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!