Easter Cross

 

This cross die from Taylored Expressions is just lovely! We used it at our Crafternoon to make stained glass window crosses. 

For this cross, I used the white overlay on top of a pale green background.

Here's something I learned while cutting out all those crosses for the class.

First, the chrome precision plate is a must for these finely detailed dies!

Second, after you have run the die through the machine and before you peel the card stock from the die, take this tool and run it over the die side of the cross. It will make all those little pieces fall out so much easier, and you will not have to use the pokey end quite as much to get the little bits out.

And here's another tip! If you are doing a project that requires a fair bit of gluing, you will often find the glue marks show after they dry. If this happens, consider using clear Wink of Stella to cover the glue and give it a little sparkle!

{Today's Brew: Cross die from Taylored Expressions, Inspired By: Grace (PTI), Simple Stories papers and flowers, Wink of Stella}

Thanks for visiting the café today!

BIG Family News!

 

I have BIG family news to share!

Sam was accepted into University of Michigan's College of Engineering!

We are SO proud!

When he heard the news last Friday, he gave a shout, came over to hug me, and we both cried. It was such an emotional moment! 

And then we both said a prayer of thanks and praise to God, who works all things together for good.

U of M was Sam's top "dream" pick for college. And not because it is just fifteen minutes down the road, either. U of M is ranked one of the top five schools in the country for Aerospace Engineering programs. It is super competitive to get in to these schools, and even harder for some of the local kids who will pay in-state tuition as opposed to the big $ out of state tuition students pay.

Sam had been accepted to some other really good colleges, too. But he had been waiting...and waiting...and waiting. 

It is such a relief to know where he will be going this fall! Even though he lives an easy commuter distance away, he will still live in dorms to get the campus experience. We will still see him, but not that often, I'm sure. He really likes downtown Ann Arbor, and visits frequently with his friends. I know he will enjoy college town life and all it has to offer.

Sam has worked so hard during his high school years, and I am so happy to see his dreams come to fruition.

I know that we have been blessed, and I know that God will use Sam to be a blessing to others.

Spring Mix Root Vegetable Salad

 

I made this delicious and super easy salad for dinner last night, and was excited to share it with all of you!

It all began with this spring mix of greens that was on sale at my local grocery store. It looked so fresh and yummy, and it got me thinking "How can I turn this into tonight's meal?"

I knew I wanted to use this:

These root blend frozen vegetables are from Walmart, and they are delicious! A combo of sweet potatoes, beets, carrots and parsnips. So good for you!

I'm sure you've noticed the rising costs at the grocery store, too. One thing I have learned is that frozen fruits and vegetables are so much cheaper than fresh. Nutritionists will often tell you that frozen can actually be better, as it's picked at peak and frozen instantly. I use a lot of frozen fruits and vegetables these days.

I spread this bag of veggies on a big sheet pan.

The next ingredient: chicken sausage. I've been using chicken sausage in my cooking in recent years for a lot of good reasons. It is low in fat, high in protein, comes in a variety of flavors, and you can find brands that are minimally processed with no nitrites, no nitrates, and no preservatives added. 

I sliced these up and added these to the veggies. Next, I drizzled everything with olive oil and added some freshly ground pepper and sea salt.

I baked it for twenty minutes in a 400 degree oven, took it out, stirred it up, and baked for another ten minutes.

When the sausage and vegetables were fully roasted, I added them to a plate of spring mix greens. I topped each salad with a tablespoon of feta and a tablespoon of Garlic Expressions dressing.

It was delicious!

It's one of those meals that has you patting yourself on the back for eating healthy AND yummy foods at the same time.

Enjoy!

Sunday Crafternoon: Easter Greeting Cards

 

We had a great turnout at yesterday's Sunday Crafternoon! I brought all the supplies to make Easter greeting cards.

I set up stations with a sample and supplies, but told everyone to get creative with their ideas and designs.

Paper elements from Simple Stories.

Die cuts from Taylored Expressions.

Embossed panels, pretty papers, markers, and of course, stamps and sentiments.

I think they did a great job! It was a fun activity that kids and adults could enjoy together.

Next month's craft (if we find the time) will be felt flower pins to give as gifts for Mother's Day.

Thanks for visiting the café today!

The Buzzing Bees of Spring

 

Have you noticed? Bees are having a "moment" right now. Browse through the aisles of any home goods store or boutique, and you are likely to find a display of bee-themed products.

Our school mascot is the Hornet, so we love all things bee-related here!

Today's card celebrates the humble bumble bee!

{Today's Brew: Sentiment from Spring Banner Blessings (Hello Bluebird), bee die cuts and honeycomb embossing folder from Momenta, PTI tag, Simple Stories paper, CP paper, amuse ribbon, Dollar Tree rhinestones}

Here are a few cute bee-themed clothing items I saw in our one of our local boutiques recently!

I love boutiques for inspiration, but rarely purchase because of the price tag. So when I saw this bee-themed top[ at Kohl's on sale, I couldn't pass it up!

And speaking of bees, make sure you visit the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog today! It's my last Friday to serve as guest barista, and I made a fun bee-themed coffee/tea card for the occasion!

Thanks for buzzing by the café today!

Jemma, the Comfort Dog

 

It was a good day to be a dog.

Yesterday, we took Jemma to have her nails trimmed. We call it "beauty shop day".  And afterward, as long as we were enjoying car rides, we decided to take Jemma to see the residents at the nursing home, along with our Mom.

Who can resist that smiling face? She got a lot of pets and attention, and she was very good.

Jemma was dressed up fancy in her pretty new sunflower collar!

As a reward for good behavior, we took her to her favorite place...Mickey's Ice Cream Stand! The first Pup Cup of the season!

I remember when we used to call Jemma our "discomfort dog". lol! But she's really mellowed as she has matured. She's very social. Lots of puppy friends in our neighborhood, lots of dog walks and lots of encounters with new people. We are thinking about taking her with us on a trip to Indy next week. 

Every day is an adventure!

Use What You've Got...Laying Around Your Craft Table!

 

I had all kinds of little bits and pieces from past crafting sessions laying on my craft table. This morning, I decided to assemble a few cards with these elements. 

This leftover birch background was waiting to go on a card front, so I added the die cut elements and stamped a sentiment from Catherine Pooler. Easy!

I added all of the garden elements to an embossed cloud background (Stampin' Up), and then added the sentiment banner.

Fast and fun. And the best part? It helped me clean off my craft table!

And look what showed up on the first day of spring! This tiny little yellow crocus made its debut on a nice sunny day. Unfortunately, it's been cold and drizzly ever since. No rain, no flowers, right?

Happy spring, café friends!

A Finished Project For Spring

I stitched this project last spring, but never got around to actually finishing it. I took the time to get these Lori Holt Stitch Cards mounted and trimmed and hung up on the display frame.

Peter Rabbit approves.

 

Easy Fish Tacos

 

The Lenten season seems to be "fish everything" season. Not that I am complaining, as my husband and I love fish!

I made some really yummy (and easy!) fish tacos recently. The secret ingredient? Sir Kensington's Chile Lime Crema sauce! I found this at Meijer, and it is a new family favorite.

Easy Fish Tacos

3 tilapia fillets, seasoned with lemon pepper 

Packaged slaw mix (I used broccoli slaw)

3 heaping T. Sir Kensington Mayonnaise

1 T. apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Sir Kensington Chile Lime Crema sauce

small street taco shells

lime

 Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper in bowl. Add slaw and coat completely. Set aside. In a frying pan, add 1-2 T. olive oil and fry fish until flaky. Remove fish. In same pan, warm taco shells, flipping to coat on both sides. Crumble and flake fish, add to taco shells, top with slaw and then drizzle with Sir Kensington sauce. Add a squeeze of fresh lime and enjoy! Makes about 6 street-size tacos.

Serving tip: We use these plastic hot dog holders all the time! One of our favorite uses? Taco night!

Happy Monday, café friends!

Happy Spring!

 

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's a lovely, sunny day today. The birds are singing, the bulbs are slowly poking up out of the ground, and there's a promise of spring in the air.

Today's card uses a lot of spring colors...lavenders, minty greens, pinks, and yellows.

I painted these flowers with Prima watercolor confections in Pastel Dreams.

{Today's Brew: Taylored Expressions Field Notes, Lawn Fawn gingham papers, Catherine Pooler sequins, Prima watercolor confections}

I hope your day is filled with unexpected blessings!