“Sugar & Spice, and everything nice… that’s what these cookies are made of”! Hey everyone, it’s Lu here & today I’m bringing you a cookie recipe that hopefully suits everyone (even Santa Claus)! I have such a sweet tooth & this time of year just makes it ferocious, lol! My family hosts an annual cookie exchange, so I have cookies on the brain for weeks. But, by this time in the holiday season, I am definitely looking for the “Easy” button, lol! Combine that with my lack of baking skills (I have no false modesty about this, truly I cannot bake well), I have been on the search for the “perfect” (i.e. perfectly simple) recipe that is delicious yet is not too painful for those who are a bit “challenged” in the kitchen. And this year, ya’ll, I believe I have found my dream cookie. Now, personally, my favorite cookie is the simple sugar cookie. And NOT those gorgeous cut-out, beautifully decorated kind! Don’t get me wrong, I love the way they look… but I can’t handle the stress of trying to decorate them (well, to give away, I mean). I’m doing good not to forget a vital ingredient or burn them, much less master a beautiful creation, lol!  And truly, I just prefer the taste of the more simple version of the “drop” cookie. But gingerbread cookies are what I always think of when I think of a Christmas cookie… however, like the iced sugar cookies, I have no interest in rolling them out, cutting, baking & decorating. I just want to hurry up & get to the eating, lol! So, when experimenting in the fall, I came up with a sugar/ginger cookie recipe that is tasty and easy. And that is perfect for me. The best part of this recipe (for me) is that it starts with a cookie mix! You know who I love? Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I haven’t tried many of her recipes, but I just love the concept of taking something that’s “store bought” & tweaking it to make it almost homemade. It takes out a lot of stress for me when I’m short on time, because I’m not trying to re-invent the wheel. With that in mind, I decided I’d use a box mix for sugar cookies & just add my own additional ingredients & spice.

I figured I’d satisy my desire for the “traditional” ginger cookie and my tastebuds, with the sugar cookie. But I also added an additional item… when grating the ginger root, and releasing that heavenly ginger smell, I thought how much it reminded me of lemons (which I loooooove). And, because our Meyer’s lemon tree is now producing like crazy (we’re so proud, it’s our first crop), I thought I’d throw in some lemon zest as well.  I just love the idea of my now-to-be traditional Christmas cookie having an ingredient from our back yard! Oh, I feel a scrap page coming on…! Of course, any lemon will do, lol. {A note about the Meyer’s lemon: it is very “thin skinned”. Meaning, don’t be heavy handed when you zest or you’ll also get white pith… and that is bitter}

Here is the “short but sweet” ingredient list:

• A box of your favorite sugar cookie mix
• 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (you could add more if you love lemons like I do)
• 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon of crystallized (candied) ginger
• 1 teaspoon of allspice
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
• 2-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• additional sugar (for rolling)

(I tend to go easy on spices, as I don’t want one flavor to overwhelm another. This could easily just become a ginger cookie, lol, so I put in more lemon zest & took it easy on the fresh ginger. My girls won’t eat them if they’re “too” spicey. But by all means, spice it up if you like it that way. If you omit the cinnamon, it has more of a sugar cookie look & taste).

 Directions:

•  Follow the directions on your cookie mix (additional ingredients will vary according to brand)
• Add in additional ingredients and stir until a dough forms
• Form into 1″ balls, roll in sugar to coat
• Space balls approximately 2″ apart
• Bake according to your mix instructions, until the edges are a light brown
• Let sit a minute on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cookie rack to completely cool

Now, because these cookies are so easy to make (and yummy), I knew I wanted to give them as homemade gifts. Check out these little projects I put together:

 I started with a chipboard flowerpot from a local craft store. I created a pot “wrapper”, printed out, then matched a paint color & painted the whole pot. When it was dry, I glued on the wrapper (with Mod Podge), and tied on the ribbon. I filled the pot with a round 5″ foam floral ball and added the grass. Then I set it aside to make the cookies! As soon as the cookies came out of the oven, I immediately inserted a cookie stick (available at your local craft store), appoximately 1-1/2″ into the cookie. You have to move fast or the cookie edges will harden & you won’t be able to insert the stick. Once inserted, let it sit for a minute or so on the baking sheet. Then carefully transfer to the cookie rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, I wrapped each cookie with a small clear treat bag (I bought mine in the craft section of Walmart), then tied off with a ribbon. This way, my “arrangement” will keep for a few days.  *A note: if you plan to wrap up your cookies, be mindful of how large you make them. You’ll want them to slide in easily.

For this next set, I picked up these adorable gift boxes at Target at the beginning of the holiday season, so not sure that they’re still available (I so wished I’d bought a dozen of them). This is just a matter of putting a dozen (or more) cookies into a bag and then into the box they go! So easy! To secure my package, I punched holes on the closure flaps, threaded the ribbon through them & tied off. I created a few gift tags similiar to the new Shoppe gift labels, available here. I just love these labels, they instantly provide the perfect personalized finishing touch. SP makes gift giving so charming and simple!

One final comment about cookie mixes… they do not all look the same coming out of the oven, lol. The mix that I used for my flowerpot, is not the same that I used for the boxes. I found that this gluten free sugar cookie mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen  produces a “puffier” cookie, that would allow me to insert the stick. Not only did I find them more “visually” appealing, now this arrangement will be safe for any gluten intolerances! The other brands (non-gluten free) produced a flatter cookie, which is perfect for stacking a dozen or so cookies into the box.

This was the most fun I’ve ever had baking & putting together baked gifts (and that’s saying a lot, because I’ve been at this for years). And although this recipe is almost easy enough to commit to memory (even for me, lol), I’ve created this recipe card for you. You can click HERE to download, or simply click the image below.  Hope you enjoy!

SP will be back tomorrow to fill you in on the blog’s HOLIDAY SCHEDULE, so be sure to check back then.  Also, don’t miss Kylie’s post above as we have TWO new blog posts for you today :o)  Have a wonderful weekend.

LuFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 4 Comments

Happy Monday, ya’ll (Lu here)… hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! We had such a good time with family & friends, it’s hard to get back into the routine. But one part is always fun… selecting LOTW! And wow, there were soooo many wonderful layouts in the gallery this past week! My choice for this week is mommy2two and her oh-so-precious layout, My Sleeping Baby.

This layout is so seriously sweet. Oh my, I have so felt those tender (peaceful) moments of a sleeping child, that wants nothing more than to be in their mama’s arms. Those moments just catch my breath… and mommy2two captured it so beautifully. Simply (but wonderfully) embellished, she lets the photos of  that sweet sleeping angel tell the story, but the journaling completes it. Now I could just wrap it up here, but I also want you to check out all the other awesome layouts that mommy2two shared with us this week. I loved them all, but My Sleeping Baby was truly the icing on the cake! Everything is so soft & sweet. I felt it was just perfect that she used An Affair to Remember for this memorable moment.

Congratulations, mommy2two & enjoy your $10 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe. Have a wonderful week, everyone… can’t wait to see more gorgeous layouts in the gallery this week!  Kylie will be back tomorrow with a fabulous product spotlight :)

LuLayout of the Week, Uncategorized 9 Comments

Hey everyone! It’s Lu here and… did you know it was National Game & Puzzle Week? And what a wonderful week to celebrate this, as many families gather together for Thanksgiving. There are lots of family traditions during the holiday season, and inspired by game week, I’m hoping to start a new one this year! I did a post on a checkerboard in July, but the game I really enjoy is BACKGAMMON.  I first learned how to play a few years ago when teaching my oldest daughter.  But we learned on a small travel size set & I wanted to play with something a little more comfortable. I also wanted a side table, so one thought led to another and I decided to make my own backgammon table. I started looking  online for unfinished tables, but really couldn’t find what I had in mind. I needed to take into account the game design size that I would create, and knew that it would be a rectangular shape rather than a square shape. The height of the table was something I considered as well~ I didn’t want it to be too uncomfortably low for hovering over & moving pieces.  A trip to a local “junk store”  provided me with just the perfect sized accent table. As I was planning to refinish it, I wasn’t too concerned with the appearance… it just needed to be the right size & relatively good shape! I loaded it up, brought it home & pulled out my sanding tools.

Before I go any further on the refinishing details, I’ll give a bit of info on the game itself. Each side of the game board has a “row” of 12 long triangles, called points. The object of the game is to remove all of one’s game pieces (checkers, draughts, pawns, chips, etc) before your opponent does. To ensure that I designed the game correctly, I studied my little set, as well as did an online search of game sets. It was a bit more tricky than I had imagined (it always is)… so I’d recommend starting with a small sketch first, labeling the papers, embellishments that you’d like to use. When it comes to projects of this size, it’s good to keep in mind the motto: “Plan your work & work your plan”.  There will probably be revisions, but it’s nice to have a “game plan”, lol (pun intended). Once I had my table, my overall design dimensions were set for me. And here is what I did:

First, I created my new document size considering my table dimension as well as my printer’s paper size options. The largest paper size I could print (with Fed Ex Office) was 11″ x 17″.  My table top was 15-1/2″ x 17-1/2″, so I knew I’d need to print (2) pages separately, then join together. I created my new document at 5100 x 5100. I know this sounds large, but the final step will be to create duplicates of this master working psd file, then crop in half for the top & bottom of the game “board”. It’s also a good idea to turn on your grid & snap, as well as rulers, to make sure everything is even. (Before placing even one item, remember to consider your printer’s bleed area. You do not want anything too close to that perimeter space & have it cropped off in printing).  I wanted to establish the overall size of  my game layout, so I drew out a background rectangle, sized 15-1/4″  x 17- 1/4″ (I sized it down 1/4″ overall from the table top dimension. This allows a 1/8″ perimeter of  “wiggle” room” around the entire game, for placement).   After that,  I needed to determine the height & width that I wanted to assign my twelve alternating points (triangles), as this would affect how much space I’d have for the middle & borders. I planned to use the 1″ round chips, so that pretty much determined my triangle base width. I made the base of the triangle just over 1″ and the overall height approximately 6-1/2″ , to accomodate 5-6 chips at once on one triangle. I duplicated my original triangle & changed it’s color (remember, the triangle color alternates). After that, it was just a process of duplicating & alternating the triangles until I had 12. I made sure that they all lined up (holding down the shift key when moving) & then I linked them all together (so nothing would shift as I worked). Next, I duplicated the triangle layers, rotated (flipped) vertically & moved above my bottom triangles (again, holding down the shift key to keep them aligned), then with everything still linked, rotate them horizontally. This will keep the triangle colors alternating. Then I went through the “copy triangle” layers & renamed them to “top triangles”. For me, the most difficult part is finalizing the triangles, as everything builds around them. But from here on, it’s easy-peasy!

With my triangles completed, I now knew how much space I would have for the background & borders. I drew another rectangle out, layered underneath the triangles but above the “background” rectangle. This is the “field”, so to speak, and I inset approximately 3/4″ from my background rectangle (this can vary according to your design preference). At this point, I started to layer on my papers & add embellishments. However, since my “clipping masks” were so large I needed to increase the size of my papers. I couldn’t just enlarge them, as that would cause them to print out blurry. I’m certain there are different ways to approach this, but this is one way I “enlarge” papers when doing oversized projects. First, I place my paper in one corner, then I duplicate that paper, flip it horizontally, move (holding down the shift key) & align with my original. If all looks good, I merge the two layers. Then I create another duplicate (of the now-joined papers), flip it vertically, move (hold down the shift key) & align with the bottom copy. If all is properly aligned, I then merge down again. Now I have a large piece of  “paper” that I can clip onto my field rectangle shape. I do the same thing with any other large expanses (such as the inner border & background rectangle). With your perimeter borders now determined, you can now move the triangles into their final position (keeping the top set linked together & the bottom set linked together) and clip on their papers.   As they are already in alterning  colors, it’s easy to just clip on alternating paper patterns. Basically, your board is now complete, just add  borders or embellishments until your heart’s content (staying within the background rectangle perimeter, of course). For my board,  I used a combination of Autumn Medley & Bountiful, as those kits work best with my home’s color scheme. It’s perpetually fall at my house, lol!   It’s up to you how much detail you want to give your board~ I’d say I was in the middle. Just enough detail & definition to see clearly, but not too much that the design would be a distraction. I added the “Family Traditions” tag from Autumn Medley, as I feel games are just that… a wonderful family tradition!

At this point, I save the master (well, I’d say save every 5 minutes, lol), then make a duplicate & rename it bottom. Then, duplicate this copy & rename it top. Merge visible these copies (don’t flatten yet). Now you are ready to separate them for printing. If you need to, since you merged rather than flattened, you can move your board around to line it up and use your rulers to measure. Then, draw out your crop tool around the portion you need to remove… then, delete! Remember to move the board back away from the bleed area, then flatten it & save. Now go on to the other document & delete the opposite section of the game board. Move the image away from the bleed area. Flatten & save. Now you should have (2) separate, top & bottom files to send to the printer.

Creating the chip “covers” was super easy. On a new document, I drew out a 1″ circle shape & made a copy. I then clipped on the alternating papers that I’d used for the triangles. I also layered on the circular stitch from Barefoot (resized) &  the (2) different colored flowers from Bountiful. Once I had the chips designed, I saved the master. Then I created another 11″ x 17″ document for the game pieces. I duplicated the flower “masters” & flattened them. Dragging them over to the new document, I created the 30 (or more) of each color that I would need for the game. (You need 15 chip pieces of each color, but remember, you need to do both sides of the chips). I then flattened this document for printing.

Once you’ve printed your documents, it’s just a matter of trimming! However, I put this on the backburner & turned my attention back to the table. This refinishing step is basically the same as the checkerboard post. The only thing I did differently with this project, was to use spray paint instead of a latex paint. Typically, I would not spray paint furniture, lol, but you’ll notice there is a “pierced” design on the table’s side panels. I didn’t want to fight with a brush to get in & out of these spaces, nor did I feel a small roller would be the easiest route. So, using several even spray “strokes” with the can (I practiced on cardboard first), I was able to achieve nice coverage with no drips! Just a note here: it’s a great idea to apply a primer over dark wood before your paint color. But other than that, you can follow the finishing details on this post.

After I had the refinishing complete, it was now time to apply the backgammon game to the table top. I won’t kid you: this step makes me nervous. Anytime I use glue, I get nervous, lol. (It’s very helpful to have another pair of hands, as well). Before I glued anything down, however, I made guide marks in light pencil. I just laid down the top & bottom papers,aligned & made sure there was equal spacing around the perimeter. Then I lightly drew in corner guides. I applied my adhesive (I use Mod Podge), held my breath & placed each piece within those guides. I used this neato rubber “squeadgy” to smooth out any air bubbles.  The rubber is awesome, it didn’t tear my paper! (I’ve also read that it’s a good idea to spray on an acrylic sealer prior to applying to Mod Podge to reduce wrinkles). Once everything was in place, I covered my tabletop with wax paper & then piled on some heavy books. I let it sit for several hours (although I did keep checking to make sure the air bubbles weren’t popping up). After everything had dried, I sprayed on Mod Podge clear acrylic sealer. For further protection, I had a piece of glass cut from a local glass company so that we could use the table when we weren’t playing on it.  As for the chip pieces, I also spray painted those, then applied the covers with Mod Podge. When dry, I sanded the edges. And here’s the final outcome:

And because I never can remember how to set up the table, I also created a handy little “rules” book, with a thumbnail of my gameboard. It fits nicely inside the little round box that I put together to house the game’s checkers. So convenient!

Now, I know this was a rather detailed project. But I can truly say the most difficult part is getting the game design accurate.  The most nerve-wracking part is gluing it down, lol! Just take your time & go for it! Remember, files can always be reprinted, furniture can always be sanded & repainted. Keep in mind the goal: a unique, custom piece of furniture that will also provide hours of wonderful family time.  But whether or not you take on this project, try to fit in some “game time” this weekend! And if you’d like to learn more about backgammon,  you can read about it here.

Thanks for checking out my project & I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! See you back on Monday for LOTW!

LuHybrid Projects, Uncategorized 13 Comments

 Hello everyone! It’s Lu for today’s Product Spotlight & I’ve been looking forward to this one for months! With this being the week of  Thanksgiving in the United States, I felt Bountiful was the perfect kit to highlight. I love the rich earth tones & rustic charm. I especially love the gorgeous floral stamped alpha, the beautiful pumpkin digi-rubons, the whimsical birds & owl, and as always, the swirls are just fabulous (my favorite elements in a kit). Okay, I guess I just love it all, lol! And there is a lot to love…

I like to send “thank you” cards & what better time to send a note of gratitude? Here is a card I created using Bountiful and the word art from the Word Whimsy Autumn Collection.

But I couldn’t stop with just a card! I was so happy with how it turned out, that I “scraplifted” it, lol! Here is a layout that I also created with this lovely kit (word art is also from the Word Whimsy Autumn Collection):

And here is a some added inspiration from our talented Shabby Artists: 

There are abounding beautiful possibilities, lol!  Bountiful is on sale this week for only $3.71, so don’t miss it! It’s definitely a “must have” for all those gorgeous fall photos! Check back in tomorrow for SP’s next “Gallery Girls” post~ I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about our next featured scrapper! And I’ll see you back on Friday for a hybrid project with this beautiful kit. Until then, Happy Scrappin’!

LuProduct Spotlight, Uncategorized 7 Comments

Hey everyone, it’s Lu today with a hearty chili recipe! I have to tell you, my family waits all year for this recipe, lol! We enjoy it so much, it’s delicious for so many different events: football games, cook-offs, and yes, right before trick or treating! In all the excitement of costumes & candy, the little ones (and even the adults) can easily forget about eating “real” food & just fill up on all that sugar. And that would be truly frightful, lol! My tactic is to fill those little tummies first on a decent meal, then maybe they won’t gorge too much on the candy. I can try anyway, lol! What I love so much about chili is that you can make it well in advance, freeze, then pull out to defrost & warm up before heading out for the fun. I’ve always found these saucy- type recipes even better the next day!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2lbs lean ground beef
• 1 lbs lean ground pork
•  lb ground sausage (regular flavor)
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 can green chili peppers
• 4 cans (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can of each: pinto, light red kidney & red beans (rinsed & drained)
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chili powder
1 tsp salt
• Optional: add 1-2 tbsp. Cayenne pepper

(As a note with the spices, tweak these according to taste. Little ones may not appreciate the heat and you certainly wouldn’t want to give them a stomach ache before they even get to the candy) 

Directions:

• In large Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, pork & sausage. Drain off the fat.
• Add in the onions, bell pepper, oregano, sugar, spices. Combine the ingredients, simmer covered on medium low heat for 1 hour or until vegetables are reduced down into meat mixture. Stir often (I set a timer for every 5 minutes, lol). Add a bit of water as needed if mixture gets dry.
• Add diced tomatoes, green chilis, sauce & beans. Cook covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 30 minutes.

That’s it! Super easy… spoon it up, then layer on the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream & chips (my family prefers Fritos, but I like corn tortillas). For me, the best part of this recipe is that you can turn it into another meal the next day: taco salad! Just chop up your salad & then spoon over the chili… YUM! This is actually my preferred way of eating this dish.

I’ve created a FREE recipe card to share (I worked with a template from the MADE FROM SCRATCH recipe card templates at the Shoppe), available for download HERE or just click the card graphic above.  Hope you enjoy the recipe! Have a FUN and SAFE Halloween, we’ll be looking for those layouts in the gallery!

SP will be back tomorrow with November’s FREE DESKTOP…and then, meet us back here on Monday for LOTW…

LuFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 7 Comments