One Eight Zero

October 8, 2017Leave a comment

One Eight Zero, 180 kits are stacked in the photo below. That is the number of card kits I prepared on World Card Making Day, October 7, 2017. These kits will be used during my November greeting card making sessions at senior living communities. I would like to keep the designs a surprise so I’ll share them with you after the sessions are over. I used the stamp set Gourd Goodness on both designs.

Here are samples created with the stamp set Gourd Goodness designed by home office concept artists.

These are the images that can be stamped using the super awesome stamp set Gourd Goodness, item number 144785 in photopolymer. Click on this link to order this stamp set and take a look around my online store. Thanks for your order!

Super Awesome World Card Maker Shirley

A Harvest without all the sneezing

September 26, 2017September 26, 20172 Comments

The temperature outside has been creeping up to 90 degrees for several days. I have been hibernating in my house but yesterday thought I would take advantage of the warmer day and started with the garden and yard clean up. Up went some of the tomatoes and the viney pumpkin and gourd plants that had already not liked the cooler overnight temperatures. I took into the house tomatoes and cucumbers I had missed plucking earlier in the week. Those cukes were good with some hummus for a light meal!

As I looked down on my shoes which had been increasingly covered in really rust pollen as I walked through the grass, I thought I would be happy to get inside for an afternoon with the Painted Harvest suite to cool off and enjoy a harvest that will not make me sneeze!

The Painted Harvest bundle includes the Painted Harvest stamp set and leaf punch that you can order at my online store here: click here for online store The samples in the next few photos were created by home office staff and shared in our holiday catalog.

Fellow demonstrator Deb Geier created this card to share during our shoebox swap at our all demo meeting.

Lynn Schwiebert created this scrapbook layout that she shared on the display table.

Painted Autumn designer series paper is part of the Painted Harvest suite. Which pattern is your favorite? Mine is the multi colored branches on the fair left. Multi colored patterns means instant pop without effort. Quick, easy and fabulous!

What will you create with your Painted Harvest bundle that won’t make you sneeze? Add a comment with your ideas.

Super Awesome Sneezer Shirley

Merry Music Vintage Scrapbook Layout

September 19, 2017September 19, 20171 Comment

I love to scrapbook my own memories and also help others scrapbook too. When designing a layout, I look to the photos to pick up the tone of what the photo captured. Laughter needs bright colors and bold patterns to bring out the fun. Winter holidays need reds and greens and a little bit of tinsel trim (yes, we have that in the Holiday catalog, page 21!). Vintage black and white need doilies and darker scrolly and lace pattern paper.

I had the opportunity to coordinate an all demonstrator meeting that was held last Saturday so of course I included a scrapbook layout for a make-n-take. This was the design…

The patterned paper is from the Merry Music designer series paper pack that is available in the holiday catalog page 13. Sweet sugarplum cardstock lightens up the page along with doilie, bow and ribbons accents.

I filmed a Youtube video so you can easily recreate this layout. Or attend the next Scrapbook in a Day on October 14th or 17th to recreate it yourself. Details for Scrapbook in a Day will be announced this week so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy the video!

Super Awesome Scrapbooker Shirley

On Our Way to Celebrate

August 31, 2017August 30, 2017Leave a comment

We are on our way to celebrate at my cousin’s bridal shower. My sister snagged the doggy gifts on their registry so Mom thought a doggy card was appropriate. I just happen to have a swap card similar to this one in my card tree so Mom copied that design to come up with this one.

While still in Milwaukee, this car was also getting gas. I told Mom she had 30 seconds for a photo op so out she hopped. Mom got the story and his business card and the photo op all in the 30 seconds, ok, maybe 2 minutes. His story is that he thought we all need encouragement and this is how he is sharing his encouragement energy.

And then off we went to the bridal shower!

Super Awesome Stamper Shirley

The cat, the cukes and the chickens

August 30, 2017August 30, 20172 Comments

It’s a lock-in at my Mom and Dad’s house while I cat sit Mr. Kitty, can the cukes and make chicken broth. Here is Mr. Kitty ready to pounce on my lap. He seems to decide to lap sit just when I get my rug hooking started.

We are surrounded by the trees, bees and a burnt orange butterfly that visited while I was plucking the cucumbers yesterday. Bunnies hop away quick since they are not use to seeing someone in their yard so early in the morning.

Cukes needs to be scrubbed and graded before they can be processed. Add a little pepper, garlic, bay leaf, dill seed to the jar for a zippy flavor. The brine is flavored with Penzey’s Pickling Spice which smells oh so good to me. I decided that the clove scent is what I like most about this mix.

I have not gotten the opportunity to water bath process cukes since my garden only produces enough for fresh eating or refrigerator pickles. Since this canner holds 8 jars, I thought I would process a pint and open it right away to evaluate flavor and crunch versus refrigerating only.

I follow the kosher dill pickle recipe from the Ball Blue Book of Canning that my sister-in-law Mary gave to me as a gift. I make notes so that I can replicate the recipe in following years.

I almost forgot about the chickens part of this post since I could gush about my pickles at length. Just know that if I share a pickle with you, you are a chosen one. haha! Seriously, I will be pacing opening the jars throughout the winter. Right now, I can enjoy a little more than a jar a month since I have 14 jars canned.

My nephew has egg laying chickens but they have reduced their output so off to the butcher some went. They made nourishing chicken stock when combined with surplus produce from my parents’ garden. I follow the Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz recipe which includes 2 secret ingredients, leeks and allspice berries that elevate the flavor to the best stock ever! I’ll freeze these and use to make rice, quinoa, crock pot beans and hearty winter soup. Broth is also very good sipped on super cold days or when my fingers are freezing!

It’s a circle of life and we can’t all eat plants. Interestingly, I was reminded of that in the middle of the night. I heard screeching so paths were crossed in the forest. Nature circles are kept in balance so I take comfort in this philosophy. Now if nature would only take care of those asian beetles attacking my Linden and apple trees, I would be thankful for that too!

What does Mr. Kitty do while I am in the kitchen? A little napping, a little playing with a favorite toy from Aunt Cheryl, a little zoomies and then back to napping. Oh, and can I have some more crunchies please? My tummy is empty…all…the…time…

from Super Awesome Canner Shirley and Mr. Kitty