Mojo and Squash Chips

I lost my scrapping mojo for a while. Thought it would never come back. I would look at paper and ask myself what is so great about scrapping. It's just paper. The problem is I am not allowed to quit scrapping. That cannot occur, while I am sitting with sixteen cubic feet of gorgeous, lickable pattern paper. I started cleaning. Not in hopes of quitting scrapbooking. I just needed to get in control of what I have. Honestly, this could take a year. I did manage to go through all my paper and donated a load to a local preschool. I am now down to one cube of paper. I feel naked. It's quite liberating. HA! Whatever you do...do NOT imagine that image.

With the liberating I found a little scrap mojo.

The following two were done with the November Studio Calico Kit. I dragged out the typewriter I received when I graduated high school. Yeah cool....I'm old. Do they even make typewriters anymore or do scrappers only find them in old relatives basements or at antique shops?

A few layouts for the One Year baby scrapbook that I am making my cousin. These will always be very simple layouts with no or little journaling. I am keeping it blank, so she can write in it. I just have to say that my Baby Cousin is adorable. OK...I can say that without sounding like an uppity braggart, because: 1) it is true; and 2) it's true. ;o)

Finally, Barb had a recipe challenge on her Cook. Eat. Repeat? blog. Use squash. Ugh. OK...I don't eat squash, but I like recipes, I like challenges and I like Barb. As usual, I waited until the last minute to attempt my challenge. I was going to make this recipe: Spinach and Butternut Squash Lasagna . The photo in the issue of Cooking Light made it look scrumptious - even with the spinach and squash. Anyway...that didn't happen, because I started making my recipe three hours before deadline. Instead, I made squash chips from a recipe I dreamed about. True. I dream recipes. Here it is:

Cut a butternut squash in half without chopping off your fingers. Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Use a vegetable peeler and remove peel. All the while complain that squash smells gross like pumpkins. Dig out the three year old unused mandolin you bought from Pampered Chef. Learn how to use it. With mandolin over bowl cut the squash into approximately 1/8" thick slices. When done sprinkler with vegetable oil. Lay slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. You may not need to use the spray, but I wasn't sure and didn't want it to stick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Here's where I went a little wrong. I didn't watch them and burned a portion. Oh well. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crispy.

The result: Num. That is coming from a non-squash eater, so trust me it is good. Sweeter than a potato chip. Similar in taste to sweet potato fries, but in crispy chip form. The other 1/2 of the squash will be used to make more.

I missed the deadline, but thought I would share anyway. Here's a photo of the unburned ones:

If I fail to check in before Thanksgiving, I wish you a very a very happy day surrounded by family, friends and delicious food. Maybe a squash chip or two. :o)

BASB Challenge: Simple Thanks

Yesterday I mentioned that the new BASB challenge is now posted. LaVerne's challenge is called Simple Thanks and it is pretty awesome. I did my ATC/tag for day one and have posted it below. I was riding high on a thankful buzz yesterday. Day one encompasses everything good. Part of the challenge was to list a pay it forward on the back of the ATC. I do have one, but today I am not thankful for shaky hands. The photo was a blur. Much like my life at times.

I want to share one more thing today. Last week I learned about Operation Write Home from Greta and knew that I wanted to participate. Not only was it a great way to support the troops, but also a sure fire way to use up a bunch of my overloaded and ever growing supply pile. Surprisingly, I made yesterday's holiday card deadline. Amazing. Below are examples of some of the cards I sent. I did multiples of a few of them. The first one I made the most - almost two dozen. I got on a roll and had an assembly line going. You can't tell from the photo, but the chimney is pop dotted and Santa is stamped under. I like the dimension. I missed the SC pop dot challenge by one day. Well, the cards were done, but the photo wasn't. See why it was amazing that I made that send deadline? LOL!

The following ones were super easy. Cut paper scraps. Slap on a sticker. Scratch on a rub on. Blah blah blah. I like them, but it is embarrassing that they are that simple. I always compare myself to people that do layer upon layer of creating. I have to stop that. That will never be my style, but I love it and strive to be like that one day.

And that ends the fun for today. Well, blog-wise. ;o)

Being Thankful

I'm too selfish and into myself. I need to be reminded that the world doesn't always have to revolve around me. Well, it should 42.3% of the time, but I need to share the rest. Snort! OK...seriously, I need to work harder on being thankful and to appreciate the things and people in my life more. So...welcome to November. This is the month and year that I will work on being thankful. I am officially pushing aside my "eye rolling" attitude. Today I am thankful for yellow leaves with sunshine. My twelve year old nephew, who helped me rake up a "butt load" of leaves. I am thankful he is not lazy, like me. I am thankful for not having to be to work until noon and daylight savings making the morning feel even longer. Oh and I am even thankful for the pool in my backyard that needs it's cover drained even though I really want to sit on my behind and do nothing.

So what brought this urgency to feeling thankful? It was LaVerne's BASB Challenge. When I read it a light went off in my head. Oh and no....my head isn't empty despite what some say. But I digress. Her challenge is thinking of things that make you happy and thankful. Document it and think of a way to pay it forward. Honestly, the light really did go off and I realized I needed to take stock in what I have and quit whining about what I don't.

It must be Monday as I am being hard on myself, but that's ok. I'm thankful I have someone to kick me in the behind - even if it is myself as I have scared everybody else away from even trying. LOL!

Have a gorgeous Monday. I hope it is filled with lots of things to appreciate. I am heading out to appreciate the draining of the pool cover. Tomorrow I will post my first ATC for LaVerne's challenge. I am so excited. Truly.

Justifying the Kit Purchase

I had to justify ordering the November Studio Calico kit. Reveal day is today in exactly 54 minutes. Justifying meant making a layout using the October kit that is currently sitting in my scrap area unused. OK...you can laugh now, since the layout above is the result. Yep...I used two sheets of paper out of a box filled to the brim with goodies. Oh well....here I come November!

Long Time No Blog.

I haven't been doing much creating lately. I'm not sure if it is the rainy, cold weather or the multitude of good ghost shows on television that is to blame. Probably the television. I started a layout a couple of weeks ago for a self-challenge Waleska conjured up. Her suggestion to rid our hoard of scrap supplies was to make a layout/card using a Maya Road's mini album, Studio Calico FabRips and Studio Calico stamps. Behold the creation:

It also fits the current blog challenge for Studio Calico of using texture on a layout. Two weeks to fulfill two challenges. I guess I am doing better than I thought.

Them 2009.....Ahhhh

After a weekend of no creating I woke up Monday morning raring to go. Good thing my Jeep needed fixin' and I had taken off the day to deal with that. This is what I did before my sister picked me up at noon to go terrorize the city:

I don't usually make minis. They challenge my idle brain too much. I am happy with the outcome even if Jake's page went askew. Who said everything had to be perfect anyway, right? I did. I will be re-doing that page at some point. Probably when Jake is 29. That's the way I seem to roll.

Excuses...Excuses

So in between watching two games of soccer.

A trip to the apple orchard where we were soaked head to toe by rain..


A visit to the pumpkin house.


A practice session of trick or treating.

I failed at even attempting the challenge I gave myself last Friday. The one where I thought it was possible to use up a whole scrap kit. I'm laughing at my high expectations. I must have been high on sugar from my Sonic Lime Slush to even think that was possible. Whatever. So the weekend was a bust creativity-wise, but I did manage to do a challenge.

Barb is holding a breakfast challenge on her blog, Cook. Eat. Repeat? Basically, find a new recipe, make it, photograph it and blog about it. On Saturday night I headed to the grocery store with the following recipe in my hand:

French Toast Soufflé
10 cup (1-inch) cubed sturdy white bread
(such as Pepperidge Farm Hearty White, about 16 (1-ounce) slices)
Cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat-cream cheese, softened
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2/3 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup

Place bread cubes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Beat cream cheese at medium speed of mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add milk, half-and-half, 1/2 cup maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over top of bread; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Remove bread mixture from refrigerator; let stand on counter for 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the souffle with powdered sugar, and serve with maple syrup.

Cooking Light, APRIL 2000

I bought all the items I needed:

and a back up just in case of an emergency:

Despite the fire alarms going off (seriously) and me remembering that I really am not a huge fan of french toast, the recipe was very good. I served it with a side of ham and forgot that breakfast should have a beverage other than water.

Here's what the souffle looked like when plated up:
I did make a change to the recipe. I used regular cream cheese. It's what I had in the fridge and I wanted to use it up. If I changed anything about the recipe, I would either add cinnamon to the wet ingredients or I would make it with cinnamon bread. To me it needed just an oomph of something, but that seems to be just me as everyone else loved it as is.

Even Miss Scream.