OMG- What a delightful surprise on my doorstep today!

Thank you Melissa and Joni for the fantabulous surprise you sent me :)

I truly never expect anything for hostessing a swap and am always delighted when someone takes the time to throw a Hello Kitty pen or a sheet of embellies in the swap package. I appreciate and savor every thoughtful gift I get. BUT - WOW - You ladies send me a huge box chock full of packing peanuts (WHICH I NEEDED, THANKS!!!! Seriously... I did!) and the best part.... a set of festive cupcake plates and a matching platter! Hubby told me just last night that I needed to make a batch of my famous cupcakes. I also had a request from my Mom (who will be visiting next week) that I need to make her some too. So guess what we will be enjoying our treats on....

and GOODWILL towards ME!

I took a little stroll through our local Goodwill thrift store this weekend. I found (I am never actually looking for stuff, I just find it!) a bag of embroidery yarn for $3.06 ... for the whole bag! That was 14 jump spools! I even found a few unexpected treasures in the spools. Some nice little old lady must have started crocheting the pretty pink flower. The string was still attached :( I found a pastel granny square and a yo-yo. It put a smile on my face :)

How sweet are these paper roses I found for $.76! The only regret is that I found it too late, I had already made my SPRING banner and these really would have been lovely on it! OH WELL... I will have to make another spring project :)

And another SHADOW BOX! It is mini size (see how it compares to a Priority Flat Rate USPS box)... $.76 also :) It was an oaky brown color and I really hate that wood color. Hence, the fresh coat of white spray paint!

And this fabulous re-usable shopping tote at the register! I love the font, the tree and the message... SCORE!

So get out there ladies, have fun stretching your hubby's hard earned dollars and help out some local charities! You never know what you will find :)

xoxoxo!
Rachel

My Easter Tablescape!

Every holiday I decorate the dining room for that specific holiday. I have full stock of holiday decorations even if I don't celebrate them for religious reasons! I just love the holidays and the happy memories they evoke. I hope that my boys always remember our house as a happy holiday hub!
I always decorate the dining table because we NEVER eat there! We have lived in this house 3 1/2 years and we have only eaten in the dining room 2 times :) So no worries about having to dismantle my tablescape for necessities such as EATING!!!

*** Happy Spring Banner ***

So I thought my Spring dining room decor needed a little vintage flair, so I whipped up this fun and fabulous little banner! Each layer used less than a 12 x 12 sheet of PP. I also used only embellishments from my stash :) I hand cut the scalloped triangles, Marvy scalloped circle punch , Prima flowers, vintage buttons, Martha Stewart butchers twin, Martha Stewart butterfly (green) punch, Martha Stewart flocked stickers (the bunny and the bird) and Marcella for K & Co. glitter chipboard letters ... tfl :)

Happy Spring! (I know I am a week late with Spring greetings!)

I love Spring, even if there technically is no such thing as "Spring" in Florida. I LOVE the colors and the new vitality in the garden centers and the Cadbury candy coated eggs (what is more Springy than a Cadbury egg?).

I decorated the house for Spring/ Easter today! I even did it right with a little Spring Cleaning! Not only does the house smell like Crisp Linen (thank you Plug-Ins) but it looks so cute and colorful :)

I went on a little shopping trip with Jessica, my nephews GF, yesterday and added to my cupcake stash! How could I pass up the cute barnyard set? I did show self control and only bought 7 stamps... that is a record for me :)
Nicky and I walked over to Lowes while my car was @ Tire Kingdom today and he wanted to buy a flower! I thought I would splurge and let my 3 yr old pick out a $.79 annual :) Remember, I have a black thumb and IT WILL be dead by Easter.Anddddddddd... my cute new rainbow/ heart tote style purse from Target. It was on sale for $7.99 - how could I refuse :) Plus, Jess helped convince me to buy it since it was rainbow!

I did document my Easter decorating with photos and will post them here this weekend :) I made a spring banner tonight and want to share it with all of you crafty crafters, stay tuned!!!

I am so proud of my hubby's green thumb!

I, of course, have a black thumb and am allowed NO WHERE near his thriving vegetable garden! I really can't blame him :) And I really don't want to get dirty anyway!!!!

I just love the smell of the tomato plant whenever i sneak over to check up on it! I actually despise tomatoes but love pizza and salsa.. go figure! We have big plans for our first bumber crop of toms and peppers- homemade salsa :) Yum!How pretty is his first red strawberry?!?!?! We just had to work a few strawberry plants into the vegi garden, being that strawberries are plentiful in these parts.And Daddy's greenbeans that he started from an envelope of seeds. The boys and I are in total amazement of John's talent. I never knew he had this in him! Really, that sounds corny and insignificant but truly, he is tending to our food needs in the most primitive of ways. I marvel most at the greenbeans and there vast daily progress :) I am excited about eating these most of all as they are one of our favorite vegis!!!!I think this was just a test run and John will plant more the next go round! We also just had a very frost-full winter and being in Florida that is rare, so we didn't want to loose the hole crop. I will keep you all posted on the vegi gardens progress.

Stop - CUPCAKE - time!

So I have a new found affection for this delish butter cream frosting recipe I found on the net last week! I have the link, a few posts down. I HAD TO pay homage to it's artful delightfulness by making it it's own special recipe card with all the goodies I got from Rhonda in the Cupcake Whimsy jar!

It FELT so goooooooooood! {Felt Headbands}

I had made a Mason jar FULL of little felt embellies a few months ago and there they sat. Unloved and unused L So this week, I decided to dust off that fabulous jar of embellies and make some fun little felt headbands for my favorite little girls! I bought some inexpensive headbands at Dollar Tree and had at them with felt! I blanket stitched a wrap around the headband and attached some of my favorite embellies! What do you think? We had a really windy day here and my poor little models had their hair flying EVERYWHERE! But they are still the cutest little girls ever, the windblown look just adds charm ;)I also decided to try and make a happy little toad stool too! It was my first attempt and I am not sure if I like it, but I wanted to add it to my felt collection !!!

Feeling Fruitful

How cute are these little creations? I made them this afternoon (freehand design) and plan on hitting Dollar Tree for headbands. I am going to adorn the headbands with my fruity little gems and make little gifties for my pal, Gabi!

I have said it many times before, I live in the Winter Strawberry Capitol of the USA! There is no shortage of Strawberry fields or roadside farm stands :) Let's just say I bought 6 pints (a 1/2 flat) for $3.99! I cut and washed them for the boys classes, their teachers asked for healthy snacks to munch on after SAT testing this week.

Of course you have to follow up a healthy treat with a bad treat (a bad but oh so yummy, you can't just have one, kind of treat!) So here is my bowl of Mike and Ikes from this afternoon! So fruity and refreshing!TFL and as always- thanks for letting me know you stopped by!
XOXOXO~
Rachel

I am so cool... I hang with Super Heros!

I am on a rainbow roll lately! I scrap it, wear it and buy it :) It makes me smile! The Super Hero lo above was a photo taken at my youngest b-day party. I used the Love Elsie raised thought bubble cardstock. It was perfect!

New PP from the K & Company stack, DAYDREAMS.

I love that the boys wrote their list, themselves! Yes, I mad a duplicate LO for both boys. I used to do that as a rule of thumb when I first started scrapping. Even if it was a duplicate photos!

TFL!

Rachel

My boys are Judo winners!!!!

What a long 12 hours but the whole family had a great time at the Orlando tournament! The boys fought their butts off! Zach fought 6 matches and Johnny fought 9! How exhausting.

Here are a few pics of our great day ...

Johnny doing a hold down. Zach was such a beast!
Nicky is always getting in on the action, too! All of the competitors from our Judo club.
Johnny won bronze!

Zach won Silver!

I even saw Jesus ...and the Virgin Mary!

TFL and suffering through a proud Mama bragging!

x0x0x
Rachel

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting {recipe}

I was inspired to make cupcakes today by my AWESOME care package Rhonda sent to me earlier this week. It was ALL CUPCAKE GOODNESS!!! Man did this generous soul send me every cupcake necessity for baking and scrapbooking there s on the market J And she even sent Spiderman wrappers for my Nicky! How could I not want to make yummy cupcakes for my lovies (I just wish Rhonda lived close by so I could share it with her!)
I ALWAYS have cake ingredients on hand, her name is Betty Crocker J But I decided I would try homemade frosting. I went on the net and found a simple one and I made sure I hade all the ingredients.
Let me tell, you this recipe is WORTH it! Super yummy for my tummy! I even unveiled the cupcake decorating tip set Rhonda sent me. The boys were impressed when they saw ol’ Mom whip out the party bag and pipe on the frosting. FYI – I used the star tip # 22 (Wilton).
So girls, if these bad boys look yummy to you, TRY IT! You will not be sorry! The recipe can also be found here from Gale Gand on TFN : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Directions:
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency. By the way, I substitued 1 cup Root Beer for water in the batter and it was DELICIOUS! The kiddos will agree :)

Have a cupcakey day!
xoxoxo
Rachel