…enjoy the simple things…

Have you sent out your Christmas cards yet? No? Me either! But I am working on getting them ready…

This is a great layout for making a lot of cards assembly-line style. And it’s a good reminder to enjoy the simple things of the season. ðŸ™‚

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Stamp the snowman (sm. Harry from PrintWorks) 3 times with black ink on white card stock, trim, and layer to light blue card stock. Emboss a panel of white card stock with a snowflake embossing folder. (This one is from Stampin’ Up but it is no longer available. This Softly Falling embossing folder from them would work great, too!) Attach the panel to a white card. Stamp sentiment (from Pink Ink Stamp Co.) with light blue ink on the bottom of the card. Attach snowmen with foam tape.

I’m happy to say the this card is published in the Take Ten Winter 2017 issue by Stampington & Company that just hit the newsstands this week. ðŸ™‚

Wishing you the simple joys of the season…

Anita

 

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Pumpkin Bread

Thanksgiving is over, but this Pumpkin Bread is so good that you will want to make it for all of your festivities between now and the new year!!

It’s very simple to make and you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin purée. We are partial to fresh pumpkin, but I’ve also made it with canned pumpkin and it is just as yummy. 🙂

Here’s a thick, warm slice with a little butter melting into it…Oh My!!!

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Pumpkin Bread

  • 5 cups flour
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 4 cups pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (we like pecans)
  • 1 cup raisins or chopped dates (we like raisins)
  • 4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pans generously with nonstick spray. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. (I do this in my 5-quart Kitchen Aid mixer.) Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Then remove from pans and finish cooling on cooling racks.

Here are a couple of loaves ready to go into the oven…

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They smell heavenly fresh from the oven…

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This recipe makes a lot of Pumpkin Bread! I made three loaves in a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 pan and one loaf in an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 pan. Of course you could cut the recipe in half, but why would you do that?!?! It freezes beautifully – just wrap it tightly in foil after it has cooled completely and pop it in a freezer bag.

You can also make little individual loaves that would make great Christmas gifts! Just make sure to adjust your baking time – I would check it after 25 to 30 minutes. Wrap it in foil with a pretty ribbon or put it in one of those cute boxes you can find in the baking section of your favorite craft store.

I hope you enjoy this yummy Pumpkin Bread!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

 

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Crocheted Addison Hat

I shared this Crocheted V-Stitch Scarf earlier this week. I wanted to make a matching hat and found this great free pattern for the Addison Hat on Pinterest. It is worked in shells and v-stitch so it goes perfectly with my v-stitch scarf.

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I used the same Red Heart Soft Yarn in Really Red that I used for the scarf. I wanted to add a flower so I used the flower from the pattern to the Crochet Cloche Hat. (I made a couple of those hats that you can see in this post.) After I attached the button, I sewed a safety pin on the back so the flower can be removed if desired.

Both the scarf and the hat work up quickly – they make great Christmas gifts!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

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Crocheted V-Stitch Scarf

Is the weather getting chilly where you live? We are finally getting a nip in the air in Alabama – especially in the evenings. Time to get out the scarves! ðŸ™‚

This is one of my favorite go to patterns for a quick and easy scarf. This time I used Red Heart Soft Yarn in Really Red with an H hook. I used a little more than a skein (each skein is 5 ounces/256 yards) and my finished scarf is about 6 1/2 inches wide and 60 inches long – but you can make yours any length you’d like! It’s worked in a V stitch so it really does work up very quickly.

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Here’s the pattern:

Chain 35 loosely.

Row 1 – Double crochet in 4th chain from hook. (3 skipped chains count as a double crochet). *Skip 2 chains. Double crochet, chain one, double crochet (V-stitch) in next chain.* Repeat from * to* across until last 4 chains. Skip 2 chains. Double crochet in final 2 chains. Turn. (9 V-stitches and 2 double crochet at each end)

Row 2 – Chain 3 (counts as double crochet). Skip first double crochet. Double crochet in next double crochet. Work V-stitch in chain-one space. Repeat V-stitch across to last 2 double crochet. Double crochet in last 2 double crochet. Turn.

Repeat Row 2 to desired length. Fasten off and weave in ends.

I used this same pattern to make an infinity scarf you can see here. This is one of those “mindless” patterns that is great to work on while watching your favorite movie or TV show. ðŸ™‚

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

 

Posted in Crochet, Gifts, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Thankful for You

There’s still time to make this quick card and get it in the mail in time for Thanksgiving!

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Stamp the owl (I found this one on clearance at Hobby Lobby) with black ink on white card stock. Color with Copic markers and trim. Attach to a circle punched from brown card stock with foam tape. Die cut a pierced circle from orange card stock (die is from MFTStamps Pierced Circle Stax) and attach to owl image. 

Emboss a panel of green card stock with the Cable Knit embossing folder from Taylored Expressions. Attach ribbon to panel and tie the ribbon with orange twine. Attach the embossed panel to a dark orange card. Attach owl image over ribbon with foam tape.

Stamp sentiment (from the Bountiful Owl set by Unity Stamp Company) with brown ink on white card stock. Punch out with an oval punch and ink the edges with brown ink. Attach to card and add 3 dew drops to finish the card.

So thankful for all of you!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

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Pumpkins for Sale

Fall is just full of so many wonderful things – especially pumpkins! Here’s a fun card that you can use for Thanksgiving or just to say hello.

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I stamped the pumpkin wagon (from Pink Ink Stamp Co.) with brown ink on white card stock. The image is colored with Copic markers. I lightly sponged blue ink on the background and a little tan ink towards the bottom of the panel, then layered the image to brown card stock. I stamped the sentiment (also from Pink Ink Stamp Co.) with orange ink on white card stock, punched it with a label punch, and inked the edges with orange ink. I punched another label from brown card stock, cut it in half, and layered it behind the stamped label so the edges peeked out. This label punch is a discontinued one from Stampin’ Up, but they have a similar one here, or you can just use any punch or die that will fit the size of the stamp.

I embossed a panel of orange card stock with the Scattered Leaves embossing folder from Taylored Expressions. I absolutely love her embossing folders! They give such deep, clean lines when embossing – I can’t recommend them enough!!! I tied the panel with orange ribbon and tied a little piece of twine around the knot. The panel is attached to a brown card. I attached the label to the pumpkin wagon and then attached the piece to the card with foam tape.

I hope you are enjoying all the wonderful things of Fall!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

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Thankful For Friends

The new Cookie Cutter stamps and matching Cookie Cutter Builder punch from Stampin’ Up are just so cute!! They also have a set with Christmas images.

Here’s a card using the sweet scarecrow image. Send this card to friends to let them know how thankful you are for them.

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Stamp the scarecrow with brown ink on white card stock. Color the image with Copic markers, punch out, and attach to a brown card stock oval with foam tape. To make the background, stamp a leaf image (mine is an old stamp from Rubber Stampede – use any leaf stamp you have) with brown and orange ink randomly on white card stock. Attach stamped panel to orange card stock, attach ribbon, and attach the panel to a brown card.

Stamp the sentiment (from the Bountiful Owl set from Unity Stamp Company) with orange ink on white card stock and punch out with a label punch. (This is a discontinued punch from Stampin’ Up, but you can use any punch or die that you have in the same way.) Punch another label from orange card stock, cut it in half, and layer it behind the stamped sentiment. Attach the scarecrow and the sentiment to the card with foam tape.

So thankful for the sweet friends I’ve been blessed with!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

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Pumpkin Pie Card

I fell in love with this simple Pumpkin Pie Card the first time I saw it last year! I finally made my own card inspired by the genius idea of making the pie using punches.

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I punched a circle of orange card stock, lightly inked the edges with brown ink, and layered it to a scalloped circle punched from white card stock. Then I cut a small wedge from the piece to mimic a slice of pie. I punched another scalloped circle from brown card stock and attached both sections of the pie, offsetting the scallops so the brown peeks out behind the white.(It’s kind of hard to see in the picture, but you can see the brown around the slice of pie.)

Emboss a piece of lighter brown card stock with the Dotted Lattice embossing folder from Taylored Expressions and attach it to a white card. Stamp sentiment from the Bountiful Owl set from Unity Stamp Company on white card stock with orange ink. Punch out with the Decorative Label Punch from Stampin’ Up. Punch another label from orange card stock, cut it in half horizontally, and layer behind stamped label. Attach both the pie and the sentiment to the card with foam tape.

This is such a fun idea – I’m sure glad that Sweet Pea Bunny thought of it and shared it with the rest of us!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Cards, Fall, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Hello Fall…

So even though it has been officially Fall for a while, it sure hasn’t felt like it in Alabama!! But it is finally here…Hello Fall. 🙂

I found this little pumpkin plaque on clearance at my local craft store. Such a bargain at 59 cents – I couldn’t pass it up! The stain on the plaque is quite dark as you can see in the photo, but I knew if I brought it home with me I could figure out something to do with it. 😊

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I decided to lighten it up a bit with some white chalk paint. I painted 2 thin coats, leaving some of the dark stain peeking through. Then I lightly sponged the edges with brown ink. 

I found the chipboard “hello” in the scrapbook section of the craft store. It is painted with turquoise chalk paint and then lightly sponged with brown ink. Then I simply glued it to the pumpkin along with a couple of fall leaves and a ribbon bow.

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A sweet little Fall hello….

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

 

Posted in Decor, Fall, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Crochet Pumpkin Coasters

It’s November! Where has the year gone?!?! The pumpkin season is in full swing and Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away.🦃

These cute pumpkin coasters will add a little touch of whimsy to your Thanksgiving table. They work up quickly using worsted weight yarn. I used I Love This Cotton Yarn from Hobby Lobby to stitch up my coasters.

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The quick and easy pattern is from IraRott Designs and can be found HERE – and it’s free! You’ll be able to crochet several of these in just an evening.

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Aren’t they just adorable? 🙂  Stitch up a few of these now before things get too busy!

Thanks for stopping by.

Anita

Posted in Crochet, Fall, Gifts, Uncategorized | 3 Comments