Like the beautiful leaves of Autumn…
each unique
individual
and beautiful in their own way…
Be your own kind of Beautiful.
Wouldn’t want you any other way!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Year: 2015
A Grandparent Shower!
One of the highlights of our weekend was attending a “Grandparent Shower” for some very dear friends.
Kathleen and Jack have waited quite a long time to become grandparents, and we are so excited and happy for them.
So a small group of very close friends got together to SURPRISE them with a Grandparent Shower to celebrate how happy we are for them.
Many in attendance are already grandparents. Once couple even great-grandparents. But what we all had in common was our love and joy for our friends who have been through a lot and are so excited to become grandparents.
I put together a little Gramma’s Survival basket for Kathleen.
And Hubby created the cutest ever Grampa’s Infant Assistant Kit – all on his own! One Ziploc baggie was filled with “equipment” and “instructions for Diaper Changing…
and the other was filled with Nap Time Supplies, including a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey for “medicinal spirits” for our new Irish Grandpa.
We also gave them a keepsake book to work on to fill with Memories for their grandchild and a couple of books to read with their grandchild that are so adorably written and illustrated on How to Babysit a Grandma and How to Babysit a Grandpa.
I wrapped them up and added a little watercolor card I made.
Our hosts had delicious beverages…
and treats.
And fifty pink roses were displayed all around. Can you guess what sex the grandchild is going to be?
We started with a toast.
And so enjoyed watching them open the few little gifts we bought for them to celebrate their joy.
Kathleen and Jack shared reading glasses,
and it was fun to watch Kathleen explain finger puppets to Grandpa.
Supplies for bath time at grandma and grandpa’s house included more pink…
soft and fuzzy stuff!
And hubby enjoyed one of his first showers with two awesome hostesses! Thanks Cindy and Sally.
And all under the pretense that Jack was bringing some of his amazing homegrown heirloom tomatoes to a picnic where Gary and Cindy needed them.
We love you Jack and Kathleen and can’t wait to celebrate and love your bundle of joy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Color Challenge Card for The Paper Players
This week’s Paper Players Challenge (#262) is a color challenge rich with Fall colors – Tangelo Twist, Lost Lagoon, and So Saffron.
For my design team inspiration card this week, I stamped the three colors randomly onto an acrylic block, spritzed it was a light mist of water, and then placed my paper on top to transfer the abstract image.
Once dry, I added a simple wreath of twine, a black die-cut ‘hello’ sentiment, and finished it off with a few coordinating sequins.
I matted this with black onto white card stock to create my simple Fall color-inspired greeting card.
For those that remember the wedding card I posted last week, this is the other card I mentioned that would feature the twine wreath.
Hope my paper crafting friends will join us with your creativity for this week’s color challenge at The Paper Players! We love seeing what you do with it.
Cheers and Hugs,
Jodi
Rolo Chocolate Caramel Cookies
I am constantly looking for new twists on my traditional “almost famous” chocolate chip cookie recipe.
When making cookies this past week, I substituted chopped mini Rolo candies for the chocolate chips.
I can usually resist my own cookies, but I may never make these again, because I could NOT pass them up!
Rolo Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Ingredients:
4 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 Pouch Bags of Mini Rolo Candies (chopped – I cut each mini Rolo in half)
Directions:
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.
Fold in chopped Mini Rolo Candies. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
Warning! These are highly addictive! Enjoy!!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Connected
Sidewalk Storm Drain Grate, Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA
No beginning…
No end.
Infinitely intertwining the past, the present, and the future,
the physical and the spiritual…
all plants and animals and minerals.
Eternally merged…
Continuously connected.
Life.
I recently captured this close-up photo of a storm drain grate on a sidewalk in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. It was beautiful! So much lovely architecture and structural elements in NOLA! It reminded me of the Celtic Knot and the inter-connectivity it represents. This week’s WordPress Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge is ‘Connected’. I had to share this photo.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Almost-Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso’s Chicken
Gotta love “almost-homemade” recipes – right?
And what is better than a crockpot recipe for those busy days when we need it?!
And WHO does not love General Tso’s Chicken? Please don’t tell me if you don’t?! It will shock me beyond belief.
This recipe turned out so yummy that I have to call it yet another……
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
A winner because it is YUMMY…
and a winner because it is EASY!
Here is how I made it.
Almost-Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso's Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
- 2 cups corn starch
- 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 15-oz bottle Iron Chef General Tso’s Sauce and Glaze (this yummy sauce is what makes it “almost” homemade and VERY easy!)
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
Directions:
- Mix corn starch, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized Ziploc Bag
- Add chicken to corn starch mixture and shake to coat well.
- Heat oil in a stir-fry skillet.
- Add corn starch coated chicken, and fry 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.
- Pour entire contents of skillet into crockpot.
- Add bottle of sauce.
- Cook on LOW for 4 hours
- Add green onions
- Serve with steamed Jasmine rice
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Sprinkling Can Doodle Wash
Today I am celebrating my dear, sweet Joyce.
Today is her birthday, and I made this little card for her that I hope she receives in time! (Yikes – just sent yesterday – so she may see it here before she gets it in the mail!)
Joyce is my second cousin by family, but she is also one of my dearest friends by choice. She and her adorable hubby, “Oh Rob,” are some of our besties for so many reasons.
Joyce and Rob are true inspirations in the way they live their lives. They truly CELEBRATE life!
They are creative and soulful and kind to others.
They are respectful of the environment.
They are generous with their time and money and gifts.
They are teachers, and they also love to learn.
They share their home (and their friends) in a way like no others.
They cook and preserve and eat with gusto!
They have open minds and open ears and open hearts.
They give REAL hugs – the kind where you really squeeze and hang on like you might not have another chance and like you really, genuinely mean it! And they give kisses too – right on the lips!
And they have helped me through a lot of “stuff.” (you know that kind of stuff we all have but don’t always talk about…) Joyce and her family really helped me get through a tough time and period in my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
It’s funny how a post about Joyce turned into one about Joyce and Oh Rob…. but they are such a perfect pair and complement each other so beautifully, it is hard to think of one without thinking of the other. And that is a compliment and tribute to their marriage and the kind of people they are.
So please join in in wishing one of the world’s best a best birthday!
Joyce is, among so many other things, an avid gardener, so her card is a little “doodlewash” of a sprinkling can that I was inspired to do from a painting I saw by an amazing artist that I want to learn more from, RoseAnn Hayes. Joyce is also an amazing watercolor artist, so I hesitate to even send my humble, feeble attempt to her, but she will love it anyway just because it was handmade for her from me. 🙂
On the inside, I wrote:
Thank you for sprinkling my soul with your kindness
and feeding my heart with your love.
You have helped me to blossom.
Wishing you the happiest of birthdays with lots of love, my Joyce!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Doodlewashing for Draw a Bird Day
Happy Back to ‘whatever it is you do on a regular basis’ after a nice long holiday weekend!
I recently did some “doodling” in my new art journal for Draw a Bird Day…
Then “washed” it with some watercolor.
#Doodlewashing is a fun word and “movement” that Charlie O’Shields and friends created that describes sketching and watercoloring. Charlie’s blog inspires me daily.
And Laura at Create Art Everyday is one of my bestie bloggin’ buddies who puts the call out monthly for #DrawaBirdDay.
These were just really quick little sketches done in roller ball pen late one night and then painted early the next morning (for some reason I got up at 4:30 am that day, so took advantage of some free time). If they look a little bit familiar, I drew them from two photos I had posted from the birds that visit our backyard: The Rose Breasted Grosbeak and the Brown Headed Cowbird.
I’m looking forward to seeing all the fun and truly artistic creations everyone shares!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS In honor of Laura and in memory of her recent loss of her beloved Penny, I sketched my first cat in my new art journal the other day. Laura was on my heart as I was thinking of her grief and loss. I just used a No. 2 pencil and followed some illustrative instructions from a new book I got called Drawing for the absolute beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink. This is my first try at this book, and I look forward to doing more to better understand techniques and values and perspective, etc. I’m such a jump-iner! I need to slow down and learn! Love ya Laura!
Fried Egg Burger ala Marty
Happy Labor Day!
It’s a day for barbecue…
A day for burgers and hot dogs and family and friends…
A day for picnics or just relaxing…
A day to celebrate the end of summer.
Here’s a photo of a burger hubby recently made.
We love to mix Lipton Onion Soup mix in with our ground beef to make the burger patties.
For this yummy sandwich, we topped the grilled burger with a fried egg, sauteed peppers and onions, an heirloom yellow tomato, a greens mix of arugula and spinach, and some smoked Gouda cheese sandwiched between some toasted sourdough bread.
What your favorite way to to enjoy a burger?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Lunchbox Love – Notes for Kids
Happy Sunday!
It’s time for another Paper Players Design Team inspiration card. This week’s challenge (PP#261) is a theme challenge: Lunchbox Love – Notes for Kids.
It is back-to-school time for many, and how sweet is it to put a little note in your child’s lunch box or bag to brighten their day?
I recall writing little notes on napkins or cutting out heart-shaped pieces of papers on occasion when my boys were little.
That time flew by so fast.
My boys are grown, but they still get handmade cards. And oh how I love when I receive a handmade card from them – even now!
So here is my design team card, and I can’t wait to send it to a sweet little one that needs some encouragement or a congratulations on a job well done.
For this card, I used the StampinUp Cheerful Critters Stamp Set and Schoolhouse Designer Series Paper. I purposely offset my “framing” to show our kiddos that they don’t have to be perfect or “stay in the lines” (since I obviously didn’t!). A silver metal button and white baker’s twine bow finished it off.
You know – no matter how old we are – any of us would appreciate a little “lunchbox love” – eh? I hope this will encourage you to send a little note to someone you love.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 