Just another day in Paradise...?

Well, not so much as the weather has not been great today. Woke up to rain this morning and it continued off and on most of the day. In between the showers it was like a steam bath outside, so I was forced ( darn...;D ) to stay in all day and play with my stamps. What's a girl to do???

This is one of the cards I will be doing with my card club in July. I wanted to show them a card using only cardstock and stamping. I did add a little glitter for some bling. Don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the hibiscus in the middle actually extends out from the fold. This was made using the "Extreme Happiness" stamp set from Close to my Heart. Hope you like it!

A Day on the Water

I hope all the Dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day. My husband and I joined his cousins for a boating trip and picnic. It seemed to be a popular choice for an outing, as the waterways were filled with boaters heading for the best spots to anchor for the afternoon. We had a great time enjoying the beautiful beaches, good food and friendship. I can't wait to scrapbook the memories of the day.

I thought I would share the recipe for the cake I made as everyone seemed to really enjoy it.

Pineapple Pecan Cake

2 cups sugar or I prefer 1 cup of Splenda baking blend

2 cups all purpose flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz.) with juice

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine first five ingredients. Mix well and stir in nuts. Bake in 13 x 9 ungreased pan, at 350 for 40 - 45 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Slowly add sugar. Frost cake and enjoy!

I thought I would share a little about how I started stamping and papercrafting...
My first introduction to stamping was in the late 80's. While visiting friends in the Carolina's we went to a little craft village and found a store selling handmade cards. They were beautiful works of art. The lady in the shop gave a demonstration using heat embossing and I was hooked! I bought my supplies and started making cards. I still can't believe that I used to heat my embossing powder over a light bulb! Never heard of a heat gun until years later.
About 15 years ago, I was introduced to scrapbooking by my cousin and quickly found another craft to love. I have always enjoyed learning my family's history and loved to take pictures, so scrapbooking was a natural fit.
My daughter introduced me to Close to my Heart, after she was invited to a friend's Home Gathering. She came home saying, "Mom, you're gonna love this!". Boy, was she right. The variety and quality of the products, made me want them all. I quickly began attending as many workshops as I could with my consultant and enjoyed every minute.
My decision to become a consultant has been a great one! It has afforded me the opportunity to be creative, meet some wonderful people and have lots of fun!

Starting the Journey

Well, I've decided to jump aboard the blogging train. But, I am thinking that my first stop may have to be at a book store. Does anyone know if there is a "Blogging for Dummies" book in print? Anyway, I hope you will come along for the ride. We will take the slow, scenic route; as we " make time for the memories".