A Happy and Sad New Years

Hello Blogsilvania and particularly people visiting here from Pixel Scrapper. Sci-Fi Scrapbooking kit now available here.

At our house, we replaced our New Years Eve celebration with a memorial service for my mother-in-law, Norma who passed away this weekend.

Norma Leah
July 7, 1921 - December 29, 2018

She was 97, so she did have a long and full life.

Rest in peace, Norma.

Here is the free download for the Pixel Scrapper January 2019 Blog Train. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2019. Click here or on the picture to download. (Free download has expired. This is now available in my Here on Etsy).

Happy Hanukkah Blogsilvania

Hello digital scrapbooking world! My Hanukkah kit can now be found here.

But of course, in order to download, you have to scroll past a couple Thanksgiving pictures. That's just the rules. If I go through all the hassle to make a post, there have to be pictures involved:

Now that you've seen the requisite photos, click HERE or on the preview to download. (Free download has expired. This can now be found at my TPT Store for next to nothing. Also known as $3).

For once in my life (or actually the five months I've been doing this) I actually like my own kit well enough to use it. Hopefully I've done all the links and stuff right to get it to you!

Enjoy people!

And thanks Pixel Scrapper for offering this blog train! Find the rest of the blog train here!

A Coloring Sheet for Chanukah and Hanukkah and let's not forget Hannukka or Hannukah.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

These days the influx of candy and sweets comes even before the actual birthday parties. As an invitation to a party a girl in the Head of Demolition's class gave out lollipops almost as big as her head. Of course she ate it in one sitting. Because her mom is old and lazy.

I've been working on this for Pixel Scrapper's December blog train and it will be up on or around December 1. (It's actually up and back down but can be purchased here for a measly two bucks).

Meanwhile, here's a free downloadable coloring sheet using more or less the same elements. Click here or on the picture to download:

Squirrel Creek Stew. (Also known as chili.)

It’s been over two years years since I posted a recipe and suddenly I remembered why. I just spent half my morning trying to make chili (officially called stew) look pretty.

Chili does NOT like to look pretty!

It's time consuming to fight chili’s heartfelt desire to look like glop. You can not put it into a pretty little circle like rice or add a scattering of blueberries like with tres leches cake.

Reluctant modeling career aside, the chili/stew itself is delicious. My Aunt Lynne gave me the recipe years ago. I wish I had asked her where it came from but my attempts to research it just gave me recipes for actual squirrel. Plus now Pinterest wants to show me recipes for venison. I guess Pinterest figures one wild animal tastes as good as the next.

Here's the "stew" which bears a suspicious resemblance to chili, as pretty as I can make it. As you can see, I used shredded cheese to cover some of the chili's flaws:

And here's the recipe -

Squirrel Creek Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground turkey or beef (I used a half and half)
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can corn
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can or 16 oz chicken broth
4 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 teaspoons dried chives
2 teaspoons dill
4 teaspoons garlic powder
4 teaspoons dried onion flakes
4 teaspoons onion powder
4 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup dried powdered buttermilk
sour cream as garnish

(All canned goods 14 to 15 ounces except Rotel tomatoes. Rotel tomatoes are 10 ounces.)

Directions:

Brown meat with onion and garlic. Drain fat. Drain liquid from cans and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Serve in a bowl topped with sour cream.

To adjust for instant pot follow instructions but substitute high pressure 10 minutes for simmering. Allow pot to natural release.

Digital Scrapbooking Shabbat Set and Glip Glop

Hello people! Shabbat Set digital scrapbooking set now available here.

Here it has been six years and the Head of Demolition just now figured out that lip gloss is not called "glip glop". She's not entirely sure what it IS called but it's either glip gloss or lip glop. Far be it from me to weigh in on this debate.

Now, as if there weren't few enough people in the world who scrapbook digitally, I have made a Shabbat set for this month's Pixel Scrapper blog train.

I'm certain there must be at least three people in the world who can use it. And if it's you, I would love to hear about it in the comments just because.

Please download here OR click on the preview photo. (Free download has expired. This is available at my TPT store)

Dinosaurs - Get 'Em While They're Hot! Or Free. Or Something. Anyway they're downloadable and free for at least all of October.

The free download has expired but is available very reasonably here. 

If you came here for the free downloadable scrapbooking kit you have to look at the happy kindergartener first:

That's just the way it is. We're all pretty pleased with how kindergarten is turning out. Except for the 7:30 am start time. We could live without that part.

Meantime, who knew I could draw an actual dinosaur? These felt elements are very forgiving that way. You can download the kit  here or by clicking on the preview for at least all of October 2018. (Free download has expired. This is available on Etsy)

Probably I should have considered a few non-dinosaury elements for those who just liked this month's color choices but...this is only my third time making a kit so what do I know? Hope you enjoy and that it works the first time for a change!

Get a bunch more free downloads with the "I Dig It" theme at this month's Pixel Scrapper Blog Train!

Cozy Kitchen Scrapbooking Kit

Hello Pixel Scrapper visitors! Plus anyone else who has accidentally found his or her way here. The free digital download has expired and is now offered very reasonably here.

In fact, if I offered it any more reasonably, I'd pretty much have to pay Etsy for you to take it. But whatever. I was just starting out when I made this one so I figure it should be a bargain.

I am awfully proud of myself for having produced my second ever blog train contribution for Pixel Scrapper! But first, I can't blog without a picture of the Head of Demolition. 

The big news around here is that this kid has up and gone to kindergarten!

Uniform and all! This free scrapbook kit has expired but is now available in an Etsy shop for next to nothing!

Happy scrapping everyone!

I'm a Pixel Scrapper Person Now

Hello people! I bet you thought this blog was dead as a doornail, didn't you? But it's only dying and I am now slightly reviving it in order to host my contribution to Pixel Scrapper's blog train.

But first, I can't make a blog post without pictures, so here's one from our recent trip to Vermont. Once the Head of Demolition realized that people could actually survive without air conditioning, she was all over these rocks, as if she had lived in Vermont her entire life and wasn't a tried and true city girl:

Anyway so back to the blog train. This month's theme is "Kids Ahead". I created my first ever scrapbooking kit in order to participate. I'm hoping I now have it cleaned up enough to be useful.

This free download has expired but will be available again one day if I ever set up an Etsy shop!

Head to this Pixel Scrapper thread in order to download other kits from people who actually know how to design stuff and aren't just experimenting.

Summertime and the living is...with guinea pig

Hello Blogsilvania!

As many times as I have left this blog to flounder, I'm apparently not ready to leave it for dead just yet.

See? Here's a picture of the Head of Demolition with our foster guinea pig. The animal has been staying here two weeks and leaves today. The kid has been here a little over six years now.

But that's not why I'm really posting. I'm posting because I'm participating in Pixel Scrapper's blog train for August. So I'm hosting a preview of my contribution here for the theme Kids Ahead.

Never mind that I've never made scrapbooking paraphernalia from scratch in my life. Quality schmality. Or something like that. This will be posted on August 1st for your free download. Right after I figure out how to zip it up and where to host it, that is.

So here's what's coming up for August:

That's about it around here! (Now available here)

Why Moms Can't Get to Costco. Or anywhere else for that matter. At least this mom can't.

I just wanted to post a Happy New Year photo of the Head of Demolition (now 5 years old) but then I was all, "I need some words to go with it. Because I haven't put any words on the blog in a long time." So here's how we get to Costco early in the morning. Or actually wait...it's afternoon now.

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Announce that we're leaving and request that 5 year old please get dressed.

Give 5 year old a second breakfast.

Remember that I lost my debit card two days ago. Wonder if Costco takes the MasterCard that remains in my purse.

Look up weather.

Ask 5 year old to get dressed.

Look up payment information online for Costco to see if they take MasterCard. They don't. Decide to go to the bank for cash.

Process two photos and answer a comment on Facebook.

Ask 5 year old to get dressed.

Put together list of groceries needed at Costco.

Help 5 year old to dress Snoopy doll. Remind her to get dressed.

Tell 5 year old she can only help put up signs around the building announcing a homeowner's association meeting if she gets dressed.

Call Trader Joe's to see if they might have my debit card. They do.

Walk downstairs (with 5 year old dressed in pajamas) to tape signs in elevator, on stairwell, and near mailboxes.

Head back upstairs to apartment. Ask 5 year old to get dressed.

Separate laundry. Put in one load.

Ask 5 year old to get dressed.

Give a State of the Bath Soap Address to an appreciative audience of one 20 year old. Put bath soap on the Costco list.

Thank 5 year old for getting dressed.

Walk to Trader Joe's to collect debit card and return two full rolls of Trader Joe's stickers that somehow made it into our grocery bag.

Return home. Get in car.

Argue with five year old about where the Snoopy dog can sit on the way to the store.

Argue with five year old about whether or not the Snoopy dog's toy stroller needs to go in the trunk.

Restrict Snoopy dog's seating to the rear of the car.

Leave for Costco only two to three hours after the intended departure time.

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So really, I have no idea why it takes me an entire morning to get out the door. This, among so much else in life, remains a mystery.

Happy New Year all!