Wanna see something FAB!

I wanted to tell you a bit about my sweet bloggie buddy Dedra. She is a fantastic scrapper, great mom & wonderful person. For a while she has had this great idea for a little business. Well this week everything went on air.

As a starter she is offering handmade minibooks....These beauties will be great for gifts, classic mini photo albums, journals for yourself, or add a personal touch by creating a scrapbook ...the sky is the limit for these creative albums.

Dedra has a very unique take on scrapbooking & because of this you can clearly see a 'Dedra Long Mini' a mile off. All her creations have have special characteristics which include sewing, stamping with glitter and added transparent frames great for journaling or a photo....and her use of often non-traditional items make them absolute eye candy!



So if anyone is looking for a special gift for someone, of a personal spoil, pop over to her blog & take a look at what she has on offer.

Well as for me I am doing not a heck of a lot today, other than a NASTY supermarket trip & possibly some scrapping which always brightens my day.So have a good one. I'll blog again a bit later.

KJ
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I found it!

My challenge enthusiasm is back.....I have been so sick with flu over the last 2 weeks...AGAIN! that I just haven't felt like focusing anything mentally challenging, other than flicking the remote on & off.

Well I am happy to say that hopefully this is the last I shall see of the nasty flu that has been hovering over Cape Town for the last two months. By now I should have so many anti bodies in my blood stream...warding off an episode of the plague should be a breeze :o)

So who's up to a a bit of a scrappy challenge? I was thinking hard about what would be a good theme for challenge #9 (no smart 'she was thinking?' comments please!) & I was wondering what I personally find challenging?.....As a whole not much, unless of course it is a double L.O...they make me sweat & see double (no pun intended). Now I know there are those faithful blog buddies out there, who can whip up a double in their sleep, but there are plenty of us who can't, so humor us & share your expertise .....pleeeezze!

I borrowed a 2008 sketch from Becky Fleck @ Page maps to give the likes of 'moi' a starting point. You might be looking at this thinking ...what on earth is she blabbing on about...that sketch is SOOOO basic??? but don't be fooled guys.....that's all I'm saying :o)

The deadline for this L.O will be next week Friday...the (um?) I'll have to look the actual date up. Let me know if you are going to play along.

Have a super day!
Hugs
KJ!

Spoilt again!

I am so excited...I won something yesterday! I haven't won much in my lifetime so for me this is a real biggie!!

I often comment on magazine & manufacturer blogs, sometimes in response to a RAK giveaway or sometimes just to comment....Very seldom do I ever hear back from them. Well my perseverance has paid off...& from one of my most FAVORITE magazines too (could it be because I've had the privilege of being published in it :o)

Scrapbooking & Cards has very generously 'blessed' me with this really cute collection of goodies.

They have a cool informative blog that is having a promotion contest this month called 'Just Cruising'. Make sure you have a link to their site on your blog, leave them a comment saying you want to play along & wait & see what happens.

Have a super scrappin' day everyone!
KJ
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Makes it all worth it!

Every day I wrack my brains for ideas for what to cook for supper. You know not the open the bag & pour, type of supper but the balanced, low fat kinda supper that is good for all & tasty enough to be eaten by Max. As I stand over the chopping board dicing & slicing veg & or whatever....I mumble & moan about what a pain it is to have to cook every day. Over the years I have had a very tumultuous relationship with eating...or not for many years... (but that is another story entirely).
So my favourite kitchen mantra, heard countless times by all who know me, is:

"Why is it that we can't just take a pill"....or "Why haven't they developed a replicator machine like in Star Trek yet?"

moan, moan, moan, whinge, whinge, whinge.....blah, blah, blah!

Well last night, my 100's of hours spent pouring over a hot stove were all made worth it....at the dinner table Max turns to me, puts his hand on my arm & says:

"Mama, you are the BEST food maker in the whole wide world....I love your food!"

....well, I melted into a puddle under the table, along side the remnants of spilt pasta supper....suitably chastised for my pathetic attitude. I am pleased to say I have a renewed lease on my kitchen duties, as I once again haul out my recipe books looking for inspiration. God knew when he gave us these little ones, that their uses far surpassed torture, sleep deprivation, harassment & drastically reducing bank balances...but that they were given to us to poke, prod, teach & endure us back to the reality that things aren't so bad after all.

KJ
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Cinnabun Recipe

As requested here is the recipe for the Cinnamon buns. I have included three versions for the dough all depending on how you usually make it. I used my bread machine to make the dough & then took over afterwards. It is SUPER easy & really quick...try it & let me know how they turn out.

Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
3 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups of all purpose flour

FILLING:
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup OR brown rice syrup OR sugar syrup
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup each raisins AND/OR nuts

Directions:
DOUGH:
Combine yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes in a warm place. If your yeast does not bubble, it is dead and the dough will not rise. Throw out the mixture and start again with new yeast. You can mix the dough in a bread machine, mixer with a dough hook, or by hand.

BREAD MACHINE/MIXER INSTRUCTIONS: Using your bread machines dough cycle or in your mixers bowl, combine the yeast mixture, nutmeg, salt, and flour. Mix dough until smooth and elastic. {I used this method}

HAND MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the nutmeg and salt. Add the flour in batches, stirring after each addition, until the mixture forms a cohesive ball of dough (it will pull away from the sides of the bowl). You will need about 3 1/2 cups of flour. Turn out onto a floured counter top and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. This can take up to 15 minutes. Flour your work surface frequently to prevent sticking.

Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray (or use one tablespoon of oil) and place dough inside. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour. While the dough is rising, make the filling.

FILLING: Mix margarine, sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla, nuts and/or raisins (if using) in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180C

Punch dough down and divide into 2 pieces. Put 1 piece of dough back into the bowl and cover to prevent it from drying out. Place 1 piece on a floured work surface. Pat dough into a rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a 9X13 rectangle. Spread half of the filling mixture onto the dough using a spatula, leaving a 2-inch border at the bottom. Start rolling up the dough starting at the top left-most corner and working your way along the length of the dough. Try not to stretch the dough too much when rolling. Continue rolling until you reach the edge of the filling. Moisten the plain strip of dough (below the filling) with water and roll the dough down to seal. Let the roll rest while you finish the second roll.

With the seam side down, cut each roll into 4 equal pieces. Place, cut side down, in an oiled 9-inch square baking pan or in the middle of a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Place rolls in preheated 350 F oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before serving.

I spread cream cheese icing on top whilst still warm, so it melts & then sets when buns are cool.

Enjoy!!
KJ
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August Cocoa Daisy L.O's!

I am so daft I never thought about it until now that I should post my DT L.O's here on my blog too. So here they are all created from the BEAUTIFUL Aug kit that can be found here:

I find the kits versatile & fun to use and not often do I find myself with nothing left over, having used up every piece of scrappy loveliness that came in the box. Every month I look forward to my visit from the post lady, when she brings me my parcel, postmarked Oregon USA.

Happy scrapping guys!
KJ
XXX

P.S A ton of you asked for the recipe for the cinnabun's....I'll post it in my next post OK!

Weekend pic's.

We had a bit of a quiet weekend this last one, having a ton of school homework for Cas to do. She is 10years old in Grade 4 & sometimes is faced with really difficult projects & assignments to do for homework that are way beyond her capabilities unaided. Boy, with the amount of parental help needed, I wonder if they actually end up learning anything from the exercises? Needless to say I took NO photo's, so I will share a couple from the weekend before last. Get comfi...because there are quite a few.

Max caught on film inside the dirty washing bin....he had dragged it into the dining room & climbed into it, when I took this pic. How blue are his eyes?

My bloke got a surprise visit from the courier the other day....his birthday pressie had finally arrived. It was a 6x11 inch Wacom tab....his glee is evident on his face. This baby is an absolute must for any serious designer...(OK I don't quite qualify but maybe I'll get to play on it a little too?)

Tersh went surfing with the epic swell that hit the Cape that weekend. We went with him for an outing & had a blast. Max built sand castles & played in the sand, I took a million photographs.

He tried his hand at sand surfing...& had already informed us that as soon as he can swim properly in the sea, he wants to learn how to surf.....oh dear!

Running down sand dunes was such fun for big & little alike!!

Tersh hitting the waves....he is such a babe in black rubber heehee!

To end the weekend off perfectly I tried my hand at homemade cinnabun's. They turned out FANTASTICALLY!! & were really easy to make too. These are going to become a firm fav in our home, I just know it!

Well guys I hope you enjoyed looking at these pic's, as much as I did taking them.

(PS: if you need the recipe for the cinnabun's let me know)
Cheers for now.
KJ
XXX

Challenge #8 L.O's

Hi there girls.....I am about to post the L.O's that were 80's inspired....I think they are all fabulous!! So get yourself ready for a blast into the past.

Take a look:

Michelle

Stefanie

Shaina

Martha

KJ {mine}

How cool are they???? On mine I used the plastic flower from a pair of dangly earings I wore back then & the x2 crocheted flowers were off a sweater of mine that I had kept in my sewing supplies.

So scrapping the 80's doesn't have to be a daunting thing....it can be fun, colourful...& a load of fun.

I drew the RAK winner too.....it was Stefanie...well done! I will get something to you in the mail as soon as I get a moment.

Have a happy scrappy day everyone. Challenge #9 up tomorrow.
KJ
XXX

So spoilt!

OK now I'm jumping for joy!! I have just gotten word that I have another 3 L.O's selected for publication by x2 different magazines.....WooHoo! I feel so spoilt.

*Happy dance time*

I'm a'shimmyin'.... I'm a'shimmyin'!

Well that's all for now guys, I just thought I'd quickly let you know, so you can do a little dance along with me from all your different parts of the globe.

Hugs*
KJ

PS: A little funny to end off with.....I am kissing Max good-bye for school when he pipes up...Mama...you must kiss me different because I really don't like lip-wet! Hahahahahaha...it really cracked me up...and the onslaught of 'yuk don't kiss me Mama' creeps closer.

Stories from the bowl...

OK...so I think I am very smart...I am posting this blog post from my new downloaded add-on for Firefox...called Scribefire. You can post from anywhere on the net using this preloaded widget...it is so cool & far more versatile than bloggers publisher.

Now let's hope it actually works~ hahaha!

I wanted to share with you x2 recent incidences I experienced with Maxi, that had me in stitches.

For all of you who don't know him...he is an outgoing, confident little act at the best of times & so when I heard him roaring at the top of his lungs from my bedroom...I knew it was probably going to be a Kodak moment. Armed with suitable equipment I went to investigate, I must say I knew he was good at imaginary games but this was the first time I'd ever seen him improvise just so well....

He had taken a large black board marker & covered himself in hair....note how even his belly button was all coloured in. He roared at me in monster language until I asked him to translate into English...where I was told he was a 'rock throwing monster from Mars'...so there you have it; an actor in the making...Lord help the Mama :o)

Below is a pic of the Mars monster mid roar.

The next incident was on Sunday while I was blogging & he was playing...I heard him 'drumming' as he usually does on anything near enough to be transformed into a drum kit; only this time it was the sooty fire grate. After the 'song' was finished, the responsible parent in me demanded he wash his filthy hands. I finished up what I was doing & headed to the bathroom to help him, where I was told he had already done it all by himself. I looked around & saw the basin was spotless...whipping around I asked where he had washed.....it didn't take much CSI to work it out...

He proudly explained: " I used the water in toilet bowl to wash my hands Mama...& I also washed my hair in there look!!" True as bob...his head was wet too.....the 'ICK' factor for me was completely overwhelming, hence I ran a bath immediately & tossed him into it.

Boys.....! can't live without knowing why they are so quiet!!
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Challenge #8.

Are you like me & have a few of those typical 80's photo's stashed somewhere, that you cringe at every time you see them? Well today is the day that we haul them out & scrap them. As dorky as they might be, with our funny hair, crazy accessories, leg warmers & Duran-Duran T-shirts...they are part of our childhood & a part of us. So join me & be brave...let's scrap them into immortality.

I did a sketch loosely based on this L.O taken from the Autumn leaves 'LOOK' book; but you don't have to use exactly because I know many of the 80's photo's we have are not enlargements. An idea though, might be to take one of the pic's you do have, scan it, adjust the colour digitally & blow it up.... 80's in it's full glory. The great thing about reminding ourselves of an era is to use embellishments, colours & elements from that time, to embrace the theme.

Happy reminiscing guys! Live out your wildest 80's memories & have the L.O to me by the 17th August for posting.

Have a great day!

KJ

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I did it!

Challenge #7...I finally finished mine....it has been on my scrap table for nearly 10 days. Don't you just hate having something on the back burner,that you just can't seem to get to? Well I do, so I am really relieved to be able to tick this baby off my to-do list.
For those who never quite 'get' my take on sketches.....see I turned it upside down & inverted it but it is still the same sketch.

Once I had decided & cut the x2 different pieces of patterned paper, I found it a challenge to get the two halves of the L.O to 'marry' together, being such different colours. It took a bit of pushing around but I think I finally worked it out,by using colour balance. The colour & style of the embellishments on both sides 'match' pulling the whole thing together.
Funnily enough this is one of the few L.O's I have done that Tersh doesn't like...oh dear can't get it 100% right all the time.

Challenge #8 up a bit later.
KJ
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Not just a tall story.

OK so it wasn't just a rumour...we did in fact go away for the weekend & I did in fact catch a couple of large sweaty bass....it was the first time in 4 years that I have gotten some serious fishing time in....& it was worth the wait.

This was the tunnel of bamboo that lead to each of our cabins....with the green glow was so hard to photograph the kiddlets without them looking like they were ill :o)

One of my bass...check out the dorky look on my face.....mild hysteria hahaha! I'm crazeee I know. My brother looking ever the part of serious fisherman, was helping remove the lure from the fish's gizzard. He swallowed it so deep you'd think he hadn't seen food in a month....NOT!! Look how fat he is (the fish, not my brother heehee!)

OK so the rule is...carefully hold them...& SMOOch, then put back. Fish slime is a bugger to get off....needless to say Tersh stayed far away from me & my ripe aroma. (Not my most flattering pic is it....had I known the paparazzi were going to be there, I'd have dollied up a bit :o)

Dawn overlooking one of the dams....flip is was cold!!

Maxi getting his fishin' groove on....he was a natural....must be in the genes.

Cas patiently waiting for a bite...she really got into it, which is unusual for a little girl crazy about fashion, accessories, shoes & the latest hip hop band.

Tersh contemplating his life with this bunch of idiotic, smelly fisher people; whilst drinking in the amazing view over the vineyards. It was a great weekend...even if short & especially great to break the monotony of home life & be out in nature.

To change the subject a bit.....I got my August CK & in it was my Juicy Fruit L.O. They have their new Beta site up & running...you should pop over & take a look. Here's the link:
It is always so cool to see things in print.

This is a digi L.O I did last night. I was so itching for a scrappy fix & had hardly any time left before I hit the sack, so I whipped this up. It is using elements from a kit created by Michelle, as well as a mishmash of bits from all over the place. Sorry, I know I am supposed to give credit to whom credit is due...but I can't for the life of me remember who all the sources are. If & when I do I will mention them at a later stage.

Well I hope this made up for my bloggy absence?? I now have to go & give my guy my undivided attention....it is his birthday after all. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hunni...you are the best!!

Blog you soon.
KJ
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Last day!

My folks go back later today.....it has been so amazing having them with us...even if really short. We are going to miss them. So hopefully I will also be able to get back to blogging regularly too, especially now that I have some great photo's to share. At this stage I can't promise when that will be..hopefully by Saturday because it is my blokes B-Day tomorrow & I can't spoil the day by being glued to my laptop can I...somehow wouldn't be right heehee!

So chaio for now...chat later.
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We're back!

We are back from a great, albeit freezing, weekend away! It was good fun...even got sunburned on my face...figure that, in 2 degree weather...although it did warm up towards midday each day.We relaxed, fished, spoke junk & generally detoxed...all in all a FAB! family weekend away. I still have to download pic's...when I do I'll post a couple for you to look at.

Before I left on Thursday...I did draw a RAK winner for challenge #7...it was MARTHA!!!
Well done...I'll get you something into the mail ASAP!

In all honesty I haven't given challenge #8 any thought....I will though & post it in the next day or two. The fact of the matter is that I have still have got far too much mountain air between my ears to think straight. So bare with me, I'll acclimatise in a couple of days.

I'll blog again later.
KJ
XXX