T.G.I.F.-Thank GOODIES it's Friday #15 & The Market Giveaway!

I'm so excited for today! Not just because it's a TGIF party day but because I have a super fun Give-Away to go along with it! The amazingly talented Andy from over at Poppies at Playis giving one lucky Craft Goodies friend the run of her vinyl shop! The random winner will be able to choose any one item from her collection of vinyl decor.I don't envy the winner's decision because there is some seriously cute stuff to choose from... (White vinyl shown on blue background) ...you can also have this personalized! So fun for your little man......or your little lady!And so much more. Andy is great to work with, she's the only gal I order vinyl from. Entry is simple:1. Be a public follower of Craft Goodies!2. Check out The Market. Leave a comment letting me know what you'd pick if you're the winner!(please include a way to contact you)Extra Entry:Add a link to this week's party and you're in the running!That's it! Easy peasy!This giveaway opens today and will close next Thursday, May 5th at 11:59pm CST.The winner will be determined by random.org and announced at next week's TGIF Party. Speaking of parties, here we go!!! Time to shine and show off your talents.

Enter up to 4 links...



tips, ideas, recipes, projects, contests, giveaways, whatever, just share yourself with us! Visit others. Leave comments. PLEASE NO ETSY SHOPS! {Unless you offer a tutorial with the product} Grab a button from below and help spread the "GOOD" word!Come back again over the weekend and check out the links. Visit a few, comment a lot! We all need a little LOVE. Link will be open until 11:59pm Monday night.
**By linking you give me full permission to feature your links, tutorial, photos and blog giving credit back to you of course! 
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Thanks for stopping by and for joining the party! It's always more fun when you're here...

Happy Crafting!

Look what came in the mail...

I have to give a little shout out to my Rabbit Romp Exchange partner... Kyla from Funky Polkadot GiraffeWho by the way authors one awesome blog, I love her style! She makes me smile, she makes me want to do things, and she makes me just happy.  I was SO excited to have her as my partner...I received the most perfect gift for a house full of girls! 

 Aren't they AWESOME!!! Here's the story...My 3 yr old and I returned from dropping off the 5 yr old at school to find a package waiting on the porch.Giddiness followed by a mad rush to find something to open it with.I opened the box to find these super sweet hair clips and headbands, a darling little spring green metal bucket filled with yummy treats (chocolate covered marshmallows!) and best of all...SWEDISH FISH EASTER EGGS!!! What?My heart be still, how did she know that swedish fish are my true weakness in life? I'm pretty sure I didn't tell her, oh but the joy that filled me! I immediately hid them so I could savor every single one later that night. (And I did, and they were heaven!!!) In my excitement, I forgot to snap a picture before the treats were devoured by said 3 yr old and my sister, okay, and me! And I would have posted this earlier but had to track down the hair goodies from my daughters who each claimed one as soon as they got home from school. They have worn them to church, to school, to play dates, to the store, I even found one of them wearing the pink headband in bed the other night. The compliments have poured in, I can't blame them, they are SO cute! THANK YOU  Kyla-you made my exchange so fun and very special! 

It's Officially Spring...over my Dining Table!

My little house is slowly becoming more me. When you can't paint you have to look elsewhere for color.I was given this idea by an amazingly talented woman at church... 

...I forgot to take the boring "before" picture. Just imagine the lonely little light, naked and cold...

Can I just tell you how big of a difference this this makes! I love it!

It adds a little distinction to the dinning area (our floor plan is VERY open)

and  actually makes eating a little more intimate even for my family of seven!

 I started with a grapevine wreath form, wired in the ivy and bead garland, then added the individual hydrangea, Persian rose, red berry stems, and grass picks.I tied the wreath to the chandelier using burlap ribbon, leaving the ties a little long, and last used craft wire to add a handle to the glass globes and then tied those to the light with a green sheer ribbon. The tea lights are battery operated-I don't trust my 3 yr old with fire! And they are so fun. I'm thinking I need one more globe and a filler of sorts to hide the tea lights a bit. But aside from that, I'm a happy girl!(AND, my husband didn't even complain that it was in the way-success!!!) Happy Crafting. Wreaths and Door Decor...

It's Wednesday already?

Oh, how I love this time of year! So close to summer, so close to vacation, so...chaotic!It's been another crazy busy week here but I was determined to get something done, that and I need to document a few things for next year when I'm struggling for things to do. So here goes, another "What Wendy did Wednesday..." 

First, my sweet little munchkin here was baptized this past weekend!

It was wonderful. We were surrounded by family and friends and such an overwhelming sense of love. I absolutely enjoyed every moment,  but am SO glad it's over!

Then it was Easter!

 I had a friend ask me about helping her to re-create a super cute basket she had seen over at the

 Crafty Sisters.  

 Um, yeah I was going to help-it's was super cute!

I copied the rabbit, and then went a little crazy with it and came up with the lamb and chick.

Such fun Easter baskets-I used the little white rabbit for my Rabbit Romp Exchange Basket!

I will share the how-to's later, it was really easy and surprisingly inexpensive.

I was asked to help decorate tables for our Relief Society Birthday Celebration. We were focusing on service in our community and the heritage of the organization, so super simple decor was the idea.

I found an old beat-up 1x6 in a field and put it to good use. I made a set of candlesticks and a flower box from it. The flower box is a bit of a teaser for May's Wood You Like to Craft?

The event kicks off Monday if you want to play along...

...and last, one more little detail to cross off my "to-make" list. I ran across this idea while thumbing through a catalog and loved the look of it. When I won a $30 gift certificate to Angie's Country Chic Cottage and found that she carries vintage paper of all sorts, it was fate! I took an old vase, the vintage dictionary sheets, and some  mod podge and gave that vase a new, modern look. Quick, easy, and totally worth it. And now, I'm ready for a nap!Have a great day, and happy crafting...

Monday Munchies...What to do with all those EGGS!

Oh my look at the time!

I had to get my holiday company out the door and on the road to home before I could tackle a post, thanks for your patience!

 Did you have a great weekend and Easter? Did the bunny find you?He did us, and left a TON of hard boiled eggs in his wake, so now what do we do with them...   

Deviled Eggs anyone? Always a hit at my house (and a quick and easy way to get rid of a bunch of the little buggers fast!).

ingredients

• 6 Hard-Cooked Eggs
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Paprika or parsley sprigs (optional)

directions

1. Halve hard-cooked eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Set whites aside. Place yolks in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar; mix well. If desired, season with salt and black pepper. Stuff egg white halves with yolk mixture. Cover and chill until serving time (up to 24 hours). If desired, garnish with paprika or parsley.
2. Makes 12 servings

Now get crazy and mix it up with a variation or two...that way when you're still eating eggs a week from now, you won't hate them quite so much!

1. Italian-Style Deviled Eggs: Prepare as above, except omit mayonnaise or salad dressing, mustard, and vinegar. Stir 1/4 cup creamy Italian salad dressing and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese into mashed yolks; mix well.
2. Greek-Style Deviled Eggs: Prepare as above, except fold 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, 1 tablespoon finely chopped pitted kalamata olives or other pitted ripe olives, and 2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano into yolk mixture. If desired, season with black pepper.
3. Curry and Crab Deviled Eggs: Prepare as above, except omit mustard and vinegar. Stir the mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard, 1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives, and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder into mashed yolks; mix well. Fold in 1/4 cup drained, flaked canned crabmeat.
4. Chipotle Deviled Eggs: Prepare as above, except omit mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Stir 1/4 cup dairy sour cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion, and 1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into yolk mixture.

If that's not getting you "egg"cited, give this one a try...

Egg Salad Sandwiches

ingredients

• 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sweet or dill pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red sweet pepper
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1-1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 4 croissants, split
• 4 leaves red-tipped leaf lettuce
• 4 to 8 slices Colby and Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese (4 to 8 ounce)

directions

1. For egg salad, in a medium bowl stir together eggs, pickle relish, sweet pepper, mayonnaise, and mustard. If desired, cover and chill for up to 6 hours.
2. To assemble sandwiches, layer the bottom halves of the croissants with lettuce leaves. Spread egg salad over lettuce; top with 1 or 2 cheese slices. Add top halves of croissants. If necessary, use wooden toothpicks to secure sandwiches. Makes 4 sandwiches.
3. Curried Egg Salad: Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder to the egg salad. Cover and chill for 2 to 6 hours.
4. Honey-Dill Egg Salad: Substitute honey mustard for yellow mustard and add 1 teaspoon dried dillweed to the egg salad.
5. Egg Salad Wraps: Prepare egg salad as directed. Substitute four 8-inch flour tortillas for croissants. Lay lettuce leaves on tortillas; top with egg salad and roll up.

recipe source BGH.com

Don't forget to keep adding your recipes to the Simple Salads link! Maybe by summer, we'll have an entire Summer's worth!

Happy Crafting.

Guest Posting at The Scrap Shoppe and T.G.I.F. Party #14!

I'm sharing a fast and easy last minute Easter idea here today:  

But before you go, be sure to link up your fantastic
ideas, projects,

recipes, tips, re-makes, re-dos or just plain old awesome-ness!

Grab a button, spread the word, the more the merrier,

Happy Weekend and HAPPY EASTER!!!

(I hope the bunny finds you...)

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(Cheap) Easter Family Fun!

I love my family! Not just my hubster and kiddlets, but my first family-parents, sisters and brother.Getting together ALWAYS results in a good time.Easter is no exception.  I wanted to share a few of our traditions with you just in case you need a little somethin'-somethin' to count down the minutes until the bunny arrives Sunday morning!  Have an Easter Egg Hunt... (duh!) 

Ours happens very much like our Christmas Candy Cane Hunt.We use (and re-use) the plastic colored eggs. Everyone is assigned a "color" to hunt, and we're all given the same amount of eggs.The older you are, the harder your eggs are to find.We usually have 2 of the adults hide the eggs while the rest of us are busy dying a few hard boiled ones. That way, it's still fun for the "big kids" to hunt, and the two hiders to laugh at us. 

The best part...hunting for the "Silver Egg"!
(I'm not sure why it's not gold?) It contains cash, good old-spending cash. And it's fair game to all.  

SO MUCH FUN!!!Once the eggs are all collected and our bellies are on a sugar high we move on to... The Egg Decorating Contest!This is my favorite, I seriously look forward to this ALL year.Here's the basics: Gather a collection of odds and ends from around the house. The plain to the odd, anything goes.(Buttons, feathers, pipe cleaners, glitter, markers, crayons, yarn, thread, fun foam, felt, stickers, tp tubes, tissue paper, candy, toothpicks, q-tips, clay, fabric scraps, etc)   Add to that a few basic crafting standards like glue (hot and cold), scissors, markers, paper and pencils, and the like. Everyone gets one hard boiled egg. One. That's it.You brake it or crack it, no matter, that's it, you get one!

Set the timer for 30 minutes and then GO! Use the supplies you gathered to quickly create the most amazing EGG you've ever seen. Again, anything goes so long as you incorporate the egg into the design. This has a tendency to get a little crazy and a lot competitive at our house. I'm talking first come, first serve at the supply table, trash talking, egg breaking craziness! Oh, but it's fun. My dad offers a running commentary on each others designs as well as the time, and also serves as the official judge. Once we're out of time, the real craziness begins. We each get to present our creations, kind of a little egg show-and-tell which always includes more trash talk, explain a little if necessary, and {kiss up to the judge}! Then we're kicked out of the room to leave the judge to his decision making.  Award Ceremony is next...we are divided into age groups. The 18+ group, the tweeners 12-17, and the little peeps 2-11. My dad comes up with some seriously lame titled award for each of us. Kinda like if you made a dinosaur (which I did one year) you might end up with the "Dino-mite Diddy of an Egg!" award (which I did, thanks dad !).We all moan and groan with each award cause they only get worse the longer it goes on... they are printed out onto certificates so we have a little souvenir of the event and are "officially" signed by the Easter Bunny!You can find some cute FREE ones HEREBut then come the big ones...An Over-all Grand Champion! (one for the kiddies and one for the "BIG" kiddies)This just gives you bragging rights, but it is SO worth it. The funny thing is my sisters and brother are so talented, that this is seriously a HARD competition.One year my brother made a fish using a Dr. Scholl's gel foot pad! He even put it in a bowl. We've  made fairies, Mr. Potato Head, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, baskets with flowers, Dora, a horse with a rider, frogs, birds, and you should see what the little ones come up with. Oh how I wish I had access to pictures of them. They are amazing!  Give it a try. It's a super fun way to spend an evening with your family!Happy Crafting...  

Got 5 minutes?

If you have a few minutes to spare, I'm asking for your help. I've got a friend who could use a little online love. Her husband was laid off last week. He is the sole income provider for her family of 7.(My family went through this very thing 3 years ago, sometimes just knowing someone has your back is the best thing!)She found and entered an online contest that would reward her family with $500 in gas!!!She is currently in second place, all she needs is you to "like" her picture- check it out (and three of her darling five girls)  It's super easy to help out and it will make you feel better! Go here:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150213316110799&set=o.57313552308&theater

Do this:

1) like Bradsdeals.com on Facebook

2) like my photo

  The contest ends tomorrow!!! Good Luck Angela!!!

Easter Brunch Ideas...

This year we will be having an Easter Brunch instead of dinner as church is later in the day and the family that we will have here are flying out that evening. I've been trying to find a few tasty and new recipes to make it special. Let me know what you think... Maple-Bacon Oven Pancakes(I think I've mentioned our LOVE of pancakes before, and oven baked ones are like heaven!)  Makes: 12 servings

Prep: 15 minutesBake: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2  cups  packaged biscuit mix
• 1  cup  shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 2    eggs
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1/4  cup  maple-flavored syrup
• 5  slices  bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
•     Maple-flavored syrup (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine biscuit mix, half of the cheddar cheese, the eggs, milk, and the 1/4 cup syrup; beat until nearly smooth. Spread in prepared baking pan.
2. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and the bacon; bake for 3 minutes more. Cut into squares. If desired, serve with additional syrup.

Sweet Cheese Blintzes

Prep: 35 min.Cook: 10 min.

Ingredients

• 1  8-ounce carton  mascarpone or cottage cheese
• 1  tablespoon  honey
• 1  tablespoon  milk
• 1/2  teaspoon  finely shredded lemon peel or snipped lemon verbena
• 1/4  teaspoon  anise seed, crushed
• 3/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1    egg white
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1    egg yolk
• 2  teaspoons  walnut oil or hazelnut oil
• 1-1/2  teaspoons  granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla
•     Nonstick cooking spray
• 1  cup  seedless green grapes, sliced
•     Powdered sugar

Directions

1. For filling, in a small mixing bowl beat together mascarpone cheese, honey, the 1 tablespoon milk, shredded lemon peel or verbena, and anise seed. Cover; set aside.
2. For blintzes, stir together flour and baking powder. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl beat egg white with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the 3/4 cup milk, egg yolk, walnut or hazelnut oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat just until mixture is smooth. Fold in beaten egg white (texture should be that of a milk shake).
4. Spray a nonstick griddle or skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. For each blintz, pour about 2 tablespoons batter onto griddle. Quickly spread batter to 4- to 5-inch circle.
5. Cook blintz pancake for 20 seconds or until light brown. Gently turn with a spatula; cook second side for 15 seconds. Invert blintz pancake onto a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter to make 10 to 12 blintzes. (You may cook up to 3 or 4 blintzes at a time in a large skillet.) Place a dry paper towel between each layer of blintz pancakes. Cover and keep warm.
6. To serve, spoon 1 slightly rounded tablespoon of cheese mixture across pancake just below center. Fold the bottom of pancake over filling. Fold in sides, then roll up. Arrange blintzes, seam-side down, on individual dessert plates. Top with grapes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Lemon Pancakes With Fresh Berries
  

 

20 min.prep time 35 min.total time

make 8 servings

Pancakes

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

2 Eggs

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Topping

1/2 cup red currant jelly

2 cups fresh strawberries, halved*

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions

Combine flour, powdered sugar, baking soda and baking powder in large bowl.

Combine all remaining pancake ingredients in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until well mixed (batter will be thick).

Heat lightly greased griddle or frying pan to 350°F or until drops of water sizzle. For each pancake, spoon 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; spread to form 4-inch circle. Cook until bubbles form on top (1 to 2 minutes). Turn pancakes; continue cooking until browned (1 to 2 minutes). Keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

Meanwhile, melt jelly in 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat (2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Add strawberries and blueberries; stir gently to coat. Serve over warm pancakes.

*Substitute 2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed.


So hard to choose, just might have to have all 3!!!

Happy Crafting...

T.G.I.F.-Thank GOODIES it's Friday #13 & Usborne Books Giveaway WINNER!

 Another week come and gone, hope it was a good one. I'm super excited for this week's party, it seems as a holiday get closer the more we get busy crafting. But first, a little announcement... Ladies and (gentlemen?) may I present to you, the WINNER of $20 in Usborne Books... True Random Number Generator Min: Max:  Result: 43 Powered by RANDOM.ORG  Tales of Tiff said...

I can't pass up books! If I were to win I don't think $20 wouldn't be enough- there's simply too many great books.

However, here are some of my favorites: The Secret Garden- picture book (This is my son's favorite book), Stories from Around the World (sounds like a good addition for a classroom), The Wicket Chronicles Book 1 (this looks like a fun series), and the Animal Facts Flashcards...I could keep going, but I have hit the $20 limit.

And I am a follower.

Congrats Tiffany, look for my email later today!

(just fyi, I took the number of linky participants and added that to the number of commentors to get 58 entries)
Now, on to the party!!!Happy Weekend, I'm looking forward to visiting each of you... Happy Crafting!

A Few More Baskets...plus the PATTERNS!

So this was the promised third post for Thursday, it was interupted by my daughters ball game and some other family stuff...but I will work on it through out the day. Stay tuned...cuteness is coming! 

Blinged Up Easter Banner...

Was it two weeks I posted my first ever fabric banner? 

Up close and personal...

All five little pennants in a row...

If you remember that post, you'll remember that I said I'm not a huge fan of banners and bunting, well, I'm still not. But in fairness to my banner I do like it, and my girls LOVE it.

But it was sad and a little blah...okay, a lot BLAH!

So I gave it a "Bling-Lift".

I added some raffia bows in between the flags but it needed color. So I tied on another ribbon bow and while it was better, I wasn't completely happy with it.

Then I remembered these little gems...

Cheap pastel plastic eggs, made pretty by adding a layer of Mod Podge and then rolling it in some iridescent glitter.

(I drilled a hole in the end and tied a ribbon hanger when I thought it would be fun to hang these outside. Then I remembered the sprinklers and decided that probably wasn't such a great idea...)

I pulled out the ribbon hangers and replaced them with the ends of my long bows on the banner...

So much better!

 Now it has a bit more pizazz and I found a use for those sparkly eggs, (Bonus!)

Here she is all dressed up and happy...

Now, I can tell you I won't be running out to quickly replace this with a Mother's Day one, but it was fun.

And now that she sparkles, I am glad I jumped on board the banner wagon, even if it was for just a short stay!

Happy Crafting!