Ahhhh Friday

It is Friday!  But then this week has felt like a week of Fridays!!  I'm having a hard time shifting out of vacation mode!!  Here in Western Ma I'm starting to see color changing in the leaves already!  It is subtle but it is changing!!  When we were in CNY two weeks ago, it was noticeable there already!!

It Friday and on Fridays' Marks 'Finest Papers and Stamps hold a tutorial challenge on their speedy TV site.  There's lots of interesting thing going on at Speedy TV!  if you enter todays' tutorial challenge you might even win a free stamp set!!

This weeks' Challenge is a 'Magic Slider Card'  If you like interactive cards, you are going to love this one!!

Here's my entry:

 

Give this one a try it is lots of fun!!

I've been busy working on getting Healthier, in every way.  I've been on a craft spending fast -   for 60 days, Today is day 44!!  My success rate is pretty good, I've bought two small things in the last 44 days.  My dear husband thinks I should start the 60 days over from the last oopps.  I think not!!
So I have 16 more days to go!!  Now it is easy!  It isn't like I need anything, I am very blessed to have tons of stuff! With the craft spending it can be very easy to just keep buying, because there are always more great products being offered!!  The industry creates an appetite and we feed it. 
I need to get back to a schedule however I haven't been blogging quite as much, it has been to beautiful out to stay in!!

I'm back to 90% whole foods cooking and that has helped the weight loss and back to they gym 5x a week.  We have a the wonderful privilege of using the military gym on the local Base.  It isn't the one Steve works on but it is 3 miles from the house and we go all the time.  I know the sound of using a military base gym, seems like it would be full of young beefy airmen and no place for a middle aged lady.  well actually when I go early in the morning or later at night with Steve it is full of 40+ folks working out, it is very inspiring!  The equipment is the best, there is a steam room and sauna, Private showers.  The cleaning staff go in 2x a day and do a deep cleaning ( they have to because of the risk a MRSA on a base, and everyone is so friendly and positive!   I've lost 14 lbs since 7/1. I will post a before and after picture soon...  I'm feeling really good!

Steve and I felt very strongly if we didn't get rid of the extra pounds and get fit now we might never!  Using the gym is a resource God has put in our lives.  We've been going off and on for the last 10 years but we struggle with a busy schedule and keeping our weight in check.  I started running at 48.  Not real far and not fast, but I could do 5 miles, with my asthma and bunions that was a real accomplishment.  I'm back a .75 of a mile now.  It is a start! I have 31 more pounds to loose.
Lot of things I am reaching for right now, But hey what a great time in my life!!  Now I can do these things!!

Here is a great bread recipe, perfect for over ripe bananas!  it is healthy too! of course healthy means one slice a day, not the whole loaf and you will want to eat the whole loaf!!  This is my recipe and everyone loves this!!

Fruit Nut Bread
Large Loaf pan, lined with parchment paper (I love using parchment for baking, it makes a big difference!!) If you can use organic that would be great!!

Mix together in a small bowl:
4 TBS  veg Oil
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
Whip lightly

In a medium bowl mix

2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup brown sugar
2.5 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

In a food processor or chopper (I use my small bowl on a Ninja Mixer for this - works perfectly!)
small hand full of Pecans, Walnuts, Sunflower Seeds. toss in the dry mix

next in chopper:
Small and full of dried fruit to equal about a cup. I use
Dried cherries, dates, raisins, cranberries. toss that in the dry mix.

Next I add the wet mix to the dry mix and two bananas ,
Mix really well and pour into the loaf pan.
Bake 1 hour 10 min at 350.  Use a cake tester to make sure it is done.

This is really just the best sweet bread I have ever had, yu can use white flour, but the whole wheat is delicious and much better for you!

To save time, I make "batches" of this mix ahead of time.  each dry portion goes in a zip lock and then I store it in the freezer.  When I need a bread, I mix up the "wet" ingredients and then add the dry.

I keep in my pantry all kids of dried yummy fruits and nuts for breads and cereals.  I have found Costco to have the best pricing on fruits and nuts.  I don't buy any chips or sodas or "junk" food and because I don't spend the $$ on that I have the $$ to spend on the good stuff!
Atlanticspice.com is a wonderful place for purchasing panty items and spices!!



I hope you all have a wonderful day , while you are at it, take a look at the resources you are blessed with and ask yourself, I am I taking advantage of them?? If not, now is a great time to start!!
Ginny M

 

Fast and Simple Line art

Over at Twist of Faith today's challenge is an easel/pop card.  Check out the blog for inspiration and an opportunity to win a prize from Today's sponsor "Eureka Stamps"!

 

Now trying to be efficient and make a beautiful card and run around on our last day of vacation, I decided to make my DT card simple.  Several weeks ago I chose my image for the post and after looking at it this morning, I thought this is really a beautiful line drawing, without any color or embellishment.  Personally I love the simple beauty of pen and ink!  So that was my aim on this card:

 

 

The humming bird red matches the card liner red, this photographed poorly.  My camera/phone still has a shattered face from a visit to the Smithsonian marble floor..

So I was happy with this simple card,  and started posting and thought oh, wait a minute, there must have been a theme to the days challenge (why don't I verify directions before I start??)

 

This is supposed to be an easel pop up card!!

 

So I Googled Easel cards, I don't make many sprain you brain folded, twisted, origami, takes three hours to make it, cards.  I just make too many and I make them because I enjoy making them.  Same with quilting, I make art quilts because I can't follow things like 1/4 seams or nothing lines up right rules!!

 

This was the simplest tutorial I could find for using what I already made:

 

This came from Simply Crafts Blog , I am very happy to have found it!!

 

But, it didn't work for this card, as the dimension weren't right.  So what I did was grab a couple more pieces of card stock and just kept cutting and folding until it looked like the instructions!

 

It worked!!

 

 

I hope you check out Twist of Faith Blog, it is a lot of fun and you will find more samples of easel / pop up cards.

I love this verse from Jeremiah, it is so full of hope and promise!!

 

I'll have to up date you all tomorrow on my spending fast and share a wonderful Cherry, Date, Pecan Banana Bread Recipe!!

have a great day

 

 

 

 

Foiled

 Over at Marks' Speedy TV today's challenge is using metal on your cards.  This can be interpreted pretty loosely which makes it all the more fun! Check out the blog along with the design teams' offering!  Participate and post your card and you may win a stamp set!

 

I used ordinary kitchen foil for the metal back ground. I love using things around the house for card making.   I ran it through my e-bosser with an Asian design embossing folder.  After embossing, I added a little alcohol ink to the foil.

 

 

 

you can see in this picture  areas of the ink not yet spread around.  Two tips here working with the embossed foil:  Firstly I folded my foil over several times because it was the thin cheap kind.  If you do this, us a little tape runner/ ATG type adhesive one edges to hold it all together.

Secondly, the ink dries fast so you have to move it around quickly.  I put a few drops on the foil and Gently spread it around with a cotton ball.

 

Here is the finished card: using the 'Virtue' set by Marks' Finest Paper and Stamps.

 

 

This finished out a 6x6 size.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I still have another lovely day of vacation with Steve home!

Ginny M

 

 

Yep, this is a repeat!!  I'm not sure what happened here, I think I put the post scheduler on the wrong date!!  Normally I wouldn't put up a post twice but I must to fulfill my DT  obligation, especially since this was my tutorial!!  Oh well, it is a fun technique, if you didn't try it last week, try it this week!!  Read on!!

Welcome to Speedy TV’s Tutorial Time!  Today I am bringing a simple tutorial on how to create a “stained glass” card using velum and common stamping supplies!
 

First I will show you the end result so that you can have an idea of how this looks!

 

I chose Marks’ Finest papers and Stamps set “be virtuous”

Here are the supplies you will need:

  

 

 

 Stamps ;  Cardstock for the base;  designer paper  - look for papers with high contrast and an appropriate design for the stamp: vellum paper; pigment ink and embossing powder:  heat tool, sharp scissors for fussy cutting.

 

Stamp and emboss your images  on the velum:  Fussy cut the images

 

Arrange your fussy cut images over the designer paper; at this point I added a little distress ink to give the “stained glass” more pop.  After working the ink on the paper and then arranging the images over the inking I used ATG adhesive and glued them to the designer paper.  Next fussy cut these adhered layers.

 

Add highlights and embellishments as you like, for my card I used small background panels behind the stained glass panel, an extra layer of dry embossed paper, silver thread. 

 

   This is very simple and takes little time for these lovely results!!  Give it a try, you will be glad you did!!

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!
Ginny M

We Are Back!

We had a really great time, 4 days to ourselves and 4 days spent with friends and family!
We spent a lot of time walking and foot touring, miles and miles and miles!  We wanted this to be a healthy time for us.  Sometimes a week of traveling can make a person feel a little toxic so we ate very lightly and drank gallons of water.  We wanted this to be a real time of refreshing and it was.  Steve did have his class but there was lots of time in betweena nd we stayed in arling ton for an extra day to sight see.   We still have  a few days left of vacation time and we will be on the go locally and then next week back into the swing of regular schedules.

I felt so energized and inspired when we got home, I re-organized my kitchen! I am going to start making my own bread and pasta again, the closets got cleaned out today, I washed drapes.  It just felt so good to be home!

I smashed my phone in the Smithsonian, so I don't have a lot of photos, some are mine some belong to mr. googel.

We walked a 4 mile loop at Arlington National Cemetery.  I have to say I was not prepared for the hugeness of this cemetery.  It was so beautiful and so sad.  The changing of the guard of the unknown solider was something and to think they preform this every 30 minutes no matter the weather.....
From Arlington we walked to the mall , crossing  over the beautiful Potomac river into DC.

 You can't believe how many walkers and bicyclers there are in the  Dc area!! It was a hike and by the time we walked around the mall we felt pretty cooked!

 

 

 

 By the time we got to the Smithsonian castle, we'd been walking in the sun about 4.5 hours and thought taking the subway back to Arlington and an air-conditioned hotel room was an Awesome idea!!!

Saturday we went to Lancaster PA to met with our friends for lunch and a little more foot touring.
We went to Amish Country. Ate  and shopped it was fun!

Lots of Buggies , and Lots of Mennonite driving!

We learned that the Mennonites did drive Cars.

 

Loved the spice shop!

 

 

Our friend Paul and my sweetheart Steve,

 

We left PA and headed for Steve's hometown Clinton NY

 

 

 

Clinton is a great town in in Central NY.  I am very blessed to not only have a wonderful husband and best friend but to have married into a wonderful big  family.

 

Hope you all are having a great week!

Ginny M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Perspective

Today is the Twist of Faith challenge Event!  At Twist of Faith  you have the opportunity to make a beautiful challenge card, Bless someone with it and then maybe even win a lovely digital stamp!!  The Sponsor this week is : MelJen Designs

These images are very special and there are even freebies!!

 

Here is my card, using kitty and the fish bowl:

 

 

I think we can all identify with this little fish.  I made this card with someone specific in mind.  Life is can be tough, but no matter what He, The Lord is Mighty and He is for us!!

 

I hope you all had a great weekend.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ginny M

 

We're still on the road!!

 

 

 

So sentimental!

Over at FOSTV We have a Sentiments Only Challenge going today!  Enter your Sentiments Only card and you may win a stamp set From Marks Finest Papers and Stamps!!  Yay, Free stamp sets

   Here is my card for the challenge:

 

 

Very CAS in browns.

Hope you all are off to a good start this Week!  Steve and I are taking a little time together, Just the two of us!! 

 

 

Ginny M
 

Friday again, where is the summer flying off too?

Does the summer seem like it is whipping by to you too? Did  you know it is only 137 days till Christmas?  I better get cracking on my Christmas cards!!!

In The mean time it is Friday and that means Tutorial time over at Speedy Fox TV!  This week we have a great little tutorial on how to make a 'Tip Card'!!  these are very easy and fast to make and you can use up scrap paper!   I always leave an encouraging scripture card when I leave a tip so this was a very useful Item for me.

Long time ago, I used to wait on tables and I can tell you I was left all kinds of things some good some not good.  I have a special place in my heart for people who make their living waiting on tables!  One Sunday, before I became a Christian I had a party of 13, it was a local pastor and his family and guests.  Let me tell you  I worked so hard for this group, kids, elderly, everyone needed something special that meant I had to keep running, the bill in 1979 came up to $194.00 ( I still remember!) this party stayed for over 2 hours.  I needed every penny I earned to keep my rent paid and lights on (waitress made 2.10 and hour back then, we worked for tips!  I was happy thinking I really gave them out standing service and everyone was very happy, I'd make a great tip, especially since he was a pastor.  They left and I went to pick up my tip, excitedly.  Well  there was no tip. all that work, all that running around, all those heavy dinner plates running back and forth for this and that and they stiffed me.  He did leave me a little pamphlet on the tip tray.  The pamphlet on the out side said " What do you have to do to go to Hell" I was so mad, but I opened it up anyway and there was nothing in it. I turned it over and all it said was "That's right all you have to do - Nothing".  I was so mad, he  stiffed me and scared me!!  What kind of evangelizing was that!! 




So now I leave a encouraging verse about the Love of god and His mercy and a really good tip! I'm pretty sure that is what Jesus would do! 

No I can do it with a little more style!  Here is may tip cards:

Funny Thing, I didn't have any cash on hand to photo with this!!!

 

Go on over to SpeedyTv, try this out, post your creation and you might even win a stamp set!

Don't for get to leave a great tip next tip some one serves you!!

Ginny M

 

 

Stained glass tutorial

  Today I am bringing a simple tutorial on how to create a “stained glass” card using velum and common stamping supplies!

First I will show you the end result so that you can have an idea of how this looks!

 

I chose Marks’ Finest papers and Stamps set “be virtuous”

Here are the supplies you will need:

  

 

 

 Stamps ;  Cardstock for the base;  designer paper  - look for papers with high contrast and an appropriate design for the stamp: vellum paper; pigment ink and embossing powder:  heat tool, sharp scissors for fussy cutting.

 

Stamp and emboss your images  on the velum:  Fussy cut the images

 

Arrange your fussy cut images over the designer paper; at this point I added a little distress ink to give the “stained glass” more pop.  After working the ink on the paper and then arranging the images over the inking I used ATG adhesive and glued them to the designer paper.  Next fussy cut these adhered layers.

 

Add highlights and embellishments as you like, for my card I used small background panels behind the stained glass panel, an extra layer of dry embossed paper, silver thread. 

 

   This is very simple and takes little time for these lovely results!!  Give it a try, you will be glad you did!!

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!
Ginny M

 

Beyond the great paycheck

Today is the Twist of Faith challenge Event!  At Twist of Faith  you have the opportunity to make a beautiful challenge card, share it with the planet, mail the card and make someone feel special and then maybe even win a lovely digital stamp!! 

 

Our Sponsor this week is  

Check out Michelle's blog and shop, she has wonderful images and there are freebies to!!!

 

 Check it out Twist Of Faith for all the details and the design teams creations!!

This week's challenge is based on the Proverbs 31 woman and that her value is beyond by far to her family even the most awesome paycheck!  Without the Godly influence and diligence of a God-fearing  woman, wife and mother, a family can quickly become bankrupt!  Here is the verse so beautifully digitized by Karen Murry  you are welcome to copy this verse!

 

 

Okay, here is my card for the Challenge, I picked the Guinevere!

 

 

I'll do this in pictures, it is self explanatory!

Isn't she beautiful!!

 

 

 I did this for her hair, I am new to cloroing and I wanted the card to be really pretty

 

 

 

 

I used the white card stock for her face and gown, did the coloring and then assembled.

 

 

She was very easy to work with and printing on the colored card stock gave the hair a boost .

 

I hope you go over to Twist of Faith and take the Challenge!

Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by!

Ginny M

 

Glittering Challenge

Over at FOSTV We have a Glitter Challenge going today!  Enter your glittery card and you may win a stamp set From Marks Finest Papers and Stamps!!  Yay, Free stamp sets

   Here is my card for the challenge:

I used MFPS "Lucky You set for this card.  I stamped and heat embossed the dragon on designer paper, fussy cut him and added a gen for the eye.  The coins were also heat embossed and I colored with my Spectrum Noir pens.    Using the embossing on the colorful designer paper really gives the a great colorful appearance and it is soooo easy .  

Today was a rare day, it rained almost all day, What a treat!  It was also my day off from the gym so my whining muscles quieted down, I'm still on my no spend craft fast, I'm not even sure what day I am on now!! My house was clean enough and all the laundry done, So I spent the whole day in my craft room  working on DT stuff.  It was such a nice day!!    I love rainy summer days, the world just seems to slow down a little bit!

 

 

Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to listen to the flowers drinking in the summer rain!!

Ginny M

Word Art Wednesday

I think in the Blog world my favorite day is Wednesday.  The blog  Word Art Wednesday brings us a beautiful scripture designed by  Digital Calligrapher Karen Murray and wonderful card samples created by the design team of these gifted women, Gemiel Matthews, Jo Ann Atterbury, Lori Ulrich, Stephanie Wright, Carole Robb Bisson , Karen L, and this months' guest designer; Nicole Davis.

This blog serves with heart and purpose, to bring the gospel of peace to the world one beautiful card at a time.  And they help us do the same, at no charge, they do it all, the time , the effort, the stress; so that they can set for us a beautiful table  to feast from!

 

This week, Join in you may even win a prize! All that and a prize too!!

 

This weeks scripture is:

 

Here is my card:

 

 

Our God is a mighty tower and refuge, the rivers of life and peace flow from Him to us, to refresh and sustain!  Is there any God Like our God? No not one!!

 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and find Him to be your Shelter and Refuge!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Ginny M