Weekend Cardigan

I just finished my first real cardigan, sleeves and all!  I found this great little pattern with the sleeves done as one piece with the body.  No real shaping involved.  It was super quick. Started on Thursday evening and finished on Sunday.

Sporty One-Piece Cardigan made with Ice Yarns Linen Wool

Be Creative! 💙 Jeanne

Back to the Beginning

Someone recently asked about a simple blog to use and I suggested Blogger.  They then requested a link to mine and I was pretty shocked to see I had not wrote anything in over 3 years.

I have to say I really regret not keeping up with this journal as the past 3 years have been an amazing journey to say the least.  The biggest part was becoming part of The Crochet Crowd.  What an ride it's been!

It all began in February 2015 when I went on my first Crochet Cruise.  I went alone, but came help with friendship and memories that will last a lifetime.  But the best was becoming friends with Michael Sellick.  He is a great person, who is genuine, smart and just fun to be around.  We continued to chat through messenger after the trip, and by September he offered me a spot on his team.  He has pushed and inspired me to do things that I never thought I could.  He has helped me live out some of the dreams that I never even knew I had inside me.  He has become my best friend.

Since then, I can't even begin to count the crochet projects I have done.  I think in 2016, there might be about 5 days where I never touched a hook.  It has become a healthy obsession and an important part of my day.

Here are some of my favorite projects from 2016.

And the one I'm most proud of... 

The Glacier Cowl.  I get such a thrill every time I see another crocheter making this cowl.  

Be Creative! 💙 Jeanne

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! ♥

It's May!

I'm very excited because this month starts a new beginning for me! More about that later...

I did this layout a couple of weeks ago for my friend Judy. Check out her blog... she has lots of cool sketches.

April 21st

April has always been my least favorite month of the year... and most specifically, the 21st is my least favorite day. Besides the fact that I get seasonal depression in this month, I lost both of my parents in April... dad in 2004 and mom in 2006. Although they passed on different days, my last good-bye to each of them was on the 21st.

Here they are back in their day... quite beautiful people.

This photo was taken in 1988. Things were good then and this is how I remember them most in my mind.

God bless you mom and dad. Thank you so much for being wonderful parents. Everything good inside of me is because of the both of you. ♥

Hash Brown Casserole

On of my favorite dishes to take to a party is my Hash Brown Casserole. Being Easter, I decided to make it a little extra special. It was extra yummy!

First start by coarsely chopped a large onion and two green peppers. Saute them lightly in a half a stick of butter.


While those are simmering away, making your kitchen smell wonderful, into a large bowl dump in one can cream of chicken soup, one can cream of celery soup and one cup sour cream. I also like to add some fresh ground pepper at this point so it gets mixed in well.


I bought really good aged cheddar cheese. After all, Easter only comes once a year. A little of a half a pound was plenty.



Shred a good pile, at least two cups worth.


Add the cheese to the soups and stir well. Next add in 3 pounds of thawed hash brown potatoes and mix again.


Back to the onions and peppers. Add in a stick and the half stick of butter to the pan and shut the heat off as soon as it melts. Stir this yummy stuff into the potatoes.


Use your prettiest 9x13" baking dish :-)


Bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours until bubbly and slightly browned.



It actually got a little bit browner than this photo shows as I finished the baking when I got to my SIL's house. I think sauteing the onions and peppers added a little specialness and using aged cheese instead of of regular stuff gave the dish a nice sharp taste. Worth the extra effort!

Enjoy! ♥

my Grandma

Yesterday, I had a nice visit with my cousin Dee. She gave me some wonderful family treasures. The best was this portrait of my grandma from 1895. She was the only grandparent I ever knew.

Isn't this a pretty little face? I knew by the eyes and the crooked smile that yup, this was her.

And here is the last photo I took of her, not long before she passed in 1990, with Steven cuddling in her lap.


Thanks Dee! I will find a special spot on my wall for her. ♥

Cinnamon Meltaways

I haven't scrapped yet this weekend, but I did bake some fabulous cookies last night.



Cinnamon Meltaways

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine above ingredients & then add 2.5 cups flour. Shape into 1" balls and roll into cinnamon/sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 min.

♥Enjoy♥

22nd Birthday

I started this one a couple of weeks ago at Mimi's house, but finally put all the finishing touches on it today. It's not my favorite, but it's done.

Got KICK?

I did this one from a sketch from my online friend Kristie. The photos are from my friend, MaryJoy. (MJ... if you see this before May, send me another set to scrap for the swap)

Meow Card

I love following Sketches! {by tamara}. She has great weekly challenges that have been inspiring me lately. Here is the one I've done from her card sketch this week.