Stamping, coupons, giveaways, challenges all in a Monday!

Hi Everyone,

There’s nothing better to get your mojo going than a challenge. Have you seen the Stamping fest going on at 2peas?

I’m excited to let you know I’m hosting a challenge Hangover week and would luv to see you participate, all the step by steps are on 2peas.

Here’s the necklace I created I found out from Anne this technique is call Intaglio who knew my playing around in my studio was so famous… I supposed I need to learn more about jewelry  making :)

 

 

It’s been a while since I did a weekly menu, due to being sick so much.

 

 

Monday

Chicken teryaki

 

Tuesday

Pasta with rustic chicken

Here’s the recipe I created.

Supplies:

Chicken breast, Spinach, Olives, Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Madagascar pepper, onion, roma tomatoes, garlic, Penne, Parmesan cheese, celery, red, green pepper.

Dice all the celery, red, green pepper,onion, roma tomatoes, garlic,  add 1/2 of the tomatoes to a pot and let simmer until the tomatoes are tender, then puree the sauce add back to the pot and let simmer for another 10 mtes, then add the remaining tomatoes. Season with salt, thyme, oregano, parsley.

Marinade the chicken w/salt, pepper, thyme.  Sautéed with onion, and garlic to brown, the last 2 mtes of cooking add the spinach.

Boil the pasta w/a pinch of pepper and salt, oregano, garlic.

Once cook, then mix the chicken spinach with pasta.  Voila  now this will be served again on Thursday.

 

Wednesday

Rice beans chicken casserole

 

Thursday

Left over penne

 

Friday

Left over Rice

 

Saturday

Blue cheese hamburger

************************************************************************

Coupons for the week!

Walgreen photo coupons.

 

Hobby Lobby coupons

 

Express stores

 

TGI Friday Coupons

 

Avenues Store

 

Michaels’

 

Have a fabulous week, don’t forget the giveaway on Creating Keepsake Magazine HERE

Maggie

Stamping, coupons, giveaways, challenges all in a Monday!

No picture from your trip, no problem mon!

 

Hi Everyone,

I’m excited Valentine is finally here, well sorta in a couple of days. I am beyond excited to let you on a bit of news! I’ve join the amazing staff at Scrap n Art Magazine… Starting next month. As all of you know I worked on the debut magazine for Provo Craft when they were launching the Cricut Circle setting it up etc…

A bit about Scrap n Art!

Scrap n’ Art is a traditional and digital scrapbooking, card making and paper crafting magazine. Our online media format provides eco-friendly access to inspiration for scrapbookers and paper crafters of all skill levels and interests. We are an education based publication that strives to bring our readers information, education and inspiration.

I want to share you with a layout I created today using postcards, since I lost all the pictures during the Hurricanes.

I’m lucky my sister had the postcard I had sent her from Florence still in great condition. When you are preserving your memories there’s nothing that states they must be from a photograph you took, you can easily use postcards, since they must reflect the area well. Another idea if you don’t have any ephemera from the actual city or country.

Use items that reminds you of the country. This layout I use a label from my fav Evoo that reminds me so much of the country side I had seen in Sienna,  added an Italian flag by making sure I had the stripe reflected correctly. I use aluminum foil from Reynolds to create my heart accent.

 

Supplies:

• Dictionary page, Fancy pants stamp, Graphic 45 Alice in wonderland, Martha Stewart punch and travel stamp. Prima chipboard letters
• Straw, Coredination black magic, Recollection bling, Memento ink.
• Reynolds aluminum foil, Ranger alcohol ink. Cricut Machine, Cricut Gypsy, Cuttlebug machine, Victoria embossing folder.

 

 

 

 

How to:

• Cut the heart from your cricut using any font, I use Storybook cartridge.
• Glue the aluminum foil to the heart, emboss with Victoria folder. Add Ranger alcohol ink and add a drop of mixative to lighten the intensity of the colour and blend.
• To create the flag, I use a straw to adhere the Coredination cardstock.

 

Dreamer Layout I stamped the pattern paper with a subtle ink then mist the stamp with Glimmer mist to make it sparkle.

 

Thank you much for stopping by and for stinging up to be a follower.

Don’t forget the Cricut Magazine giveaway here ends next Wedn.

 

Have a great Valentine !

Don’t forget to invite your friends to the party at PassionatelyArtistic and link your projects.

Maggie

No picture from your trip, no problem mon!

Happy New Year and Amazing January!

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for sticking with me,visiting and the best wishes. As some of you know I am currently fighting Cyanic nerve damage on my lower back. I gotta tell you this pain is worse than giving birth.

A huge thank you to Kristi for keeping the site going with amazing projects from Jewelry to cards.

Thank you to Chris Wooten and Jennifer for checking on me. This is what this amazing hobby is about the friendship you make from all over the world.

Speaking of friendship I receive this email from Chris on an awesome giveaway she is doing on her blog turnedGypsy, so please take a moment to visit her.

Today I want to go over an awesome way you can create your layouts by visiting older Cricut Cartridges, you know what they say about those oldies they get better with age right.

Last October we visited one of my favorite city in Georgia Savannah! Every October we go to Maggie Valley and Gatlinburg, but due to back pain I couldn’t sit long enough for that. Anywhoo here’s my fav 5 top things to do.

1.Forsyth Park  you gotta visit it in the am and pm to capture this gorgeous landmark of the city.

2.Paula Dean store not the restaurant cause the few times we ate there the food is always awful and bland. Not what I expected at all from her amazing show.

3.Tours, I’m not a fan of those drive thru tours, so I suggest a walking tour they are very informative.

4.Savannah Candy company and salt water taffy, omg the peanut brittle is too die for literally.

5.Bay street, bring comfortable shoes with you the street is uneven cobblestone.

Here’s my lo! we are going old school using our stash and tools.

Who knew Plantin School book had such a treasure of a city Landscape to fit perfectly for my lo :)

Instructions:

• Cut 3 circles from Storybook cartridge sizes 5”, 4.5”,3”. Cut high 5  and in circle graphically speaking at 5”, ink the edges and use a zig pen to outline the shape. Cut the skyline from Plantin Schoolbook cartridge,ink the edges. Weld 2 borders from Martha Stewart cart,  ink the edges.

Assemble

• Cut a strip of stripe paper 2.25”x12”, ink the edges, apply to the top. Add another border strip ink the edges, add the cut out border.
• Adhere the cut circles in ascending order, adhere the high 5to the circle, adhere the In to the right of the circles.
• Adhere the city landscape to the bottom of the circles. Create notches using Basic Grey notch tool. Add rhinestones to the notches.
• Create a mat by cutting a half circle on the bottom to make the mat look like a bridge.  Adhere pics to the mat, then add Cosmo Cricket  Tiny Alpha onto the circle.
• Stamp #5  using Staz on ink and Inkadinkado stamps, add another strip to the bottom.

Supplies

• Gypsy, Cricut Machine
• Graphically speaking  cricut cartridge, Storybook cartridge , Plantin School book from Provo Craft.
• Basic Grey notch tool
• Staz on ink and Inkadinkado stamps

voila done!

Thank you so much for stopping by. I plan to resume our regular posting next week with meal plans.

Maggie

Here’s some more pics for you!

Happy New Year and Amazing January!

What's for Dinner this week? Tips on how to save on groceries!

Hello Everyone,
What's for Dinner this week? Many mom hear this question through out the week.. Have you started your menu yet?

I've received several emails from you, asking on how I save and organized?
Every Monday I will be sharing tips on  how, help you succeed at the grocery store.

Here are my tips for you this week. Getting setup to save money and organized.

Follow the steps below to be on your way to cut your grocery bill in half.

1. Check your pantry and fridge before making your list.
(it is important to know what you have before buying)
2. Get the Sunday paper for the coupons.
3.Check online for coupons
4.Set up an email account just for for your coupons.
5.Sign up at your fav mfg sites for coupons, trust me you will be glad you did. I use soymilk every month they send coupon out for a free 1/2 gallon, that's a $3.67 savings a month.
6.Use ziplist to store your menus, and create a shopping list, you can send this list to your phone..
7.Sign up to Rachel Ray newsletter, she sends 7 days meal planning to your email..
8.Sign up for Campbell soup newsletter, amazing dinner ideas using soup.
9.Sign up for Simple magazine monthly meals newsletter.

Here are my easy peasy process:

Wednesdays, I save my grocery stores flyers to check what coupons are in the Sunday paper.. I only carry coupons of items I know I will be using.
Example for Spaghetti I always use rolls, I will cut the Pillsbury coupons, compare the grocery store flyers for maximum savings.

Target,have deep discounts on certain items each week, they also have in-store coupons as well. I save $ by not printing those coupons at home, rather I print them from the gift registry section located at each target.

Here are examples of savings. Stove Top was $49. at the Grocery store it was $1.89. that is a saving of $1.40..

Walmart has free items weekly, with coupons..

I devote 1 hour a week to setting up menu, cutting coupons and getting my list ready, in turn I save regularly between $22-29 weekly on my groceries. Some weeks I save $45.00 when the item is bgofree, then I use a coupon, further deep discount.

Next week I will explore the wonderful world of Drugstore and how they can pay you to shop there.

Here's a recipe from last night dinner and we will have it again on Wend as left over.

Prep time: 8 mtes
Cooking :25mtes
Serves:8 people

Ingredients:

1. Dice the Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Onions, Garlic (3 cloves) add Oregano, Evoo, Smoke salt.

Add a dollop of Unsalted butter (Land o Lakes) roast for 10 mtes at 400degrees..

3. Boil Pasta, add Oregano, Salt, Black Pepper to the boiling water.

4.Sautee the Shrimp, add Rotel tomatoes, simmer down, then add 1/2 c Vodka let simmer for 5 mtes reduce the heat..

5.Drain the Pasta, remove the roasted vegetables, stir onto the Pasta, then add Parmesan cheese, toss well.
Add fresh basil, Parsley to serve

6.Garlic bread, mix Landolakes unsalted butter with garlic powder, spread on bread put in the oven for 5 mtes..

Voila Done..
Here's the final meal again...

Here is the Menu this week:

Monday:

Beef & Mushroom Dijon

 Tuesday:

Sirloin, Pepper & Onion Skillet

 Wednesday:

Pasta Recipe from above left over.

Thursday:

Adobo Pork & Potato Packets

 Friday:

Tuesday left over

Saturday:

Chipotle Pork Wraps

 

Would you like to go on a journey of saving money?

Let me know what your specifics questions are?

Have a great week,
Maggie

PS Don't forget I am giving away 3 Cricut Cartridges, Home Decor, Once upon a Princess here
Leave comments for a chance to win and tell your friends..

$10.00 Gift Certificate to William Sonoma  HERE

 

What's for Dinner this week? Tips on how to save on groceries!

Is it Memorex or is it live?

Hi Everyone,
I get so excited when I find excellent ART that makes me question what I'm seeing.
Which brings to mind the tag line from Memorex.. Do you remember them Is it Memorex or is it live? before the advent of cd and dvds. I know some of you is too young to remember it... Walk down the memory lane with me for a moment..

I fell in luv with this artist work, at first I thought they were photograph, till I found out they are actual paintings.
Can you imagine having so much talent that your ART is taken for real life???
That got me thinking what have I created lately that makes me want to hang it on a wall and be able to see it on a regular basis and feel awe by it???

The answer is my darling daughter, I did have help from God and some help from My ex..lol

The ART of Collin Boggle

Let me know what you think?

He also does still life

What changes you are about to make in your life? 

don't forget the 3 cartridges giveaway here

$10.00 Gift Certificate to William Sonoma  HERE


Have a great day,
Maggie

Is it Memorex or is it live?

Quite a Pear Card and Cartridge Giveaway!

So here I am thinking about my favorite stencil...the pear from Dreamweaver! So I thought I would post a simple card I made using the same stencil!

step 1 - I mixed a little yellow paste with pearl paste and a little metallic
fx (green)

step 2 - tape down the stencil and and spread the paste on the card

step 3 - remove tape and stencil

step 4 - apply a little gold glitter to one edge of the the still wet paste and mica flakes to the leaf.

step 5 - let dry

step 6 - layer on various papers and distress the edges using distress ink and applicator.

It is so fun! I love embossing paste! Check out my blog for other projects and also the new blog by Dreamweaver!

kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com


dreamweaverstencils.blogspot.com

PS you must be a blog follower :) don't forget the 3 Cricut cartridges giveaway here




Happy Creating!


Kristi

Quite a Pear Card and Cartridge Giveaway!

Get excited and make things! Free Cricut Cartridges Giveaway!

Really, this from a poster I saw on a blog... This reminds me of the messages you find in the dove chocolate, not that I really ate the whole bag, I was doing research so I had to eat the bag to see what each messages was......lol

Get excited and make things, mmmmmmm, Yep I got excited (NOT).

Created a layout for a friend..
She wanted it very simple and wanted to use these paperss that are not my style at all..
You will agree with me those colours together is not something I would have put together..oh well, I did create something, not my best, I just couldn't work with these papers for some reason...:(
I kinda feel guilty cause it took me less than 15mtes to make this lo..Using the Cricut and Cuttlebug..

She was happy with the results, that's all that matters right???

Cuttlebug, Provo Craft Cricut, Cricut Cartridges.

My weekly Menu:

This week I have to up my budget a bit since I have company coming, so my bill will be around $71.00 that's feeding 7 people all week..

Monday:
Beef n Broccoli, Winn dixie had them on sale for $.88 a bush. I stock up and flash freeze them. Using left over rice I froze from last week dinner.


Tuesday

Pizza nite with tyson chicken appetizer, strawberry ice cream. Winn Dixie has a special 2 pizza, 1 Breyer ice cream, 1 box of parmesan bread sticks, 1 coke bottle for $13.99, I'm going to get 2 for 28.00..
I plan on going back on Tuesday to get more and deduct it from my budget next week.


Wedn
Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Micheals' had the tri Pasta in their dollar spot for $.40 cents so I brought 10 bags.
I have the chicken marinating in lemon pepper to give it a kick..

Thursday

Beef and Broccoli left over, I need a break from cooking :)

Friday

Roasted Asparagus with capers chicken and garlic rice (courtesy of Rice a roni) :) Big Lot has them on sale for $.49 cents a box, so I picked 10 boxes..:)

Saturday
Going out..

I am working on this post this week.
I am going to tackle my closet and the desk this week. What are you going to tackle this week?

What's on your menu this week? How much are you saving this week?


I am giving away 3 cartridges below.. Home Decor and Once upon a princess, see the info below..

What we are giving away:

• There will be two blog followers winners! each winner will receive 
• a Cricut Home Decor Cartridge
  

• One blog follower will receive a  Once upon a princess Cricut Cartridge

How you can win:

• Leave as many comments as you wish on all the post on this blog, from today till Sept 30th. 

• Follow the blog and tell your friends about this giveaway.

     Winners will be announced on Oct 1st 2010

Please remember: Help spread the word about this giveaway!


Who is eligible:

Everyone! You don’t have to be a blogger to win, just supply a valid e-mail address.

When the giveaway ends:

October 1st. I’ll e-mail the winner(s), and results are always posted here as well. If the winner doesn’t respond within seven business days, a new winner will be drawn.

Have a great day,
Maggie

Get excited and make things! Free Cricut Cartridges Giveaway!

All in one Monday!

Hi Everyone,
The house is so quiet, it's unnerving. Today is the first day of school for my DD she starts 11th grade. Already she is making plans for Prom and homecoming..sheesh I'm just not ready for prom yet...

I plan on taking loads of pics, I had no time this morning, she changed her outfit no less than 5 times and almost missed the bus...

It's been a while since I posted, life has been interfering in the fun...my friend Kristi has done an amazing job keeping the blog going.

Here's what I've been up to and hoping you will join me on here and share.

I've been very organized on getting my meals menu done for the week, with shopping list.
I've found I've reduced my weekly bill from 128.00 to $35.00 weekly..
Isn't that amazing?
I'm sure you are wondering how???

I'm the world worst impulse shopper, those items by the register have put there with me in mind....

I've been using this wonderful site call ziplist.com, I'm able to search for recipes, do my list, send it to my phone and shop.
I've also been doing the grocery game, where I found out what grocery store in my area is having a sale and what coupon can I use to save..

This is how I've been able to shave off 70% of my bill..

Here's ab example of my menu for the week..

Monday

Brown Rice with Lentil beans w/smokedwood bacon. Garlic chicken

Tuesday

Mexican rice with salsa/avocado/ground beef (using brown rice from Monday)

Wednesday

Lentil beans leftover

Thursday

Bourbon Chicken with Pasta

Friday

Ground Beef Mexican rice left over

Saturday

Lasagna

After using coupons for my list my grocery bill was a whopping $19.89 for the week for 4 people...

Yes it does work, I have not purchased anything this week that was not part of my list..


Leave me a comment and let me know what tips n trick you use to save on groceries?

I leave you today w/a layout I made of my mom celebrating 5 years of Cancer Remission.. Using Provo Craft Cricut Cartridges and stamping.

What books are you currently reading?
I am reading this book today!



















Have a great day,
Maggie

All in one Monday!