The Ink Boutique

The Makings of a Young Women Handout

2011-05-01T21:10:00.002-07:00

I am often asked where I come up with the ideas

for my Young Women handouts.

While I do LOVE making them

and I LOVE when they turn out better than I had envisioned,

I don't know that I truly have a secret for coming up with the idea.

Usually, I start with the lesson.

All of my lessons are found at lds.org.

This year we are on Manual 3.

I usually figure out what part of the lesson I want the girls to remember

and then I locate a thought, quote or scripture that enforces that lesson.

For Easter I knew I wanted to focus on the YW Values

and so I went hunting for Easter candy.

I bought oodles of jelly beans in YW Value colors

(no such thing as gold jelly beans- hence the golden-Carmel filled egg)

and I also knew I wanted to use the Lamb to represent the Lamb of God.

Later I thought about what I wanted them to think about who they are

in relationship to the message of Easter. . .I wrote this:

This Easter place your values where your mouth is!

Stand as a witness of God at all times

and in all things and in all places

as you bear witness of the divine mission of the Lamb of God.

Be thou an example of the believers.

(All paraphrased from the YW Theme, YW Values and 1 Timothy 4:12)

I already had these Wilton disposable icing tubes which are

already ideally shaped for Easter!

I composed my text into the shape of the "carrot" and placed

it on this Cyrstal Wilkerson Houndstooth digital paper.

Then I made the Happy Easter tag!

I used CTMH Splendor paper and some

miscellaneous CTMH Stamps.

Some green ribbon for the carrot -

all with a little help from my Freckle-Faced Strawberry

and there's the magic!

Breaking the Streak . . .

2011-04-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

I was on a roll, just not rolling on the right hill.
I'm not counting the number of consecutive days I didn't blog. . .
I'm just going to get back on track.

Take time to be creative every day.

April Card Class

One of my Faves
Green, Black and Cream with vintage aging. . . yummy!

Astounding Generosity!

Fun color combination and I don't like purple!

For a Friend

I think this was my personal favorite! Water brush, dye ink painting technique.

It's Your Day

The Class liked this one!

Beautiful Spring

Mother's Day Apron - It's an open-able card and a refrigerator magnet.

I based this off the BBQ Grill Apron that's been around for a few years now.

Mother's Apron

Another Class Favorite - Brown and Red, always a classic!

Love Tree

I aM nOt SUrE WhAt WiLl FRIgHteN YoU MOrE. . .

2010-10-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

The art that I'm posting

which is certainly SPOOKY!

or the fact that I am posting at all!

I would love to say that my absence is all from lack of time,

and while time certainly has been a factor,

truthfully, its more FEAR;

the fear of rejection. . .

the fear that no one cares if I post,. . .

and the fear that no one cares if I'm even here.

It scares me.

I'm sure on the surface we all look like we have it all together,

but I don't.

You see, lately,

I've had more in my life

and on my plate

that I feel I can cope with and adding it to for any reason

would be more than I am able to bear.

Sad, but true. . .

I wish I didn't allow fear in my heart

except for maybe an occasional spook house on Halloween.

Now, I've opened up. . . FEAR an All.

Hope I didn't Scare you all right away.

Scared or not, here is my post.

This was my Trick or Treat class Friday night.

Boo Crew Board Book

Cover of Boo Crew Board Book

Back of Boo Crew Mini Board Back

12X12 One Sheet Wonder Box

Candy Box

Candy Box Back

Candy Box Side 2

Boo Bag

I Can Color!

2010-08-16T21:35:00.001-07:00

Finally! 40 years old and I learned how to color!

Thanks Jen for the FANTASTIC class!

Wish I could come to the next class,

but fortunately for me, my feet

will be planted firmly on the Southern California

sandy beach! Laguna Beach, here we come!

In real life it looks like I painted it. I am so happy with the results.

I cam home and looked at some other things I've colored...

hmmmmmmmm. . . let's just say. . .

not so pretty. Copics are worth it. . .

at least to a paper and ink enthusiast like myself.

Hopefully I can hone my skills from here!

Agency Is a Gift

2010-08-15T18:25:00.002-07:00

Another Set of Young Women Handouts.
What I CHEWS to be is up to me. Agency is a gift. See 2 Nephi 2:27
These are from last week's lesson on Agency.
Young Women Manual 2, Lesson 28

They were a hit. Just to carry the theme a bit
farther, I used different flavors of gum.

The lesson was on using our agency to make good choices.
When you make a choice,
the consequence-
good or bad-
is fixed to the choice.

Not that any gum can be "bad," but some flavors
are definitely not favored by 12 and 13 year olds!

Enjoy!

An Apple A Day!

2010-08-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Another Young Women Handout. . . Had fun making them!

Cricut Apple

The Lesson was on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ

just by being a friend.

"Just" Jessica Turns 9 - Happy Birthday Girl!

2010-08-08T23:52:00.008-07:00

Just Jessica is how we explain this amazingly wonderful, extremely talented, wildly outrageous bundle of girl she is and the wildly exasperating and often mind bending things she challenges us with. No one else could be, well, Jessica! Truly coincidentally (or maybe not so) Jessica was asked to speak today in primary. The topic is the first line of her talk. There wasn't a dry eyed adult in the room. Love you girl!!!

Jessica's Talk for Sunday, August 8th

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is a God of miracles. We all know of stories in the bible where Jesus worked miracles for others, but he still works miracles today. I know that this is true. I know it is true because Jesus Christ has worked a miracle for me.

9 years ago today I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. The same day I was born my mom was at gymnastics with a friend watching Mikensee at her practice. They were discussing the desire of my mom's heart to have a baby. For several years my mom, dad and sister had prayed for a baby girl to come into their lives. They tried to adopt several children through the state, but something always happened and they had to say good-bye to several kids that they loved. Because of this they were very sad, but continued to have faith that God would work a miracle for them. A stranger, sitting behind them overheard their conversation and asked my mom if she heard her right. "Are you trying to adopt a baby?" she asked.

My mom said, "Yes, why do you ask?."

The woman proceeded to tell my mom that her sister was an adoption specialist in Utah and then asked, "Are you a Mormon?"

My mom's heart sank. They had been passed by for other adoptions and had been told by some agencies that they wouldn't even work with her because of her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She knew she couldn't lie and said, "Why yes I am, is that a problem?"

The woman said, "No! We are too!" They were both relieved. She gave my mom her sister's number and once they got home my mom called her right away.

The woman's sister was an adoption specialist for children with medical needs. My mom was a little sad and told the woman, that while she really, really wanted to be a mother to another baby she didn't think she was strong enough to adopt a baby that would have to spend so much time in hospitals and at doctor's appointments. The woman asked if she would have a problem adopting a baby of a different color. My mom said "Absolutely not!" The kind woman gave my mom the name and number of a friend who only worked at adopting babies with the same skin color as mine. My mom was so excited. She called TLC Adoptions immediately! The agency sent her the paperwork to begin the process and my mom and dad stayed up almost all night filling out the paperwork. Early the next morning my mom received a call. It was TLC Adoptions. They said a baby girl had been born the night before and that the family that was going to adopt the baby had changed their mind due to some other circumstances. She told my mom that if our family wanted to adopt the baby girl that she would need to complete the paperwork, arrange to speak to my biological mother on the phone and be on an airplane to Indiana that day. My mom cried with joy and excitement. She hung up the phone hugged and cried with Mikensee, called my dad and then her mother. Everyone went to work and she was on a plane that night to meet me. After almost 5 years of prayers and effort my family had me. I was a miracle and so were the circumstances under which we were united.

I have no doubt that my family is mine. I don't know why I had to come to this earth with a different biological mother, but I know it doesn't matter. I know my mom is my mom and that she always has been. I know that when we were sealed in the temple my blood became the same as theirs and that they are my family.

I know Jesus is the son of God and the He IS a God of Miracles.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Don't Fall Over Just Yet. . .

2010-08-07T03:24:00.004-07:00

I know that if you are still out there, hanging with me,

you are most likely falling off your chair!

The thought of an actual post gracing the pages of my

blog. . . I know I am! Truly, it's not for lack of material.
My life, is, as always, eventful and somewhat creative. . .
it's just also short on the time spectrum!

On Tuesday we had a back to school swimming pot luck and party

for the young women in our ward. I had a cute idea to send them

back to school with something to remind them of who they are. . .
and that they are oh so important! I hope you like them!
The girls seemed pleased. I also made one for each of my kids.
I will attempt to sneak them in their backpacks the

day they start school this year. . . shhhhhh, don't tell them!

Finished Project

Mini Squeeze - Drink Mix and Water

Cutesy Note
Hope you have a Beary Grand year. Have a treat and a squeeze to get you through your first day.

Most of the product was CTMH,
but I did make the card using Digital Technology. :)
I'm so tech savvy! LOL!

I won't promise anything,
but I'll try to get 15 minutes of blogging
in a few times a week.
Not that anything I have is worth your 15 minutes,
but as always, this isn't about you. . .
(that was my 3 seconds of evil for the year!)

Love ya! and if you are still around,
you must really love me!

Time Out For Women - Hope Project

2010-06-08T08:36:00.003-07:00

I am so thrilled to be a part of this great organization again this year!

Time Out for Women 2010

Phoenix, AZ

Friday, October 15, 2010

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Phoenix Convention Center

South Ballroom, South Building

Jefferson & 3rd

Phoenix, AZ 85004 US

Happy 60th Birthday Mom!

2010-05-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Mother.

Today she is 60.

She won't be embarrassed I told you, nor should she be!

Isn't she beautiful?

Everything I am I contribute to my loving Father in Heaven

and my Mom.

I'm so thankful for her!

Here we are together last year when she turned 59.

I'll be 40 this year. . .

I remember when she was 40.

I hope I am as good and strong and beautiful

at 60 as she is today.

Love you Mom. Looking forward to our celebration later!!!

Connor's Cards and an Update!

2010-05-17T16:56:00.032-07:00

Cards for Connor was a huge success.

Of course I had dreamed of more,

but in the end I am so pleased.

Thanks to my friends and their friends

for helping me with donations and evenings of fun!

So far, my efforts have raised $1105.

18 women participated! YOU ROCK!!!

Connor is still a long way from his goal, but he's not worried.

For this class I focused on the inside of the cards as well as the outside.

I did this in honor of Connor, who is

truly beautiful from the inside out.

If you can make a donation, please visit his web-site here.

Hope you enjoy Connor's Cards.

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-05-16T16:53:00.001-07:00

By popular request!

This is another handout for my Beehives.

This lesson was on Righteous Traditions.

The lesson reminded me of one of my favorite

childhood memories - making Jam.

My mom LOVED fresh berries!

She tried to grow our own,

but we only ever ended up with a handful.

Still she wanted to preserve the tastes of summer.

We would travel to the fruit stands and buy

OH SO EXPENSIVE flats of fresh fruit.

At home we would wash and prepare

the sweet, red fruit. (Raspberries too!)

This week I took Mikensee out

and we bought all the supplies.

Strawberries were only $1/lb!!!

We showed up at my Mom's and

announced our plans. My 18

year old sister (18 tomorrow!)

had never made fresh jam.

We had a great day and while

preserving a taste of summer

we preserved a righteous family tradition!

TIP: If you'd like to see this (or any image on my blog) larger, click on the image!

Mother's Day . . . the unusual holiday

2010-05-10T14:09:00.004-07:00

It sure seems to me that Mother's Day

is an unusual holiday.

Maybe when I am

older it will make sense.

Every mother I know

hates Mother's Day

It seems to be the day

above all others

that we feel inadequate,

unqualified, and at best

tired.

Mother's Day should never, ever, ever be

on Sunday, the day that we rush about

to get children fed and dressed

in their Sunday best;

arriving at church frazzled

from the morning's drama.

(or at least in my world.)

Then we come home to hungry children,

tired children, restless children,

and we wonder if or when

this will ever really be a holiday for Mother's.

I am, however, grateful for my mother.

I owe everything to her.

I wouldn't be me without her.

I tried to liven up her day with a special surprise

at work Saturday night.

She's a night house nursing supervisor

at a very big hospital

and she works the graveyard shift

which meant no Mother's Day for her.

She was sleeping.

This was her card (also a card I used for Cards for Connor)

which I will be posting the results of soon, I promise.

And this was my dinner - the one I made.

and bought

and cleaned up.

and these are the

reasons I "celebrate" Mother's Day.

which I guess in the end

make this unusual holiday,

the one worth celebrating.

Stardom Hits!

2010-04-26T19:29:00.003-07:00

I should have posted this BEFORE we were famous. . .

or almost. . .

Last night Jessica was on America's Funniest Home Videos.

The clip was about 30 seconds in the section titled Young Love.

This is the full video from which the clip was taken.

We were sharing a Thanksgiving with my surrogate sister Dawn

and my surrogate nephew Bennett.

You will see that Bennett just LOVES Jessica. . .

It was such a treat to be with them again last night

as our young loves made their debut on prime time tv. . .

Shortly after this aired we were offered a multi-million kiss contract. . .

we obviously had to turn them down. . .

It's a Flower, It's a Handout, It's a Post!!!

2010-04-17T19:45:00.011-07:00

Last night I stayed up WAY too late with a

friend and my daughter.

It was soooo late . . . er. . . I mean early. . .

she and her daughter crashed at my house!

Poola (as I fondly call Paula)

my daughter and I spent a few hours in Mesa at CKC,

but then had to come home and spend some craft time. . .

We made these paper flowers.

They were supposed to be Gardenias. . .

I'll say they are Roses. . .

I will admit that I wasn't sure they were going to turn out,

but I'm glad we stuck with it! Mikensee made the pink one.

Poola's bunch isn't here, but I know they will

remind her of night. . . I mean morning together.

Thanks Poola for making my life

sweeter and definitely more vibrant!

One of the reasons my posts these days are few is that

I spend most of my craft time each week making

handouts for my beehives.

We made a book especially for keeping them in.

(I guess I should show it to you!)

The girls love them and it brings me great joy to make

them for them.

Each one of these precious daughters of God has expressed

in some way to me, their gratitude. So much so that

I can't think of NOT making them something each week.

They are designed to remind them of the lesson,

and to show them that I love them and care for their well-being.

I make 14 cards each week. I've never posted them.

This is actually a handout for this week's lesson and next.

So I have a break.

It's a good thing because the next 2 Friday nights are

Cards for Connor

and I have to design 10 cards and prep for 40 guests!

This is actually a card that opens up,

but I'm not going to tell them that.

Next week, I'll show them the secret on the inside.

I don't know why I haven't shared any of them before, but I really

love how these turned out. I hope you like them too!

Maybe I'll share them a bit more often.

Please have a wonderful week and never, ever forget who you are

or of the divinity within you.

You mean the world to someone and to me. . .

Still At It

2010-04-07T13:50:00.007-07:00

While it may appear that my creative gene has left the building
or that my blogging hat has been retired, I am still at it.
Wouldn't it be grand if we could truly spend each day as we desire
and not in the way that is sometimes pressed upon us.
I know we have choices and choices I do make,
but unfortunately for me, my choices these days have been limited to circumstances
that I can not control.
Control. . . there's a thought, an idea, a word I've long since had to let go of.
For those of us OCD types (yes, I am one), control is what we often seek, but never get
-- and rightfully so. Control is not what life is about -- choice is.
Which brings me right back to the beginning.
Choices.
Well, lets just say that I am making them, just not necessarily the ones I would like to.
Creativity is a necessity only second to choice in my world.
I live to create and thankfully, occasionally, I am blessed with the opportunity.
Thanks to my dedicated Scrap Gals
I once again eeked out some time and put together another class.
Loosely based on the Topstich CTMH Workshop on the Go,
I better get these posted so my gals can get their photos on them. Hope you enjoy.

Fun is Fundamental - We just love the zoo. Don't these show how much fun we have?

Determination Jessica - ;} Jessica's middle name should be Determination.

Behold Wonder - Walker was lost at the zoo for a time and when we found him this is where he was. Beholding Wonder. We spent a good 30 minutes just watching in wonder at this calf (only 2 days old) and her mother. I think they were just as curious as the boys were!

Remember you can click on each photo individually to see the image larger! Until next time!

Cards for Connor

2010-03-10T22:24:00.004-07:00

I've got a notebook here full of things to post and share with you, but life just gets busier and busier and then in comes a story like this. Connor's blog will just give you strength. You can find it here. Kathy is a great friend and her husband is a bike rider who likes to ride his bike cross country for fun. . . you can read more about that here. The team and Project Life info can be found here. All of those links prompted me to do this:

(if you'd like to read this, you can click on the photo to see it in full view.)

And here's how you can help! Please share my post by posting a link to your blog or by emailing me at theinkboutique@gmail.com for a copy you can email to all your friends. . . share this on facebook, twitter or anywhere else you feel inspired. I realize not everyone can come to class, but any donations will go a long way towards achieving the $10000 my friends have pledged to collect.

Thanks for being you and for letting me share this with you!

You Owe Me A Milkshake!

2010-02-16T22:18:00.001-07:00

A little something for a friend that is very nice to me. To make one of your own you will need 2 small wash cloths, a clear plastic cup, a straw and decorations of your choice. Roll the washcloths and layer in the cup, decorate, cut the straw, insert and add a "cherry!" Supposed to have been for Valentine's Day about 2 years ago, but I finally got one done!

Wishing You Love

2010-02-13T15:02:00.004-07:00

For my 12 adorable Beehive Valentine's. . .

Completely and Utterly Off Topic and Yet Completely Relevant

2010-02-05T10:33:00.006-07:00

Many know that I am in real estate, have been for 20 years. . . I love real estate, but never really blog about it because it's my job and blogging, along with my other hobbies are for fun. Anyway, this is a timely topic that I thought might help some of my readers regardless of where they live because of the economy which currently plagues us and by which I too have been completely affected. . .

A common question from borrowers and homeowners these days is how long they will need to wait to buy again if a negative item appears on their credit report. Different loan programs have different disqualification periods for Bankruptcy/Foreclosure/Short Sale. Once the automatic disqualification period has elapsed, the normal income/asset/credit requirements typically apply. It is also important to remember that if a mortgage account is included in a Bankruptcy, then foreclosure waiting periods apply with all loan programs. Here is breakdown by loan program:

Conventional Loans

Bankruptcy = 4 years
Foreclosure = 5 years
Short Sale = 2 years

VA Loans

Bankruptcy = 2 years
Foreclosure = 2 years
Short Sale = industry standard is 2 years

FHA Loans

Bankruptcy = 2 years
Foreclosure = 3 years

Short Sale = industry standard is 3 years unless no late mortgage payments have been made in the past 12 months and buying in a different geographic location (out of state job transfer for example).

In trouble? Find a qualified Realtor and find out all you can about your options before losing your home. It's worth trying to short sale first in most cases. Hope this detour from my regularly scheduled blogging helps someone!

P.S. For a more lighthearted post please see my post on my Moments in Time Blog and for a heart wrenching, but soul growing experience, you may want to check out my post here.

Twitterpated with Twitterpated!

2010-02-01T12:47:00.009-07:00

I am just twitter-pated with Twitterpated! Who knew mushrooms could make such cute page accents?!?! I love how the layouts for my scrap club turned out this month! All the moving and unpacking has me still way behind on life and creating. . . it's the creating part I miss the most! So glad to have people who WANT me to be creative so I can share my time with them. Thanks to my 9 club gals for keeping me going!

When I revamped my class I took it from "Get-it-Done" to making 3-2 page layouts from the same kit, but it's not necessarily about getting as much scrapped as possible, but more about just making beautiful pages. It's loosely based on CTMH's Workshop on the Go, but I just prefer to make the class my own. You can buy the workshop on the go and make it on your own at home, so that makes it nice, but I like to have hands on classes too! It was a nice change of pace and the class loved the different looks we achieved with the same paper pack.

2 Page Layout One - Just SMILE!

2nd 2 Page Layout - Family and Friends

2 Page Layout - Oh This Face! (Wyatt)

- and once again I proved my old theory that you don't have to have boy themed paper to make boy pages. . . or maybe my boys just exude so much testosterone they can actually wear pink and make it look masculine!

CTMH Products and Supplies Used: Twitterpated Level 2, Twitterpated Workshop on the Go Exclusive Stamp Set, Ribbon Rounds in Chocolate, Basic Brad Assortment, Dimensional Elements Organic, Ink in Chocolate, Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf and Sorbet

Studio J is coming soon and I've been using it during the preview period. I LOVE that my pictures can be any size and fit perfectly in the layouts and I don't have to print my photos! I LOVE that with the right photographs I can pick ANY paper pack CTMH has offered in the past 5 years and have a layout done in literally a few minutes. . . I don't love that there is no dimension, which is what keeps me from going all digital in the first place! This is an example of one of the things I will always love about traditional scrapbooking;

You just don't get this kind of dimension in digital scrapbooking. . . Now you can always do the layout and place the embelishments on at home and I'm going to try this next, but then the price (which is the other case made for digital/traditional scrapbooking) goes way up and I'm not sure the value is there. . . You'll have to take this journey with me to see what I decide. Hope you'll stay tuned!

My Baby is Thirteen!

2010-01-21T09:47:00.003-07:00

SHHHHHH. Don't tell her I posted this picture, she's going to be sooooooo mad at me! I just had to post because I am so thankful for her. She definitely is on of the very best things I have done in my life. Mikensee, I love you. You are amazing and you are capable of doing whatever you dream of doing. Have a wonderful day! (or weekend I should say because she's having a sleep over tomorrow and we're having family birthday dinner on Sunday!) Hope you know how much you are loved!!!

Help for Haiti

2010-01-14T13:10:00.002-07:00

Hello friends,

a blog that I follow is offering 2-$500 donations to a charity of your choice that is helping in Haiti. She is also personally donating 10 cents for every comment she receives in regards to this post. This expires FRIDAY, January 15th at NOON HER TIME! Please act quickly!

PIONEER WOMAN DONATES TO HAITI

My family has prayed since the moment this tragedy occurred and we will continue to pray for this nation that could easily perish from this horrific disaster. I, like you feel the need to do something to help and have already donated, but would love to be able to add to their relief that is already on the way.

My charity of choice LDS PHILANTHROPIES. . . They are already sending hygiene kits and baby kits. You can read more about their relief efforts HERE.

If you wouldn't mind, please take a moment and comment on her post (for a 10cent donation) and put in your comments the charity of your choice for your chance to win $500 to go to help in Haiti.

Thanks for reading and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pass this along!

Happy New Year, a thought and some Pancakes!

2010-01-04T08:37:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year! I can't believe that it is 2010. 10 years since Y2K which some new we would never live through! I remember being a kid and thinking I'll never see the year 2000! I'd be 30!!! Well, I made it and this year I'll be 40!!! Holy Cow!

I don't know about for you, but for my family 2008 and 2009 were tough and because of that I know 2010 is going to be wonderful!!! We had a wonderful holiday. We moved and are hopefully in this new home to stay for awhile. My Walker man asked me this morning when we were going to move again (we've moved twice since August 31st!) and I told him I didn't plan on moving again for a long, long time and he said "good, because I like this house." Our last move was to our "rental-investment property" that we've owned since 2001, but never lived in. It was 1500 square feet and just a tad on the small side for us. Mostly it didn't afford any outside play and that was really hard for my very active kids to get used to. I was thankful for the place to land and wasn't that excited about moving (very hard, I don't recommend doing it any more than necessary and I'm a Realtor for heaven's sake!), but now that we are here and mostly settled I am thankful for the interim move because it has made this home much more enjoyable that I think it otherwise would have been. I'm very thankful indeed for this beautiful home.

I'll be updating my gratitude blog today and also posting my New Year's resolutions. . . I think I've finally figured out how to succeed at making (and keeping) them. . . we'll see!

Hopefully you have a New Year's Resolution or two. . . I think they are good for us. Even if we don't keep them it affords the opportunity to assess our lives and at least make a note on how we want to improve. We were, after all, created to become more than we are. Life is a process of growing and improving that should never stop. We can't be truly happy if we don't become more. It doesn't mean we have to strive for positions of supposed greatness or set goals to do feats worthy of world records, just to improve. How do you want to improve this year? I hope you'll share with me!

on to the PANCAKES! I have 2 small mama's boys that LOVE pancakes. I'm not a huge fan and don't find them to be entirely high on the health and nutrition scale. I have some whole wheat blender pancakes that score pretty well, but my kids don't LOVE them. I have a recipe from Rachel Ray called Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes that I do adore, but let's just say they qualify more for dessert than a healthy breakfast (or dinner!) My boys were good at church yesterday (if you don't count the belching contest at the drinking fountain as we were trying to leave *grin* *grit teeth* *grin*), so they wanted pancakes and pink chicken (left over ham) after church. I agreed to make it for them. I love to use sour cream in my pancakes (a tip from Rachel Ray), but I'm also on a much stricter budget than I used to be so I made sour milk for them and added oatmeal for the health factor. I have to say they turned out very well so here is my recipe for you. Budget friendly, food storage certified, and yummy to boot!

Rachele's Oatmeal Pancakes

(for a family of 6, cut in half to adjust accordingly!)

2 Cups Milk PLUS 2 T White Vinegar

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Quick Oats

2 Eggs

3 T Oil

2 T Brown Sugar (white will work too!)

1 t Salt

1 t Baking Soda

1 t Baking Powder

1 t Vanilla (optional, but i put vanilla in everything!)

Add vinegar to milk and let sit. Mix all dry ingredients and then add soured milk, oil and eggs. Mix to combine well, but don't beat. Ladle onto medium hot griddle (I use non-stick so no extra fat, spray with Pam or use butter if your griddle is not non-stick.) Cook until bubbly in the middle and dry on the edges, then flip and cook for another minute or two. . . smear with butter and serve with syrup!

A little more "healthy" for a pancake and pretty yummy too!

Candy Cane Bath Salts

2009-12-29T10:03:00.003-07:00

I have long wanted to make this recipe, but I keep forgetting! If I post it here I can't not make it, so here is the recipe:

12-12oz canning jars with lids and rings

1-4lb cartons of Epsom Salts

4 lbs of sea salt or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of glycerin, divided

12-15 drops of red food coloring

12-15 drops of peppermint essential oil

Cardstock, Ribbons, etc., for decorating

Wash, rinse and dry jars. Empty one carton of Epsom Salts and add 3 cups of sea salt. Stir well. In a small dish Add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin and 6-8 drops of peppermint oil and add red food color. Stir until blended. Mix with salt mixture until completely blended. A Kitchen-Aid works well for this on low speed. Don't use a hand mixer or small stand mixer. If you don't have a high powered mixer use a spoon and elbow grease! Set aside red salts. Mix remaining salts with remaining glycerin and peppermint oil using same method above. Holding canning jars at an angle, layer salts in the jar alternating the white and red mixtures.

Makes 12 gifts at less than $2 per jar! There are other ideas and recipes you can find similar to this here and here and here AND here! ENJOY!