Getting the most from My Acrylix stamps

Do you LOVE stamping with the clear stamps?  I really enjoy being able to combine multiple stamped images, which is so easy because of the clear My Acrylix stamps and blocks; I couldn't do it any other way. Well here is a whole new take on how to get completely different looks from your existing stamps!  I love the stitching around the bracket frame and the little clouds.  Check it out!

Garlic Garlic vs. Fiesta Party Dip

Garlic Garlic vs. Fiesta Party Dip Mix - vote now!

We're down to the semi-finals now in my Ultimate Seasoning Showdown!  This week, it's up to you to decide whether it will be Garlic Garlic or Fiesta Party Dip that goes through to the finals.  Vote now to be entered to win a bottle of YOUR favorite!

National Stamping Month

To celebrate National Stamping Month in September, we are offering a double stamp set! You can get the exclusive My Acrylix^® It’s Your Day double stamp set for just $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 in full retail products from August 15 through September 30, 2012.  You’ll love this double set — two D-size sets in one envelope — which includes nearly 50 trendy images that makes it easy to capture the everyday moments in your life. With a retail value of $35.90, this set drastically increases the value of your qualifying purchase. Have twice the fun stamping during National Stamping Month with our new It’s Your Day double stamp set!
Watch the video!

Share Our Strength

No Kid Hungry

I am so happy to be a part of Tastefully Simple and their ongoing support of Share Our Strength.  There is no good reason for any child in this country to go without food.  Check out results from the recent Hunger in Our Schools study.

It's here!

Finally!  We actually got rain, I have the a/c off and the windows open, I already made a couple Halloween cards, and it's time for the new Tastefully Simple Fall/Winter catalog!  I love this time of year!  I am so excited about some of the new and returning products in this book.  Wahoo! Chili is back, which is great.  There are ready to eat flavored popcorns and snack mixes, perfect for gift giving.  The Creamy Wild Rice Soup Mix is back, which I love.  Featured on the cover is the Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix, which I haven't tried yet, but hear good things about. :)  Want to schedule a tasting of some of the new products?  Just let me know and we'll get it set up!

Onion Onion vs. Fiesta Party Dip

Onion Onion vs. Fiesta Party Dip - vote now! 

Tired of all the political ads and campaign coverage?  Then vote on something that really hits home!  This week's match up is Onion Onion vs. Fiesta party Dip Mix.  Vote for your favorite and be entered to win!

I spent yesterday scrapbooking with 6 great ladies and had a WONDERFUL day!  First, let me show you two of the layouts I got done - 

The Christmas one is a little busy, but it's Christmas which is a busy time of year, so that doesn't bother me.  :)  I'm very blessed that my brother is an AMAZING photographer so I get great pictures to work with.  Preserving and enjoying great pictures is what it's all about, so that more than makes up for any scrapbooking problems!  Both of these layouts are from the CTMH "Cherish" book.  (CTMH has a new book now that features both scrapbook and card patterns, which is awesome!)

A day of scrapping with friends means lots of great food.  Fortunately for me, the other scrappers there can REALLY cook, so there's never any shortage of yummy snacks. :)  I brought Howlin' Horseradish spread and Wahoo! Chili roll ups.  

The spread was incredibly easy - mix 8 oz softened cream cheese, about 3 Tbs sour cream (just to make it a creamer consistency for dipping/spreading), and about 2-1/2 Tbs of Howlin' Horseradish.  You could easily add some canned green chilis or just mince some jalapeno if you wanted more kick, but I didn't want to get too crazy with the heat since this was for sharing.  I served them with wheat thin type crackers, which was really good.

The roll ups have 8oz cream cheese, 8 oz sour cream, 4 oz diced green chilis, 1c of shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4c chopped green onions and about 3 Tbs Wahoo! Chili seasoning.  (I'm so glad that's back in the new catalog!)  They were yummy as is, but I liked them dipped in salsa even better. :)

Garlic Garlic vs. Spinach & Herb Dip Mix - VOTE NOW!

Vote for your favorite Tastefully Simple seasoning!  Each week there will be a new pair to vote on until we find your favorite, ULTIMATE seasoning!  Each week that you vote earns an entry into the giveaway.  Once all voting is completed, one lucky winner will win their own free shaker bottle of the ULTIMATE seasoning, as voted on in this contest.  Winner will be announced by 9/30/12.

Wow!  This is so fun to watch!  Close To My Heart Consultant Noreen Petty won a 3 minute shopping spree at the CTMH warehouse.  How exciting would that be??  What would you go for first?

Congratulations, Noreen!  Way to go!

Bacon Bacon vs. Everyday Grillin Seasoning - Vote now!

Vote for your favorite Tastefully Simple seasoning!  Each week there will be a new pair to vote on, until we find your favorite, ULTIMATE seasoning!  Each week that you vote earns an entry into the giveaway!  Once all voting is completed, one lucky winner will win their own free shaker bottle of the ULTIMATE seasoning, as voted on in this contest.  Winner will be announced by 9/30/12!

These candies are lovingly referred to as "Wella's" in my family, after my beloved Grandma Lowella who used to make them for everyone.  I have been missing my Grandma so much today, and made these to feel closer to her.  They're the easiest thing in the world to make, and everyone loves them.  This is only a small portion of the batch.  I got 36 BIG candies out of my batch, but you could easily get twice that many if you made smaller candies, which you may want to do, especially if you're sharing with children.

What recipes do you make that have special meaning to you and your family?  What makes you feel connected to earlier generations?

"Wella's"
1 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup (like white Karo)
1 c. creamy peanut butter
4 c. Special K cereal (I used corn flakes, because it's what I had on hand)

Heat syrup and sugar until warm and very liquidy, and sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Add peanut butter and Special K; mix well.  Scoop out onto wax paper into bite size candies and let set until they reach room temperature and firm up.

I used a little scooper that will "push" the candy out, just like a tiny ice scream scoop.  I recommend something like that, or just use a big spoon with a smaller spoon to push the candy off.  It's pretty hot, and it's sticky, so if you get the hot goo on your fingers, it sticks and that's no fun.  Try to keep your hands out of it. :)

Fall/Winter products are coming!

Wow wow wow!  I cannot wait to try all the new and returning Fall/Winter Tastefully Simple products!  Mama Mia Marinara Sauce, Beer Cheese Soup, Wild Rice Soup, Hearty Italian Soup, Wahoo Chili, Rich and Tender Beef Sauce, Rustic Herb Seasoning, Toasted Sesame Teriyaki Sauce, Smoked Bacon Warm Dip, Roasted Onion Warm Dip, Cranberry Tangerine Drink Mix, Berry Frost Slush Drink, Everything Cheese Ball, Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip, Sweet S'more Snack Mix, Caramel Cinnamon Popcorn, Bold and Sassy Snack Mix, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn, Hazelnut Dream Coffee, Caramel Cocoa Coffee, Toffee Coffee Drink Mix, Berry Good Scone Mix, Blueberry Burgundy Fruit Spread, Cinnamon Sprinkles, Cinnamon Roll Cheese Ball, Chocolate Ugly Cake (I'm so excited that's back!), Irish Cream Fudge Sauce, Sweet S'more Cocoa Mix, Sugar and Spice Chai Bread Mix with Glaze, plus there are even some beautiful cranberry dishes.  Yay!

Hurry up and book your September parties, because dates will go fast as soon as these new products are available on the 1st.  Wahoo!

Spellbound Workshop on the Go Kit

This kit works hand in hand with the new Artiste Cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart, and makes decorating for Halloween a breeze!  Spellbound includes exclusive paper and stamps only available in this kit, jump rings, bakers twine, foundry pin clips, plus an instructional brochure outlining how to make all the great projects shown in this picture.  I can't wait to make a spooktacular table like this one at my house this Halloween!  Boo!

Top Ten Reasons Summer is the PERFECT Time to Host a Tastefully Simple Party

I still have some dates open for you!

1. It's a spontaneous season.  You'll be amazed at who will attend!

2. People like to socialize and get out of the house.

3. August Host Rewards are FABULOUS!

4. It stays light longer and people don't mind driving as much when it's light out.

5. The increase in daylight boosts people's moods and makes them more fun to be around!

6. You can have your party on a deck or patio.

7. You get to show off your tan!  (Or your notoriously tan friend gets to show you hers, at least.)

8. Fun Summer drinks.  Think buckets!

9. The season is so short that you need to seize the chance to gather with your favorite people in a casual way.

10. Light, cool and easy to prepare samples for you.

August is the perfect time for fun, friends, food, and FREE rewards!  With our new host special, you can get four of our most popular picks - all in addition to our usual free products for hosts.  Ask me for details, and let's select a date for your party!  Not local?  Do a catalog/virtual party!

Close To My Heart Artiste Cricut Collection

700 images including cards (with envelopes), fonts, 3-D items, and so much more!  There is even a Workshop on the Go kit that coordinates with this cartridge and includes everything you need for great Halloween party treats and decorations!

CTMH retiring colors

The new Close To My Heart Idea Book will be available August 1, and WOW, there are a ton of changes coming!  First, some very exciting news - there is another Cricut package!  This is called Artiste, and I'll share more about that in future posts, but it's the same great bundle as Art Philosophy, including exclusive My Acrylix stamp sets and chipboard diecuts that coordinate with the cartridge images.  VERY cool!  There are also big changes coming to the markers (alcohol based now!) and the color pallette.  I'll be sneaking some information about the new products soon, but I really want to let everyone know which colors are retiring.  It's a long list!

• Grey wool
• Grey Flannel
• White Daisy
• Colonial White
• Vanilla Cream
• Parchment
• Brown Bag
• Baby pink
• Key Lime
• Heavenly Blue
• Lilac Mist
• Amethyst
• Holiday Red
• Sunflower
• Sunny Yellow
• Dutch blue
• Moonstruck
• Vineyard berry
• Tulip
• Garden Green
• Spring Iris
• Petal
• Garnet
• Pansy Purple

That is TWENTY FOUR retiring colors, people.  So if you see any of your favorites in that list that you simply don't want to live without, make sure you get the re-inker now while it's still available to order.  (Which is only through July 31st!)  Like I said - big changes coming! 

This looks like a fabulous treat!

Almond Pound Cake Parfait

Submitted by Kim Lussier (NH)

Ingredients

Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix™
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup water
3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding; prepared
1 jar Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread
8 oz non-dairy whipped topping; thawed
Fresh strawberries; sliced
Sliced almonds
Amaretto liqueur; optional

Directions

Prepare Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix per package directions. Cool. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Prepare vanilla pudding mix per package directions. In large clear glass bowl, layer 1/4 of cubed Absolutely Almond Pound Cake with 1/4 of the Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread, 1/2 cup vanilla pudding and 1/4 cup non-dairy whipped topping. Repeat layers three more times. Top with fresh sliced strawberries and toasted slice almonds.
Optional: Pour Amaretto liqueur over almond pound cake cubes before layering

Get your perfect pair for FREE in July!

Place an online order of $75 or more in July and Close To My Heart will send you a popular paper packet and coordinating accessory—a Perfect Pair—for free! That’s a retail value of up to $17.90! Different Perfect Pairs are available on different dates throughout the month so you’ll want to place more than one 

qualifying order to snatch several Perfect Pairs. Place your order early in the availability period, as the promotion is while supplies last.  There are several products from the Autumn 2011 Idea Book that have not been available to order since the current book came out in February, so if you missed out on (or ran out of) some products since then, now is your chance to get them back!  This is only good with online orders, so visit my website as soon as your favorites become available so you don't miss out.

July 1–5 Mischief Paper Packet (X7144B) and Midnight Felt Shapes (Z1462)

July 6–10 Dreamin' Paper Packet (X7142B) and Harvest Charms (Z1633)

July 11–15 Fanfare Paper Packet (X7138B) and Fanfare Level 2 Assortment (Z1400)

July 16–20 Lucky Paper Packet (X7137B) and Lucky My Stickease® Assortment (X7137C)

July 21–25 Mayberry Paper Packet (X7136B) and Mayberry My Stickease® Assortment (X7136C)

July 26–29 Sophia Paper Packet (X7131B) and Sophia My Stickease® Assortment (X7131C)

July 30–31 Believe Paper Packet (X7145B) and Holiday Pockets (Z1486) OR  

Wonderland Paper Packet (X7146B) and Wonderland My Stickease® Assortment (X7146C) (Qualifying orders placed July 30-31 will receive either the Believe package or the Wonderland package; it will be a surprise which!)

I love, love, love the Howlin' Horseradish Dip Mix! I used the mix on hamburger patties a few days ago, which gave them a great kick, and the dip is really nice.  It has just the right amount of heat, and is just something different than what you usually find at parties.  It would be yummy as a sandwich spread, too. I think this mix would be a great addition to potato salad, or even deviled eggs.  Check out the "Try Our Recipes" section of my Tastefully Simple website for the Howlin' Blue Cheese Spread recipe to see what I want to try next.  That sounds so good!  The Howlin' Horseradish Dip Mix is one of the returning favorites products only available through the end of July, so don't wait too long!

Watermelon Keg

How cute is this for Summer parties??

Check out this great Watermelon Cooler recipe from Tastefully Simple!  How great is this for 4th of July barbecues?  Or try a non-alcoholic version; kids would love this!

Gnome, Sweet Gnome!

I have a thing for gnomes. I haven't had it for very long, and I think it's my mom's fault for buying me a garden gnome last year at Menards, but I totally dig them. The one garden gnome (and the giant mushroom he stands under) has now been joined by a gnome flag, a gnome sleeping in a hammock, and 3 small gnomes that guide you up the porch steps. I have a very small flower bed in front of my house, so that's a lot of gnomes for a small area.

Even more than I like my gnomes, I like torturing Christina, who I sit by at work, with gnomes. She hates them. She says she just doesn't like them, but I know that deep down, she's actually scared of them. Maybe she was attacked by one as a child, I don't know. Once in awhile they just show up on her desk. It's happened a couple times. I'm sure it will happen again, but you just never know when.

When the Autumn 2011 Idea Book came out almost a year ago, and this fantastic Gnome Garden stamp set appeared, I was so excited! I didn't get it until just a few months ago, though, which brings me to my point. Before too long, the Autumn 2012 Idea Book will be unveiled, which is very exciting! But that means that the stamp sets from last Autumn's book may be going away.

Whenever a new Idea Book comes out, all of the My Acrylix stamp sets from the previous book are still available. (Papers, embellishments, tools and accessories are only available from the current book, but the stamps carry over!) You can only count on them being available for ONE extra season, though! So when this Autumn's book comes out, unless the stamp set you've been looking at happens to still be in the book, you may be out of luck. Don't miss out on a favorite! Now is the time to go through the Autumn 2011 Idea Book and make sure you've picked up all the stamps you love. Now is the time to go through the Spring 2012 Idea Book and make sure you've picked up all the papers and accessories that you love. I hate missing out on something just because I took too long. So while we're all excited about the new products that are coming soon, don't forget to snap up the great products you've had on your wish list before it's too late! If you find any papers in that old Autumn book that you just have to have, make sure you check back for information on the "Perfect Pairs" special coming in July, and you just might be able to get them for free!

Want the Gnome Garden set pictured above to make cards for your own gnome-a-phobe friends? Follow the link below and just search for the word "gnome" before it's too late!  



Coming in July - Perfect Pairs!

It doesn't look like much...

See that little red half circle on the tip of my thumb? OUCH! Just because your Pampered Chef mandolin works without the safety guard if you're shredding... use the safety guard. Seriously. I shredded 6 potatoes with the guard, no problem. I got lazy and skipped it to do half of an onion (now that everything is wet with potato juice), and on about the third swipe, YIKES! You know the stuff in onions that makes you cry? It apparently is the same stuff that makes a freshly grated thumb tip sting. So no joke, use the guard. I thought I could still go at mandolin-speed, but I was wrong. Now every time I have to use the space bar, I'm reminded.

Blue Ribbon LEMON Blueberry Bars

Wow, so I tried something new the other day. Right now, the Tastefully Simple "Returning Favorites" are available, and the only one I had tried so far was the Howlin' Horseradish (which makes a WONDERFUL dip, and a great addition to ground beef when making hamburgers!). Yesterday I made the Blue Ribbon Blueberry Bars, and substituted the Mayer Lemon Infused Oil for some of the butter that the recipe calls for.

Oh my. They are like chewy oatmeal cookies with tart, juicy blueberries and little white chocolate chips, and just a hint of lemony brightness. One box makes an 8x8 pan, and they're so rich that a 2x2 piece is a nice size, which gives you 16 bars.

These are only available through the end of July. The Blue Ribbon Blueberry Bar Mix only requires 1 egg and 1 stick of butter to make it according to the box directions, so it's a nice thing to keep on hand when you just want to put together something quick and easy. I did have to bake mine a little longer than the instructions said before they browned on top. I took them out after 22 minutes and let them cool, but they were still too doughy in the middle so I put them back in the oven for a few more minutes. Might just be my oven, but do check that it gets a nice golden brown all the way across the top, not just around the edges.

Fabulous!

Your favorites are back!

Tastefully Simple has brought back several favorites from previous catalogs, just for June and July, and you can even get a free gift with purchase!  


Receive a FREE Viva Garlic! Alfredo Sauce Mix ($7.99 value!) as your gift with the Returning Favorites Collection! Perfect for summer meals and entertaining, this special collection of blasts from the past is available exclusively for a limited time.

• Blue Ribbon Blueberry™ Bar Mix

• Howlin' Horseradish Dip Mix™

• Meyer Lemon Infused Oil

• Green Tea Peppercorn Seasoning Blend

• Vanilla Bean Chiller™ Drink Mix

• FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE:
 Viva Garlic! Alfredo Sauce Mix ($7.99 value!)

Of course all products are also sold separately, and these are only available through July 31, 2012.  Want to give your Absolutely Almond Pound cake an amazing twist?  Substitute Meyer Lemon Infused Oil for part of the butter, add some vanilla yogurt and poppy seeds, and you have an AMAZING summer dessert!  You entire family will love the Vanilla Bean Chiller Drink Mix, or for a grown up treat, add some vodka and Kahlua for a Vanilla Bean White Russian!   These recipes (and tons of others) are all available on the website; just click "try our recipes" in the top banner and you can search by product.  You'll be amazed at the versatility of these popular products.  Get them before they're gone!

Keeping Cool in Summer Heat

There are so many great reasons to love Tastefully Simple, but today I want to talk about the amazing host program.  As product parties go, TS parties are SO simple, and so much fun!  There are so many great perks for hostesses - half price items for bookings, free product based on sales, even MORE free product based on the number of orders, plus amazing host specials that change each month.  For example, you can earn COOl rewards in July - including free drinks, snacks and a colorful picnic cooler (up to $157.85 value)!  And hosting a Tastefully Simple party couldn't be easier!  I'll provide several samples for you to prepare, along with a shopping list and even little cups to put the samples in so you don't even have to dirty a bunch of dishes!  Aside from baking time (we can't have a party without Bountiful Beer Bread, can we?), prepping the samples for your party typically only takes about half an hour.  I'll give you invitations, checklists, everything you need for a succesful event.  The day of the party, I'll bring everything else we need:  plates, even MORE samples, catalogs, prizes, you name it!  All you need is a place for everyone to sit; I'll take care of everything else.  It's the perfect reason to gather friends together this summer!

WOW!  Summer can be very busy for families.  School is out, activities camps, VBS, family vacations and day trips... I know there are a lot of full calendars out there right now!  Close To My Heart has such a great special right now, though, that you will want to take a few minutes in June to shop, even if you don't have time right now to scrap!  During June, buy 2 My Acrylix stamp sets, get a 3rd free!  FREE!  How cool is that??  You know with everything going on this summer, you'll have plenty of pictures to scrapbook as soon as you have time, so make sure you have the perfect tools and stamps to finish those pages with flair.  Don't miss this special!

How cute is this paper?  Close To My Heart is celebrating National Scrapooking Month with this adorable set.  Great retro prints on one side, polka dots on the reverse!  Plus it comes with patterns for several adorable projects you can make with the set.  You can get this for just $5 with a qualifying purchase through the end of May.  Want more information?  Visit my website for details!