Have A Wonderful Day!

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Inspired from two design challenges and

my Send Love Today assignment.

Design Challenge #1: CR84FN Color Challenge
I really struggled with these colors.
I guess that's why it's called a CHALLENGE!

Design Challenge #2: Get Sketchy #79

So, what do you think?

What elements work for you or

don't work for you?

Go ahead 

SOCK IT TO ME!

 

Another Card Challenge

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This card was inspired by two design challenges this week and

several very special people in my life who so graciously

remembered my husband and me this week for
our 9th wedding anniversary.

 

The first design challenge is from Get Sketchy #78.

The second design challenge is to use only the colors listed above
(aside from neutrals).

For this card, I used several papers from my stash. 
Orange and aqua happento be a favorite. 
The sentiment and buttons are from Papertrey Ink. 
Simple machine stiches were sewn to two layers
and the top layer was sand-distressed on the edges.
The large scallop die-cut was cut using Cricut Lacy Labels
and the small scallop die-cut was punched with a
Martha Stewart punch.

Several more people to thank - I better get crafting and make a few more cards.


3/19/11: Linking up to The Cuttlebug Blogpsot twine challenge.

Are You Prepared? - Part 1

Pin It With all of the recent destruction caused by the various earthquakes and other severe weather across the globe, emergency preparedness is at the forefront of most everyone' s mind - my family included.  So it's a good time to review your Emergency Readiness Plan (ERP).  Today's post is the first of a series to provide information and resources that I have come across as I review my family's ERP.

The first step in taking the proper steps in an emergency, is to know that an emergent situation is occurring.  I know you are probably saying, "Duh!", but how many times have you heard a news report of some campers or hikers or boaters losing their life because they had no idea the weather had taken a turn for the worse? 

Step 1:  First things first - make sure you have working fire and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. The time just changed last weekend and if you didn't check those batteries when you were turning your clocks ahead - shame on you.  Go do it - right now.  Here is a link with instructions to test your smoke alarms.  Your smoke detector is likely to be the first thing to alert you that an emergent situation (fire) is developing.  Make sure it is functioning properly.

Step 2: Make sure your weather radio is functioning properly.  What?  You don't own a weather radio?  You don't even know what a weather radio is?  Let me enlighten you.

Weather Radio

Weather Radios offer two significant functions. First, they are designed to receive the NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) service's broadcast of weather status and forecasts, providing regular, around-the-clock weather information. Second, they are designed to respond to the FCC's Emergency Alert System (EAS), which has replaced the older Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), and the alert signals sent by the NOAA Weather Radio service. When the weather radio receives an alert signal, it will respond with an audible alarm to attract attention. Many weather radios also provide a display that indicates what type of alert is being sent. This allows the user to be alerted to any dangerous situation as soon as possible.

Here is a good example of a weather radio.  I like this model in particular because of its extra features that would be helpful in case of loss of electricity - crank battery, built-in flashlight, built-in USB cellphone charger, etc.  I also like the portable version of this radio (below) to keep in the car just in case.










If you have a family member who is deaf or hard of hearing, check out the National Weather Radio's website (here) for more information on simple systems that can be used for these special needs.


By the way, NOAA also has a pretty cool all hazards monitor available at http://www.noaawatch.gov/.  They have an experimental email notification system underway that you can sign up for if you are so inclined.

Step 3:  Check with the Department of Emergency Management for your local municipality. Many municipalities have a website with many listed resources and links. In checking with the Jefferson County EMD, I learned that they have a mass notification service and all you have to do is sign up for alerts.  Does your local municipality (city, township, county or state) have a notification service you can sign up for?  How about your neighborhood block watch or homeowners association?

Note-Worthy Notification Services

NIXLE - Mass Communication Service 
Nixle a mass communication service providing a free commercial grade text-based notification platform to almost 5,000 agencies across all 50 states.  Check out their website to see if your municipality uses NIXLE services.

After creating an account at nixle.com, register your cellphone to received alert messages by texting your ZIPCODE to 888777.  Multiple zipcodes can be entered if for example you have multiple homes or areas of interest.


The Emergency Email & Wireless Network
Similar service as NIXLE above.  They claim to be the 3rd largest breaking news provider.  It appears that municipalities in all states use their service.  Again, you sign-up to receive email or text messages to your cellphone.


USGS Earthquake Notification Service (ENS)
An earthquake notification service provided by the US Geological Survey.  Subscribe for email notifications for earthquake alerts.  You can customize the alerts you want to receive (by location around the world, magnitude, time of day, etc).



Tomorrow, I'll be reviewing what's in our Disaster Supplies Kits for the home, car and office.

Be safe and God bless,



Why Are Bananas Never Lonely?

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Question:  Why are bananas never lonely?

Answer:  Because they hang around in bunches !! 

What to do with those few extra bananas

that are just a little too ripe to eat? 

Make cupcakes!!

This is another great recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

This is an awesome cookbook and worth the investment.

I'm baking my way through the collection and

enjoying the ride along the way.

I think Banana Cupcakes qualify as breakfast food,

and most certainly a delightful afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

Martha Stewart's Banana Cupcakes: 

Note - the recipe posted here is from Marthastewart.com.  It is similar to the recipe in her cookbook but not exact.  The recipe in the cookbook uses sour cream and also whipped egg whites which in turn yields an extremely light and moist cake.  The banana flavor is subtle - just right - not overpowering like in a banana bread.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired. I also added a pecan for an extra touch.


Honey-Cinnamon Frosting:

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

These babies are headed to my folk's cottage. 

Go wild - delight in a banana cupcake today!

I'm Lovin my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookboookand linking up to

and
 

It's Your Lucky Day

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Bringing the weekend to a close.  It was an unusually rainy weekend

on the Island so I spent most of the time in my studio and kitchen.

The frogs in the wetlands are loving the rain! 

It sounds like a symphony at night.

 

In the studio, I worked on yet another design challenge -

this one from the Shabby Tea Room  with a theme of "Luck of the Irish". 

Here's my entry into the challenge.



The center medallion was cut using Cricut's Lacy Labels and

stamped using Papertrey Ink's Tag-Its Stamp set.

The glittered shamrock was from the dollar bin at JoAnn.



The little tag reads "It's your lucky day".

I made a slew of these cards with the intent

to send them to my new Send Love Today assignment,

the grandchildren, and a few other special

souls (shhhhh....it's a secret).

What should I put in each card for a lucky surprise?

My parents surprised me with these lovely ladies today!

Spring is drawing near!!!

And my husband surprised me with a wedge of handcrafted cheese!

Aren't I a lucky girl?!!!

Papertrey Ink Design Challenge

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For this week's Make It Monday challenge,
our friends over at Papertrey Ink asked its followers

to create a card using at least one Papertrey Ink product

and to incorporate the paper distressing technique.

This little sweetie is my entry into the challenge.

A bird house was created using Papertrey Ink's
Love Grows Here stamp set.

The house and roof were inked on coasters and then cut out. 

A little rick-rack was added for a fun trim. 

The house was then raised on the card stock

using pop-up dots.  The little birds and branch are from Papertrey Ink's

Little Bitty Birds stamp set.  Each were die cut from felt.

I really love this sentiment (also from Love Grows Here stamp set).

Isn't it so true?!  I think love also grows best in small houses!

Aqua-colored card stock was used for the background.

I sanded and scissor-distressed the edges and lightly sanded the foreground.

I think this little sweetie is headed to Operation Write Home

so that someone serving in the armed forces can write

a loved one a treasured note.  I don't think I can ever make enough

cards to honor our brave military.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

SNEAK PEAK of posts coming this week:

Be sure to check back and see what's new at

Footprints from Otter Hill!

Happy Bird-day

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This card was created with inspiration from two different design challenges -

the CR84FN Color Challenge and Papertrey Paper Dolls Weekly Challenge.

Papertrey Paper Dolls challenged artists to create a card using at least three Papertrey Ink items -
one starting with a P, one with a T and one with an I (PTI).



CR84FN Color Challenge is to create a card using only three colors -
Orange, Yellow and Kraft Brown.

P:  Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Parade Patterned Paper
T:  Papertrey Ink's Tiny Treats Stamp Set and Twill Ribbon in Summer Sunrise
I:  Papertrey Ink's Vintage Touch Ink

The little birds were die cut and glued to the medallion.
The balloon was colored using pencils and sparkly gel pens.
The center medallion and banner were layered and each raised using pop-up dots.



Supplies:  All from Papertrey Ink (except glue, tape, pencil & pen, orange chalk ink)

Paper: Kraft cardstock, Orange Zest cardstock, Polka Dot Parade Patterned Paper
Stamp Sets:  Tiny Treats Birthday , Little Bitty Bird
Die Cuts: Little Bitty Bird
Ribbon: Summer Sunrise Twill
Felt: Berry, Harvest Gold
Ink: Vintage Touch, Lemon Tart


This is my first entry into any design challenge.  What do you think?