Holidays In Hand by Jessica Sprague

Jessica Sprague offered this class for free and I am so happy that I signed up for it. She is very talented and her tutorials make learning digital design so easy to understand. My sons are now adults and I really want to create layouts and mini books about the years of their births up to the present. I would really like to take Jessica's online classes in order. I would like to share some of the layouts I've completed for this class. Many of the ladies taking this class are combining it with Ali's December Daily. Tomorrow I hope to complete a few layouts and share them here tomorrow.

Peace

Dreaming of Christmas in Texas

Ali Edwards' December Daily scrapbook is a project I have wanted to create for two years. Money is too tight for me to spend money buying scrapbook albums or supplies right now. I have this Hallmark holiday planner and I have begun creating the pages and embellishments for my holiday scrapbook. We are stepping out of our usual holiday traditions this year. My younger son and his wife live in Killeen, Texas because his wife is stationed at Ft. Hood. Mark, Beau and I are taking a road trip to Texas to spend Christmas together. That is the best Christmas gift for us. Having this holiday art jounal ready to go is going to ensure that I can record the highlights of Christmas 2009!

The following recipe is from my Mother-in-law and is one of our favorites. The only problem is once you have a bowl, you just can't stop. We've all made ourselves sick eating most of it at least once. It is so easy to make and tastes so decadent. If you try it, let me know if you enjoyed it.

Barbara's Chocolate Dessert

2 Entenman's pound cake (cut into small cubes)

2 Lg. pakages of Chocolate instant pudding

6 Skor candy bars

2 Lg. containers of Cool Whip

Make the chocolate pudding according to directions. Mix it with the Cool Whip. Crush Skor candy bars. Begin layering cake cubes, then sprinkle some crushed candy over the cake, then cover that layer with the pudding coolwhip mixture. Continue layering until done. Refridgerate. My family likes it better if it is refridgerated overnight.

Peace on Earth

Gourmet Caramel Apples and My First Etsy Sale

(Country Living)

I came across this photo on one of my favorite blogs and it looks so delicious and reminded me of when my sons were growing up and I would see something and try to reproduce it for our family or my son's classroom celebrations. I am now in that place between the empty nest and figuring out how to find a new purpose and meaning for my life. I still haven't been able to find a job because we live in such a rural area that even before the economy took a downturn, jobs are scarce. I am going to make some of these yummy caramel apples this weekend.

My etsy shop Dragonfly Dreamer Designs made it's first sale...yaaaaay! I have been gathering all of my craft materials and tools and sorting them into things I cannot part with as well as destash that I can sell in my shop. I have also been creating items that I will be listing soon in time for the holiday season. I truly love etsy. If you haven't browsed through the gift guides and some of the shops, you really should check it out. I am so amazed at the beautiful, amazing and unique items that began as an idea and brought to life by the artisans who sell their handmade items on etsy.

What a great time to go to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin, drink apple cider, and count our blessings.

Wishing you good health and love,

xo Susi xo

Fall Pleasures

Fall has always been my favorite season. Growing up it meant a new school year, sweaters and boots, leaves changing colors, caramel apples, apple crisp, and the J. C. Penney Christmas catalog to help us write our letters to Santa. I loved it even more after I became a mother. Fall has also been a time that our families came together to spend quality time together. Now that my sons are grown, I look forward to spending time with my sister and her beautiful family.

I have been working on a Halloween paper bag scrapbook.

I've cut out the background papers, photo mats, pockets, and pull out cards to fit in the three pockets.

My perfectionism rears it's ugly head and my son reminds me that handmade should not be perfect as though it was manufactured by a machine. I will share it once it is finished.

I am adding a few items to my etsy shop. Stop by if you have a minute. I will be adding new seasonal holiday items regularly over the next couple of months.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

Feeling Autumn in the Air

"Autumn...asks that we prepare for the future--
that we be wise in the ways of garnering and keeping.
But it also asks that we learn to let go -- to acknowledge
the beauty of sparseness." -B.W. Overstreet (1947)

I have loved the season of Autumn as long as I remember. The crisp, cool days as the leaves change from green to yellow, orange and red before the fall from the trees bring back memories of raking leaves into piles and jumping into them before filling big garbage backs with them until her yard was an immaculate carpet again on my weekends with my Grandmother and teenage uncle. Impromptu football games in the street in front of her house or at the park at the end of the street, caramel apples, apple butter, apple crisp and Fresh Apple Nut Cake from the apples she brought back from visits to her sister's apple orchard, and a new school year always felt like a new beginning and anything was possible. I loved the rituals of buying back to school clothing, new school supplies and wondering which friends from last year would be in my new class. As the mother of two little boys, I tried to share as many of the good things I remembered with them as well create new traditions for our family. Now my sons are grown. One is married and lives in Texas and the other has been going through so much medically and still has some serious medical procedures and surgeries ahead, but we have many blessings to celebrate. I have begun making cards for the Fall season and looking for inspiration for the upcoming holiday season and ideas for handmade gifts.

The upcoming holiday season brings a new opportunity to make memories with family and friends and to let the people we love know how much they mean to us. Our family has suffered many losses and we will come together even stronger knowing that life is precious and fragile and each time we come together may be the last time.

Domestic Chicky Giving Away HP Photosmart Premium with Touch Smart Web Printer

Domestic Chicky is giving away a HP Photosmart Premium with Touch Smart Web Printer!
HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web is the world’s first Web connected home printer. Powered by touch and empowered by the Web, this sleek device provides quick, simple touchscreen access to important, useful and personal online content.With the largest LCD touchscreen of any all-in-one inkjet printer (4.33-inches), the HP TouchSmart Web control panel conveniently connects users to the Web via pre-loaded HP apps. Part of an entirely new Web-based printing platform, these apps enable easy printing of maps, coupons, movie tickets, recipes and more from partners including Google, DreamWorks Animation, Fandango and Coupons.com, among others.

Be sure to click here and check out her awesome blog and enter the giveaway while you are visiting.

xo Susi xo

Cards for Troops

borrowed from the Northmedia Cards Blog

Northridge Media is the company that publishes Scrapbook Trends magazine, Cards magazine,Bead Trends magazine and Simply Handmade magazine. I love their magazines. Recently I found the blog for the Cards magazine and a great article about their Cards for Troops program. My daughter-in-law has been deployed to Iraq for six months now and I think it's an awesome idea. They are collecting handmade or store bought cards with envelopes and distributing them to military men and women stationed overseas. The can be for any occasion including:
Happy Birthday, Thinking of You, Miss You, I Love You, Anniversary, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Congratulations, New Year, Just Because

Guidelines:

Cards are ALWAYS welcome, anytime.
Cards should be blank inside.
Include an envelope for the card to be mailed back in.

Send your cards to our offices:
Attn: Cards for Troops
563 East 770 North
Orem, Utah 84057

To see the article go to their blog by clicking here.