Scrapbook pages from a kit

Decided that I better work on a kit so I could cross another thing off the list this month. I worked on a kit from Ninabrook designs. It was the Blossom - 4 page kit package.
Layout 1 - Blossom

Left page close up

Right page close up

Look how curly her hair was!!

Layout 2 - Shine

Left side close up

Right side close up

I was also able to get some sewing done on my quilt. I knew the second quilt was going to take some time. Why do the weekends have to go so fast??



Chicken Parmesan - New Recipe

So for dinner tonight I tried a new recipe (another thing off the list!). It was for Chicken Parmesan. I got the recipe from Simple Recipe .com. It was very easy to prepare and very tasty.

Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Ingredients

Sauce:

1/2 large yellow onion

1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (we use Muir-Glen)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Pinch of sugar

Chicken:

4 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)

Salt

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs (we make our breadcrumbs running pieces of stale French bread through a blender)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced

Method

1 Prepare the sauce. Coarsely grate half of an onion. Grating the onion will create smaller onion pieces and release more of the onion's juices, and is faster than chopping. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, about a minute more. Then add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to maintain the simmer. Cook, uncovered while you prepare the chicken (about 10-12 minutes).

2 Preheat oven to 400°F. Working one at a time, place a chicken cutlet between two layers of wax paper (or plastic wrap). With a meat pounder, pound the chicken pieces to flatten them to an even thickness - between 1/4 - 1/2 inch. (If you don't have a meat pounder, you can use a rubber mallet, an empty wine bottle, or a heavy rolling pin.) Salt the chicken pieces well.

3 In a shallow bowl (large enough to dredge the cutlets), mix together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and pinch of salt. In separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs.

4 Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. The oil should be shimmering, not smoking. Dredge the chicken pieces 1 piece at a time first in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs. Then lay the pieces in the hot sauté pan. Turn the heat to medium, then gently fry the cutlets until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

5 Spread enough tomato sauce to thickly coat the bottom of 9x13 casserole pan or baking dish. Once the cutlets are browned on both sides, arrange them on top of the tomato sauce in the baking dish. Place sauce over each of the cutlets. Sprinkle the tops with sliced basil. Then top the cutlets with slices of mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

6 Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the mozzarella begins to brown.

Serve with spaghetti and the remaining sauce, or in a large roll.

Serves 4.

I will definetely make this one again. Now I am off to work on my second quilt!

Summer Days layout

I finished another layout today! It was from the Summer Days collection from Echo Park. I love Echo Park! It arrived on Monday so I knew I had to get working on completing a layout given the 30 day rule to use purchases! I used a sketch from the Sketchy Thursday blog.

I sure am getting use out of those new brads I purchased!

A closer look of that cute face!!

Now I am off to try out a new recipe so I can cross another item off the list. I will keep you posted on how it turns out!

Sweet layout

Last night I completed another layout from a sketch. It took forever for this one to come together. I think the reason was that I had the pictures and the sketch first and then I had to find the paper that would go with it. I won't do that again! I was happy with the final result so that is all that matters.

Isn't she so sweet!!

Now I am off to cut the fabric for my second quilt of 2012!

Another layout from sketch

I was able to complete another layout using a sketch. By doing it I was able to achieve two goals. First - create a layout from a sketch. Second - use products that I have purchased in 30 days. Yeah!

I purchased  the Flirty paper line from Bella Blvd. Then I took a sketch from Scapbook Generation's Sketches for scrapbooking Volume 6. And this is what I came up with.

I love her face in this picture - Attitude for sure!

Those brads were also a purchase I made in the last 30 days! They are American Craft Elements and I used 11 of them on this layout!



Now off to get on the treadmill to make sure I can check off another goal at the end of the month!

First purse of 2012

I have to admit I have a little obsession with making purses. I can't seem to make enough of them.
I finished my first purse of 2012 last night. I used the Art Gallery - Bespoken line of fabric for the main body exterior and Art Gallery solid for the inside of bag and Marlin Linen from Bryant Industries for the top and handles. I love the style of this bag because you can get lots inside.

And it has lots of pockets:

And purple just happens to be my favourite colour!!
It will be interesting to see how many purses get made in 2012. Likely more than 12!!

Valentine's day jewlery

My daughter has been busy making all sorts of different things with her Polymer Clay. With Valentine's Day just around the corner that was the theme she went with.
She made a bracelet:

A necklace and earrings:

And a heart shaped box of chocolates:

Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!!! I love that she loves to craft as much as I do!!



Quilt #1 complete

I am very happy to say I am finished my first quilt of 2012! Yeah!
I picked an easy quilt to get me started. So this is the Sudoku Quilt - Lovely by Sandy Gervais.
I think the colours are nice and bright.

I think I will use this quilt when I am sitting in my big comfy chair reading.

One down, 11 more to go!!

Another two layouts!

I was able to complete another two layouts from sketches!
The first one is a one page layout and the sketch I used was from this January's Page Maps.

The paper I used for this layout is the Holly Jolly Christmas line from Echo Park.

The second layout was a two page layout. It was based on a sketch I got from Sketch Support.The paper was from Little Yellow Bicycle's Sweet Love line.

Look, I even sewed on this layout!!

So, I was pretty happy with what I was able to get completed this weekend. Now I am off to work on my Suduku quilt.

Layout from a sketch

Last night I did a layout that I created from a sketch. My sister and I each picked a sketch from January's Page Maps to work on. This is the first one.

I used the Little Yellow Bicycle "Sweet Love" line for this layout.

Well, I am off to work on the second layout.

Lemon Poppy Seed Ring

It has been a busy weekend and it is only Saturday! Yeah!
I made my first recipe of the year. I got it from my friend Dianne and wanted to give it a try because I loved it when I had it last year.
Lemon Poppy Seed Ring
Cake
1 package lemon cake mix
1 package vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup lemon or plain yogurt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
Combine all ingredients and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spread batter evenly into tube pan. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350 C
Icing
3 tbls milk
2 tbls butter (melted)
2 cups icing sugar
3 tbls lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
Mix together and spread over when cake is still slightly warm.

It turned out delicious!!

I worked out and went for a walk to burn this one off!! It was worth it!!

The first quilt

This weekend I started working on my first quilt of 2012. I decided to start with something easy to get me going. I am using the Sudoku quilt kit by Moda. I have two of these kits so the first one I will be doing is Lovely by Sandy Gervais.

This is how the kit comes. There are 81 - five by five squares in the box in nine coordinating colours.

I will be using a light blue solid for my boarder.

I need to get this done by the end of January to be on track for 12 quilts in 2012! I will post a picture of the finished product as soon as it is complete.

Layout #1

Well, today was a productive day!

My daughter said that she could make a bank for me made out of duck tape to hold the weekly savings of $12 that I have on my list.

Isn't it perfect? And the best part is the hole is so small that I can't take any money out!!
I was also able to create a two page layout from a sketch that I found on Sketch Support. This one is from the two page layout and it is #23. I used the My Mind's Eye line of Be Merry. The pictures aren't the greatest but I will figure that part out as I go along.

Now I just have to add photo's.
I am off to work out now!!