sunny days

Well, the great thing about digital scrapping is that it travels well!  I am in Dallas this week for some work training and was still able to do some layouts.  Here is one for this week's challenge at MDS Monday.  Besides using the sketch, they also challenged us to use Subway Art.  If you know me, then you know how much of a challenge this really was since I don't do random very well.  I will say that I am pretty happy with the result of this layout from my Palm Dessert vacation last fall.

Speaking of sunny days, I am certainly enjoying this beautiful spring weather in Dallas.  I am so glad to be here for 2 weeks.  Hopefully spring will be starting in Indiana when I get back.

I'm baaaack!

I didn't realize just how long it's been, but it's time for me to start blogging again.  I am about to start a new and exciting chapter in my life.  In a few short weeks I am going to be a grandmother!  My son and daughter-in-law are expecting their baby girl around May 18th.  I shall be called Gigi! :)

Another reason this is a good time to renew my blog is that I have not been paper scrapping very much any more, but I have recently discovered a new love - digital scrapping!  I have been using Stampin' Up's My Design Studio.  It is fabulous software and I love having all the SU choices at a click of the mouse.  Here are a few of my recent pages from challenges at MDS Monday blog :

Technique Tags

Gosh, I can't believe it's been almost a year since my last post. I have been taking Tim Holtz technique classes at my LSS. I made these tags for a swap coming up in my club. I hope the girls like them.

Back from another retreat...

I just spent a fabulous weekend in Michigan at a beach house with 4 great friends! I did 12 recipe cards and 18 pages. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Paws Retreat 2010

I just spent 5 days in St Louis with my Paws scrapbooking friends for our annual retreat. Lots of fun and I actually got quite a few layouts done.

This one is from my Florida vacation earlier this year...


This one is for my friend MaryJoy. She lets me scrap photos of her pretty girls...


Mr Stewy was quite mad at me...


and Buster just likes to hang upside down when he sleeps...


Another for MJ...


And another...


Last one...


I hope I can keep my motivation going. It felt really good to scrap again :-)

Photo Swap Layouts

We had a photo swap in my scrap club. These layouts are for my friend Dawn. I hope she likes them. ♥

Almond Pound Cake

This past week when Rick and I were grocery shopping, we picked up a SaraLee Pound cake. It had been years since we had one... and we were both very disappointed in it. It seems to have changed and was dry and tasteless. So today I made this absolutely delicious cake. It's so simple with ingredients that you will probably have on hand.


Almond Pound Cake

Beat well:

1 1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
2/3 c milk

Add:
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick melted butter

Mix well and put into a sprayed loaf pan. Place pan on lower oven rack and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Edges must be golden brown. Cool in pan before removing [30-40 minutes] or cake will break if removed too soon.

Variation: Before pouring batter into pan, sprinkle almonds on the bottom.

Enjoy! ♥