Review/Giveaway: Snowman Peppermint Necklace

Another addition to A Crafty Christmas Giveaway. I am excited to review for my readers a lovely hand crafted pendant from Lizabettas.  I received the pendant to review today and I was speechless! The Snowman Peppermint Necklace is the perfect accessory to any Christmas attire. When I first held the pendant in my hand I thought "What a nice Christmas Gift this will make for one of my daughters!" Well, after I tried the pendant on my next thought was, "Grandmas got a new necklace!"

The Snowman Peppermint Necklace is a handcrafted art glass dome pendant. The pendant comes with a matching ball chain. If you are looking for a unique gift for that special someone you might want to check out Lizabettas shop and see for your self what she has to offer. From Personalized Wedding Pendants to Retro Vintage Pendants and just about anything you might think of. Defiantly a favorite of mine Personalized Photo Pendants.(This would make a nice gift for grandma.) You will find something you like. Of course if you do not find something you like or simpley have something in mind Lizabettas will make a custom order just for you.

If you would like to win a Snowman Peppermint Necklace come back to Grandma Bonnie's Closet and Life with Tootsabella and the Rose for entries into our Christmas Giveaway on December 1st until December 10th.

My honest opinion has been expressed in this post. Grandma Bonnie's Closet 

has not received monetary compensation for this post. 

A pendant was given to me free of cost in order to review this product.

Book Reviews: Pixie Tales & Gremlins, Genies and Trolls Oh My!

Do you enjoy reading to your child. grandchild, niece or nephew? I have always loved reading to my children. I now enjoy reading to my grandchildren just as much as I did with my own children. Grandma Bonnie's Closet has been given the opportunity to review and giveaway two extraordinary books written by Author Francine L.Trevens. If your children are interested in Pixies, Fairies, Trolls or Goblins these books are perfect for them.
Each book contains five fantasy stories.

Entwined in these creatively written stories are small lessons.  My favorite story is in the Pixie Tales Book, "The Pixies In The Glen". This story was interesting. The message about bulling was well hidden in the story. The child might not know he was learning a lesson while being entertained. I have not read these stories to my grandsons yet as I feel they are a too young to understand the difference in reality and fantasy. When they turn three maybe four I believe they will be ready to understand the stories are fantasy. In my opinion they will make great bedtime stories for children three years and up. When I do read the Pixies In The Glen to my grandsons I will talk about what one should do in case of meeting a bully.
Today (11/29/11)  I was able to get on Skype with my granddaughter Tootsabella and read two of the stories for her. I read the last story in the Pixie Tales book, "The Pixie Fantasy" This is a tale about a Pixie girl and her family. They had to move from their home and relocate in a park in the city. The little Pixie had a great imagination and the story had a surprising ending of which I will not divulge to my readers. The story was very entertaining as it kept Tootsabella's attention.  She wanted to see the drawings in the book which I did show her but being over the web camera it took away some of the pleasure she would have had in person.  The second story we read was from the same book Pixie Tales, "Have You Ever Seen A Pink Leprechaun?" When we finished this story Tootsabella was ready for lunch so we ended our story time with a quick good bye.   

If you would like more information about the author and her writings go here.

If you would like to win a set of these Books about Pixies, Gremlins, Trolls, and Leprechauns to read to your child come back to Grandma Bonnie's Closet and Life with Tootsabella and the Rose for entries into our Christmas Giveaway on December 1st until December 10th.

My honest opinion has been expressed in this post. Grandma Bonnie's Closet 

has not received monetary compensation for this post. 

A copy of the books reviewed was given to me free of cost in order to review this product.

One of a Kind Original Art Work the, "Golden Flower "

Just Three days until Our Crafty Christmas Giveaway. One of our featured hand crafted products for our giveaway is the "Golden Flower" This is a one-of-a-kind original piece of artwork with certificate of authenticity by  an Arizona-based artist. 

This piece is so fascinating. The texture and colors are  incredible. 

Description: “Golden Flower” 6” x 6” x 3” is an original artwork of textured and golden metallic acrylic paint on gallery-wrapped canvas. This art was created in homage to the golden Arizona sun.

The Artist's Story: I love to paint mostly abstracts, pet portraits (I love animals!) and specialty art, such as “Golden Flower.” When I was painting this piece, I let

myself go with texture and the metallic deep gold paint. The result is a really 3-D piece of art that can be either hung in a small space or displayed on a table-top

easel. With highly textured art like this, I can’t resist reaching out to run my hands over it. I guess that’s what makes it unique!

To learn more about the artist and other fascinating pieces of artwork go here.

If you would you like to win this beautiful piece please come back on December 1st until December 10th to enter our Crafty Christmas giveaway on Grandma Bonnie's Closet and Life with Tootsabella and the Rose.

No product or compensation has been received for this post.

Review: Maya & Filippo Educational Coloring Book

Grandma Bonnie's Closet has been given the opportunity to review and giveaway A wonderful educational coloring book titled  " May & Filippo Look For Happiness in Tauranga". Written by, Alinka Rutkowska.
As many of my readers know I enjoy teaching my young grandchildren. This coloring book will make a great addition to our teaching resources. The coloring book is written with a wonderful story line that teaches children that they are responsible for their own happiness. The child can follow the story as they color the pages. The characters are drawn in stick figure form and are quite interesting.  The pages will come to life as your child colors with their own imagination.  The story line is simple yet interesting for a young child. The two characters are traveling to Tauranga and find them selves unhappy at some events that have happened to them along the way. Now each character in turn learns that they are responsible for their own attitude and happiness.

To learn more about The Series Maya & Filippo go here.

Grandma Bonnie's Closet  and Life with Tootsabella and the Rose will be giving away one copy of  May & Filippo Look For Happiness in Tauranga to one of our lucky readers during our Christmas Giveaway Beginning on December 1st and ending December 10th. 

My honest opinion has been expressed in this post. Grandma Bonnie's Closet 

has not received monetary compensation for this post. 

A coloring book was given to me free of cost in order to review this product.

Follow Mr. Broccoli

Save the children and Ikea have joined forces to bring you a world traveler Mr. Broccoli. This is not your normal everyday gift.  Mr Broccoli is an 18in plush that helps children to understand different cultures around the world. A portion of his proceeds go towards Save the Children and UNICEFs global education programs. Children can follow Mr. Broccoli as he travels around the world. Mr. Broccoli is showing and talking about his visits to UNICEFs education programs around the world on Twitter and Facebook.


Track “Mr. Broccoli” on Facebook and follow @Broctweets on Twitter. as he reports live from IKEA funded education programs in Bangladesh, China and Vietnam.


You can purchase Mr. Broccoli at Ikea Or win him here at Grandma Bonnie's Closet and Life with Tootsabella and the Rose. Our Christmas Giveaway event will begin on December 1st  through December 10. 

No product or compensation has been received for this post.

Home

I am back from my quick trip home. I am thankful to have been able to spend some time at home even though it was a little short. I got to spend some quite time with my husband we really enjoyed decorating for Christmas. Little Bug even stayed over night for the first time. I felt so blessed to be able to enjoy Little Bugs company while we prepared our Thanksgiving meal. The only sad part of our week was Pumpkin, Pooh Bear and Sweet Pea were not able to visit for Thanksgiving. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We are always thankful for our little blessing from God!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Toy Sales

This is my last sales listing for the weekend. I hope you all find great bargains while Christmas shopping. I can say I have not had much luck so far. Everything I wanted that was on sale is sold out. Oh well. I got a few weeks left to keep shopping.

1-Day Only! My Baby Alive only $29.99 11/25

1-Day Only! $30 off Sony PSP 3000 Core Pack $99.99 on sale 11/26

1-Day Only! FurReal Cookie My Playful Pup only $44.99 11/25

1-Day Only! 10% off ALL Video Gaming Accessories 11/26

2-Days Online Only! 25% off Pillow Pets (savings reflected in cart) 11/25-11/26

Buy 1, Get 1 50% off select Games & Learning Toys 11/20-12/3

 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals!!!

This offer has expired it is no longer available.

Cameras, TVs and More Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals!!!!

Are you staying home on Black Friday? I am not planning to shop on Friday but I will get online and try to get a few bargains for my grandchildren. I am posting the great finds I have discovered. I have at least two more pages. I wish you all well in your holiday shopping.

Sears.com: Gifts Under $25�

Cyber Monday! $80 off GE Digital 12MP Camera designed by Jason Wu only $49.99 on sale 11/28

Cyber Monday! Buy GE Powr Pro x500 Camera, get GE C1233 Camera FREE $59.99 value) 11/28

3-Days Only! Incredible Holiday Savings on Cameras up to 40% off 11/24-11/26

Doorbuster! $404 off Zenith 50" Class Plasma 1080p HDTV only $495 on sale 2am-3pm CST 11/25

3-Day Special Buy! Samsung 40" Class LCD 1080p HDTV only $429.99 11/21-11/23

Doorbuster! $80 off Seiki 32" Class 720P LCD HDTV (LC-32B56) only $199.99 on sale 2am-3pm CST 11/25

Deal of the Day! $100 off Toyota Sewing Machine only $79.99 on sale 11/23 or WQL

2 Day Special! $30 off featured Small Kitchen Appliances $19.99 on sale 11/25-11/26

Black Friday Only! 20% off ALL Stand Mixers 11/25

Doorbuster! KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers only $269.99 after MIR (reg $329.99) 2am-3pm CST 11/25

50% off Girls' Tops 11/27-12/3

Cyber Monday! Great Online Only Deals on For The Home and Bed & Bath 5pm 11/27 - EOD 11/29 CST

2-Days Only! $1,000 off Sole E35 Elliptical $1,299.99 on sale 11/27-11/28

Up to 25% off Marketplace Camcorders + FREE Shipping 11/27-12/3

$50 off Schwinn 26" Men's Drifter Cruiser Bike $149.99 on sale 11/27-12/3

Up to 50% off Sleepwear for the Family 11/27-12/3

ALL Samsung HDTVs on sale starting at $249.99 + Shop Digital Cameras on sale 11/27-12/3

Bargain Gifts For Christmas,Sales/Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Check out all the bargains I have found for my readers. You can find some great low cost Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. I will post some more great deals tomorrow.

Table Linens Starting at $6.58 on LNT.Com with coupon: Chill20

Blankets & Throws Starting at $11.53 on LNT.Com with Coupon: Chill20

Comforter Sets Starting at $21.99 on LNT.Com with Coupon: Chill20

Totally FREE SHIPPING everyday on LNT.Com with coupon Code: Chill20!!

Doorbuster! 50% off Women's Trend Report Kixi Boot $14.99 on sale 2am-3pm CST 11/25

Artificial Christmas Trees Starting at $29.99 on LNT.Com with Coupon Code: Chill20!!

Deal of the Day! $40 off Sunbeam 12-Speed Mixmaster Stand Mixer $59.99 on sale 11/24

2 Days Only! 50% off Craftsman19.2-volt C3 Cordless Drill/Driver $39.99 on sale 11/25-11/26

Table Linens Starting at $6.58 on LNT.Com with coupon: Chill20

Christmas Toys Galore

I have been out shopping all afternoon and have nothing to show for my effort! I am tired and cranky. I am just about ready to quit and purchase everything online. Why don't I just shock my children and have everything shipped to their homes. I won't even have to wrap their gifts. No, I do have some holiday spirit. I am serious about buying more online this year. I don't like the mean crowds. Is it just me or are shoppers getting meaner and nastier  every year?
I found another website today. I would like to share with my readers, CP Toys. This site has some great priced toys! I want to get a nice doll for my granddaughter Pumpkin. CP Toys has a collection of Today's Girl dolls that are just perfect for that special little girl. I hope to get her the Today's Girl Katie with a 15pc Wardrobe.  I also saw some Easy Slice Fruits & Vegetables that I would like to get for my younger granddaughter I found them in the toys for infants section.
I also also signed up to win a play kitchen for the grandchildren by liking CP Toys on Facebook. So hop on over and check out their great toy selection and enter the giveaway maybe you will be the lucky winner!

My Tree is Up! Just a Little Early.

This is the first time in my life as far back as I can remember that our tree is up before Thanksgiving. I have always been a firm believer that Christmas follows Thanksgiving. We do not hurry through Thanksgiving. This is our family time and we really are very thankful for our blessings. So, I have the entire family amazed that our tree went up early. I am only home a week and I wanted Thanksgiving weekend to be family time spent together. I was worried I would spend more time with the decorations and tree trimming than my family. I can now say I am happy that Thanksgiving day will be spent enjoying family time. 

I am happy with the tree even though I did not put on any of my favorite ornaments. My grandchildren will be playing with and taking apart the tree so no glass or keepsakes are on the tree this year.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. 

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

My Scavenger Hunt interpretations for this week.

Mainly One Color

Around The Home

Reflection 

My Koi pond. The tree reflecting on the water to the left is an apple tree.

(from my archives taken about 3 weeks ago)

Writing

Water

Buddy needed a drink of water.

Can you see the Koi by the fountain? We are preparing the pond for winter.

Have a great week!!!

Getting Ready For The Holidays

It's that time of year when every one is hustling about shopping, cleaning, planning, and decorating. My holiday to do list is simply put about ten feet long. Yes, I exaggerate just a little! I have not been home in about three weeks. I am sure a few chores have piled up along with the extra holiday have to do list, I should be busy all week. I am happy to be going home even though it will be short I am truly thankful. I can hardly wait to get out the decorations and start trimming my tree! I always feel like a child again when we are decorating for the holidays.  We are planning to have the tree up and decorated by Thanksgiving Day. When I do get it up I will post a picture if everything goes as planned. I hope you all enjoy your week.   

Titanium Rings for Christmas

I have been looking around for some special jewelry to give to my daughters for Christmas. When I give jewelry as a gift I like it to be very special. While looking I had a hard time deciding what type of metal I should be selecting. I visited the Avant Garde Titanium website online and saw some elegant titanium bracelets that would make a wonderful gift for someone special. That is when I realized that titanium would fit my requirements perfectly. I have tried to look for a unique piece that will stand out as simple but sophisticated. Then I found a titanium ring design that would be perfect for one of my daughters. It has a smooth domed shape and platinum inlay. The smooth design would make it very comfortable to wear every day. 
I do have a few suggestions if you are planning to buy jewelry for that special someone. If you are buying a ring and want it to be a surprise you will have to find a way to choose the correct ring size. In the past I found a ring chart and simply placed a borrowed ring over the chart and located the proper ring size. 

You should pay special attention to the type of jewelry that person usually wears. Do they like simple pieces? Do they like silver, gold or other precious metals? Are they going to be wearing the piece every day? Answering these simple questions may help you find a special piece of jewelry that will be treasured forever. 

Thinking About Life Insurance

Grandpa and I have been thinking about our life insurance. We would like to include our grandchildren in our legacy. I thought it might be good to have enough life insurance to leave our grandchildren a possible college fund. I did some research and there is a boat load of information on the web about life insurance. You almost have to hire someone to help you research so you can compare all the prices and types of policies. A good way to find the information you are looking for is to ask for a life insurance quote from different companies and compare.
Do you know the difference between Term Life Insurance, Whole Life Insurance, and Universal Life Insurance? I knew about Term and Whole Life Insurance but, I had not even heard of Universal Life Insurance. What I learned about Universal Life Insurance I found at a site called AptusInsurance. Universal Life Insurance is a long term life insurance with flexibility that Whole Life Insurance does not have. The premium payments are made into an account that you can borrow against and also earn interest from the account. The interest can be used once in a while to pay your premium. I am sure there is more to it as I have just scratched the surface. We have a lot more information to look at. While Grandpa and I are not seniors yet, we do need to think about how we can care for our family even after we pass on. 

Sambusa Recipe

Deep fried meat pies.

This is a family recipe for Sambusa. They make great appetizers. side dishes or snacks.

Ingredients:

1 package Large Egg Roll Wraps

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup chopped long stemmed green onions

1 or 2 hard cooked eggs roughly chopped

1 raw egg

1 tsp Mediterranean mixed spices(cumin can be used as a substitute)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Filling Directions:

Brown green onions in a skillet add ground beef and continue until beef is cooked through. Add parsley, Mediterranean spice, salt and pepper to taste, cook until parsley is wilted. Remove from flame, add chopped boiled egg. Let cool.(5 min.)

Heat Oil for frying. While oil is heating prepare and fill egg roll wraps.

 Beat raw egg in a small bowl. ( this will be used to seal the edges of the meat pie.)

Put a heaping table spoon full on the center of a wrap. You may want more or less depending how stuffed you would like the pies. Do not over fill or the pie will burst while frying. brush the edges of the wrap with the egg and fold over in to a triangle. One edge should over lap on to the other. Fold the edge of the wrap over and press to make sure the edges are sealed. Fry two or three at a time depending on the size of your deep fryer or pot. Drain on paper towel. They are great served warm or cold.

Our Disney Trip

I have been thinking about our trip to Disney all week. Our family planned this trip almost a year ago. We now have three months and one day left before our vacation begins. I had not put much thought into our trip until this week. Our family is not planning to stay in one of the deluxe disney hotels. We have reserved a house a few miles from the park. I really would have liked to stay at one of the nice resorts but our group decided a house would be a better choice for such a large group. Planning our vacation and the itinerary has been fun and very easy. I went to the Disney website and used their great tools to create and print out our own map of attractions we plan to visit. Our list of attractions to visit is fairly long so we will be visiting the park a couple days at least. We also plan to visit the famous Disney's Board Walk and enjoy the scenic view along Crescent Lake. Even though we have planned most of our trip around the family, I have scheduled some free time for my husband and I. We hope to find a nice romantic restaurant where we can enjoy a candle light dinner one evening.  Over all, I  hope we will have a wonderful family vacation to remember forever. 

Crafty Christmas Review/Giveaway: Kid Puzzles

Grandma Bonnie's Closet has been given the opportunity to review a Handmade wooden puzzle from Kid Puzzles.  When I was contacted by Kid Puzzles and asked to review a puzzle I  immediately went to their website to take a look around. I love wood puzzles and I have bought a few for my grandchildren but I usually worry about where they have been manufactured and have they been painted with safe non toxic paints. When I visited Kid Puzzles I was ecstatic. Here is what I learned.  Their puzzles are made in the U.S.A. from premium grade, maple-faced laminate, and  are non-toxic. 

This is a little excerpt from Kid Puzzles Website. 

"Since 1984 we have been dedicated to providing creatively designed, durably constructed, sustainably made and reasonably priced children's wooden jigsaw puzzles. We are committed to making puzzles that are non-toxic, lead & cadmium free, and safe enough for our own children to use!"

While looking around their website I came across some great information about the puzzles they make.  All the puzzles are hand cut making no two puzzle pieces exactly alike. So if I were to purchase two of the same puzzles for my grandchildren the pieces would most likely not interchange. They do offer replacement pieces in case of lost or damaged pieces. Just how they can replace your unique piece you will have to read here!

A Personalized Wood Name Puzzle.

It's almost like having your name up in lights. I think a personalized wood name puzzle would be the prefect gift for any child just learning to write their name. You could also get a puzzle like this as a reward for a child who learned to write their name.

A Child's Puzzle Stool! 

My grandchildren would absolutely love to have their own personal stool. No fighting over who's stool is who's!

A 3D Multi-Layer Puzzle

This is my personal favorite! I would love to give one of these to Tootsabella.

Pooh Bear had a chance to play with the number puzzle from Kid Puzzles. It was the first time he was able to put a puzzle together with out a lot of help. The knob on each piece was really helpful for his little fingers. The knobs made it easy for him to move the pieces around and not become quickly frustrated. The colors are bright and kept his attention for quite some time. Over all I really liked the quality and workmanship of this puzzle.

Now for A Crafty Christmas.

How would you like to win a handmade personalized puzzle? Just in time for Christmas! Life with Tootsabella & The Rose and Grandma Bonnie's Closet are hosting A Crafty Christmas Giveaway! Opening on December 1st! Stop over at Kid Puzzles and let us know what puzzle you like the best!

My honest opinion has been expressed in this post. The opinions in this post are 

mine and have not  been influenced by monetary compensation. 

A puzzle was given to me free of cost by Kid Puzzles.

Traveling Nurse

Today was one of those days I had the opportunity to reflect upon the birth of my first granddaughter Pumpkin. I have shared the story of her birth a few months back so I will not go into much detail here today. I attended Pumpkins birth as a Doula and I have so many fond memories about that day.
One of those memories was how all the nurses were so helpful and supportive. There was one nurse in particular that I have not forgotten. She was a traveling nurse. I had heard about Traveling nurses but had not thought much about their career. Through out the day we had the chance to visit a little each time she came in to check on my daughter-in-law. One question I had asked her was, " What made you choose to be a traveling nurse?" She went on to tell me how she had always dreamed of traveling and seeing as much of our country as possible. While she was in nursing school she had learned about a traveling nurses program and made the decision that it would be something to try.
My daughter was also able to be present at Pumpkins birth since she was on break from nursing school. My daughter thought the idea of being a traveling nurse was something she might think about. I knew the opportunity to meet this registered nurse and talk about the travel program might influence my daughters plans for her future.
I do have to say I think Travel Nursing programs are wonderful and can be a great opportunity for registered nurses and Licensed practical nurses who want to travel the country. There are many benefits of being a traveling nurse from building skills, free housing, to the great pay. What more could someone ask for?
On a side note, my daughter decided not to become a traveling nurse. She got married right after she became a RN and a year later had Pooh Bear.
All events in this story are true.

Book Review: Ripley"s Believe It or Not! Strikingly True

Are you looking for a unique Christmas Gift? Do you know a reluctant young reader? I have the answer for you. The Book Ripley's Believe It or Not! Strikingly True is a collectors addition that can not be passed up. I received this book to review and before I had a chance to start reading and looking over the book I had  family members asking who's Christmas present this was for! Everyone wanted this book. So, do you want to know why I think it would be great for a reluctant reader? After looking over this book it made me think of when my three sons were young and all the times I had to push them to read their assigned reading material. Then one day we came across a series of books called Goose Bumps. This was the start of an amazing journey my sons became so interested in reading that we could not pry their books out of their hands. This is when I realized it was not that they did not want to read it was the material we were providing that they were not interested in. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Strikingly True is one of the books my sons would have treasured and read from cover to cover!

Let's take a look at this book. 

We will start with the cover. The holographic red and silver foil cover is so inviting it almost dares you not to open the pages.

Now lets open the book. The pages just leap out at you. I started reading and could not stop. I jumped from fact to fact with out stopping for over an hour.  The stories, interviews and facts are so interesting and sometimes beyond belief! Believe me this is not fiction although one might not want to believe that.

What words would I use to describe the content of this book?

Amazing, fascinating,  non-fiction, weird, bizarre and  unexplained phenomena.

Let me show you a couple of the pages in this incredible book.

If you would like to read more about this book  click on one of the pages above. 

To purchase this book please click on the banner below.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine alone. 

Cake Decorating: Royal Icing

Today we are going to make Royal Icing. What is Royal Icing? Cake decorators use royal icing to make edible decorations to put on cakes. Royal icing is not for frosting a cake. This icing is stiff and drys hard. When making decorations to place on a cake they are usually made and left to sit on waxed paper until they are dry(24 hrs). Then you can gently place them on the cake where you would want them.

Royal Icing

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Meringue Powder

4 cups confectioners sugar ( powdered sugar)

6 tablespoons warm water

Makes about 3 cups of icing.

Instructions:

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks. ( 8 to 12 minutes this will depend on if you use a hand mixer or a heavy duty mixer) The icing should be smooth, firm, and thick. When you touch the icing with your finger tip it should leave an impression but the icing should not stick to your finger. For stiffer icing use one tablespoon less water.  To thin icing add 1/2 teaspoon water at a time and be very careful. It is extremely hard to thicken once thinned.

I made some decorations from royal icing today. Please forgive the roses as I left my rose nail at home.
Also just a reminder I am not a professional cake decorator this is just a hobby.

Note:  

1. When making royal icing make sure all your mixing utensils and bowls are free of grease. 

2. This icing drys very quickly so put what you need in your decorators bag and seal the rest in an airtight container and refrigerate.

3. Be careful when mixing this icing the stiff consistency has been know to burn up the motor of a hand  mixer.

4. Once flowers and other decorations are dry they can be stored in air tight containers for two weeks or more.

Scrap Book Freebie Day!

Offered free to my readers. As promised here is another fantastic scrapbook page to add to your collection.  If you have not started saving these great pages you do not have to worry there are more to come each week so you can start saving them now. These can be used  for a scrap book (online or printed)  or photo album pages.

To get your Designer Pack click here.

If you are interested in more digital scrapbook software from My Memories  use the coupon code below.

Use coupon code STMMMS56142 for 2 $10 off coupons

Visit My Memories to check out their digital scrap booking software.

Veterans Day

I would like to wish every one a happy Veterans Day. I wish to thank our veterans, their families and those service members serving now. Thank you for your service to our country. With out your dedication, sacrifice and courage we would not be enjoying the freedom we have today.

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

I am happy to share with my readers this wonderful offer from Melissa & Doug. This is just in time for the holidays. 


Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

Butter Cream Icing for Cake Decorating

Peanut butter fudge brownie with butter cream icing.

Ingredients

1/2 cup solid vegetable shorting

1/2 cup butter softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Makes approximately 3 cups icing.

Cream shorting and butter with an electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerate in an airtight container, icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.  For thin consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.  This butter cream recipe is one that many cake decorators use. It can be found at http://www.wilton.com/

Note: The confectioners sugar must be sifted. The measurement will be off if you do not sift the sugar before measuring. Also there may be tiny bead sized lumps in your icing if the sugar has not been sifted. Simply put this is not a time to take a short cut if you expect smooth icing.  

When making your icing it will form a crust quickly that is what the damp cloth will prevent. When I decorate my cakes I fill the decorator bags and immediately cover the remaining icing so it will not crust over. I have also used plastic wrap placed directly on top of the icing this is my favorite way to prevent a crust from forming.  This icing will be soft and easy to spread. This icing is generally good for writing, some trim, and small flat flowers. This icing is not usually stiff enough for roses and other detailed flowers. Next tip,  I will share a good stiff icing recipe great for roses and other decorations.  

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

#1 Food

Little Bug's First Birthday Cake.

#2 Purple

Pumpkin modeling  her purple crochet dress. 

#3 In Disguise

Sweet Pea dressed as Princess Bell

#4 Shapes

Pooh Bear playing with his shape blocks and Lego set.

#5 Photographer's Choice

Thank you for visiting. 

Have a wonderful week.