Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread
4 c. canned pumpkin
4 c. sugar
1 c. oil (I use light olive oil)
5 c. flour
4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix pumpkin, oil and sugar. Add other ingredients. Grease and flour pans.
Makes approximately 3 loaves.

Bake at 350º for 45-60 minutes (depending on pan sizes)
(Yeah! – this takes care of your veggies for today – Ha!)

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Since we’re neighbors, let’s be friends!

We had 22 representatives from the Management of our 4 local JoAnn Stores in the house today for a tour and a little face time. And just like at home when you have guests in, it’s a great incentive to do some long overdue cleaning. So for the last week the feather dusters have been flying around the office. I thought they might be interested in knowing our process for developing art from sketches to painting to fabric layouts and how the art is utilized in the design of hard good products as well.

What a friendly and attentive bunch they were. It was fun to show them the art for the Christmas product that is currently in boxes in their back rooms right now. Insiders tell us that the product will “set” on Saturday. Between touring and talking, we served them up my homemade Pumpkin Bread which is a recipe I’ve had for 40 years now! (Luckily they didn’t eat it all and we’ve been nibbling on it all afternoon – I’ll jot down the recipe for you) It certainly is more fun when you get a chance to know the people you are working with and the JoAnn team members were a delight!

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Is it Funny OR Scary?

BOTH! You have to laugh I guess – what else can we do!?!  Once again Robin has put her Cricut to good use – this time bringing current event commentary to her Halloween yard decor. Interesting times!

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Froggies, Poppies & Stickers, Oh My!

To get your creativity hopping, we have a great new assortment available to you. PC Crafter has just introduced FREE monogram downloads in addition to a collections of clip art, backgrounds and borders; plus Creative Imaginations offers colorful double-sided papers, cardstock and fun-loving epoxy stickers all in this coordinated art. Mix and match all these officerings to make your own custom wall art, greetings cards and scrapbook pages. Have at it!

Monogram Shadowbox
Cover backing board with fabric. Print monogram, adhere to heavyweight cardstock, cut out. Mount letter in center of shadowbox backing board using foam mounting tape. Adhere frog and snail stickers.

“Hi” Card & Envelope
Print “h” and “i” monograms, cut out, adhere to 4” x 6” blank card using foam mounting tape, dot “i” using poppy sticker. Trim along bottom of card with poppy background paper, glue rickrack along seam. Adhere frog sticker with foam mounting tape. Adhere poppy sticker to outside of envelope.

Monogram Wall Art
Print monogram.
Adhere to mat board, cut out.
Tie various ribbons around letter.
Attach frog sticker.
Spell out name using rub-ons or letter stickers.
Hang using a lightweight adhesive picture hook.

Luggage Tag
Layer “D” monogram and frog image on a 4 1/2” x 2 1/2” background block, add name and address information, print. Adhere to back side of luggage tag cardstock sticker, trim around sticker. Tie with coordinating ribbons.

“Beautiful Girls” Scrapbook Page
Layer backgrounds, frog image, “B” monogram, and photo. Insert text block to complete ‘Beautiful Girls’ title.

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Baking Experiment Ends Well

My maternal instincts were running high and I decided to send some homemade cookies to Murphy at school. I sent him a dozen and brought the rest to the office. I wanted to eat some too and decided to experiment with creating a semi healthy version of the classic oatmeal cookie. After I got the thumbs up at the office, (and I clearly liked them since they made up the entire contents of my dinner the night before) I thought I should write up the recipe so I could share it with you. Of course by the time I had arrived at that decision there were only three cookies left. I nabbed them for Tom to take a quick photo. 

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 rounded cup brown sugar (packed firm)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled Oats
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 medium Granny Smith apple (finely chopped)

Heat oven to 350 F.
Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda & powder, cinnamon and salt.
Mix in oatmeal.
Fold in cranberries and apples.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
Bake approximately 12 minutes.

I highly recommend having a couple when they’re warm as a reward for your baking efforts!

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Tie me Kangeroo Down Sport!

Former staff member Kat recently moved to Douglas, Arizona to pursue a teaching career. The other morning while getting ready for school her little boy double-taked a very unfamiliar sight. Kat grabbed her camera and captured a photo as evidence. When they tried to report it to the police, they got hung up on - assuming it was a "Drunk-Dial." She mentioned the incident to her 3rd graders and one bright little lad mentioned there was a Fair in town with an Australian exhibit. Low and behold her student got a "A" for keen observation because one of the kangeroos had indeed escaped. I loved the irony of the Pet Signs next to the stray Kangeroo. I bet Jay Leno would have loved to get his hands on this photo!

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SPOOKTACULAR!

My son may be grown, but I still enjoy decorating for Halloween. Fanciful and fun and downright magical, Halloween is a holiday that kids of all ages enjoy. This year I’m decorating with some of my cute new products at Jo-Ann Stores. A whimsical sign like this one will hang on my door and I’ll mix some of these spooktacular holiday tins with the real pumpkins on my kitchen window sill. Some special friends will get tins filled with candy and this scarecrow and other ceramics will greet trick-or-treaters in my entryway. There are lots of boo-tiful products to choose from this year so have some fun decorating your Halloween home!

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Quote of the Month

“The reason women don’t play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public” is our Quote of the Month courtesy of comedienne, Phyllis Diller. Truer words were never spoken! I knew there was a good reason I never took up football. Kris combined this quote with a pink and brown color scheme in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Notice her special details like the football in the middle of the dangler and the pink ribbon in the upper corner. The pattern that frames the quote also reminds me of an animal print that I recall Phyllis Diller used to wear often. (Oops, that kind of dates me, doesn’t it?) Those clever embellishments are what make us appreciate Kris’ talents as a devoted paper crafter! 

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Just in time for Halloween!

Oh my gosh……here’s the latest from Robin and her handy-dandy Cricut machine. She whipped up some Princess Halloween masks for her little nieces and just about everyone else she knows I suspect. These designs are available on the Paper Doll Dress-up cartridge. Off to the masquerade ball………

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Quick & Cute Halloween Pillows

We create lots of fun fabrics that we call "Sampler" and "Repeating Stripe" layouts. It's a great way to feature all the art we create and give the sewer lots of options for usage. We just made up a couple of Halloween pillows utilizing designs from these layouts. Don't be scared ~ these are so quick and easy ~ you can whip them up with plenty of time to enjoy them this Halloween.

Fabric shown is from the Debbie Mumm for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Collection.

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