Handmade: I Love You So Much Card

My hubby and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary (!!!) this weekend :) I, of course, wanted to make him a card and knew that it had to include confetti. So I made up a cut file and cut it out on my Silhouette, attached a clear transparency with adhesive, and then sewed it to a piece of kraft cardstock - I put the confetti in after sewing up three sides and then sewed it shut :)

He loved it :)

Shop Closing for the Holidays today!

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to place an order in my shop ;) I will be closing my shop for the remainder of the year and open after New Year's :) Merry Christmas to you and yours! :)

P.S. Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for the paper packs! I posted the winners on that post - go here to see :)

Giveaway: Christmas Paper Packs

A fun little giveaway for the Holiday Season :) (And my first time ever using a Rafflecopter for a giveaway - yay :)). I'm giving away two Christmas Paper Packs! These cute little packs are a delightful mixture of Holiday papers and bits & pieces. Each pack is chocked full of papers such as: new scrapbooking Christmas papers from top brands (Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Bazzill, Basic Grey, etc), vintage papers from hymnals, salvaged holiday storybooks, envelopes, doilies, tags, and much more.

These packs are perfect for adding fun details to your Holiday Album or Journal, or to Project Life. Or create some handmade Christmas cards to send to a loved one! 

Each pack is packaged in a 6.5"x9" clear cello bag and contains 30+ pieces and some sequins sprinkled in for good measure :) 

Can't wait to get one? Find them here in my shop. ***I will be closing my shop for the holidays on Tuesday, December 10 and will reopen after New Years :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanksgiving Printables and a Shop Coupon Code

I shared these printables a couple years ago and am printing them out again to go in my Gratitude/Fall Journal :) Below are the cards to print. Click to enlarge, save and print on 8.5"x11" cardstock and cut down to 4"x6" using the cut marks. Enjoy :)

****As with all printables I share here, these are for personal use only. Please link back to give credit if you would like to share on your blog. Please contact me with any questions. thecreativeplace (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks :)

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Black Friday Coupon Code!! Enter THANKFUL15 for 15% off of your entire order in my shop. Coupon good Tuesday, November 26 - Sunday, December 1.

Christmas Confetti Cards

I recently shared a DIY for these Mini MiniBooks and they were popular in my shop, so I decided to do a Holiday Edition. I had a customer ask if I could create just a 3"x4" Confetti Card, like the cover of the Mini MiniBook. So I did! :) These are much like my Confetti Windows that have been a super popular item in my shop (only these are sewn to paper), and like the covers to a lot of my wedding books over the years.... just smaller :) These are perfect for PL. Perfect. So all you PL'ers - these little cuties are now available in my shop :)

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In other news:

+ I will be making more of the regular (Non-Holiday) Mini MiniBooks and putting them in the shop later this week -- these are perfect stocking stuffers, and they are $10, shipped :) 

+ Be on the lookout for a Black Friday coupon code this week. Get some of your holiday shopping done in your PJ's, in the comfort of your home :)

+ Thank you all so, so much for reading here and for your support with my shop. My family and I are grateful! Thank you!! 

Mini MiniBooks: Holiday Edition

I made a few more of the Mini MiniBooks using Holiday scrapbooking papers. I have a bunch of vintage Christmas cards and children's books (damaged, but some pages were salvageable!), and included those in each of the books :) Super easy to make yourself - think old Christmas cards, or wrapping paper adhered to cardstock, a couple sheets of Christmas-y paper, and cardstock and you'll have a lovely little book to jot holiday notes and memories in. These are also available in my shop. 

DIY: Mini MiniBooks

I have a ton of paper scraps laying around (yes, I have a paper problem ;)) from various projects. I also have a ton of Project Life cards that I've collected over time (at this point, I do not do Project Life - I reallllly want to try it come January 1. I love the idea of it. Love it). So what better to do than put them into a little album?! I made these up over the course of 36 hours and love them. I put these in my shop, but plan on making a few more for family and friends for Christmas. Perfect to throw in your purse or bag and jot a note or thought.

Any types of paper would do - old junk mail envelopes deconstructed and cut down, card stock or scrapbooking paper (if you have a local craft store, you would only need a few sheets -- you can get 12 pages out of one 12"x12" piece of scrapbooking paper. Use some chipboard (or cut down a cereal box :)), and finish off with binder rings (available at office supply stores - or I have some available in my shop here), or use ribbon! Voila! A cute little book that's fun to jot in :)

new in shop: december daily kits - version 2

I just added some more December Daily Holiday Journals to the shop :) These are smaller - 4"x6" and are full of beautiful papers and come with a 55+ piece embellishment kit. Perfect to document the upcoming holidays :) Check them out here. And check out all of the holiday goodies available here.

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A very happy birthday to my daddy today! 

And a huge thank you to all who have served our country. Thank you :)

New in Shop: Holiday Goodies

Happy Monday :) I've updated the shop with a few Holiday Journal Kits (!!!!!!!), embellishment kits, Holiday scrap packs, vellum numbers and vellum stars (think December Daily!), October afternoon stickers, Studio Calico journaling cards and more. I will be adding some more embellishments this week, as well as some more Holiday Journals (different than the ones below). Quantities are super limited this year, so be sure to snag one early :)

30 Days of Thankful

Happy November! Today begins a month-long project of documenting a gratitude each day - 30 Days of Thankful. Last year, I worked on this throughout the month and loved it. I shared a bit here on the blog, but mostly just kept a list of my thankfuls here in my workspace.

I keep a gratitude journal anyways, but I love a specific list that I keep throughout this month. A month that ends with Thanksgiving (for those here in the US), and is right before the Christmas season. It's a good time to focus on the gratitudes. The little and big blessings that come our way each and every day. I believe that even on the difficult days, there is always a thankful, even if it is tiny.

Won't you join me on this month-long project? Just keep a pad of paper and pen handy. Jot down a gratitude each day. Keep a journal. Create a mini album. Whatever you want it to be. Just go for it!

halloween. 1986 style.

I shared this photo a couple years ago. So it's an oldie but a goodie. Too fun not to share on this Hallowee day :) This is from Halloween 1986 with 2 of my sisters (my 3rd sister hadn't been born yet!)- I was a magenta crayon. One of my most fave-est memories of getting dressed up to go trick-or-treating. My awesome mama made us Crayola Crayon costumes from poster board. What a treasure of a memory! 

This was also probably the only year I wasn't dressed up as a fairy princess, ballerina or something else that was pink and frilly ;) Go here to see last year's pic from 1985 ;)


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In other news:
30 Days of Thankful starts tomorrow!! November is TOMORROW! Last year I journeyed through the month doing a "30 Days of Thankful" -- won't you join me as I embark on this again? A month of recording little (and big) blessing and gratitudes. Go here to read more about it :)

currently.

Finishing up details for a workshop I am teaching this weekend at my church :) Including making this Gratitude journal for a door prize.

Packing up the entire family for a trip to Hilton Head, SC for a little vacation. Leaving late Saturday. So much to do. So glad to go.

Recovering from a terrible headcold I had this week. Not so much fun.

Glad it is finally chilly out. I love Fall. Love it.

Looking up more recipes for soup and crockpot meals.

Almost done with Holiday Journals. They will be in the shop soon.

Swimming in ideas in my head for new projects.

Grateful for this season.

Food: Betsy's White Bread

My older sis has been making bread for years. I've been making bread for years, (I make all of our bread that we eat - sandwich bread, pizza dough, yeast rolls, breadsticks, hamburger rolls, artisan bread, toasting bread) but have never tried my sister's recipe! This is her white bread recipe, she makes it at our family gatherings, and it's always so, so good. I tried making it the other day and I've already made it twice. Since Monday :) The consistency is perfect. The taste is perfect. It's a winner. And there's just something about knowing all of the ingredients in what you're eating ;)

Betsy's White Bread

3 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour (I used organic all-purpose)

1-1/2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. oil or shortening

2-1/4 tsp. yeast

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. very warm water

2 Tbsp. very soft salted butter, divided

Mix 1-3/4 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, oil (or shortening) and yeast in large bowl. Add warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, again scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time to make dough easy to handle (This is when it just gets past being sticky. Do not add too much flour or your loaf will be too dense). Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 7-10 minutes (Kneading this long makes it perfect. It takes awhile, but it's worth it!). Place in a greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm and draft-free place 40-60 minutes or until double in size.

Grease bottom and sides of a 1 lb. loaf pan with 1 Tbsp. butter. Punch dough down and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead 1 minute. Flatten with a rolling pin to about 8"x10". Roll dough up tightly, beginning at short side, to form a loaf. Pinch edge of dough into the roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf so you have a nice looking roll. The key here is to roll the dough tightly so you don't have big air bubbles after baking. Place seam side down in the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm and draft-free place about 35-40 minutes (or until right before it starts crawling out of the pan - it will rise a bit more in the oven). While bread is rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake 20-30 minutes or until top of loaf is a deep golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Using a paper towel (or your hands), rub softened butter all over loaf (it will begin to melt as your rub it on the bread). Let cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store.

shop update

I updated the shop a little while ago and have some fun new journals and embellishments now available, as well as an I Love You Journal and a few baby journals (both were semi-retired, I found these in the depths of my workspace during a clean out :)). Go here to check out the new goodies.

treasure hunting: an old recipe box

I was in a thrift store (who doesn't love thrift stores? I mean, really :)) this weekend and came across this gem - a vintage recipe box full of gorgeous recipes - some handwritten, some cut from old magazines and newspapers, some typed (with a real typewriter :)).

I was delighted upon finding it - and even more happy that it was only $.50! Some of the recipes date back to the 1970s. Some are more recent. I can't help but wonder where this little box used to be - whose kitchen it used to sit in, what recipes were used for family gatherings and celebrations. I love finding vintage treasures - such stories behind them, even if they are unknown, still a treasure nonetheless :)

food: baked cake donuts from scratch

We love donuts in our house. I purchased a donut pan awhile ago and we like to make these baked donuts often. A little intense to make, but well worth it :) We like to ice and sprinkle some, and melt butter and dip in a cinnamon sugar mixture for the others.

Baked Cake Donuts - adapted from Wilton's Recipe
Makes about 12 donuts
2 cups minus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
2-1/2 tsp. lemon juice (or white distilled vinegar)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray, or use a little bit of butter to coat each donut form.

Combine milk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Set aside for 2-3 minutes.

Sift the flour and corn starch together (through a sifter or mesh colander) 2-3 times to incorporate fully (basically you're making cake flour ;)). Add sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt, stirring to combine.

Add eggs and melted butter to milk mixture. Add to flour mixture. Beat until just combined (do not over-beat).

Fill each donut cavity about 2/3 full. I usually put the batter in a large zip-loc bag and snip one of the tips to pipe it into the pan easily.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until just starting to brown. They can brown way too fast, so keep an eye on them! They will be spongy to the touch (but don't burn yourself ;)).

Pop each donut out onto a cooling rack, spray (or use butter) pan again and pipe in the rest of the batter (be careful not to burn yourself on the pan!). See below for topping ideas. Serve warm. Enjoy :)

For topping:
Cinnamon Sugar
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Place melted butter in shallow dish. Mix together cinnamon and sugar and place in another shallow dish. Dip each donut in the butter and coat both sides, then dredge in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Vanilla Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 Tbsp. milk

Mix sugar and vanilla together. Add milk a little at a time to desired consistency. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl. Dip tops of donuts in icing, place on a plate and let set for a couple minutes.

DIY Fall Roundup

I'm always on the lookout for fun DIY seasonal crafts. I'm loving these fabulous DIY projects below. Go here to see a past Fall Craft Roundup, full of more fun projects for this Fall season :)

1. Felt Leaves Garland by Pam Garrison

2. Twig Votive Holder by Fossil

3. DIY Pumpkin Votive Holders from Martha Stewart
4. The Thankful Tree by Simply Vintage Girl
5. Wax Paper and Crayon Fall Leaves by V and Co
6. Book Page Pumpkin by Craftberry Bush
7. Simple Thankful Bunting by My Fabuless Life

*all images from blogs/sites listed

oh, hey there october

Yay! Happy October :) Another one of my fave months (I pretty much love September-December :)). The air is cooling down, the heat comes on in the wee hours of the morning, and I love it. Hot cocoa mix is made, apple cider is bought, and I'm excited. Pretty much everything on this list from last year is on my list for this year :)

Other than those exciting things, I have a few goals for this month (trying to get back into goal setting :)).
+ Clean up and clean out my workspace - when I work, things get pulled out of every nook and cranny - I love to be surrounded by all of this inspiration, but I also reach a point of needing it all to be surrounding me nice and neatly ;)
+ Document the season - I tried to do this last fall - but given everything going on, I just couldn't - you can see 2011's Autumn Journal here. I plan to be using one of my Gratitude Journals (I have a few left in the shop here!).
+ Get pre-orders up in my shop for Holiday Journals! I have a bunch of the supplies I need, but am waiting on a few new paper lines to become available. The plan is to be making two (!!!) different types of journals this year - one will have a vintage-y type feel, the other will be more in line with my typical style - see last year's and the year before. The journals will be 5"x7" this year and super fun :) I'm also working on a few Envelope Advent Books for the shop - totally fun to DIY, but sometimes easier to buy if time is tight ;)

food: rob's steak tacos

These steak tacos are pretty much in my every-other-week menu plan. They are a-maz-ing. My hubby came up with this recipe a long time ago and perfected it over the course of several months. We LOVE this meal. The combination of fresh flavors is fabulous and so, so good.

Rob's Steak Tacos

Meat

1.5-2 lbs skirt steak (or flank steak)

1 Tbsp. seasoned pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 2-3 limes

1 cup red onion, diced into small pieces

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat the meat)

Red Onion Topping

1 large red onion, diced into small pieces

2 Tbsp. fresh cilatro, chopped

Juice from 1-2 limes, fresh squeezed

Salt, to taste (we use about 1/4 tsp.)

6-inch yellow corn tortillas (or flour)

2-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro

Place all ingredients for the meat except meat in a ziploc bag and toss to mix. Add steak and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

Grill to desired temperature. Let meat rest 10 minutes before slicing. Slice meat into 1/4" thick slices and cut to desired length (we usually make ours about 1" in length).

Place red onion topping ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in the refrigerator while steak is on the grill.

To prepare tortillas, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil at a time in a small skillet over medium heat. Quickly "fry" tortillas so they are warm, but NOT crispy. You still want them to bend and make your taco :) Add more olive oil as needed while you are preparing tortillas. Store heated tortillas in a tortilla warmer.

To build the tacos, put desired amount of meat on the hot tortilla, top with desired amount of red onion topping, cheese and cilantro. Serve with fresh-made guacamole, tortilla chips, and homemade refried beans. Enjoy!

new in shop: gratitude journal kit

I put together a few Gratitude Journal Kits for the quickly-approaching Fall season :) Get yours here and document all of the blessings and lovelies of the season :)

Oh September, Welcome.

September :) One of my very favorite months of the year. The close of summer comes as the calendar flips to September 1. The beginning of many things comes with the flip of that calendar too. I love this month - to me, it is the beginning of the holiday season to come. 

Fall approaches, and I am always ready for it at this point. Sure, I love summer, the long days, warm nights, the beach and the pool. But I'm always ready for cooler weather by this time of year. I'm ready for the leaves to change. I'm ready for pumpkins and hot cider and cozy evenings by the fire. 

Welcome, September :)