Danielle Muldowney Designs

Pennsylvania here we come!

2008-07-27T23:23:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I have been slack with this ole blog of mine lately, but I have been getting ready to go to Pennsylvania . I will be teaching at the Camp Hill SDV this Thursday-Sunday. My 3 boys are coming with me and we are making this into a fun trip. We have MANY activities planned for the kids from Hershey to Amish Country. We really haven't decided when we will be coming back but as far as I can tell we will be gone for at least 10 days. So until then have a safe and fun couple of weeks and I will check in when we get back.

New Daisy D's

2008-07-16T19:47:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple of cards that I made using the new Village Market collection from Daisy D's.

a Moment in Time card

days gone by card

Happy Tuesday!

2008-07-15T16:04:00.005-04:00

I hope all had a great weekend. I was away teaching at the Burlington SDV this weekend. It was so great to see so many friends again. A big thank you to all the wonderful ladies that came to my classes.

I thought I would leave you all with a layout I did for CHA for Daisy D's using their Chloe Marie Collection.

I love this collection!

July 4th photos

2008-07-07T09:25:00.004-04:00

I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from the 4th!

I had such a fantastic birthday, we spent the day in Boston then at night we went to my sister-in-laws house to watch the fire works on her roof deck.

Matthew looks so much older than 8 in this picture.

John and the boys.

LOVE this picture of Nicholas!

Here is Nathan celebrating his first 4th of July!

Some of the cool fireworks over Boston!

The last one looks like the city is on fire.

Surprise!

2008-07-03T23:07:00.004-04:00

I got the nicest surprise today....

Tomorrow is my birthday (yes I am a firecracker) and I got a very special delivery today and it was sent to me by 2 of the nicest people all the way from Australia. Thank you Michelle and Teena for thinking of me on my 29th birthday ;)

I was smiling all day!

Tres Chic Kits

2008-07-03T08:08:00.007-04:00

Well, we are just about ready to for the Burlington SDV. We have been cutting and kitting for the past month and so far we have over 30 new kits to sell. Here is a sneak peek at one of our new albums.

Isn't she cute?

An oldie but I still love it!

2008-06-27T20:02:00.003-04:00

So the girls on the Daisy D's design team decided to share some of their old Daisy D's layouts and projects with each other. I had to do some digging but I found this mini book, it was the first Daisy D's class I have ever taught and I was lucky enough to have had it published in the "Babies" Idea book by Scrapbook Trends.

I think it's so much fun to look back on how your style has changed over time.

This album was made using the Classic Kids collection from Daisy D's.

Teacher Gifts

2008-06-24T15:58:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to share a project I did with Matthew's class for his teacher Miss Sullivan.

I went to school and had each of the kids in his class put their thumbprint on a flower pot. When I got home I drew an animal or flower from the thumbprint and put the child's name next to their print. Around the top of the pot it says "Thanks for helping us grow".

The final project was a big hit with the kids and Miss Sullivan.

Weekend Away!

2008-06-20T09:50:00.004-04:00

We had so much fun this past weekend in New Hampshire, I thought I would post some of the photos.

We took the boys fishing on Saturday and as soon as you put your line in the water within 20 seconds you would catch a fish. So it wasn't challenging but it sure did keep them entertained. The boys caught baby bass and sun fish as well as a frog.

This is one of the fish that Matthew caught.

Dad showing Nicholas how to put bait on a hook.

This is a photo of the lake we went fishing (not too sure of the name).

This is my favorite photo from the weekend. It was taken on Father's Day!

Nicholas's catch of the day!

Daisy D's Blog

2008-06-18T18:02:00.006-04:00

Every week a design team member posts a story, project or helpful hints on the Daisy D's Blog. This week it was mine turn and here is a sneak peek of my project. So if you have a chance go and check it out and let me know what you think.

Here is the link.

http://blog.daisydspaper.com/

He's Here! He's Here!

2008-06-06T15:15:00.009-04:00

Nathan Thomas made it safely into this world at 1:18am. He was 7 lbs. 14oz and 19 inches long.

Both mum and dad are over the moon.

I just LOVE his hair! ! ! !

The proud new dad showing his mum, Nathan.

I'm not sure if Nicholas knew what to do with Nathan at first.

This is a photo of Matthew with Nathan, both boys fell head over heels for this little guy. They think he is AWESOME.

Waiting Patiently

2008-06-05T23:23:00.003-04:00

Well, my poor sister-in-law has been in labor since 1am this morning. Now almost 24 hours later she is in the hospital waiting for the little one to enter the world.

It makes me think back to the days that both my boys were born. I was very lucky to have had very quick labors with both boys. Matthew (my first) was a total of 3 hours and Nicholas was a total of 5 hours. They both came too fast for any drugs which was ok with me because I am deathly afraid of needles and ivs.

Anyhoo, have a great night and hopefully I will be a proud auntie in a couple of hours.

Good Morning!

2008-05-30T08:38:00.004-04:00

Just a quick post, we are on our way out the door to chaperone Matthew's field trip today. His class is going on the "Duck Tours". It should be pretty cool.

Here is a layout I did using the Chasing Butterflies collection from Daisy D's.

Have a great weekend!

Catch Up!

2008-05-29T11:12:00.003-04:00

Oh, my poor little blog has been so neglected lately. We have had such a busy month I don't know where to begin......

2 baby showers

1 baby born

1 communion

3 graduations

This is just a FEW of the things we had going on, not to mention getting my classes ready for the Burlington, Camp Hill and Disney SDV's. I am well on the way to having my classes finished I have just 1 more to design for Burlington and 2 more for Disney (which really isn't that bad).

Anyhoo, this is a layout I created for Daisy D's using their Chasing Butterflies and Beacon Hill Collections.

I almost forgot has anyone gone over to the Daisy D's blog the Design Team is posting new projects and ideas every Wednesday. Lots of ideas and inspiration.

Tata for now, I'm going over to my friend's Christine's house to help her paint and wallpaper her new craft room. So cool.

Mission Completed

2008-04-17T17:24:00.004-04:00

What a great feeling to have my to do list for the week finished early!

I can't believe what a glorious week it has been. Tomorrow it is suppose to reach 76 degrees here in Boston and I can't wait, we will be once again working in the garden. Hopefully the fence will be finished by the end of the weekend and I can post photos then.

Until then here is a purse I altered using the Beacon Hill Collection from Daisy D's. Oh, I don't know if I mentioned it but Daisy D's has a blog and every Wednesday a design team member updates it. So if you have a chance go check it out http://blog.daisydspaper.com/

Happy Wednesday!

2008-04-16T20:40:00.002-04:00

Wow, I don't know where the time has gone this week.

We have been busy gardening all week, getting the garden ready to start planting our vegetables. Funny story, John and I started to build a picket fence today and while I was painting the posts I wore gloves that went about 2 inches past my wrist. Well when I got out of the shower I noticed that my arms were sunburnt from where my gloves ended and where my t-shirt started. It looks so weird. lol

Have a great night!

Happy Friday!

2008-04-11T09:16:00.004-04:00

I am pretty sad, but due to American Airlines grounding over 3000 flight I won't be coming be coming to Tennessee SDV this weekend. I was on hold with American for 4 hours just to be cut off, then Icalled back and waited another 2 hours. Funny thing is I went for a route canal and had it finished while I was on hold.

If you were signed up for any of my classes and are still interested in a kit just email me and I will send a kit out to you along with complete instructions, colored photos. All the kits are pre-cut so all you have to do is put them together.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I will leave you all with a layout I did using Daisy D's Maybe Baby Collection. I had so much fun making the pieced heart, if you look closely I used seed beads in the centers of the flowers and liquid glass on the dots.

Happy April Fool's Day!

2008-04-01T21:19:00.004-04:00

So, ever year I play tricks on Matthew. I think this year was the best. Last night I took a pair of John's jeans and stuffed them with newspaper, then I took a pair of his socks and stuffed them as well. I then laid out the pants on the couch as if he were sleeping, added a blanket and a newspaper.

This morning when the boys woke up I told them that dad came home from work sick last night and was asleep on the couch. So if they could GENTLY wake him up and then he can crawl into bed. Well Nicholas went running into the living room and stomped on his dad's foot to wake him up. He was so funny he said "what happened to dads foot"? I was laughing so hard it was PRICELESS.

Then I went off and packed Matthew's lunch. A sandwich, cheez its, a banana and a special cupcake make with lots of love (it was meatloaf on the bottom topped off with mashed potatoes and beets with colored sprinkles on top). It really looked like a cupcake. I also packed a word search he could do with his friends at lunch (the only words that they found was April Fool's).

So here is the picture of the John sleeping on the couch ;0. Have a fantastic night.

Quickie

2008-03-31T20:17:00.003-04:00

Just a quickie post. I just about finished cutting my kits for next weekend. Yippee!

Here is a layout I did using the Wonder Years Collection from Daisy D's. The more I play with this collection the more I love it.

Have a great night!

Today!

2008-03-30T16:14:00.003-04:00

I love days like today, it is sunny and bright and the house smells of a roast chicken dinner and I am just about done with ALL my laundry. I feel like this is always an uphill battle. With four people in the house we end up having to wash at least 63 outfits a week, sheets for 3 beds and towels galore. I get tired just thinking about it.

Anyway, here is a photo of one of my upcoming classes that I will be teaching in Tennessee.

Moments Mini Book

I hope you all have a fantastic rest of the day!

Changes...

2008-03-27T18:46:00.002-04:00

I am in the middle of changing the look of my blog. I get bored pretty easily therefore my house is always under some kind of construction, especially during springtime.

Happy Birthday to my little man!

2008-03-25T20:29:00.003-04:00

I can't believe my little guy turns 4 today, it just doesn't seem possible. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and I love you bunches.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T19:58:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Easter!

Getting Ready!

2008-03-19T21:57:00.007-04:00

Aren't these cute?

I found these at Designer Digitals and I love them. I made a bunch for Matthew to take to school tomorrow.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T10:26:00.010-04:00

Not much going on here today. I just wanted to post a few photos of yesterdays St. Patrick's Day parade. There were about 850,000 people at the parade yesterday. The South Boston parade is the second largest in the country and I am lucky enough to have gone since I can remember. Being that my husband's family is Irish and from South Boston we always have a blast.

One of the traditions besides Corned Beef & Cabbage we have is that the kids have a silly string fight. The front yard and the kids were covered from head to toe with silly string.

This was the kids favorite part when the soldiers fired their guns.

Nicholas held his nose the entire parade route because he didn't like the smell of the horses. One of the horses pooped right in front of him at the beginning of the parade. It was so funny.

Matthew and Makayla enjoying the parade.

Nicholas and John in their goofy hats.

Diego!

2008-03-14T15:26:00.002-04:00

Today our local bookstore had a big surprise for all the kids. They invited Diego to come down and read a couple of stories and then he signed a poster for each of the children. Nicholas was super excited about seeing Diego but once we got there his shyness got the best of him.

So below is a photo of Diego signing a poster for Nicholas, the closest he would get to Diego was about 3 feet.

Have a great weekend. I'm off to make homemade fresh Kielbasa this weekend as well as enjoy the St. Patrick's Day parade in South Boston.

Spring Cleaning!

2008-03-13T13:36:00.002-04:00

Well, it's that time of year again and I must say that I love a good cleaning. When I really get into it I love to blast the music, open all the windows and clean until my hearts content.

Today I started organizing all my kits that are ready to sell. I'm not sure if I am going to load them onto the blog, but if your looking for a certain kit of mine please email me. I need to find a better way to display them because I just have way too many kits.

Here is a card I designed for Daisy D's using the Wonder Years Collection.

Enjoy!

Catching Up!

2008-03-12T20:55:00.003-04:00

Wow, I guess it has been a while since I last posted, I must try to be a better blogger this year.

Anyway, I have been busy traveling, teaching and designing lately which has been awesome but I am ready for a little break. Next time I will be teaching will be in Tennessee in April. I can not wait to go it is absolutely beautiful there and we are right in the middle of the Smokey Mountains. The best part of all is there is a Hobby Lobby not too far from the hotel. Woohoo!

Here are a few layouts that I designed for Daisy D's using the Wonder Years Collection.

Busy Days...

2007-12-30T20:03:00.002-05:00

Well, it has been a very busy weekend.
Friday-We decided to take the kids to Edaville Railroad to see their Christmas lights display. They also had fireworks that night and I must say they were AMAZING, I really didn't expect too much but I was blown away. They went on for about 25 minutes and it was so close it looked like the fireworks were going to hit you on the way down.

Saturday-I took the boys along with my mother and we went to Stoneham Zoo to see their "Festival of Lights". It's a tradition that we started many years ago and it just isn't Christmas unless we go there.

Sunday-Today John took Nicholas to see Nemo on ice, which he loved.

Matthew and I went to see "Kidz Bop" in concert. He had so much fun dancing and singing to all the songs. He got a t-shirt and all of the members of the group signed it for him.

Well, after such a busy weekend I am looking forward to tomorrow night. We are just cooking dinner together, watching movies and hanging out. I can't think of a better way to spend New Year's Eve.

Have a Happy and Safe New Years!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

I hope all had a very Merry Christmas, we had a great day. On Christmas day we are always running around to visit family. So typically the day after Christmas we stay in our jammies and play with all the new toys. We must of been very good this year because Santa left many new toys. The boys receive a Wii amongst many other things and I got a new Mac computer. I am so excited but a bit scared to learn a whole new system. Hopefully I will be able to post a couple of photos from Christmas morning once I figure out how to do it on this new computer. Until then have a happy and safe rest of the holiday season.

The boys spreading reindeer food.

I absolutely love to decorate for the holidays here is 1 of 7 Christmas trees we have at home, the family tree.

Nicholas rewarding Matthew with a big hug as a thank you for his Christmas gift ( Diego animals and the Diego helicopter).

Snow Day

2007-12-16T11:21:00.000-05:00

Well Friday was our first official snow day we got 10 inches in Boston. Those of you that know me know I LOVE the cold weather and snow. So I bundled up the kids and off we went sledding. Nicholas had so much fun he was really too little to remember it from last year. When he finished sledding we both built a tiny little snowman, it was the perfect size for him.

My BIG Secret!

2007-12-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I know I have been a little slack with my blog lately, but it has been for good reason. I was trying to finish up all my projects for the year as well as trying out for the Daisy D's Design Team.

Well I can now share my exciting news "I MADE IT". I was choosen to be a part of the Daisy D's Design Team. I have been walking on cloud since last week and I must say that I am in awe of all the talent on the team. Way to go girls and I look forward to an exciting 2008.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T11:33:00.000-04:00

Wow, It have been a couple of really busy weeks.

This past weekend we went to McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island and saw the Spooktacular Jack-O-Lanterns. They had over 5000 carved pumpkins and some of them were really amazing. Here are a few photos of our favorites.

A cheetah....

Matthew being eaten by a dinosaur....

Scooby Doo was Nicholas' favorite...

I hope all have a safe and spooky Halloween. I am off to Atlanta in the morning to teach. Have a great weekend!

Spaghetti with Eggs and Bacon

2007-10-22T21:33:00.000-04:00

So, here is an very quick and easy recipe that I always use whenever we are running late or low on food in the house (I'm not a fan of food shopping). I usually substitute the spaghetti for fettuccine.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
generous 1/2 cup bacon, cut into matchsticks (we like bacon so I usually use a half to a full package)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lb. spaghetti
3 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil and saute the bacon and the garlic until the bacon renders its fat and starts to brown. Keep the bacon and its fat hot until needed.

Add salt and the spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, beat the eggs and Parmesan cheese with a fork, and season with salt and pepper.

As soon the pasta is done, drain it quickly, and mix it into the egg mixture. Pour on the hot bacon and its fat. Stir well. The heat from the pasta and bacon fat will cook the eggs. Serve immediately.

I serve this with salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!

Pittsburgh...

2007-10-16T11:17:00.000-04:00

I am teaching this weekend in Pittsburgh and I must say that I can't wait to go. I am just about done cutting all my kits, with is really cool. Maybe I will have a little time to pamper myself while at the hotel.

I am teaching six different classes:
Halloween Mini Book
School Days Mini Book
Christmas 12x12 Layout
Fall Fun 12x12x Layout
Jigsaw Puzzle Frame
Christmas Cards

I will try to post some photos later on. Until till then have a great day!

Happy Fall!

2007-10-08T19:38:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love fall it is by far my favorite season. I just come alive when the temperature drops and the leaves change. Every year we take the kids apple and pumpkin picking. So yesterday we spent the day at Smolak Farms in Andover and I must say I was a bit disappointed there was not an apple to be picked and the pumpkins were far and few, but we still had a fantastic day.

This is my little guy Nicholas on a pony for the first time.

This is Nicholas and his pumpkin.

Both boys enjoying the hayride.

Happy Anniversary!

2007-10-04T23:46:00.000-04:00

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary. I don't know where the time has gone, it seems just like yesterday that we were walking down the aisle hand in hand.

Yummy Cakes

2007-09-24T22:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we had family over for cake and I must tell you that I'm pretty picky about my cakes. So for the past 2 years I have been ordering cakes from "Ginger Betty's" and they are absolutely amazing. I just go in and tell them a theme and they have never disappointed me yet.

Ginger Betty's
215 Samoset Ave., Quincy, MA 02169
617-472-4729 ♦ 617-479-4491 (Fax)

So you think you can dance....

2007-09-23T19:41:00.001-04:00

Last night as a birthday surprise for Matthew I took him to see the show So You Think You Can Dance. All I have to say is it was FABULOUS. We had watched it faithfully over the summer and to actually see these kids on stage and dancing live was unbelievable. In the almost 3 hour show they danced all of our favorite dances and some new ones. When we were leaving we drove by their tour buses and they were out there signing autographs and taking photos with many fans. It was pretty cool to see.

Happy Birthday Matthew!

2007-09-22T17:59:00.000-04:00

Wow, time definitely seems to fly by. I can not believe that Matthew is eight today. I can still remember the drive to the hospital like it was yesterday, hopefully the next eight years won't go by as fast.

Mickey says Hi!

2007-09-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

Well, I am back from Disney and we had an amazing time. We sold lots of kits and all of our classes sold out.
Dodge was a sponsor and we broke a world record by making the largest scrapbook it was 12 feet tall x 9 feet wide. It was pretty amazing to see and all the girls at the convention added their own pages or embellishments. Here is a link to read about it http://www.dreameventsinc.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=BC916F6A-BCD4-2240-DD22D101718F9ADB

Going to see Mickey!

2007-09-05T09:34:00.000-04:00

Kits cut-check
Kits packed-check
Clothes packed-check
Sleep deprived-double check

Well, I will be leaving for the airport in a while. The past couple of weeks have been totally crazy around here. I was suppose to be on a plane at 8:45am but we decided to change it till 2pm instead. We just couldn't get our stuff together in time, oh well.
Today was also Matthew's first day back at school, so we all got up at 6am this morning, made breakfast, got dressed and the 4 of us went to school together. We will be picking him up at 11:30 and then I am off to the airport. I was so glad that I was able to see him off to school this morning.
Anyway, I better finish getting ready. Have a safe and happy week!

It's Tuesday, time for a new recipe!

2007-08-28T18:46:00.000-04:00

This is an awesome summer salad, very refreshing and quite easy.

Salad dressing recipe:
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp oil
3/4 cup water
basil to taste

Mix all the ingredients well. You can increase or decrease the sugar for sweetness.

lettuce (I use is Spring Mix)
1 large can Mandarin oranges (can be substituted for pineapple, apples or raisins)
1-2 cups of Caramelized almonds
Scallions (if desired)

Almonds-melt sugar in a fry pan and stir almonds until coated, let cool on aluminum foil, then separate.

Summer Fun

2007-08-25T13:01:00.000-04:00

Yesterday on a whim we decided to go to the park with the kids. Nicholas stripped down to his shorts and had a blast running through the sprinklers. Here is a photo I took of him,don't you just love the rainbow?

Cutting away!

2007-08-23T00:56:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been a long day. I spent the entire day cutting kits and so far I have cut 1 new 8x8 layout kit and re-cut 6 older 12x12 layout kits today. I must say I am tired but excited with the end result. So, I think it is time to call it quits for tonight.

Delicious!

2007-08-21T10:44:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick and delicious breakfast recipe.

Finnish Baked Pancake (Kropsu)

Makes 2 to 3 servings

3 tbsp butter or margarine
2 to 3 eggs (more eggs give a more custard-like consistency)
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup flour

For Serving: Syrup, crushed strawberries, crushed raspberries, blueberry pie filling or create your own topping of you favorite fresh fruit.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter or margarine in a heave 9-10 inch cast-iron skillet or heavy glass pan (lightweight pans will burn the bottom of pancake) in the oven until butter is melted.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the sugar and salt. Add the milk alternately with the flour, mixing well after each addition.

3. Pour the batter into the hot butter in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

4. Cut into wedges and serve with your choice of toppings.

I usually make a blueberry syrup and serve it with the pancake.

Happy Tuesday!

2007-08-21T10:12:00.000-04:00

Wow! It has been a very busy weekend. We went away to New Hampshire this weekend and the resort where we stay celebrated Halloween. So we decorated our house, got some candy and dressed the kids. Nicholas decided to be a cowboy, he looked so cute in his chaps and hat. My mum stayed behind to give the candy away while I took Nicholas trick-or-treating. When we came back my mum had only 3 pieces of candy left, but before she was able to close down a group of about 30 kids came to the house looking for candy. Thinking quickly I gave her Matthew's bucket of candy and as the crowd dwindled so did the candy (Matthew had only 1 piece of candy left in his bucket). I felt so bad that I took him in the golf cart and drove him around to collect more candy (he ended up with half a bucket). Everyone was happy in the end.

Being in the Halloween mood I have been working on some Halloween projects, a 12x12 layout, and 2 mini books. Here is a photo of a book I did a couple of months ago, I am going to be re cutting these kits for Disney so if anyone is interested you can send an email and let me know.

On another note, I have just finished decorating all the pages for the Leather Album and I am really happy with the way they came out. Also, I just got word that my classes for Disney are just about sold out. Yippee!

Happy Birthday Babcia!

2007-08-15T23:26:00.001-04:00

Well today is my grandmother's 81st birthday. So we all got together for a little Chinese food and cake.
Although she is 81 today, I must tell you that she has more energy in her little finger than I have in my whole body. She has never had a drivers license so she walks everywhere, whether it is grocery shopping, visiting friends or going to the beach.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we always go fruit picking. Well, I refuse to take my grandmother apple picking any more. She insists on climbing the apple trees to get the reddest and ripest apples and when the workers catch her and tell her to get down, she pretends she either doesn't hear them or that she doesn't speak English. It is quite embarrassing to say the least.

Here is a photo of Nicholas (my youngest) all dressed up for the party. Dont' you just love toddlers (lol)!

Tomatoes are coming!

2007-08-14T09:33:00.000-04:00

So right now our tomatoes are in full force. I think I have about 30 or so that are ready to eat. So I am rolling up my sleeves and pulling out all of my tomatoe recipes. So here is another family favorite.

Grilled Eggplant, Tomato and Feta Stacks

3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
salt and freshly ground black paper
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium eggplant (1 pound)
2 medium tomatoes (3/4 pound)
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Prepare the grill so that the temperature is hot.

Whisk together the vinegar, rosemary, and salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Peel the eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices (12 slices total). Cut the tomatoes crosswide into 1/3-inch slices (8 slices total). Place the vegetables on a tray and brush generously with the dressing.

Grill the eggplant until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing with more of the dressing.

Arrange 4 stacks of vegetables, start with the eggplant, add a slice of tomato, then add some crumbled cheese. Repeat.n Drizzle with more of the dressing. Enjoy!

On the

New Classes!

2007-08-13T10:04:00.000-04:00

I will be teaching in Orlando in a couple of weeks and I wanted to share a couple of sneek peaks.

The first class that I will be teaching is a "School Days" mini album using the new "Recess" line from Basic Grey.

The second class will be a "Mickey" 12 x 12 double page layout using "Scarlets letter" from Basic Grey.

Finally the last class that I will be teaching (I'm super excited about this one) is a Disney leather 8x8 album and shadow box, it will be using the new black leather "Biography case 101" from Cosmo Cricket. The outside of the case will be decorated as well as 4 double 8x8 pages and the cover page. The shadow box can hold all of your Disney memorablia that you have collected from your trip.

Here is a sneek peak of the from of the case.

What a show!

2007-08-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

Well, last night I took my almost 8 yr old son to see Justin Timberlake in concert. I have to tell you that I was not looking forward to going. Well, am I glad I went. The show started off with Good Charlotte and they were great, very personal with the fans. Justin put on a fantastic show, Timberland made a special apperance and he sang a couple of songs with Justin. The band members and back up singers were all part of the show dancing along with the other dancers. We both had a great time although Matthew did say it was a bit too loud (Justin Timberlake said that it was one of the loudest crowds he has ever heard). Here is a photo of Matthew after the show last night.

Summer Corn Soup

2007-08-07T08:38:00.000-04:00

This past weekend when we were driving home from Pennsylvania we were surrounded by corn fields. We could literally open the car window and pick an ear of corn. We found this little stand right next to a corn field, where you put the money in a fishing box and take as much corn as you want. So I bought 12 ears of corn and today I am planning on making one of my favorite soups. The recipe is below and I recommend that you garnish it with sour cream, tomatoes and basil, it really makes a big difference in the way the soup tastes. Yummy! If you have a favorite recipe, I would love to hear about it.

Summer Corn Soup
Serves six

5 to 6 large ears sweet corn, shucked, silks removed
Kosher salt
3 Tbs. oil or unsalted butter, or a combination
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1 medium red potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 to 4 sprigs of fresh marjoram leaves, stripped and chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup sour cream, for garnish
1/2 cup finely diced fresh tomatoes, for garnish
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, for garnish

Cut the kernels off the ears of corn by starting to cut halfway down the ear and slicing to the bottom, rotating the ears as you go; don't try to cut too close to the base of the kernels, Turn the ear over and repeat to remove all the kernels. You'll need 3 1/2 to 4 cups of kernels for the soup.

Stand one cob on end in a pie plate or other shallow dish and use the back edge of the knife to scrape the cobs and extract as much "milk" and solids as you can. Set this raw corn puree aside.

Break the cobs in half and put them in a heave 4-quart pot. Add 6 cups water and 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the cobs. Pour the liquid into a bowl and set a side.

Set the pot back over medium-high heat and add the oil or butter (or both). When it's hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium, add the celery, sprinkle with salt,and stir. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 minute; don't let them color (if they start to brown before softening, reduce the heat). Add the potatoes, marjoram, black pepper (about six turns of the grinder), and cayenne and stir to distribute the seasonings. Add the corn stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, lower the heat to medium low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender enough to puree, 20 to 30 minutes. Add most of the corn kernels, reserving about 1 cup. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender (be careful to fill the blender no more than one-third full, vent the lid, and hold a towel over the lid while you turn it on). Put the pureed soup back in the pot. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Add the reserved corn kernels and corn "milk", and simmer just long enough to take the raw edge off the corn, about 5 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, garnished with a small dollop of sour cream and the tomatoes and basil.

Enjoy!

Busy Weekend!

2007-08-07T08:18:00.000-04:00

I just got home Sunday night from Camp Hill, PA. I was there with Dream Events, teaching and Lynette and I had our booth as well (Tres Chic Kits). I must say that both were a huge success, all the classes sold out as well as most of our kits. So our next adventure is at the Contemporary in Disney in about 4 weeks.

Yesterday we were all up early, my mum got married yesterday morning at 10:00 am it was so quaint only our immediate family was there and then we all went out to lunch down on the waterfront. It was such an emotional and beautiful day for all of us.

Bruschetta

2007-07-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite summer recipes, it is a huge hit whenever I serve it. Enjoy!

1 cup chopped, and seeded roma tomatoes
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly, ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 16ounce french bread, cut on the bias 3/4-inch thick
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

For Topping:
In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside.

For Garlic Butter:
In a small bowl combine softened butter, 1tsp minced garlic, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Evenly spread the garlic butter on one side of the bread. Grill the bread slices, for 2 minutes or until lightly brown on both sides. Remove from grill, sprinkle with cheese, spoon the tomato mixture on top of the bread and serve immediately.

Summer Pickings!

2007-07-28T20:16:00.000-04:00

As a little girl we always have a huge gargen in our yard. With an abundance of fresh vegetables my mum and I had to get creative. That might be where my love of cooking started. So I think in the upcoming weeks I will start posting some of my favorite recipes.

Back from CHA

2007-07-24T23:22:00.001-04:00

What a wonderful weekend. I got to see many great new products, tons of Halloween and Christmas lines are coming out and some of them are really cool. I especially loved Kay & Co's Halloween line and Webster's Christmas line.

Saturday night I went out to dinner with the Cosmo Cricket design team. It was so nice to finally meet the girls. After dinner I went to the Beatles party (that was a trip).

All in All it was a great weekend.

Happy Monday!

2007-07-16T12:06:00.000-04:00

Well I am back from the Burlington SDV, what a great time I had. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Our booth Tres Chic Kits was a great success. I absolutely loved the way it came together and if anyone is interested in buying our kits you can view them @ treschickits.blogspot.com. Here is a photo of our booth.

I'm off

2007-07-12T13:49:00.001-04:00

Well I will be leaving in a couple of hours to teach at the Burlington SDV this weekend. I am very excited about my classes. I hope everyone will enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed making them.

The first class that I am teaching is the "Family" album posted below. The second class is a chest of nine drawers that have been covered in creams and blacks (I will have to post a photo later).

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Nice Surprise

2007-07-07T09:50:00.000-04:00

I just received a copy of Scrapbook Trends and as I was flipping through it I noticed a familar layout. What a nice surprise!

Happy Belated 4th!

2007-07-07T09:46:00.000-04:00

We spent the day at Long Wharf Pier in Boston and it was beautiful. The weather was great till about 7:30 pm and then it started to rain. Here is a favorite photo that I took of my oldest son Matthew. I absolutely love the clouds.

Wow!

2007-07-02T16:43:00.000-04:00

I love days like today. I just received my 7 Gypsies and Crate paper orders. All I can say is wow, just love their stuff. Be on the look out for some exciting classes and kits with these gorgeous papers and embellishments. Now back to unpacking and creating :)

New Class

2007-06-27T08:23:00.000-04:00

Well , I am knee deep this week trying to finish creating some projects for upcoming classes. One of the classes I will be teaching in Burlington is a "Family" album. This album is packed with lots of 7 gypsies embellishments from the beautiful pewter door knob on the front cover to the exquisite flowers throughout the book. Here is a sneak peek at the cover.

Sand Castles

2007-06-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we took the boys to Hampton Beach, NH to see the annual sand castle contest. If you have time or are in the area this weekend I highly recommend going. Some of the sculptures were amazing. Here is a photo of one of our favorites.

Oops!

2007-06-23T19:57:00.000-04:00

I guess I have been neglecting my poor blog for the past month. It has been pretty hectic around here.

Happy Sunday!

2007-05-13T19:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the fabulous moms out there.

Back from Tennessee

2007-05-08T18:24:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back from Tennessee. What a wonderful place to visit, the people are all so nice and I can't believe how green everything is. The classes went well and I wanted to thank everyone who signed up for my classes. Thank you all for a memorable weekend.

Time to start cutting!

2007-04-26T20:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I just received some of my supplies for my classes in Tennessee so it will be a very busy weekend cutting kits. I will try to post some photos soon.

Here goes...

2007-04-22T23:22:00.000-04:00

I'm finally getting my feet wet in the blogging world. I'm not sure if I am ready to jump in with both feet but maybe a toe.

I hope to post photos of upcoming classes that I will be teaching as well as the many locations.