Popcorn the bear wishing you a merry christmas


Popcorn is back for one more appearance before I move on to other projects.  Popcorn and his anonymous bear friend have been joined by a cute little duck to sing Christmas carols.  I wonder if they realize with one more character they could be Barbershop Quartet... Just sayin'.


If you guessed that these Christmas cards are for my friend Ruth you would be correct.  I took them to her on Tuesday and she was very excited to see her Popcorn cards. I think when all is said and done she will have about 12 cards; for some reason I manage to mess up one out of every four....


I used one of my favorite like of SEI Christmas papers on this card as well as a Stampin' Up stamp and punch.  I finished the card with ribbon and a button before adding pop dots to POP the bear image.

Don't forget that I have AMY CHOMAS sponsored blog candy to give away on Thursday.... Sign up under the blog hop post from Monday.  Also, do go by and check out all of Amy's amazing products.

Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler

Gluten free peach cobbler recipe
This is not Betty Crocker's Gluten-Free Bisquick mix. Nope.

Is Mercury in retrograde? And if so, Darling, do I believe it can wreak havoc with recipes? I started out with a different approach to this peach cobbler recipe, you see. I thought I'd try out the new Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Bisquick mix I bought this week. I imagined a golden topped biscuity crust you could sink your teeth into, a melt-in-your-mouth forkful of shortcake, dripping with warm and sticky-sweet juice.

But what I got was a bone white mound of anemic dough (scarily reminiscent of Play Dough) baked into what can only be described as yesterday's mashed potatoes. It didn't even try to turn golden. And it didn't melt in your mouth like a biscuit. It just sat there on your tongue. Flavorless. Bored. Expecting to be admired without effort. Like those Fame Junkies who are famous for simply being famous. They haven't actually accomplished anything to garner their celebrity status. They just nurture a deeper narcissistic ambition than your average high school beauty queen. They expect adulation because they exist.

Like an awful lot of the gluten-free foods churned out by corporate entities.


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Perfecto Graham Cracker Crust . . . Works for Me Wednesday

works for me wednesday at we are that family

Here is my recently discovered trick for making perfect graham cracker crusts....use a measuring cup to press the crust mixture into the pie pan!

Using a measuring cup helps keep the crust even, makes the sides pretty and keeps your fingers from getting buttery.  (Not that buttery fingers were ever a BAD thing.)

{If you're so inclined, you can even lick the bottom of the measuring cup when you're finished. I'm not saying I did that.}

This is a great recipe for graham cracker crust...I used it again this week for Mr. E's birthday pie.  More on that later....

Graham Cracker Crust
{source: Betty Crocker Cookbook (Bridal Edition) }

1 and 1/2 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. butter, melted (I used salted)
3 TBSP sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all of the ingredients.  Press into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan. 
Bake 10 minutes.  Let cool completely before filling.

So simple and utterly yummy!  Graham Cracker Crust works for me!  What's working for YOU this week?

Popcorn the bear wishing a happy birthday


Popcorn the bear is back to wish you a happy birthday!  This little cutie is going to my friend Ruth as part of her series of bear cards.  I created two similar versions of this card, each using core'dination cardstock and my Stampin' Up punches.
 





The packages were time consuming to color with my Copic markers, but were actually a great coloring exercise.  I learned a lot about what my markers can and cannot do.  I really enjoyed the plaid package - easy to do one color at a time.  I used my white gel pen to add the dots to the blue package.


I added a small Party Time phrase to the front of the card using a stamp that came with the Popcorn set and Stampin' Up ink and oval punch.  I finished the oval with dots and dashes in white pen.


I finished off the bottom edge with a Stampin' Up border punch and a bit of lime green ribbon.  I actually made two versions of this card and did not use floral print ribbon on the other card.  I was hoping that the floral ribbon feminized this card a bit.

Papertake Weekly - Just the one!!


 Color, that is! That's the challenge this week from Dawny over at Papertake Weekly. And this week, we're being sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp! For my card, I used one of the gorgeous angel images from Peggy Loves Vintage. I think this image is sooo beautiful. Peggy told me that this image is from a card that her hubby's Grandma had saved. I went very plain and simple with the card as I wanted the focus on those two angels. Be sure and take a peek over at Peggy Loves Vintage. She just completed a brand new Christmas CD (just in time to get started on those cards!!), and has almost completed Child's Birthday Volume 2!  And check out her blog and become a follower! She likes to offer up free images every once in a while! Thanks for stopping by to see me today. Be sure and pop over to Papertake Weekly to see the rest of the fabulou creations from my amazingly talented DT sisters! Then grab your paper and glue and go to work with a monochromatic card for a chance to win a fabulous prize from Simon Says Stamp! Hugs!

Al Tayer inspects Al Khawaneej Bus Depot






Al Tayer inspects Al Khawaneej Bus Depot

Roads & Transport Authority:
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), has recently inspected Al Khawaneej Bus Depot which was inaugurated by the RTA in early August to serve 16 public transport routes shuttling over several districts across Dubai Emirate; including 5 Dubai Metro stations feeder service. During his tour, Al Tayer was accompanied by the CEO of Public Transport Agency Essa Abdul-Rahman Al Dosari in addition to other directors & managers of the Agency.

Al Tayer stated: “Al Khawaneej Bus Depot is considered a milestone in broadening and upgrading public transport network in Dubai Emirate; as it serves a plenty of Dubai Metro stations feeder routes, and passes across a number of districts throughout the Emirate”.

“The inauguration of this depot aims to widen and improve public bus transport, meet the requirements of passengers using this type of public transport, encourage more passengers to use the Dubai Metro, and enhance the integration of public transport network in Dubai Emirate,” said Al Tayer.

He continued: “The inauguration of this station culminates elaborate studies and site surveys undertaken by the RTA to assess the requirements of public bus riders, link the metro stations with public transport routes in Dubai, and address the transportation needs of all districts in the vicinity of the metro stations.
“The opening of Al Khawaneej Bus Depot also aims to distribute the bus routes according to districts close to the bus depots to ensure better utilization of the existing resources, enhance the efficiency and reduce the operational cost so long as the Depot is in close proximity to the starting points of the bus routes. It is anticipated that the operation of this Depot will cut the operational costs by as much as 1.5 million dirham per annum,” added Al Tayer.

“It took the RTA 15 months to complete this vital project at a cost of 121 million dirham. The facility has a capacity to house 284 buses and comprises a waiting yard, an air-conditioned maintenance workshop providing all types of preventive & regular bus maintenance (including maintenance of engines, electrical systems, and air-conditioning systems), a fully fledged painting workshop, a refueling station and a washing bay,” said Al Tayer in a final remark.

Worth-mentioning that the five metro stations feeder routes principally serve Al Rashidiya Station as Route (F3) starts off Al Rashidiya Metro Station (4), and passes across several districts including Mirdiff Interchange, Mirdiff Private School (1), and Mirdiff Uptown Center (1). Route (F4) starts off Al Rashidiya Metro Station (5) and passes across Imam Abu Haneefa Mosque at Mirdiff, Mirdiff City Center, Al Rashidiya and other districts. Route (F5) starts off Al Rashidiya Metro Station (5) and passes across Muhaisnah (1), Al Mizher, and Al Arabi Center, whereas Route (F6) starts off Lulu Village, Muhaisnah (4), Head Office of Public Transport Agency, and Al Kawakeb School. Route (F10) starts off Al Rashidiya Metro Station (2) and passes through several districts including the entry leading to Al Warqaa (1), the Grand Mosque at Al Warqaa, and Al Jahiz Boys School at Rashidiya among others.

Captions:
- Mattar Al Tayer inspecting the station

Asteco launches Buy Dubai




Asteco launches Buy Dubai

Interior fit-out company to source 80% of products from local suppliers, supporting UAE businesses and giving customers more control over quality and delivery times


Leading property management company Asteco has launched its exclusive furnishing subdivision, Buy Dubai, which is supporting the UAE economy by sourcing 80% of products from local manufacturers.

APM Design and Furnishing Department specialises in space planning, fit-out and project management for hotel and private apartments, transforming an empty shell into a vibrant and cosy living area with bespoke furniture and accessories, in just four weeks rather than the three to four month wait for furnishings bought overseas.

“Asteco was founded in Dubai and as such we believe in supporting the community that has enabled us to build a successful business. It can often be tempting to buy abroad but when shipping and import taxes are taken into consideration the savings are not always as great as they first appear. Supporting local suppliers, who can find it difficult competing in a crowded marketplace, also enables us to better manage the standard of all products to ensure customers receive a quality service synonymous with the Asteco brand,” said Kerrin Matthey, Head of Design Furnishing at Asteco.

Clients can choose from a number of themes, including contemporary and Balinese, as well as colours and price points for their apartment. Asteco Property Management will then source products, whether they are sofas, handmade rugs, mirrors or soft furnishings and fit them in the property ready for owners, or tenants, to move in.

The packages, which offer average delivery times of four weeks rather than 3-4 months if furniture is bought from overseas firms, can also add lasting value to properties. They are offered in various markets across the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi and Qatar, in addition to Dubai.

“Many items can be locally sourced, including furniture, table wear, mirrors and artwork and clients are amazed when we tell them their furnishing is manufactured in Dubai and timeline for delivery is about one month. But more than this, it allows us to easily check on the process, or send things back in the rare cases they do not meet our standards,” said Matthey.

“In these challenging times many designers look beyond Dubai for a cheap quick fix but finding the cheapest solution can be a false economy as in most cases quality and longevity are compromised. By using locally skilled tradesman and home grown supplies, we benefit when it comes to delivery schedules and quality control,” Matthey added.

The company has already successfully fitted out a number of commercial and high-end properties, including signature villas for the Manchester United team on Palm Jumeirah, whose furniture was produced by Dubai-based joiners. They have also secured contracts for the Sama Tower show apartments and Y Tower in Abu Dhabi.

Photo caption 1: A Buy Dubai furnished apartment in the Oceana complex on Palm Jumeirah.
Photo caption 2: An apartment in Sama Tower fitted out by Buy Dubai

About Asteco
Asteco, a major regional and international real estate services firm and the largest property services company in the United Arab Emirates, was founded in Dubai in 1985. Asteco offers independent market analysis, design development consultancy and valuation services, sales and leasing services, as well as asset and property management services.

New release from Digital Delights by Louby Loo and OMG!! FINALLY - a blog hop winner!!!


Hi everybody! We've got a new release coming out this Thursday (Sept 2nd) from Digital Delights by Louby Loo! Please be sure and check back on Thursday to see some projects created with these adorable new images!  Also, do NOT miss out on the freebie Wendy is giving away right now over in the shop! It's soooooo CUTE and a must have for those Halloween cards!  Just click HERE!

Oh my goodness gracious, I am sooooo sorry!!!! I totally and completely forgot to give away my candy from the Magnolia-licious blog hop! I think I need some of those meds that sharpen your mind as you get older, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it's called! LOL! Ok, so the winner of the blog candy is:

#20 - Monique!!! Congrats Monique! Please get me your address and I'll send your surprise out to you !!!  Please make sure it's written out exactly how it should read on the envelope for me. What can I say? I'm a complete dummy with overseas addresses!  *smiles* Thanks to everyone for playing along!  Hugs!

Blog Hopping, Blog Candy, and a BBTB2 card... WOW


Happy blog hopping BBTB2 Monday!  I have a lot of information to share so I should get typing.  Welcome to the monthly BBTB2 Blog hop.  You probably arrived here from Karen's blog.  If not, think about jumping over to BBTB2 and starting the blog hop at the beginning (after you finish reading my post, of course!).  The challenge cut this week was selected by my wonderful design team sister, Penny Shuberg.  Penny chose the apron cut on the FROM MY KITCHEN cartridge. 


I decided to use a recipe card cut from the same cartridge as my base card.  I welded a rectangle to the recipe card and scored down the middle of the weld to create the card.  I used Basic Grey's kitchen line of paper.  Ironic, huh?  The base card was cut using the cupcake print.  This worked well because the back side of the paper is a nice solid medium pink - perfect for the inside of the card.  The base card was topped with two matting cuts and wrapped with a ribbon before the apron was attached with pop dots.  I printed a recipe for Pasta with Shrimp and Crabmeat that I am going to mail to my son's girlfriend.  Crissie is learning to cook and Aaron loves seafood!

 

In addition to the bow near the bottom of the card,  I also added a scalloped tag to the upper right corner of the card.  I used one of my favorite products to create the top layer of the tag - the Amy Chomas mini gel pen holder and glitter pen set!!  I love Amy's products, the gel pens and holder as well as her embossing kit.  Awesome products!!!  With the gel pens you simply remove the blade housing from your Cricut and replace it with Amy's gel pen holder loaded with a mini pen.  The Cricut will then write your image instead of cutting.  Cool, huh?


In addition to a new BBTB2 project here, I also have a new cake recipe to share on my sister blog, Busy with the Cricky Cake.  Be sure to check the cake blog today for the recipe and again tomorrow to see the completed decorated cake.


Did I mention BLOG CANDY?  Yes, indeed there will be blog candy this week!!!  Amy Chomas is sponsoring my blog hop this month and is providing  FABULOUS blog candy: an Amy Chomas Mini Gel Pen Holder and Pen set!!!  Seriously!  This is a great product and I love it.  Anything with Amy's name attached is sure to be fabulous!!

Leave a comment below to register for the blog candy.  You should go by Amy's site and see her fabulous projects using her products.



Now that you have left a comment (you did leave a comment didn't you?), your next stop on the blog hop is at the blog of the AMAZING Lori Warner Lori is a very gifted designer and a wonderfully nice woman - have fun at her blog!!!  Have a great day and remember to visit Amy's site!!

Cool Graffiti Art

About Tag Graffiti Alphabet

tag graffiti alphabet 1
tag graffiti alphabet2
Before discussing the calligraphy and its relationship to tag graffiti alphabet, we must go back to the basics of writing and it is the latest invention in light of the history of mankind. If a man speaks (in the language of articulate sounds), since around a hundred thousand years, he wrote that for five thousand years.

The use of writing on a variety of media such as stone, clay, papyrus, paper, recently the computer ... to communicate in space and time, the eigenfunctions: keeping the memory effect, set the order of ... but also wrote for herself, maintaining relationships with others ...

Writing system combines every sign of symbols that represent objects, in ideograms, ideas, in the syllable, sound, between the letters, audio breaking up. Various languages in the world is borrowing the entire process of writing.

The word calligraphy comes from the beauty of the "Greek (Kallos) and" graphein "(write). Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing and forms. Among the calligraphy, the most famous is probably the calligraphic Latin, Arabic and Chinese.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year . . .

...or it will be in 3 days.  Are you ready?  Are you ready for PUMPKIN season?

My sister has a laugh at my expense every year because once September 1st rolls around, it is all-pumpkin-all-the-time around here.  It becomes a slight obsession.

{PS....Starbucks, I'll be at your door Wednesday morning....hoping those Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are in the bakery case.  And if they're not, be prepared for some tears.}

I want you to be prepared, so here is a little pumpkin bread recipe for you. 

Pumpkin Bread
{Just slightly modified from my girl, Paula Deen 's The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook}

3 and 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
2/3 c. water
1/4 c. pumpkin seed kernels

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside.

{If you're wondering about what whole nutmeg looks like, this is it.  There are fancy nutmeg graters, but I just use my small handheld grater with the tiny holes.}

Beat the sugar and oil together until combined.  Beat in the eggs and mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add pumpkin and blend.  Add the water and blend completely.

Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until combined.  Pour into loaf pans.

Roughly chop the pumpkin seed kernels, I like to leave some whole, and sprinkle on top of batter. (I got these in the bulk section of my grocery store.)

Bake for 1 hour, or more, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in the pans on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool completely.

Want more pumpkin?  Here are some goodies from last year...

1. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
2. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
3. Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Happy Pumpkin Season, Everyone!!!

Heirloom Potato Salad

Vegan potato salad recipe made with tiny heirloom pink, purple and yellow potatoes and vegan mayo
A super easy potato salad with tasty heirloom spuds. Vegan and egg-free.

I snatched up a bag of those cute little potatoes at the market yesterday. You know the ones I'm talking about. Those baby sized spuds as cute as a button. In Easter egg colors like custard and purple and pink. So sweet and adorable you want to cradle the bag and speak in your talking-to-kittens voice. Heirloom root vegetable deliciousness. Yeah, you shell out a little extra cabbage for these pretty babies, true. But I say, live a little. Indulge in excellent ingredients.

You only got one life. 

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200 different countries have visited this site ,Newest Country: Liberia

Dubai Marina collages

Popcorn the Bear Christmas Card


My friend Ruth is a Teddy Bear lover and collector.  While at CHA I ran across a line of bear rubber stamps called Popcorn Bear.  With Ruth in mind, I purchased four Popcorn the Bear stamps, two Christmas bears and two birthday bears.  My plan was to make cards for Ruth to give to other people in her life.

Ruth was my secret sister at work last year and after I had been outed by another employee, I made her a box of assorted cards.  She seemed to really like the cards so I thought she would really like bear cards.  This is the first Christmas card I made for her.  I am hoping to improve as I make more cards! 


I used an older Stampin' Up stamp sentiment on the inside of the card. I thought this stamp would allow Ruth plenty of space to write her own personal message and wish the recipient a Merry Christmas.  

Litlle Body Painting On Women Body


My first challenge with Digital Delights by Louby Loo Delightful Challenges!!!

Hi everybody!!!! I'm so excited today, cause it's my first card working with Wendy at Digital Delights by Louby Loo as an official member to her awesomely talented design team for Delightful Challenges!  I'm so psyched to get to work with all these talented ladies!! For my card, I chose to use this adorable image called Penny and her Teddy. I just think she's cute as a button! And the challenge this week is "get girly with lace and pearls"! How fun!

I colored Penny and her Teddy with Copic markers and cut her out using oval Nestabilities. Oh, look at my watermark! You can purchase those at Digital Delights as well! Too cute and I love it! Sitting on top of my name is Dilly Duck (soooo CUTE!).  Please be sure and pop over to Delightful Challenges to see the rest of the fabulous creations by the amazing design team, and then we'd truly love it if you'd play along with us! Thanks so much for stopping by to see me today, and hope to see you back again soon! Hugs!!

recipe: image: Penny and her Teddy
paper: CS - Bazzill;  DP - Basic Grey Olivia
ink: Memento, Copic Sketch markers
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
lace - stash
tools: machine stitching, MS leaf punch, Cuttlebug, Oval Nestabilities
misc: Kaiser pearls, dimensional tape