Friday, December 26, 2014

Gifts inspired by Pinterest quotes

Another Pinterest inspired post!

I have LOTS of boards and one of my favorites is my QUOTES board. Check it out by clicking on the link.

So, I thought I would create Christmas gifts for my nephew and 3 nieces.
I had a LOT of quotes to choose from and decided on these.

I just printed them up, framed them for them to hang up in their rooms for inspiration, and hopefully make them smile everyday!



What is your FAVORITE quote?

Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Had a great vendor faire!!

Once again I was at a vendor faire at work, and this is the first time I was without my mom selling her lovely scarves.
Here is a picture from a few years ago.
This was from last year.  I sure do miss her.  She took great pride in her scarves and loved that everyone looked forward to them every year.
This was our table this year, I shared it with my BFF Cynthia.
I think I over compensated and crafted like crazy.  I made 72 snowman candy bars.
Here is a close up look.
 Smarties
 Peanut M&M's

Peppermint Patty Snowmen
I'm so glad that I invited Cynthia to sit with me.  She brought her lovely origami crane ornaments and beaded ornaments.  She folded 1000 cranes with real Japanese paper (paper from Japan) in honor of her mother's passing years ago.  Because she is a beader, she incorporated some of her lovely beads and with her eye for color, she makes these beautiful ornaments.  

This year she expanded to crane mobiles with 3, 5, 7 or more cranes.

Here are her beaded ornaments.  She used a needle, thread, seed beads, and bugle beads to make the nets, then colored glass beads to make the dangles.
Aren't the BEAUTIFUL? 

Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Sunday, December 14, 2014

2 Successful baking days!! Some recipes included below!

I love baking, but I TRULY LOVE baking with friends even MORE!!  I was lucky to have 2 FABULOUS days of baking with Cynthia and Leanne this year.
On day 1, we did Andes Mint cookies, Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Thumbprint Jam cookies, and Stain glass cookies.
The Andes Mint cookies are one of my favorite cookies to make.  It is a chocolate cookie and when you take the cookies out of the oven, you immediately place an Andes Mint on top.  You wait for the mint to turn glossy and then use it to "frost" your cookie.  It then becomes a frosting for the cookie. So YUMMY!!
Andes Mint Cookies
3/4 cups butter
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups flour
1-3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
84 mints
Heat butter, sugar and water in a large saucepan over low, heat until butter is melted.  Add chocolate chips and stir until chips are partially melted.  Remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.  Let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Reduce speed of mixer to low and add flour, baking soda and salt, beating just until blended.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  By heaping teaspoonfuls form dough into balls.  Bake 9-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately place mint on cookie.  Swirl mint while warm to frost cookie.  Makes 6 dozen.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoon milk
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Additional sugar (optional)
  1. Heat oven to 375.  Remove wrappers from chocolates.
  2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.  Add 1/3 sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll in sugar; place onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.  Makes about 48 cookies.
Snickerdoodles
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon in a separate dish.  Drop and coat spoonfuls of dough into cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 72 cookies.

On day 2, we made what we called "Pinkerdoodles."  They were snickerdoodles, but we just didn't roll them in cinnamon and sugar and used the Peppermint Andes mints.
We also made Peanut Butter Cup cookies, Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread, and Ginger Cookies.
Here are the Pinkerdoodles:
We used the peppermint Andes instead of the regular Andes


Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
1-3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softeed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Preheat oven to 375.  In a small bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.  In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk.  Slowly add the flour mixture; mix well ( at this point you can store the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the cookies).  Shape the dough into approximately 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball.  Cool and carefully remove from pan; the chocolate will be runny for several hours.
Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Makes approximately 30 bars (note: Rice flour gives the shortbread a tender, crumbly texture, but cornstarch can be substituted if necessary)
2-1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tbsp super fine sugar (see note)
6 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or butterscotch chips
3/4 cup toffee bits, such as Heath or Skor
Preheat the oven to 325.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 inch metal baking pan.  (If using a glass baking dish, lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.) Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1 inch overhang on each to allow for easy removal.
Sift the all-purpose flour, rice flour, and salt together and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a paddle attachment (or with an electric had mixer), beat butter on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add both sugars and cream them with the butter until the mixture is very light and fluffy (almost like whipped cream), approximately 2-3 more minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until completely incorporated.  Add the chocolate chips and toffee bits and stir until they are evenly distributed.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, pressing firmly to distribute it evenly.  (Work quickly so the warmth of your hands doesn't melt the butter.) Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.  Prick the dough all over with a fork.
Bake the shortbread for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and prick again to release any trapped air.  Bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes according to texture preference-less time will yield a more tender, crumbly cookie; longer and it will be more firm.
Allow the pan to cool on a wire rack for 7 to 8 minutes.  Using a sharp knife, slice the shortbread lengthwise into three even sections, wiping the knife clean after each cut.  Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue cutting the shortbread crosswise into 3/4 to 1-inch wide rectangles.  Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan.
Carefully remove the shortbread to a cutting board.   Re-slice the pieces the pieces to separate.  Store shortbread in an airtight container in a dark place. 
Note:  Regular granulated sugar can be processed in a food processor or high powered blender until a superfine texture is reached.

ENJOY!!
 
Thank you for checking in! 
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Sunday, November 30, 2014

What I do because of the drought in California!!

Hello there, since I am a Californian native, this is not my first (RODEO) drought.
So, this is my contribution to this water shortage.  Before my shower and after I flush the toilet, I put my shower head into the toilet tank to fill it.  
That way, I don't waste the water that is normally going down the drain while warming up, and I still get water to flush the toilet.  
This is what it looks like:
 If you can't visualize it, this is the whole picture.  See how the shower head reaches the toilet tank?  
I know that it's just a little contribution to the drought, by not allowing water just to go down the drain.  
What are you doing during this drought?

Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Name banner using envelopes

I have a TON of envelopes from a friend, Carrie, who was getting rid of them.  I was inspired to make one for a friend's daughter.  Surprise for Alex!! =)

When I showed it to another friend, Shelley, she asked me to make it for her son's roommate's twins.  I had her choose the paper and created this:

I decided to alternate the letters this time.  What do you think?

All you do is connect the envelopes by licking the flap and connecting them together.  Then, you add the decorative paper and die cut the letters.  It was a little more challenging since I had to remember what side I needed to cut out the letters out of. I made a gift before with larger envelopes and made one with my nephew and nieces spelling out the word L-O-V-E

If anyone needs a banner, I'm ready to create them for you!!
Email me the name, and up to 3 colors (I'll do my best to have the colors you request) and I'll create a banner for you!


Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Had a great event with my fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrators!


Hello!
I had a great day with around 25 other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators today for an event we call Stamp-A-Rama. 

We also had a special guest, Carrie Cudney from the Stampin' Up! home office.  She did a great presentation about the Project Life album.  I learned that the you can get the 6X8 album and get 12 pages that hold the special pockets.  

That is PERFECT for albums for the first year for a baby.  Usually the mini albums you get only have 10 pages and that is never enough for the baby's First Year.
Now I need to order some albums and pocket pages.  Sounds like my NEXT project!  If you are interested, click on the links below to order from me.

Okay, back to the meeting, we come together and have a FANTASTIC day of stamping. 
Here is my card.  It is a Center Step card. I got the template from Laura Lipe
 And here is the side view.
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Another Successful craft faire with my BFF Cynthia!!

My BFF Cynthia and I get a table at the Fairfield Senior Center Craft Faire every year.
We split the extra long table they give us and put our creations out for sale.  This is my side.
 Cynthia makes these LOVELY beaded ornaments.  Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?
 She also makes these GORGEOUS beaded Origami crane ornaments.  She made 1,000 cranes in honor of her mother after her mother passed.  Then, since she also beads, she decided to use these and created these ornaments.


I made these snowman using fleece, and a little jingle bell and a Hershey's chocolate bar.  I sold out of these.
 I also had a display of Christmas cards on a potato chip display stand I got on clearance at  Target.
 I decided to finally use my 1" X 8" cello bags to make these Reindeer Candy, I think the next round will have Smarties and Twizzlers in them.  
 I also sold out of these snowmen tealights.
Yay!!  Another successful craft faire and I got some quality time with my BFF!!

Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Triangle Star card with 12 X 12 measurements

Remember when I made a Triangle Star card  with a 6 X 6 paper? Here is the tutorial for a 12 X 12 cardstock.  
First cut of the top at 1-5/8"


Then, mark the center of the top of the paper at 6" with a pencil.
Cut from the mark you made to the bottom corners to make a triangle.
Fold one side in half to find the middle
 Bring the opposite corner to the middle you just found
 Fold and repeat on remaining 2 sides
 This is what you get
 Mark 2" from the center on all 3 sides
 Score at your mark, NOT at 2", repeat on remaining 2 sides
 Then, fold IN on the first (outside) score line, and then fold OUT on the second (inside) score line.
 Repeat on remaining 2 sides
 Then, once they are all folded, tuck in the last flap under the first flap to close your card.
Finished card closed:
 Finished card opened:
 To simulate the flowers on the paper, I decided to duplicate it, so first I punched it out with the 1-3/4" scallop circle punch.
 Then, I used a post-it to secure the punched out circle, so I can punch it again.
 You lined up the punched circle so the punch cuts into the paper like this:
 Wellah!  The punch now looks like the flower on the designer paper.

Thank you for checking in!
Sharon Lim
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator #54149
Rubber Stamps and Accessories including Scrapbooking 

email: sharonitwithyou@gmail.com
cell: (707)486-3500