Gift Box & Cards by Dee

Here's a little project my friend Dee made on our Sunday crafting night. It's a gift for her daughter's school teacher & wife who just had a baby girl. Inside the tin are handmade thank-you cards, envelope & pen...what new parent wouldn't want a gift like that. Great job Dee, I love it!

Project details:

Paper: Three Bugs in a Rug - Tickled Pink; Rub-ons: Bo Bunny; Silver Tin: Michaels; Mono Metal Glue; SU Slit Punch; Black Cardstock; Tin Plaques

Beautiful NEW Paper

I picked up this beautiful new paper at my one of my LSS...it's by Treehouse Memories. I'm inviting a bunch of girlfriends to a spa day and think this is the paper for the invitation...I just love it & can't wait to use it!

Saturday Night Dinner Party

We had some great company for dinner on Saturday night. Our friends Scott, Tanya & their son Ethan and Adam & Jenny (expecting their first baby in 2 weeks). We love to cook & entertain for friends!

Pedicure Night

Wednesday night my friend Cheryl, who is a licensed estician, came over to do pedicures for 5 other girlfriends and myself. It was so much fun to sit around, chit-chat and have pretty piggies at the end. I'm thinking of holding one each month since Cheryl's prices are so reasonable...only $25 each. Next month we've found a massage therapist who charges $25 for 30 minutes. We plan to have her set up to do massages in my office...I could get used to this!

Anticipation...

Wow, what a line-up for TV tonight! I'm excited to watch all these Thursday night shows:

• THE O.C. - Series Finale! I'm so disapointed that this show is ending :( I feel so connected to this show since my husband & and the main character 'Ryan Atwood' share such similar childhood & teen experences.
• GREY'S ANATOMY - The most anticipated show of the year; the ending to a three-part episode tonight. Will Dr. Grey make it? I sure hope so!
• THE OFFICE - As usual, a must see for Thursdays
• OPRAH'S OSCAR SPECIAL - Candid interviews with some great celebrities...who could resist.

Happy Thursday everyone...enjoy the television!

Pink Runway Tote FOR SALE

I'm selling my virtually new PINK Making Memories Runway Tote for $45 (CDN). If anyone is interested, please email me or leave a comment. I absolutely love this leather tote, but have re-vamped my organizational style. I'd love to see it go to a good home!Details: Sling this stylish Making Memories Pink Runway Tote over your shoulder on the way to your next scrapbooking excursion. With spacious compartments and pockets galore, this high-function bag declares your chic sensibility. PINK tote color * Lined with PINK and white polka dot material * Made from faux leather that is water, tear and puncture resistant * Comfortable shoulder strap design * Compartments and repositionable zipper pockets for organized storage * Includes Making Memories exclusive Tote Charm set and one 12" x 12" plastic paper box * Package/bag dimensions 16”w x 15” h x 5”d

I've Got A Cuttlebug!

Today I picked up a Cuttlebug at Michaels for $70 (CDN)! This cute little machine is a personal die cutter & embossing system for paper. I'm so excited to use it, but I think it'll have to wait until the weekend. Needless to say, I'm so glad I splurged and got one...they are hard to find in our city, a hot little item. And you should see how interested my husband is in this new little contraption...I may find him using it before I have a chance to...ha ha.

Sunday Night Crafting

Last night my friend Dee & I got together to craft. She helped me finish our daughter's birthday thank you cards that have been a project on my 'to do' list for a month. Thanks Dee for your inspiration & ideas, it was great to get together again and craft. They are simple & quick to make, especially since the mini cards are pre-cut from the Stampin' Up! Winter Mini. Now I just have to sign, address & mail them.

$1.50 each

Michaels has these cute stamps...they were a must have and you can't go wrong with them being $1.50 each.

6-weeks-in-a-row

Ace, Kaeden & Scarlett

My friend Dee & I have gotten together with our kids for playdates 6 Mondays in a row now! It is so nice to look forward to and have a bit of a routine to start our week. Here's a photo of the kids from today during snack/movie time.

Painting Our Office

My parents visited us last week and while they were here they helped us out by painting our office. The original color we had chosen for the room {green} was not working for us, so we changed it to a mocha color. And what a difference, we love our office now! Thanks Mom & Dad for handling that project and doing a wonderful job.

Now we're ready to hang shelves and make the room function the way we would like it to. This room is also my scrapbooking/creating space, so in the next few weeks when we get the room put together, I'll display photos of the finished workspace...I'm so excited!

Mom & Dad painting (Mom's under the desk)

This is how Ace choose to watch Nana & Papa work.

Heart Cookies

My Mom & I had fun baking & icing these heart-shaped sugar cookies last night. They were yummy! The kid's enjoyed their personalized cookies this morning.


FOOL-PROOF SUGAR COOKIES
This recipe is super easy! It lasts a long time in the fridge & is really easy to roll & cut out.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour

Beat butter and sugar until pale & fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla & salt. Gradually add flour until well blended.

Divide dough into three balls, wrap each in wax paper & flatten rounds. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour or until you're ready to use it.

Heat oven to 375 degrees, roll out to 1/4" thickness, cut with cookie cutters of choice. Bake 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet (stoneware works best) until edges are barely starting to turn brown - approx 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

We iced cookies with store bought vanilla icing & topped with cinnamon hearts.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! Today is a bit special for Cory & I since we met 10 years ago today!

My husband & I don't really go crazy over Valentine's Day. I know this photo might not be too exciting, other than the wall text from Making Memories I put up. But this year we treated each other to a new bed mattress. We both haven't been able to get a good night's sleep for a long time...I haven't slept well since before I was pregnant with Scarlett. So the time seemed to be right for us to change our mattress. It was delivered on Valentine's Day and we had a great night's sleep on it!


The rest of the photos are of cute little places in our master bedroom.

Stampin' Up! Meeting

On Sunday I attended a Stampin' Up! meeting hosted by my upline. Meetings like this always excite me about my stamping business and it's great to share the same crafting enthusiasm with other demonstrators! Thanks Deb for an excellent meeting.


Here are the cards we made which show some sets available in the New Spring Mini Catalogue, available March 1st. The spiral binding punch is a must have.
This is a cute mini photo holder; place a photos in the removable tabs. Then it folds up into an attractive looking little holder.

Wintery Here

Brrrrr! It's cold here in Calgary. This photo makes me feel like I need a warm mug of hot chocolate. Keep warm everyone!

Friday Playdate

A quick photo from our playdate on Friday with the Fergusons. Here are (starting at top center & going clockwise) Chloe, Ace, Scarlett & Gemma. Thanks Cindy for a great outing for the kids & I.

Monthly Card Class

On Wednesday evening I held my first Monthly Card Making class. It was great to see all the ladies making cards together. You can sign up to come the first Wednesday of each month and make 6 beautiful cards for $20 (includes envelopes). I also offer this card box to take home so that your cards are organized and ready to give! I have the card boxes pre-made with lables for the dividers; you complete a card and it can go straight in the box!Email me (starrmercer@shaw.ca) if you're interested in next month's class: March 7th @ 7:00 - 9:00pm.

Milk & Cookies

We made chocolate chip cookies the other day and boy were they yummy! They are so good with a cold glass of milk or dipped in tea...which reminds me of when I was a little girl, sitting on Grandpa's knee dipping cookies in his tea. Here's the recipe:

Starr's Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup margarine (room temp)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups milk chocolate chips
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachement, combine margarine with both sugars and beat on medium speed until light & fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add the salt, vanill & eggs. Beat until well mixed. Add flour & baking soda, mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Keep cookie dough in fridge until ready to bake. Drop dough onto cookie sheet (stoneware works the best). Bake @ 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.
Very soft & chewy...excellent every time!

Elsie's Kitchen

Meet Elsie Flannagan, one of my favorite scrapbookers/bloggers. Here she is in her kitchen...at CHA! Appears to be a regular 50's-style kitchen, right? Guess again, they are serving up the NEW 'Love Elsie' line from KI Memories paper products! Looks like it was one of the coolest booths & that's my type of kitchen!

All photos are originally from Elsie's blogsite.

Weekend Reading

Pampered Chef Party

Wednesday evening I hosted a Pampered Chef party. It was a lot of fun to have all my girlfriends over to chat, relax and sample food.

Here is chef extraordinaire Micheline Millar ~ slicing the broccoli/cheddar braid ~ YUM YUM!

The gals enjoying samples of Micheline's excellent cooking/baking treats. Everyone was even able to decorate their own cupcakes!

Ace's Best Haircut Ever

Yesterday Auntie Amber really wanted to cut Ace's hair. So she came over and took him off to a spot in the house where it was just the two of them...he's well behaved if parents are not around. He sat GREAT for her, and for a little boy who can't sit still, he did really well. Took her only 10 minutes to give him a great cut with only a few little promises of treats for after they were all done.

She's Walking

Scarlett started to take her first steps after we came back from Christmas holidays. Then a few weeks later...around her first birthday...she got the hang of it and began walking. It's so cute to see such a little person walking around. Now she can keep up with her big brother Ace a bit better.

Jenny Bowlin February Kit

Waited up late tonight to purchase the February Kit from Jenny Bowlin. It is so yummy!