We're still in Oklahoma but I logged in to the team forum just to see what the Chicks were up to and found a sale post from Miss Mint: 40& 50% OFF SALE DEC 26 & 27!
She's never done 50% off! She's startng a new Clearance category on the 26th, where she will put products that she's about to retire. Everything else in the shop will be 40% off.
Stock up now because new stuff is coming in January and I can promise there won't be another sale this big!
Even better, the Clearance section is going to have some items mot of you have never seen before. Here's a sneak peek on her blog of clearance items: http://peppermintcreative.com/blog/?p=548
Thought you would all enjoy knowing! Now, back to the holidays!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Worth The 2 Days To Make It
When I was a child, my mom would make strudel for breakfast on Christmas morning. It's an old family recipe and even the recipe sheet looked fabulously vintage, like it carried the secret of the best strudel on earth. Her copy was written on a single piece of typing paper, folded, creased, yellowed and browned from being splattered with ingredients over the years. The recipe takes two days to make. On day one you mix the dough then refrigerate it for 8 hours or overnight. Day two you knead the dough, roll it, fill it, shape the pastry loaf, let it rise for 5 hours, bake, cool and then drizzle the brown sugar glaze over the top. It's pretty time intensive, which is why my mom stopped making it when I was 12. It just took up so much time and as soon as all three of us knew about Santa and she wasn't up at 3 am putting out gifts, she wasn't willing to get up that early to prepare the strudel for rising. (I can't blame her. After a decade of no sleep on Christmas day, I might put a tradition on hold so I could enjoy sleeping in, too!) It was the Christmas when I was 12 that she announced she wasn't going to make it. But I loved strudel so I made it that year. And I made it for us several years after that, the last time being Christmas of 1998 before I left for college. I was 17.
Fast forward nine years to this week. I had copied my mom's recipe on a single sheet of paper for myself the last time I made it. Unfortunately I believed at 17 that I could never forget how to make strudel, so I just listed the ingredients, baking temp & time and the most basic instructions. Of course, I had forgotten a lot. I stumbled through the recipe and luckily, the strudel turned out okay.
Actually, it was more than okay. It was divine. You can't buy pastries like this any more. Panera Bread's Pecan Rolls kind of resemble the taste, but I never have been able to find it's equal. We cut into one last night, before we took the warm pastries to friends, and that first bite was like returning to a long lost place in time. It really brought back happy memories of Christmas, when the magic of a fat man coming down the chimney was so real! I had never made it for Brian before and I was flattered with how impressed he was. Then he wanted to know why I hadn't made it every year! (See: 2 days to make.) We're going to enjoy having it this year. Even Aiden had a little nibble!
Aiden, I know you're small and you don't understand what Christmas is yet, but I mostly did it for you. I have missed the tradition of having strudel and I couldn't think of any better time to bring it back than at your first Christmas. We have combined some of our favorite Sullivan & Silver holiday traditions and I hope they are the foundation for many memorable Decembers to come. Of course, since several of the traditions involve cookies and pastries, maybe a trip to the dentist in January should also become a tradition! LOL!
Friends: I am planning on digi scrapping myself the full recipe, since my little hand-written one leaves so much out. I'm actually going to re-create the vintage look of my mom's recipe sheet and have it printed, probably as an 8x10 so it can be kept with my large cook books. If any of you would like a copy, just leave me a comment and I'll get one to you!
Fast forward nine years to this week. I had copied my mom's recipe on a single sheet of paper for myself the last time I made it. Unfortunately I believed at 17 that I could never forget how to make strudel, so I just listed the ingredients, baking temp & time and the most basic instructions. Of course, I had forgotten a lot. I stumbled through the recipe and luckily, the strudel turned out okay.
Actually, it was more than okay. It was divine. You can't buy pastries like this any more. Panera Bread's Pecan Rolls kind of resemble the taste, but I never have been able to find it's equal. We cut into one last night, before we took the warm pastries to friends, and that first bite was like returning to a long lost place in time. It really brought back happy memories of Christmas, when the magic of a fat man coming down the chimney was so real! I had never made it for Brian before and I was flattered with how impressed he was. Then he wanted to know why I hadn't made it every year! (See: 2 days to make.) We're going to enjoy having it this year. Even Aiden had a little nibble!
Aiden, I know you're small and you don't understand what Christmas is yet, but I mostly did it for you. I have missed the tradition of having strudel and I couldn't think of any better time to bring it back than at your first Christmas. We have combined some of our favorite Sullivan & Silver holiday traditions and I hope they are the foundation for many memorable Decembers to come. Of course, since several of the traditions involve cookies and pastries, maybe a trip to the dentist in January should also become a tradition! LOL!
Friends: I am planning on digi scrapping myself the full recipe, since my little hand-written one leaves so much out. I'm actually going to re-create the vintage look of my mom's recipe sheet and have it printed, probably as an 8x10 so it can be kept with my large cook books. If any of you would like a copy, just leave me a comment and I'll get one to you!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Hybrids In A Hurry!
Here is the beachy shadowbox monogram I made for Aiden's room! These are turning out so cool and they are SOOOOO easy! I scrapped the 5x7 monogram in under 30 minutes, including all the inking time. I uploaded it online for 1 hour printing then picked up the weathered wood shadowbox at Hobby Lobby on my way to get the print. I assembled the shadowbox, added a few of Pottery Barn's beach pebbles that I had on hand and in one day, this project is done!
I really love how this looks, all sand-blown and roughed up! The letters are the Peppermint Creative Mintage Alpha. The full list of supplies is listed in Miss Mint's gallery, under this project if you'd like to see what all was used. Happy hybriding!
I really love how this looks, all sand-blown and roughed up! The letters are the Peppermint Creative Mintage Alpha. The full list of supplies is listed in Miss Mint's gallery, under this project if you'd like to see what all was used. Happy hybriding!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Whew!
The wedding is FINALLY over! It was absolutely gorgeous and I did have fun dancing with Aiden & Brian but I'm glad it's done. It was a very busy day trying to be where we needed to be with Aiden fed, nursed and everyone dressed in the right clothes with no spills or stains. Poor Aiden had to be fed baby food in his car seat in the parking lot of the country club. (It would have taken too long to drive all the way from Champions home and then back.) But we survived and with Sheena being the last of all the siblings married, WE ARE DONE WITH WEDDINGS! (We've done 3 in the last 18 months. We needed a break.) Brian and I couldn't be happier.
Now for some peppermint creative news: My scrapped monogram has been a hit. Miss Mint is making one for her house - I'm so flattered! - and posting directions on her blog. We have also been chatting on our message board about January's kit. Nothing set in stone, just tossing around ideas, but if we get hints about what is coming, I'll pass it on! ;)
I have some free time so I'm going to get working on some LO's - I have gobs of pictures from this weekend, not including all the ones Kelsey took at the reception! Watch for some new pages soon!
Now for some peppermint creative news: My scrapped monogram has been a hit. Miss Mint is making one for her house - I'm so flattered! - and posting directions on her blog. We have also been chatting on our message board about January's kit. Nothing set in stone, just tossing around ideas, but if we get hints about what is coming, I'll pass it on! ;)
I have some free time so I'm going to get working on some LO's - I have gobs of pictures from this weekend, not including all the ones Kelsey took at the reception! Watch for some new pages soon!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Hybrid Projects
Digital scrapping is cool, but hybrid items are REALLY cool to decorate with! Here are some of my newest projects:
I have had this shadow box for about a year and while I always meant to put pictures in it, I never have. Since I have the bad habit of having lots of photos printed and no where to put the extras, I thought this would be a great use for this item. Whenever I have extra prints or other neat paper items, I'll just change out the pictures in the shadow box. Such practical decor! (The tags & metal items are from Hobby Lobby.)
This turned out better than I expected and it has a lot of depth, even for a print. All of the hybrid projects use Miss Mint's stuff, but this has a lot of layering & recoloring because I wanted it to match the house. It's a framed monogram that is now hanging on the picture wall in the hallway. Digitally Scrapped Monograms - you saw it here first! Cute way to fill an extra frame and add some oomph to your wall.
Ugh, I could so use one of those easy wall hangers right now Miss Mint!
I have had this shadow box for about a year and while I always meant to put pictures in it, I never have. Since I have the bad habit of having lots of photos printed and no where to put the extras, I thought this would be a great use for this item. Whenever I have extra prints or other neat paper items, I'll just change out the pictures in the shadow box. Such practical decor! (The tags & metal items are from Hobby Lobby.)
This turned out better than I expected and it has a lot of depth, even for a print. All of the hybrid projects use Miss Mint's stuff, but this has a lot of layering & recoloring because I wanted it to match the house. It's a framed monogram that is now hanging on the picture wall in the hallway. Digitally Scrapped Monograms - you saw it here first! Cute way to fill an extra frame and add some oomph to your wall.
Ugh, I could so use one of those easy wall hangers right now Miss Mint!
Maybe This Week?
So much to do and so little time to do it in. Sheena's wedding is this week and it seems like I talk to her every few hours about some detail or a picture she needs photoshopped last-minute. My holiday to-do list is growing and I'm wondering when I'll get a moment to scrap!
There are lots of new products, including holiday cardboard grunge papers that I have only used once. Here is a layout I did recently. I was trying to see if I could scrap in my old, boring paper style, just to see how it would turn out. Pretty blah, right? I figured a Sick Day LO was the best type of page to do that on! Makes the boys look even more miserable somehow...
I am excited for our family pictures this weekend. I've got some neat things planned for the family pics. Can't wait to have them all done & printed! I'll post 'em whenever they're ready.
There are lots of new products, including holiday cardboard grunge papers that I have only used once. Here is a layout I did recently. I was trying to see if I could scrap in my old, boring paper style, just to see how it would turn out. Pretty blah, right? I figured a Sick Day LO was the best type of page to do that on! Makes the boys look even more miserable somehow...
I am excited for our family pictures this weekend. I've got some neat things planned for the family pics. Can't wait to have them all done & printed! I'll post 'em whenever they're ready.
Monday, December 10, 2007
A woman's work is never done
If you have tile, you know those annoying splats & drip marks you get that you can see when the sunlight gleams across the surface just right? They're invisible when you're standing right over them but glance along your floor during the late afternoon and it looks like it's been splatter painted with water spots. I hate 'em. I usually wet mop once or twice a week to get up all the grit and *try* to get rid of these splatters but they don't always mop away. Today I finally got sick of it. I broke out the heavy duty yellow scrub brush I bought at ACE hardware for the shower, some rubber gloves and the mop bucket. I also pulled out the citrus scented rubbing alcohol I bought from HEB a couple weeks ago.
Now, really quick, if you have never cleaned with rubbing alcohol, you simply MUST try it. Not only is it nearly as cheap as water, it cuts through grime FAST. I use it on lots of things but it works especially well at getting the dirt film off glass and windows, leaving them so clear it doesn't even look like glass is there. Oh, and try it for polishing anything chrome. Faucets will shine clean & bright, as if you just replaced them with all new fixtures, and mirrors gleam like they did when you first moved in.
Any ways, I mixed up some of the rubbing alcohol (1/2 cup?) with 1/3 mop bucket of warm water. I put Aiden in his high chair with some snacks and started scrubbing. It was quite the workout! I hand scrubbed the large, main traffic area in the living room and hallway plus a majority of the kitchen that had the worst splatters. I dumped the bucket of now dirty water in the hall bath, filled it back up and then rinse-mopped the floor with just my regular sponge mop and the clear water. I flipped on the ceiling fan to let it dry and went to check on Aiden, who had been surprisingly quiet the entire time.
I didn't mention it before, but I gave him the top half of an oreo cookie, with the cream filling scraped off, along with an arrowroot cookie, a couple of Ritz and the usual Cheerio-and-Gerber-Puff mix. (I have begun referring to this as baby trail mix - it's a staple around here.) I came back to find THIS waiting for me in the kitchen:
Yes, ONE oreo cookie half did all this! I don't think he got a crumb of it in his tummy. He just smeared it all over. Even better, Brian, in his superior wisdom of where he thinks things *should* go, had moved my hand and face wipes from under the kitchen sink to under the bathroom sink where they used to reside before we had kids. So I had to haul a cookie-smeared Aiden to his changing table for a wipe-down, leaving a tiny crumb trail across my freshly scrubbed floors. (Seriously Bri, just leave the wipes under the kitchen sink! Please?) I got Aiden wiped down & completely changed then walked back to the living room to examine my back-breaking scrub job.
The floors are gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous. They haven't looked this good yet. The matte finish is flawlessly streak-and-spot free, even in direct sunlight, and I'm frustrated I didn't scrub every single tile in the whole house. The rubbing alcohol & water mix was an amazing cleaner and since I used the citrus scent, the place smells pretty good, too. Aiden is down for a nap and I'm blogging while I let my back recover because I'm about to re-do the entire kitchen and hand scrub every tile in there. I'll do each room on other days and see if I can't finally stay on top of these mystery spots. After that I need to scrub Aiden's bib & tray. I've got them in soapy water, trying to soak off the oreo paste at the moment. Honestly, a woman's work is just never done!!!
Now, really quick, if you have never cleaned with rubbing alcohol, you simply MUST try it. Not only is it nearly as cheap as water, it cuts through grime FAST. I use it on lots of things but it works especially well at getting the dirt film off glass and windows, leaving them so clear it doesn't even look like glass is there. Oh, and try it for polishing anything chrome. Faucets will shine clean & bright, as if you just replaced them with all new fixtures, and mirrors gleam like they did when you first moved in.
Any ways, I mixed up some of the rubbing alcohol (1/2 cup?) with 1/3 mop bucket of warm water. I put Aiden in his high chair with some snacks and started scrubbing. It was quite the workout! I hand scrubbed the large, main traffic area in the living room and hallway plus a majority of the kitchen that had the worst splatters. I dumped the bucket of now dirty water in the hall bath, filled it back up and then rinse-mopped the floor with just my regular sponge mop and the clear water. I flipped on the ceiling fan to let it dry and went to check on Aiden, who had been surprisingly quiet the entire time.
I didn't mention it before, but I gave him the top half of an oreo cookie, with the cream filling scraped off, along with an arrowroot cookie, a couple of Ritz and the usual Cheerio-and-Gerber-Puff mix. (I have begun referring to this as baby trail mix - it's a staple around here.) I came back to find THIS waiting for me in the kitchen:
Yes, ONE oreo cookie half did all this! I don't think he got a crumb of it in his tummy. He just smeared it all over. Even better, Brian, in his superior wisdom of where he thinks things *should* go, had moved my hand and face wipes from under the kitchen sink to under the bathroom sink where they used to reside before we had kids. So I had to haul a cookie-smeared Aiden to his changing table for a wipe-down, leaving a tiny crumb trail across my freshly scrubbed floors. (Seriously Bri, just leave the wipes under the kitchen sink! Please?) I got Aiden wiped down & completely changed then walked back to the living room to examine my back-breaking scrub job.
The floors are gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous. They haven't looked this good yet. The matte finish is flawlessly streak-and-spot free, even in direct sunlight, and I'm frustrated I didn't scrub every single tile in the whole house. The rubbing alcohol & water mix was an amazing cleaner and since I used the citrus scent, the place smells pretty good, too. Aiden is down for a nap and I'm blogging while I let my back recover because I'm about to re-do the entire kitchen and hand scrub every tile in there. I'll do each room on other days and see if I can't finally stay on top of these mystery spots. After that I need to scrub Aiden's bib & tray. I've got them in soapy water, trying to soak off the oreo paste at the moment. Honestly, a woman's work is just never done!!!
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