SNIPS BY KELLY

Monday, February 8, 2016

YOU'VE BEEN EGGED: Easter

YOU'VE BEEN EGGED!

Sometimes it's is hard to plan how to make sure that the younger ones in your life understand and get the true meaning of Easter. Our family always participated in egg hunts and had Easter Baskets but the true meaning of Easter was always emphasized in many ways. I have friends that believe you should not participate in Easter Baskets and Egg Hunts and that it takes away from the real meaning of Easter. I believe there are ways to teach and celebrate both. I too believe sometimes, as with Christmas, things can get out of hand and off track but being mindful of what you do, say and teach all year through is key in my opinion. I really liked this idea of putting eggs in someone's yard randomly with an empty one to teach the lesson about Jesus' empty tomb. This is the saying if you would like to "Egg" someone: "You've been egged! There are 12 eggs hidden in your yard. Enjoy the hunt but don't be discouraged if you find the empty egg as it's a simple reminder of Jesus' empty tomb for HE IS RISEN!"

In addition to the "Egged" basket, my pictures show some other goodies I made last year for Easter using silhouette cut files. I am always searching for "non-food" and "non-candy" items to be able to give kids during holidays. It seems it is always candy, candy, candy. It has been very popular as of late, to make cute designs and put EOS lip balm gifts in them. I used some "ready made" designs from the Silhouette store which you can find under Lori Whitlock "Lip Balm" but I also chose designs I liked and drew a circle in the center on my silhouette screen and made the cuts for the EOS lip balm spaces myself. Because it's hard to find "boy" valentine things, I chose the sports theme. I knew I could find plastic sports eggs. I inserted oval shapes into the designs I wanted to use egg shapes with (like the football) and then cut them on the silhouette so the egg would fit.

I used the Silhouette Pens to write on the basketball hoop.

Lori Whitlock now has tons of these to choose from on Silhouette that are ready made so you don't have to make them yourself. She has little monsters, farm animals, snowman, Santa and tons of others! Check them out!

Sunday, February 7, 2016

SUPERBOWL SUPERFOOD: Deviled Avocado Eggs

DEVILED AVOCADO EGGS

I recently met up and had coffee with my Junior High/High School Music Teacher, Gayle. We had not seen each other for almost 32 years and we had such a nice visit. She recently (November) celebrated her 80th birthday! She looks TERRIFIC and has such an active and full life filled with all kinds of activities and interests. I asked her what her secret was to staying so youthful and active and she told me one of her secrets is the avocado! She says 1/2 an avocado a day, preferably paired with a protein such as an egg, gives her at least part of what she needs to be healthy! She shared this recipe on Facebook and I just had to try them! We both decided the Avocado Deviled Eggs would be an awesome healthy alternative to traditional Super Bowl snacks! The man of the house tried one just a bit ago and gave me the thumbs up!

Deviled Avocado Eggs – Mash 1 large avocado with 3 egg yolks. Add 1 tsp. cilantro, 3 tsp lime juice, 1 tbsp red onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with a sprinkle of chili or paprika.

The Avocado has SO many amazing qualities and nutrients, I had to add a link to a webpage about Avocados. It is worth the read and maybe, like my youthful teacher, it will help you in the long run to live a more active life! https://www.avocadocentral.com/nutrition/nutrients-in-avocado

PUMPKIN/FALL BOX CARD

PUMPKIN/FALL BOX CARD: Lori Whitlock

This fall I tried my hand for the very first time making jelly, an experience for a separate blog post some time! We have a little apple tree out back and I decided at nearly 50, it was time to learn something new. I had beginners luck on my side and the first batch turned out delicious! I loved being able to give gifts of homemade jelly (as this is a gift I LOVE to receive) and I now understand how much work and love goes into each little jar! As I have said on the blog before, I am a huge Lori Whitlock fan. I made her Silhouette Box Card to add to my gift of jelly! She makes me look talented! What I love about Lori Whitlock cards is they always add a dimension to the traditional card, whether 3D or layers or some other unique twist! This was so fun!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

30th HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION DECOR

ON OH LEMMON!

Our High School class celebrated our 30th High School Reunion 2 years ago and here are some things I made for decorations. No better class than the class of 84! Go COWBOYS!

Photo Booth and Sign: I used the Silhouette and cut out extra large letters, mustache, glasses and camera borders and glued it to poster board to mark our photo booth.

A sweet sign also made with a vinyl cut phrase and polaroid camera cut file and glued to poster board.

A big box of "dress up" clothes and silly costume items was placed by the photo booth. I made the extra large polaroid out of 2 large pieces of poster board. I screwed old cupboard handles on the back of each side so the frame could be held onto from the backside.

I photocopied senior pictures from the High School Year book and from color copies of photos I had kept and mounted them on large tongue depressor/popsicle sticks so each classmate could hold up their High School Photo.

Again, I photocopied pictures from the old yearbooks from Freshman to Senior and glued them on poster board in the shape of a 30.

I photocopied strips of underclassman photos from the year book and adhered them onto mason jars randomly and put flowers in the jars as centerpieces.

We "reused" our senior photos on tongue depressors and put them each into rolls of toilet paper on our float. We had 2 toilets mounted to the back of the float for our "King" and "Queen" thrones for the parade.

12 MONTH OWL BANNER-BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

12 MONTH BABY BANNER-OWL

I made this owl banner for my Granddaughter, Avery's first birthday party, which was OWL themed. I had such a great time making it and looking over her pictures month by month in chronological order as she had grown over the year! All of the cuts on the banner were of course, from the silhouette. The month by month banner labels were Lori Whitlock "baby month circles 1 and 2" along with her "split flourish birthday number 1" on the first banner. The "owl phrases"-Whooo is and Hip Hip Hooray were Samantha Walker cut files and on several of the banners I added just the owl on the limb from Lori Whitlock's "a2 thank you owl pop up card".

** I made the banner several months before her birthday so at the time of the pictures was still waiting for her to turn 11 months!

CLEAN EATING: GARDEN VEGGIE SOUP

GARDEN VEGETABLE SOUP

This is one of my all time favorite go to recipes when I am super hungry and want to eat a lot and be full! It's a great fall and winter soup but I truly make it year round, especially because of the availability of fresh garden veggies in the summer! This is a cleansing soup as well and of course you can shake up the veggies and use others you love.

cooking spray

1/2 cup(s) uncooked carrot(s), sliced

1/2 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), diced

1/4 cup(s) frozen chopped onions

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

3 cup(s) fat free chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable broth

1/2 cup(s) (shredded) uncooked cabbage, chopped

1/2 cup(s) fresh spinach, chopped

2 tsp canned tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/2 cup(s) uncooked zucchini, diced

Instructions

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat. Sauté carrot, pepper, onion, and garlic over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, spinach, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. Stir in zucchini; cook 3-4 minutes more. Serve hot. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

CLEAN EATING CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP: Plus my disclaimer!

CLEAN EATING: CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

So...here is my take on CLEAN EATING! Everyone has a different idea or "concept" of what "clean eating" means. I will tell you all right now, I am not going to fight about it or get into arguments about who is right and who is wrong!! Number 1-I am a big CHICKEN and a WIMP and a terrible fighter! I usually run as fast as I can away from conflict! Number 2-I am an open minded person who believes that EVERYONE has a right to their own choices and beliefs! SO...take what I say with a grain of salt...take what you can use...and ignore the rest. My BELIEF is that clean eating is simply as pure as you can make it with the resources you have! Obviously things that grow and are all natural would fall into MY definition of clean eating. I, unlike some others such as vegetarians or vegans, include lean meats in my clean eating. I include eggs as well. Though I would love to say I am a 100% clean eater, I would be a liar! I struggle off and on in my life with this and I live what I call real life. I have tried very hard in the second half of my life, to be more conscious and more careful to make the majority of my choices be healthier choices. However, you WILL see me sometimes eat cake! or some other fattening delicacy. So when I post my recipes, I am simply sharing some healthier recipes that I have tasted and tried! I can only speak for those recipes that I actually have made and like! Sometimes I get disappointed with Pinterest or websites that show pictures of these FABULOUS looking, healthy creations and you try to make them only to have them look like garbage and taste even worse! My pictures of those things I make, likely will not be beautiful Pinterest pictures but I will guarantee that they are something I have made, something I have eaten and something that I, personally like. I have some good stand by's that I use regularly that I feel are good, clean, healthy choices and still filling and delicious! Having voiced my disclaimers as NOT being an expert, feel free to grab any recipes I post and use them, change them up, replace ingredients you don't agree with, with substitutions that work for you! This particular recipe is an awesome recipe and would still be a great and yummy recipe for vegetarians and vegan lovers if you simply leave out the chicken ! This is a recipe that my "guys" will eat and really like and I don't tell them it's healthy!!!!

ENJOY!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

Boil til done!! THAT IS IT!!!!
3 chicken breasts sliced or a bag of chicken tenderloins 2 chopped yellow onion
2 cans green chili's (I used mild because I am a light weight on the heat)
1 can regular diced tomatoes
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 can low sodium black beans
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. oregano
sea salt to taste (optional)
ground pepper to taste
cilantro
avocado

COUNTRY MASON JAR MILK PAINT PROJECT

I used "Sweet Pickins" milk paint and you can find this at www.sweetpickinsf... I used buttermilk, barn red, seagreen and mustard. I used equal parts water and paint. Painted each jar twice with 1 hour drying time in between and then sanded the jars with a sanding blocks to the desired tattered look. Very easy and versatile! I love that you can add ribbon or anything you like to the mouth of the jars and change out the flowers for the seasons and occasions.

MONOGRAMMED GRAPEVINE WREATH PROJECT

MONOGRAMMED GRAPEVINE WREATH

Newlyweds always seem to have so much fun with their "new" initials. I made several of these monogrammed wreaths when my daughter got married. I figured if I was making one for her, I may as well make one for some others at the same time. Monogrammed grapevine wreath project:

grapevine wreath, chevron burlap, white letter and flower Sprague all from hobby lobby. Be sure to wait until they are all 50% off. Total cost under $10.00. I might have used a bit larger of a letter or a smaller wreath the next time. All sizes of wreaths and letters are available.

RUSTIC RAKE WINE RACK

If you live in the country....it is likely you have at least ONE if not more broken handled rakes! I decided to try this Rustic rake wine rack. This can hardly be considered a craft it was the easiest thing ever...we have 3 of these broken rakes in the shop. It was simply hanging it and adding the berries and bow. When the man of the house gets home I will have him torch the ends and bend up the prongs to even them up so the glasses are all in line and straight.

DISTRESSED WINDOW and SHUTTER PROJECT

I am sharing a distressed window/shutter project with wreath made by Elke at www.prairiedesign.... Doing this project was mostly "gathering" for me because I really only had to work on the frame distressing. I used vinegar & steel wool. I soaked the steel wool in the vinegar and rubbed it into the grain. The next day it was weathered. I used Tim Holtz Antique Linen distress paint randomly, let it dry went over it randomly again with the steel wool solution. The rest was just adding things I liked.

HOME/WREATH DISTRESS PAINT SIGN

TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS STAIN and PAINT HOME SIGN

This was a new experience for me. Since this project I have used more paint, chalk paint, distress stains and paints, acrylics and others. This one of my first distressed projects. HOME/WREATH décor: I used 18" letters from Hobby Lobby made of new wood. I stained them with Tim Holtz Weathered Wood Distress Stain, then painted them randomly and unevenly with Tim Holtz distress paints:: H: broken china M: Tim Holtz Peeled paint E: barn door. I randomly rubbed/dobbed in some Tim Holtz weathered wood stain and weathered wood paint after that. I plan to add more weathered wood stain as I like the look of the darker base. You can spray with a finishing spray. Enjoy!

SPA BRIDAL SHOWER PARTY FAVOR BAGS: Aqua and Black

BRIDAL SHOWER PARTY FAVOR BAGS

My daughter had a "Spa" themed bridal shower. I made these favor bags for her guests to hold "spa" gifts of lotion, bath salts, body scrub and the like. I used the "TIM HOLTZ Alterations Sewing Room" cutting file for the Big Shot and scraps of lace material for the skirting. I used small bead strand stickers for the pearl necklaces. Quick and easy to assemble and a big hit at her shower!

THANKSGIVING TURKEY TOPPERS

Thanksgiving is not usually a time that you can think of a lot of school age type gifts unless it has something to do with apples for the teacher. I made these turkey pencil toppers for our Granddaughter Mia's grade school Kindergarten class a few years ago at Thanksgiving. It was a fun way to give a "non-food" treat to the students!

The Silhouette Cut file is called simply that: Turkey Pencil Topper at the Silhouette Store.

I WILL BE GRATEFUL-CARD

I WILL BE GRATEFUL

For This Day

This is a fun card I made for a card contest using Silhouette cut files: 3d umbrella, rain boots and title, and oval frame background. It is a cheer-you-up kind of card for that day when you need a little boost. I loved the little cut files and have used them over and over in different projects.

Of this you can be sure: I AM grateful for this day!

HALLOWEEN IN FEBRUARY- Halloween Silhouette Cut File Projects

HALLOWEEN SILHOUETTE CUT FILE PROJECTS

One could say I am very behind...or one could say I am quite far ahead, depending on how you look at things! Catching up the blog today with some Halloween projects. These are simple cut file projects from Silhouette files that again, as I have said before, are the "Make You Look Good" files. Simply cut and assemble and you have multiple treats and gifts in a snap!

Jamie Lane Silhouette Cut File: It's All About The Candy Halloween Treat Box

Jamie Lane Halloween Treat Box "Love You More Than Candy Corn"

Silhouette File: Halloween Treat Box

Silhouette Bats Happy Cupcake Wrapper File

Jamie Lane: Halloween Doorknob Treat Box "You've Been Boo'd!"

HALLOWEEN: Creepy Hands and Tags

HALLOWEEN CREEPY HANDS

Using Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink

While everyone is creating their love letters and valentines....I am posting creepy hands! As an effort to get my blog up and running, I am working backwards and sharing projects from other months gone by. Halloween is one of my all time favorite holidays in which I still celebrate, despite the fact that all of my children are grown and gone! I love the fun kind of creepy...not so much the creepy-creepy...if you get what I'm sayin'! Today I am sharing some creepy hands filled with treats that kids love! To top them off, some ghoulish tags made all of scraps of old Halloween paper and ribbon. If you need a creepy, yummy, cute, fun, project this next Halloween...let me give you a hand........(evil laugh!)

I made these by stuffing latex/rubber gloves (you can find a cheap box of 50+ at most dollar stores) and inking the gloves with a variety of Tim Holtz alcohol inks randomly.

I put little plastic Halloween rings on the fingers and made tags out of old Halloween paper and ribbon scraps.

The longest part of the project was stuffing candy. You could ask little hands to help you but you may end up with more in their mouths than in the hands!

Baby Girl Dress Up Bag: Baby Gift Bag

BABY GIRL GIFT BAG

In light of the fact that I have a new baby Granddaughter, I thought I would post this gift bag I made using my Silhouette and cut files. You can find the "Dress up baby bag SVG template file and download it at www.creationsbyar... if it's still available as well as the tutorial and instructions. There is a girl bag and a boy bag. For mine I used Authentique "Precious" paper and a little bit of Authentique "Promise" paper. Easy and cute! It was a big hit!

VALENTINE CUT FILES: It's a matter of the heart!

VALENTINES

February 6th seems like a great time to share Valentines past! Today I am sharing all valentines made by some form of a Silhouette cut file. Using silhouette cuts are the perfect way to make multiples of adorable valentines that look professional but are relatively quick and easy to assemble. These are what I call the "Make You Look Good" files....because they do the work for you and make it look like you worked extra hard! In addition, to me, homemade always hits my heart!

Silhouette 3d Heart Petal Box