Surgery

Some of you may know that I am heading into surgery tomorrow, September 1st, to repair torn cartilage in my left wrist and "clean 0ut" the area as one bone is longer than the other. I have been wearing a brace for the past few weeks in order to protect myself from bumping it, etc. Our granddaughter, Gracie, has been intrigued with my brace and wanted to try it on, then she ran downstairs for Grampa to take her picture. Sure would appreciate your prayers on my behalf for healing after the surgery. It will be tough taking the time off from my crafting and card making, but I still plan to have the September STAMP 10 classes on the 14th and 17th. Everything has been planned and cut in advance and my wonderful friends in my downline, Sue and Marla, are always willing to lend a hand if I need some extra cutting done at the last minute. Who knows, maybe by then I will be able to do some of this type work again. I will post again tomorrow after we get home to let you all know how things went.

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Sesame Street

When our kids were little we sure did watch our share of Sesame Street, and now all these years later kids are still in love with Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. So when I saw these cute ideas on SCS I just had to try making them. Using our punches and the BIG SHOT makes card and treat ideas so easy. The sucker will be sold at the craft sales that I will be involved with this year. If you want to know ahead so you can plan...I will be at Zeeland Christian Schools on September 26th, Grandville High School on October 17th and at Hudsonville High School on November 21st. Prior to these Craft Sales, Sue & I will be having a garage/craft sale here at my home on Thursday and Friday, September 24-25. 8:30 ish - whenever things slow down. Hope to see you there...you will have first dibs of our Craft Sale items.

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The Wedding

The baking is done and the kitchen is clean!

My house smells so good with 264 cupcakes!!!

French Vanilla cupcakes filled with Raspberry

filling and Chocolate cupcakes filled with Chocolate Mousse

Decorating the cake for the bride and groom

The finished product all set up at the wedding. You can't tell by the photo, but there were crystal sprinkles on top of the cupcakes.

This was a big job but I was so thankful that Bill and Hillary chose me to make there cakes for their wedding last night. It was fun to see the cupcakes disappear at the reception, and to hear the great comments. Everything was so simple, but I think that is what made it "Elegant Sweet-ness". their wedding was wonderful and the reception so much fun. I wish them well in their new life together.

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Holiday Mini

If you thought the new catalog that came out in July was great-just wait until you see the HOLIDAY MINI CATALOG being released on September 1st!!!

I absolutely LOVE this new MINI!!!

Stampin' Up! has partnered with BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOPS and has a whole new line of stamps and Big Shot products, and JEWELRY. Yes-that's right-a whole line of SIMPLY ADORNED CHARMS and CHAINS. You are going to love these, and just in time for your Holiday Gift Giving. And stamps, papers, new dies, ribbons, and much more...

I can't wait until you get to see everything.

If you are one of my customers, your HOLIDAY MINI CATALOG should be arriving soon. If you do not receive your copy by the end of the month let me know and I will get a copy to you. The HOIDAY MINI starts September 1st and goes through January 4, 2010. I can't wait to get my own stamp sets so I can play with them. As a demonstrator we get to preorder when new things come out. That is just one of the perks of being a demonstrator.

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Happy Birthday, Joey

Today is our youngest son, Joey's, 23rd birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOEY! It has been a joy raising our three children. Being a mom is the BEST job EVER and I wouldn't change it for the world. Growing up Joey loved to play baseball. We always let the kids try any sport they wanted but Joey only cared about baseball. He played Little League for Georgetown and then played for Hudsonville High School. He mostly played short stop, but he was a key bunter, breaking a long standing record for Hudsonville in Career Sacrifice Bunts - only to have his record broken three years later. Now Joey works at Gentex full time and is renting a townhouse with our other son Jeff. This is Joey at 9months old

Here is one of his senior pictures taken in downtown Grand Rapids

This photo was taken early this spring at Hockey Town in Detroit when he and Dale went to a Tiger game together. Joey isn't smiling because it was only 36 degrees out, and the Tigers lost the game 2-4 to Anahiem Angels of California

Later, Joey started to enjoy golfing, especially when he could play with his Grandpa Joslin so here is the card that I made for him. I won't include the menu because most everthing I used is now retired.

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Nick's Graduation Cake

This is the cake that I made for Nick, my first daycare kid to graduate from High School. Nick started coming to Auntie's when he was in First Grade. Nick, Dan and Joey lived down the road from us, but within a short time the house next to them went up for sale so we moved down by them. We LOVE our house on this end of the developement and the Callahan's have been the dearest of friends.

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Bible Study

This August we have been going through a 4 week Bible Study on the life of Joseph titled "Keeping Your Focus When Your Dreams Are Shattered." I have throughly enjoyed this study as well as all the Precepts Bible Studies that I have done in the past. Here is a photo of me with our Bible Study Coordinator, Helen.

Helen is very dear to me as I have grown in the Lord through her leadership. Thanks Helen for all the time and preparation that goes into making these studies so interesting and life changing. Helen's sweet daughter, Anna, attends the STAMP 10 classes but she is soon to head to Spring Arbor College to specialize in Elementary and Special Education. We will miss Anna at our classes, but we know she will do a GREAT job in college and be a very special teacher (she had a great example in her mother who home-schooled her).

Here is a recipe of a yummy cake that I made for our treat at Bible Study last week. The original recipe I got from a Pampered Chef party at a friends house and she made it with strawberries, but since we grow raspberries I thought I would change it up.

Chocolate Velvet Cake With Strawberries

Cake:

1/4 C plus 1 T vegetable oil, divided

1/2 C milk chocolate morsels

1 pkg (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix

3 eggs

3/4 C water

1 (12 oz.) jar seedless strawberry jam, divided

Glaze and Garnish:

1/3 C melted vanilla ice cream

1 C milk chocolate morsels

1 quart fresh strawberries, divided

Additional ice cream (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Spray bundt pan with cooking spray.

For Cake, combine chocolate morsels and oil in a small bowl and microwave on high 30-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, whisking after 30 seconds. In mixing bowl combine cake mix, eggs, water, 1/2 C of the jam and chocolate mixture; Whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.

2. Bake cake 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, invert onto serving platter/plate.

3. For glaze, combine ice cream and 1 C chocolate morsels in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH 20-600 seconds, stirring after each 20 second interval, until melted and smooth.

4. To finish cake, place remaining jam into a bowl and microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Brush evenly over cake. Holding by stems, dip 16 of the strawberries into the glaze; arrange around bottom edge of cake. Drizzle top of cake with remaining glaze. Slice remaining strawberries, place into center well of cake. Serve with additional ice cream if desired.

YIELD: 16 servings

*This cake can also be baked using a silicone bundt pan and microwaved in a 1000 watt microwave with a built-in turntable.

* I personally thought that the flavor was better with the strawberries. Although I love raspberries I thought it to be a bit sweet. Maybe next time I will try it with cherries!!! - We grow those too!!

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Fireproof

Have you seen the movie FIREPROOF? This is one of those 'must-see' life changing movies that packs a message. This cake I made was designed after the cake that they show at the end of the movie. When I bought the DVD it had a picture of the cake inside and I knew that I HAD to try making that cake. Pin It Now!

Cakes

You know how it is when you meet someone they will say "so, what do you do?" - I guess I would say I do Cakes, Cards and Kids. This week I am going to focus on cakes since I will be making the wedding cake and cupcakes for a wedding this Friday for a couple from church. I will not share their cake until after they celebrate, but here is a cake that I made last September for another gal from church. It was my first attempt at a three tier cake. I was pretty pleased with the outcome. Pin It Now!

More Craft Sale Items

I have been working non-stop trying to get as much done for my upcoming craft sales as I can before my wrist surgery on September 1st. These are just fun little treat holders that I put a Ghiradelli chocolate in. Yum Yum, those have to be one of my favorite chocolates.

Menu:

SS: Deer Friends (retired)

CS: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, WW, Riding Hood Red (Retired), DSP (Retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: 2 way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Sticky gems (Hobby Lobby), Martha Stewart edge punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon (retired), dimensionals

Menu:
SS: Merry and Bright
CS: Bashful Blue, WW, Kiwi Kiss (retired), Tangerine Tango (retired) DSP (retired)
Ink: Bashful Blue ink and marker, Pumpkin Pie marker
Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, WW taffeta ribbon, Dimensionals

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$85 Offer Ends Soon

Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is so much fun. When I signed up 18 months ago I thought that I would only be a hobbyist so I could buy the product that I loved at a discount, but here I am having so much fun with the STAMP 10 classes and getting to know such wonderful ladies.This is a photo of my 'upline' - Glenda. She is GREAT and so much fun. She holds a meeting for all the gals under her once a month, giving us all the news and help we need. We usually have some sort of a make-n-take and she gives us a challenge that we work on and bring back for the next months meeting.

Wouldn't you like to be a part of this fun group of gals too?

Right now is the perfect time to sign on. Stampin' Up! is offering a starter kit for only $85 and the items you receive value over $85. And you get so much more in return. You will receive 20% off all your orders and as a demonstrator you get to have "sneek-peeks" at upcoming products and be able to purchase them before they are available to the public. You will get 1 free copy of any catalog that comes out as well as the Stampin' Success monthly magazine full of fun ideas and helpful tips. Glenda and two of the gals in our group went to Florida for Convention and they shared with us all the goodies that they received for free just for going. Here are just two of the make-n-takes from convention that she shared with us at this months meeting. The New Demonstrator $85 offer ends on August 31st so give me a call soon and let me know that you want to sign up. I will then be able to share with you everything you will need to know and all the benefits beyond what I shared here. Pin It Now!

STAMP 10

Our STAMP 10 classes are so much fun!! We meet here in my home at 3832 Black Creek Dr. Hudsonville at 7:00 PM. You will make 10 all occasion greeting cards to send to your friends and family, I also include a plastic box for you to take them home in. I have everything cut and ready for you to assemble, all you need to bring is your own adhesive. If you need to buy a refill for the TOMBO tape runner, I have that on hand for you to purchase for $2.00. Space is limited to 12 guests so the sooner you sign up the safer you are of securing a spot at my table. Cost of the class is $10.00. However, if you place an order of $25.00 or more I will drop your class fee to $5.00 and if you place an order of $50.00 or more, your class fee is waived. Classes have been filling up fast and I have found it necessary to add a second night on to the one already scheduled so below is the schedule I have set up for September through December 2009. The classes highlighted are the dates I have added. You do not need to come to both, but when signing up please let me know which one you will be attending.

Monday, September 14
Thursday, September 17th
Monday, October 12th
Thursday, October 15th
Tuesday, November 17th
Thursday, November 19th
Tuesday, December 15th
Thursday, December 17th Pin It Now!

So Proud

This is the photo I took of Jeff for the back of his books.

Can you imagine how proud we are of our son, Jeff? Just this week his first two books were delivered and we now have a copy to hold in our hands. I stand amazed how God is using this young man for His glory. "From Shepherd To King" is about the life of King David using the Biblical facts from the Bible, and "But God" is a collection of poems that God led Jeff to write on his journey with the Lord. If you are interested in checking out Jeff's books you can find a link in the right side bar of this blog. Just click on it and you will be able to read just a bit to give you a taste of his writing. On that same link you will be able to place an order. If you would like to save a bit on Shipping and Handling just let me know and I am sure Jeff will be placing orders from time to time.

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STAMP 10

We had so much fun at our STAMP 10 class Tuesday night. Here are just a few of the wonderful and fun ladies that come to make cards. I sure do appreciate all their kind words. It is just so much fun to have a house full of ladies doing something we all enjoy.

Here is another card that we made that night

Menu:

SS: Totally Tools
CS: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Ruby Red
Ink: Close to Cocoa basic ink pad and marker, Ruby Red Marker
Accessories: Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Distressing Tool from the Cutter Kit, Word Window Punch

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Great Concert

What a great time of worship we had at church Sunday and a wonderful concert at night with Damaris Carbough. She is a Gospel soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and Day of Discovery Singers. This is a photo taken on Sunday, but also you can view her singing live with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

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Spoiler Alert!

Tonight is our STAMP10 class!!! Looking forward to being with all the ladies, and we have a full house again. This is one of the cards we will be making tonight, they may choose to make it for a girl or boy. If you would like to come to one of my STAMP 10 classes, they are held once a month. The next one is September 17th at 7:00 PM. You may call at anytime to sign up. Cost is $10.00 and you will be making 10 all occassion cards. You will also receive a plastic box to hold them in. The option is that if you place an order for $25.00 or more I will drop the class fee to $5.00 or if you place an order of $50.00 or more I will waive the class fee altogether. One thing I ask is that you would bring your own adhesive or you may purchase a Tombo refill from me for $2.00.

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More Craft Sale Items

I crimped some kiwi kiss cardstock then cut the leaves free hand

Here are some more fun things that will be in the craft sale this Fall. These handy little Post - It Note holders are just the ticket for keeping in your purse. Notice the cute little pen attached to the side.

Menu:

SS: Fundamental Phrases

CS: WW, Kiwi Kiss (Retired), Bella Rose DSP (Retired), Apricot, Real Red, Ski Slope (Retired), Basic Black, Pumpkin

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Black marker

Accessories: Scalloped Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Large Oval, Small Oval, Ticket Corner Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, 1/4" punch, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals

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Tyler's Birthday Cake

Our Grandson, Tyler turned 7 years old this past May. Julie often gives me a challenge when picking a theme for the kids birthday cakes. This year Tyler wanted Indiana Jones because he liked his Lego set of Indiana Jones and the Wii game so she found this cake idea on the internet and I did my best to give him what he wanted. After cake and ice cream and opening gifts we all went to the Lost City in Holland where they all played laser tag.

Here is Tyler showing off one of his new birthday shirts

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