Remembering Our Brave Warriors

Pin It

Operation Write Home

In honor of Memorial Day and all of the brave soldiers who have so unselfishly sacrificed their lives so that Our Great Nation and its citizens can live in freedom, I spent most of the weekend making cards for Operation Write Home.  If you are not familiar with OWH, it is a nationwide charitable organization that helps our military heroes stay in touch with their families.  Homemade cards are crafted and sent to various military units throughout the world.  As of May 13th over one million cards have been shipped overseas!!! 

OWH had put out a special request for additional creative "miss you" cards - cards with no particular holiday theme.  Over the weekend I crafted twelve cards for our heroes, plus a few more birthday cards for the family and another weekly card for my Send Love Today assignment.

Here's a peek at what kept me busy this weekend.

Happy Little Cards - ready to for OWH

A couple of my favorites.
Stamp Set: Papertrey Ink Love Lives Here



Birthday cards for some sweet darlings.
Stamp Sets from Papertrey Ink:  Make A Wish and Little Bitty Bird



A card for my oldest step-son who turns 35 this coming week.
I wonder if he is still able to swing from the monkey bars like in the photo.
Sentiment from Papertrey Ink: Make A Wish

A thank you card made at the special request of my mom for a dear friend.
My mom is the bridesmaid in blue.
Thanks tag from Papertrey Ink: Tiny Tags

A simple weekly card for my Send Love Today assignment.
Stamp Set from Papertrey Ink: Tiny Treats Birthday



A sympathy card for this week's Papertrey Ink Make-It-Monday challenge.
I find making sympathy cards so difficult.
Stamp Sets from Papertrey Ink: Daily Design Senttiments and Love Lives Here

Now, onto some sewing projects for Miss Eloise!  Have a wonderful holiday and don't forget to keep our military families in your thoughts and prayers.



Pretty In Pink

Pin It You might remember in my last post (here) that our grand-daughter, Eloise, shared her wish list with me for decorating her new room and big girl bed that is soon coming.  Nothing could have delighted me more than a little three year old asking for pillows - pink polka dot pillows!  Ideas have been swirling in my head ever since.  Her timing was perfect as JoAnn was having a HUGE sale for Memorial Day Weekend.  Thought I'd share some eye candy with you of the stash that filled my cart.  It seemed like every pink polka dot fabric in the store was singing - Miss Eloise, Miss Eloise, make me yours tonight!! 

PINK

Salmon Pink...Coral Pink

So Soft Baby Pink

Little Girl Pink

Pink Polka Dots

Little Pink Flowers

Pink Plaid

 



Pink Buttons

Pink Ribbon

Pink Paper

Pink Flowers

Pink Boxes

Pink Smiles

Pink Hugs

Do you have any idea what I'll be making?

Let them eat quiche!

Pin It

Just getting back from visiting our grand-daughter in San Francisco.  It was a long weekend filled with ice cream, playgrounds, story books, baking, tea parties and puzzles.  All of the wonderful things a 3 year old delights in.  She will soon be getting a big girl bed and has put in her requests - lots of pillows, a cover, a banner with her name on it, a night light and more toys for on her new bed - all in pink polka dots.  Looks like I'll be busy in my studio over the next weeks!



Today, I thought I'd share with you a recipe for a super easy and very tasty quiche.  The main vegetable is zucchini but you could easily substitute say asparagus or such.  This is a crustless recipe which uses bisquick.  I make my own bisquick (always trying to save a penny); the recipe is posted below.  Today I'm serving it with Tomato Basil soup and sweet watermelon.  In the summer when the zucchini is out of the garden, I usually serve it with something from the bay like salmon or shrimp cocktail and some fresh fruit on the side.  I've also served it for breakfast and brunch when entertaining along with a make-ahead french toast (recipe coming in another post). 

Left:  Before baking     Right:  After baking

Zucchini Quiche           

3 cups zucchini, sliced thin

1 cup bisquick

1 teaspoon grated parm cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup oil

4 beaten eggs

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Pour into a 10-inch pie dish.  Bake 30 minutes at 350 degF until golden brown.  Be sure center of quiche is firm.

Homemade Bisquick

6 cups flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup Crisco



Sift dry ingredients.  Cut in Crisco until mix resembles fine crumbs.  Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to four months.

Enjoy the weekend! 

Linking Up:  Little Brick Ranch Foodie Friday





My Sweet Mama

Pin It

A glimpse into Mother's Day on Otter Hill ...

As my mom's senses are heightened as a result of chemotherapy,
she now finds fragrant flowers unpleasant. 
A crepe-paper nosegay was made as a substitute for real roses

Mom's favorite cupcake - Devils Food
(Recipe here)

A colorful surprise awaits her at the breakfast table!

The lady of the day!  Love her smile!

Breakfast lovingly made by my husband -
Poached eggs, buttermilk pancakes, bacon,
sweet cherry tomatoes with olive oil and navel oranges.

Dinner:  Seared Scallops with Lemon Pastina and Shrimp (recipe below),
Fresh asparagus from the garden (to die for!)
Cupcakes served with strawberries and kiwi with honey glaze.

Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo
(Recipe here from myrecipes.com)


Cooking spray
1/2 cup prechopped onion
1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops (I used a mix of 1 pound of scallops and 1 pound of shrimp)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in pasta, broth, wine, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. Stir in chopped chives and lemon juice. Keep warm.


Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with pasta mixture.

Her children rise up and call her blessed
(Proverbs 31:2)

To all of the women who have blessed my life, I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day!

Another Make It Monday Challenge

Pin It

Another week - another Make It Monday challenge.  This week's Papertrey Ink challenge is to make a project usings least one Papertrey product and uses the impression plates/dies as shown in this week's video.  Unfortunately I don't have any Papertrey Ink impression plates so I used the Happy Birthday Cuttlebug impression folder along with a PI Make A Wish die.  This was a new technique for me and something I would have never come up with on my own.  I can see this coming in handy for future holiday cards. 

There are no shortage of birthdays coming up in our family.  Someone will be receiving this little pretty in a package soon! 

Have you done any thing creative lately?

Hi There!

Pin It

It's time for another Make-It-Monday challenge

from Papertrey Ink.

This week's Papertrey Ink challenge is to create a project using

at least one Papertrey product and a drawn frame.

This simple little card is headed to my new Send Love Today

assignment and a second is going in the Operation Write Home basket.



Papertrey Ink's vintage buttons were placed in the middle of each flower for added dimension.



Papertrey Ink's Stamp Set Flower Fusion #1 was stamped on
PTI's scored notecard.  A hand-drawn frame was added afterwards.



This simple sentiment was stamped on the backside of the envelope
to greet the recipient.

Hope you are having a wonderful day! 

P.S.  I'm up to 40 hand-made cards (see tally counter on right sidebar)!