Ruby Red for his scarf and the Thank You Message (from Thank You Kindly stamp set 111700 or 120248 SAB until March 31st), and Watercolor Wonder Crayons were used to color the turkey, the platter, and put some color into My Chef Guy's cheeks!

I love the fact that one business can complement the other!  I'm getting very excited about my Open House, and my Stamp Club (next weekend, March 13th and 14th - click on the Stampin' Up! logo to go my website for details on times and supply needs).

Bye for now!
Peg

Announcing My New Adventure!

Hey, what's that new logo to the right?  Well, it's a link to my new business venture - I've decided to start selling Tastefully Simple (don't worry, I'm not leaving Stampin' Up!)  I am open for business!  Tomorrow I will be sending out invites to my Open House at the end of the month (Friday, March 26th to be exact - 7-9PM CDT) but I'm so excited that I can't contain my excitement any longer!  My upline is my blogger-pal and fellow Stampin' Up! demo Kim Evans (hi Kim!) who convinced me that the two businesses go very well together.  Especially if you know my Stamp Club - we love a good party and Tastefully Simple has great party food!

The new Spring-Summer 2010 catalog starts officially Monday, March 8th, and here is a SNEAK PREVIEW of one of the items that we will be carrying (and you can sample it at my Open House!)

MMM ... MOJITO™ DRINK MIX MINI 

723600 
Price: $7.99

I can't wait to try it (no I haven't yet, but I'm new, so give me some time!) but it is super easy - just add rum and water (or just water if you want to make it non-alcoholic), throw it in the freezer overnight, and voila - a frosty drink that is great with tortilla chips and Corn, Black Bean Salsa (127108) or salsa made with the Simply Salsa Mix (228108), or a new one - Sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa (723800 available March 8th)!

Starting next week I will start featuring a different item - some of them you will no doubt be familiar with and some maybe not!  So stay tuned, and click on the Tastefully Simple logo to go to my website and check out the online catalog and (if your so inclined) place an order!  It gets shipped directly to you so no worries!

Thanks,
Peg

Last Two March Stamp Club Projects - Thinking Easter!

The snow is slowly melting, and Easter is slowly approaching... the theme for all three projects is Easter, and that's because there were so many good things in the Occasions Mini that were spring and Easter-themed!

 

 

This mini-milk carton has a lot of things going on (just like the Butterfly card): first the Mini Milk Carton Bigz L die (117310), Eggcellent Eggs Kit (117179), Eggcoutrements stamp set (115614 wood-mount, 118556 clear-mount), Spring Floral wheel (115166), and the Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch (117191)!  And that's just the new stuff!  This project will get it's own table since I'm sure everyone's version of this will be different, and that means we need space to create!

So with two fairly involved projects, I tried to keep the third card very simple.  And yet it uses elements from FOUR stamp sets!  Ooops... I call this "Chocolate Bunny In The Grass"... the stamp sets it uses are Chocolate Bunny (116980) which was stamped with Chocolate Chip Craft Ink on Chocolate Chip card stock and embossed with clear embossing powder, Inspired By Nature (111656), A Good Egg (114974), and Sprinkles (115706 purchased, 120241 Sale-A-Bration).  Other than that it's fairly simple, don't you think?