Shipping.

Lots of goodies heading out of the shop this evening, including Bits and Pieces Scrap Packs, Confetti Windows and Found Paper Packs. Looking for some inspiration? These Bits and Pieces Packs are perfect to spark your creativity. I'd love to make you one! Convo me and I will put together one in whatever color scheme you'd like. Confetti Windows can also be made in whatever color scheme you choose as well. These are perfect to add to your mini albums! :)

Fall: Shop Packaging

Working on some custom orders right now from the shop. I was experimenting with packaging and wanted to share. Vintage sewing pattern paper, paper scraps and fabric scraps torn and tied together to make ribbon. I love using up odds and ends in my workspace so nothing goes to waste :)

Happy Birthday to My Love.

A very Happy Birthday to my Love - my awesome, most amazing, wonderful, dreamy, husband. Celebrating this man today :) I am so blessed and so thankful to God to call him my husband, my best friend and the daddy to our sweet babies. Thankful for his example, his support, his love of the Lord, our family and others, his never-ending encouragement to me, his providing for and leading of our family! 

I love you, babe! Happy Birthday :)

Food: Potato Soup

If you are looking for a potato soup recipe, look no more (and even if you aren't, you've got to try this soup. It's that good!). This soup is out.of.this.world. After having it at a friend's house for dinner, it has become part of the monthly rotation on our menu. It's a perfect comfort food, and I am excited to make it more now that fall is approaching.

I think the secret is using fresh rosemary. I'm sure dried will do, but adding the fresh sprig gives it an extra kick.


Potato Soup - adapted from allrecipes.com
3 strips of bacon
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
4 medium red potatoes, washed and diced into large chunks
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small sprig fresh rosemary (about a 2" long sprig)
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Fresh parsley and chives, minced


In a large saucepan, boil potato chunks until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Chop bacon into pieces and set aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth and water, stirring constantly- this process takes several minutes. Bring to boil gradually; - if you rush it, the consistency of the soup will be grainy and blah. Softly boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add sprig of rosemary. Add potatoes, milk, sour cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Remove rosemary to serve. Garnish with bacon, cheese, chives and parsley.

New in Shop: Autumn 2011 Art Journal

Now in the shop: An Autumn Art Journal. A fabulous journal or album to capture the 2011 Fall Season. 28 pages to document your season, including different patterned pages and cardstock, 3 pages of Kraft paper with the months printed (September, October, November), vintage pages (vintage dictionary, vintage sewing pattern paper) a confetti window (check out my shop for details and other windows), linen cloth, a transparency, a Hambly Studio overlay, stamped shipping tag, envelopes and other pages. There is a sturdy piece of chipboard at the back.

This cute journal comes with 2 binder rings, a mini brown paper bag and journaling spot, a set of Autumn Mini Flashcards (including the words: Autumn, September, October, November, chilly, snuggle, school, pumpkins, enjoy, leaves), and two decorative peel and stick labels.

Coming Soon:: Autumn Journal

So my plan was to have Autumn Journals available in the shop this weekend. My plan did not include a horrible (horrible doesn't even begin capture the severity) stomach virus or food poisoning that attacked myself, my hubby and my 4 year old (Praise God our 7 month old did not get it). Thursday night late it all began, and we are just feeling normal as of yesterday. This virus absolutely rivaled #13 of my "25 Random Things". 

Catching up on mountainous loads of laundry and trying to get back into the swing of things.

So these lovelies will be in the shop soon. It's not fall yet, right? (Remember this post?) Have a wonderful day! To those in the States, Happy Labor Day! :)

Food: Chocolate Chip and Sour Cream Coffee Cake

We had a cookout last night with a bunch of our friends - lots of yummy food and of course, lots of fun :) It was also a friend's birthday, so we celebrated with cake and ice cream. 

I made this recipe- Chocolate Chip and Sour Cream Cake, per the request of the birthday-person, and was happy with how it turned out. 

 Chocolate Chip and Sour Cream Coffee Cake - adapted from smittenkitchen
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream (NOT light)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt


2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9"x13" glass baking dish with unsalted butter. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat together until well combined.


In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. "Sift" together with a wire whisk for about 20 seconds.


Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks begin to form (1-2 minutes on medium-high speed). Gently fold in to batter. The batter will be super thick. At first I was kind of alarmed at how thick it was. But don't worry, it's fine.


Scoop half of the batter into the greased 9"x13" baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth out the batter evenly in the dish. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle half of the mixture over the batter in the baking dish. Then sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate chips evenly over the batter. Scoop the rest of the batter on top and smooth over the cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips (this part was tricky). Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips evenly on top and press gently into the batter.


Bake for 40-50 minutes until light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake.