A Piece of Life's Pie

Happy Turkey Day Week!

Posted on November 20, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

So if you have been feeling neglected, you have been. I am buried alive with projects (which is such a good thing), holiday happenings and LIFE. I have decided that I WANT TO CRAFT/CREATE IT ALL this holiday season. 🙂 We also are starting to host friends and family gatherings starting tonight and then it is Turkey Day dinner prep, doing my traditional midnight madness on Friday with a buddy at the local mall and then heading out of town to see my husband’s side of the family on Friday morning.

In all the busy mix my pooch decided to take on a war with the backyard squirrel and has managed to injury her front leg and ripping off a good portion of her skin trying to get after her annoying smack-talking nemesis of a critter by getting it stuck either under our fence or under a tree root. That little guy just taunts her and he has no idea how she has taken out a few of his relatives and brought them to us as peace offerings…. Poor little guys. This time though, the stats are Sadie Dog: 3 Squirrels: 1. So now we have been playing vet with trying to keep the wounds clean and covered and now it looks like we are going to have to take her to the vet for stitches. Oh how she hates the Head Cone of Shame.

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. It is more because I can cook and get lost in my kitchen for a few days. One my favorite recipes is my Brie Mashed Potatoes. AMAZINGLY RICH AND SINFUL! It is such an easy recipe:

Ingredients:

10-15 Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled, diced and boiled (you can use any type of potatoes- I just like these since they are a very creamy potato!)
1/4 cup of butter (room temp)
1/8 of a cup of half and half or (milk will work to)
2/3-1/2 of a round of the Baby Brie wheel from Costco (it is around $6). Cubed (just at room temp -keeps the potatoes from cooling down too much)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

While potatoes are HOT add butter and Brie salt and pepper. Begin to whip together. I use my Kitchen Aid, but a hand mixer would do the trick. Once it has been combined mostly together add the half and half/milk until it is to the consistency you would like. Transfer to a serving dish and add a pat of butter to the top! You will have the most creamiest and amazing potatoes you could ever imagine!

Now I will leave you with this funny that I so understand and have the same feelings for!

Thanks for sharing a bit of” jibber-jabber and recipe sharing instead of crafting” pie with me and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged brie mashed potatoes, thanksgiving recipes, yummy food. Bookmark the permalink.

Give Thanks Everyday Repeat!

Posted on November 10, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

For my project, I decided to go the frugal time sensitive approach since I was starting this project at 10 pm! I raided my supply closet, embellishment and paper stash and started with this! The 11×12 inch wood box was a leftover from a toy packaging from my kids. The 4×6 picture frame was made out of raw wood and I pulled a glass frame from a broken picture frame. The chalkboard paint is from Rust-oleum and it works and dries like a charm!

I hauled out the craft paint and painted two layers of orange and brown on both the frame and box. After it dried (each layer dried in a matter of minutes since I did light layers), I headed down to the garage with all the pieces and the glass from the frame and sanded the frame and box. Using chalkboard spray paint, I covered the glass and left to dry.

Back upstairs, I put my Cricut to work by using Paper Doll Dress-Up. I cut out the Pilgrim and Indian at 4.25 inches and then used Peachy Keen Dolly Dumplings for the face. I then used Clear Accests for the eyes and Stampin’ Up pastels for the cheeks. I added freckles and white to the eyes with Gelly Roll pens. I embossed the pilgrim hat and apron with Cuttlebug folder Swiss Dots. For the Pilgrim’s shoes, I used black Glossy Accents. The paper was Cloud Nine Holiday Stack, DCWV Harvest Stacker and Recollection card stock.

For the banners, I took some quick short cuts. Using Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge, I cut the base at 1 1/2 inches and the circles at 1 inch. After I cleared off a large amount of dust from my sticker drawer, I rummaged through my stickers and found some white dot letters from Making Memories. I then found clear page bubbles from Making Memories. I distressed the base of the banner with ink from Stampin’ Up Pumpkin, added the stickers to the 1 inch circles and then placed the circles under the page bubbles. I used burlap twine in cream and natural and ran through each banner pendent. Using Glue Dots, I glued “Thanks” to the frame.

Using some fall paper from Cloud Nine Holiday Stack, I cut it down 10.5×10.5 and used Zip Dry to glue down. I then added Pop Dots to the Indian and Pilgrim and placed them on the box and then attached the banner to each girl using Glue Dots.

Lastly, I added the chalkboard glass to the frame and then the frame to the box with Zip Dry.

For a project that had me burning the midnight oil, I think it turned out super cute!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “whirly wind project time” pie with me!

12 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Paper Dolls Cricut Cartridge and tagged Thanksgiving craft projects, Thanksgiving craft projects with Indians, Thanksgiving crafts using chalkboard paint, Thanksgiving decor ideas using Circut, Thanksgiving family traditions, Thanksgiving gift ideas, Thanksgiving Projects using chalkboard, Thanksgiving Projects with Pilgrims. Bookmark the permalink.

Last of the Halloween!

Posted on November 10, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

So as I was packing up Halloween I remembered that I did not post this project. Thanks to blog buddy Missy from Quick Chick Designs, I decided to follow her festive Halloween lead and make a similar garland that she did this year.

It was super easy and I used a fun pattern of fabric I had on hand. If you head over to her site, you can see all the details!

We are still working on our fireplace, so I have no mantle yet, but I used the screen instead.

Thank for coming and sharing a piece of “getting inspired by friends” pie with me.

4 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged fabric banner, fabric garland, halloween fabric banner, halloween fabric garland. Bookmark the permalink.

Happy Election Day!

Posted on November 6, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

When you look at the world, you truly realize what a gift America has of having freedom. Freedom does come with a steep price that I do not take lightly. Because of those freedoms, I as a woman, can express my beliefs, have a real voice in the direction of the way I would like to see my community, state and country follow and be able to share that openly if I choose. I can be educated and choose the education methods I want for my daughters. I am a very blessed woman to have been born in this great country that has given me the opportunity to come from a legacy that you can come from nothing and succeed with the added ingredients of hard work, faith in ourselves and faith in God.

Many may not know, but I am a political junkie and today is our Superbowl! We will be decked out in red, white and blue and I will be making a big dinner and sitting down glued to the TV tonight.

Today we will head to our local polls and vote and I understand the long hours the volunteers at the polls sign up for this day to be a success. Many of those volunteers are veterans that are still wanting to serve their country. With that thought, I decided to make little treat bags for the poll workers to bring along with my girls and my ballot. Due to polling regulations, you can’t get crazy on treats and gifts for the polling volunteers, but doing something little is acceptable and very much appreciated.

Using my Stand Up and Salute cartridge, I cut the shape of the United States at 1.5 inches from a chevron pattern I found in a DCWV Summer Stacker I have. I then cut white and red card stock 4×2.75 inches. I stamped the sentiment using My Pink Stamper Itty Bitty-licious. I also cut the blue polka dot pattern paper from DCWV Summer Stacker at 3.75×2.5 inches. Using my ATG I layered the two papers and folded in half using a bone folder.

For the Hershey Nuggets, I cut the 12×12 pattern paper down to 1 inch strips and then cut it down 3 inch strips (it makes 4 strips for every 1 inch strip.) Using my ATG I wrapped each nugget.

I then slipped the nuggets in a 2×4 inch clear plastic bag that I got from Clearbags.com. I stapled the toppers to the top of the bag and added the shape using Pop Dots.

Thanks for sharing a piece of “it is finally election day” pie with me!

Linking to:

Craft-0-Maniac

Everyday is Sunday – Sunday Fundays

Exploring Cricut

6 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Stand Up and Salute, My Pink Stamper - Itty-Bitty-licious and tagged election day treat bags, thank you ideas for election day polling volunteers. patriotic crafting ideas, thank you ideas for veteran's day, treat bag ideas for polling volunteers, veteran's day goody bags, veterans's day treat bags. Bookmark the permalink.

Uh-Oh! Someone May be Two-Timing on Her Cricut!

Posted on November 4, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

I have a confession to make. . . I decided to join the Silhouette Cameo party and just received mine in the mail this week. This will never take away my love for my bug, but I did feel like I was two timing a bit on it! 🙂 However, this machine is soooo cool! I am just getting my feet wet with figuring it out and I started that with this project I made for the father of a very close friend. We were invited to his 75th birthday party and I wanted to make something very special for him.

He has a nickname of the “Pumpkin Man” since he makes family and close friends ceramic jack-o-lanterns with their names carved in the mouth smile. They also light up and they are perfect for Halloween! When we got married, we got a big pumpkin with our last name for a wedding present and when both of my girls were born, I got one with their names carved for a baby gift.

With all that in mind, I decided to make a sign for his front porch. I found a 12×18 wood board at Michael’s and I painted it in two layers of brown, burnt orange and white. I then sanded it down to distress and weather it.

I then cut out vinyl lettering in the Times Roman font and I found a cut at the Silhouette shop of the pumpkins. I used the cut twice, but flipping the second (which ca be done by a simple right click to find that feature). I cut this out on a gold metallic vinyl that I got from expressionsvinyl.com.

I think this turned out really cute and it was a great first-time project!

Thanks for sharing a piece of a tad bit of two-timing on my bug” pie with me.

Linking up to:

Craft-O-Maniac

Pink Cricut- Link Up Tuesday

Everyday is an Occasion – Sunday Funday Link Party

5 Comments

Posted in Silhouette Cameo and tagged elegant pumpkin silhouette cuts, fall pumpkin cuts from Silhouette, gift ideas using the silhouette., gift ideas using vinyl, homemade signs, projects using the Silhouette Cameo. sign making with the Silhouette cameo. Bookmark the permalink.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge – Seeing Spots!

Posted on October 29, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Hello and Happy last Monday of October! First I want to give a quick moment of thought to all our friends dealing with Sandy on the East Coast! I have been glued to the TV watching it all the updates this past weekend.

It is another fun challenge over at Fantabulous Circut! This week’s theme is seeing spots! I decided to steer away from a Halloween themed project and make a card for someone special in our life. It is her birthday this month and she lives in the mountains in Colorado. They actually have foxes, deer, elk and bears visit them everyday! She works from home and has a chance to really enjoy her woodland friends. I tease her that she is the modern-day Snow White. I decided to make this card with the help of my girls. This is exactly how she will spend her birthday and will love her woodland friend “Birthday Bash”. I made sure to incorporate the polka dots all through the project. Nothing screams birthday bash than polka-dots!

The card was a 8.5×11 inch card stock folded in half and I added the green polka-dot paper I found in the $ bin at Target.

The stump was cut from page 61 of Create a Critter. I embossed it with Cuttlebug folder Distressed Stripes and added stickles to the leaf. Also note that I cut 3 layers and added a demenitional to each layer of the stump for height and layering.

For the deer, bear, and fox I cut them from Create a Critter at 2.75 inches each. (I did have to cut the fox with Cricut Craft Room so I could hide the mouth). I added 1/8 inch polka-dot ribbon around the neck of the bear and deer. I cut party hats from Celebrations at 1.5 inches and used some Stickles on the hat to add some bling. I added some black Glossy Accents to the feet, noses and eyes of these cute critters as well.

For the cake, I pulled out my Sweet Treats cartridge, page 40, and cut it at 3 inches. I wrapped the candle in the 1/8 inch ribbon and added stickles. To add the height to it, I had to double up the Pop Dots as I was laying out the page. The sentiment is from My Pink Stamper’s Spectacular Sayings stamp set and I used Close to My Heart Chocolate stamp ink. Please note I also cut 3 base layers and added dimensional in between for height and layering.

The balloons are my favorite part of this project. I cut then out from Celebrations at 1.25 and 1.5 inches. I used Papertreyink Bitty Dots (2008) collection! I am finding I love Papertrey Ink products a lot! I finished them with adding Baker’s Twine from the Twinery.

Now don’t forget to head over and check out all the creativity that the design team has cookn’ and LINK up a fun polka-dot inspired project!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “polka-dots rock” pie with me!

10 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Celebrations Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Create A Critter Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Sweet Treats Cricut Cartridge, FCCB(Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog) Design Team Projects, My Pink Stamper - Spectacular Sayings and tagged Circut Challenge ideas, create a cirtter cards, fun birthday cards for animal lovers, homemade cards, paper crafting polka dots, paper crafting woodland animals, polka dot cards, sweet birthday card ideas for kids. Bookmark the permalink.

Easy as Pie Halloween Card Makin’ with the Kiddos!

Posted on October 26, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

* Please take a moment and head over to My Cricut Craft Room and check out the challenge I entered in to be on their Design Team. Cast you vote by leaving a comment on the BEST project you think there is.

Well it is now officially fall in Southern California. . . the Santa Ana wind (East Winds) and heat showed up! It is a howlin’ out there right now and it makes me cringe worrying about fire bugs. I live in an area near the hills and if we see a fire there, we could face potential fire hazard issues.

When the wind is howling like this, no one wants to go outside for the fear of flying debris or blowing away, so it is indoor project time with the kiddos. What we decided to do is make Halloween cards for family using the kiddos feet and hands. The feet are ghosts and the hands are cats. Each girl stamped their foot or hand on a 8.5×11 piece of card stock that I cut in half. We used plain old craft paint and had wipes handy, handy, handy! Once they dried the girls added eyes and the embellishments of googly eyes, Primas, green Skittles (kitty eyes) and bling on their own using GLUE DOTS! Love those things, especially with kiddos. NO MESS!

Then folding a piece of 8.5×11 card stock in half I glued down the craft the girls did to the front with an ATG. Inside the card, I stamped it with a Halloween salutation from Close To my Heart’s Perfect Fit- Halloween!

See! Easy as pie! Now we are just popping them in the mail today so they will make it to their destinations before Halloween!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “easy as pie Halloween cards” with me!

4 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged easy halloween cards to do with your kids, feet ghosts, fun halloween crafts ideas for kids, halloween card for grandparent, Halloween cards, hand cats, kid halloween craft. Bookmark the permalink.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog #134 Boo Spectacular

Posted on October 22, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Happy Monday everyone! It is almost BOO day and I have to say I have been having a blast making Halloween and Fall themed projects and love jumping at a chance to participate in anything that involves crafting those themes. If that is you too, then does Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog have a treat for you! The fantabulous Design Team has brewed you up some amazing creative potions that just can’t be missed! Head over, check it out, link up and join the Boo Spectacular party! Just be sure to make a project that has at least one Cricut cut and has black and orange in the project!

For this project I decided to make another yarn wreath using the colors black and orange. The wreaths are super easy technically to make, just time consuming. A great “couch potato” project. All you do is get a 12 inch foam wreath form Michale’s or Jo-Anns and being wrapping the wreath with yarn using colors and patterns of your desired choice.

Once the wreath was done, I began making my embellishments. Using Cricut Craft Room so I could manipulate the images, I began with the witch. I used Mini Monsters page 41. I hid her face so I could use Peachy Keen Dolly Dumplings for her face. I cut her and all her layers at roughly 4 inches. I used some pastels from Stampin’ Up for her cheeks and Gelly Rolls for her freckles and eyes. I added some Glossy Accents to her eyes and shoes. I added some polka dot orange ribbon and purple tulle around her hat and more polka dot orange ribbon and purple bling to her dress.

For the banner, I used the basic circle cut from Mini Monograms at 1 and 1.5 inches. I stamped each orange circle with Halloween sentiments from Close to My Heart, Perfect Fit Halloween stamp set using black in from Stampin’ UP. I embossed the black circles with Cuttlebug’s Spots and Dots folder. I threaded orange baker’s twine from Twinery and glued down with my ATG gun. I finished the witch by nesting her using hot glue onto some sparkling black and purple tulle that I made into a flower and pinned into the foam wreath.

For the scaredy cat, using Paper Doll Dress Up page 49. Using Cricut Craft Room, I hid her face, cut her at roughly 4 inches and then distressed her with some white stamp ink. I used Peachy Keen’s Everyday Character with white stamping ink from Close to My Heart. I used green Stickles for her eyes and black Glossy Accents for her nose. I tied a 1/8 inch ribbon around her neck.

For the moon, I used Mini Monograms circle cut at 4.25 inches. I embossed with Cuttlebugs Spots and Dots and dusted with Ranger Perfect Pearls Biscotti to add shimmer.

For the bat, I used Create a Critter 2 and cut it out at 2.75 inches and fastened a wire spring to the back of it and stuck the other end into the foam wreath securely.

I finished the wreath by adding a 2 inch orange and black bow for the wreath to hang from.

Now don’t forget to head over to FCCB and check out the spooky goodies and link up!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “spooooky Halloween fun with FCCB” pie with me

Linking Up To:

Exploring Cricut

Decorate to Celebrate- Halloween Part 2

Everyday is an Occassion

Craft-O-Maniac

Pink Cricut- Link Up-Tuesdays

14 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Create a Critter 2, Cricut Cartridge: Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Mini Monsters Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Cartridge: Paper Dolls Cricut Cartridge, Cuttlebug Folders, FCCB(Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog) Design Team Projects, Peachy Keen Stamps and tagged Cricut Challenges, cute Halloween crafts, Halloween crafts, Halloween crafts with bats, Halloween crafts with cats, Halloween crafts with CircutHalloween yarn wreaths, Halloween crafts with witches, Halloween decorations, Halloween wreaths made with Circut, holiday wreaths. Bookmark the permalink.

Fallin’ into Bucket Lists

Posted on October 19, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

We have started a tradition of making a banner of things we want to do with our kiddos each summer and crossing them off as we do them. The kids were so sad I took down our “Summer of Fun” banner that I thought we should make a “fall bucket list”. When I told my oldest, who is four and half, what I was thinking, she asked me what a bucket list is? Before I could answer her, she exclaimed, “I know, it is a list in a bucket!”. I laughed so hard and realized she may be on to something. So our Family Fall Bucket List was born!

I decided that I wanted to take a stab at making paper straws to use for the base of each item. I researched how to make paper straws and kind of came up with my own way that seem to really work well and I was having more success in having them come out more even and sticking together than some of the ways I tried while researching. I still don’t have it master , but in time and making about 500 more, I will be a pro:-)

In making the straws, I used some fall/Halloween 12×12 scrapbook paper, a 1/4 inch dowel, and some quick dry adhesive. I added the adhesive to the back of the page and then I center the dowel and began to roll the paper. I was sure to push the dowel around so the adhesive would not glue it to the inside of the paper as I rolled.

Once fully rolled, I wiped off any access adhesive on the dowel and started another. After I let each paper tube dry completely, I cut off the edges and then cut them down to the sizes I wanted. I found if you are wanting to make the same sized straws, you can get two out of each paper tube. If you want the tube to be thinner, just cut down the paper before making a straw.

For the leaves, I cut out 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch leaves from page 61 of Doodle Charms using the blackout feature. I then distressed each leaf with stamping ink and then labeled them using ProMarkers. I then ran them trough the Cuttlebug with the Musical Flourish embossing folder. I then added some Elmer’s Craft Bond- Clear Dual Tip around the edges and then dusted with fine glitter.

For the pumpkins, I used Stretch Your Imagination page 44. I cut the fat pumpkins at 2 1/4 inches and the skinny pumpkins at 3 inches, 2 3/4 inches, and 2 1/2 inches. I then distressed the edges, ran just the bodies of the pumpkins through the Cuttlebug using Distressed Stripes folder, and finished with Firefly Stickles.

For the sign, I used Mini Monograms cut at 3 inches, 3 1/2 inches, and 3 1 /4 inches. I ran the back and front cuts through the Cuttlebug using Distressed Stripes folder and embellished it with buttons and bakers twine, from Twinery.

I used hot glue to attach each item to the straws, placed some paper crinkle in a bucket I found at Target and then added each item

Thank you for sharing a piece of “fallin’ into bucket lists” with me!

Linking Up To:

Everyday is an Occasion

Pink Cricut – Link Up Tuesday

Paper Issues

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