Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our house to yours....have a beautiful Holiday!

WHCC

These are the Rep Card offered by WHCC.  A number of times I have been asked for my business card, but had nothing to offer.  So, finally, I put one together using photoshop.  I knew it had to be cute, and I wanted it to reflect my personality, as well as show some of my work.


This is the result.  I love it.  I printed these using the pearl finish, and I love the look of it.   I totally won't be embarrased to give these little babies out.


The cost?  $12.00 for 50.  I know it is a little steep, but I think it is reasonable for me.  Of course, if you are printing more, the cost is less per card.  If you are looking for a unique business card, or unique cards, wedding announcements and more, check out whcc.com.

Artisan Bread, wheat style

Today I made creamy chicken noodle soup for the teachers at my kids elementary school.  I made enough for our family tonight, but we definitely needed a starch to accompany it.  We are trying to be healthy, so I thought maybe grinding wheat and making 100% wheat artisan bread.

Grinding the wheat was fun, Noah hasn't seen me do that since he has been old enough to get excited about it.  He loved it, he kept wanting to watch those little wheat berries get ground to bits.  Then came the mixing of ingredients.....let's just say, this was a much less wet mixture than with white flour.

As you can see, Noah liked the mixing the ingredients too.   He really wanted to get as dirty as possible.  I tried to keep him out of the dough, but finally gave up, and just gave him a small portion of the dough to call his own.

And this is how they turned out.  The master recipe can be found here.  I used 12 cups wheat flour, and 1 cup regular white flour.  These loaves were a little more dense than usual, but they were still yummy!

Merry Christmas

My family has discovered Kid History.  This is episode 7, the Christmas Episode, and I had to share it with you.    If you like, check out the rest of the kid history's, they are hilarious.  We quote them quite often in our home, and they are a source of lots of funny joy.  


I hope your Christmas season is going well.  Things are moving along pretty well here.  I have been busy working on many Christmas cards for friends and friends of friends.  I am happy to say I just completed my last card.  The shopping is all done, and the gifts are all wrapped and under the tree. Do you think now I can go to the sewing room?  We can only hope.  I have tons of fun designs dancing in my head, waiting to come out.  Wish me luck.


Merry Christmas.

Digital Card Tutorial

Using digital cards is really fun and easy.  I have provided three free Christmas cards for you all to use as you will. There is a new one this year, Blessed.  Anyway, back to the tutorial.

Download here.

1.  Download the .png file from the website.  This is more than just copying it from my blog, you must download the file as a .png for it to work for you.


2.  Use a program that work with a .png file.  I use Photoshop, but PSE works too, as well as picasa and paint.


3.  The cards are like physical layers, imagine you are really scrapbooking.   Put your photos beneath the .png overlay.    You can change the order of your photos and the card by dragging the side bar (as shown in the illustration below).

4.  Once you have completed your cards, upload them to costco.com,  (upload them at the slower speed), and then print.

The internet is a great resource.  I have learned the majority of my photoshop skills from researching it on the internet.  If you have questions, play on google, be patient.  Ask friends, ask me, ask on internet forums, ....there are some great resources out there.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas.

I have changed this card to be blank where the year is.  You can simply use the type tool to add the year to the card.  I typed mine in white, an then changed the opacity a bit.

Here's the link for the above card.

Here's the link for this card.

This time of year...

I always forget how incredibly busy November is.  For me, it almost feels busier than December.  How is that?    There are family pictures to take, christmas cards to make for our own familly, and Christmas cards to make for others.  There are neighbor gifts to plan, and make, and sweat over. 

Plus, for me, November is a crazy time for my calling (Stake Primary Music Leader).  A new year means new music, new training for the ward choristers, and going to all the wards Primary Programs in our stake.  So wonderful, and a little busy.  Luckily, we just finished making our Christmas gifts for all the wards, and my gifts for the music leaders are half finished.  Should I be sewing those now instead of writing on this blog?  
Don't understand what I am talking about: go to mormon.org

All this to say....this time of year is busy.  We are all preparing for the end of the year.  Closing out this year, and beginning new projects, giving gifts, and being grateful for all we have.  It's an awesome time of year isn't it?  Maybe you need a little ME time.  Perhaps you would like to immerse yourself in fabric, thread, and a new pattern?  If you aren't too busy doing all the crazy things that happen in November...maybe you can join me in a little ME time.

 ARE YOU TOO BUSY?  If you have a couple hours to spare, would you like to JOIN me?  I am lecturing and teaching a class for the Green Valley Quilters guild on Nov. 18 (lecture) and November 19 (class).  If you can join us, you TOTALLY should.  Here is the guilds website.  They meet at the American Legion building at 

1560 W. Duval Mine Rd., Green Valley, AZ

The class is at Friends in Deed

301 W. Camino Casa Verde

I will be teaching my Dripping Diamonds quilt starting at 9 a.m.  We are going to have a BLAST!   If you would like to take the class, please contact Green Valley Quilt Guild, and they can set you up.  See you soon.

Happy Halloween!!!

Here's hoping your Halloween was as awesome as Pooh Bears!

Now onto the ....Holidays.  I'm in the middle of working on gifts for friends, neighbors, church friends, family, and working on the second book.  I have no idea if the second book thing will happen, because life is well....FULL.  Happily, and awesomely.....FULL.

Full of JOY!