Lemon Tart...

Lemon Tart..., originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

We had a family get together over the weekend and we had family from VT and my Uncle from the Kennebunk area visiting...it was a great day. I made this yummy Lemon Tart. I love this! The recipe comes from the Martha Stewart cookbook, the everyday one. Page 583..or 582... something like that. I really don't need to look at the recipe any more as I've made it so many times! It looks pretty here, but better than that - it tasted GREAT!

Here are a few other pictures from the day...and did I mention we had lobster?? I didn't eat much, just the tail on one...but I must admit it tasted pretty DANG good. I don't know how many lobsters my Dad got but it seemed like he was cooking them forever!

We also celebrated my niece's 9th birthday...and my Big Valentine wasn't here...to celebrate his 43rd birthday...but we won't let him forget that he's the oldest around here!! he he.

In crafty news I made this little card to include with my submission for Sew Somerset. I collect fortunes...love them. I recently made a little mini-album using them...I'll share that soon. I hope!!

Craft Critique

Check out the CHA Carnival over at Craft Critique. Looks like you'll find a TON of sneak peaks for the Summer CHA releases!! More later!

Happy....

Taking a break to check my mail and a few other things...we've got company in town and it's ben a busy evening. Wanted to quickly share this AC Moore ad with you, my little V is in this advertisement for EK Success products. He's the one under "activities". I need to get to a local AC Moore and pick one of these bad boys up for his memorabelia box...and maybe to scrap too.... :-)
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In other news, I did not make the Scrapbook Nook team. But they did choose a bunch of really talented ladies out of the 25 that were finalists. I am not sure how many they chose, didn't bother to count, but it looked like there were 10. Bummer. Good Luck to those that were chosen, can't wait to see what you come up with!

Nighty night everyone!

Another EK Success SNeak Peak

Craft Cleaner

Make cleaning up your scrap space a snap with the new Craft Cleaner. Simply run this little tool along your tabletop space to pick up small paper scraps, glitter, & embossing powder. It has a sticky roller to capture small pieces which can be cleaned with soap and water. It also contains a small tray underneath which contains all waste. October release.

I am hoping this will be at my work stand at CHA next week, I can't wait to give it a try!

In other news, there was another challenge over at Scrapbook Nook and this is what I came up with. The challenge was to use a product (or products) that you have a lot of and don't use, or can't figure out how to use. For me I used the Elsie fabric, oh how I love it - but I have had the hardest time putting it use. I have SO MANY of these sheets of fabric - unused - unloved - until now. I also have quite a few of those 7 Gypsies tags...also - love them. Try to use them. Just can't make them work. So on this page I used them both, and I'm pretty happy with the way they look on this page about my girl Guinness!

Puppy Love

this week on I Inspire Me....

It's another bi-week, and that means that Lana has posted our I Inspire Me creations on the blog. I had so much fun with the challenge this week - it was kitchen. For this challenge I was inspired by the way the green on this box looks with the tabletop - and also the wood grain really intrigued me...and it just so happened that I had some Hambly to use to show that... I just LOVE the way this page turned out...I hope you'll join us and play, be sure to comment and tell me where you've posted your page!

Another EK Success Sneak Peak!!

Paper Shapers® Punch & Stamp This new product can stamp an image and punch a shape in one smooth motion! Each package comes with 1 punch shape and 4 coordinating stamp designs. The product eliminates the step of stamping a design and having to line it up with the punch shape. It can be used with ink pads purchased separately.

This product can also be used separately as a punch or to stamp. The individual stamp designs can be used with existing acrylic mounts. Stamp sets are sold separately. The punch itself is approximately 5.5” long x 2.5” wide x 3” tall. All stamps are approximately 1” in size. October release.

Scrapbook Nook

I keep forgetting to post this....I've been chosen as one of the 25 finalists in the Scrapbook Nook Design Team search. The competition is fierce I'll tell you, but I'm hopeful! Over the weekend we had a couple of challenges that we needed to make things for. One was a card, any kinda card. Nat had sent me some lovely papers that were designed and printed by Daniella so I used that and some other vintagey things....and the plastic butterfly. I finally found some plastic bugs. I just love this! On the inside it says "happiness".

The other project I made for them was a scrapbook page about where we're from. This did NOT TURN out the way I had imagined it would, but I'm happy with it. The map papers are from an old geography book.



We had a great 4th of July. The place we went to was so gorgeous, on top of a mountain with beautiful views of the water. They had a pool and the Little V stayed in most of the time we were there. I would LOVE to have a place like these people had, it was huge, immaculate with a great vegetable garden. The only thing missing was the dog - we left her home!

Anyway, happy Sunday. I picked 4 more quarts of strawberries this morning so I can make another batch of jam. I figured out how to make jam using only 1 cup of sugar for the sweetener - and it totally rocks! If you want the recipe I'll be happy to type it up and share....but you need to get the Sure Jell that says it's for low or no sugar.

Back to the old grind tomorrow. I've got another EK Success Sneak Peak to post sometime on Monday! TTFN.

EK Success CHA Sneak Peak

Happy Thursday everyone! The days are just flying by, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. I think it's because it's summer vacation! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Little V and I went to the beach yesterday, a last minute kinda thing, had a great time - though I missed a few spots with the sunscreen and that looks kinda Today I want to share a few things with you that are coming out from EK Success. These are not samples that I made, but my team mates created them. I'll be posting mine in a few weeks. I'm pretty sure Nicole Ratzlaff made the gingerbread house, love it Nicole and Becky Cates made the Boo! House. Two very talented ladies that I'm honored to know! And, if you're going to be at CHA stop by and say hi to me at the EK Booth, I'll be demoing pens (brushables, writers and what ever else they have for me! ) I'd love to say hi! As a sidenote, I love the new paper shapers.....scalloped circles and square - to die for!! P.s. I'm not sure why the images are so small, sorry about that!!

Art Blanche®

What shape will your imagination take? With the Art Blanche™ new collection of customizable shaped books and chipboard shapes you will be inspired. Themed customizable books give you a blank canvas with the flexibility to paint, ink, chalk, stamp, distress, decoupage, or cover with paper.

In August, the Autumn/Halloween shapes of a spider web, ghost and maple leaf will be released.

In September, a gingerbread house, snowman, Christmas tree and a double mittens book will round out the seasonal assortment.

EK Success will also release 19 new sets of chipboards alphabets, numbers and popular shapes which coordinate with our existing nesting Paper Shapers® punches (sizes small – XL). You can punch out paper and completely cover the chipboard shape in one step, without the hassle of tracing and cutting the shape! August Release.

Well, have a great day everyone. We're going strawberry pickin' today! Looking forward to that for SURE!!

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

I love to cook - and last night (on my birthday) I made this Tomato Tart. It was so yummy, the crust was a corn meal dough with goat cheese underneath the tomato....it was yummy. I don't usually eat cheese (or any dairy) - and this was the first time I'd ever had goat cheese, I thought it tasted pretty good. You can find the recipe in the June issue of Health magazine on page 136. I'm going to scan it and send it my friend Shawn so if anyone wants it let me know and I'll happily send it to you too!

Though next time I am going to try it with soy cheese so I can stay clear of dairy...it bugs my digestion.

Well, ta ta for now...and if you haven't checked the I Inspire Me blog, you need to. Lots of great inspiration over there!

I Inspire Me

It's a new week - and there's loads of NEW inspiration over at the I Inspire Me blog - and I hope you'll all play along! I was inspired by those small pieces of paper on this page that say:

d=devotion k=kindness b=a better community and an equation that looked like this: d+k=b

I found these little pieces of paper in the Little V's pocket after he spent a couple of days researching Albert Einstein at school. They brought tearsto my eyes - at what an intuitive, sweet and kind-hearted boy he is. I used blue Bazzill to resemble the color of his little snippet and went from there! BTW, the KI is sprayed with blue denim Tattered Angels!

The TURTLES are back...

She's Laying her eggs, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

and making a mess of our lawn! This one made a huge mess over our septic tank, and I think she laid her eggs there too! I fixed it up, but this is the second time I"ve taken the rake and spread the dirt back to it's former glory, sans grass. Turtle season is just starting too, hrmph!

Sorry I've been so MIA, just can't seem to get myself on the computer much at all....but I'm feeling guilty about not blogging and not keeping up with my friends that blog too.

School is out, and that means Little V is home with me. This week he has a half day Summer Bible camp that he's going to. I've been using the time running errands after dropping him off so he doesn't have to be bored with in and out of the car.

I got my hair cut today, about 2 maybe 3 inches off. Of course I came home and put on a ball cap and worked out in the yard so it was promptly messy, but that's ok. I got some yard work done and the basketball hoop has been repaired and back to being a boredom stopper... :-) Ate ice cream today as a little treat for the Little V, now I've got a stomach ache....why do I do it to myself anyway??

Tomorrow - I'll be 42. Not sure how I feel about that right now. I'm feeling old and chubby and out of style. Maybe that's why I got a spanky new hair cut?? Maybe that's why I am in such an artless rut?

Happy Father's Day!

A few quotes on Father's Day! A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. ~Author Unknown

It is much easier to become a father than to be one. ~Kent Nerburn, Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man, 1994

The words that a father speaks to his children in the privacy of home are not heard by the world, but, as in whispering-galleries, they are clearly heard at the end and by posterity. ~Jean Paul Richter

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. ~Author Unknown

Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there - especially my husband AND my own father!

Working...

Bug, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

Have I mentioned that I love adding plastic (or real) bugs to my projects?? I'm pretty sure I have...but anyway. Just wanted to share a few images of some things I've been working on. I finally completed, got approval and mailed all my assignments to EK this week and decided to start working on a submission for the Fall/Winter issue of Sew Somerset. (oh, and I've got several things coming out in the Special Holiday edition to, found that out on Friday - excited about that!!)

I'm working on several fun things for my submission and these two images are sneaks for you. In other areas, I'm really worried and sad for my friend Leslie who's son is in San Antonio being treated for injuries he sustained in Afghanistan. To the point where I check her blog several times (no more than that) a day to see if she's posted an update on how he's doing. The last couple of days have been pretty tough on her. I'd appreciate it if you could continue to keep them all in your prayers!

In other news, I Inspire Me is LIVE....go check it out and play along!! The pages that everyone created for this challenge are AMAZING....I'm really happy to be playing along with this. I hope you'll all play along too!

Little Visitors!

I was cleaning up my flash card this evening and forgot I had taken these little gems this spring. We had a little infestation of lady bugs in our downstairs bathroom...on some days I took 1o or more outside, only on nice days though. Every once in a while over the winter we'd see one walking around the house. I was always careful to pick her up and put her someplace safe... I hope we don't get to many next year!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

i Inspire me..you inspire you...Lana Inspires Me too!

My good friend Lana Rappette asked me a few weeks back to join her in her challenge blog, I Inspire Me and I am so glad she did. First, I'm in such a slump, both personally and professionally. Personally, I just hadn't been able t0 make a hill of beans look good, a dry spell of sorts. Rather than force myself to be creative I just rode the wave. Until Lana. THANK God for Lana because she asked me to play. And that got me to thinking out of my box and I made something. I also had a couple of assignments for Ek Success due for the summer show that needed my undivided attention. And thank God for Ek too - because I had to complete the assignments. And I did. And I love them. But anyway, I digress. The challenge was to be inspired by something that I was already inspired to do. This is what Lana has to say about the challenge:

I got this crazy fun idea and thought it might make a cool inspiration blog that we can all participate in! The idea is simple; I inspire me & you inspire you! Thus the title "I INSPIRE ME". Not enough description? What if I said it like this: we get our page ideas from ourselves by looking around at what we already love and have chosen to have in our lives.

So, I have been loving this photo I took of my new storage unit my Dad made me a while back, just loving the simplicity of it. So, I used it as my inspiration. And, I am happy - no ecstatic with the results! This is what Lana had to say about my take on her challenge:

By Cat: She used eclectic elements against a stark but warm background just as she has in her office bookcase. Cat's interesting self portrait contrasts in black. More warm browns & yellows are picked up in the details. And the topic of interest is even more relevent, she says she "IS NOT wrinkle free". Now her antique inspirations have an even deeper meaning.

THANKS Lana. Also, what's been saddening me this week is another DEAR friend Leslie. Her son was hurt in some kind of bombing in Afghanistan last week. If you could all please send your prayers her way I would really appreciate it. He's at the Burn Center in San Antonio, TX right now but the burns aren't the what's so serious, it's the head wound he received. She needs all the good vibes we can send her way! LOVE Ya Leslie!

7 Random Facts about me...

I was tagged by the lovely Lana last week to share 7 random facts about me....not that hard - but how about some really off the wall ones:

1. When I was in my VERY early 20's I trained for a body building competition, yup me a body builder. I could leg press over 550 pounds, I was pretty strong. I remember being in GNC and hearing some man say "wow, you can tell she's a body builder" but in a nice way :-)
2. I am the only daughter and only granddaughter on my Dad's side
3. I used to smoke, like a chimney. I started when I was 13 and quit when I was 26. I became a social smoker until I was 38. Haven't smoked a butt since. I did quit in the body building phase though.
4. When I was in high school I got D's or worse in Math and A's or better in Art, go figure :-).
5. My first car was a 1977 metallic blue VW Rabbit, I got it when I was a senior.
6. Speaking of driving, I got my license on the first try and lost it for 60 days 8 months later due to speeding.
7. I recently (last December) quit eating meat, dairy and sugar. The ulcerative colitis that I have suffered with for years has gone away! yeah - that's incentive enough to stay away!

Thought I'd share the one picture I took at the Memorial Day Parade today. Isn't he a cutie!!

Field Trip, Ear Ache, WebCam and Gardening

I'm such a bad blogger lately, I don't even have an excuse for why, just that I haven't felt much like blogging. Between having a super ear ache for the last few days, going on a field trip to the Scarborough Marsh with my Little Valentine's 3rd grade class, planting a garden and just LIVING I haven't had a chance to stay up to date. The picture above is of the saltwater marsh as the tide was coming in. The picture just below is the Little V himself enjoying a candy bar on the beach at Old Orchard. It was a nice day, but the bus was pretty dang loud and LONG!

I'm sorry a thousand sorries for not posting much, I'll try to post more ...:-) In other news, I'm happy to report that I booked my flight to Nebraska to visit my lovely friend Vic in August. I am pretty excited about that as I haven't taken a vacation just for myself in years, I mean YEARS!! It's gong to be a great time - I just know that we're both going to get Laryngitis from non-stop talking...I've got another trip scheduled for this summer to, but I'll talk about that at another time!



Wanted to share some art, made the above page for my local scrapbook store Scrapbooks & Beyond. Kelley has the nicest little store down town, and I drop by every time I go to town...Hi Kelley

If anyone has any advice to give on video chatting I'd appreciate it. Nat and I are getting our webcams installed so we can talk but I have no clue what site works best for it. I picked up a cute little Creative WebCam yesterday and am in the process of finding time to get it installed. Do you recommend Live Messenger or Skype?? Nat, have you figured out which one is best?

Well, ttfn. I'll try and take some pictures of my gardening attemps tomorrow to share with you. So far I've got cilantro, arugula, basil, curled parsley and green onions planted. Tomorrow I've got some tomato and cucumber plants to get in the ground, and some purple beans, radishes, carrots, and a couple of other things which escape me to put in the ground. :-) My first vegetable garden!

My Dad is a GEM!!

New Storage Unit - entire thing, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

Last Fall I asked my Dad to make me bookshelf like the Ikea Expedit style...only longer to fit the long wall in my studio. We had cut down a billion trees on our land when we were building our house and had the wood turned into lumber so it was a matter of choosing the wood, coming up with a design and getting it done.

To be honest, my Dad has had this finished for a while. Sitting in his shop waiting for me to paint it. I was dreading the job for sure, but finally got it finished on Sunday and moved that baby in.

Between Sunday and yesterday I got it filled up with all my goodies...I've been buying storage boxes, bins and what not for weeks now in anticipation of getting this thing done...and now - I present to you - my new Storage UNIT. THANKS DAD, you're the best!

4 Page Spread....

Having a great day today, GREAT. Beautiful weather, people are beating down my door :-) and I got my preview copy of Sew Somerset. I have a 4 page spread in it, and yahoo that makes me so happy. I am also happy because when I look at these pictures it shows that I have lost 20 pounds!! I'm going to get into the studio tomorrow and make something, I 'm feeling inspired right now. Hopefully I'll have something to share with you!! TTFN everyone. And, I'm still waiting to hear from the winners of the drawing!!

and the winner is..

sorry it's taken me so long to get this post posted, I actually picked the winner (well the little V picked the winner last week) but I just haven't posted it until now...I know you have all been waiting so patiently for this, and I promise not to drag it on to long.... he he he

In other EXCITING news, I still haven't announced the winner yet...but I promise, I will. And she'll be happy. But the news, I sent in a big box of lovely cards to Stampington for the Holiday Issue, and it looks like they spread them all around their publications and they'll be publishing them everywhere, doing the happy dance!

In the most EXCITING news of the day, the winner of the copy of Art from the Heart is Stephanie from On the Funny Side of Life...email me with your mailing information and I'll get the book out to you this week Stephanie - and congratulations! Since I'm feeling pretty bad about dragging this out for so long I've decided to send another little ditty to someone else.

Stay funny said...

ohhh would love to add this book to my collection! Thanks for letting us play!

Dee Dee said...

Oooh la la. My inky fingers are crossed in hopes of new inspiraton arriving via your book. :)

So, dee dee, send me your address and I'll send you a little goodie too! Sorry I don't have any pictures today...maybe tomorrow. TTFN everyone and thanks for playing my silly game with me!

Post Number 249!!

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 1, yes, ONLY ONE post away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!
My husband went fly fishing this week and this huge turtle came and rested on his flippers. You can tell it's huge by looking at the last picture. The straight thing on the right is the fishing rod and the straps on the bottom left are the straps keeping the flippers on his feet. AMAZING...and, it was a snapping turtle! He said it hung out there for at least 10 minutes.

Post Number 248

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 2, yes ONLY two posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner! And, since I'm feelng kinda guilty about being pretty busy this week I just might have two posts today.... Just a quick quote for the moment, I've got to get back to Minnie Mouse.

Happiness resides
not in posessions
and not in gold;
the feeling of happiness
dwells in the soul.
Democritus

Post Number 247

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 3, yes ONLY three posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!

__________________________________________________________________

On to new business... It's Monday, beautiful Monday. I was so happy to wear my flip flops all day, but the space between my two toes aren't so happy right now. A random list is in order for today because I'm a little (ok a lot) scattered:

• If you haven't seen or purchased Donna Downey's new book, Fabric Scrapbooking, you must. I picked up my copy before I went on vacation and just now have gotten a chance to look through it. Wow. So many awesome, step by step projects.... I was gaga over the letters and the canvas - thanks Donna for the great inspiration!

• If you haven't commented on my post for the give away of Art from the Heart you probably have a few days yet. This is post number 247 and I expect to do the drawing at 250. Spread the word, I'd like to get some more comments on that post.

• My dear friend Nat gave me this award a while back. Thanks Nat, it totally made my day!! I keep forgetting to post it , but not today!! This is the award:

This award is generally given to bloggers based on their creativity, design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogging community, no matter what language. Very cool.There are some rules that go with it. You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogging community no matter what language. So, I'm giving it to:

1. Bonorama Mama: for her wonderful photography and lovely creations that she shares with us.
2. A Bird in the Hand: Colette never ceases to amaze me with the beautiful things she posts on her blog all the time! You've got to spend some time at her place drooling over her creations!
3. Jacqueline's Craft Nest: Jacqueline is the loveliest person, and she makes the nicest cards! She has an amazing way with color, and stamps!
4. Tammy Tutterow: a kindred spirit. Meant to be friends, plus she is an awesome artist!
5. Outside the Lines: Marilyn Healey. That's all I need to say. Everything she creates is a home run. Beautiful, elegant and a must have!

So many more to list, so little time!! So that's it for my random post today, time to get the Little Valentine in bed. I promise to have some interesting photos tomorrow, promise!

Tussie Mussie Swap

Tussie Mussie for Vic, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

I got into a swap with my two dear blog friends Shawn and Vic. We decided to make these Victorian things called Tussie Mussie's. they were supposed to be mailed and at their new homes by May 1, but I was so derailed by things going on around here and vacation that I didn't get to the post office until May 1! You can see a few more pictures in my flickr.

Here's a little sneakie peakie of the flower that's on Vic's. HOPE you like it!! I think we're swapping pincushions next, and I can tell you I WILL be on time this time!!

Have a great day everyone, and don't forget - this is post number 246 so you have until my 250th post to reply to the post BELOW to get your name in for the drawing of my book, ART from the Heart!

Art from the Heart GIVEAWAY!!

I am still trying to think of the details for the book give-away....I think my brain is still on vacation!! I guess we'll just make it simple. . . Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 5 posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!