Easter Easel Card

Made this from my scrap pile.
Thanks for looking.
Mary

First Easel Card....

Card Inspiration:

My Card:

Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip Cookies mmm...mmm good....

Just got done making cookies, here's the recipe:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter,softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 11 1/2 oz Ghiradelli 60% cacao chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter,sugar,brown sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs,gradually add in flour,baking soda & salt. Stir in choc chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes and remove onto wire rack or waxed paper. Makes about 5 dozen.
Enjoy!
Mary

Morning Ladies..

So how is everyone today? I'm feeling much better today..I've had a headache from hell..o for the past two days. So glad it's gone. Today is looking like a snuggle up inside day, it's only in the 50's today and the wind is whipping off the water. I have already got the house cleaned, laundry going and plan on making a batch of chocolate chip cookies.Then maybe snuggle up with a new "Julia" book or maybe do some scrapping. What's your plans for today?

Hugs,
Mary

Have you seen one of these before?

I saw this plant at the greenery and fell in love with it. It's called a "Chenille". Originally I thought it would look great on the porch, but I love where it ended up.
Thanks for looking.
Mary

Spring has arrived...we purchased our first flower for the patio!

We found this unusual plant today for the patio, it's called a Barbara Karst Bougainvillea. I absolutely love it. Did you notice the inside white flower?
Mary

Lazy day at the beach...

Ring Billed Gull...sunbathing

Willets...hunting for lunch.

It was a beautiful day here on the Island today...temp got up into the 70's So we spent a couple hours today walking the beach and just chillin. I came home and worked on a card for my mom's birthday...not happy with it so I'm going to play a little more with it. I was using my new flower soft...such fun stuff, now I wish I would of picked up more colors. I just got the summer blend. Will post it when I'm done.

Have a great night!
Mary

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ...

Took this picture around 7:30 this morning. I had spotted this guy in a tree about a week ago, but couldn't identify him. Finally got a great shot this morning.Well actually about a dozen pics..lol

TFL,
Mary

Go Braless....

I knew that would get your attention...

This is a card I made for my JC's sister for her 60th Birthday. Go braless it pulls the wrinkles out of your face; inside says: If that doesn't work...When things start to sag,and things start to drag,then stand on your head,they won't look so bad. I'm not gonna sign that card I'll let JC...LOL

Coming Home....

I haven't done any scrapbooking or card making in the past few days because I got caught up in this book, Finally finished it tonight.This is a book that once you start reading you don't want to put it down.
This novel is set pre and post second world war, England. Pilcher writes with knowledge and grittiness but with beautiful discription of scenery and occasion. I have enjoyed every moment I have spent with her characters. The main character, More...Judith, is a girl who is left in a boarding school by her parents while her father serves in Singapore. While at boarding school she meets a friend and is invited to spend school breaks with the friend's family. Over the years she becomes part of this family and the story proceeds with characters within the family playing a large part in an engaging story of loss, love and human kindness.
Judith's parents are lost to concentration camps after the fall of Singapore but her small sister is returned to England in very sorry state. The whole novel discribes the privations of wartime without sentiment but adequately enough for the reader to 'feel' the difficulties imposed.

Today's Cards

Just a simple Black & White card. I also made a Birthday card for JC's sister will post it later.

TFL,
Mary

St. Patrick's Day Parade...

Just a few fun pictures of yesterdays parade.

Enjoy!
Mary

St.Patrick's Day Card...

Added a few extra touches to the card. The shamrocks she is holding is layered and I heat embossed her shoes with red glitter.

Thanks for lookin..
Mary

In honor of St. Patrick's day....

Found this recipe... I know my son would love these!

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
This recipe yields 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
1 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout
1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
3/4 Cup(s) Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks
2 Cup(s) All Purpose Flour
2 Cup(s) Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup(s) Sour Cream

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Bring stout and butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.

3. Add unsweetened chocolate chunks to hot stout/butter mixture. Whisk until chocolate melts. Turn heat off and let cool.

4. Add sugar to chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

5. Sift flour, baking soda and salt.

6. In a stand-alone mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sour cream on medium speed.

7. Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and combine on medium-low speed until incorporated.

8. Slowly add flour mixture in thirds to chocolate mixture with whisk attachment. Scrape the sides with your whisk to make sure you get all the dry ingredients combined.

9. Place cupcake papers in pan and divide batter into cups evenly. Fill about 2/3 of the cup.

10. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.

11. Let cool on wire rack before frosting.

Guinness Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 Cup(s) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
2 1/2 Cup(s) Sifted Powder Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Whole Scraped Vanilla Bean
1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout

Steps:
1. In a sauce pan, simmer Guinness on low heat for 10-15 min, until it stout becomes reduced and thicker in consistency. Similar to a syrup. *Tip: keep your eye on the store, so stout does not over cook. Let cool.

2. In a stand alone mixer, cream your butter for 1 minute.

3. Slowly add the powder sugar in thirds, alternating with a little milk each time till mixture is creamy.

4. Add scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract.

5. Slowly add reduced Guinness a little at a time. Taste test to desired flavor. You may not use all the Guinness reduction.

6. Place buttercream in a piping bag with a #848 french star tip, frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Caught in the act...

Caught these guys or girls LOL not sure on gender out sunbathing yesterday. Love the one with the turtle...looks like he/she is saying ohhhh lunch time.The one my son liked is the one with the energy drink can next to it. Their home is just down the road from us. It's the first aligators we have seen since we moved here in October.

Enjoy!
Mary

Congratulations are in order....

LOL...Our Eagles had their first baby hatch at 1:10 this afternoon. If you'd like to take a peak into their world, just click on the Eagle picture and it will take you right there. Have fun...Please post below if your watching. Would love to know how many people are tuned in.

Mary

Now that's what I call being crafty...

LOL I just had to share a picture of this.. So what do you think was on her mind when she was crocheting this? Use & Reuse...hahhahhaha

Christmas at the Biltmore

The title looks crooked,but it isn't. It's the way I took the picture on the easel.

This is from our trip to Ashville,North Carolina. We stopped there on our way to Ohio where we spent Christmas with the family. The Biltmore Estate is such a beautiful place, we would like to go back this spring or Summer to see the gardens in bloom. They had gotten hit hard by a snowstorm a few days before we arrived that did a lot of damage to the grounds, but it was still breathtaking.

Thanks for looking.
Mary

Finished details on this card today also...

Inside of card..
No...this isn't blurry..must be your eyes..LOL jokin...Not gonna bother to take another pic..you get the idea..right?..right!

Todays Card... March 7th

Inside of card...

Whatcha got Cookin...

Spotted Out My Window This Mornin...

Great day for sailing? Uhhh in my opinion it's still a little chilly to be sailing this morning it's only about 46.

**Update On This Post**
Found out this sailboat is called: Spirit of South Carolina...it is a two mast schooner and is docked right here at the Marina.

Today was just a play day....

This morning Colette my Stampin Up demonstrator stopped by with my new piercing tool & mats...can't wait to use them. After she left JC and I spent the afternoon shopping and went out for lunch. It was a beautiful sunny day on the Island and felt good to get out of the house for awhile. I also spent some time taking new pictures of all my cards that I had previously uploaded, they had too much blue in the background and were hard to see. Found out I had to adjust the white balance on my camera. So now you can SEE ... what my cards really look like.

I also added on the right a live web cam of the osprey nest just down the road from us.It reloads every 5 seconds...and if your patient enough you can see them fly in and out. To exit the cam, just hit the back button on your tool bar. I think it's the coolest thing. Can't wait till later this spring to see the baby Osprey.
Enjoy!
Mary

This is a card I made for JC's nephews wife.

This is another small 4x4 card..that I distressed and inked. LOL I have a hard time not sanding and inking..just my style I guess.

Thanks for looking!
Mary

In Like a Lion???

The weather here has been crazzzzzzzzy,yesterday here on the Island was absolutely beautiful. This mornin it is c-c-cold and windy & rainy weather. They say March comes in like a lion. Let's hope that it goes out like a lamb, just in time for Spring Break!

These are cute lil 3x3 cards that I distressed & inked. I'm going to make some matching envies to go with them.
~~~ Card Recipe~~~
Bazil Cardstock
Clear Stamps
Tim Holtz Ink



Will post the card recipe when I go upstairs to my craft room. Having a case of CRS this morning.LOL

Thanks for looking.
Mary

Here is another card I made today. This one is for JC's daughter Amanda.

The inside says:
The Twinkle in your eye...
The magic in your smile...
Everything about you...
simply glows with Princess style...

~~~ Recipe for Card~~~
Magnolia Stamp:'Happy Tilda'
Bazil Cardstock
Recollections Paper
Flowers made form Bazil on Cricut cartridge : Walk in My Garden
Brads, Ribbon from stash
Martha Stewart Punch

The pictures didn't turn out very well. I'll try to take new pictures tomorrow. Thanks for looking!
Mary

Tilda ...isn't she just the sweetest!!

Here is a card I made today. I just love the stamps from Magnolia.

~~~Recipe for Card~~~~
Magnolia Stamp:Spring Tilda
Bazil Cardstock
Recollections Paper
Prima Flowers
Ribbon: Big Lots
Buttons: Misc
Lace: Walmart
Cricut

Thanks for looking!
Mary