Day 60 : 02-29-12

Day 60 : 02-29-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Leap!!!

My sweetie was a good sport about leaping for my picture of the day today... It didn't seem that anything else would be appropriate for leap day!

Day 59 : 02-28-12

Day 59 : 02-28-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The tree dreams of fruit...

Sometimes it feels as if the hours just fly by... I have so much I want to accomplish and then suddenly it's time to go to bed. Where does the time go?

Day 58 : 02-27-12

Day 58 : 02-27-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Restraint... That's what I had to work on when I saw this cute decorative bunny in a crate. I saw it at the grocery store this morning and I put it in the cart as I did my shopping. The whole way I debated with myself... Should I? Or not? I was really good at telling myself how it would look so cute for a spring/Easter decoration. Then my logical side would kick in and I'd wonder what I would do with it AFTER the holiday. Did I really want to store another thing? The answer is no... Especially considering we just spent a good part of the weekend going though boxes in the garage and getting rid of things. So... The cute little bunny stayed at the store. I tried to satisy myself with taking a picture. Super cute, isn't it?!

Day 57 : 02-26-12

Day 57 : 02-26-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Celebrating a freshly painted car...

We took the plunge and had our daughter's car repainted, trunk lid replaced, as well as front and rear bumpers replaced. It looks like a brand new car! Hopefully it will look like this for years to come! :)

Day 56 : 02-25-12

Day 56 : 02-25-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Sushi for dinner...

Day 55 : 02-24-12

Day 55 : 02-24-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Shades of purple...

Day 54 : 02-23-12

Day 54 : 02-23-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A hairy cactus!

I was amazed at how the "thorns" on this cactus so resemble hair. I found it fascinating! It's interesting to me how I am so much more observant on my daily walks with Clark since I started this photography challenge. I hope it trains me to be more observant in general. 

Day 53 : 02-22-12

Day 53 : 02-22-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A view from below...

It's funny... I got this photo on my one and only take of the flower! I was on my way to an appointment and saw these pretty flowers near the office building door. I took out my phone and quickly took a photo. It was bright outside and I was in a hurry so I didn't stop to look to see if I captured the shot. Later that evening when I looked I was sooo happy! It turned out great! :)

Day 52 : 02-21-12

Day 52 : 02-21-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A busy bee... Look at how much pollen it's collected already! 

I wish I had as productive a day as the bee did! I didn't get as much done as I had planned... So I'll try again tomorrow! 

Day 51 : 02-20-12

Day 51 : 02-20-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Norm's BBQ Ribs... They are THE BEST!!

Pancake Breakfast

Another lovely weekend breakfast... My family loves pancakes, and especially Oatmeal Pancakes! They have a wonderful texture and are just plain YUMMY! We always have different variations depending on what fruit and nuts I have on hand. A favorite addition is always chocolate chips! 

Today I had bananas, blueberries, pecans, and of course the chocolate. It made for a beautiful AND delicious pancake! (Here's the pancake on the griddle prior to flipping! I love how they look... that's why it ended up being my photo of the day today too!)

Now for the recipe!

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Oatmeal Pancakes

ha! designs, adapted from Cooking Light

Yield : 12 pancakes

1/4 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg
cooking spray

1. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. 

2. Combine buttermilk, butter, and egg in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Let sit a few minutes.

3. Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Stir batter. Spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoons batter per pancake onto griddle. (Stud pancakes with any extras you’d like: banana slices, blueberries, pecans, chocolate chips.) Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles; cook until bottoms are lightly browned.

Easy Print HERE!!!

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family does! 

Day 50 : 02-19-12

Day 50 : 02-19-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Oatmeal pancakes studded with bananas, blueberries, chocolate chips, and pecans.... Just about ready to flip!

Post with recipe, here!

Day 49 : 02-18-12

Day 49 : 02-18-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

There's always time to play...

I played with Clark in the backyard while Norm and Cami went to watch a scary movie together. I'm not one for scary movies and I think it's really nice for them to have their own time. It was a very exciting day. We ordered my new car!! It will arrive late May/early June. I'm thrilled and nervous at the same time! Did I choose the right color? Right options? You can make yourself crazy!

Day 48 : 02-17-12

Day 48 : 02-17-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The oak captured the sun in it's branches...

Day 47 : 02-16-12

Day 47 : 02-16-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A new hat... 

Walter sure loves his girl! He's going to be sad tonight because Cami shut her door so he couldn't get in. He's been really bothering her the last couple nights and she wants uninterrupted sleep. Poor Walter!

Day 46 : 02-15-12

Day 46 : 02-15-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

My heart... In a little blue box...

Norm surprised we with this beautiful bracelet yesterday. He had it sized for me and brought it back home this afternoon. It's soooo shiny and I love the style! He knows me so well! I gave it it's own little photoshoot this afternoon. I think it enjoyed it! (Look at it pose for the camera!) *smile*

A special Valentine bonus: He also took my other Tiffany bracelet in to be repaired. (I ruined it by changing the clasp many years ago... I should have never messed with it!) It will be nice to have that one back in a few weeks. Yay!

Thanks again, babe!!! It's AMAZING!

Day 45 : 02-14-12

Day 45 : 02-14-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A gift for my sweetheart... in progress.

My sweetheart didn't want me to use this photo for my photo of the day... He was voting for me to use the photo I took of the individual Double Stuff Oreo Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes I made. {Post and recipe coming soon!} Or maybe the photo of the "little blue box" he gave me today. He didn't want me to take his "soul." {He always balks at getting his photo taken, and uses this reasoning... I think it's really to make me crazy!} Well... at first I was going to listen to him and then I thought... that dessert and "little blue box" {although EXTREMELY thoughtful AND lovely} doesn't represent the love I feel and the celebration of it on this day. I also figured that since these are photos already taken I am not doing any further damage to his soul... {hopefully!}

A little about the project:

I selected photos of us from when we first started dating {22 plus years ago!} to one within the last few months... It stirred my heart to look at them and remember the times and experiences we've had together over this life we share. We've been through lots of challenges and some triumphs... I wouldn't change a moment, it's who we are. It's just something you can't take for granted. I love my husband and family with my whole being. 

The next thing I did was to create a little plaque with my handwritten (my handwriting font!) thought on photoshop. I printed out all the elements on to tissue paper. I did this by cutting tissue paper to letter size paper and using tape to attach it to the copy paper at the leading edge going into the printer. This makes it easier for the printer to load the tissue paper and print. 

Now this is where it got a little tricky for me... I have an inkjet printer... I think this project would be much more successful with a laser printer. {I am going to try another technique though to see if it works better! If so, I'll update with a tutorial post!} I used a foam brush and "painted" the canvas with mod podge and carefully began placing my images. My images ran slightly. It still looks ok... but not nearly as clear as I'd like. I painted around mine and added embellishments to hide this a little... Although the project didn't end up quite as nicely as I wanted it to, it was the thought that counted... and Norm LOVED it! :) He REALLY does love me!  {I will be trying this technique again, hopefully with better luck if I make a couple adjustments... Keep posted!}

Here is the, less than perfect, finished canvas:

I hope you had a wonderful celebration of your loved ones too!

Freshly baked...

There is something magical about bread baking in your home... It doesn't hurt anything when it happens to be baking in that most miraculous of home appliances: the AWESOME bread machine! All that deliciousness and fragrance with hardly any effort! Ahhhh!

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Cami requested that I make my Apple Oat Bread. I'm so glad she did! The smell of apples, cinnamon, AND bread... it just transports you into fantasy land! (Maybe that's just me! *smile*) It's super simple... You're going to arrange all your ingredients in your bread machine like so...

And here's the recipe!

Apple Oat Bread (Bread Machine)

ha! designs (adapted from Zojirushi)

Yield: 2 lb. loaf

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups apple juice

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoon dry milk (baker’s special dry milk)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup oats (old fashioned)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup diced dried apples

Preparation:

Add to your bread machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add dried apples at your addition time. Separate apples prior to adding. 

NOTE: I LOVE King Arthur Flour and use their flours as much as possible. The baker’s special dry milk is also from King Arthur. 

Easy Print! Click Here!

Enjoy... I hope you're transported to some magical fantasy land while your bread machine does all that work! 

Day 44 : 02-13-12

Day 44 : 02-13-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

There's nothing like the smell of baking bread... I love how the aroma fills the house! Tomorrow I'll post an entry with the recipe. {Posted! Click here for link!}

It was a baking day today. I also made individual Oreo Cheesecakes to have for Valentine's Day dessert. I know that Norm and Cami will love them!

I am so happy and grateful for so many things... Simple things... Like feeling good and having the ability to make things and play in my studio... And big things like my family... my heart fills when I think of them and I know that I couldn't be luckier.

LOVE-ly Inspiration

I was inspired...
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A couple of weeks ago I saw an illuminated LOVE canvas on Pinterest. It captured my imagination and I found myself gathering supplies... I was so excited to make my own version. I HAD to get it done before Valentine's Day! Sooo... on Sunday I got to it! 

Supplies I used:
16 x 20 canvas
K & C Company Specialty Papers (Valentine's Themed) or whatever papers you like!
The Ultimate Glue
Hot Glue Gun
X-Acto Knife
Scissors
1 strand of 35 Rice-Style Lights (I found mine on Amazon, 3 strands - ready for more projects!)
Pencil

I had started formatting my letters and calculating the sizes earlier in the week on my Silhouette Studio software, I was ready to cut! Do you have a Silhouette? If you like how I've made my letters... it's your lucky day! Download all four files and you have a head start! :) All files are in Silhouette Studio format.

File 1 : L for LOVE Project

File 2 : {Heart} for LOVE Project

File 3 : V for LOVE Project

File 4 : E for LOVE Project

(Please do me the little favor of leaving me a comment, if you download... It's that validation thing I have a weakness for! I also want to make sure the file download worked like it should. Enjoy!)

Did I mention I LOOOVVVEE my Silhouette Cameo!!! I haven't even scratched the surface of what it can do! Here's the gorgeous paper loading into the miracle machine.

Once all the letters are cut out, place them as you would like on your canvas. Now trace around the interior light holes. This will make placing your letters back down super easy.

Then glue them down! I initially ran my letters through my Xyron, however they didn't seem to have a permanent bond to the canvas. I ended up having to lift them up and apply the Ultimate Glue. Now they are PERMANENTLY attached! :)

Once your glue has dried, it's time to pull out that X-Acto knife. (I am not responsible for any injuries... so be CAREFUL!) Cut out each of the 35 light holes. I used scissors to cut the last little flap off of the circle. This really made it a lot easier AND safer! You know... there is nothing funny about safety... Oh, I digress... 

Get that light strand out... Now this is where it gets a little tricky. You need to make sure that your lights are going to reach all your little placement holes. If you are using my letters/layout it will work fine... if not make sure you take this into consideration prior to cutting out your light spacers. 

Turn over your canvas and decide where you want your cord end to plug in out of. I wanted mine to be at the "E." I knew where I was going to put it in the house and the plug would be easier to reach from that side of the canvas. I started with the light nearest the plug and the lowest hole in the "E," did a little measuring to make sure the lights would reach easily from hole to hole, then created a dot to dot! I numbered the holes in pencil so that when I started gluing I wouldn't make a mistake and end up having to start over! I went from the "E" up to the "Heart" down to the "L" and up to the "V." Figure out what works best for you! 

Time to glue! Yippee! Get that hot glue gun plugged in... (Also, test your light strand BEFORE gluing them in!) Now, you and I both know that when lights are plugged in they can create some warmth... so hot glue alone would not be good for this, you are using the hot glue to hold the light in while you wait for the Ultimate Glue to do it's job and dry and hold the whole thing in place... also if you feel your lights get too warm, don't leave unattended! (I have had mine plugged in for hours and it hasn't been an issue.)

I had a method to my madness here... I would hot glue 5 to 7 lights at a time and then go around them with the Ultimate glue, then move on to the next set. It makes it easier to get a good seal of glue all the way around them. 

Here's what the lights look like from the side:

Finished! It looks great unlit too!

A fun and simply LOVE-ly (couldn't resist!) project!

Day 43 : 02-12-12

Day 43 : 02-12-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Love brightens my life... And living room! It was project pajama Sunday! I spent a lazy afternoon working on making my LOVE canvas. It was a LOVE-ly way to spend an afternoon!

You can read my tutorial on this project... click here!!! :)

Day 42 : 02-11-12

Day 42 : 02-11-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

This year's Valentines complete! Yippee!!

I had so much fun creating these in Photoshop! I attached self adhesive mustaches to the front with temporary adhesive. I hope that all Cami's friends sport their "stashes" on Valentine's Day! (More details to come in a new post.)

Day 41 : 02-10-12

Day 41 : 02-10-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A fiery sunset...

It was absolutely breathtaking. I had to pull over to the side of the road, after picking up Cami, to take a picture. Amazing! 

I played around on Photoshop today and made Cami's Valentine cards. I really like how they're turning out! Tomorrow I will finish them up and take some photos. It was really satisfying to create something today. 

It's Cami's friend's birthday today, so I dropped her off at her house for a sleep over celebration. Norm and I took the opportunity to go on a little date and went to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner. It was lovely and the food was delicious!

Day 40 : 02-09-12

Day 40 : 02-09-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A quick transformation project...

It's one of my dear friend's birthday on Saturday. I made her a batch of her favorite cookies and needed to package them up. I looked through my stash and found a tin that was just the right size. The problem was that it was covered with Christmas candy canes... Not the look I wanted. I needed to transform it! Yippee! A little project! I fired up the computer and my Silhouette Cameo, measured the tin and cut out the papers to cover the tin. I used a gold leaf pen around the "Happy Birthday" phrase, glued it all down and... It's transformed! :)

Wouldn't it be nice if everything could transform so easily?

Day 39 : 02-08-12

Day 39 : 02-08-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The full moon hovers over the hills early this morning... A brief but memorable moment. 

I wish I had thought to run out of the house with my big camera. My phone couldn't quite capture it as well as I know the other camera would have. I took better photos today but none that captured that special moment or feeling in my day as well.  When I look back at this photo of the day in the future, I will recall this beautiful moonset. 

I started designing a new project based on one that inspired me on pinterest. I can't wait to work on it more tomorrow. I am also looking forward to working on the Valentine cards for Cami's friends. They're going to be sooo cute! :)

Day 38 : 02-07-12

Day 38 : 02-07-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The days spin by... 

The windy, stormy day had my whirligig twirling like crazy! I loved watching the kaleidoscope of color.

Day 37 : 02-06-12

Day 37 : 02-06-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The narcissus fragrance demanded attention as Clark and I walked by.... I just wish I could have captured the fragrance as well.

I did something VERY stupid today... Cami and I were at the mall to get her friend a birthday present. We started down the escalator when we realized we needed to stay up. I turned around and started going up the escalator. It was all very good until I took my eyes off the stairs, tripped... and fell... Ouch! It was extremely embarrassing! Luckily no one seemed to be around to notice. It definitely left a few marks on my leg! So.... NEVER go UP a DOWN escalator! It's just NOT safe!! (Surprising, huh?!) 

...I'm off to take some ibuprofen...

Day 36 : 02-05-12

Day 36 : 02-05-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Yummmmmyyyy!!!

Norm barbecued some delicious burgers! It was nice to have our very own Super Bowl BBQ... The weather was perfect in the mid 70's. We spent the afternoon outside and then came in to watch the last quarter of the game. It was exciting and fun!

slowwww dowwwnnnn

It’s Saturday morning... Time to fix a nice breakfast for the family! I LOVE weekend breakfasts! It’s a chance for us to take our time and prepare a wonderful meal... not the rush of the weekday morning breakfasts! This morning I was thinking of the great meal my sister, Heather, prepared for our family when we visited them over the holidays. I decided I would make my own variation with items I had in the fridge and pantry. (Today I actually used a package of dehydrated potatoes I have from Costco... these are the best! Once rehydrated (10 minutes) it’s set to go! These are pretty handy to have on hand!) You could make so many terrific variations of this meal... it’s as endless as what’s in your fridge/pantry or imagination! 

Here’s how I fixed it today: 

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Weekend Breakfast Casserole  

ha! designs (inspired by Heather Cox)

Yield: 6 to 9 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups hash brown potatoes (use frozen, or rehydrated, or layer hash brown patties)

2 cups shredded cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled into 1/2” slices

1 or 2 chicken sausages, sliced into bite size pieces

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

pinch chipotle pepper

pinch garlic powder

pinch black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray or butter/grease dish. Place hash browns in a single layer and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sprinkle with cheese, meats, jalapeño, and green onions. In a bowl beat; eggs, milk, salt, mustard, chipotle, garlic, and black pepper. Pour over layers. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until edges are golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. 

NOTE: Use whatever left over meat you have... steak, etc. This is a great way to liven up any leftovers... Basically whatever you like in an omelette will be delicious here! Add more veggies: spinach, sautéed mushrooms, leeks, etc., if you like! 

Easy Print... Click Here!

You'll love how you have a complete breakfast in an easy to prepare, easy to serve, casserole. It's fantastic served with some nice seasonal fresh fruit! Double it for that nice spring brunch or big family gathering... or simply prepare it with your family when you slowww downnn and enjoy the weekend and the time you have together with loved ones.

Day 35 : 02-04-12

Day 35 : 02-04-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Warmth sparks into the cool night...

I did lots of baking today. I made my oatmeal cookies to take to Jerry's birthday party. (They were a BIG hit! Yippee!!) I also made lemon bars to take to Pete's Super Bowl party tomorrow. (That party is now canceled as Pete's wife went into labor tonight and they had a darling baby girl!) Now those lemon bars will go to good use at Norm's sales meeting on Monday! :)

We had a great time at Jerry's tonight. We sat out in the cool evening and enjoyed the fire. It was nice to spend time with them... It's been a long time since we've had the chance to get together.

I am also very proud of Cami... She has a very level head on her shoulders and she gave one of her friends some very good advice.

Day 34 : 02-03-12

Day 34 : 02-03-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Best friends... Walter & Clark nap together. 

I had already decided on a different picture for today's photo when I saw my babies snuggling. I took the shot to see if it was going to work... Most of the time they move when they sense the camera! This time no movement... It was perfect!

Day 33 : 02-02-12

Day 33 : 02-02-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Cami & Clark... A pas de deux! Clark has to learn some ballet too!

Cami got exciting news today... She was accepted to Joffrey West summer intensive! Mia Michaels is one of the master instructors! She has now been accepted to 7 different programs... It's going to be a tough decision!

smells of home...

My house smelled like a home today... A delightful mix of home baked Orange Cranberry Bread and Spicy Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup. Deliciously fragrant AND simple to make!

So let’s get to it and share these recipes! 

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Orange Cranberry Bread (Bread Machine)

ha! designs (adapted from Zojirushi)

Yield: 2 lb. loaf

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cups milk

1 large egg, beaten

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups bread flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dry milk (baker’s special dry milk)

2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon orange peel

1/8 scant teaspoon fiori di sicilia (citrus vanilla flavoring)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

Add to your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Add dried cranberries at your addition time. Separate cranberries prior to adding. 

NOTE: I LOVE King Arthur Flour and use their flours as much as possible. The baker’s special dry milk and fiori di sicilia flavoring is also from King Arthur. You can click on them to take you right to the product page. Both are FANTASTIC!

Print Here!

Spicy Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

ha! designs (adapted from Cooking Light, December 2008)

Ingredients:

4 cups water

3 cups fresh spinach leaves

1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise

1 (5 3/4 ounce) package pad thai noodles (wide rice stick noodles)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cups thinly sliced shallots

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups, fat free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (13.5 ounce) can light coconut milk

2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2” strips

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can straw mushrooms, (drained and rinsed)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 red jalapeño, seeded and chopped

Lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add spinach and peas to pan; cook for 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large serving bowl. Add noodles to pan; cook 3 minutes. Drain; add noodles to spinach mixture in bowl. 

1. Heat canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken, green onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, sugar, and fish sauce to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Pour chicken mixture over noodle mixture in bowl. Stir in cilantro and chiles. Serve with lime wedges.

Print Here!

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I hope you enjoy these recipes and that your house also ends up smelling like a home...